This week, the seismic shifts in the tech landscape are evident, with Nvidia surpassing Apple in market value. Meanwhile, significant concerns around AI’s societal impact were raised as Google faces privacy breach accusations and AI-generated search threatens a billion-dollar industry. Microsoft’s innovative AI weather forecasting system highlights a positive development. All this and so much more is on this edition of TekTonic.
Apocalypse warnings by insiders aside, for me, the week’s top stories probably didn’t make your AI newsfeed. This is because I am always searching for stories that are impacting society. First, Nvidia took over from Apple as the world’s second most valuable company this week. Why is this important? It not only demonstrates tangible results from AI adoption but also reveals that barriers protecting digital products and services are dissipating. The only real moats are shifting to commodities and hardware. It also may provide an answer to kids looking to capitalize on AI. For years, hardware engineers had to play second fiddle to software engineers, but that may change. As more hardware companies like Nvidia, Groq, and Boston Dynamics grow in prominence, kids may want to consider studying electrical, mechanical, materials, and mechatronic engineering. My second favorite stories of the week are downstream impacts from AI stories from the last two weeks. Between the latest series of Google Search leaks and Google’s AI search fumbles, the 185 billion dollar SEO industry and blogosphere are in turmoil. With 65% of users willing to hand over their search to AI, it was announced that in only a week, 21% of informational searches now result in no click-throughs because AI provides the answers.
With that said, let’s kick off this week’s news with a story about Mark Zuckerberg. This week, he compared Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, to Taylor Swift, calling him the “Taylor Swift” of the tech world. It’s got a nice “ring” to it don’t you think? Nvidia’s meteoric rise has seen it surpass Apple in market value, now only trailing behind Microsoft, making Huang the 13th richest person globally. This surge highlights the booming demand for AI chips similar to what we saw 30 years ago with Intel.
Meanwhile, the tech giants are on the offensive, launching a campaign to defend the use of AI amidst growing public scrutiny and regulatory pressures. This comes as Google faces serious privacy breach accusations following a recent leak, spotlighting the need for better data protection practices.
During a summit, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, admitted that his team doesn’t fully understand how their AI works. Maybe Sam Altman’s high school English teacher had a point when he admitted he hoped Sam wouldn’t go into tech. However, given that OpenAI is close to incorporating ChatGPT into iOS, I said iOS and not an app. Maybe Apple should count themselves lucky?
A study has revealed that AI models can hold opposing views on controversial topics like LGBTQ+ rights, depending on their training data and developers. This finding is crucial as it highlights the potential biases embedded within AI systems, which can influence public opinion and decision-making processes.
Turning to tech advancements, Microsoft has unveiled Aurora, a groundbreaking AI-based weather forecasting system capable of predicting air pollution levels without a supercomputer. We also learned this week that MIT scientists have created an AI chatbot that mimics your future self.
In law, the New Jersey Bar Association has warned that AI is poised to transform legal practice substantially. Some law firms are already training their summer associates in generative AI, anticipating its game-changing potential in legal research and case management.
On the cybersecurity front, the U.S. Navy has introduced a new blockchain security technology called PARANOID. This development marks a significant step forward in protecting sensitive data against cyber threats using the blockchain to protect it from insider attacks.
In the hardware world, Advantech has launched edge AI server solutions for generative AI, signaling a new era of powerful, decentralized AI capabilities. Meanwhile, Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, expressed openness to producing Arm chips based on a competing microarchitecture. Is beleaguered Intel throwing in the towel on its hardware architecture or just adjusting to market demands?
In education, Microsoft is making waves by partnering with Torrens University in Australia to bring AI into academic institutions. This collaboration aims to integrate AI into the curriculum, preparing students for a future where technology and artificial intelligence play a crucial role in every field. Meanwhile, in California, teachers are turning to AI to grade papers, raising questions about the reliability and ethics of AI in education. Who is overseeing the AI’s accuracy and fairness?
On the political front, New York is considering new regulations to control what children see on social media, a move that could significantly impact the way tech companies manage content for younger audiences. This comes as a digital civil rights group reports that AI tools can easily generate convincing election lies using the voices of well-known politicians, highlighting the potential for AI to disrupt democratic processes.
In the business sector, only 11% of Supply Chain companies have fully integrated AI into their operations despite the buzz in boardrooms. According to an MIT economics professor, this gap between AI potential and actual implementation suggests that many businesses are still grappling with how to leverage AI effectively. The World Economic Forum’s announcement of its 2024 cohort of Tech Pioneers, dominated by AI and cutting-edge technology startups, underscores the growing importance and influence of AI-driven innovations.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has sounded the alarm about the significant risks AI poses in finance despite its potential to reduce transaction costs. Younger Americans are optimistic about AI improving financial planning, but older generations remain skeptical. Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to invest in quantum computing and AI, signaling its commitment to leading in these transformative technologies. In contrast, the tech giant is also laying off more than a thousand employees in its Azure cloud unit.
Robotics is advancing rapidly, with Serve Robotics deploying the DriveU.auto connectivity platform in its robotic delivery fleet for Uber Eats. This integration promises to enhance efficiency and safety in robotic deliveries. In Seattle, AI-backed robots are revolutionizing construction sites, speeding up the building process and improving safety.
In media and entertainment, Ashton Kutcher has praised OpenAI’s new generative AI video tool, Sora, indicating the increasing intersection of AI and creative industries. Meanwhile, China unveiled its Sora competitor, blowing people’s minds and demonstrating AI-generated videos as good as OpenAI’s Sora.
Healthcare is also seeing AI-driven innovations, with the American Heart Association offering a new ‘telestroke’ certification for professional caregivers, aiming to improve stroke care through remote technologies. Deep learning is being used at the Mayo Clinic to predict postoperative opioid refills, helping to combat the opioid epidemic by ensuring patients receive appropriate pain management.
Finally, in new products, Opera has introduced a playful feature allowing users to decorate their browser tabs with emojis and embed an LLM directly into the browser, showcasing how even established tech companies are finding new ways to engage users with creative and fun innovations.
That is it. Stay tuned for more news next week. I APPRECIATE ALL THE READERS. Help spread the word. I put these newsletters together so productive humans like you can stay on top of the latest AI stories shaping our world.
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