Tag Archives: operations

NASA Mars Spacecraft May Have Ceased Operations in Orbit

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For nearly a month, NASA has been striving to reestablish communication with the MAVEN probe, which unexpectedly went silent while orbiting Mars.

The space agency lost contact with the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft on December 6. Despite efforts to restore connectivity, mission controllers believe the spacecraft was spinning erratically based on data received that day.

NASA plans to make another attempt to revive MAVEN on January 16 due to Mars and Earth being positioned on opposite sides of the sun, which has caused significant communication delays.

Unfortunately, the prognosis is concerning for one of NASA’s flagship missions.

Since its entry into orbit around Mars in 2014, the MAVEN spacecraft has been instrumental in studying the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere, including the ionosphere, and understanding how Mars has lost its atmosphere over billions of years. MAVEN also facilitates communications among two rovers on the Martian surface, Curiosity and Perseverance, and Earth.

NASA has been unable to contact MAVEN since December 6, a day when the agency experienced a “loss of signal” while the spacecraft was behind Mars. This situation generally leads to routine communication interruptions, but MAVEN failed to reestablish contact when it emerged from behind the planet.

NASA announced it is investigating the situation. In a statement from December 9, few specifics were given, although mission controllers reported that all subsystems were functioning correctly before the spacecraft passed behind Mars.

After about a week, NASA updated that they had not received communications from MAVEN since December 4 but did retrieve a snippet of tracking data from December 6.

The findings were alarming. “Analysis of that signal suggests that the MAVEN spacecraft was rotating unexpectedly as it emerged from behind Mars,” NASA officials stated in a statement.

NASA employs a global network of radio antennas known as the Deep Space Network to issue commands to MAVEN and monitor incoming signals. On December 16 and 20, attempts were made to capture images of MAVEN in orbit using instruments aboard NASA’s Curiosity rover.

Meanwhile, mission controllers are diligently analyzing the last set of recovered tracking data. NASA reported on December 23 that they were trying to piece together a timeline to understand the issue. Additional details were not disclosed in a comment request, but the agency referred to the December 23 update.

Originally, the MAVEN mission was intended to last just two years, yet it has been operational for more than a decade. In 2024, NASA celebrated a decade since MAVEN began orbiting Mars.

By examining Mars’ atmospheric loss, MAVEN has provided insights into the planet’s past and present climate, illustrating its transformation from a potentially habitable environment with liquid water to the cold, desolate world it is today.

MAVEN is one of three NASA spacecraft currently orbiting Mars. The agency also operates the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, and Mars Odyssey, launched in 2001.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Maximize Metal Resources for Clean Energy Without New Mining Operations

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Open-pit mining at the Kennecott Copper Mine, also referred to as the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah

Witold Skrypczak/Alamy

The leftover ore discarded by the rice mines is rich in vital minerals. This resource is sufficient to furnish all the necessary components for clean energy technologies. By reclaiming a portion of these minerals, we can satisfy the country’s rising demand for green energy without relying on imports or creating new environmentally-friendly mines, although the process of extraction poses its own challenges.

“We must enhance our utilization of mining resources,” states Elizabeth Holly from the Colorado School of Mines.

Traditionally, most individual mines concentrate on extracting a limited range of minerals, such as copper and gold. This involves excavating and grinding the ore, followed by separating the primary product through various metallurgical processes. Ultimately, the residue is discarded as tailings. “It’s pointless to mine if we’re not utilizing all the resources,” says Holly.

These byproducts often contain additional valuable materials, including many crucial minerals identified by the US government as essential for military and energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. However, certain supply chains for these minerals are controlled by China, raising urgent concerns for the US and its allies, prompting a search for alternative mineral sources, including mining byproducts and tailings.

Yet, many mining operations lack a clear understanding of what they are discarding. “Numerous minerals that are now deemed critical were seldom employed in the past, so they weren’t analyzed for recovery,” remarks Holly.


Holly and her colleagues examined thousands of ore samples and production data from mines across the US. They utilized this information to project the quantity of additional minerals that could be retrieved from 54 active hard rock metal mines should new purification steps be implemented.

In some cases, it was found that only 1% of the minerals contained in mining byproducts were recoverable. Other minerals necessitated recovery rates in the 10-90% range to replace imports. Additionally, certain metals, such as gold, platinum, and palladium, still require imports, even though 100% recovery is achievable from byproducts.

These findings imply that the US could fulfill the growing demand for critical minerals without the need for new mines, according to Holly. This strategy would help secure a stable supply chain and mitigate the environmental impacts of mining. “It makes more sense to optimize what we’re already mining,” she asserts.

According to Brian McNulty from the University of British Columbia in Canada, this presents “a significant opportunity,” although further research is required to transform estimates of mineral amounts into actual recoverable quantities. “We hope to not only engage government but also industry, encouraging a more thorough assessment of our mining practices,” he comments.

