2024 wrapped: a year full of AI

Ah, the end of the year again. The time when half of LinkedIn is on holiday, so the number of newsletter readers drops dramatically. However, we didn’t drop the effort of writing a good one. If the family party bores you or you need a break between the first and second dessert, you can always hide in the toilet and read this tech newsletter.

As always, we briefly summarise some of the latest tech and ‘we are’ news. We discuss AI in 2024 and share our thoughts about 'The State of JavaScript 2024' report. If you're not a developer, that last one might bore you a bit, so you might want to skip that part. But be sure to read the newsletter until the end to learn about our newest section: a monthly movie or series recommendation from someone on the team.

Stuff we’ve found interesting

• A second version of Google’s video generator, Veo2, is on its way. Google DeepMind promises that the updated model will be capable of creating 4K videos, making fewer typical AI errors, and even adding cinematic effects. Additionally, Veo2 would better understand realistic motion and physical principles.?
• The Belgian app Oko has been named Apple’s App of the Year. Oko is an app that assists blind and visually impaired individuals in crossing intersections. Using a camera and AI software, it alerts users when a pedestrian signal is red or green through sound and vibrations. The app won the award for "the lasting impact it will have".
• Is the TikTok ban in the US really happening? Earlier this year, the US government warned of a potential ban on the social media platform unless it was sold to a government-approved buyer. That hasn’t happened, but it seems Americans don’t have to worry to much after all. Trump recently shared some promising words for TikTok fans.?

Interesting read

The ‘State of JavaScript 2024’ has been published! It’s a report about what JavaScript has been up to this year, based on a survey with around 13k respondents. Our developer Arne shares his thoughts.

Front-end framework

• React seems to be the most popular framework in terms of usage. A logical choice to me, we almost always use React. Svelte is on the rise but is still relatively new, so we haven’t adopted it yet.

Back-end Framework:

• Express remains the most widely used framework, but in my view, that doesn’t necessarily make it the best. We primarily use Fastify because of its significantly better performance. This is especially useful under heavy loads, as it can handle a higher amount of requests per second. Additionally, Fastify integrates well with TypeScript.

Programming language

• JavaScript and TypeScript (an extension of JavaScript) remain highly popular, which makes sense to me. TypeScript (the one we use most), for example, exhibits less unexpected behaviour on the back end and allows fewer errors.
• Python is still very popular after JavaScript and TypeScript. However, it’s not always the go-to choice for certain projects. While Python’s simplicity is a major advantage, TypeScript often outperforms it in terms of speed and efficiency. Python tends to consume more memory and energy due to its performance limitations. That said, Python is an excellent choice for building Proof of Concept (PoCs) and working with advanced AI technologies, where flexibility and speed are necessary.

Testing

• Jest is the most widely used testing framework and certainly the best-known. We also use it, although Vitest is increasingly becoming the standard.
• Vitest is rapidly gaining popularity. Since this year, we’ve adopted Vitest as well, and are experimenting to see if we could eventually fully switch to Vitest.

Awards

• Vite was recognized as the technology with the largest year-over-year usage growth. This recognition is well-deserved, in my opinion. We fully implemented Vite into our workflow this year and have been very positive about it.
• The same goes for Vitest, which received the award for the technology with the highest percentage of returning users in the report.

2024: The year of AI

2024 was a year full of Artificial Intelligence. Tech giants rolled out all kinds of new tools, ChatGPT quickly became essential and companies watched each other closely, eager to keep up with the AI race. The Tech news was packed with both exciting breakthroughs and cautionary stories.

Our pen didn’t stay idle as well when it came to AI. With a sceptical yet enthusiastic perspective, we embraced some of the new technologies. To wrap up the year, we’ve put together a recap of some of the AI highlights from our 2024 newsletters:

• We started the year with Sam Altman discussing plans to raise funds for an AI chip venture to design and manufacture chips. However, there has been no further news about it since then.
• A survey revealed that more than half of Gen Z believes ChatGPT provides better career advice than their boss.
• Google partnered with Kairos Power to develop small modular nuclear reactors to generate energy for AI consumption.
• Book recommendation:?Nexus?by Yuval Noah Harari. The book explores the question, "How will Artificial Intelligence and Big Data impact our society and our lives?"
• The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the two pioneers of machine learning, and with it, AI.
• Meta introduced Meta Llama 3 and Meta AI.
• What is the value of creativity in a world full of AI??This?article?explores why a monkey hasn’t written a Shakespearean play—yet.
• Manu gave a talk at Nerdland about AI and ethical reflections in a technological world.
• Several text-to-video tools were launched this year, like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo.
• Apple introduced 'Apple Intelligence' with the slogan?‘AI for the rest of us’. However, we still can't use much of it in the EU because Apple doesn't want to comply with the EU regulations.

What happened at we are this month?

• We go into 2025 with 3 open positions! We’re looking for a Technical project manager, an experienced software engineer, and a part-time office manager. The time is now, join the team!
• In a coaching session with Ira?s Browaeys , we learned how to give and receive feedback, as well as how to manage our energy levels. Ready for 2025!

• Did you notice anything about our logo in the last few months? We’re working on something… Stay tuned!

What to watch: Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

Each month, someone in the team will recommend a series or movie they really liked. If you don’t know what to watch next: We got you!

This month, Yacine recommends the documentary film ‘Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat’.

Insights into fascinating historical figures and the roles of Belgium and the U.S. in Congo during the first months of independence, accompanied by music from the most renowned jazz musicians. A must-see! - Yacine