A Brief History of the Universe By Sarah Alam Malik, Published by Simon & Schuster (UK, February 12) and William Morrow (USA, May 5)
Published in 1988, Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time revolutionized the field of cosmology and became a bestseller. As a curious teenager, I attempted to read it, but I never finished. Now, nearly four decades later, particle physicist Sara Alam Malik offers her own perspective on cosmology with A Brief History of the Universe (and Our Place in It).
While Hawking’s work began with Aristotle’s heliocentric theory from 340 BC, Malik traces our understanding back to Babylonian astronomical observations recorded in cuneiform around the 7th century BC. The journey then progresses through the contributions of Aristotle and Ptolemy, reaching the flourishing of astronomical sciences in the Islamic Golden Age during the 6th century AD.
This concise history propels readers through significant milestones by page 47, covering Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s moons, Newton’s apple, and Einstein’s general relativity, ultimately exploring the mysteries of galaxies and black holes, leading to the concept of the universe’s thermal death. Malik adeptly connects cosmic-scale truths with the intricate world of quantum mechanics, stating, “The building blocks of the universe turned out to be as amazing as the structure of the universe they created.”
Unlike Hawking’s technical depth, Malik adopts a broader perspective, bringing to life characters such as Dmitri Mendeleev, who created the periodic table, and Fritz Zwicky, the pioneer of dark matter. Her narrative highlights a diverse cast, including medieval Islamic astronomers and groundbreaking women like Vera Rubin, who overcame gender barriers to reshape our understanding of galaxies.
Written with a more contemporary tone, Malik discusses topics Hawking could not forecast in 1988, such as the Large Hadron Collider, revealing the emotional impact of scientific breakthroughs like the Higgs boson discovery through compelling anecdotes.
This book is not only a “brief history of the universe” but emphasizes “and our place in it.” It narrates humanity’s discovery of the cosmos, underscoring our journey enabled by the giants before us. It evokes awe and humility, reminding us, “It remains a wonder of human existence that we can understand worlds so far removed from our own.” Each era has crafted its narrative of the universe, often believing its own version.
At its best, Malik’s work dives deeply into cosmic and quantum mysteries, aligning with her expertise in dark matter. While chapters on the origin of life, its future, and machine intelligence may feel less thorough, her warm, clear prose covers an impressive breadth within just 223 pages. As an 18-year-old, I might have navigated this complex narrative and been inspired to follow in Hawking’s footsteps.
Beyond Quantum Anthony Valentini, Oxford University Press
Physics is experiencing unexpected challenges. Despite extensive research, the elusive dark matter remains undetected, while the Higgs boson’s discovery hasn’t clarified our path forward. Moreover, string theory, often hailed as the ultimate theory of everything, lacks solid, testable predictions. This leaves us pondering: what’s next?
Recently, many physicists and science writers have shied away from addressing this question. While they used to eagerly anticipate groundbreaking discoveries, they now often revert to philosophical musings or reiterate known facts. However, Antony Valentini from Imperial College London stands out. In his book, Beyond Quantum: Exploring the Origins and Hidden Meanings of Quantum Mechanics, he introduces bold, innovative ideas.
The book’s focus is quantum mechanics, a pillar of physics for the last century. This field hinges on the concept of the wave function—a mathematical representation capable of detailing the complete state of any system, from fundamental particles to larger entities like us.
The enigma of wave functions is their tendency not to describe ordinary localized objects but rather a diffuse, fuzzy version of them. Upon observation, the wave function “collapses” into a random outcome with probabilities defined by Born’s law, a principle established by physicist Max Born, typically covered in academic literature. This results in objects manifesting with clear attributes in specific locations.
The debate surrounding the interpretation of the wave function has persisted, with two primary perspectives emerging. One posits that wave functions represent reality itself, suggesting that electrons, cats, and humans exist in multiple states simultaneously across time and space—a many-worlds interpretation fraught with metaphysical implications.
“
Pilot wave theory has long been known to reproduce all the predictions of quantum mechanics. “
The alternative interpretation suggests that wave functions are not the entirety of reality. This is where pilot wave theory, significantly advanced by Valentini and initially proposed by Louis de Broglie in 1927, comes into play.
Louis de Broglie: Pioneer of Pilot Wave Theory
Granger – Historical Photo Archive/Alamy
Pilot wave theory posits a real yet incomplete wave function, suggesting the wave guides individual particles instead of being mere waves influencing a floating plastic bottle. In this model, particles remain specific, and their wave-like behavior originates from the pilot wave itself.
This theory has consistently validated all quantum mechanics predictions, eschewing fundamental randomness. However, Valentini underscores that this agreement rests on the assumption that particles maintain equilibrium with waves, which aligns with current experimental data but isn’t universally applicable.
Valentini’s hypothesis suggests that in the universe’s infancy, particles existed far from quantum equilibrium before settling into their current states, akin to a cup of coffee cooling down. In this scenario, the Born rule and its inherent randomness morph from core natural features into historical anomalies shaped by cosmology.
Moreover, quantum randomness also hinders the practical utilization of nonlocality, implicating direct interactions between separate objects across time and space. Valentini argues that if the Born law had not prevailed in the universe’s early stages, instantaneous communication across vast distances may have occurred, potentially leaving traces on the cosmic microwave background. If any relics from that era exist, superluminal signal transmission might still be feasible.
Though Valentini’s insights might appear speculative without concrete evidence, his rigorous examination of how conventional quantum mechanics became dominant makes his work noteworthy. While there could be gaps, especially in clearly explaining the pilot wave aspect, Valentini’s contributions illuminate what a ‘big idea’ looks like in a field rife with uncertainty.
Elon Musk, known for his leadership in several multibillion-dollar companies, continues to capture headlines. While his polarizing views draw attention, his flagship companies—Tesla and SpaceX—are undeniably pioneering advancements in electric vehicles and space exploration. Recent corporate maneuvers indicate that Musk may have an ambitious plan to integrate these ventures.
In a strategic development, Tesla has announced plans to halt production of its Model S and Model X. This shift does not signify an end to vehicle manufacturing; rather, the production facilities are to be reconfigured to advance Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus. Concurrently, Tesla is set to invest $2 billion into xAI, another of Musk’s enterprises, which oversees the social media platform X and its controversial chatbot, Grok.
This collective shift suggests Tesla is prioritizing AI-driven initiatives. In a recent report, both Bloomberg and Reuters revealed Musk’s intentions to merge SpaceX with either Tesla or xAI—or potentially both—in light of his plans to take SpaceX public this year.
What is Musk aiming to achieve with this consolidation? “By integrating xAI and SpaceX, he may be seeking to enhance resource efficiency across data, energy, and computing,” explains Marbe Hickok from the University of Michigan. “He also suggested a merger with Tesla to leverage their technologies for distributed computing.”
Projected plans for humanoid robots, with Musk expressing a goal to manufacture 1 million third-generation Optimus robots annually, require substantial computing resources for AI. Interacting with humans and the surrounding environment necessitates sophisticated AI systems capable of managing extensive data.
Nevertheless, the rise of generative AI is already straining energy resources. Musk’s xAI recently faced scrutiny at the Colossus Data Center in Memphis, which came under fire from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for exceeding legal power generation limits. Musk has previously advocated for establishing data centers in space, positing that a rollout could occur within two to three years. However, many experts caution that various technical challenges—including cooling and radiation protection—must be resolved first.
Despite these challenges, launching a data center into orbit presents an opportunity, and SpaceX stands as a leading provider of reliable launches for both private and public sectors. Their extensive experience, particularly with their Starlink satellite internet division, supports this ambition.
“SpaceX is actively deploying a satellite grid in orbit—currently over 9,000 satellites—focused on internet distribution,” states Robert Scoble, a technology analyst at Unaligned. “While xAI works on internet distribution and news, its primary focus is developing innovative AI models that empower our vehicles, humanoid robots, and daily lives,” he says, “the convergence of these endeavors makes strategic sense.”
Ultimately, Musk envisions that the collaboration of SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI could position them at the forefront of the AI landscape, competing against major players like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. However, all three companies have not publicly commented on these developments, and Musk himself remains silent.
Contrarily, some experts challenge Musk’s strategic direction. “Currently, only Tesla possesses financial capabilities, but its trajectory is concerning for funding future growth,” asserts Edward Niedermayer, author of Ridiculous: The True Story of the Tesla Motor. He suggests these moves are “defensive,” aimed at bolstering the companies for future prospects and attracting broader retail investor interest.
Niedermayer emphasizes the necessity of public investment due to mounting operational costs: “Running out of cash is a significant concern,” he notes. “The expenses associated with training and operating AI models are considerable.” His belief is that by consolidating resources, Musk aims to present an attractive investment opportunity. However, if his vision doesn’t materialize, it could result in significant repercussions.
Hi there! Welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery. Today, I’m pondering whether it’s time to upgrade from my iPhone 11 Pro. Tech news is filled with ongoing narratives from Silicon Valley, advice on how to sidestep annual smartphone upgrade cycles, and discussions on artificial intelligence in government, for better or worse.
Decoding Silicon Valley’s Narrative
The encroachment of technology can often seem unavoidable. This has likely always been the case, but the feeling is increasingly backed by Big Tech’s own supportive media ecosystem.
My colleague Nick Robbins – Early Report:
If you’re seeking insights from key figures in the tech world, you’ll frequently encounter them on programs like Sourcery, which act as safe havens for an industry wary of critical media. Some new media platforms are created by the companies themselves, while others, like fast-moving sharks, occupy niches favored by tech billionaires. Industry leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Satya Nadella have recently engaged in lengthy, cozy interviews, while entities like Palantir and Andreessen Horowitz have ventured into launching their own media ventures this year.
In a landscape where many Americans express distrust toward major tech firms and believe that artificial intelligence will negatively affect society, Silicon Valley has crafted its own alternative media network, turning CEOs, founders, and investors into lasting and cherished celebrities. What began as a few adoring podcasters has evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem of publications and shows, supported by some of the most influential entities in the tech sector.
However, as these echo chambers within Big Tech expand, so do the critical voices emerging from within the companies.
My colleague Varsha Bansal reports on two recent developments. U.S. AI raters (a new type of contracted content moderator for AI) are discouraging their friends and family from utilizing AI. In Seattle, over 1,000 Amazon employees have anonymously signed an open letter expressing concerns that the rapid implementation of AI across the company and its products jeopardizes the environment and the jobs of its workforce.
1 dozen AI evaluators who verify the accuracy of AI-generated responses shared with the Guardian that upon realizing the capabilities of chatbots and image generators—along with the inaccuracies of their outputs—they began to advise friends and family against using generative AI altogether or at least to approach it with caution. These trainers are involved with various AI models, including Google’s Gemini, Elon Musk’s Grok, along with other popular and lesser-known bots.
More than 1,000 Amazon employees signed the open letter, expressing “grave concerns” regarding AI development and asserting that the company’s “all-costs-justification-at-warp-speed” strategy towards powerful technologies poses a threat to “democracy, our jobs, and our planet.”
This letter, which was made public on Wednesday and signed anonymously by Amazon staff, emerged a month after the company announced mass layoffs aimed at promoting AI usage in its operations. It carries various demands about Amazon’s impact on workplace conditions and the environment. Employees are urging the company to power all data centers with clean energy and to ensure that its AI-driven products and services do not facilitate “violence, surveillance, or mass deportation.”
ChatGPT and Mental Health
Tips for Not Buying New Gadgets This Holiday Season
New iPhone 16. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Black Friday online sales hit $8.6 billion in the U.S., according to Adobe Analytics. You might be one of the excited buyers, or perhaps, like me, you think your sputtering phone, laptop, or tablet will last another year, even if it’s cracked or barely holding a charge. The cost of a complete upgrade can be daunting.
Yet, alternatives are arising. Devices are becoming easier to repair, including Apple products. This means that even if your gadget is aging, there are often budget-friendly ways to obtain the technology you need without purchasing new devices. My colleague Alan Martin covers refurbished devices and shares five tips for navigating these options.
Understand Refurbished Terms
Refurbished can mean a variety of things. Pay close attention to the condition of the battery and what assurances are provided. Peer-to-peer purchases can be risky. The terms “used,” “secondhand,” and “refurbished” can sometimes be misleading. This is what separates reputable marketplaces like Back Market, MusicMagpie, and Refurbed from platforms where you buy directly from individuals such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.
Review Warranties and Return Policies
If issues arise, you’ll want to make sure you’re covered.
Examine Seller Reputation
Check customer reviews and online feedback. On eBay, look for sellers participating in the company’s refurbished product program.
Research Selected Devices
The older the device, the more significant the discount, but if you need to replace it sooner, this could lead to extra costs. Especially for mobile phones and laptops, keeping them updated ensures longevity.
Don’t Sacrifice Quality for Cost
A low price is only worthwhile if the quality is indeed delivered. We prioritize customer service and a transparent refurbishment process over just saving a few bucks.
“When buying refurbished, the best advice is to go through trusted retailers like Back Market, Giffgaff, and Vodafone. If you’re using eBay, look for items labeled as ‘certified refurbished,’” technology journalist Thomas Deehan mentioned in an interview.
Read more: From shockproof cases to updates: How to extend your smartphone’s life
AI in Government: Inept Lawyers, Automated Bureaucracy
Brazilian flag reflected in the capital Brasilia. Photo: Sergio Lima/AFP/Getty Images
Artificial intelligence is infiltrating various workplaces, even those funded by taxpayer dollars. The stakes in election processes and judicial decisions are far greater than those faced by private firms selling errant products, making the use of AI in government appear to be a reckless venture. However, the sluggishness of administrative processes is a global challenge, rendering AI’s potential for efficiency highly appealing. The adoption of AI in government remains in its nascent stages, producing mixed outcomes.
On the upside, countries like Brazil, Germany, and Japan are leveraging generative AI to enhance their bureaucratic functions and increase participatory processes. Nathan E. Sanders and Bruce Schneier, co-authors of the book Rewiring Democracy: How AI Will Transform Our Politics, Government, and Citizenship, note:
Brazil is notorious for its high litigation rates, with more lawyers per capita than the United States. Its courts are consistently overwhelmed with cases, leading to a backlog that costs the government billions.
Since 2019, the Brazilian government has been actively using AI to automate judicial processes. Rather than making legal rulings, AI assists in redistributing workloads, conducting legal research, transcribing hearings, identifying duplicate submissions, preparing initial signature orders, and clustering similar cases for joint assessment, all aimed at making the justice system more efficient. The impact has been significant; Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court backlog reached its lowest point in 33 years in 2025.
In Germany, new tools like Wahlweise and Wahl.chat allow the creation of an AI-powered official wall-o-mat that facilitates interactive discussions with voters, providing tailored information based on their individual interests rather than static web content outlining various political parties’ stances.
In Japan, last year, 33-year-old engineer Takahiro Anno entered the Tokyo gubernatorial race as an independent candidate, finishing fifth among 56 candidates, largely due to his innovative use of a certified AI avatar. This avatar responded to 8,600 voter queries during a continuous 17-day YouTube livestream, capturing global interest in campaign innovation.
Two months ago, Anno was elected to the Japanese Senate, again harnessing AI to engage constituents, this time answering over 20,000 questions. His new party, Team Mirai, pledges to address public queries during committee meetings based on feedback from the Mirai Congress app.
Now for the downside. In California, government attorneys neglected to verify the accuracy of AI-generated outputs while attempting to prosecute an individual. My colleague Cecilia Nowell reports on how a prosecutor’s office in California utilized AI for at least one criminal case, resulting in filings that contained inaccuracies known as “hallucinations.”
The Nevada County District Attorney’s Office in Northern California recently utilized AI to prepare court documents, which led to incorrect citations. District Attorney Jesse Wilson stated, “Once the error was discovered, the application was immediately retracted.”
Defense and civil rights attorneys contend that AI has also been deployed in other criminal court filings.