Identifying the whereabouts of these minerals isn’t the only challenge. Current purification technologies do not cater well to these small, complicated waste streams, and deploying the necessary technology is prohibitively expensive for many US mines. Megan O’Connor, from NTH Cycle, which specializes in extracting vital minerals from unconventional sources, highlights this issue.

Mines may also hesitate to invest in new mineral extraction methods when future demand remains uncertain. Whether concerning electric vehicle batteries or solar panels, “technological advancements occur significantly faster than changes in mining practices,” notes McNulty.

Despite skepticism regarding renewable energy, the Trump administration prioritized US mineral production as a key aspect of its agenda. Recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $1 billion in funding for unconventional mining initiatives, including $250 million aimed at mineral recovery from mining byproducts.

A spokesperson from the DOE asserts that the tailings at these mines represent “a significant opportunity within the nation” and could assist the United States in diversifying its sources of critical minerals and materials.

Nonetheless, this does not diminish support for new mines, as stated by the agency’s executive director, P. Wells Griffith III, during a DOE strategy workshop on August 20th. “We should never apologize for modern lifestyles and our abundant natural resources,” he affirmed.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Microwave Technology: A Game Changer for Mining Operations

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Nickel West, Australia, is among various mines that can use microwaves for CO2 storage in waste.

BHP

Mining produces billions of tons of waste rock annually. By reacting these unused rock piles with carbon dioxide, we can potentially eliminate considerable amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The current technique, however, involves burning fossil fuels to heat rocks to high temperatures. Our findings suggest that activating carbon removal could allow these rocks to require less energy when reacting with CO2.

“It’s akin to microwave popcorn,” says Shawn Laurie, a technology developer at Arca, Canada. Instead of heating the entire rock, microwaves target specific molecules. This mechanism differs from how kitchen microwaves pop corn by heating water within the kernel.

Rocks serve to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, mitigating emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Some projects enhance rock weathering by spreading crushed volcanic rocks on farms, which mineralize CO2 as they dissolve. Others inject CO2 into similar underground rocks. Numerous companies, including ARCA, are focused on utilizing mine tailings from extracting metals like nickel and chromium.

These metals frequently arise from ores rich in magnesium-bearing serpentine, which reacts with CO2. According to an analysis by ARCA, approximately 28 billion tons of such tailings exist globally, with 3 billion tons produced each year. They estimate that current tailings can store up to 8.7 billion tons of CO2, roughly equivalent to two years’ worth of U.S. emissions.

However, serpentine does not react quickly under normal surface pressures and temperatures. Heating rocks to elevated temperatures significantly enhances their reactivity and accelerates CO2 mineralization. Yet, this process usually necessitates the burning of fossil fuels to generate heat.

Utilizing microwaves to heat the rocks brings various advantages, asserts Peter Schuman from Arca. Instead of burning fuel for heat, this method relies on clean electricity, using less energy than conventional heating. Additionally, the treatment time for rocks is significantly shorter. This potentially enables mining companies to incorporate microwave processes into tailing treatments or even utilize them as standalone systems, he notes.

An application for a patent from the company reveals that Schuman and his Arca colleagues have successfully treated serpentine with microwaves for several minutes, enhancing their reactivity to CO2, inducing chemical changes, and consuming less energy than traditional heat treatment.

“By energizing the rock, you break the bonds within that structure and release magnesium,” states Scheuermann, which then reacts with CO2. Treated serpentine has been shown to react with significantly higher amounts of CO2 than untreated rocks, mineralizing the gas at an accelerated rate.

“The improvements they demonstrate are quite remarkable,” comments Raphael Santos, who reviewed the patent application at the University of Guelph, Canada. However, he notes that it’s challenging to ascertain from the documentation alone the exact quantity of serpentine treated by microwaves and how these results might translate to practical scenarios.

Scheuermann has not specified the exact amounts expected from microwave treatment in terms of CO2 capture in serpentine but mentions, “It’s a tremendous increase—by several orders of magnitude in both reaction rate and capacity.”

Currently, the company is only testing its approach in the lab and has yet to sell any of its 700 tons of CO2 removal. However, Scheuermann indicates that the scaled-up process would include supplying rocks through a chute or conveyor belt. Additionally, they have developed an autonomous rover designed to mix the tailings for optimal air exposure. Once the reaction concludes, a fresh layer of tailings is applied.

“This preprocessing using microwaves significantly enhances the likelihood of CO2 storage,” states Quin Miller from the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Washington. “It’s promising,” he adds, noting that the treatment process also aids in extracting nickel, an essential metal for battery production, from the rocks.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Surgical Robots Advance Closer to Complete Autonomy in Operations

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Surgical Robot Operating on Deceased Pigs

Juo-Tung Chen/Johns Hopkins University

The AI-driven robot successfully extracted the gallbladder from a deceased pig, marking a pivotal achievement in machine-assisted surgery with minimal human involvement.

