Morning Thrust | Weekly Highlights (65th Edition: 10.03.2024)

Welcome to the 65th 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 (10.03.2024), 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!

OpenAI partners with Figure to develop fully autonomous robots, merging AI and robotics expertise. This collaboration aims to revolutionize humanoid robots language understanding and problem-solving capabilities. With the potential to lead the market, this venture signals a significant advancement in AI-powered robotics, sparking anticipation for future developments in the industry.

OpenAI reinstates Sam Altman and announces three new board members: Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Nicole Seligman, and Fidji Simo. The decision follows criticism of board diversity and an investigation into Altman's ouster, concluding it was due to a breakdown in trust. The company also pledges to adopt new corporate governance guidelines.

OpenAI responds to Elon Musk's lawsuit, stating Musk only contributed $45 million despite initial promises of $1 billion and sought to merge with Tesla or gain control. The legal battle may impact AI development and industry dynamics. OpenAI asserts its shift to a for-profit structure was necessary for AGI research, while Musk's accusations of abandoning open-source principles are refuted.

Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and three other former executives sue Elon Musk, alleging over $128 million in owed severance payments after Musk's acquisition of Twitter. Musk's controversial actions, including firing the executives and failure to pay severance, are critiqued in the lawsuit, reflecting a pattern of delaying payments and imposing legal challenges on claimants. The lawsuit exposes Musk's alleged strategy of withholding owed funds and imposing legal obstacles on claimants, revealing a contentious aftermath of his acquisition of Twitter.

Lawyers who successfully voided Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package as excessive are now seeking a record $6 billion legal fee, payable in Tesla stock, following a Delaware judge's ruling in January. Musk criticized the request, deeming it "criminal," while Tesla and Musk’s attorney are yet to comment. The legal team argues the fee is justified due to the benefits the electric car maker gained from the package's return, with the case's judge calling Musk's pay "unfathomable."

苹果 has terminated Epic Games developer account, citing it as a threat to the iOS ecosystem, reversing an earlier approval. Epic alleges Apple's move violates the Digital Markets Act, indicating Apple's reluctance towards competition. The saga continues as Epic accuses Apple of retaliation for speaking out against its practices, prompting scrutiny from the EU.

The EU investigates 苹果 's closure of Epic Games developer account, potentially breaching regulations including the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Digital Services Act (DSA), and platform-to-business regulation (P2B). Apple cites a U.S. court ruling to justify the action, while Epic accuses retaliation for criticism of Apple's DMA proposal. EU commissioner Thierry Breton emphasizes the importance of addressing gatekeepers' compliance under the DMA.

Y?Combinator 's Paul Graham criticises 苹果 for its actions against Epic Games , suggesting power has corrupted the tech giant. Apple's termination of Epic Games' developer account and its decisions on alternative app stores spark anger among app makers, with comparisons drawn to Microsoft's past developer-unfriendly reputation.

苹果 plans to facilitate switching to Android by fall 2025, in response to the EU's Digital Markets Act. Alongside support for alternative app stores and new business terms for EU app developers, Apple will enhance data portability, allowing easier transfer from iPhones to non-Apple devices. This move aims to comply with EU law and increase competition in the app ecosystem, with updates to Apple's Data & Privacy website also facilitating data export to third parties.

A San Francisco-based startup named Ema, led by experienced leaders from Coinbase and 谷歌 , has emerged from stealth with a $25 million investment. Ema aims to revolutionize AI in the workplace, offering a "universal AI employee" to automate mundane tasks and provide more strategic value. Backed by prominent investors, Ema's innovative approach integrates various language models, promising advanced accuracy and versatility across different business applications, attracting attention for its potential to address enterprise needs efficiently.

埃森哲 's acquisition of Udacity aims to develop a specialized AI-focused learning platform, with a $1 billion investment named LearnVantage. The move underscores the growing demand for AI skills in the workforce, emphasizing the need for training in cloud, data, and AI technologies. While the exact acquisition cost remains undisclosed, this deal follows rumors of Udacity's potential acquisition by upGrad , signaling significant shifts in the edtech landscape. Regulatory review and antitrust oversight are pending for the transaction.

