With a recent funding of $675 million at a $2.6 billion valuation from key investors including Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Microsoft, a new player has emerged in the race for artificial intelligence (AI) dominance: the American tech startup Figure AI. Their core product, Figure 01, is advertised to be a general-purpose, autonomous, and commercially viable humanoid robot that can help with a variety of tasks from daily chores to industrial labour. 

Elon Musk is considering implementing a small fee for new users on the social media network X (formerly known as Twitter), to enable posting and address the bot problem, according to recent announcements. In response to a post discussing changes on X's website, Musk proposed charging a small fee for new accounts as the "only way" to combat the "onslaught of bots."

Facebook is reportedly experiencing technical difficulties, with several users unable to access their timelines. Complaints began surfacing around 10:30 AM Bangladesh time today, with users reporting a loading error that prevents anything from appearing on their timelines.

Documents obtained by Israeli news outlet Haaretz revealed that in 2022, Intellexa, a European firm behind the Predator spyware which is equipped to gain access to a target's phone contents in real time, showcased a proof-of-concept system called Aladdin, designed to disseminate phone spyware via online ads. Haaretz reported that the Aladdin system targeted graphic designers and activists under the guise of job offers, demonstrating how the spyware infiltrates devices. However, the status of Aladdin's development and whether it was sold to government entities remains unclear.

Google Photos is set to launch a suite of AI-powered editing tools including Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Magic Editor, which will become available to all Google Photos users starting May 15. Users will be able to access these tools for free of cost on a wider range of devices, including Pixel tablets.

Kazi Abidur Rahman, the co-founder of Sunnamusk, a British perfume shop, has secured a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2024. He was listed in the 30 Under 30 list of Europe - Retail & Ecommerce 2024.

Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator Foundation (GESDA), an independent research foundation based in Switzerland, is already looking beyond AI, with the belief that quantum computing is going to be the next big technological disrupter. 

The debut launch of the Indian aerospace startup Agnikul Cosmos' rocket, named the Agnibaan, was postponed last week due to technical complications, according to people on the launch site.

Google is reportedly developing a new ‘Lookup’ button that allows users to quickly search phone numbers directly from their recent calls screen, therefore identifying unknown callers. The discovery was first made by an X user named AssembleDebug, who found this upcoming feature in the latest beta version of the Google Phone app, as reported by PiunikaWeb, an India-based tech news platform.

bKash has reportedly retrieved mistakenly sent BDT 50 coupons from users, as detailed in posts circulating on Facebook. Several users shared screenshots from 'bKashNotice', alleging that bKash had erroneously distributed BDT 50 coupons, only to retract them subsequently.

Aydha Mehnaz, a 29 year old Bangladeshi, has been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list under the Media and Marketing category. Aydha is VIP and Media Relations Lead at fashion brand Mugler, a French luxury fashion house owned by L’Oréal Group. Under her leadership, Mugler's media impact value soared from $58 million pre-Covid to now over $200 million, states Forbes. 

Spotify, the music streaming platform, is releasing its new AI playlists feature into beta. This new functionality allows users to generate custom playlists based on written prompts.

Microsoft has unveiled plans to open a new artificial intelligence (AI) hub in London, UK, with a primary emphasis on researching large language models and associated infrastructure. The Microsoft AI Hub team will be led by AI scientist and engineer Jordan Hoffmann, with Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of Google DeepMind, as EVP and CEO.

Tesla has reportedly scrapped its plan to develop a lower-cost electric vehicle (EV) estimated to be priced around USD 25,000, according to a report by Reuters. Marking a significant shift in the company's strategy, this decision comes despite the perceived importance of such a low-cost vehicle for Tesla's broader growth trajectory.

In an effort to combat cyber miscreants and ensure a safe and halal internet experience, a Turkish startup named Halalz has launched a new app and browser extension named Kahf Guard. This initiative aims to shield users, particularly Muslims, from exposure to inappropriate and morally objectionable online contents such as pornography, gambling, harassment etc.

Team Atlas, a robotics team from Bangladesh, has recently earned 9th position at this year’s Australian Rover Challenge 2024. The team earned this rank among 14 finalists, which included institutions from India and Australia. The competition’s final round was held from March 21 to March 25, 2024, at the University of Adelaide. 

BRACU ALTER, a rescue rover team from LaSSET (Laboratory of Space System Engineering and Technology) at BSRM School of Engineering of Brac University, has qualified for the final round of RoboCup Rescue Robot League 2024, an international robotics competition.

Ghost Autonomy, a startup focused on developing autonomous driving software for automotive partners, has ceased operations, according to a company announcement.

Facebook is set to launch a vertical-first video player, promising a more uniform design and user experience across various video formats, including Reels, long-form videos, and live videos. 

The digital resurrection of Manna, done without explicit permission from his family, epitomises the delicate balance between technological capability and moral responsibility. It begs the question: Just because we can, does it mean we should?