Throughout 2024, we saw further development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and new legal action brought against technology companies. Here is a look back at some of the biggest tech stories we covered in 2024.
整个 2024 年，我们看到人工智能 (AI) 系统的进一步发展以及针对科技公司的新法律诉讼。以下是我们在 2024 年报道的一些最重大科技故事的回顾。
AI continues to expand
人工智能持续扩展
During the year, companies continued developing and deploying new AI tools.
这一年里，公司继续开发和部署新的人工智能工具。
Among these were a new set of AI offerings announced by American software company Microsoft. Officials explained the new tools included “personal agents” designed to help users complete business activities with little or no human involvement.
其中包括美国软件公司微软宣布的一套新的人工智能产品。官员们解释说，新工具包括“个人代理”，旨在帮助用户在很少或根本没有人工参与的情况下完成业务活动。
Microsoft says it designed the agents to expand on so-called chatbots – AI tools that work by themselves to produce human-level writing or discussions. The company said it expects a full release of the agents sometime in 2025.
微软表示，它设计的代理是为了扩展所谓的聊天机器人——可以自行工作以产生人类水平的写作或讨论的人工智能工具。该公司表示，预计将于 2025 年某个时候全面释放这些代理。
In September, technology company Apple announced it was launching several new iPhones equipped with special chips to support AI operations. Apple chief Tim Cook said the new models had been “designed for Apple Intelligence from the ground up.”
9月，科技公司苹果宣布将推出几款配备特殊芯片以支持人工智能运算的新iPhone。苹果公司首席执行官蒂姆·库克表示，新型号是“从头开始为苹果智能而设计的”。
We reported in October about an effort by researchers to use AI to improve existing weather prediction models. One system works by combining past weather predictions with modern methods to provide the most complete picture of weather and climate data.
我们在 10 月份报道了研究人员利用人工智能改进现有天气预报模型的努力。一种系统将过去的天气预报与现代方法相结合，提供最完整的天气和气候数据。
More warnings AI’s possible dangers
更多警告人工智能可能存在的危险
In California, three legislative measures were enacted to ban the use of AI tools to create false images and videos during election campaigns. One main goal was to fight deepfakes. These are pieces of video or audio created to make it appear that people in it are saying or doing things they never said or did. Deepfakes were used in several world election campaigns in 2024.
在加利福尼亚州，颁布了三项立法措施，禁止在竞选期间使用人工智能工具创建虚假图像和视频。主要目标之一是打击深度造假。这些视频或音频片段的创建目的是让人们看起来像是在说或做他们从未说过或做过的事情。 Deepfakes 被用于 2024 年的几次世界选举活动。
In May, an international gathering of major AI developers and top government officials in Seoul agreed on measures that aim to ensure that AI systems are safely built and deployed. Attendees from 16 different technology companies signed a promise to develop AI technology in ways that limit possible public harms.
今年 5 月，主要人工智能开发商和政府高级官员在首尔举行了一次国际聚会，商定了旨在确保安全构建和部署人工智能系统的措施。来自 16 家不同科技公司的与会者签署了一项承诺，以限制可能的公共危害的方式开发人工智能技术。
US legal moves against tech companies
美国针对科技公司采取的法律行动
About one year ago, an American jury found that Google’s app store operates as an illegal monopoly. Then in August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Google had violated trade laws by operating its search engine as a monopoly . The ruling accused Google of paying smartphone makers to ensure that its search engine was set as the default system on new devices.
大约一年前，美国陪审团发现谷歌的应用商店存在非法垄断行为。随后在 2024 年 8 月，一名联邦法官裁定谷歌以其搜索引擎垄断运营违反了贸易法。该裁决指控谷歌向智能手机制造商付费，以确保其搜索引擎被设置为新设备的默认系统。
As part of the case, the U.S. government proposed in November a series of measures to limit Google from anti-competition business activities. Google criticized the court’s ruling as an example of government overreach. U.S. officials have long warned that TikTok presents national security concerns.
作为该案的一部分，美国政府于 11 月提出了一系列措施，限制谷歌的反竞争商业活动。谷歌批评法院的裁决是政府越权的一个例子。美国官员长期以来一直警告称，TikTok 会带来国家安全担忧。
Earlier this month, video sharing service TikTok asked a U.S. appeals court to block a law requiring its Chinese parent, ByteDance, to divest itself of TikTok or face a U.S. ban. The request came after the same court had upheld a law forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face the ban. Lawyers for ByteDance and TikTok are seeking to have the U.S. Supreme Court rule on the case.
本月早些时候，视频共享服务 TikTok 请求美国上诉法院阻止一项要求其中国母公司字节跳动剥离 TikTok 的法律，否则将面临美国禁令。此前，该法院维持了一项法律，迫使字节跳动在 1 月 19 日之前出售 TikTok，否则将面临禁令。字节跳动和 TikTok 的律师正在寻求美国最高法院对此案作出裁决。
Self-driving tech
自动驾驶技术
In May, U.S.-based Aurora Innovation said it was preparing to launch a series of driverless trucks to transport goods on a major public highway. Company officials said it planned to begin the service in Texas, with 20 tractor-trailers transporting goods between Dallas and Houston. The company hopes to expand the service to thousands of tractor-trailers within three to four years.
今年 5 月，总部位于美国的 Aurora Innovation 表示，准备推出一系列无人驾驶卡车，在主要公路上运输货物。公司官员表示，计划在德克萨斯州开始这项服务，使用 20 辆牵引拖车在达拉斯和休斯顿之间运输货物。该公司希望在三到四年内将服务扩展到数千辆牵引拖车。
Flying taxis
飞行出租车
In October, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it had issued final rules for operating air taxis. It also set training and approval requirements for pilots. The FAA said air taxis belong to a kind of aircraft known as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) flyers. They generally operate on their own on electrical power, with vertical take-off and landing abilities.
十月，美国联邦航空管理局（FAA）宣布已发布空中出租车运营的最终规则。它还规定了飞行员的培训和批准要求。美国联邦航空局表示，空中出租车属于一种被称为高级空中机动性（AAM）飞行器的飞机。它们通常依靠电力自行运行，具有垂直起降能力。
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said such aircraft represent “the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years.” He added that the new rules are meant to mark the beginning of possible widespread AAM operations across the U.S. in the future.
美国联邦航空局局长迈克·惠特克 (Mike Whitaker) 表示，此类飞机代表了“近 80 年来首个新类别的飞机”。他补充说，新规则旨在标志着未来可能在美国各地广泛开展 AAM 行动的开始。