Omer Kabir

Israel, Tel Aviv

Technology and Climate Crisis Reporter at Calcalist

Tech Columnist & Reporter @Calcalist

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Articles

NSO seeks new trial after $168 million jury verdict in WhatsApp case

5 days ago | calcalistech.com | Omer Kabir

Spyware maker claims punitive damages are unconstitutional and unaffordable amid mounting financial woes. 10:02, 03.06.25 TAGS:WhatsAppNSOSpywareNSO Group is asking a U.S. federal court to order a new trial in a lawsuit brought by WhatsApp, after a jury awarded the Meta-owned messaging app $168 million in damages. The Israeli spyware firm filed a motion last week in a federal district court in California, essentially requesting the court reduce the verdict.
Meta sued for allegedly enabling pirated TV on its platforms

1 week ago | calcalistech.com | Omer Kabir

Israeli content giants demand damages, claim Facebook turns blind eye to illegal ads. 11:03, 27.05.25 TAGS:FacebookMetaKeshetYesHotLawsuitSeveral of Israel's largest content companies, led by Yes, HOT, and Keshet, have filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the company enables pirated TV services to advertise on Facebook and Instagram.
Google’s $2.7B AI deal with Noam Shazeer's Character.AI draws DOJ attention

1 week ago | calcalistech.com | Omer Kabir

Return of the startup's founders and staff prompts questions over competitive impact. 11:46, 25.05.25 TAGS:AIGoogleCharacter.AIThe U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether Google’s $2.7 billion agreement with Character.AI, founded by Israeli entrepreneur Noam Shazeer, was structured in a way that circumvented regulatory oversight, potentially violating antitrust laws, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The end of Google Search as we know it

2 weeks ago | calcalist.co.il | Omer Kabir

It happened the other day, at the opening event of Google’s annual developer conference. CEO Sundar Pichai took the stage and made an announcement that, while subtle, signaled a seismic shift: the business model underpinning Google’s operations is dead, or at least, that’s what he implied. Because there’s no other way to interpret Google’s main announcement at the event: the integration of artificial intelligence, what it’s calling “AI Mode”, directly into its search engine.
The end of Google Search as we know it

2 weeks ago | calcalistech.com | Omer Kabir

AI integration into Google marks the death of traditional search, and the birth of the chatbot era. 15:25, 22.05.25 TAGS:ChatGPTSearch EnginesAIGeminiGoogleIt happened the other day, at the opening event of Google’s annual developer conference. CEO Sundar Pichai took the stage and made an announcement that, while subtle, signaled a seismic shift: the business model underpinning Google’s operations is dead, or at least, that’s what he implied.
OpenAI wants Jony Ive to do for AI what he did for the iPhone

2 weeks ago | calcalist.co.il | Omer Kabir

OpenAI has acquired the startup of legendary Apple designer Jony Ive to jointly build an AI “companion device” intended to become an integral part of everyday life. The company hopes to sell 100 million units of the device upon launch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees on Wednesday, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The device, the details of which remain under wraps, is expected to launch by the end of next year.
Microsoft blocks internal emails containing “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide” amid employee protests | CTech

2 weeks ago | calcalist.co.il | Omer Kabir

Microsoft blocks internal emails containing “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide” amid employee protestsEmployees protest cloud contracts with Israel and accuse company of silencing dissent. Microsoft is blocking the distribution of employee emails containing the words “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide”, both internally and externally, according to a report by The Verge.
OpenAI wants Jony Ive to do for AI what he did for the iPhone

2 weeks ago | calcalistech.com | Omer Kabir

Altman turns to Apple’s design legend to make artificial intelligence feel intuitive, invisible, and essential. 11:23, 22.05.25 TAGS:OpenAIJony IveSam AltmanOpenAI has acquired the startup of legendary Apple designer Jony Ive to jointly build an AI “companion device” intended to become an integral part of everyday life. The company hopes to sell 100 million units of the device upon launch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees on Wednesday, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
Microsoft blocks internal emails containing “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide” amid employee protests | CTech

2 weeks ago | calcalistech.com | Omer Kabir

Employees protest cloud contracts with Israel and accuse company of silencing dissent. 10:42, 22.05.25 TAGS:AzureMicrosoftIsrael-Gaza ConflictMicrosoft is blocking the distribution of employee emails containing the words “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “genocide”, both internally and externally, according to a report by The Verge.
Musk's Grok AI doubts Holocaust death toll: “I’m skeptical of these figures”

2 weeks ago | calcalist.co.il | Omer Kabir

Musk's Grok AI doubts Holocaust death toll: “I’m skeptical of these figures”xAI’s chatbot raises alarm after veering from white genocide theories to Holocaust revisionism. After promoting theories about white genocide in South Africa, Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok has now expressed skepticism about the number of Jews killed during the Holocaust. Last Wednesday, for several hours, Grok gave unsolicited commentary on the so-called "white genocide" in South Africa, replying to unrelated user queries.