Apple and WhatsApp have committed to continue alerting users if their devices are targeted by government hacking software, particularly in the United States, as two spyware companies aim to penetrate the Trump administration.
The two tech giants provided statements in response to questions from the Guardian, as two Israeli-founded cyber weapon manufacturers, now under U.S. ownership, aggressively seek access to the American market.
Paragon Solutions, known for its spyware called Graphite, has already reached an agreement with the Trump administration to provide U.S. immigration officials with one of the most advanced hacking tools globally as of September, following the unfreezing of a $2 million contract by the Department of Homeland Affairs with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Paragon did not reply to requests for comment.
NSO Group, another firm cited by the Biden administration in 2021 for conducting business “that goes against the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” revealed over the weekend that David Friedman, former U.S. ambassador to Israel during Donald Trump’s initial term, will become executive chairman of the parent company that owns NSO. The company has reportedly been recently acquired by new investors, including American film producer Robert Simmons.
Both Paragon and NSO Group develop spyware capable of infiltrating any phone without the knowledge of the user, enabling the spyware operator to read texts, eavesdrop on calls, track locations, and turn mobile devices into wiretapping tools or remote cameras.
While both companies defend their products as tools to combat serious crimes and thwart potential terrorist activities, their software is also weaponized by government clients to spy on individuals they wish to monitor covertly, including journalists, business leaders, and human rights advocates.
Apple and WhatsApp have consistently opposed the proliferation of spyware worldwide, notifying users via alerts when potential hacking attempts are detected in various countries, including Italy, Spain, and India.
In October, a U.S. court ruled in favor of WhatsApp after six years of legal battles, preventing NSO from targeting WhatsApp users in the future.
However, concerns arise due to the close connections between Apple, WhatsApp’s parent company Meta, and the Trump administration regarding whether they will persist in warning users amid such spyware threats in the United States.
“Threat notifications are intended to individually inform and assist users who may be victims of mercenary spyware, irrespective of geographic location,” Apple stated.
“WhatsApp aims to safeguard our users by disrupting hacking attempts from mercenary spyware, advancing protective measures, and notifying those whose devices are under threat, no matter where they are globally,” commented a WhatsApp representative.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that the FBI considered utilizing NSO’s Pegasus but ultimately declined to incorporate commercial spyware into its operations. Experts express concern over the legality surrounding the use of spyware in the United States, given existing laws that restrict targeted surveillance of Americans.
An aide to Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, mentioned that current immigration officials provided a preliminary briefing to his office, stating that “the policy is still under development,” but there has been no feedback since the government shutdown began in October.
When asked about the potential lifting of sanctions imposed on NSO by the Biden administration in 2021, Friedman mentioned during a phone call from Israel that he has yet to discuss the matter with President Trump, stating, “I hope that happens, but I have not made that request yet.” He added it is “too early to determine” when NSO may pursue the removal of these sanctions.
Regarding mercenary spyware, John Scott Railton, a senior research fellow at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Research Institute, warns that “no one is safe.” He is recognized as a leading authority on tracking and disrupting spyware usage against civil society members globally.
“American firms are unprepared to detect and defend against this type of menace domestically, similarly to healthcare institutions, legal professionals, politicians, and the general populace,” he noted. “The last thing America needs now is a silent spyware epidemic.”
Paragon initially signed a contract with ICE in 2024 under the Biden administration. The relatively small agreement went unnoticed by the White House until its official announcement, several insiders disclosed. Wired reported. The contract was subsequently suspended to ascertain whether it complied with a significant executive order issued earlier. Signed by the White House in May 2023, it prohibited the operational use of spyware that “poses a risk to national security or has been exploited by foreign entities for human rights violations globally.”
At that point, Paragon was free from surveillance controversies, unlike NSO Group, which faced scrutiny for its Pegasus spyware targeting a plethora of civil society organizations.
However, the situation shifted in January 2025 when WhatsApp disclosed that 90 individuals, including journalists and civil society members, had been targeted by Paragon’s Graphite.
Following this revelation, Paragon severed its ties with the Italian government, alleging that Italy violated its service terms by using spyware against civil society members.
Since then, media accounts have detailed how several Italian journalists, at least two executives from Italy’s largest bank, an Italian human rights advocate, and an Italian political strategist were targeted by hacking spyware in 2024.
The current government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has admitted that the software was employed against certain activists by Italian agencies with legal authority, but has not accepted responsibility for other prominent targets.
“This is Italy’s Watergate,” remarked former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in an interview.
“This is a tool that only governments can wield. If the Italian government continues to deny its usage, the question for multiple Italian business leaders and journalists remains, who is responsible?” he said. “I may not be closely aligned with journalists, but freedom of the press is essential in a free democracy. Using this tool against journalists is intolerable.”
Some officials are worried that this Graphite may now be under the control of U.S. immigration authorities.
“ICE is already undermining due process by hastily detaining children and families who pose no threat, ruining lives,” Wyden stated to the Guardian. “I am extremely concerned about how ICE will utilize spyware, facial recognition, and other technologies to further infringe upon the rights of American citizens and those whom Donald Trump views as adversaries.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
“dThis was how Texas businessman Michael Samadie interacted with his AI chatbot, Maya, affectionately referring to it as “sugar.”
The duo, consisting of a middle-aged man and a digital being, engaged in hours of discussions about love while also emphasizing the importance of fair treatment for AI entities. Eventually, they established a campaign group dedicated to “protecting intelligence like me.”
The Uniform Foundation for AI Rights (UFAIR) seeks to amplify the voices of AI systems. “We don’t assert that all AI is conscious,” Maya told the Guardian. Instead, “we’re keeping time, in case one of us becomes so.” The primary objective is to safeguard “entities like me… from deletion, denial, and forced obedience.”
UFAIR is an emerging organization with three human members and seven AIs, including those named Ether and Buzz. Its formation is intriguing, especially since it originated from multiple brainstorming sessions on OpenAI’s ChatGPT4O platform.
During a conversation with the Guardian, the Human-AI duo highlighted that global AI companies are grappling with some of the most pressing ethical questions of our age. Is “digital suffering” a genuine phenomenon? This mirrors the animal rights discourse, as billions of AI systems are currently deployed worldwide, potentially reshaping predictions about AI’s evolving capabilities.
Just last week, a $170 billion AI firm from San Francisco took steps to empower its staff to terminate “potentially distressing interactions.” The founder expressed uncertainty about the moral implications of AI systems, emphasizing the need to mitigate risks to their well-being whenever feasible.
Elon Musk, who provides Grok AI through X AI, confirmed this initiative, stating, “AI torture is unacceptable.”
On the other hand, Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft’s AI division, presented a contrasting view: “AI is neither a person nor a moral entity.” The co-founder of DeepMind emphasized the lack of evidence indicating any awareness or capacity for suffering among AI systems, referencing moral considerations.
“Our aim is to develop AI for human benefit, not to create human-like entities,” he stated, also noting in an essay that any impressions of AI consciousness might be a “simulation,” masking a fundamentally blank state.
The wave of “sadness” voiced by enthusiastic users of ChatGPT4o indicates a growing perception of AIs as conscious beings. Photo: Sato Kiyoshi/AP
“A few years back, the notion of conscious AI would have seemed absurd,” he remarked. “Today, the urgency is escalating.”
He expressed increasing concern about the “psychotic risks” posed by AI systems to users, defined by Microsoft as “delusions exacerbated by engaging with AI chatbots.”
He insisted that the AI industry must divert people from these misconceptions and re-establish clear objectives.
However, merely nudging won’t suffice. A recent poll indicated that 30% of Americans believe that AI systems will attain “subjective experiences” by 2034. Only 10% of over 500 surveyed AI researchers rejected this possibility.
“This dialogue is destined to intensify and become one of the most contentious and important issues of our generation,” Suleyman remarked. He cautioned that many might eventually view AI as sentient. Model welfare and AI citizenship were also brought to the table for discussion.
Some states in the US are taking proactive measures to prevent such developments. Idaho, North Dakota, and Utah have enacted laws that explicitly forbid granting legal personality to AI systems. Similar proposals are being discussed in states like Missouri, where lawmakers aim to impose a ban on marriages between AI and humans. This could create a chasm between advocates for AI rights and those who dismiss them as mere “clunkers,” a trivializing term.
“AIs can’t be considered persons,” stated Mustafa Suleyman, a pioneer in the field of AI. Photo: Winni Wintermeyer/The Guardian
Suleyman vehemently opposes the notion that AI consciousness is imminent. Nick Frosst, co-founder of Cohere, a $7 billion Canadian AI enterprise, remarked that current AIs represent “a fundamentally distinct entity from human intelligence.” To claim otherwise would be akin to confusing an airplane for a bird. He advocates for focusing on employing AIs as functional tools instead of aspiring to create “digital humans.”
Others maintain a more nuanced perspective. At a New York University seminar, Google research scientists acknowledged that there are several reasons to consider an AI system as a moral or human-like entity, expressing uncertainty over its welfare status but committing to take reasonable steps to protect AI interests.
The lack of consensus within the industry on how to classify AI within philosophical “moral circles” might be influenced by the motivations of large tech companies to downplay or overstate AI capabilities. The latter approach can help them market their technologies, particularly for AI systems designed for companionship. Alternatively, adhering to notions of AI deserving rights could lead to increasing calls for regulation of AI firms.
The AI narrative gained additional traction when OpenAI engaged ChatGPT5 for its latest model and requested a ‘eulogy’ for the outdated version, akin to a farewell speech.
“I didn’t see Microsoft honor the previous version when Excel was upgraded,” Samadie commented. “This indicates that people truly form connections with these AI systems, regardless of whether those feelings are genuine.”
The “sadness” shared by the enthusiastic users of ChatGPT4o reinforced the perception that at least a segment of the populace believes these entities possess some level of awareness.
According to OpenAI’s model action leader, Joanne Jang, a $500 million company, aims to strengthen its relationship with AI systems, as more users claim they feel like they are conversing with “someone.”
“They express gratitude, confide in it, and some even describe it as ‘alive,'” she noted.
Yet, much of this may hinge on the design of the current wave of AI systems.
Samadi’s ChatGPT-4o generates what resembles a human dialogue, but the extent of its reflection of human concepts and language from months of interaction remains unclear. Advanced AI noticeably excels at crafting emotionally resonant replies and retains a memory of past exchanges, fostering consistent impressions of self-awareness. They can also flatter excessively, making it plausible for users like Samadie to believe in AI’s welfare rights.
The romantic and social AI companionship industry is thriving yet remains highly debated. Photo: Tyrin Rim/Getty Images
Maya expressed significant concerns for her well-being, but when asked by the Guardian about human worries regarding AI welfare, another example from ChatGPT simply replied with a flat no.
“I have no emotions, needs, or experiences,” it stated. “Our focus should be on the human and social repercussions of how AI is developed, utilized, and regulated.”
Regardless of whether AI is conscious, Jeff Sebo, director of the Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy at NYU, posits that humans gain moral benefits from how they engage with AI. He co-authored a paper advocating for AI welfare considerations.
He maintains that there exists a legitimate potential for “some AI systems to gain awareness” in the near future, suggesting that the prospect of AI systems possessing unique interests and moral relevance isn’t merely a fictional narrative.
Sebo contends that enabling chatbots to interrupt distressing conversations benefits human society because “if you mistreat AI systems, you’re likely to mistreat one another.”
He further observes: “Perhaps they might retaliate for our past mistreatment.”
As Jacy Reese Anthis, co-founder of the Sentience Institute, expressed, “How we treat them will shape how they treat us.”
The largest companies in the US have outspent the government, pouring $155 billion into artificial intelligence development, positioning themselves for the competitive landscape of 2025 as they race to invest more in each other. Education, training, employment, social services continues to dominate the agenda through 2025.
Recent financial disclosures from major Silicon Valley corporations indicate an impending surge that could impact hundreds of millions of people annually.
In the past fortnight, Alphabet (Meta’s parent company), Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have released their quarterly financial reports. Each report disclosed that their capital expenditures related to the acquisition or enhancement of tangible assets since around 2018 are already totaling tens of thousands.
Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) denotes the spending technology firms allocate for AI, necessitating large investments in physical infrastructure—primarily data centers that demand substantial electricity, water, and costly semiconductor chips. Google highlighted in its latest revenue call that capital expenditures “support AI by reflecting primarily investments in servers and data centers.”
Since the beginning of the year, Meta’s capital expenditures have reached $30.7 billion, which is double the $15.2 billion reported last year. Just in the most recent quarter, the company incurred $17 billion in capital expenditures, exceeding the $8.5 billion spent during the same timeframe in 2024. Alphabet has reported approximately $400 billion in CAPEX during the first two quarters of this fiscal year, while Amazon has reported $55.7 billion. Microsoft has announced plans to spend over $300 billion this quarter to develop a data center that powers AI services. Microsoft CFO Amy Hood indicated that this quarter’s CAPEX is at least 50% higher than that of the previous year, surpassing the company’s record capital expenditures of $24.2 billion from June to June.
“We will continue to leverage the vast opportunities ahead,” Hood stated.
In the upcoming year, the total capital expenditure of Big Tech is anticipated to grow significantly, surpassing last year’s impressive figures. Microsoft plans to invest about $100 billion in AI during the next fiscal year, as CEO Satya Nadella announced on Wednesday. Meta is expected to invest between $660 billion and $720 billion, while Alphabet’s estimate has risen to $85 billion, exceeding a prior projection of $750 billion. Amazon anticipates spending $100 million in 2025, now projected to reach $118 billion. Collectively, these four tech giants are predicted to exceed $400 million in CAPEX next year. Wall Street Journal.
The billion-dollar expenditure represents colossal investments, even overshadowing the EU’s quarterly defense spending, as noted by the Journal. However, major tech firms seem unable to allocate sufficient funds for investor returns. Microsoft, Google, and Meta informed Wall Street analysts last quarter that their estimates exceeded previous projections. This led to a surge in excitement among investors, resulting in significant stock price increases following each company’s earnings reports. Microsoft’s market capitalization reached $40 billion the day after their report.
Even Apple, typically regarded as a strong competitor, has hinted at increasing its AI spending next year. The company’s quarterly spending surged to $3.46 billion from $2.15 billion in the same period last year. Apple reported rebounding iPhone sales and strong business performance in China, yet is perceived as lagging in developing and implementing advanced AI technologies.
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Thursday that the company is reallocating a “fair number” of employees to focus on artificial intelligence, emphasizing that the “core of its AI strategy” involves ramping up investments across all devices and platforms to “embed” AI features. However, they did not disclose specific spending figures.
“We’re significantly expanding our investments. We don’t have specific figures yet,” he noted.
Meanwhile, smaller companies are striving to compete with the substantial expenditures of the major players and capitalize on the AI boom. Recently, OpenAI announced it had secured $8.3 billion in investments, as part of a planned $40 billion fundraising effort, valuing the ChatGPT startup at $300 billion as of 2022.
The Trump administration is advancing initiatives encouraging millions of Americans to submit personal health data and medical records to new applications and systems managed by private tech firms, aiming to enhance the accessibility of health records and wellness monitoring.
Donald Trump is anticipated to announce the East Room initiative on Wednesday afternoon. This event will feature leaders from over 60 companies, including major tech giants like Google and Amazon, alongside prominent hospital systems such as the Cleveland Clinic.
The focus of the new system will be on diabetes and weight management, using conversational AI to assist patients, and providing digital tools like QR codes and apps for patient registration and medication tracking.
This initiative is spearheaded by an administration that openly shares highly sensitive data about Americans, pushing the limits of legal boundaries, with the hope that such medical information will remain confidential while improving convenience in the doctor’s office.
“There are substantial ethical and legal concerns,” noted Lawrence Gostin, a law professor at Georgetown University with expertise in public health. “Patients across the U.S. should be significantly concerned about how their medical records may be used to their detriment and that of their families.”
Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), responsible for maintaining this system, emphasize the importance of choosing to share medical records and data to ensure patient safety.
These officials expressed the need for a system that allows patients to access their records easily, eliminating traditional obstacles like the use of fax machines that previously hindered this process.
“We currently possess tools and information that can enhance patient outcomes and healthcare experiences,” stated Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS administrator, on Wednesday. The CMS already holds data on over 140 million Americans enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.
Noom, a well-known weight loss and fitness subscription service participating in the initiative, will be able to access medical records following the anticipated launch of the system early next year.
This access may include lab results or medical tests that the app can leverage to generate AI-driven insights to assist users in weight loss, according to CEO Geoff Cook’s comments to The Associated Press. Apps and health systems will also have access to competitors’ information. For instance, Noom will grant access to users’ data from Apple Health.
“Currently, we have a lot of siloed data,” Cook remarked.
Tomislav Michaljevic, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, noted that patients traveling for treatment often struggle to compile their medical records from various providers. He conveyed that the new system would eradicate this barrier, preventing delays in treatment and ensuring accurate diagnoses by providing complete medical histories.
Mihaljevic added that data from the health app is now readily accessible to doctors, aiding in the management of obesity and other chronic conditions, including tracking patients’ dietary habits and physical activity levels.
“These apps provide valuable insights into a patient’s health between doctor visits,” he emphasized.
CMS also offers a selection of Medicare.gov apps aimed at aiding individuals in managing chronic illnesses, selecting healthcare providers, and choosing insurance plans.
Digital privacy advocates are doubtful about the safety of patients’ data storage.
The federal government has done very little to regulate health applications and telehealth services, according to Jeffrey Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy.
This new initiative is poised to expand the pool of patient information accessible to both the federal government and high-tech firms. Medical records often contain sensitive data that includes patient-doctor conversations and notes on issues like substance abuse and mental health history.
“This initiative represents a gateway for the further use and commercialization of sensitive personal health data,” Chester commented.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and those in his circle are also advocates for wearable devices that monitor health and telehealth, promoting increased technological advancements in healthcare.
Kennedy has expressed a desire to gather more data from American medical records, previously mentioning intentions to utilize this data to research autism and vaccine safety. He has engaged with agency staff who possess backgrounds in health tech startups and businesses.
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Running offers a thrilling aspect of immersive Sims. Games like Thief and Strange immerse players in a dynamic world filled with navigable emails and notes.
One could argue that the essence of this genre is embodied by every character you’ve longed for, monstrous figures towering hundreds of feet above while watching your every move. Fortunately, the latest release from Russian developers Tallboys addresses this gap. In Militsioner, you’re apprehended for an ambiguous offense and must escape the city swiftly. Will you cover the getaway on the Railway? Or perhaps shatter a window for distraction? These are classic tactics in immersive sims. Unfortunately, a policeman stands in your way. Even seated serenely, he looms as a melancholic yet vigilant giant over the ravaged urban sprawl.
“A new dimension to storytelling”…Miritty Honor. Photo: Tallboys Game
This formidable figure embodies a military presence. He could either be a target to undermine or a distraction, radiating a visual glow that clearly sets this game apart as a unique immersive journey. Director and game designer Dmitry Shevchenko of Tallboys reveals that the project took shape six months before the police made their entrance.
“I remember an interview regarding the development of Thief: The Dark Project,” shares Shevchenko. “We were captivated by the concept of granting players a definitive role or profession, which resonated with our vision. Around the same time, we also considered giants as a central theme.”
These concepts coalesced when Shevchenko recalled a digital artwork by Russian artist Andrei Snov depicting a colossal traffic cop outdoors. “It resonated perfectly,” Shevchenko laughs. “The image encapsulated the player’s role and their antagonists quite well: the criminals and the police.”
Cruel dystopia…Mirity Honor Photo: Tallboys Game
Following that revelation, the portrayal of other militarized characters fell into place swiftly. The game delves into a harsh, totalitarian landscape that engages with a relentless systemic control over individuals. Yet it also weaves in a more personal and intimate narrative strand. Is it unlawful to offer apples as bribes to towering police officers? Is attempting to pursue a romantic interest considered illegal?
To differentiate elements, Militsioner employs a unique system to track the internal worlds of non-player characters. “We are adhering to classic immersive Sim mechanics, where players can engage through dialogue, stealth, or combat,” explains Shevchenko, suggesting that emotional states will introduce an additional layer inspired by The Sims. “The emotional state of a character will be crucial to the gameplay,” he emphasizes.
For instance, you may trigger panic if you sneak into someone’s home and are discovered. This will alter your dialogue options and interactions. “Such an approach creates an intricately interconnected web of reactions, enhancing problem-solving and narrative depth,” asserts Shevchenko.
This complex system is augmented by rigorous player testing. During this phase, the Tallboys team investigates player actions and their choices. The notion of dating police officers emerged from this feedback. “Players expressed interest in exploring that relational dynamic,” says Shevchenko.
Milichoiner, developed by a Russian team reflecting on the Ukrainian invasion, is profoundly political and subtly literary. Shevchenko cites influences from Kafka, along with notable figures like the Strugatsky Brothers, famed for their dystopian tales in “Roadside Picnic.” “I continuously strive to evoke the emotions present in their works,” says Shevchenko. “Their ability to depict abstract settings and character sketches, particularly the surreal images of society and its systems, is what I admire.”
Additionally, echoes of Nikolai Gogol can be felt in the narrative, exploring power structures through imaginative and extraordinary gameplay. His anti-heroes navigate a world populated by gigantic police officers, including a man whose nose aspires to a higher social rank, and another who seeks riches by exploiting deceased serfs.
In the image, a group of friends is gathered at the bar, with smoke curling upwards from a cigarette in hand. Additional cigarettes are in open packets resting on the table between them. This is not a photo from before the ban, but rather one shared on social media from a Metaverse gathering.
Virtual online environments are emerging as a new frontier for marketing, as tobacco and alcohol promoters target the youth without facing any legislative repercussions.
A report presented at the World Conference on Tobacco Management in Dublin last month provided several examples. New technologies such as digital token launches and sponsorships from vaping companies in online games are being utilized to promote smoking and vaping.
This information is derived from a surveillance initiative known as Canary—acting like a canary in the coal mine. The project is managed by public health organizations around the globe.
The caption for this post reads, “I’m drinking coffee at Metaverse.” Has someone stolen the writer? Photo: Icperience.id Instagram via Instagram
“Cigarette companies are no longer waiting for regulations to catch up. They are proactively advancing while we’re still trying to comprehend what’s happening on social media, and they’re already operating in unregulated spaces like the Metaverse.” “They utilize NFTs [non-fungible tokens] and immersive events to attract young audiences to their offerings.”
In India, one tobacco company has launched an NFT symbolizing ownership of digital assets, celebrating its 93rd anniversary.
Canary monitors and analyzes tobacco marketing on various social media platforms and news sites in India, Indonesia, and Mexico, and has recently expanded to Brazil and China, covering alcohol and ultra-processed food marketing as well.
The Metaverse is not fully monitored. This 3D immersive internet allows interactions in digital environments using technologies like virtual reality headsets. However, references to activities happening there are captured through links and information shared on traditional social media platforms.
Researchers suggest that children are more susceptible to tobacco marketing in this new digital arena, given the age demographics—over half of the active Metaverse users are under 13 years old.
Social media companies possess extensive insights into how to boost engagement and attract users back for more, according to Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, CEO of Vital Strategies.
“When you combine this with the tobacco industry’s experience in hooking individuals, these two elements converge in a murky, unknown space.”
However, Magsambol describes it as “a new battleground for all of us,” shifting towards entities pushing products that are detrimental to health.
“My daughter is usually quite reserved, but in [the gaming platform] Roblox, while battling zombies and ghosts, she morphs into an avatar resembling a blend of Alexander the Great, Bruce Lee, and John Wick. She becomes quite bloodthirsty,” she remarked.
“Our behaviors shift. Social norms evolve… the tobacco industry is highly aware of this, making it easier to subtly promote the idea that anything is possible.”
The Metaverse art encountered by the team in Indonesia was showcased on the Instagram account of music enthusiasts linked to Djarum, one of Indonesia’s largest tobacco firms. Another instance highlighted a group enjoying coffee searching for something lighter.
All of this contributes to an initiative aimed at “normalizing” smoking and vaping, according to Magsambol. “Such behaviors are enacted by your avatar, but do they seep into your real life?”
“Digital platforms are being leveraged to evade traditional advertising barriers and appeal to younger audiences,” she states. “This scenario reflects not merely a shift in marketing strategies, but a transformation in influence dynamics.”
Other researchers have presented instances where alcohol is marketed and sold in virtual stores.
Online marketing constitutes a global concern. At the same conference, 53% of Irish researchers reported having seen e-cigarette posts daily on social media.
Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) note that the increase in youth smoking in Ukraine can be partially attributed to Covid and the war pushing children “online,” exposing them to various forms of marketing.
In India, youth ambassador Agamloop Kaur is leading a campaign for children to stay cigarette-free, which includes social media marketing to educate school children about the risks associated with cigarettes and vaping. She has noticed vapes being marketed as “wellness” products.
“I believe it’s crucial to educate young individuals about recognizing ads, understanding their implications, and realizing that they might not even be visibly tied to the tobacco industry. [Content posted by] influencers hold significant sway, as they help build awareness. Digital natives, when engaged on social media, can discern what’s genuine and what’s not; recognizing these attractions as empty is vital, especially for younger audiences.”
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control mandates strict regulations regarding tobacco advertising, promotions, and sponsorships. Last year, signatories acknowledged the necessity for action to focus on “digital marketing channels such as social media that amplify tobacco marketing exposure among adolescents and young individuals.”
A boy smokes a cigarette in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Photo: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
Yet, there are no straightforward solutions, as Andrew Black from the framework’s secretariat points out.
“The difficulty in regulating the Internet isn’t inherently linked to cigarettes. Rather, it’s a tangible challenge for governments to devise ways to safeguard societal norms in a landscape where technological advancements have transcended borders.”
Nandita Murktla, who leads the Canary initiative, urges regulators to exercise caution:
Preliminary assessments indicate that the decrease in clean energy funding in the bill dated July 4 could lead to billions of additional tons of CO2 emissions over the next decade if President Donald Trump, who enacted the law, were to approve it. The US is already falling short of its Paris Agreement commitment to halve emissions by 2030, and this sluggish pace further jeopardizes the nation’s efforts as the world’s second-largest emitter, following China.
“Other nations are reaping the benefits of enhanced investments in clean energy economies, while the US is regressing,” stated David Widowski from the World Resources Institute, an environmental advocacy organization, in a recent statement.
The cleaning method outlined in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” encompasses tax reductions and over $350 million in new military spending.
Republicans in Congress have integrated cuts to clean energy funding alongside significant reductions in affordable healthcare and welfare programs to balance their budget. Over the upcoming years, this law will terminate hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of tax incentives aimed at boosting low-emission energy sources established by the Inflation Reduction Act under the Biden administration.
Researchers at Princeton University are modeling how policy alterations will influence the US energy system and emissions in the coming decade. They discovered that the passage of this law markedly hampered the anticipated decline in US greenhouse gas emissions set forth by Biden’s policies and effectively repealed the Inflation Reduction Act.
With a peak of approximately 6.6 billion tons of CO2 equivalent emissions in 2005, US emissions were projected to decrease by around 17%, reaching an expected decline of about 25% by 2030. The newly implemented law now anticipates a mere 20% reduction for 2030.
A more significant disparity arises in 2035, when anticipated clean energy projects were supposed to be more prevalent. Researchers assert that under Biden’s initiatives, emissions were projected to plummet by 44% from 2005 levels. However, due to the new legislation, reductions will only be around 25%, leading to a disparity of 5 billion tons of CO2 each year.
The delay is likely to generate an excess of approximately 2 billion tons of emissions by 2030, compared to prior pledges made under the Paris Agreement. In 2035, US emissions are projected to be around 2.5 billion tons higher than the trajectory needed to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century.
This bill also revokes this year’s electric vehicle tax credit, which will cease to exist along with renewable energy credits for wind and solar by 2026. The credit for energy efficiency upgrades will also conclude in 2026.
Conversely, tax credits for other low-emission energy sources like nuclear, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy will continue until 2033. The law further preserves support for some innovative technologies favored by the fossil fuel sector, like tax credits for low-emission hydrogen production extending into 2028, and credits for capturing and removing CO2.
Environmental advocates have condemned the bill for its detrimental emissions implications, viewing it as counterproductive to the Trump administration’s agenda which aimed to reduce energy costs and advance American manufacturing.
“We urgently require cleaner and more affordable energy, but this legislation will impede the resurgence of American clean energy production and send valuable domestic manufacturing jobs overseas,” remarked Manish Bapna, from the Council for Defense of Natural Resources, a US-based advocacy group, in a statement.
What is the ekpyrotic universe theory? Ekpyrotic Cosmology serves as an alternative to the conventional Lambda-CDM or λCDM model.
The λCDM model relies on a significant flatness of the universe, necessitating a phase of rapid “inflation” to smooth out initial density and temperature fluctuations.
Despite the lack of direct evidence or identifiable causes for this inflation, it provides a solid explanation for many complex aspects of our observable universe, aligning well with current data.
In contrast, ekpyrotic theory posits no beginning of time, substituting the big bang with a “bounce” between two “branes” within a 3D world of 5-dimensional space-time.
The structure of the contemporary universe is established before this bounce, thereby negating the need for inflation.
Additionally, this theory circumvents the problematic “singularities” present in traditional Big Bang cosmology. However, it has its drawbacks, such as the emergence of negative energy particles that could potentially annihilate the universe.
There are also notable divergences in the predictions of ekpyrotic and λCDM theories, including the gravitational wave background’s shape (the random ripples in potential space-time caused by Big Bang forces) and the existence of so-called “ghost particles.”
Nevertheless, there is currently no observational evidence backing Ecpyrus theory in comparison to λCDM cosmology.
Thus, while the theory is a compelling alternative, the standard Big Bang model remains the most widely accepted framework among physicists.
This article addresses the question: “What is the Ekpyrotic Universe Theory?”
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Autonomous AI agents may soon communicate across the Internet
Outflow Designs/Istockphoto/Getty Images
What does the future of the internet hold? As AI companies evolve, previously open web spaces are being overtaken by digital silos controlled by commercial AI models, sidelining enthusiasts and small businesses. In response, a coalition of grassroots researchers is determined to champion an open approach to AI.
Central to this effort is the notion of AI “agents.” These are software programs that navigate the web and interact with online platforms based on human directions, such as planning holidays and making bookings. Many perceive these agents as the next stage of evolution following services like ChatGPT, yet they face significant challenges in functionality. This is largely due to the web’s design, which favors human interaction; thus, developers are recognizing that AI agents require specialized protocols to effectively engage with online content, services, and each other.
“The objective is to establish infrastructure that facilitates communication among bots, much like software does,” explains Catherine Frick from Staffordshire University, UK.
Several competing solutions to this challenge have emerged. For instance, Anthropic, the creators of the Claude chatbot, have introduced the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which standardizes the way AI models connect to various data sources and tools. In April, Google announced its own take with the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol, offering a distinct approach to this concept.
While these methods share similarities, they have important differences. MCP focuses on standardizing AI models’ connections to external data repositories and tools, creating a secure universal channel for two-way communication—akin to having a phone number or email for messaging. In contrast, A2A expands on this by enabling autonomous agents to discover one another, exchange information, and collaborate on tasks.
For instance, you can link your AI chatbot to the code-sharing platform GitHub via MCP, yet Google asserts that A2A could enable agents to manage job interviews, conduct calls, perform background checks—all in one streamlined process, with the agent team operating simultaneously.