This sophisticated robot features a dual-layer AI system trained using 17 hours of surgical video, which encompasses 16,000 movements performed by human surgeons. During operation, the first layer of the AI observes the endoscopic video and generates clear verbal instructions like “clip the second duct,” while the second layer translates these directives into precise three-dimensional tool movements.

In total, the gallbladder procedure involved 17 distinct tasks, of which the robotic system executed 8 with a flawless success rate.

“While current surgical robotics technology has indeed made certain procedures less invasive, the complication rate hasn’t actually decreased compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery performed by humans,” states Axel Krieger from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. “This research paves the way for the next generation of robotic systems beneficial to both patients and surgeons.”

“This investigation shines a light on the vast potential of AI and surgical robotics,” adds Danail Stoyanov from University College London. “Remarkable strides in computer vision for surgical footage, alongside accessible robotic platforms for research, will empower us to advance surgical automation.”

Nonetheless, Stoyanov points out that significant challenges remain before the system can be applied in clinical settings.

For instance, although the robot achieved a 100% success rate in completing its tasks, it needed to self-correct six times per procedure. This could involve a gripper that initially missed the artery during its attempt.

“There were numerous instances where self-corrections were necessary, all autonomously executed,” remarks Krieger. “It effectively identifies initial errors and rectifies them.” The robot also requested a human operator to swap one of its surgical instruments for another, indicating that some human intervention was still required.

Ferdinand Rodriguez Y. Baena from Imperial College London emphasizes the promising future of robotic surgery. “The horizon looks bright—and tantalizingly close,” he asserts. “To ensure the safety of human applications, regulatory measures must also evolve.”

The next phase involves enabling the robot to operate autonomously on living animals, where factors like respiration and bleeding could introduce complexities.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Harnessing AI: How Terrorist Organizations Like the Islamic State Fund and Adapt Their Operations

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Counterterrorism officials have long assessed their approach to the utilization of terrorist organizations alongside digital tools and social media platforms, often likening their efforts to a whac-a-mole scenario.

Groups like the Islamic State and neo-Nazi organizations such as The Base harness digital tools to covertly gather finances, obtain 3D-printed weaponry, and disseminate these resources among their followers.

Over time, thwarting attacks and preserving an upper hand over such terrorist factions has progressed as more open-source resources have become accessible.

Currently, with artificial intelligence rapidly evolving, and now freely available as an app, security agents are in a race against time.

A source acquainted with the U.S. government’s counterterrorism initiatives informed the Guardian that several security agencies are deeply worried about how AI enhances the operational efficiency of hostile groups. The FBI refrained from commenting on the situation.

“Our research accurately forecasted the trends we are witnessing. Terrorists are leveraging AI to expedite their existing strategies rather than reinventing their operational frameworks,” remarks Adam Hadley, the founder and executive director of Tech Against Terrorism, an online counter-terrorism watchdog. He references the UN Anti-Terrorism Commission Secretariat (CTED).

“Future dangers encompass the potential for terrorists to utilize AI for rapid app and website development, essentially amplifying threats associated with pre-existing technologies rather than introducing entirely new categories of risk.”

So far, groups like IS and affiliated organizations have started to amplify their recruitment propaganda across diverse media formats, utilizing AI technologies such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This poses a more immediate risk as numerous sectors of employment prepare for potential upheavals, benefiting some of the wealthiest individuals globally while complicating public safety issues.

“Consider breaking news from the Islamic State. Today, it can be converted into an audio format,” states Mustafa Ayad, executive director for Africa, the Middle East, and Asia at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. “We’ve observed supporters establishing groups to bolster their efforts, and we also have a photo array generated in the center.”

Ayad continues, aligning with Hadley’s insights: “Much of AI’s impact enables pre-existing methods. It also enhances their propaganda and distribution capabilities, which is critically significant.”

The Islamic State is not merely curious about AI; it actively acknowledges the potential benefits it offers, even providing encrypted channels with a “Guide to AI Tools and Risks” for its supporters. A recent propaganda magazine elaborates on the future of AI and the necessity for the group to incorporate it into their operations.

“It’s become crucial for everyone to understand the intricacies of AI, irrespective of their field,” the article states. “[AI] is evolving into more than just technology; it is becoming a driving force in warfare.” The writer even posits that AI services could serve as “digital advisors” and “research assistants” for any member of the organization.

Within the perpetually active chat rooms used for communication among followers and recruits, discussions are emerging on various ways AI could be utilized as a resource, though some remain cautious. One user queried whether it was safe to use ChatGPT for “explosives practices,” expressing uncertainty about whether authorities were monitoring the platform. Privacy concerns have surfaced as chatbots are increasingly utilized.

“Are there any alternatives?” an online participant asked among supporters in the same chat room. “Ensure safety.”

