Pakistan ranks 45th among 52 nations in world internet development index: World Internet Development Report 2023

Morning! If you live in Lahore and haven’t gotten sick yet, please share your secrets to your powerful immunity game. Our replies are open as we can definitely use some help 🤒🤧

In this week’s edition:

🎬 Lights, camera, strike, action!

🍭 50 Cent’s candy shop

👨‍💼 Someone is a proud dad in the AI world

📡 Pakistan’s internet report card is out

- The Itla Squad 💼

Business

Global 🌎️

Lights, camera, strike, action!

After a 118-day standoff, the Hollywood actors' strike officially concluded, marked by an 86% approval vote from the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) national board, bringing an end to one of the longest and most significant strikes in the history of the U.S. entertainment industry.

What's in the contract? SAG-AFTRA has not released the text of the TV/theatrical contract yet, but key terms include:

• The comprehensive package encompasses over $1 billion in new wages and benefit plan funding.

• A new fund called “Streaming Compensation Fund” for performers working on streaming shows, with details yet to be disclosed.

• Immediate 7% wage increase for many performers and an 11% increase for background actors, with additional increases in 2024 and 2025.

• Set conditions including new terms to ensure proper hair and makeup services for all performers.

• Requirement for hiring intimacy coordinators for scenes involving nudity or simulated sex.

Hollywood meets AI drama: Here's the cool part—they've set up some rules for using artificial intelligence (AI). No more creating a digital copy of an actor without their say-so. Also, protections against "generative AI" were an important aspect of the negotiations, ensuring performers' rights to consent, fair compensation, and keeping their jobs.

What now? The writers were in on the action too. SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) teamed up against the studios, making waves. The writers closed their deal on October 9, so it's all done. With the strike officially in the rearview, actors are gearing up to get back to work—pending the green light from member votes in the next few weeks.

TLDR: Hollywood actors' 118-day strike ended with an 86% approval on a new contract by SAG-AFTRA, bringing over $1 billion in wages and a streaming compensation fund. The deal includes immediate wage increases and protections against AI use. The Writers Guild of America also closed their deal on October 9. Now, actors are to return to work pending member votes in the coming weeks.

What else is new in news

✶Next month, a new federal rule kicks in, making it easier for workers in big companies like McDonald's to join unions. But, surprise, businesses and some in Congress aren't happy. The rule, announced by the National Labor Relations Board, sets new standards for deciding when two companies are "joint employers" under the National Labor Relations Act. For example, it could mean Burger King has to negotiate with workers, even if most joints are run by franchisees.

Local 🇵🇰

If the cashier at your favorite coffee shop feels a bit grumpier than usual, blame taxes…

If 50 Cent decided to set up his Candy Shop in Pakistan in 2023, he might find himself singing a different tune. Why? The government in Pakistan wants to introduce a fresh income-based tax for retailers, informing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about its plans.

Why the new tax? The retail sector makes up 19% of the economy but contributes less than 1% in taxes. The government plans to use the indicative income of retailers based on shop location and rent payments to assess the tax.

What's in the proposal? The tax would start in January, aiming to collect an extra Rs9 billion to Rs20 billion each month from shopkeepers through a fixed shop tax. An interesting shift is that the responsibility of handling these collections would fall on district tax officers, not through the already high electricity bills.

How will it work? Section 99B of the Income Tax Ordinance will be used. This section provides special procedures for small traders and shopkeepers, allowing the finance minister to impose taxes through official notifications, avoiding the need for new laws. The tax could be nationwide or in major cities, but the decision is pending.

Looking ahead: In June 2022, the government tried imposing a tax but withdrew it within two months due to pressure from shopkeepers so let’s see if our leaders have better negotiating skills with the retailers than our moms this time around 🤷‍♂️

TLDR: Pakistan plans a new income-based tax for retailers starting January, targeting Rs9 billion to Rs20 billion monthly. The tax will be fixed, and handled by district tax officers, not through electricity bills. Section 99B of the Income Tax Ordinance will be used, offering flexibility without new laws. The decision on nationwide or city-specific application is pending.

