- Chinese Shopping App Temu creating waves in US
Washington – In early April, Chinese shopping app Temu achieved top ranking in the US app download charts, a position it has held since January. Sensor Tower Data indicates that several of the most popular platforms downloaded in the US currently have Chinese origins, including TikTok.
Temu, which is being positioned as an Amazon-like superstore, offers a wide range of products including electronics, homeware, and makeup. Its quiet launch last September marked the initial entry into the US market for Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo.
Temu’s sudden success, based out of a Boston office block, represents the second Chinese-made shopping app to make a significant impact in America in recent years, following the success of Gen Z favorite Shein.
Since its launch, Temu has garnered over 33 million downloads in the US, with user numbers surging during the month of the Super Bowl – the most-watched TV event in the country – according to Sensor Tower data.
- NASA and SpaceX Launches A Device To Monitor Air Pollution From Space
NASA, in collaboration with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has launched TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions Monitoring of Pollution Instrument) – an air-quality monitor that will enhance how scientists observe air quality from space.
TEMPO is the first space-based tool that can monitor major air pollutants in high spatial resolution (up to four square miles) hourly. It covers the entire continental United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Canadian oil sands to below Mexico City.
According to NASA, TEMPO will provide hourly daytime measurements of air quality in North America, monitoring three main pollutants and revealing disparities in exposure in our cities and communities. With the size of a washing machine, TEMPO has been described as a chemistry laboratory in space and will be hosted on an Intelsat communications satellite in geostationary orbit.
Geostationary Orbit – Geostationary Orbit is a common orbit for weather satellites and communications satellites, now by placing this an air quality instrument measuring gases is also there.
TEMPO’s data will be used by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other agencies responsible for tackling atmospheric pollution. AFP has reported these unique features of TEMPO.
- Japan Government eyes AI adoption
On Monday, chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno of Japan said that – The Japanese government may consider implementing artificial intelligence (AI) technology like OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot if issues regarding privacy and cybersecurity are addressed. He emphasize that “However, privacy and cybersecurity concerns need to be addressed before any decision is made.”
The statement was made by a high-ranking government official, Matsuno, just prior to a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who announced plans to explore opening an office in Japan.
Matsuno acknowledged that Japan is aware of the temporary ban on ChatGPT in Italy and stated that Japan will carefully evaluate the potential of introducing AI to ease the burden on government workers, while also taking into account concerns such as data breaches and cyber security.