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Uri Gal

Associate Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

I am an Associate Professor in Business Information Systems at the University of Sydney. I work at the intersection between digital technology, people, and organizations.

‘AI agents’ promise to arrange your finances, do your taxes, book your holidays – and put us all at risk

Jan 17, 2025 14:32 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology Business

Over the past two years, generative artificial intelligence (AI) has captivated public attention. This year signals the beginning of a new phase: the rise of AI agents. AI agents are autonomous systems that can make...

How the shady world of the data industry strips away our freedoms

Aug 14, 2020 15:56 pm UTC| Technology

The recent questioning of the heads of Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple in the US Congress has highlighted the threat their practices pose to our privacy and democracy. However these big four companies are only part...

The new data retention law seriously invades our privacy – and it's time we took action

Jun 15, 2017 23:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law Technology

Over the past few months, Australians civil rights have come under attack. In April, the governments data retention law came into effect. The law requires telecommunications companies to store customer metadata for at...

Why algorithms won't necessarily lead to utopian workplaces

Feb 25, 2017 12:49 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Using computer algorithms to make decisions about employees might seem like an objective management strategy, but it could actually give an inaccurate picture of productivity and compromise employees rights in the...

Economy

U.S. Stock Futures Slip Ahead of Fed Meeting and Major Tech Earnings

U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Sunday evening as investors prepared for a pivotal week marked by a Federal Reserve policy decision and a heavy slate of corporate earnings. The cautious tone followed a volatile...

Oil Prices Rise as U.S.-Iran Tensions Fuel Supply Concerns Despite Pipeline Recovery

Oil prices extended their upward momentum on Monday, building on gains of more than 2% from the previous session, as escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran continued to unsettle energy markets....

Gold Soars Above $5,000 as Yen Volatility and Geopolitical Tensions Shake Global Markets

Gold prices surged past the historic $5,000 per ounce mark early Monday, extending a powerful rally fueled by heightened geopolitical tensions, currency market volatility, and growing investor demand for safe-haven assets....

US Plans $1.6 Billion Investment in USA Rare Earth to Boost Domestic Critical Minerals Supply

The United States government is preparing to invest $1.6 billion in Oklahoma-based miner USA Rare Earth, securing a 10% ownership stake as part of a broader strategy to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals...

Japan Signals Readiness to Act as Yen Volatility Raises Intervention Concerns

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Sunday that the government is prepared to take necessary steps against speculative or abnormal market movements, following heightened volatility in the yen that has fueled...

Politics

More Than 100 Venezuelan Political Prisoners Released Amid Ongoing Human Rights Scrutiny

At least 104 people identified as political prisoners by a prominent Venezuelan human rights organization were released from detention on Sunday, marking a significant development in Venezuelas ongoing political prisoner...

U.S. Imposes Visa Restrictions on Haiti Transitional Council Over Gang Allegations

The United States has imposed new visa restrictions on members of Haitis Transitional Presidential Council, citing alleged links to gangs and criminal organizations, according to a statement released by the U.S. State...

Brazil Assumes Mexico’s Diplomatic Representation in Peru After Bilateral Rift

Brazil has officially agreed to take over Mexicos diplomatic interests in Peru, a move confirmed by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry on Sunday amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Lima and Mexico. The decision comes...

Fatal Immigration Enforcement Shootings Intensify Scrutiny of Trump Crackdown

The fatal shooting of a man in Minneapolis on Saturday has heightened national scrutiny of U.S. President Donald Trumps aggressive immigration enforcement strategy, as the death toll linked to federal immigration actions...

Melania Trump Film Gets Private White House Screening Ahead of Global Release

First Lady Melania Trump hosted a private White House screening of her new documentary film, Melania, on Saturday, offering an intimate look into her life during the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trumps second...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

U.S. Lawmakers Demand Scrutiny of TikTok-ByteDance Deal Amid National Security Concerns

U.S. lawmakers are calling for closer congressional scrutiny of a new deal involving TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, raising fresh concerns about national security, data privacy, and potential Chinese...

Ericsson Plans SEK 25 Billion Shareholder Returns as Margins Improve Despite Flat Network Market

Swedens telecom equipment giant Ericsson announced plans to significantly boost shareholder returns after reporting a sharp rise in net cash and continued margin improvements, even as the global mobile network market...

Microsoft Restores Microsoft 365 Services After Widespread Outage

Microsoft confirmed on Friday that it has fully restored access to its Microsoft 365 productivity suite following a widespread service outage that disrupted users across multiple regions, particularly in North America. The...

Tesla Plans FSD Subscription Price Hikes as Autonomous Capabilities Advance

Teslas Full Self-Driving (FSD) software is set to become more expensive over time as its technology improves, according to CEO Elon Musk. The announcement comes as Tesla Inc. continues its transition away from a one-time...

ByteDance Finalizes Majority U.S.-Owned TikTok Joint Venture to Avert American Ban

TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has finalized a landmark agreement to establish a majority American-owned joint venture aimed at safeguarding U.S. user data and avoiding a nationwide ban on the popular...