Amazon says TikTok ban was an error, a quick recap from IT World’s virtual Digital Transformation Week event, and Google’s $10 billion for India.
It’s all the tech news that’s popular right now. Welcome to Hashtag Trending. It’s Tuesday, July 14, and I’m your host, Baneet Braich.
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Amazon now says that a directive to uninstall Tik Tok was sent out by error. The tech giant sent out a mass email last Friday, urging employees to remove the video app citing security concerns. Five hours later Amazon reversed course. The original email had even taken TikTok off guard but they have yet to comment on the reverse decision. This back and forth is also happening amid US China tensions on national security. Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, said last week that the Trump administration was considering blocking some Chinese apps due to concerns on national security as well.
Moving on, IT World Canada’s week-long Digital Transformation Week got started today. For the next four days, the DTA Awards are bringing together national thought leaders for one-hour of presentations and discussions. Each day is focused intently on one aspect of Digital Transformation. Yesterday, ServiceNow’s Chris Pope offered some insight into how you can transform the way work gets done, by leveraging the power of digital platforms, as well as how ServiceNow pivoted overnight to a new working model. Yesterday’s segment also featured a panel about what leaders should keep in mind when managing a remote workforce, and concluded with our first Digital Transformation Award winner, Halton Healthcare. Halton took home this year’s Large Public Sector award. Read more about their story, and register for today’s event which is focused on the application of AI, right here.
And lastly, Google says it’s going to invest $10 billion in India to support health, education, and agriculture. CEO Sundar Pichai says the money will go to India’s Digitization Fund, and that the investment will be made over the next five to seven years. First Google aims to help enable affordable access and information for every Indian language from Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, or any other. Secondly, the tech giant says it will help build new products and services specific to India’s needs such as agriculture. The company is also planning to leverage AI to help Indian industries. “Our goal is to ensure India not only benefits from the next wave of innovation but leads it,” Pichai said at Google’s annual For India event.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing. I’m Baneet Braich, thanks for listening