News Flash

✶The Privatisation Commission board approved hiring Ernst & Young to plan the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines. The government aims to sell the struggling entity by February's end, confirming this commitment to the IMF a day prior.

Tech

Global 🌎️

OpenAI’s CEO must be a proud dad

Just like parents cheer on their one-year-olds when they finally start walking, OpenAI's Sam Altman has got to be over the moon.

Their brainchild, ChatGPT, who will turn 1 this November, didn't just take baby steps. It practically sprinted a marathon and won a gold medal. That's the lowdown from OpenAI's first-ever developer conference, DevDay, that was held in San Francisco.

OpenAI introduces AI on steroids:

• OpenAI has opened the door for anyone to create their own GPT versions without coding. These user-made GPTs can serve various purposes, from entertainment to productivity. Big companies can even build exclusive GPTs based on OpenAI's knowledge. OpenAI also plans to launch a GPT Store where users can share their creations.

• OpenAI introduced the Assistants API, enabling developers to craft their own agent-like experiences for tasks like coding assistance or vacation planning.

• DALL-E 3, OpenAI's text-to-image model, is now accessible through an API, allowing users to generate images in different sizes and formats for $0.04.

• The new Audio API for text-to-speech, priced at $0.015 per 1,000 characters, offers six voices and the ability to use two AI models, enhancing text-to-speech applications.

• Who knew OpenAI was so protective? Its copyright shield program defends businesses from copyright claims related to its tools on the developer platform or ChatGPT Enterprise, covering legal fees in such cases.
  

TLDR: OpenAI showcased major developments at DevDay, introducing a user-friendly GPT creation tool, the Assistants API for personalized experiences, and accessible APIs for DALL-E 3 (text-to-image) and Audio (text-to-speech). They also plan to launch a GPT Store and offer a copyright shield program for businesses. OpenAI is pushing boundaries in AI innovation.

What else is new in news

✶ YouTube is set to experiment with new AI features, exclusively for premium subscribers. Users can soon explore a conversational tool, powered by AI, for questions and recommendations. Another feature will summarize video comments' key topics.

Local 🇵🇰 

Pakistan’s internet report card is out

Pakistan finds itself at the 45th spot among 52 countries in the World Internet Development Index, as per the World Internet Development Report 2023.

What’s in the matrix? The World Internet Development Index encompasses six crucial metrics: information technology infrastructure, digital technology and innovation capability, digital economy, digital government, cyber security, and cyberspace international management.

Pakistan's internet report card breakdown: Pakistan's rankings across these metrics are as follows: 47th in information technology infrastructure, 43rd in digital technology and innovation capability, 42nd in the digital economy, 45th in digital government, 45th in cyber security, and 40th in cyberspace international management.

Who's topping the charts? According to the report, the top five performers in the World Internet Development Index are the United States, China, Singapore, the Netherlands, and South Korea. These nations showcase notable advancements and achievements in the global internet landscape.

TLDR: Pakistan ranks 45th out of 52 countries in the World Internet Development Index 2023. Key metrics include IT infrastructure, innovation, digital economy, government online, cybersecurity, and global cyberspace management. Pakistan's rankings range from 40th to 47th in these categories. Top performers are the United States, China, Singapore, the Netherlands, and South Korea.

Tech tour of news

✶Krave Mart just pocketed an additional $6 million, bringing their total funding to a cool $12 million since launch. Operating in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, this online grocery platform offers quick 45 to 60-minute deliveries for a wide range of products.

More interesting Itla (اطلاع) we consumed:

🎥 It’s sad/frustrating when a comedy show provides a better analysis than most news channels. This 30-minute video clip on the situation in the Middle East is one of the best episodes of the “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” show.