ChatGPT is gaining ground in online search, with OpenAI saying the chatbot processes a volume of queries equivalent to one-fifth of Google’s, according to a roundup published by Olhar Digital. The figures indicate its growing use as an alternative to traditional search engines, although the gap between the platforms remains substantial.
The roundup also covered several other technology-related stories. In the United States, the outcome of the midterm elections could affect the progress of a proposal to change federal environmental permitting rules for energy infrastructure projects. The issue comes amid rising electricity demand from data centers supporting the expansion of artificial intelligence. The article reported that Democrats had taken an early lead.
Three US astronauts aboard the International Space Station also voted in the elections from more than 400 kilometers above Earth. Anil Menon, Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney submitted electronic ballots to election officials in Harris County, Texas.
In Europe, hackers targeted supermarket freezers and refrigerators across seven countries, causing their temperatures to reach 50°C, according to the report. The incident took place early on Monday, November 2, and raised questions about the security of increasingly connected devices.
In Brazil, a São Paulo court issued an injunction barring Meta from collecting and using news content without permission. The ruling followed a lawsuit brought by the National Newspaper Association, the Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters and the National Association of Magazine Publishers.
The roundup also reported that NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was expected to fall to Earth on Wednesday, November 4. After more than 20 years in orbit studying gamma-ray bursts with three scientific instruments, the observatory’s altitude had fallen significantly because of atmospheric drag. Its descent had made remote control from the ground impossible, the report said.
Sources: Olhar Digital.