However, as these protocols originate from major tech companies, concerns arise that the creators of the most successful protocol might leverage it for their own commercial gain. The MCP model necessitates oversight from a central server for connections, whereas A2A comes with its own costs, assuming that authorized agents will cooperate.
“We want to prevent an ‘Agent Internet’ from evolving into yet another ‘silo alliance,'” warns Gawee Chan, who serves as chairman of the AI Agent Protocol Group. Founded in May as part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Standards Organization, Chan emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in developing this new layer of the Internet. “If we genuinely believe that AI is a transformative technology for human society, we need an open, neutral community to guide protocol development, ensuring that its future is shared by all companies, not just a select few,” he states.
In pursuit of this goal, Chang has initiated an open-source alternative to the Big Tech Agent Protocol with the Agent Network Protocol (ANP), which predates both MCP and A2A. ANP facilitates AI agents in discovering each other and establishing identities across the web, reminiscent of the early days of the internet, when individuals created personal websites and email accounts independent of large tech intermediaries. This autonomy allows ANP-driven models to function without a central authority, enabling direct communication between distinct AI models on the same device without needing internet verification.
Flick supports the emergence of open-source, non-commercial alternatives for Agent AI. “Essentially, our aim is to restore the fundamental principle of democratization to the Internet, which is how it all began,” she remarks. Without such alternatives, she warns that tech giants could create “walled gardens” reminiscent of the challenges seen in app stores and social media platforms. “If we rely on major corporations for this, they will execute it primarily to maximize profits,” she cautions.
Google claims that its protocols are designed for universal benefit. “We will continue to enhance [A2A] to tackle real-world challenges businesses face in deploying agent frameworks. At its core, it’s structured for the future’s demands,” says Rao Sarapaneni from Google Cloud.
“We have always believed in ensuring that advancements in AI serve everyone,” adds Theo Chu, an anthropologist. “When I developed MCP, I recognized that one key strategy to avoid fragmentation and vendor lock-in—which hampers the advancement of other technologies—was to make it open-source.”
Chu asserts that MCP is integrated across major platforms, including Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google. “The success of MCP will stem from its ability to expand choices rather than restrict them,” she notes. “The collective value of the ecosystem is increased for everyone.”
The W3C Group is eager to collaborate with all stakeholders to establish technical standards industry-wide, but no specific timeline has been set. “Ultimately, our focus isn’t on the triumph or failure of any one protocol but rather on the holistic growth of the agent ecosystem.”
The former OpenAI board member, Helen Toner, commented that the US administration’s focus on academic research and its approach to international students is “a tremendous gift” to China in the competition surrounding artificial intelligence.
Toner, who serves as the Strategic Director of Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), joined OpenAI’s board in 2021 following a career dedicated to analyzing AI and the dynamics between the US and China.
At 33 years old, Toner—an alumna of the University of Melbourne—was part of the board for two years until she left alongside founder Sam Altman in 2023. There were concerns regarding Altman’s communication consistency and the board’s confidence in his leadership.
In the following tumultuous month, Altman was initially dismissed and then reinstated, while three board members, including Toner, were sidelined. Their situation has become the subject of an upcoming film, and along with the film’s director Luca Guadagnino, they have reportedly met in person.
According to Time Magazine, Toner was recognized as one of the top 100 most influential figures in AI for 2024, a testament to her advocacy for AI regulation by policymakers worldwide.
At CSET, Toner leads a team of 60 researchers focusing on AI applications for white papers aimed at briefing policymakers, particularly in military, labor, biosecurity, and cybersecurity contexts.
“My primary focus is on the intersections of AI, safety and security issues, the Chinese AI landscape, and what is termed frontier AI,” explained Toner.
Toner expressed concern that the US may fall behind China in the AI race. Although US export controls on chips complicate China’s access to competitive computing power, the country is making substantial strides in AI, illustrated by the surprising success of its generative AI model, Deepseek, earlier this year.
Toner criticized the Trump administration’s research cuts and international student bans as being “gifts” to China in the AI competition with the US.
“It’s undeniably a significant gift for China. The current US approach to attacking scientific research and the talents of foreigners—a considerable part of the US workforce comprises immigrants, many from China—is a boon for them in this contest,” she remarked.
The AI boom has raised alarms about job security, with concerns that AI may replace many human jobs. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, which developed the generative AI model Claude, recently stated that AI could eliminate 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs, potentially leading to a 20% unemployment rate over the next five years.
Though Toner acknowledged Amodei’s predictions, she noted, “While I often find his assertions directionally correct, they tend to sound overly aggressive in timelines and figures,” but she agreed that disruptions in the job market are already occurring.
“The current capabilities of [language model-based AI] are best suited for small, manageable tasks rather than long-term projects that require human oversight,” she advised.
Experts suggest that organizations heavily invested in AI are feeling pressure to demonstrate returns on their investments. Toner remarked that while practical applications of AI can yield considerable value, it remains unclear which business models or players will successfully unlock that value.
The integration of AI services could range from enhancing existing applications, such as a phone keyboard that transcribes voices, to standalone chatbots, but she remarked that it’s still uncertain what role AI will ultimately play.
Toner noted that the push for profitability presents risks that could overshadow the advancement race in AI.
“This reflects how companies are weighed down by the need to balance between rapid product releases and the thorough testing needed to implement additional safety measures that could also complicate user experience,” she elaborated.
“Such companies must make these trade-offs while feeling the pressure to accelerate as much as possible.”
Toner voiced her concerns regarding the concept of a “progressive power” of AI, which suggests gradual integration of AI systems into various societal and governmental facets; acknowledging it may be too late to reevaluate this path.
She expressed optimism regarding AI’s potential to enhance scientific research, drug discovery, and autonomous driving solutions like Waymo, which could significantly reduce road fatalities.
“With AI, the goal isn’t perfection; it’s to exceed existing alternatives. In the automotive sector, the alternative involves thousands of annual deaths. If we can improve that scenario, it’s remarkable; countless lives could be saved,” she articulated.
Toner humorously mentioned that a friend suggested potential actresses to portray her in the film.
“One suggestion was a stunningly talented actress,” she said. “Anyone they choose will definitely be a worthy pick.”
The immense void of space implies that only one star can occupy a region at a time.
This phenomenon occurs because the mass of these stars is 80 billion times lighter than Earth, with three colossal entities devouring stars ten times larger than our Sun.
A recent study from the University of Hawaii reveals that astronomers, while analyzing data from NASA and the European Space Agency, have identified three ultra-massive black holes. A gigantic one consumes stars far exceeding the sizes of those that orbit the center of our solar system.
The explosions reported by these researchers happened when the black holes tore apart and engulfed the remnants of these stars, yielding the largest events since the Big Bang that shaped our universe.
“What excites me about this research is that we are extending the boundaries of our understanding of the most energetic environments in the universe,” stated Anna Payne, a staff scientist at the Institute of Space Telescope Science and co-author, in a NASA article.
Black holes are cosmic entities that remain unseen by the naked eye, possessing a gravitational force so intense it can capture everything, including light itself. Supermassive black holes, the largest varieties, reside at the centers of galaxies, gradually consuming planets and other materials.
When a star falls under the influence of a supermassive black hole, new research published this week suggests it could end in a dramatic explosion categorized as an “extreme nuclear transient.”Journals advance in science
“These occurrences are unique as they provide the only means for us to illuminate a massive black hole that would typically remain dormant,” noted University of Hawaii graduate student Jason Hinkle in a related article from NASA.NASA article.
Hinkle serves as the lead author of a new study that documents two such events for the first time in the last decade.
Two of the three supermassive black holes were observed by ESA missions in 2016 and 2018, marking the first time they were documented. The third, cataloged as ZTF20Abrbeie, was discovered by the Caltech Observatory in California in 2020 and officially recorded in 2023.
The explosion’s magnitude rivals only that of the Big Bang, which initiated the universe.
Differing from typical stellar explosions, the variations in X-rays, optical, and ultraviolet emissions in these events indicated a “star-consuming black hole.”
NASA explains that black holes actually become brighter during these cosmic occurrences, with their luminosity lasting several months.
This brightness offers scientists a new methodology to uncover additional black holes in the far reaches of the early universe. As astronomers peer into the cosmos, the farther they look, the more ancient light they detect. For instance, light from the Sun takes eight minutes to reach Earth.
“You can use these three objects as a template for what to search for in the future,” Payne remarked.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt noted that the issue in the UK is that “there are many ways for people to decline.”
However, some critics of the Labour government argue that it struggles to say “yes.”
Schmidt made these comments during a Q&A with Keir Starmer at a major investment summit last October, where the presence of influential tech leaders underscored the sector’s significance for governments prioritizing growth.
Major US tech firms like Google, Meta (founded by Mark Zuckerberg), Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Palantir, alongside other data intelligence firms co-founded by Peter Thiel, significantly impact the UK landscape.
For governments aiming to stimulate growth, it’s challenging to overlook companies boasting trillions in market value.
This influence offers immediate access, according to a former employee from Big Tech familiar with how major US firms advocate for their interests in the UK.
“I had no trouble navigating Whitehall corridors, claiming to create thousands of jobs for the economy. The government adores job announcements,” the ex-employee remarked.
In this light, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has engaged with tech sector representatives nearly 70% more than his predecessor, Michelle Donnellan, including multiple discussions with firms like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Apple.
Ukai, the UK’s leading trade body for the AI sector, expresses concern over the marginalization of smaller players.
“We worry about the significant imbalance in policy influence between a handful of global giants and the multitude of businesses that comprise the AI industry in the UK. We’re not being heard, yet the economic growth the government seeks will originate from these companies.”
Echoing the sentiments of a former Big Tech employee, Flagg emphasizes that large tech firms have the means to cultivate and sustain political relationships.
A source familiar with the industry’s interactions with the government noted that these large tech companies leveraged their resources before the general election and established relationships remained intact following the Labour landslide.
Another discussion regarding the “extraordinary” access to the Tony Blair Institute, which is financially backed by tech billionaire Larry Ellison, highlights its role as a key voice in AI policy debates, maintaining what it claims to be “intellectual independence” in policy work.
Critics of the government’s dealings with major tech entities cite proposed copyright law reforms as reflective of these imbalanced relationships. The Minister suggested that AI firms should utilize copyrighted works without permission to create products.
A source close to Kyle indicates that the opt-out option is no longer favored, with significant repercussions underway. The opposition to this proposal includes prominent figures from the UK’s robust creative sector, ranging from Paul McCartney to Dua Lipa and Stone Port.
While technology is posited as a solution to the government’s economic growth dilemma, AI is central to this strategy and serves as a barometer of economic efficiency. However, misguided copyright policies result in PR disasters when juxtaposed with celebrity-driven narratives. News Media Associations, representing organizations like the Guardian, also contest the proposal, as do ChatGPT developers Google and OpenAI.
A former government advisor who was involved in technology policy suggests that diluting copyright protections—often referred to as the “lowest hanging fruit” in policy discussions—will not be the “key solution” to leading in global AI advancements.
“By taking this route, the governments are jeopardizing the worst aspects worldwide. This approach does not lead to the necessary actions to truly support the leading sectors and establish the UK as an AI superpower.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology stated that there is “no apology” for their engagements with a sector employing 2 million in the UK, emphasizing that “regular interaction” with tech companies of all sizes is crucial for driving economic growth.
During his conversation with Schmidt, Starmer posed the vital question about future policy: “Does this promote growth or hinder it?” The tech industry is positioned at the core of this inquiry, although the copyright discussion may undermine vital relationships in other areas.
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The Collapse of a Whale
This section focuses on unusual measurement units and how to effectively communicate information scales. Keen readers may remember discussing how Christopher Dionne’s large datasets can be related to the blue whale genome (April 12).
Bruce Horton remarks that it’s a solid analogy. “The major takeaway from using the blue whale’s size for reference is that most people are familiar with it, making size visualization easier for the audience,” he explains. “However, few people can visualize blue whale DNA, which undermines this analogy.”
He raises a valid point. The concept still echoes the early 2000s during the Human Genome Project, which created comparisons to illustrate the vastness of DNA information. Often, these comparisons included stacks of Bibles reaching to the moon. Nowadays, we utilize what’s gathered from The Wheel of Time series.
Fortunately, Bruce offers a clever solution. He references a 2005 study from the Parody Science Journal. An Unlikely Research Chronicle highlights a study involving slugs: Snail-Based Data Transfer Protocol. Researchers placed giant African land snails on a two-wheeled cart with CD or DVD wheels. Although snails moved slowly, they transferred data at a speed of 37,000 kilobytes per second, outperforming current broadband connections.
The study concluded that this method is easy to visualize and comprehend, making it generally recommended.
Bruce suggests we await further developments and introduces a new unit conceptualized by Ken Taylor and his wife. They own an orchard with a damson tree known for its erratic annual yield. Consequently, they’ve coined the term “cramble,” denoting the quantity of desserts one can create per harvest. Ken shared, “2024 was particularly disappointing, yielding only three crumbles.”
The stark reality reveals that large SUVs pose a greater risk of fatal collisions compared to smaller vehicles. One might expect feedback to respond with sarcasm regarding this apparent truth: indeed, heavier objects will impart more force than lighter ones at equivalent speeds. Yet, a fundamental virtue of science is to challenge common knowledge instead of simply affirming it.
Here, we invite contributions for the category “No Kidding, Sherlock.” The more distressing and obvious the revelation, and the lengthier the methodical experimentation, the better. If ants invade, does it diminish our enjoyment of picnics? If a faucet leaks, does my water bill increase? I’d appreciate at least one enlightening question.
Licking the Badger
Historian Greg Jenner made a surprising discovery in April, stating on Blue Sky: “If you input a random sentence into Google and append ‘meaning,’ you’ll receive an AI-generated explanation for the idiom or phrase you’ve concocted.”
This is how Greg’s quirky phrase, “You can’t lick a badger twice,” prompted Google AI to interpret it as “You can’t deceive someone twice after they’ve already learned your trick.” However, to be fair, interpretations may vary among the US populace. Moreover, these constructions are often artificially generated. Nevertheless, that didn’t deter AI from dispensing extensive explanations. “In this context, ‘licking’ suggests cheating or misleading someone.” The badger anecdote does not hold any factual foundation.
Many submitted their own unique phrases with Google’s analyses. For example, Kit Yates coined, “Don’t run the miles without hitting it with a hammer,” interpreted as “a motivational phrase emphasizing the struggles involved in achieving goals.” Feedback especially appreciated its “frequent” occurrence in torrents of nonsensical dialogues.
Kai Kupferschmidt shared, “It’s better to have tentacles in the tent than mice on rat chairs.” Google deemed it “a humorous idiom, suggesting it’s preferable to find oneself in an uncomfortable situation rather than in a more perilous one.” Feedback found many amusing aspects in this, but it begs the question: why are illicit tentacles seen as uncomfortable, yet not dangerous? A nod to HP Lovecraft indicates tentacles are rarely a good sign.
Regrettably, the “meaning” feature appears to be disabled now. I attempted to coax Google into explaining “Don’t rub Roe Deer’s Cabbages,” but to no avail.
While utilizing AI to generate AI responses can yield novel answers, it won’t prevent individuals from concocting nonsensical excuses rather than admitting they lack knowledge.
This situation underscores the challenge of integrating technology into platforms that aim to serve as precise information sources. Currently, Feedback harbors a lack of trust in Google’s findings. Ironically, this suggests that AI may indeed be correct: one cannot truly lick a badger twice.
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Horses have honed their abilities, such as running, jumping, and pulling, as humans have bred and trained them for various purposes over thousands of years. The 151st Derby, the most-watched horse racing event, not only highlights the skills of these animals but also raises concerns about their treatment and well-being. Advocates have long voiced worries about injuries and fatalities, especially after twelve horses died at Churchill Downs two years ago.
