WSJ Tech News Briefing The Wall Street Journal

Google plans to combine its mapping units, Waze and Maps, as its parent company Alphabet looks for opportunities to increase efficiencies. How will it affect employees and users of these apps? WSJ reporter Miles Kruppa joins host Zoe Thomas to break down the reasons behind the change of course.

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For years U.S. officials have warned that TikTok poses a national-security risk because of its owner, China-based ByteDance. The social-media app and the Biden administration have been working to reach a deal that would protect U.S. users’ data from Beijing and allow TikTok to keep operating here. But the deal keeps hitting delays. WSJ reporter John D. McKinnon joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the stumbling blocks and the risks of not getting a deal done soon.

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ChatGPT, Lensa and DALL-E are giving more people without computing skills the chance to interact with artificial intelligence. These AI programs that can write detailed responses to questions or create stunning images based on prompts are all over social media. WSJ personal tech reporter Ann-Marie Alcántara joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the programs work and the concerns that have been raised about their potential misuse.

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Spotify Wrapped is the streaming giant’s annual reveal about its users’ listening habits. It’s one of the rare times a digital platform tells its users about the data it collects on them. WSJ personal tech columnist Nicole Nguyen joins host Zoe Thomas to explain why Spotify does this and why she thinks more companies should do the same.

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China clamps down on virtual private networks and pressures tech companies to boost censorship. The moves follow widespread protests in the country. WSJ Asia tech reporter Liza Lin joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss.

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If you’re having trouble hearing the dialogue on your TV, it may not be you. As audio technology develops and directors make more creative sound choices, it’s getting harder to distinguish what actors are saying. WSJ personal tech reporting assistant Cordilia James joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what’s going on and how to improve your TV listening experience.

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