However, another participant discovered a method to evade attention during monitoring. By omitting schematics and instructions for creating a “basic blueprint for remote vehicle prototypes using ChatGPT,” they shifted focus. Truck ramming has emerged as a tactic in recent assaults, as well as for followers and operatives. In March, an IS-linked account released a video featuring AI-generated bomb-making tutorials utilizing avatars for crafting recipes from household materials.

Far-right entities are similarly drawn to AI. Advising followers on creating misinformation memes, such as graphic content featuring Adolf Hitler.

Ayad emphasized that some of these AI-powered tools are advantageous for terrorist groups in enhancing their operational security, enabling them to communicate securely without attracting undue scrutiny.

Terrorist organizations continually strive to maximize and adapt digital spaces for their advancement, with AI representing the latest example. Since June 2014, when IS first commanded global attention amid dramatic live-tweeted accounts of mass executions in Mosul, they have undergone significant cyber operations. Following the establishment of their so-called caliphate, there was an organized response by both government entities and Silicon Valley to mitigate online presences. Western intelligence agencies have increasingly focused on encrypted messaging applications, particularly where 3D-printed firearms can be located, for surveillance and policing efforts.

Nonetheless, recent reductions in comprehensive global counterterrorism initiatives, including some from U.S. agencies, have undermined these efforts.

“The more urgent weakness lies in the deteriorating counterterrorism infrastructure,” Hadley remarked. “Standards have considerably declined as platforms and governments divert focus from this critical domain.”

Hadley is advocating for improved “content moderation” concerning AI-enabled materials, pressing companies like Meta and OpenAI to “enhance current mechanisms such as hash sharing and traditional detection methods.”

“Our vulnerabilities do not stem from new AI capabilities, but rather from the reduced resilience against established terrorist activities online,” he concluded.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Russia-led Cybercrime Network Taken Down in Global Operations

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Cybercrime investigators from Europe and North America have announced the dismantling of a major malware operation run by Russian criminals, following extensive collaboration with law enforcement agencies from the UK, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the US.

International arrest warrants have been issued for 20 suspects, with charges against 16 individuals sealed by European investigators based in Russia.

According to reports, the operation also involves the infamous Qakbot and Danabot malware leaders, Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov, 48, known as Jimmbee, and Artem Aleksandrovich Kalinkin, 34, known as Onix, as stated by the US Department of Justice.

Cyberattacks aimed at government destabilization, financial theft, or phishing emails are becoming increasingly severe. Recently, high street retailer Marks & Spencer fell victim to such an attack in the UK.

The Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), led by the German crime agency, has launched a public appeal to locate 18 suspects allegedly linked to the Qakbot malware family as well as another malware known as Trickbot.

The BKA and its international partners report that many of the suspects are Russian nationals. Among them is Vitalii Nikolayevich Kovalev, 36, who has already been indicted in the US, and is among the BKA’s most wanted individuals.

Kovalev is believed to be behind the Conti group, which is regarded as one of the most sophisticated and organized ransomware syndicates. German investigators describe him as “one of the most notorious and successful email attackers in the history of cybercrime.”

Using aliases like Stern and Ben, the BKA alleges he has targeted hundreds of companies globally, extracting significant ransom payments.

Kovalev, 36, originally from Volgorod, is thought to reside in Moscow, where several companies are registered under his name. In 2023, US investigators identified him as a member of Trickbot.

Authorities also believe he leads other criminal groups, including Conti, Royal, and Blacksuit (established in 2022). His reported Cryptowallet holds approximately 1 billion euros.

The BKA, along with its international partners, has determined that there is enough evidence to issue 20 arrest warrants for 37 individuals involved.

A US law firm in California has sealed the details of charges against 16 defendants accused of “developing and deploying Danabot malware.”

The criminal activities targeting victims’ computers have been “managed and executed” by Russia-based cybercriminal organizations, which have infected over 300,000 computers globally, with significant incidents reported in the United States, Australia, Poland, India, and Italy.

The malware was advertised on a Russian criminal forum and has been linked to “espionage activities aimed at military, diplomatic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations.”

As a result of this variant, separate servers have been established for storing data stolen from these victims, presumably in the Russian Federation.

In Europe, the BKA’s most wanted list includes Roman Mikhailovich Procop, a 36-year-old Russian-speaking Ukrainian, who is suspected to be associated with Qakbot.

Operation Endgame was initiated by German authorities in 2022. BKA President Holger Münch has stated that Germany is a significant target for cybercriminals.

The BKA is specifically investigating the alleged involvement of suspects in gang-related activities and commercial terrorism, along with their association with transnational criminal organizations.

Between 2010 and 2022, the Conti Group primarily targeted US hospitals, with a noticeable increase in attacks during the COVID pandemic. US authorities have offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to their capture.

Most suspects are believed to be operating within Russia, though some may also be active in Dubai. While Münch noted that extradition to Europe or the US is unlikely, their identities remain crucial in the ongoing investigations.