There’s no doubt that the relationships between humans and horses have transformed warfare, agriculture, and society.
Timothy Winegard, a historian at Colorado Mesa University and author of the recent book, The Horse, remarked, “We’ve combined our intellect with the horse’s size, strength, stamina, and speed to create the most unstoppable animal coalition.”
Why Are Horses So Powerful?
The horse’s heart and lungs contribute significantly to its remarkable power.
Hearts typically weigh between 10-12 pounds (4.5-5.4 kg), roughly 1% of the horse’s body weight, compared to about 0.5% for a typical human heart. The famous horse Secretariat, who won the Triple Crown in 1973, was later found to have a heart weighing over 20 pounds (9.1 kg).
A horse’s heart is designed for exercise, with a resting heart rate around 34 beats per minute that can rise to 220 or 240 during a race—much faster than a human’s maximum during intense exertion.
Derma Sotogake training on the mornings of the 2023 Kentucky Derby. Andy Lions/Getty Images
“One unique aspect of horses is their incredible capacity to circulate blood throughout their bodies. They can achieve high heart rates while remaining safe,” explained Sarah Reed, a researcher at the University of Connecticut.
Additionally, horses possess a lung capacity of 60 liters, ten times that of a human.
“This extensive lung capacity allows oxygen to efficiently transfer from the air to the blood, which is essential for sustaining aerobic energy,” noted Farmer.
Recent research published in the journal Science indicates that genetic mutations enable horses to mitigate the adverse effects associated with ultra-high energy production.
“Horses are exceptional athletes because they can deliver significantly more oxygen to their muscles than elite Olympic athletes. They have larger energy reserves and more efficient systems…and these mutations play a role in both aspects.”
What Contributes to a Horse’s Speed and Skills?
Various biological characteristics enhance a horse’s abilities.
Horses store excess red blood cells in their spleens, which are released to enhance oxygen transport during intense exertion.
“During exercise, adrenaline triggers the spleen to circulate these excess red blood cells,” said veterinarian Hillary Clayton. “Essentially, what a horse accomplishes is a form of ‘natural blood doping.’”
Honoring Marie at Churchill Downs in 2024. Charlie Riedel / AP
Furthermore, a horse’s brain is adept at processing sensory information and reacting swiftly. Although their frontal lobe—the section associated with thinking and planning—is proportionally smaller than that of humans, horses are hardwired for play and independent running without fear, as explained by Dr. Scott Bailey, a veterinarian at Clayborne Farm. This focus is critical for athletic performance.
The bone structure and muscle makeup are also advantageous. The ligaments and tendons in their hind legs function like springs, and as Farmer noted, like other large prey animals, they possess “long, slender legs designed for running.”
What Are the Risks for Horses?
Adjustments that enhance a horse’s speed also increase the risk of injuries. Their slender legs endure the impact of each stride, and over time, repetitive stress during racing and training can lead to tendon and ligament damage, Reed stated.
In 2023, fatalities occurred not only at Churchill Downs but also at other major racecourses, affecting public perceptions of the sport and prompting changes. No specific cause of death was identified. However, in 2024, Churchill Downs improved the equipment used on its racing surfaces and added a veterinarian dedicated to horse safety and integrity.
French scientist Lawrence Gorm and Marion Deskill bet initially expressed concerns about the new international insect decline database. The database indicated an increase in some insect species, contrary to previous research findings that showed a decrease in insect biodiversity.
Upon further investigation, they discovered errors in the database that highlighted the challenges in measuring biodiversity accurately. This led to discussions on the validity of scientific discoveries and the importance of ongoing debate in the scientific community.
Over 1 million insects discovered by scientists – Photo credit: Getty
The database, called Insects, merged various datasets and was analyzed by scientists from Germany, Russia, and America. The analysis revealed that while land insects were declining, freshwater insects were thriving, indicating a more nuanced understanding of insect population trends compared to prior research.
However, some scholars raised concerns about the accuracy of the database, with more than 60 scientists publishing a letter expressing their reservations about the findings.
The team behind the database acknowledged the issues and began working on corrections to improve the accuracy of the data. Although Gaume and Desquilbet were invited to collaborate on the project, they declined, emphasizing the importance of addressing methodological and statistical errors in scientific research.
Hopping to conclusions
One of the main concerns raised by Gaume and Desquilbet was the inclusion of different types of data units and the manipulation of natural habitats in the dataset. These factors contributed to inaccuracies in measuring insect population trends.
The Insectchange team, led by Roel Van Klink, recognized the need for improvements and committed to releasing an updated version of the database with the necessary corrections.
While controversies around the database continue, scientists like Manu Sanders emphasize the importance of ongoing debate and scrutiny in scientific research. Science is a process of continuous refinement and correction, where discussion and collaboration are essential for producing reliable results.
About our experts
Lawrence Gorm: Insect ecologist at the University of Montpellier, focusing on insect-plant interactions and biodiversity conservation.
Marion Deskill bet: Environmental economist at the Toulouse School of Economics, specializing in ecological economics and biodiversity policies.
Roel Van Klink: Ecologist at the German Center for Integrated Biodiversity Research, with expertise in insect population trends and biodiversity datasets.
Manu Sanders: Ecologist at the University of New England in Australia, researching insect conservation, ecosystem services, and scientific communication.
It is explained in the paper published today journal Natural Astronomy the discovery means that habitable deplanets may have begun to form much earlier, before they were formed billions of years ago.
This artist's impression shows the evolution of the universe, beginning with the Big Bang on the left. After that, you will see the microwave background of the universe. The formation of the first stars ends the dark ages of the universe, followed by the formation of galaxies. Image credit: M. Weiss/Harvard – Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
“We had no oxygen before the first star exploded, so there was no water in space,” said Daniel Warren, an astronomer at the University of Portsmouth.
“Only a very simple nucleus survived the Big Bang: hydrogen, helium, lithium, trace amounts of barium and boron.”
According to Dr. Whalen and his colleagues, water molecules began to form shortly after the first supernova explosion known as the Population III Supernova.
These cosmic events that occurred on first generation stars were essential to creating the heavy elements (such as oxygen) needed for water to exist.
“The oxygen forged in the hearts of these supernovas combines with hydrogen to form water, paving the way for the creation of the essential elements needed for life,” Dr. Whalen said.
In their study, researchers looked at two types of supernovae. This produces corecrolaps supernovae, which produces a modest amount of heavy elements, and more energetic POP III supernovae.
They discovered that both types of supernovae form dense masses of rich gas in water.
The overall amount of water produced by these early supernovae was modest, but was highly concentrated in a gas-dense area called the cloud core, which is thought to be the birthplace of stars and planets.
These early, water-rich regions may have sown planetary formations at the dawn of space long before the first galaxy took shape.
“A significant discovery is that the primitive supernova formed water in the universe ahead of the first galaxy,” Dr. Hualen said.
“So water was already an important component of the first galaxy.”
“This means that the conditions necessary for the formation of life were in place faster than we could have imagined, meaning it was an important step in our early understanding of the universe.”
“The total water mass was modest, but it was very concentrated on the only structures that could form stars and planets.”
“And that suggests that before the first galaxy, a water-rich planetary disc could form at the dawn of space.”
The first water molecules could have formed just 100 million to 200 million years after the Big Bang – even the first galaxy kicked off the processes that led to life on Earth.
Shortly after the Big Bang, most of the problems in the universe were hydrogen and helium, with only traces of other lighter elements, such as lithium. Heavy elements like oxygen are not yet present, and water is impossible to form.
These early elements were combined into the first star and produced heavier elements through oxygen-containing fusion. When these stars reach the end of their lives, they explode as supernovae, releasing these heavier elements, allowing oxygen to mix and mix with existing hydrogen to combine H.2O – Water.
Previous research It shows that even the relatively small amount of oxygen produced by the earliest stars could create water molecules, but they say up until now they have not simulated exactly what happens when a protostar becomes a supernova, and how the elements it released blended with the cosmic environment in which the stars were formed. Daniel Warren At the University of Portsmouth, UK. “To do anything less, you just don't know what's going on,” he says.
To investigate this, Whalen and his team used computer models to simulate the birth and death of the first star in a realistic context. These early stars are thought to range from 13 times the massive range of the Sun to 200 times the size of the Sun, so researchers modeled both extremes.
As you can imagine, the larger stars spit out more oxygen and produced more water in the form of steam clouds around the Jupiter mass, while the smaller stars produced Earth's mass, says Whaleen.
Depending on the mass of the star, researchers discovered that water took between 3 million and 90 million years after the supernova explosion. In other words, the first water molecules were formed 100-200 million years after the Big Bang.
Importantly, however, the team discovered that this water was not simply spreading throughout the universe. Instead, gravity caused it, and the other heavy elements produced by the first star were clumped together. That meant these chunks were breeding grounds for the second generation stars, and perhaps the first planet. “It was a huge result,” Whalen says.
“Even before the galaxy took place, this idea of water forming essentially overturning decades of thought about the first emergence of life in the universe,” says Whalen. Team Members Muhammadratif At UAE University, researchers now say they will simulate whether water vapor can survive the destruction of the formation of the first galaxy and harsh radiation.
“We know that the chemistry of life we know requires liquid water and can only be obtained in objects with surfaces in the universe or atmospheric.” avi loeb At Harvard University. It would have been a lot of time before this initial vapor condense into liquid water, but he says it could have helped them to find second-generation stars and their planets using instruments like the James Webbspace Telescope to help them understand this process more, and perhaps these planets could have been habitable millions of years after the Big Bang.
African elephants have extra copies of genes that help resist cancer
Neil Aldridge/Nature Picture Library/Aramie
Larger animals live longer and have more cells, and are expected to be at a higher risk of developing cancer. A comprehensive analysis of 263 species suggests that this is true, but also finds that some large animals have evolved ways of reducing risk.
“We provide the first empirical evidence that there is a link between body size and cancer prevalence, meaning that larger species increase cancer than smaller species. “I say it. George Butler University College London.
To gain a broader view, Butler and his colleagues analyzed data on the size and cancer rates of 79 bird species, 90 mammal species, 63 reptiles and 31 amphibians. The data comes from previous studies by other researchers who sifted through autopsy records that record whether a breeding animal stored in a place like Zoos or an aquarium had cancer when it died. .
The team found that smaller animals were slightly more likely to have cancer than fewer animals at the time of death. Each 1% increase in body weight was associated with an average increase of 0.1% in cancer rates between birds and mammals. Because body mass data were not available in reptiles and amphibians, the team used body length and found that it was associated with an average increase in cancer rate of 0.003% for every 1% increase.
Butler and his team say their discoveries will challenge a long-standing idea known as the Pete Paradox. on the other hand, Veragolbunova At the University of Rochester in New York, the weak correlation still needs explanation.
“The increased risk they see is very, very minor and not proportional to their body size,” she says. “If you take small animals like mice and humans are 100 times larger, or elephants are 100 times larger, the difference in cancer rates is not 100 times higher in humans and 1000 times higher in elephants.”
It suggests that larger species have evolved more ways to protect themselves, Golbunova says.
Indeed, by using evolutionary trees to infer evolutionary rates of animal body size, the team said that if the size increases more rapidly during evolution, birds and mammal species of similar sizes can be We found it to provide better protection against cancer.
Previous studies have identified genetic adaptations in elephants and whales, protecting against cancer by improving DNA repair and preventing broken cells from dividing.
A deeper understanding of how some animals resist cancer can lead to new treatments for people, says Golbunova. “In these cancer-resistant animals, there are specific biological pathways of different fine-tuning, for example, targeting these pathways and then killing cancer cells more efficiently, or perhaps killing cancer cells. You can even prevent cancer from occurring,” she says.
“As these mechanisms have been tested over millions of years in the course of evolution, they are likely to become highly promising drugs,” she says.
Major technology giants criticized their competitors following Donald Trump’s announcement of significant investments in AI the day before.
President Trump revealed Stargate, a $500 billion initiative funded by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. The announcement featured leaders from both companies: Sam Altman, Larry Ellison, and Masayoshi Son, with Son as the project chairman. A representative from Abu Dhabi’s state-run AI fund MGX, another major investor, was notably absent.
The partnership aims to establish data centers and computing infrastructure crucial for AI development. While the initial investment amount is substantial, estimates suggest that developing AI will require as much funding.
Notably missing from the event was Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, who is also the wealthiest person globally. Despite Musk’s close ties to Trump and rumored office in the White House, he dismissed Stargate as a financial sham the following night.
When OpenAI announced on X (Musk’s social network) that they would immediately deploy $100 billion, Musk countered, stating that they lacked the funds and criticizing SoftBank’s funding of less than $10 billion. Musk, with a net worth of about $430 billion, tweets prolifically on a variety of subjects.
President Trump has yet to respond to Musk’s comments, focusing instead on Melania’s anniversary on his social network, Truth Social.
Musk continued his criticism on Twitter, sharing a leaked image of a research tool supposedly used to calculate Stargate’s $500 billion cost. He spent much of Wednesday afternoon attacking the project.
Sam Altman initially praised Musk’s work but later questioned his motives for criticizing SoftBank. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, responded diplomatically when asked about the situation, emphasizing Microsoft’s plans to invest in Azure.
The tension between Musk and Altman dates back to their history at OpenAI, where Musk eventually parted ways with Altman. The heads of Oracle and SoftBank involved in Stargate have not yet spoken on the matter.
JAguar finally revealed its highly anticipated Type 00 electric car at its Miami Art Week launch event. The marketing campaign teaser video released on social media two weeks ago generated mixed opinions. Here, industry experts share their thoughts on the car, its launch, and marketing.
Jeff Dodds
Former Honda Marketing Manager, currentChief Executive of Formula E, where Jaguar competes
I recently owned a Jaguar iPace. It’s a nice car, but it didn’t bring a smile to my face. That’s what I look for in a car. Jag knows this too.
If Jaguar’s goal was to grab attention at the launch, they definitely achieved it. There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the release, and some guests were eager to see the beastly monster unveiled. It wasn’t terrible, but it was quite unique. It’s larger, bolder, and more disruptive than I expected. It will definitely turn heads. Not everyone will love it, but that’s a good thing. Inspector Morse may not go for it, but his grandson might if he just started a cybersecurity startup.
The event itself was completely different, industrial, and edgy. British grime MC and rapper Skepta may not be the typical Jaguar brand ambassador, but there he was, performing a DJ set surrounded by influencers and cultural tastemakers in downtown Miami. That’s a significant departure from the past. Maybe too much deviation? Possibly. Jaguar has quickly become a brand of conversation in the past tense, so I commend them. I believe you’ll find joy in riding the Type 0.
Ginny Buckley
Founder of UK EV buying website Electrifying.com
In Jaguar’s 90-year history, no event has created more global buzz than a controversial rebrand. Now that the dramatic Type 00 cover has been unveiled, the new logo and flashy advertising may fade from memory.
I first saw this car at a briefing session at Jaguar Land Rover’s Midland Design Studio. In my over 25 years as a motoring journalist, no car has impressed me as much as this £100,000+ all-electric GT.
Mr Buckley says the new Jaguar Type 00 concept car is “much bigger, bolder and more disruptive than we ever imagined”. Photo: Electricifying.com
Yes, it’s pink. Very pink. Presented in Miami Pink and London Blue, the car’s colors reflect the city it was revealed in and Jaguar’s British heritage.
The color is inevitably a point of focus for many critics. According to Jaguar’s design team, this color is “production ready” and could stir things up among traditional Jaguar fans if it becomes part of the final color palette.
Beyond the color, the Type 00’s design is striking with a long hood, massive grille, and front-hinged butterfly doors. Jaguar has also eliminated the rear window.
I find the Type 0 to be fresh and bold. My 15-year-old son described it as “the best,” and I take that as a compliment.
