Five tech stories you may have missed last week

Intel digs in heels over Microsoft's Surface Go, Facebook hires HP exec to rebuild reputation, and the adult video industry finds a creative use case for AI

CRN's weekly round-up of the more unusual tech stories from last week.

1. Intel's sneaky subterfuge
The Verge reported that the chip maker intervened during production of the Microsoft Surface Go. Apparently, Microsoft wanted to use Qualcomm's ARM processor for the device's production, but Intel "petitioned heavily" (and successfully) for its own Pentium Gold processor to be used.

2. Former HP CMO recruited to save Facebook
Facebook has hired former HP CMO Antonio Lucio to help it rebuild its reputation, reported Tech Crunch. Lucio will rebuild the social media giant's external image, along with cross-promoting features in its numerous apps.

He is also expected to bring his enthusiasm for diversity to his new company, after seeing success with the #MoreLikeMe campaign which he launched to increase the number of women in leadership roles at HP - ultimately growing their percentage among top HP marketing jobs from 20 per cent to 50 per cent.

3. Microsoft vacuums up public sector spending
Nearly one pound in every five that the British public and private sector spent on software last year went to Microsoft, reported The Register. It also revealed that £7.35bn was spent on enterprise software, including licensing, maintenance and SaaS, in 2017, which was a 2.5 per cent increase.

4. Kids and their parents glued to their screens
Two thirds of parents are concerned about their teenagers spending too much time in front of screens, with a third of parents worried about their own screen time, the Guardian reported. In a US study conducted by the Pew Research Centre, more than 50 per cent of teens said they often or sometimes find their parents distracted by their devices while trying to have a conversation with them.

5. Using AI to star in your own adult movie
AI is being heralded to change many industries, but the world of XXX movies is an unusual one. The Verge reported that a US company called Naughty America launched a service that uses AI to allow its clients to customise adult clips to their liking. Such customisation could include changing the background of a clip or inserting themselves into scenes.