Illustration: Sarah Grillo/AxiosIn a major win for Amazon, a majority of workers involved in an organizing effort at its distribution center in Bessemer, Ala., have voted not to unionize. Counting is still ongoing.Why it matters: The vast majority of large tech companies have been composed of non-union workers, and tech companies, including Amazon, have fought hard to keep it that way. The "no" vote in Alabama could chill or delay other unionization efforts in the industry.The mail-in vote, conducted in March, was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.Between the lines: Amazon had...…Illustration: Sarah Grillo/AxiosIn a major win for Amazon, a majority of workers involved in an organizing effort at its distribution center in Bessemer, Ala., have voted not to unionize. Counting is still ongoing.Why it matters: The vast majority of large tech companies have been composed of non-union workers, and tech companies, including Amazon, have fought hard to keep it that way. The "no" vote in Alabama could chill or delay other unionization efforts in the industry.The mail-in vote, conducted in March, was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.Between the lines: Amazon had...WW…

The dual-screen Wing was one of LG's latest efforts to win back business in phones. Photo: LGAfter years of trying to turn its fortunes around, Korea's LG said it would exit the mobile phone business globally.Between the lines: The phone business is a hard one to make profitable for all but the largest players. LG was once one of those, but hasn't been for many years, and had no clear path to change that.Of note: LG said it will take until July to wind down its business and sell current inventory. Vladimir Putin has signed a law that would let him seek additional presidential terms in 2024...…The dual-screen Wing was one of LG's latest efforts to win back business in phones. Photo: LGAfter years of trying to turn its fortunes around, Korea's LG said it would exit the mobile phone business globally.Between the lines: The phone business is a hard one to make profitable for all but the largest players. LG was once one of those, but hasn't been for many years, and had no clear path to change that.Of note: LG said it will take until July to wind down its business and sell current inventory. Vladimir Putin has signed a law that would let him seek additional presidential terms in 2024...WW…

Photo: VCG / Getty ImagesMargaret Mitchell, the co-lead of Google's Ethical AI team, says that the company has fired her following an .Why it matters: Google was already under fire for its ouster of Timnit Gebru, the other co-lead of the team. Mitchell has been locked out of the corporate email since last month after what a source says was her effort to search corporate correspondence for evidence to back up Gebru's claim of discrimination and harassment.The move comes the same day that Google it had completed its investigation of Gebru's exit, as Axios first reported. The company didn't...…Photo: VCG / Getty ImagesMargaret Mitchell, the co-lead of Google's Ethical AI team, says that the company has fired her following an .Why it matters: Google was already under fire for its ouster of Timnit Gebru, the other co-lead of the team. Mitchell has been locked out of the corporate email since last month after what a source says was her effort to search corporate correspondence for evidence to back up Gebru's claim of discrimination and harassment.The move comes the same day that Google it had completed its investigation of Gebru's exit, as Axios first reported. The company didn't...WW…

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosTechnology companies including IBM, Oracle, and Salesforce are working with governments and health agencies to manage the massive task of rapidly distributing the COVID-19 vaccines.Why it matters: It's critical to make sure the limited supply of vaccines is distributed equitably and without wasting precious doses.Driving the news: The big picture: For tech, it's both a business opportunity and a chance for companies to tie themselves to a critical societal need. Yes, but: Tech could also be positioning itself for blame if there are hiccups in these...…Illustration: Annelise Capossela/AxiosTechnology companies including IBM, Oracle, and Salesforce are working with governments and health agencies to manage the massive task of rapidly distributing the COVID-19 vaccines.Why it matters: It's critical to make sure the limited supply of vaccines is distributed equitably and without wasting precious doses.Driving the news: The big picture: For tech, it's both a business opportunity and a chance for companies to tie themselves to a critical societal need. Yes, but: Tech could also be positioning itself for blame if there are hiccups in these...WW…

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/AxiosIntel became the latest tech company to report diversity statistics Tuesday, sharing a mixed bag of annual numbers that included small gains in some areas, relatively flat numbers of Black employees and a decline in female representation in the U.S.Why it matters: Intel, which was one of the first Big Tech companies to commit significant dollars to addressing racial and gender inequality, has nonetheless struggled, like its peers, to make continuous and significant progress toward a more diverse workforce.Details: Women made up a bit more than a quarter of...…Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/AxiosIntel became the latest tech company to report diversity statistics Tuesday, sharing a mixed bag of annual numbers that included small gains in some areas, relatively flat numbers of Black employees and a decline in female representation in the U.S.Why it matters: Intel, which was one of the first Big Tech companies to commit significant dollars to addressing racial and gender inequality, has nonetheless struggled, like its peers, to make continuous and significant progress toward a more diverse workforce.Details: Women made up a bit more than a quarter of...WW…

Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo: Carsten Koall/Getty ImagesGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai apologized Wednesday for the company's handling of the and said he would investigate the events and work to restore trust, according to an internal memo sent companywide and obtained by Axios.Why it matters: Gebru's exit has provoked anger and consternation within Google as well as in academic circles, with thousands of people signing an urging Google to reexamine its practices.In the note, Pichai acknowledged the depth of the damage done by the company's actions and said the company would look at all...…Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo: Carsten Koall/Getty ImagesGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai apologized Wednesday for the company's handling of the and said he would investigate the events and work to restore trust, according to an internal memo sent companywide and obtained by Axios.Why it matters: Gebru's exit has provoked anger and consternation within Google as well as in academic circles, with thousands of people signing an urging Google to reexamine its practices.In the note, Pichai acknowledged the depth of the damage done by the company's actions and said the company would look at all...WW…

Illustration: Aïda Amer/AxiosA federal judge on Friday issued an injunction preventing the Trump administration from imposing limits on the distribution of TikTok, reports. The injunction request came as part of a suit brought by creators who make a living on the video service.Why it matters: The administration has been seeking to force a sale of, or block, the Chinese-owned service. It also moved to ban the service from operating in the U.S. as of Nov. 12, a move which was put on hold by Friday's injunction.Context: China's ByteDance, which owns the platform, has been working to flesh out...…Illustration: Aïda Amer/AxiosA federal judge on Friday issued an injunction preventing the Trump administration from imposing limits on the distribution of TikTok, reports. The injunction request came as part of a suit brought by creators who make a living on the video service.Why it matters: The administration has been seeking to force a sale of, or block, the Chinese-owned service. It also moved to ban the service from operating in the U.S. as of Nov. 12, a move which was put on hold by Friday's injunction.Context: China's ByteDance, which owns the platform, has been working to flesh out...WW…

Screenshot: AxiosMore than 430,000 people tuned in simultaneously to Twitch on Tuesday night to watch Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) play a hit video game as part of an effort to promote voting.Why it matters: The event brought in the third biggest audience ever for an individual Twitch stream, with Ocasio-Cortez playing Among Us joined by popular gamers as well as fellow Rep. Ilhan Omar.Between the lines: Twitch has become a major gathering place for the younger demographic. Ocasio-Cortez has to stop the military from recruiting on the Amazon-owned service.Catch up quick: For those...…Screenshot: AxiosMore than 430,000 people tuned in simultaneously to Twitch on Tuesday night to watch Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) play a hit video game as part of an effort to promote voting.Why it matters: The event brought in the third biggest audience ever for an individual Twitch stream, with Ocasio-Cortez playing Among Us joined by popular gamers as well as fellow Rep. Ilhan Omar.Between the lines: Twitch has become a major gathering place for the younger demographic. Ocasio-Cortez has to stop the military from recruiting on the Amazon-owned service.Catch up quick: For those...WW…

Facebook said Wednesday that it was removing a series of ads from President Trump's campaign that linked American acceptance of refugees with increased coronavirus risk, a connection Facebook says is without merit. Why it matters: The ads were pulled after they received thousands of impressions and are a sign that the Trump campaign continues to test the limits of social media rules on false information. “We rejected these ads because we don’t allow claims that people’s physical safety, health, or survival is threatened by people on the basis of their national origin or immigration...…Facebook said Wednesday that it was removing a series of ads from President Trump's campaign that linked American acceptance of refugees with increased coronavirus risk, a connection Facebook says is without merit. Why it matters: The ads were pulled after they received thousands of impressions and are a sign that the Trump campaign continues to test the limits of social media rules on false information. “We rejected these ads because we don’t allow claims that people’s physical safety, health, or survival is threatened by people on the basis of their national origin or immigration...WW…

Skip to main contentThe newest AI wonder, ChatGPT — the latest in a line of incredibly quickly-evolving AI text generators — is causing jaws to drop and brows to furrow.What's happening: Users are telling ChatGPT to rewrite literary classics in new styles or to produce performance reviews of their colleagues, and the results can be scarily good. Why it matters: ChatGPT displays AI's power and fun. It could also make life difficult for everyone — as teachers and bosses try to figure out who did the work and all of society struggles even harder to discern truth from fiction.Driving the news:...…Skip to main contentThe newest AI wonder, ChatGPT — the latest in a line of incredibly quickly-evolving AI text generators — is causing jaws to drop and brows to furrow.What's happening: Users are telling ChatGPT to rewrite literary classics in new styles or to produce performance reviews of their colleagues, and the results can be scarily good. Why it matters: ChatGPT displays AI's power and fun. It could also make life difficult for everyone — as teachers and bosses try to figure out who did the work and all of society struggles even harder to discern truth from fiction.Driving the news:...WW…