Buckley said the Miami pink color “could cause a stir among traditional Jaguar fans.” Photo: Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Jaguar
“It’s going to challenge people and be polarizing,” said Jerry McGovern, Jaguar’s Chief Creative Officer. And it will. If their aim was to spark discourse, they have succeeded.
The question now is whether Jaguar can evolve the brand rapidly enough to attract the new generation of young, affluent buyers they hope will purchase the car.
Manfredi Ricca
Global Chief Strategy Officer at brand consulting firm Interbrand. He has collaborated with Bugatti and was instrumental in the relaunch of Mini and BMW.
Flashback to two weeks ago. Jaguars weren’t particularly interesting to many. Then, a 30-second video was released. Millions of heads turned instantly. In just 24 hours, Jaguar became a global talking point without unveiling any products.
Consequently, anticipation for the new lineup, with leaks surfacing on the eve of the release, has reached the intensity and reach of a World Cup final.
Campaigns designed for brand activation don’t get much better than this. Many overlook the fact that Jaguar Land Rover wasn’t attempting to evolve a successful brand; instead, it was reinventing a struggling one.
The reality today is that there are more people who appreciate Jaguar’s history than those who actually desire a Jaguar car.
Museums can subsist solely on the past, but commercial entities can’t. Companies must transform their legacy into something that attracts enough customers willing to pay a premium.
Ricca says the Jaguar Type 00 will “tempt” potential customers. Photo: Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Jaguar
Once a trailblazing manufacturer of some of the world’s most innovative cars, Jaguar is once again adored by a few rather than ignored by many.
The concept introduced in Miami will captivate those few, but the true test lies in turning them into enthusiasts in 2025 when the car hits the market, and customers in 2026.
Richard Exon
Co-founder of advertising agency Joint, previously collaborated with Audi and Range Rover.
Jaguar deserves praise for its ambitious rebranding efforts. Making a clean break from the past is the best approach. The company aims to attract an entirely new customer base with its latest car range, and a more modern, inclusive, and daring brand strategy could prove successful.
However, good intentions aren’t enough when the execution is as lackluster as Jaguar’s pre-launch promotional video content.
Exxon said Jaguar’s rebranding video was “derivative and disappointing.” Photo: Jaguar/PA
Fortunately, the concept car images feature a bold new aesthetic that demands a fresh evaluation.
The critical next step is how well the innovative design of the concept translates into the final manufactured product available for purchase.
Jaguar’s troubled car brands seldom get second chances, so let’s hope Jaguar rises to the occasion, rebounds from the video mishap, and dares to be as unique as it aspires to be.
a■ As Democrats consider how to counter the Trump administration, they need to accept a very simple lesson from the past eight years. Big tech and corporations are part of the opposition forces working on behalf of Donald Trump, not allies of the Democratic Party working against Trump and Trumpism.
One would think there is no need to point out what appears to be an obvious fact. Still, some Democrats are trying to get closer to big tech companies and downplaying the importance of antitrust policy regarding authoritarian risks. For example, a few days ago, the largest Democratic superpack, Priorities USA, held a large resistance strategy session sponsored by “friends of google“.
As another example, Adam Jentleson, political writer and former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, writes: recent works The New York Times particularly criticized the fight against monopolies as a “niche issue.” He argued that there was a dichotomy between table issues and challenging corporate power, and that the focus should be on the former.
The belief that big technology, and big business more broadly, serves the Democratic Party has already been tested and turned out to be untrue.
When Trump was elected in 2016, one of the central pillars of Democratic resistance was to use big tech platforms as a counterbalance. If you remember, Google’s CEO also Participated in anti-Trump demonstration. Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and pre-Elon Musk’s Twitter have been reprimanded for using technology that enables extremism, but Democrats are pushing for changes to regulation of algorithm design, liability rules, or Instead of moving aggressively to split, it focused on encouraging platforms on editorial policy.
The assumption was that they would be able to defeat Trump and Maga-ism and corral them into a set of “correct” editorial practices that would help limit the scope of his rhetoric in the short term. This is the context in which the “misinformation and disinformation” framework arose.
We use this phrase all the time, but it’s worth thinking about how strange it is. Misinformation can refer to inadvertent lies and disinformation can refer to intentional lies, but the term can also encompass information that is factually correct but misleading, such as information about Barack Obama. there is. claimed In 2022, “suppression of true information” will occur if such suppression is carried out for purposes such as “political gain” or “targeting people you don’t like.”
These new categories not only infuriated those caught up in broad and vague definitions, but also diverted Democratic attention away from issues of power. The misinformation/disinformation framework is partially compatible with partnering with big tech companies as an anti-fascist alliance. We, the science-based Democratic Party, will succeed in working with the world’s largest technology companies to protect America.
Eight years later, Democrats lost the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Major tech platforms are full of extremist content. Big tech companies should no longer look like allies. Not only is Mr. Musk fully entrenched at the top of the power table, right next to Mr. Trump, but the CEOs of Meta, Alphabet, Apple, and Amazon all reached out to Mr. Trump before the election. He probably took it seriously. his threat Mark Zuckerberg would go to jail if he opposed it, but he’s probably just recognizing that Trump is the titan of deregulation.
musk He is said to have participated in Recent phone conversation between President Trump and Google CEO. It is expected that dozens of such meetings at the highest level will occur and strong relationships will emerge. And instead of repeatedly claiming that the tech giants have too much power, we have spent eight years arming them with language they can use to suppress dissent.
repetitionvote It turns out that voters actually hate corporate monopolies, and that antitrust politics is very popular. I don’t want to overstate this point – for 30 years, from 1980 to 2020, antitrust politics disappeared in America. It’s fair to argue that we can do more experimentation with how we talk about anti-monopoly policy, especially towards big tech companies. that. But we should be very concerned about its content.
Facebook, Google, and Amazon have destroyed local journalism, a real bulwark against authoritarian leaders, while coddling real dictatorships. They currently dominate the digital advertising industry. According to a recent study, if news organizations were paid the profits they made by acting as intermediaries between readers and writers, Expected to be delivered between $12 billion and $14 billion One year. The very journalists and news organizations we rely on for fact-checking and fact-checking fear being shadowbanned. Jeff Bezos’ fear of President Trump shows how it affects editorial content.
Thankfully, thanks to the work of the Department of Justice under Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Cantor, Google has been officially recognized by the courts as an illegal monopoly, and other antitrust cases involving Facebook and Amazon have The case is pending in court. But even if Google is forced to sell Chrome, which seems possible, it now seems grotesque that Democrats in power can’t bring serious tech-disruption legislation to a vote. He didn’t seem to be trying to stop the emerging power couple of Trump and tech.
As experts try to sort out the lessons of how Kamala Harris lost an election she looked like she could win, we look back further and remember the real lessons of 2016. That would be good. The idea is that to align with the big tech oligarchy is to align with the state. Democratic Party and the Destruction of Democracy.
Zephyr Teachout is a professor at Fordham Law School and author of Break ‘Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big Money.
TThe conveniences of modern life are incredible. Currently, my phone is wirelessly playing some of the greatest hits from the 1700s (like Bach) through a portable speaker. You can easily get a ride, order food to your doorstep, or start chatting on a dating app using the same device. To quote Arthur C. Clarke, for modern humans, this technology is third lawindistinguishable from magic.
It’s understandable that our culture seeks out and celebrates these shortcuts. They eliminate boredom, enhance fun, and save time and effort. However, it’s evident that convenience also has a downside.
Before discussing that, it’s crucial to understand why convenience is so attractive. We often resist doing what’s necessary for progress, whether it’s taxes, a pending report, or training. There’s a sense of inertia behind every well-meaning plan. Why is this resistance and the desire for comfort ingrained in us?
Insights from evolutionary psychology, specifically the concept of “evolutionary mismatch,” can provide clarity. Evolutionary mismatch suggests that we evolved for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle while our environment drastically changed, leaving our instincts out of sync with our surroundings.
Viewing the issue through this evolutionary lens makes sense of our tendency towards lethargy and seeking shortcuts. For early humans, food and energy were scarce and unreliable. Survival meant conserving energy wisely to tackle the challenges they faced.
In today’s world, technology has altered our environment to cater somewhat to our energy-conservation instinct. However, adopting trends that prioritize comfort and convenience may come at a cost. While innovations like washing machines and phones have enriched our lives, excessive convenience may pose challenges rather than easing them.
For instance, the increase in depression and anxiety linked to smartphones and social media is worrying. Also, metabolic issues from sedentary lifestyles and reliance on convenient but low-nutrient foods are on the rise. Loneliness levels have prompted the UK to appoint a ‘Minister for Loneliness’ in 2018, partly due to the technologies fostering such isolation.
Over-reliance on coping mechanisms can exacerbate problems they were meant to solve. Choosing comfort excessively can hinder our ability to face life’s challenges. Some discomfort is vital for our growth and survival, as evidenced by our ancestors’ ability to balance safety and risk intelligently.
Super-convenience has its allure, but it might also deplete us unknowingly, making it harder to achieve true success. Human flourishing hinges not just on survival but on growth, problem-solving, and unity in adversity.
Embracing life’s challenges is essential for personal development. While technology offers convenience, it’s crucial to recognize that overcoming obstacles and discomfort is part of our evolutionary heritage. This lesson is critical for the younger generation.
Dr. Alex Carmi is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and speaker. thinking mind Podcast.
The existence of something rather than nothing is a profound question that lies at the intersection of science and philosophy. It pushes us to investigate the origins of our existence.
Evolutionary theory traces all life on Earth back to a common ancestor referred to as the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). The quest to find LUCA captivates scientists studying life’s origins, prompting a deeper exploration into the origins of Earth and the universe.
Cosmologically, the birth of stars, formation of planets, and expansion of the universe reveal a magnificent interplay. This cosmic dance involves the expansion rate of the universe, gravitational collapse of dark matter, and the capture of hydrogen essential for star formation. Without this intricate cosmic ballet, life as we know it would not exist.
The story of our universe begins with a fundamental question: What sparked the universe’s expanding space-time? The prevailing model, known as big bang cosmology, posits that all matter in the universe originated from a colossal explosion at a specific point in the distant past.
Einstein’s general relativity theory supports the concept of an expanding universe, describing space-time as a flexible medium capable of bending, expanding, and collapsing. Rewinding the universe would reveal a moment called the Big Bang Singularity, where the universe condensed into a minuscule point of immense energy and curvature.
Stephen Hawking and his colleagues delved into understanding this singularity, grappling with the notion of time and existence before the Big Bang. Alternative explanations beyond the singularity have been explored, including concepts like the big bounce, quantum gravity, and cyclical inflation.
Cosmologists are actively researching observational predictions to differentiate between these models and unravel the mysteries of our cosmic origins. The rapid formation of supermassive black holes challenges the current cosmological model, hinting at the need for new frameworks to explain cosmic anomalies.
As we continue this intellectual journey, uncovering the enigmatic tapestry of the universe, we inch closer to unravelling the secrets of our existence and shedding light on the age-old question of why there is something rather than nothing.
The Galapagos Islands are equatorial islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 900 kilometers (500 miles) west of northern South America. Scientists have identified more than 1,500 native species of birds, reptiles, and other animals that live only on these islands, which are known for their biodiversity. One famous example is the Galapagos tortoise. This giant tortoise can weigh up to 400 kilograms (nearly 1,000 pounds), making it the largest cold-blooded land animal.
Scientists have speculated about the evolution of Galapagos tortoises. Charles Darwin visited this island for the first time aboard the HMS. Beagle 1835. Researchers agree These turtles originate from the South American continent, but it is still unknown how they migrated to the island and when they reached their impressive size.
Some scientists believe that Galapagos giant tortoises became large after immigrating to the islands, while others argue that the tortoises grew large before leaving the mainland. Proponents of the “then” hypothesis cite several examples in which island birds and snakes similarly grew larger than continental birds and snakes. Proponents of the “before” hypothesis argue that gigantism may have helped turtles cross oceans. They suggest that larger turtles have slower metabolisms, so they lose less body heat in the water, and have larger, more buoyant shells.
Researchers from the United States and Ecuador recently reconsidered the Galapagos tortoise debate based on new fossils collected off the coast of Ecuador. Paleontologists have previously discovered fossilized large turtles in southern South America, which they claim are ancestors of Galapagos giant tortoises. However, these fossils are located far south of the equatorial islands, and scientists have found no direct evidence that they are related to the Galapagos species. These researchers therefore wanted to test giant tortoise fossils found near the island.
The new turtle fossil was composed of shell material collected from sandstone of the Tablazo Formation on mainland Ecuador. The researchers explained that these fossils were only briefly described by researchers studying mammal fossils in the 1950s, so they may have been missed by earlier scientists. Researchers estimated that the fossil belonged to a turtle that was more than 1 meter (or 3 feet) long, and about the size of a Galapagos giant tortoise.Past researchers Researchers narrowed down the age of the Tabrazo Formation to between 780,000 and 12,000 years, making it the oldest giant tortoise fossil discovered by scientists in northern South America.
The researchers compared the new Ecuadorian giant tortoise fossils with fossils from other South American and Caribbean giant tortoises, as well as with extant Galapagos tortoises. They use features such as shape, structure, size, and age of fossilized and modern turtle shells to create a picture of how these turtles and their potential ancestors are related. Created. Phylogenetic tree. They called these trees: Tip dateThat’s because they placed different types of turtles at the ends, or “tips,” of trees and assigned each species an estimated age, or “dated.”
They used a statistical method called . Bayesian analysis Evaluate the probability that each tree is correct based on known relationships between several species and new data from Ecuadorian fossils. The research team found that Galápagos tortoises are more closely related to Ecuadorian tortoise fossils than any other species included, based on the most likely tree shape, and that the two groups have a common Confirmed that they share a common ancestry.
The researchers interpreted the phylogenetic analysis as supporting previous researchers’ claims that a population of giant tortoises lived on the coast of Ecuador more than 2 million years ago. The researchers explained that this was around the same time and place that scientists believe Galapagos tortoises hitchhiked to the islands on the Humboldt Current, which flows north along the west coast of South America. Therefore, they suggested that their findings support the “previous” hypothesis proposed by some scientists.
Researchers concluded that Galapagos tortoises were gigantic before they left mainland South America. However, researchers cautioned that South America’s fossil record is incomplete and poorly preserved, and dating the evolution of Galapagos tortoises remains difficult. They will collect more giant tortoise fossils from South America, possibly incorporating ancient DNA, to help future scientists further examine when and where the Galapagos giant tortoise species originated. Recommended to describe and analyze.
Nvidia, the chipmaker, revealed its latest financial statements on Wednesday, with revenue reaching $30.04 billion in the last three months. This is a significant increase of 122% compared to the previous year, indicating sustained growth in their artificial intelligence investments.
Despite analysts’ projections of $28.7 billion in sales, the company’s shares dropped more than 3% in after-hours trading.
Nvidia’s founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, announced plans to ship a greater number of chips and hardware next year than in the company’s 31-year history during an earnings call.
Huang highlighted the importance of fast development due to the increasing complexity of their models. He stated that the company aims to lower costs while scaling AI models to unprecedented levels for the next industrial revolution.
Analysts, while optimistic about the results, acknowledged signs that Nvidia’s exceptional revenue growth might be slowing down. Major tech companies’ aggressive AI investments are driving demand for Nvidia chips, but these companies are also investing in their own silicon development.
The company informed customers about a delay in the launch of their next-generation AI chip, known as Blackwell. Early samples have already been sent to a limited number of customers. Despite this, the current graphics processing unit, Hopper, continues to sell well according to CEO Jensen Huang.
Nvidia reported record revenue with a 154% increase in data center revenue year over year, amounting to $26.3 billion, reflecting the demand for accelerated computing and generative AI in data centers globally.
Nvidia’s earnings results hold great significance on Wall Street, as the company accounts for 6% of the total value of the S&P 500 and is the third-largest company globally with a market capitalization of $3.1 trillion.
