Morning Thrust | Weekly Highlights (102nd Edition: 24.11.2024)
Welcome to the 102nd edition of Morning Thrust ,?your?weekly dose?of?highlights?in future tech,?space economy,?sustainability,?smart cities,?supply chain,?logistics and more! In this edition (24.11.2024), we bring you the?most exciting?developments shaping?our world.?Stay informed and?ahead of the curve?with our curated insights.?Let's dive in!
New research from 美国斯坦福大学 and Google DeepMind reveals that a two-hour interview with an AI can accurately replicate your personality, capturing your values and preferences. The study, involving 1,000 participants, found AI agents to be 85% similar to the individuals they mimicked. While offering potential for social science research, this technology raises concerns over privacy and consent in the creation of digital replicas.
Anthropic has secured an additional $4 billion investment from Amazon, making AWS its primary cloud training partner. The funding boosts Amazon's total investment to $8 billion, with Anthropic set to use AWS's custom chips for training AI models. This partnership comes as Anthropic expands its AI offerings, including the Claude model, while navigating regulatory scrutiny over big tech's influence in AI.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to reduce $500 billion in federal spending, targeting unauthorized programs and inefficient agencies. They propose cuts in areas like public broadcasting, international grants, and certain health and housing programs. Additionally, DOGE plans to reduce federal employees, pushing for voluntary retirements and relocations to the private sector while promoting office attendance for efficiency.
The U.S. Department of Justice has argued that 谷歌 must sell its Google Chrome browser and potentially its Android system to address its illegal monopoly in search. The move could significantly reshape Google’s business and the tech landscape. Google has opposed the proposal, claiming it would harm users and hinder U.S. tech leadership.
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman raised concerns about Elon Musk’s potential conflict of interest in influencing AI policy, particularly through his ownership of xAI , which could benefit from government contracts. Hoffman warned that Musk’s role in Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency might compromise U.S. technological competitiveness. While hopeful for innovation, Hoffman remains cautious about Trump’s approach to favouritism in tech and crypto sectors.
诺华 has secured a $1.1 billion deal to acquire Kate Therapeutics , a biotech focused on gene therapies for muscular dystrophies like Duchenne, facioscapulohumeral, and myotonic dystrophy. The acquisition aims to enhance Novartis' gene therapy capabilities, learning from the challenges faced by its peers in the field. This move builds on its expertise from the successful Zolgensma therapy for spinal muscular atrophy.
The U.K. is set to introduce a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework in early 2025, covering cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. Economic secretary Tulip Siddiq confirmed no carve-out for staking services, which have been a point of contention. Additionally, a new bill aims to grant greater legal protection to crypto assets like Bitcoin and NFTs, classifying them as "personal property."
Sequoia Capital marked up its 2020 US venture fund by 24.6%, defying expectations despite no exits. The increase highlights the growing valuation of AI startups, while cash distributions remain minimal. Sequoia's restructuring in 2023 split its China and India units, and it has made significant gains in other funds over the past year.
Belgium-based Odoo has raised $527 million in secondary investment, bringing its valuation to $5.26 billion, up from €3.2 billion. The funding, led by CapitalG and Sequoia Capital, will accelerate R&D and product development, with a focus on AI disruption in the ERP market. Odoo, which serves over 5 million users, aims for €1 billion in revenue by 2027.
Y Combinator 's investment strategy often favours startups with similar products to its previous graduates, such as in AI code editors and restaurant PoS systems, despite concerns about direct competition. The accelerator prioritises founders with vision and resilience over unique ideas, fostering a network where competitors can thrive. Recent analysis highlights the prevalence of duplicate or closely related startups in YC’s portfolio, prompting debate on the value of competition.
The UAE has surpassed London to become the world's second-largest gold trading hub, driven by strong Asian demand and geopolitical shifts. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) reports a 36% increase in gold trade in 2024, with $129 billion flowing through Dubai. As gold's role grows globally, the DMCC calls for enhanced transparency, regulation, and digital innovation to support emerging markets.