“We have once again demonstrated that our strategy can be effective even in the anonymous darknets with Operation Endgame 2.0.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Out of Touch”: US Tech Firm Cuts Jobs and Halts Global IT Operations to Implement AI

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The cybersecurity firm that gained notoriety last year for causing a significant global IT outage has revealed plans to partially reduce its workforce by 5% citing “AI efficiency.”

In a memo to employees earlier this week, CEO George Kurtz, who was released to the US stock market, stated that 500 jobs, or 5% of the total workforce, would be eliminated globally due to AI advancements created by businesses.

“We are at a pivotal point in the market and technology, where AI is transforming every sector, accelerating threats, and changing customer demands,” he explained.

Kurtz emphasized that AI “will streamline the adoption process and enable quicker innovation from concepts to products,” adding that it “enhances efficiency in both front and back offices.”


“AI acts as a force multiplier across the enterprise,” he added.

Other factors contributing to the layoffs include the need for sustainable market growth and expanded product lines.

The company anticipates incurring costs of up to USD 53 million due to the job reductions.

CrowdStrike reported a revenue of USD 1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a 25% increase from the same period in 2024, despite a loss of USD 92 million.

Last July, CrowdStrike unintentionally promoted an erroneous software update intended to detect cybersecurity threats, which affected 8.5 million Windows systems globally.

The incident caused widespread disruption, impacting airports, hospitals, television networks, payment systems, and individual computers.

Aaron McCann, VP of research and advisory at Gartner, expressed skepticism regarding claims of AI efficiencies amid declining revenue forecasts, as seen with CrowdStrike in March.

“I view it as a justification for workforce reductions, particularly in tech. It’s fundamentally a financial decision,” he remarked, expressing immediate skepticism.

McEwan noted that firms are under pressure to justify significant investments made in AI.

“The productivity improvements we anticipated from AI are not materializing.”


Gartner’s survey indicates that fewer than 50% of employees utilize AI in their roles, with only 8% employing AI tools to boost productivity.

Toby Walsh, a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of New South Wales, described CrowdStrike’s announcement as “somewhat alarming” following last year’s suspension.

“They would be more effective by reallocating these 5% of employees to emergency responses and bug fixes,” he advised.

Walsh suggested that the market should brace itself for more such announcements in the future.

“It’s straightforward. Increased profits for companies, fewer jobs for workers. We should learn from the first industrial revolution. By uniting, we could use these savings to enhance the quality and quantity of work for everyone.”

Niusha Shafiabady, an associate professor of computational intelligence at the Australian Catholic University, stated that AI-induced job displacement is an “inevitable reality.”

“Even with good intentions, this transformation will occur. Regrettably, many will lose their traditional roles due to AI and technology,” she remarked.

“If companies can save costs by leveraging AI and technology, they will do so, resulting in job losses. This is the stark reality.”

The 2023 World Economic Forum report predicted that AI and other macroeconomic factors would affect nearly 23% of jobs globally within five years. While 69 million jobs are expected to be created, 83 million are projected to be eliminated, leading to a net decline of 2%, according to Shafiabady.

McEwan asserted that companies, especially in high-tech sectors, are exploring ways to gradually reduce their workforce through AI.

“I firmly believe that companies are emerging that can effectively shrink their workforce thanks to AI,” he noted.

“It largely depends on the type of product being sold. However, most companies at this juncture would benefit more from enhancing their workforce rather than using AI as a replacement.”

Has your job been lost to AI? Please reach out at josh.taylor@theguardian.com

Source: www.theguardian.com

OpenAI Appoints Instacart CEOs to Oversee Business and Operations

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OpenAI announced late Wednesday that it has appointed Fidji Simo, the former CEO of Instacart, to lead its business and operations team.

In a blog post, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman stated he will continue to serve as the head of the company. Simo’s new role as application chief executive will allow Altman to focus on other critical aspects of the organization, such as research, computing, and safety systems.

“We have transformed into a global product company that serves hundreds of millions of users and grows rapidly,” Altman mentioned in his blog. He also noted that OpenAI has evolved into an “infrastructure company” delivering AI tools at scale.

“Each of these initiatives represents a significant endeavor that could stand alone as a large enterprise,” he wrote. “Attracting exceptional leaders is crucial for doing this effectively.”

Simo, who is on OpenAI’s board, will oversee sales, marketing, and finance while reporting directly to Mr. Altman.

As OpenAI announced its AI innovations with the ChatGPT chatbot, the company has experienced rapid growth and has been managing various initiatives. Based in San Francisco, it has consistently introduced new AI models and products, including various inferencing systems. In March, the company completed a $40 billion funding round, led by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, raising its valuation to $300 billion, positioning it among the world’s most valuable private companies.