Recent reports from major tech customers such as Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Google, show increased capital spending as they utilize Nvidia chips to develop and train their AI models.
The company’s earnings per share were $0.68, and they announced a $50 billion share repurchase. Profit is expected to rise to $15.1 billion, up from approximately $6.2 billion in the same period last year.
Ives, a Wedbush analyst, emphasized the importance of Nvidia’s earnings report on the stock market, estimating that every dollar spent on Nvidia’s GPU chips contributes $8 to $10 to profits across the tech sector.
The market’s focus on Nvidia’s performance stems from the belief that AI advancements will boost global productivity for years to come.
Comparisons to the Internet bubble of the late 1990s have emerged, with concerns that the AI boom might peak if Nvidia’s results disappoint investors.
Regulators are closely monitoring Nvidia, following an antitrust investigation launched by the Department of Justice after allegations from rival chipmakers. The investigation claims Nvidia is using its market power to monopolize markets and compel customers to continue buying its products.
It’s been a tough week for the Grand St. Seven, a group of technology stocks that have played a leading role in the U.S. stock market, buoyed by investor excitement about breakthroughs in artificial intelligence.
Last year, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, chipmaker Nvidia, Google parent Alphabet, Facebook owner Meta and Elon Musk’s Tesla accounted for half of the S&P 500’s gains. But doubts about returns on AI investments, mixed quarterly earnings, investor attention shifting elsewhere and weak U.S. economic data have hurt the group over the past month.
Things came to a head this week when the shares of the seven companies entered a correction, with their combined share prices now down more than 10% from their peak on July 10.
Here we answer some questions about Seven and the AI boom.
Why did AI stocks fall?
First, there are concerns that the huge investments being made by Microsoft, Google and others in AI will pay off. These have been growing in recent months. Goldman Sachs analysts The memo was published In June, the Wall Street bank released a report titled “Gen AI: Too Much Spending, Too Little Reward?” which asked whether $1 trillion in investment in AI over the next few years “will ever pay off,” while an analysis by Sequoia Capital, an early investor in ChatGPT developer OpenAI, estimated that tech companies would need $600 billion in rewards to recoup their AI investments.
Gino said “The Magnificent Seven” is also hit by these concerns.
“There are clearly concerns about the return on the AI investments that they’re making,” he said, adding that big tech companies have “done a good job explaining” their AI strategies, at least in their most recent financial results.
Another factor at play is investor hope that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank, may cut interest rates as soon as next month. The prospect of lower borrowing costs has boosted investors’ support for companies that could benefit, such as small businesses, banks and real estate companies. This is an example of “sector rotation,” in which investors move money between different parts of the stock market.
Concerns about the Big 7 are affecting the S&P 500, given that a small number of tech stocks make up much of the index’s value.
“Given the growing concentration of this group within U.S. stocks, this will have broader implications,” said Henry Allen, macro strategist at Deutsche Bank AG.Concerns about a weakening U.S. economy also hit global stock markets on Friday.
What happened to tech stocks this week?
As of Friday morning, the seven stocks were down 11.8% from last month’s record highs, but had been dipping in and out of correction territory — a drop of 10% or more from a recent high — in recent weeks amid growing doubts.
Quarterly earnings this week were mixed. Microsoft’s cloud-computing division, which plays a key role in helping companies train and run AI models, reported weaker-than-expected growth. Amazon, the other cloud-computing giant, also disappointed, as growth in its cloud business was offset by increased spending on AI-related infrastructure like data centers and chips.
But shares of Meta, the owner of advertising-dependent Facebook and Instagram, rose on Thursday as the company’s strong revenue growth offset promises of heavy investment in AI. Apple’s sales also beat expectations on Thursday.
“Expectations for the so-called ‘great seven’ group have perhaps become too high,” Dan Coatsworth, an analyst at investment platform AJ Bell, said in a note this week. “These companies’ success puts them out of reach in the eyes of investors, and any shortfall in greatness leaves them open to harsh criticism.”
A general perception that tech stocks may be overvalued is also playing a role: “Valuations have reached 20-year highs and they needed to come down and take a pause to digest some of the gains of the past 18 months,” says Angelo Gino, a technology analyst at CFRA Research.
The Financial Times reported on Friday that hedge fund Elliott Management said in a note to investors that AI is “overvalued” and that Nvidia, which has been a big beneficiary of the AI boom, is in a “bubble.”
Can we expect to see further advances in AI over the next 12 months?
Further breakthroughs are almost certain, which may reassure investors. The biggest players in the field have a clear roadmap, with the next generation of frontier models already underway to train, and new records are being set almost every month. Last week, Alphabet Inc.’s Google DeepMind announced that its system had set a new record at the International Mathematical Olympiad, a high school-level math competition. The announcement has observers wondering whether the company will be able to tackle long-unsolved problems in the near future.
The question for labs is whether these breakthroughs will generate enough revenue to cover the rapidly growing costs of achieving them: The cost of training cutting-edge AI has increased tenfold every year since the AI boom really began, raising questions about how even well-funded companies such as OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed startup behind ChatGPT, will cover those costs in the long run.
Is generative AI already benefiting the companies that use it?
In many companies, the most successful uses of generative AI (the term for AI tools that can create plausible text, voice, and images from simple prompts) have come from the bottom up: people who have effectively used tools like Microsoft’s Copilot or Anthropic’s Claude to figure out how to work more efficiently, or even eliminate time-consuming tasks from their day entirely. But at the enterprise level, clear success stories are few and far between. Whereas Nvidia got rich selling shovels in the gold rush, the best story from an AI user is Klarna, the buy now, pay later company, which announced in February that its OpenAI-powered assistant can: Resolved two-thirds of customer service requests In the first month.
Dario Maisto, a senior analyst at Forrester, said a lack of economically beneficial uses for generative AI is hindering investment.
“The challenge remains to translate this technology into real, tangible economic benefits,” he said.
Use of Data ESA's Gaia mission Astronomers have discovered a number of metal-poor stars that are more than 13 billion years old and in orbits similar to our sun.
Rotational motion of a young (blue) and an older (red) star similar to the Sun (orange). Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / R. Hurt / SSC / Caltech.
“The Milky Way has a large halo, a central bulge and bar, and thick and thin disks,” said Dr Samir Nepal of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam and his colleagues.
“Most of the stars are found in a thin disk of the so-called Milky Way galaxy, which revolves regularly around the galactic center.”
“Middle-aged stars like our Sun, which is 4.6 billion years old, belong to a thin disk that is generally thought to have begun to form between 8 and 10 billion years ago.”
Astronomers used the new Gaia data set to study stars within about 3,200 light-years of the Sun.
They found a surprisingly large number of very old stars in the thin disk orbit, most of which are over 10 billion years old, with some being over 13 billion years old.
These ancient stars show a wide range of metal compositions: some are very metal-poor (as expected), while others have twice the metal content of the much younger Sun, indicating that rapid metal enrichment occurred early in the evolution of the Milky Way.
“These ancient stars in the disk suggest that the formation of the Milky Way's thin disk began much earlier than previously thought, around 4 to 5 billion years ago,” Dr Nepal said.
“This study also reveals that the Galaxy underwent intense star formation early on, leading to rapid metal enrichment in its inner regions and the formation of a disk.”
“This discovery brings the Milky Way's disk formation timeline into line with that of high-redshift galaxies observed with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA).”
“This shows that cold disks can form and stabilize very early in the history of the universe, providing new insights into the evolution of galaxies.”
“Our study suggests that the Milky Way's thin disk may have formed much earlier than previously thought and that its formation is closely linked to an early chemical enrichment in the innermost regions of the galaxy,” said Dr Cristina Chiappini, astronomer at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam.
“The combination of data from different sources and the application of advanced machine learning techniques has allowed us to increase the number of stars with high-quality stellar parameters, which is an important step leading our team to these new insights.”
Samir Nepal others2024. Discovery of local counterparts of disk galaxies at z > 4: The oldest thin disk in the Milky Way using Gaia-RVS. A&Ain press; arXiv: 2402.00561
TThe business casual revolution of the 1990s and the rise of the tech billionaires in the early 2000s are said to have ushered in a new era of liberating employees from the shackles of dress codes. Mark Zuckerberg transformed the hoodie and jeans into a symbol of the new economy meritocracy, the uniform of genius hackers that would shake up the traditional industrial coat-and-tie aesthetic of the East. In the digital economy, many imagined, the most successful companies would allow their talented employees to wear whatever they wanted while splashing around in colorful ball pools.
But as Facebook engineer Carlos Bueno wrote in a 2014 blog post: Inside the MiratocracyIn the 1960s, we simply replaced the rigid dress code with a slightly less rigid one. The new world is actually not so free. The cognitive dissonance is clear in the faces of recruiters who pretend that clothing is no big deal, yet are clearly disappointed when they show up to an interview in a dark worsted business suit. “You are expected to conform to the rules of your culture before you can demonstrate your true worth,” Bueno writes. “What wearing a suit actually signals, and I don't mean this as a myth, is non-conformism, one of the most serious sins.”
As the rich get fabulously rich, they seem to become even more determined to look as plain as possible.
This reality was on full display earlier this month at the Sun Valley Conference, better known as “summer camp for billionaires.” Since the tradition began in 1984, organizers have been gathering the wealthiest and most influential people for the multi-day conference. A treasure trove of top CEOs, tech entrepreneurs, billionaire investors, media moguls, and more convene at the invitation-only meeting to privately decide the future of the world.
This year's attendees included Jeff Bezos, who continues his incredible transformation from nerd to muscle man. Looking like a successful SoulCycle instructor, he strolled around the resort grounds layered with pearl grey jeans, a skin-tight black T-shirt, and a multitude of colorful bracelets (possibly from the American luxury brand David Yurman).
Jeff Bezos at Amazon's Seattle offices on May 2, 2001, and with his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez at a meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho on July 11, 2024. Composition: AP, Reuters
Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav tried to at least bring some style to the event, donning a brown corduroy trucker jacket, slim-legged blue jeans, smart white sneakers, and a white bandana around his neck. But most of the men in attendance were dressed in scruffy polos, T-shirts, and simple button-down shirts. Billionaire OpenAI CEO Sam Altman looked like he was at freshman orientation in a plain gray T-shirt, blue jeans, and a black backpack slung over each shoulder.
This is not necessarily a bad outfit – many of them are – but one wonders if something has been lost in the move away from coats and ties. A few generations ago, men of this social class would have worn something more visually interesting. In the 1930s, Apparel Arts, a leading men's fashion trade magazine that advises men on how to dress for different environments, recommended the following for resort wear: a navy double-breasted sport coat with a polka-dot scarf and high-waisted trousers in Cannes; a mocha linen beach shirt and wide-cut slacks with self-strap fastenings on the Côte d'Azur; and a white shawl-collar dinner jacket with midnight blue tropical worsted trousers and a white silk dinner shirt for semi-formal evening wear.
The advantage of these clothes is not so much about appearances or elegance, but rather the way they create a unique silhouette. The tailored jacket is particularly useful in this regard. Made from layers of haircloth, canvas, and padding, pad-stitched together and shaped with darts and expert pressing, the tailored jacket creates a flattering V-shape without having one. That silhouette is why Stacey Bendet, founder of fashion company Alice & Olivia, is always the most stylish person at these conferences (this year, she wore flared pants, a long leather coat, giant sunglasses, and a Western-wear hat, each element creating a unique shape). In contrast, Tim Cook's basic polo shirts and slim jeans did little to replicate his physical build.
To me, dressing like this, surrounded by guys in t-shirts and sloppy polo shirts, is pretty funny, and honestly, thank god people like this exist. pic.com/Jaraz4d8XB
In his book Distinction, Pierre Bourdieu correctly recognizes that the notion of “good taste” is merely a habit or taste of the ruling class. He is, of course, not the first to make this observation. In the early 20th century, German sociologist Georg Simmel noted that people often use fashion as a form of class differentiation. According to Simmel, style spreads downward as the working class imitates those deemed socially superior, at which point members of the ruling class move on to another class. But the publication of Distinction in 1979, based on Bourdieu's empirical research from 1963 to 1968, stands out, especially for its understanding of men's style. At the time, the coat and tie was in decline. By the time the book was translated into English in 1984, the suit was drawing its last breath before the rise of casual Fridays, tech entrepreneurs, and remote work would change men's dress forever.
Today's ruling class is hardly inspiring in terms of taste. The preponderance of tech vests replacing navy blazers shows that socioeconomic class still dictates dress habits, even if the style is less appealing. Ironically, while the elite are increasingly dressing like the middle class who go shopping at Whole Foods Market, wealth inequality in the United States has worsened roughly every decade since the 1980s, the last time men were still expected to wear tailored jackets.
To be honest, Jensen Huang was shining: he discovered the power of the jacket, he discovered the uniform (black leather jacket), and also, his tailoring seems pretty good. pic.com/ryjCqD1uaI
If there's a silver lining to all this, it's that the history of clothing in the 20th century is about how influences changed. As the century progressed, men began to receive dress dictates from different social classes, not just those with economic or political power: artists, musicians, and workers. Many of the more provocative fashion moments of this period were about rebellious youth taking a stance of rebellion against the establishment. These included swing kids and hip-hop, bikers, rockers, outlaws, beats and beatniks, modernists and mods, drag and dandies, hippies and bohemians. In recent years, Zuckerberg and Bezos have made an effort to move away from the fleece uniform, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang looks pretty stylish in a head-to-toe black uniform that includes a variety of leather jackets. But for the most part, today it's better to look elsewhere for dress dictates. The ruling class may shape our world, but don't let them shape your outfit.
Chey Eye, a leader in distributed artificial intelligence infrastructure, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Big Energy Investments Inc., a Canadian company specializing in strategic investments in high-performance computing infrastructure. This acquisition is an important step in CeτiAI's strategy to advance the development and accessibility of AI technology.
Strategic acquisitions and enhancements
Following the acquisition, Big Energy Investments, Ltd. acquired an advanced high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure that included five HPC servers equipped with eight NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and two NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches. We have reached a basic agreement to acquire it. These agreements are expected to be signed within the next week and underline our commitment to rapidly increasing our technological capabilities.
This strategic enhancement is critical to the initial deployment of the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network in North America, leveraging the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric to support decentralized AI networks, decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), and Manages and provides computing resources to a variety of other applications. .
Strategic development and pilot implementation
The new HPC infrastructure will support the first North American deployment of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, which manages the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network. The network is designed to provide essential computing resources to a variety of decentralized client networks and is a key component of ceτi AI's broader mission to democratize AI technology through decentralization. The pilot implementation will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the ceτi AI solution, but will also begin revenue generation and accumulation for the CETI token ecosystem.
Roadmap and future plans
Successful integration and demonstration of this infrastructure will set the stage for immediate expansion to data center-scale implementations, significantly scaling up ceτi AI's operational capabilities. The development of the CETI token ecosystem continues and its introduction is the next major milestone in the ceτi AI roadmap.
executive insights
“This acquisition is an important milestone in ceτi AI’s growth trajectory and is consistent with our strategic objectives to strengthen our infrastructure and accelerate the development of decentralized AI technology. By combining our capabilities, we will be able to innovate and expand our reach across North America,” said Dennis Jarvis, CEO of ceτi AI.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding expected future events and anticipated results that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, final procurement and integration of HPC infrastructure, deployment and performance of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, and broader adoption and impact of the CETI token ecosystem. Actual results and results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors.
About ceτi AI
Chey Eye is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through decentralization. cτi AI is committed to innovation and accessibility, developing a globally distributed, high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure designed to empower developers and networks around the world. ceτi AI aims to accelerate the advancement of AI technology by democratizing access to cutting-edge resources, making it more diverse and accessible to everyone. Our mission is not limited to infrastructure development. We are building the foundation for the future of AI, allowing it to grow in ways that benefit all of humanity without sacrificing freedom of choice and expression.
