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Jeffrey Dastin
For Jeffrey Dastin's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Executives at the World Economic Forum say they are grappling with how to turn early demos featuring artificial intelligence into money-makers.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 18, 2024
AI buzzes Davos, but CEOs wrestle with how to make it pay
The arrival of OpenAI's viral ChatGPT in late 2022 triggered a frenzy of venture investment and an abrupt change of course inside the world's biggest technology companies.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, speaks during WSJ Tech Live Conference in Laguna Beach, California on Oct. 17.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 23, 2023
OpenAI researchers spoke of risky discovery before CEO ouster
The previously unreported letter and AI algorithm were key developments before the board's ouster of Sam Altman.
Sam Altman participates in an event at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders week in San Francisco on Nov. 16.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 20, 2023
OpenAI appoints ex-Twitch boss as CEO, while Altman joins Microsoft
The decision not to reinstate Altman as CEO has confounded efforts by investors and employees of the firm to steady the ship by bringing him back.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Feb 23, 2023
For tech giants, AI such as Bing and Bard poses billion-dollar search problem
Executives across the technology sector are talking about how to operate AI such as ChatGPT while accounting for the high expense.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 8, 2023
Microsoft's Bing search engine and Edge browser to use AI in challenge to Google
The tech giant expects every percentage point of search market share gained to bring in another $2 billion in advertising revenue.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / ANALYSIS
Feb 4, 2023
From Meta to Microsoft, AI's big moment is here
Chief executives across the sector have packed earnings calls with mentions of the tech, which until recently existed more in the background than as a solid contributor to the bottom line.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 13, 2022
Amazon issued 13,000 disciplinary notices at single U.S. warehouse
Court records and interviews of current and former employees show the enormous pressure faced by Amazon line workers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Apr 2, 2022
Big victory at Amazon gives unions promise — but no end to challenges
A vote by Amazon workers to organize their New York warehouse surprised and inspired longtime labor backers, for whom a new reality is settling in: It can be done, though it won't be easy.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 31, 2022
Tech workers urge employers to exit Russia
Small groups of employees at Microsoft, SAP and IBM have called for management to withdraw fully from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 14, 2022
Ukraine now using Clearview AI’s facial recognition technology during war
Ukraine is receiving free access to Clearview AI's powerful search engine for faces, letting authorities potentially vet people of interest at checkpoints, among other uses.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 3, 2022
Ukraine's tech diaspora races to mobilize Silicon Valley in war with Russia
Ukrainians working at Western tech companies are banding together to help their besieged homeland and are calling on firms to do more to counter Russia.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Dec 18, 2021
Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm to win Beijing's favor
Amazon's compliance with a Chinese government edict is part of a deeper, decadelong effort by the company to protect and grow its business in one of the world's largest marketplaces.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 19, 2021
A look at the intimate details Amazon knows about us
The company now makes the data it collects on U.S. customers available upon request failing to defeat a measure requiring such disclosures.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 14, 2021
Amazon hikes starting pay to $18 an hour as it hires for 125,000 more logistics jobs
Most new hires will help run 100 new logistics facilities in the United States, on top of more than 250 that opened earlier this year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 10, 2021
Amazon's win in union fight shows harsh realities facing labor movement
Amazon's fierce resistance to unionization, skepticism among workers that organizing could get them a better deal and decisions on election parameters all contributed to the defeat.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 24, 2018
What happens when Alexa gets too smart or too human?
Millions of users of Amazon's Echo speakers have grown accustomed to the soothing strains of Alexa, the human-sounding virtual assistant that can tell them the weather, order takeout and handle other basic tasks in response to a voice command.

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on