However, as a nonprofit organization at inception, OpenAI faces challenges with its transition to a new corporate structure. With the increasing commercial viability of AI, the company has been moving away from its nonprofit roots, attracting scrutiny from critics like Elon Musk, the co-founder of OpenAI, who has sued the company, alleging it prioritizes profit over AI safety. Both the California Attorney General and Delaware authorities are looking into this restructuring.

On Monday, OpenAI indicated that their plan would support the nonprofit aspect, ensuring it retains some control.

(The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its partner Microsoft, accusing them of copyright infringement related to news content concerning AI systems. OpenAI and Microsoft have denied these allegations.)

In a statement released later on Wednesday, Simo expressed her belief that the opportunity “could accelerate human potential at an unprecedented pace, and I am wholeheartedly committed to steering these applications for the public good.”

In a memo to her Instacart team, she conveyed her “passion for AI, especially its potential to cure diseases,” emphasizing that “leading such a pivotal part of our collective future is an opportunity I cannot pass up.”

Simo will remain at Instacart for the next few months while the company finds her successor, indicating this role will be taken over by members of Instacart’s management team. She will also retain her position on the company’s board of directors as chair.

“Today’s announcement does not signify any changes in our business operations,” Instacart affirmed in a statement.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Gaia ceases operations after completing decade-long mapping of the Milky Way

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From ancient creeks of stars to the innards of white dwarfs, the Gaia Space Telescope has seen it all.

On Thursday, the European Space Agency’s mission specialists will send the low-fuel Gaia into orbit around the Sun, turning it off to astronomers around the world after more than a decade of service.

Gaia has been charting the universe since 2014, creating a vast encyclopedia of the position and movement of celestial objects from the Milky Way and beyond. It is difficult to grasp the breadth of development and discovery that a spinning observatory is enabled. But here are a few numbers: nearly 2 billion stars, millions of potential galaxies, and around 150,000 asteroids. These observations were brought Over 13,000 studies so far by astronomers.

Gaia changed the way scientists understand the universe, and that data became the reference point for many other telescopes on the ground and in the universe. Additionally, less than a third of the data collected has been released to scientists so far.

“It now supports almost everything in astronomy,” says Anthony Brown, an astronomer at Leiden University in the Netherlands, heading Gaia’s data processing and analysis group. “If you were to ask my astronomy colleagues, I don’t think they could have imagined that Gaia would have to do her research even if she wasn’t there.”

Starting in 2013, Gaia’s main goal was to uncover the history and structure of the Milky Way by constructing the most accurate, three-dimensional map of the position and velocity of 1 billion stars. As there is only a small portion of that data, astronomers Halo mass of dark matter We swallowed and identified our galaxy Thousands of trespassing stars ingested from another galaxy 10 billion years ago.

Dr. Brown measures continuous vibrations on the Milky Way disk and measures a kind of galactic seismology – evidence Of encounters with satellite galaxies that have put ourselves in orbit much more recently than scientists believed. That may be the reason for the Milky Way It looks distorted When viewed from the side.

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Source: www.nytimes.com

Meta reveals discovery of over 20 covert influence operations in 2024

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Meta has disclosed that it intervened this year to stop around 20 covert influence operations globally. However, the company mentioned that concerns regarding AI-based election distortions may not be realized until 2024.

Nick Clegg, the president of international affairs at Meta, which oversees Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, stated that Russia continues to be the main source of hostile online activity. He expressed surprise that AI has not been utilized to deceive voters during recent busy election periods globally.

The former British deputy prime minister mentioned that Meta, with over 3 billion users, utilized AI tools to create images of political figures like Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, J.D. Vance, and Joe Biden last month. Over 500,000 requests for such images had to be removed before the American election day.

Security experts at the company have been dealing with new operations using fake accounts to manipulate public debate toward strategic goals every three weeks. These operations include Russian networks targeting countries like Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Another operation based in Russia uses AI to create fake news sites resembling well-known brands to weaken support for Ukraine and promote Russia’s role in Africa while criticizing African countries and France.

Mr. Clegg highlighted that Russia remains the most frequent source of covert influence operations disrupted, followed by Iran and China. He noted that the impact of AI-generated deceptive content from disinformation campaigns appears to be limited so far.

While the impact of AI manipulation on video, audio, and photos has been modest, Mr. Clegg warned that these tools are likely to become more pervasive in the future, potentially changing the landscape of online content.

In a recent evaluation, the Center for Emerging Technology and Security suggested that AI-generated deceptive content influenced the US election discourse, but evidence of its impact on the election outcome is lacking. The report warns that AI-based threats could negatively affect democratic systems by 2024.

Sam Stockwell, a researcher at the Alan Turing Institute, highlighted how AI tools may have shaped election discourse and spread harmful content subtly, such as misleading claims and rumors that gained traction during recent elections.

Source: www.theguardian.com

NASA successfully restores Voyager 1 spacecraft to regular scientific operations

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Voyager 1 Due to technical issues, scientific observations are being carried out for the first time. Happened November 2023.

