All Eyes on AI

This is MadeMeThink – A Weekly Publication with Curated Content for Visionaries, Innovators & Critical Thinkers Exploring the World of Tomorrow. Written by Thomas Metzler

This MadeMeThink…

This week is all about AI. Artificial Intelligence has dominated the headlines, whether it is astonishing breakthroughs, the staggering market cap of NVIDIA, or Microsofts AI spot at the Super Bowl.

AI Investments of Big Tech Players

Meta is investing aggressively in AI technology, as shown by the estimated shipments for Nvidia H100 GPUs below. By placing a large order for Nvidia's GPUs, which are essential for powering AI applications, Meta is signaling its commitment to integrating AI even more deeply into its business. These GPUs are designed to handle complex AI tasks, such as processing large amounts of data and running sophisticated algorithms.

Meta's investment, on par with Microsoft's, indicates they're focusing on AI to improve efficiency and drive future growth, even as they reduce their workforce:

“Meta has laid off nearly one-fourth of its workforce, a disruptive and costly process. General Motors, in an effort to stave off bankruptcy in 2008, laid off a third of its workforce. Obviously, any firm laying off a quarter of its employees is desperate, right? Wrong. Instead of declining, Meta exploded, adding the value of 30 (2008) General Motors in one day. To the best of my knowledge, no business of this size has ever increased revenue by 25% while shedding 25% of its employees. As it paid only 17% in taxes on the quarter, the company’s earnings per share tripled from $1.76 to $5.33. Meta, suddenly having more money than management knew what to do with, announced a 50￠ quarterly dividend and a $50 billion stock buyback.” - Scott Galloway

NVIDIA Market Valuation is up to 1.78 TRILLION ??

With these orders for NVIDIA chips, it's no surprise that NVIDIA's market valuation is skyrocketing. NVIDIA has now reached a market valuation of 1.78 trillion (!) US dollars, even surpassing Amazon in value (1.75 trillion USD market cap). Nvidia has added about $600 billion in market capitalization so far this year.

To put this in reference, the total market capitalization of the DAX, Germany’s premier stock market index comprising 40 of the nation’s biggest companies, stands at around $1.846 trillion. This figure includes the market cap of leading players such as SAP with $211 billion, aerospace company Airbus at $126 billion, automotive leader Mercedes-Benz at $74 billion, heavyweight Volkswagen at $69 billion, chemicals giant BASF valued at $43 billion, sportswear icon Adidas at $32 billion, and the financial institution Deutsche Bank at $25 billion. These numbers showcase NVIDIA’s staggering market valuation in comparison to some of Europe’s most valuable corporations.

Sam Altman’s $7 trillion ask

In my years navigating the ever-evolving tech space, I've encountered my fair share of ambitious ventures and bold financial targets. Yet, the recent rumour regarding Sam Altman, seeking a staggering $7 trillion investment to significantly enhance the world's AI chip manufacturing capabilities, sets a new benchmark for audacity. As the Wall Street Journal reports:

“The OpenAI chief executive officer is in talks with investors including the United Arab Emirates government to raise funds for a wildly ambitious tech initiative that would boost the world’s chip-building capacity, expand its ability to power AI, among other things, and cost several trillion dollars, according to people familiar with the matter. The project could require raising as much as $5 trillion to $7 trillion, one of the people said (…) Such a sum of investment would dwarf the current size of the global semiconductor industry. Global sales of chips were $527 billion last year and are expected to rise to $1 trillion annually by 2030.” - Wall Street Journal

Chutzpah Sam Altman, I've been in the tech space for a while, but I've never seen such a high ask. But maybe I've been thinking too small all these years ??♂?

If you're interested in how AI chips work and how they differ from regular chips, check out this short video from the Wall Street Journal.

AI Super Bowl Spot

All eyes were on AI at the Superbowl too, literally. Microsoft advertised its AI tool Copilot at this year's Superbowl. That must have been around 140 million pairs of eyes. A 60-second spot at the Superbowl costs around 14 million. Was it worth it? And how do you like the commercial? Write me a comment on my Linkedin post.

If you are now considering securing a Super Bowl spot for your company in 2025, here are the updated statistics on viewer reach and the costs involved for a 30-second ad ;)

If you are now considering securing a Super Bowl spot for your company in 2025, here are the updated statistics on viewer reach and the costs involved for a 30-second ad ;)

AI's Super Bowl Moment in Science

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A Personal update…

There's a new kid in town: TECHARENA Stockholm

Lisbon is home to the WebSummit, Helsinki is known for Slush, San Francisco for TechCrunch, and will Stockholm soon be known for hosting the TechArena conference? Well, time will tell. What is certain, however, is that next week, I'll be attending the first Tech Arena Conference in Stockholm alongside 7,500 other tech enthusiasts. A highlight will be the keynote by Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, who will share insights on his experiences in Silicon Valley, his impact on computing, and his views on the future of AI. I will share my impressions and learnings from the TechArena on MadeMeThink.

Exploring the Swedish Startup- & Innovation Ecosystem

If you've been following along, you might have read my articles on the startup and innovation ecosystems in Estonia (read article) and Finland (read article). During my travels in these countries, Sweden's significant role in Scandinavia was frequently mentioned in discussions. This piqued my curiosity, leading me to reach out to my friends at Advantage Austria in Stockholm to inquire if I could visit for a few days to gain a deeper understanding of the Swedish startup and innovation landscape. Therefore, next week, I'll be exploring Sweden, specifically Stockholm, and I will share my findings and impressions on MadeMeThink afterwards. So stay tuned for an insightful journey into the vibrant Swedish tech ecosystem.

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Disclaimer: The thoughts published in this publication are my personal opinion and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation for any type of action. I am not a financial expert. The startups, organizations or corporates highlighted in this publication have caught my interest. This mention is not an endorsement or recommendation to engage with them. Readers should always do their own research.