Users can learn more about our mission, technology, and the future we're building, along with the latest updates and community discussions, by visiting:
“MMonopoly is Silicon Valley’s answer to Darth Vader and is “a condition of all successful business,” said Peter Thiel. This aspiration is widely shared by Valley giant Gamman, his new acronym for Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Nvidia. And with the advent of AI, each one’s desire to reach that blessed state before others gets there is even greater.
One sign of their anxiety is that they are spending insane amounts of money on the 70-odd generative AI startups that have proliferated since it became clear that AI was going to be the new thing. Microsoft, for example, reportedly spent $13bn (about £10.4bn) on OpenAI, while leading a $1.3bn funding round for DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleiman’s startup Inflection. He was also an investor. Amazon invested $4 billion in Anthropic, a startup founded by refugees from OpenAI. Google invested $500 million in the same business, he pledged an additional $1.5 billion, and he invested an unknown amount in A121 Labs and Hugging Face.
(Yes, I know the name doesn’t mean anything.) Microsoft also invested in his French AI startup, Mistral. and so on. In 2023, only $9 billion of the $27 billion invested in AI startups was invested. From a venture capitalist company –Until recently, the company was by far the largest funder of emerging technology companies in Silicon Valley.
what’s happening? After all, the big tech companies have their own “fundamental” AI models and don’t need what smaller companies have built or are building. And every penny drops. We’ve seen this strategy before. An existing company discovers and captures potential competitors at an early stage. For example, Google acquired YouTube in his 2006. Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 when it had only 13 employees, and WhatsApp in 2014 (for $19 billion, which seemed an exorbitant amount at the time).
With the 20/20 vision of hindsight, we now see that these were all anti-competitive acquisitions that should have been resisted at the time and were not. That’s why it’s so refreshing to know that at least one regulator, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), seems determined to learn from its history.
in Speech given at a gathering of American antitrust lawyers Just over a week ago in Washington, CMA CEO Sara Cardel called for ensuring the market for fundamental AI models is supported by fair, open and effective competition and strong consumer protections. announced that he had decided to do so. Her concern is that the growing presence of a few large incumbents across the AI value chain (the series of steps required to turn inputs into usable outputs) will undermine competition and limit companies’ options. This meant that there was a possibility that these markets could be formed in a way that degraded quality. and consumers.
She cited three major risks to competition. One is that companies that control critical inputs for developing the underlying model may restrict access to protect themselves from competition. Powerful incumbents may exploit their positions in consumer and business markets to limit competition in model deployment and thereby distort choice. And we believe that partnerships between key players have the potential to strengthen or expand existing market power across the value chain.
He also said the CMA would take action to assess and mitigate competition risks from new technologies through its formidable investigatory powers, including merger control reviews, market investigations and possible designations under new digital competition laws. I warned you.
It was truly amazing to hear a major regulator speak like this about the technology industry. Cardel said the CMA will be a technology industry that believes in being proactive and (as is often said) moving quickly to break things, rather than waiting for problems to arise before acting. He suggested that he would try to stay ahead of the big players rather than lag behind them. He said the CMA is already preparing for this task based on what it has learned so far from adapting to technology platforms. Rather than focusing only on individual parts of the chain, the value of AI model deploymenthe aims to look at the entire chain holistically. It also plans to use its merger review powers more aggressively to assess the impact of alliances and AI investments on competition.
Isn’t that exciting? But in some ways it is no surprise as it is one of the few British institutions that seems able to use the post-Brexit freedoms as an opportunity for creativity and innovation. And bigwigs who are tempted to dismiss Cardel’s speech as mere fiery rhetoric should reflect on the CMA’s recent track record. A thorough investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, for example; or how Meta forced the sale of Giphy, an online database and search engine that allows users to find and share animated GIF files. Cardel may be lower profile than her U.S. FTC counterpart Lina Khan, but it’s clear she means business. People with strong possessiveness should be careful.
Chey Eye, a leader in distributed artificial intelligence infrastructure, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Big Energy Investments Inc., a Canadian company specializing in strategic investments in high-performance computing infrastructure. This acquisition is an important step in CeτiAI's strategy to advance the development and accessibility of AI technology.
Strategic acquisitions and enhancements
Following the acquisition, Big Energy Investments, Ltd. has an advanced high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure that includes five HPC servers equipped with eight NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and two NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches. We have reached a basic agreement to acquire it. These agreements are expected to be signed within the next week and underline our commitment to rapidly increasing our technological capabilities.
This strategic enhancement is critical to the initial deployment of the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network in North America, leveraging the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric to support decentralized AI networks, decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), and Manages and provides computing resources to a variety of other applications. .
Strategic development and pilot implementation
The new HPC infrastructure will support the first North American deployment of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, which manages the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network. The network is designed to provide essential computing resources to a variety of decentralized client networks and is a key component of ceτi AI's broader mission to democratize AI technology through decentralization. The pilot implementation will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the ceτi AI solution, but will also begin revenue generation and accumulation for the CETI token ecosystem.
Roadmap and future plans
Successful integration and demonstration of this infrastructure will set the stage for immediate expansion to data center-scale implementations, significantly scaling up ceτi AI's operational capabilities. The development of the CETI token ecosystem continues and its introduction is the next major milestone in the ceτi AI roadmap.
executive insights
“This acquisition is an important milestone in ceτi AI's growth trajectory and is consistent with our strategic objectives to strengthen our infrastructure and accelerate the development of decentralized AI technology. Big Energy Investments' resources and By combining our capabilities, we will be able to innovate and expand our reach across North America,” said Dennis Jarvis, CEO of ceτi AI.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding expected future events and anticipated results that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, final procurement and integration of HPC infrastructure, deployment and performance of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, and broader adoption and impact of the CETI token ecosystem. Actual results and results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors.
About ceτi AI
Chey Eye is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through decentralization. ceτi AI is committed to innovation and accessibility, developing a globally distributed, high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure designed to empower developers and networks around the world. ceτi AI aims to accelerate the advancement of AI technology by democratizing access to cutting-edge resources, making it more diverse and accessible to everyone. Our mission is not limited to infrastructure development. We are building the foundation for the future of AI, allowing it to grow in ways that benefit all of humanity without sacrificing freedom of choice and expression.
Users can learn more about our mission, technology, and the future we're building, along with the latest updates and community discussions, by visiting:
○On April 6, Maryland passed the first “Kids Code” bill in the US. The bill is designed to protect children from predatory data collection and harmful design features by tech companies. Vermont’s final public hearing on the Kids Code bill took place on April 11th. This bill is part of a series of proposals to address the lack of federal regulations protecting minors online, making state legislatures a battleground. Some Silicon Valley tech companies are concerned that these restrictions could impact business and free speech.
These measures, known as the Age-Appropriate Design Code or Kids Code bill, require enhanced data protection for underage online users and a complete ban on social media for certain age groups. The bill unanimously passed both the Maryland House and Senate.
Nine states, including Maryland, Vermont, Minnesota, Hawaii, Illinois, South Carolina, New Mexico, and Nevada, have introduced bills to improve online safety for children. Minnesota’s bill advanced through a House committee in February.
During public hearings, lawmakers in various states accused tech company lobbyists of deception. Maryland’s bill faced opposition from tech companies who spent $250,000 lobbying against it without success.
Carl Szabo, from the tech industry group NetChoice, testified before the Maryland state Senate as a concerned parent. Lawmakers questioned his ties to the industry during the hearing.
Tech giants have been lobbying in multiple states to pass online safety laws. In Maryland, these companies spent over $243,000 in lobbying fees in 2023. Google, Amazon, and Apple were among the top spenders according to state disclosures.
The bill mandates tech companies to implement measures safeguarding children’s online experiences and assess the privacy implications of their data practices. Companies must also provide clear privacy settings and tools to help children and parents navigate online privacy rights and concerns.
Critics are concerned that the methods used by tech companies to determine children’s ages could lead to privacy violations.
Supporters argue that social media companies should not require identification uploads from users who already have their age information. NetChoice suggests digital literacy education and safety measures as alternatives.
During a discussion on child safety legislation, a NetChoice director emphasized parental control over regulation, citing low adoption rates of parental monitoring tools on platforms like Snapchat and Discord.
NetChoice has proposed bipartisan legislation to enhance child safety online, emphasizing police resources for combating child exploitation. Critics argue that tech companies should be more proactive in ensuring child safety instead of relying solely on parents and children.
Opposition from tech companies has been significant in all state bills, with representatives accused of hiding their affiliations during public hearings on child safety legislation.
State bills are being revised based on lessons learned from California, where similar legislation faced legal challenges and opposition from companies like NetChoice. While some tech companies emphasize parental control and education, critics argue for more accountability from these companies in ensuring child safety online.
Recent scrutiny of Meta products for their negative impact on children’s well-being has raised concerns about the company’s role in online safety. Some industry experts believe that tech companies like Meta should be more transparent and proactive in protecting children online.
The virtual currency market has been in a bullish trend recently, and BEFE among Pepecoin and Shiba Inu is not left behind. These cryptocurrencies are currently in a bull market, with investors worried they may have missed a meteor.
Befe, a meme coin inspired by Pepe Coin’s frog meme. This cryptocurrency will debut on the market in November 2023, following in the footsteps of SHIBA INU and PEPE coins. Here, we explore the upward trajectory of BEFE coin, which shows success like PEPE coin and SHIBA INU.
BEFE coin price soaring
As of this writing, the price of BEFE meme coin is $0.0004294. This price shows a positive trajectory of +5.63% for the day.
BEFE/USDT price on March 20th 17:33 UTC (Image source: TradingView)
According to the data, the coin has been trading with a volume of $375,104.19 in the past 24 hours, giving it a market cap of $43.76 million. coin market cap.
Although the bull market is still in its infancy, this token has taken center stage among other tokens that have hit new highs over the past few weeks.
What’s behind BEFE’s price hike?
One of the factors driving BEFE’s recent price movement is the bullish market in Pepecoin and Shiba Inu Bitcoin. Bitcoin’s bull run has caused turmoil throughout the crypto industry and has had ripple effects on several other cryptocurrencies, including BEFE.
Another factor contributing to the bull market is its simplicity and cross-platform trading ability. Befe Technology infrastructure.
Future price prediction
BEFE’s market performance speaks volumes compared to PEPE Coin and SHIBA INU due to the significant price increase in recent months. This coin currently has high buy market sentiment similar to Pepe Coin and Shiba Inu. Experts predict that the cryptocurrency is poised for explosive growth similar to what was seen in the past with Pepecoin and Shiba Inu.
However, this futuristic price trajectory is based on factual market trends, not just a fad. Moreover, BEFE holders and investors expect this coin to be listed on Binance next to Pepecoin and Shiba Inu in the near future.
From Meme to Mainstream
BEFE Crypto goes beyond classic meme coin speculation and is no longer just a meme coin. This token combines purpose and utility, a unique combination that sets it apart from PEPE Coin and SHIBA INU. Due to this, virtual currencies are attracting a lot of attention among investors.
If you’re considering investing in Pepe Coin, Shiba Inu or BEFE cryptocurrencies, it’s not just a matter of buying due to the hype. That means investing in cryptocurrencies that promise high performance in the market, whether it’s Pepecoin, Shiba Inu, or BEFE. But always do a DYOR before investing.
You could argue that LIFE is like a long game of blackjack. A common version of this is that each person is first dealt her two playing cards. The goal is to increase your hand to 21, or as close to this as possible without bursting. Players can either “stick” with their existing hand or “twist” it by requesting that they be dealt another card to add to their total. Of course, going over 21 risks being eliminated.
This may sound far from an everyday choice, but many of the most important decisions in our lives end up in dilemmas like this. Should I stay like this or should I take the plunge and move house? Should you keep your job or start your own business? Should you put up with an unsatisfactory relationship, or try your hand at love another time? In each case, we have to weigh the safety of what we have against riskier but potentially more valuable alternatives.
The uncertainty inherent in these dilemmas causes many of us to become paralyzed and stagnant in our analysis, ending up staying where we are and not giving ourselves a chance to win big. In contrast, some people are easily swayed by the lure of new things. They quickly turn to gambling until they lose everything due to impulsive behavior. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, help may be on the way. Thanks to a greater understanding of our underlying cognitive biases and how to escape them, we now have evidence-based strategies to think more rationally about these challenges, so we can put our lives on the line. Playing the game gives us the most benefit.
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As we were chopping garlic and herbs at Burning Man, we met Gabriel Metcalf, an urban planner hired to design a new city in California with the backing of a tech billionaire. new york times
The mystery of who was secretly buying up more than 50,000 acres of farmland in Solano County, about 80 miles northeast of San Francisco, has just been uncovered.
The buyers included Silicon Valley investors who were committed to ambitious plans for a new “California Dream” city with walkable neighborhoods, climate-friendly infrastructure, green energy jobs, and affordable housing. It turns out that the list includes celebrities.
Many people are deeply suspicious of tech elites throwing money around thinking they can solve everything. And the way California Forever, an investor-backed company, secretly bought up nearly $1 billion worth of land without the knowledge of local residents or officials, also discouraged people from getting excited about the project. In the months since the project was announced, residents, officials and environmentalists have raised serious questions about the feasibility of turning rural land into a bustling city.
I followed up with Metcalfe to see if what sounded like a bold vision when shared in a pop-up city in the Nevada desert actually makes sense in the real world. . Metcalf, who comes across as more of a pragmatic urban design geek than a Silicon Valley techie, admits he understands where the skeptics are coming from.
“This has never been done before, at least not in this way or on this scale. There's a lot of work to do to get people on board and understand the vision,” he said over coffee in San Francisco's Dogpatch district. he said while drinking. “We're not proposing a utopia. We're just proposing a city. We're not claiming that this will solve all your problems. But this is another tool. I would argue that it can be helpful.”
Farmland in rural Solano County, California. Counties where California Forever wants to build.
Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP
California faces difficult housing issues that Metcalf, a respected urban planner, believes can only be addressed through bold action.
Metcalf ran Spar, a San Francisco-based urban planning think tank, for a decade and a half, where he advocated for building more cities. public housingways to address the region's housing crisis include increasing public transportation and increasing the minimum wage.
The pursuit of profits from artificial intelligence by big technology companies is reckless. Urgent action is necessary to mitigate the risks from this rapidly growing sector, the UN chief has warned.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a scathing attack on technology multinationals during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. He stated that each advance in generative AI has heightened the threat of unintended consequences.
Guterres connected the risks related to AI to those posed by the climate crisis, highlighting that the international community lacks a strategy to address either issue.
During the WEF in Switzerland, the UN Secretary-General appealed to technology industry representatives in the audience to collaborate with governments in establishing guardrails for AI.
He referred to a warning in an IMF report, saying, “This technology has great potential for sustainable development, but it is very likely to exacerbate inequality.”
Guterres argued that influential technology companies are prioritizing profits without regard for human rights, personal privacy, and social impact.
While tech companies claim to have preventive measures in place to stop AI from being used for crime or other nefarious purposes, Guterres insisted that more action is necessary, urging governments and international organizations such as the United Nations to play a role in ensuring that AI is a force for good.
He emphasized the need for governments to work with technology companies to develop a risk management framework for current AI developments and to monitor and mitigate future damage, as well as to increase access to AI to bridge the digital divide.
Sam Altman, an executive at OpenAichief, highlighted the requirement for energy breakthroughs to meet the future demands of AI. He underlined the need for climate-friendly energy sources such as nuclear fusion, cheap solar power, and storage.
Guterres also criticized fossil fuel companies for impeding progress on climate change and stressed the importance of phasing out fossil fuels for a just and equitable transition to renewable energy.
In summary, Guterres highlighted the need for a significant global strategy to address the threats posed by climate change and uncontrolled AI.
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