Microsoft Updates Keyboard; Zuck Sells Shares; GM Misses EV Target

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AI: Microsoft’s Key Consideration

An artificial intelligence (AI) key for certain Microsoft [MSFT] keyboards will be unveiled at the CES technology conference. The key, which will activate Microsoft’s AI Copilot, marks the first keyboard change since the Windows/Start key was added in 1994. Elsewhere, Intel [INTC] has appointed Justin Hotard, previously of Hewlett Packard [HPE], to lead its key data centre and AI division.

Galaxy Gets a Brain

Samsung [SSNLF] is also putting AI front and centre, with a teaser for the 17 January launch of its Galaxy S24 smartphone promising that “Galaxy AI is coming”. Bloomberg predicts that AI capabilities could displace camera and display improvements for smartphone models in 2024. Meanwhile, South Korea attracted a record $18.8bn of foreign direct investment during 2023, thanks to growing confidence in its technology sector.

GM’s EV Plans Hit Roadblock

General Motors [GM] met just half of its electric vehicle (EV) delivery target last year, reported Bloomberg, with just 14,000 of the 75,000 delivered featuring the company’s new Ultium batteries. GM is offering $7,500 lease incentives on EVs that lost a tax credit earlier this week; Ford [F] is likewise discounting some EV models, but hiking the price of other models by $10,000.

Zuck Cashes in on Meta’s Gains

Bloomberg reported that Mark Zuckerberg CEO of Meta Platforms [META], sold shares in the company in every session in the months of November and December. Following Meta’s 194% gains for the year, the 1.3 million shares sold had a total value of approximately $428m. The sales marked Zuckerberg’s first sale of shares for two years prior to the period in question. Read the story of Zuckerberg’s vision for the metaverse here.

Lawyers Leverage Amazon Crackdown

The Financial Times reported that a cottage industry of lawyers helping small businesses regain access to Amazon’s [AMZN] marketplace has emerged, following the e-commerce giant’s crackdown on independent merchants. ByteDance’s TikTok hopes to grow its US business tenfold to $17.5bn this year, Bloomberg reported, threatening Amazon’s market share.