Voyager 1 launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 5, 1977, 16 days after its twin, Voyager 2. This artist's concept drawing depicts one of NASA's twin Voyager spacecraft. Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Voyager 1 stopped transmitting readable science and engineering data to Earth on November 14, 2023, even though mission controllers were able to confirm that the spacecraft was still receiving commands and was otherwise operating normally.

In April 2024, they prompted Voyager 1 to begin transmitting engineering data containing information about the spacecraft's health and condition, partially resolving the problem.

On May 19, they carried out the second stage of the repair process and sent commands to the spacecraft to begin transmitting science data.

Two of the four scientific instruments immediately returned to normal operating mode.

The other two instruments required additional work, but all four are now returning usable science data.

The four instruments will study plasma waves, magnetic fields and particles.

This infographic highlights major milestones of NASA's Voyager missions, including visiting four outer planets and escaping the heliosphere, a protective bubble of magnetic fields and particles generated by the Sun. Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

The twin Voyager probes are NASA's longest-serving missions and the only spacecraft to have explored interstellar space.

Launched in 1977, both probes traveled to Jupiter and Saturn, with Voyager 1 traveling faster and reaching Jupiter and Saturn first.

Together, they have revealed a lot about the solar system's two largest planets and their moons.

Voyager 1 is more than 24 billion km (15 billion miles) from Earth, and Voyager 2 is more than 20 billion km (12 billion miles) from Earth.

The probe will celebrate its 47th anniversary of operation later this year.

“Voyager 1 and 2 are the only spacecraft to directly sample interstellar space, the region outside the heliosphere – the protective bubble of magnetic fields and solar wind created by the Sun,” NASA engineers said.

“Voyager 1 has resumed science, but additional minor operations are required to remove the effects of the problem.”

“Among other tasks, we will resynchronize the timing software in the spacecraft's three onboard computers to ensure commands are executed at the right time.”

“We will also be maintaining the digital tape recorder that records the plasma wave instrument data that is sent back to Earth twice a year.”

Source: www.sci.news

The EPA’s latest regulation requires coal-fired power plants to either capture emissions or cease operations

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WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency issued a rule on Thursday that will require coal-fired power plants to capture smokestack emissions or shut down. This new regulation aims to limit greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants, which are a major contributor to global warming. It is part of President Joe Biden’s pledge to eliminate carbon pollution from the power sector by 2035 and the entire economy by 2050.

The rule includes measures to reduce toxic wastewater pollutants from coal-fired power plants and safely manage coal ash in unlined retention ponds. EPA Administrator Michael Regan stated that the rule will reduce pollution, protect communities, and improve public health while ensuring a reliable electricity supply for the nation.

Industry groups and Republican-leaning states are expected to challenge the rule, citing concerns about the reliability of the power grid. However, environmental groups have praised the EPA’s actions as crucial in combating climate change and protecting public health.

The rule sets standards for existing coal-fired power plants to control carbon emissions, with future plants required to capture up to 90% of their carbon pollution. Coal-fired power plants must reduce or capture 90% of their carbon emissions by 2032 to continue operating beyond 2039. Plants scheduled to be retired by 2039 will also face stricter standards.

The EPA rule does not mandate carbon capture and storage technology but sets a cap on carbon pollution that power plant operators must adhere to. The regulation also addresses toxic wastewater pollution from coal-fired power plants and the safe management of coal ash, a hazardous byproduct of coal combustion.

Overall, the EPA’s new rule represents a significant step in reducing carbon pollution, protecting public health, and moving towards a cleaner energy future for the United States.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Hyperloop One to shut down operations amidst setbacks and sexual harassment accusations

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Hyperloop One, the high-speed rail startup backed by Elon Musk whose plans were derailed by project delays and bizarre sexual harassment allegations against some executives and backers, plans to shut down.

The company has ordered its remaining employees, about 100, down from 200 at the beginning of this year, to oversee the sale of assets before their employment ends on Dec. 31, according to reports. bloomberg.

Hyperloop, which has raised more than $450 million since its founding in 2014, has gained public attention with its promise to modernize transportation technology with trains that travel at airplane-like speeds through major U.S. cities, according to Pitchbook. Collected.

The company is based in Las Vegas, where it has a small test track to develop a “vacuum tube” transportation system in which pods travel at 1,260 miles per hour.

In 2019, the company announced that Hyperloop technology could transport passengers from New York City to Washington, D.C., in just 30 minutes. By contrast, Acela trains typically take three and a half hours to travel between the two hubs.

Hyperloop One, the Richard Branson-backed ultra-high-speed train startup, is shutting down and selling assets after abandoning its “vacuum tube” transportation system in which pods travel at 1,260 miles per hour. James Messerschmitt

At the time, the company touted a deal in the works to install a hyperloop system between Mumbai and Pune in India, but that ambitious plan was abandoned last year.

The startup’s remaining intellectual property will now be transferred to DP World, which will also serve as title partner for the DP World Tour, part of a new golf entity between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf.

