Advertise on podcast: WSJ Tech News Briefing

Last year Meta began a broad rollout of tipping and paid subscription services on Facebook and Instagram. The services were meant to help influencers earn more money by selling exclusive content to subscribers. But an internal report from Meta found that the tools were being misused by adults seeking to profit from exploiting their own children. Meta didn’t follow recommendations from its safety staff, but says its programs are well monitored. WSJ reporter Katherine Blunt tells host Alex Ossola about the investigation and how Meta addressed the problems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Change Healthcare is hit with a cyberattack. And internal reports from Meta finds that its paid subscription tools are being used to exploit children. Alex Ossola hosts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SpaceX has made a name for itself launching lots of big rockets. Shortly after Elon Musk founded the company in 2002, it won a launch contract with an undisclosed U.S. intelligence customer. Now, SpaceX is deepening its relationship with the U.S. intelligence and military agencies. In 2021, the company entered into a $1.8 billion classified contract with the U.S. government. WSJ reporter Drew FitzGerald tells host Alex Ossola about what that means for the future of SpaceX’s business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Reddit files for an IPO. And Vice Media stops publishing content on vice.com. Alex Ossola hosts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the social-media platform X, owner Elon Musk has been making posts that some people see as pro-Russia, accusing him of being an apologist for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Musk has called these accusations "absurd.” WSJ columnist Tim Higgins tells host Alex Ossola why his comments are raising questions about how X will be used in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Reddit plans to reserve shares for top users when it goes public next month. And EV startup Rivian plans to lay off 10% of staff. Alex Ossola hosts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence is already changing work across industries. Companies are looking to AI tools to help them operate more efficiently, and in some cases, increasing automation in their workforces. But as workers upskill and reskill how can they—and the companies that employ them—keep up with the pace of innovation? Andrew Ng, managing general partner of AI Fund, spoke with WSJ global tech editor Jason Dean at the WSJ CIO Network Summit about how AI will affect the labor force, and which companies are positioning themselves the best in the AI market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Walmart buys TV maker Vizio. And a court orders a new trial for music labels suing internet provider Cox Communications. Alex Ossola hosts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In March 2023, education nonprofit Khan Academy launched an AI-powered education chatbot known as Khanmigo. Some 65,000 kids in grades three and up, in schools across the country, are part of an ongoing pilot of the tool. It's supposed to serve as a personal tutor for students in whatever subject they might need help with. But as WSJ education reporter Matt Barnum found when he tested the bot, it sometimes struggled with basic math. He joins host Alex Ossola to talk about what that means for students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Paramount Global and Comcast held talks over combining Paramount+ and Peacock streaming services. And why influential investor Cathie Wood is selling millions in Nvidia stock. Alex Ossola hosts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google recently launched Gemini, a new artificial-intelligence system it says is more powerful than any currently on the market, including technology developed by ChatGPT creator OpenAI. Eli Collins, vice president of product management at Google DeepMind, spoke with WSJ reporter Miles Kruppa about some of the early use cases for Gemini and how Google is accelerating its AI push. Their conversation was recorded at WSJ’s CIO Network Summit on February 13. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Two senators criticize the FDA for its guidance on prescription-drug promotion on social media. And OpenAI introduces a new text-to-video AI tool. Alex Ossola hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices