Future Beat | The National

Hello there, The year is wrapping up, but the controversies surrounding our lives, which are ever-more dominated by technological influence, show no sign of abating. Regulators around the world are still grappling with how to make the most of AI while protecting users from potential problems the technology presents. Social media companies such as TikTok saw incredible user growth in 2024, but the platform's legal woes in the US mean it might not survive in the country come 2025. Meanwhile, energy companies are increasingly pushed to the max as AI computing requires more power than ever. These challenges as we wrap up 2024 will certainly continue into next year. The optimist, however, will view them as opportunities for new ideas that can improve life for all. The Big Story In brief | The world's most influential social media platform, TikTok, is trying one of the last options at its disposal to try to avoid a ban in the US. Its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, announced it had filed an appeal to the US Supreme Court, again arguing that a law passed by Congress that puts the platform's US presence in jeopardy should be considered unconstitutional . Several days before the appeal, ByteDance lost an appeal at a US federal court and then lost a follow-up request for an injunction to delay the ban's January 19 deadline. Politicians have already sent letters to companies such as Apple and Google warning them that the TikTok app should be removed from smartphone app stores on that date. Media reports also said TikTok's chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, had met president-elect Donald Trump to try to save TikTok in the US. Yet there's still hope for TikTok. The US Supreme Court has decided to hear the platform's challenge to the law that has caused it so much difficulty. Why it matters | Several ideas are being tested with TikTok's appeal to the highest court in the US as it fights for survival. Firstly, we're about to see just how big and influential "big tech" really is. If ByteDance's deep pockets and ability to hire the best legal talent come to fruition in a Supreme Court decision that overturns this law, other social media and technology companies will feel emboldened. Secondly, there's the influence of president-elect Trump. He won the popular vote and electoral college vote and has since claimed a mandate. He has hinted he'll try to stop the TikTok ban, but first he'll have to convince Congress, which passed the legislation with a bipartisan vote , to overturn it. That's a tall order no matter how you slice it. Lastly, if the ban goes through we'll see just how economically and socially important TikTok is in the US. The platform has been down this road before when it was banned in India, but many in that country simply moved to YouTube and Instagram. Social media users tend to have short memories, and TikTok could soon find itself very vulnerable. Quoted | “ This [ban] will cause TikTok’s American base of 170 million monthly users and creators to lose access to one of the country’s most popular speech platforms, destroy TikTok’s ability to attract advertisers, and cripple TikTok’s ability to recruit and retain talent. Even if the ban later lifts, a temporary shutdown will irreparably harm [TikTok] in several ways. ” – ByteDance's emergency request for an injunction to the US Supreme Court No escape | Why opting out of AI features is easier said than done Change of pace | How Donald Trump will affect technology development Early prevention | New colon cancer blood test aims to boost detection rates Ground-breaking experiment | AI-powered judge to be trialled in Usyk v Fury rematch Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, launched a drone delivery service in the emirate . Keeta Drone has been awarded a licence by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority to deliver food and medicine across Dubai Silicon Oasis, during the first phase of the project. This is a signal: Package delivery might not be the most exciting topic in the world, but with this announcement, all that changes. Delivery by drone might not be appropriate for every situation, but having it as an option for food and medicine could enrich the lives of countless people, especially in medical care, where it can be a game-changer. When this delivery method becomes more mainstream, history books will point to the UAE as a major reason why. AI could be world's greatest invention and most complex challenge, says Ray Dalio Space42 secures $5.1bn contract from UAE government to boost development of new satellites Chart of the week: Global internet user growth outstrips population increase Opinion: Why all work and no play can deplete the ego Word perfect: the historic Arabic dictionary that took six years and 700 scholars to complete