Is it over now?

If you’ve been online at any point over the past few days then you’ll most likely have heard about the OpenAI drama.

To sum it up, the board of directors, suddenly and without warning, decided to fire Sam Altman, the company’s CEO and co-founder. This resulted in another co-founder, and company President, Greg Brockman, resigning in solidarity.

Following this, the majority, if not all, of the OpenAI staff demanded that Altman be reinstated as CEO and that the board resign, threatening to leave the company if that did not happen.

It was then discovered that Micorosft, the biggest investor in OpenAI, was only notified of Altman’s termination one minute before the news was made public. The Seattle-based tech giant then offered Altman, Brockman and all OpenAI staff a job if they wanted it, an offer that Altman appeared to have taken. Suddenly news broke that Altman wanted to return to OpenAI under the condition that the board who had terminated him were all terminated. And then, as suddenly as it began, the drama was (mostly) over with Altman returning to OpenAI as CEO with a mostly new board. In the midst of this, OpenAI had two interim CEOs and Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, was on a media tour trying to calm the AI waters.

All of this occurred in five days.

The reason why Altman was terminated was never shared by the board, in fact not even Satya Nadella was informed of the reason. Ultimately, it’s assumed that the board’s vague statement, “Mr. Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities. The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI”, combined with OpenAI’s unique corporate structure hinted that there were concerns that Altman was rushing in the creation of increasingly advanced artificial intelligence and that certain members of the board did not feel he was approaching it in a responsible manner.

In the days since Altman’s return to OpenAI, rumours about his shock termination abound with news outlets reporting that “several staff researchers wrote a letter to the board of directors warning of a powerful artificial intelligence discovery that they said could threaten humanity.”

Despite Altman’s triumphant return to the AI giant, the very question of the impact of AI on society needs to be looked at and addressed at fundamental levels. Making things somewhat concerning is the fact that the current OpenAI board is less diverse than it was before. This is at a time when many companies, especially tech companies, are facing accusations of bias and lack of diversity.

Speaking of AI, I recently spoke to David Stokes, General Manager, Partner Ecosystem at IBM, about how the company is working with its partners in South Africa to help them utilise AI in responsible, meaningful ways.

Black Friday is here

In recent years, Black Friday has become a staple on the South African calendar.

As always, the sales and discounts offered locally are marred by allegations of price manipulation by certain retailers and the “savings” offered pale in comparison to what you can find in the USA where the shopping holiday first originated.

This has also resulted in more online scams and phishing attempts. If you’re shopping online this Black Friday, take note of these safety tips from Defend Identity:

1. Verify SSL Encryption on Websites for Secure Transactions

When buying things online, you've gotta make sure the site is secure. Look for "HTTPS" in the web address, not just "HTTP." The extra "S" means it's using SSL encryption to keep your info safe as it travels between you and their servers. This kind of encryption is crucial for protecting personal details and payment info when you shop online.

You can also watch for a little padlock icon in the address bar - that tells you the site is secure.

SSL encryption uses complicated cryptographic stuff to keep communications secure on the Internet. So it's a key part of staying safe when you shop online,

2. Avoid Email Spams and Don’t Answer Spam Calls or Texts

Scams explode during busy shopping times. Don't answer sketchy calls or texts, especially if they seem too good to be true. These could be next-level phishing scams designed to get your personal info or plant malware on your phone.

A common trick they use is "spoofing" - manipulating the sender's number or address to look legit. They might use VoIP services to fake caller IDs, making it look like the call's from a real store or bank. That way you're more likely to give them your financial details without realizing it's a scam. Other times they'll spoof email headers so the message seems to be from someone trustworthy.

To avoid falling for these, don't click links or download attachments from sketchy sources. If a call seems fishy, type the number into a search engine first - you can see if it's a known scammer and read about others' experiences. Gotta keep your guard up during the busy shopping season when these crooks come out in full force.

3. Direct URL Entry

Want to avoid phishing scams? Don't click on links in emails or messages. Just open your browser and type the store's address directly. That way you know you're visiting the real site, not some fake one made to look legit.

Those sketchy links go to scammy sites designed to steal your personal and payment info.

Good rule of thumb: real businesses rarely ask for sensitive stuff by email. It's safer to manually enter the website address yourself. Links can take you somewhere dangerous. Companies don't need your personal details by email.