Revolut plans to roll out several new features in 2025, including an AI-powered assistant, branded ATMs with biometric authentication, and new credit products like mortgages and business credit offerings. The fintech firm aims to expand quickly across Europe, starting with Lithuania, Ireland, and France for mortgages. Revolut continues to innovate with features like "buy now, pay later" and AI-driven payment options for businesses.
Trump Media Inc. is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire cryptocurrency trading platform Bakkt , causing shares of both companies to surge. The deal marks a significant expansion of Trump's business interests in the crypto sector as he prepares for the 2024 presidential election. Bakkt, created by the owner of the NYSE, has faced financial challenges, including concerns about its ability to continue as a viable entity.
AI chip startup MatX , founded by former Google engineers, has raised $80 million in Series A funding, bringing its valuation to nearly $300 million. Specialising in chips for large language models, MatX aims to provide high-performance, affordable solutions to address the AI chip shortage. The company’s goal is to outperform 英伟达 ’s GPUs in AI workloads.
Swedish unicorn battery manufacturer Northvolt has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S., struggling with financial difficulties despite raising $14.26 billion. Co-founder and CEO Peter Carlsson resigned, though he will remain as an advisor. Despite setbacks, including losing key contracts and laying off 1,600 employees, Northvolt could still revive with support from investors or partners like Volkswagen.
美国麻省理工学院 physicists have predicted the creation of non-Abelian anyons, exotic particles that could form the qubits for next-gen quantum computers, offering a powerful alternative to current quantum computing technology. This breakthrough, building on last year's discovery of electron fractionalization without magnetic fields, opens new research and application possibilities. If confirmed experimentally, this could lead to more reliable, versatile quantum computers capable of tackling a broader range of tasks.
微软 is set to introduce a voice cloning feature in Teams meetings starting in early 2025. This tool, named Interpreter, will offer real-time speech-to-speech translation in nine languages, allowing users to sound like themselves in different languages. While promising, the feature raises security concerns, as voice simulation could potentially be misused for impersonation scams.
A Japanese company has developed a "human washing machine," a futuristic device that combines a cockpit-like seat with water and sensors to personalise the bathing experience. Designed to "wash the mind as well as the body," it may soon be available for public demos, with a home-use version reportedly in the works.
SpaceX is set for a December tender offer, with a valuation exceeding $250 billion, solidifying its crucial role in the global space economy. Andrew Chanin, CEO of ProcureAM, highlights the company's importance in NASA's missions and potential competition with European space companies.
Researchers at 瑞士苏黎世联邦理工学院 have achieved a groundbreaking 424 Gbit/s data transmission across a 53-km space link, using plasmonic modulators for high-speed space communication. This technology could revolutionise connectivity, with potential speeds of up to 1.4 Tbit/s, paving the way for high-capacity, low-latency space networks and global internet access.
Researchers at the University of Arkansas are developing bioinspired surface textures to repel lunar dust, which threatens the durability of spacecraft and habitats. By using advanced fabrication methods and in-situ testing, they aim to create resilient, low-maintenance surfaces for lunar infrastructure. This innovative work has broader potential for dust-prone environments on Earth.
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration is using supercomputing to drive advancements across several scientific fields, including optimizing rocket launches, improving airplane fuel efficiency, and refining weather predictions with AI. Simulations are also helping researchers explore neutron stars and the Sun's activity, while high-quality visualizations make complex data more accessible. These efforts, showcased at SC24, highlight the pivotal role of supercomputing in enhancing our understanding of the universe and improving life on Earth.
China's Space Transportation company plans to test its Cuantianhou reusable spaceplane prototype in 2025. The spaceplane, designed for hypersonic travel with vertical takeoff and landing, aims for hypersonic point-to-point travel, potentially reducing global travel times by 2031. The company faces technological, policy, and geopolitical challenges as it works towards these ambitious goals.
The Exploration Company , based in Germany, has raised $160M in Series B funding to develop Europe's first reusable space capsule, Nyx, aimed for its first ISS flight in 2028. The funding brings its total to $208M, with significant backing from private investors and European sovereign funds. The company has also secured a €25M contract with the European Space Agency to develop cargo return services, positioning itself as a competitor to SpaceX in the space transportation sector.
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