Taiko Labs secures $37M to develop web3 infrastructure for a censorship-resistant internet. Founded by Daniel Wang, the startup aims to create truly decentralized social networks, addressing scalability and decentralization issues in blockchain technology. With a recent Series A funding round led by Lightspeed Faction, Taiko aims to empower users with ownership, privacy, and freedom of speech online.

Singaporean scientists at 新加坡南洋理工大学 (NTU) have pioneered Wi-Fi-based tracking for the metaverse, overcoming limitations of existing methods. Their breakthrough, utilizing AI and Wi-Fi signals, enables accurate whole-body tracking without the need for body-worn sensors or external cameras. This innovation not only enhances gaming and social experiences but also holds promise for applications in healthcare, elder care, and security surveillance, while prioritizing privacy.

Uber launches teen accounts in California, allowing parents to monitor and control their teens' rides and UberEats orders for added safety and peace of mind. With features like live tracking, PIN verification, and spending limits, parents can ensure their teens' safety during trips. The initiative is supported by Safe Kids Worldwide to promote safe transportation options for families.

Fervo Energy secures $244 million led by Devon Energy to boost geothermal technology for carbon-free energy production. Investors include Galvanize Climate Solutions , Liberty Mutual Investments and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries . The investment will aid Fervo's Cape Station project in Utah, aiming to deliver clean electricity by 2026, addressing the global energy trilemma.

Viaro Energy partners with newcleo for nuclear technology integration in oil and gas decarbonization, aiming to leverage advanced modular reactors for emission reduction. The strategic partnership plans to deploy lead-cooled fast reactors at chosen sites in Viaro's portfolio, contributing to net-zero goals while ensuring long-term clean energy supply. Viaro Energy's CEO emphasizes the significance of the collaboration in spearheading decarbonization efforts in the oil and gas sector and investing in sustainable energy solutions.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed launches a $150 million XPRIZE initiative with the American XPRIZE FOUNDATION to combat global water scarcity, focusing on developing affordable seawater desalination systems. The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, aims to stimulate innovative solutions and raise awareness about the urgency of addressing water shortages. The initiative, attended by key dignitaries, signals a significant global effort to tackle the pressing issue of water scarcity.

Global venture capital funding stabilized at around $20 billion in February 2024, with notable increases in AI investment, reaching $4.7 billion. Epic Games received the largest funding round, followed by Beijing-based AI startup Moonshot AI, amidst concerns of AI market overheating despite predicted productivity gains.

Andreessen Horowitz nears closing up to ￡7B in new funds, with ￡6.9B earmarked for a "master feeder fund," aiming for a final close in early April. The firm reallocates funds by subsector, including 15% for AI infrastructure and apps, 10% for "American dynamism," and a gaming fund. Despite market challenges, the move follows a trend of firms adapting to shifting investor demands.

Howie Diamond , MD of Pure Ventures , prioritizes founder's mental health by providing Pilea Coaching Network , a support platform, recognizing the struggles behind startup success. Pure Ventures funds founders with wellness services, reflecting a shift towards holistic support in Silicon Valley's venture landscape. Diamond's journey, from music management to VC, underscores the importance of resilience in navigating the startup ecosystem.

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration has decided to halt its $2 billion satellite refueling project, OSAM-1, due to persistent technical and financial challenges, along with a shift away from refueling unprepared spacecraft. The project, which began in 2015, faced significant delays and cost overruns, attributed in part to poor contractor performance. NASA is now assessing the impact of the cancellation on its workforce at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center .

SpaceX targets March 14 for its third Starship test flight pending FAA approval, following a recent wet dress rehearsal. The mission aims for ambitious objectives like propellant transfer in space and the first Raptor engine relight, crucial for lunar missions. SpaceX emphasizes iterative development towards a reusable transportation system for Earth orbit, lunar travel, and Mars missions.

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