Dell, a well-known computer manufacturer, is ending remote work. CEO Michael Dell has implemented a strict in-office policy. This change will take effect in March because Dell believes no technology can match the speed of human interaction. However, there will be exceptions to this policy. Meanwhile, a new preview version of Windows 11 shows that Microsoft is integrating a Copilot button into Paint. This button provides direct access to AI features like image creation and editing. These features are reserved for modern Copilot Plus PCs. This type of AI is not covered by the EU’s AI Act, which will be fully enforced on February 2, 2025. The AI regulation includes bans on AI systems with unacceptable risks and requires employees to have AI competence, although the term “AI competence” is vaguely defined.
Dell is ending remote work for its employees. CEO Michael Dell sent an email requiring employees who work partially or fully from home to return to the office five days a week. This policy applies to those living within an hour’s drive from their workplace, which likely refers to driving time by car, according to US standards. The rule will take effect in early March. Employees living farther away can continue working from home for now. Dell emphasizes that “a 30-second conversation can replace an email,” but there will be exceptions to the in-office policy.
Microsoft is offering beta testers a new preview version of Windows 11 that adds a Copilot button to Paint for additional AI features. Currently, Windows 11 Paint users only have access to the “Image Creator,” which generates images based on AI prompts. In the future, a dedicated Copilot button will replace the Image Creator, offering more AI features. Clicking this button opens a menu with options like Cocreator, Image Creator, a generative eraser, and AI-assisted background removal. Microsoft is expanding Windows 11’s AI features to other apps like Paint.
AI systems with unacceptable risks are now banned. This includes social scoring applications that monitor citizens. Although such systems have not existed in the EU, the AI Act, effective since last August, ensures they will not be used in the future. The ban will be fully enforced on February 2, 2025. The law is being implemented in stages. Employees can only use AI at work if they are sufficiently competent, according to the AI Act.
Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series shows that the company is only making minimal improvements to gaming graphics cards. Preliminary details suggested this, as there are barely more processing units than in the RTX 4000 series. Tests confirm that the Blackwell graphics architecture does not significantly improve performance per shader core. The GeForce RTX 5080 is only 5 to 15 percent faster than the RTX 4080 Super from the previous generation, depending on the resolution. Only the top model, RTX 5090, offers a 25–30 percent performance increase, but with prices well over 2000 euros, it is unaffordable for most people.
Every January and February, millions gather at the banks of sacred rivers in northern India, immersing themselves in a universe of positive energy that occurs only every 144 years. This event is accompanied by underwater drones, AI assistants, digital surveillance, location intelligence, aerial drones, bots, and digital local trade. Over 400 million people are expected. Ensuring everything runs smoothly with such a large crowd is a challenge, especially when a serious mass panic is just a riverbank away. This year, technology was supposed to ensure the safety of all participants and service providers. However, 30 pilgrims died in a mass panic, and many others were injured.
Apple’s product pipeline makes CEO Tim Cook optimistic. In a conference call, he spoke about the innovation potential in future iPhone generations. Teamgroup has the first V90 card with 2 TB, and Arri offers a slightly cheaper cinema camera that can be updated via software. These are the photo news of the week. State-sponsored hacker groups are misusing Google’s AI-powered assistant Gemini for reconnaissance and attack preparation. With the Linux tool Distrobox, you can start complete distributions in containers. A few commands are enough, but questions may arise in everyday use. Netflix is showing the animated film “The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep” in February. Amazon is airing “Broken Rage,” and Disney+ is launching “A Thousand Blows.”
Porsche is in crisis: two board members are set to leave. Negotiations are underway for a contract termination. The Taiwanese government classifies DeepSeek from China as a security risk, similar to the Pentagon. Italy blocks the AI bot due to privacy concerns. It’s time for “Change Your Password Day,” a reminder of good practices, although it is considered a counterproductive tip. OpenAI has released a compact version of its ChatGPT o3 AI, tailored for specific tasks.