4. Dedicated Shopping Email & Virtual Card

Think about getting a separate email for online shopping - it can really help avoid phishing and keep all those promo emails under control. With a dedicated shopping address, it's easier to track confirmations and shipping notices without clogging up your main inbox. Plus it enhances security to keep your buying emails separate. This little trick declutters and protects your primary email.

Another good option is using virtual cards to pay online. These are digital versions of your real credit or debit card that add extra security. You can set spending limits on virtual cards and lock or delete them after buying something. Super handy for reducing fraud risks.

5. Use Secure Payment Methods

Credit cards are usually the most secure way to pay for stuff online. They have fraud protections built in, unlike things like wire transfers or mailing checks which are less safe. For extra security, think about using online payment services - PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay. These hide your credit card details from retailers and give you an extra layer of protection. Many also let you dispute charges, so they provide a nice safety net when you shop online.

6. Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Transactions

Steer clear of public WiFi for online shopping - it's less secure and hackers can intercept your data more easily. If you gotta shop online out in public, use a VPN. A virtual private network encrypts your connection, keeping your personal info and financial details confidential during the transaction.

Bottom line is public WiFi is risky for buying stuff online. A VPN helps secure your data from potential interception by shady cybercrooks lurking on those networks.

7. Research for Reviews Before Buying

It's wise to thoroughly research an online merchant before making any purchases, especially if the company is unfamiliar. Investigate the seller's physical location, contact details, and customer feedback on independent review platforms such as Yelp, TrustPilot, and Google.

This due diligence helps verify the business' legitimacy and track record of reliable service and product quality. Understanding a seller's reputation can greatly reduce the risks of scams, dissatisfaction, and other pitfalls. Conducting comprehensive research empowers shoppers to make informed decisions, increasing the likelihood of a smooth transaction and positive shopping experience when purchasing from an unknown website.

A prudent buyer gathers ample evidence beforehand rather than jumping blindly into a purchase. With some careful sleuthing, consumers can gain peace of mind and confidence that an unfamiliar seller is trustworthy.

HONOR, itel, Tecno and EcoFlow all have varying Black Friday offers:

In other news:

Just days before Apple announced that RCS support would be coming to iMessage in 2024, Carl Pei’s Nothing announced that iMessage would be available on the Nothing Phone 2. This didn’t last long with reports of security and privacy concerns causing the company to pull the app and the company behind the app to shut down.

Meta broke up its responsible AI team, which isn’t great considering the company’s history with user data.

Amazon looks to be getting the greenlight from the EU for its iRobot acquisition.

Vodacom is partnering with AST as well as Amazon’s Project Kuiper to take on Starlink and bring direct-to-device connectivity via satellite to consumers.

Elon Musk is being investigated for misleading investors yet again, this while he’s dealing with the fallout from his antisemitic tweets which is one of the many reasons why high-profile advertisers have pulled advertising spend from X (formerly known as Twitter).

Sonos might be launching its long-rumoured headphones in 2024 to take on Sony’s WH-1000XM5 and Apple’s AirPod Max.

The Epic v. Google trial is continuing and Google does not come off looking good. The company that has always tried to position itself as the good guy that would never do the things it’s publically accused Apple of now appears to be just as bad, and at times worse, than its Cupertino rival.

Melon Mobile has launched Melon Business for SMEs in South Africa.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I bring you news from AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas and the launch of new Huawei products in Dubai.

We’re giving away an EcoFlow River 2 - EcoFlow RIVER 2 Portable Power Station | EcoFlow ZA valued at R6999.00 - to one lucky subscriber. The competition is open only to residents of South Africa over the age of 18. To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to the Refocused by Tech Reframed newsletter.

_{One entry per email address. The winner will be announced on 10 December 2023. The winner will have 48 hours to confirm the delivery address for the prize once contacted via email by Tech Reframed. Delivery of the prize will be arranged by EcoFlow and is subject to possible delays as it is being shipped from an international location.}

Read our River 2 review: EcoFlow River 2: Your Reliable Loadshedding Companion - Reframed

Huge thanks to Huawei for sponsoring this newsletter and to EcoFlow for the River 2 giveaway.