It’s unclear whether the shell company deal was an attempt to take Hyperloop public, with the futuristic company having acquired the backing of a Shaquille O’Neal-backed special purpose acquisition company just a few months ago. I was trying that.

Hyperloop has struggled to make any progress for years, despite backing from Richard Branson (who briefly led the company to adopt the name Virgin Hyperloop One) and Elon Musk. Not yet.

According to Bloomberg, in the early days of Hyperloop, co-founder Brogan Bambrogan would arrive at work to find a rope tied to a chair.

And in 2017, co-executive chairman Shervin Pishevar came under fire after at least six allegations of sexual harassment and assault by women, including rape at a luxury London hotel, all of which he claimed I’m denying it.

Pishevar’s brother, Afshin Pishevar, was the one who left the rope that Bambrogan found on his office chair. Mr. Bambrogan was visiting from his home in Washington to join the company as general counsel, and he overstayed his welcome as a guest. bloomberg report.

Hyperloop has been having problems for years. In 2017, co-executive chairman Shervin Pishevar resigned amid six allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Getty Images

Branson took the job in 2017 after Shervin Pishevar resigned from the company to recuse himself from the charges, shortly after his own sexual misconduct allegations became questionable.

Singer Antonia Ienae claims the British millionaire stuck his face between her breasts and “motorboated” her while she was attending a party on Necker Island in the Caribbean in 2010. did.

“We were by the bar and he was saying goodbye to everyone. He came up to me and shoved his face into my chest,” she told the London Sun at the time. Ta. “He said, ‘Brrrrrrrr,’ and walked away. It was surreal and completely out of the blue.”

According to Bloomberg, in the early days of Hyperloop, co-founder Brogan Bambrogan (left, with Sharvin Pishevar) arrived at work to find a rope tied to his chair. AFP (via Getty Images)

Jenna also claimed that her shaggy-haired boss at Virgin begged her to go topless at a party, according to The Sun, which is owned by the Post’s parent company News Corp.

A year after allegations of sexual misconduct, Russian billionaire Ziyavudin Magomedov, one of Hyperloop’s directors, has been arrested in Moscow on charges of fraud and embezzlement unrelated to his work with Hyperloop, according to Bloomberg. was arrested.

At the time, Magomedov’s lawyer said he was appealing his arrest.

The Hyperloop had grand plans to transport passengers from New York City to Washington, D.C., in just 30 minutes instead of the usual 3 hours and 30 minutes. Ali Haider/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Hyperloop originally promised a 300-mile subway system connecting Chicago, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. AFP (via Getty Images)

Dubai-based logistics company DP World has been backing Hyperloop since 2016 and orchestrated Hyperloop’s merger with a shell company in April, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg.

At the time, the value of most types of stock was valued at zero, making the shell company’s shareholders the sole owners of Hyperloop, the media reported.

The Post has reached out to Hyperloop and DP World for comment.

O’Neal’s deal with Forest Road Acquisition Corp. II would have listed Hyperloop on the New York Stock Exchange at a valuation of $600 million, but the deal fell through and tied it to Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Serious doubts arose as to whether a 300-mile freight system would become a reality. It was a realistic goal.

Source: nypost.com

Akron Energy secures $110 million investment to expand Bitcoin mining operations and launch AI cloud services in Norway

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Akron Energy data center infrastructure company has closed a $110 million private funding round to expand its business, CEO Josh Payne exclusively tells TechCrunch.

The round was led by Bluesky Capital Management with participation from Kestrel 0x1, Nural Capital, and Florence Capital.

The company was founded in 2021 and started with a 5-megawatt site in Australia. Since then, its output has grown to over 130 MW, and it has expanded to other countries and regions such as the United States and Europe.

“These sites are attractive to both Bitcoin miners and AI.” [or] It’s a machine learning client that requires very high-powered computing,” Payne said. By the way, statistics show that 1 megawatt can power 400 to 900 homes per year. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Approximately $80 million will be used to acquire an additional 200 megawatts of capacity across new data centers in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas as part of the company’s plan to increase its total megawatt capacity by 130% by mid-2024. be exposed. This is in addition to an existing 100-megawatt facility in Ohio that Akron purchased in June, Payne noted.

“The United States is an attractive market for us in many ways, primarily due to huge domestic customer demand, a mature and robust energy industry with multiple flexible deregulated markets, and a strong political and・Regulatory stability and attractiveness to institutional investors,” Payne said. “The United States has a wealth of underutilized and stranded generation assets that are connected to some of the lowest-cost power sources in the world, many of which are renewable.”

Payne said the majority of the company’s U.S. data center portfolio is made up of institutional-grade Bitcoin mining companies. “We are essentially landlords who own the underlying infrastructure assets.”

Akron’s business model is focused on strategically acquiring distressed data center assets around the world. “The current and future demand for data center capacity of all types seen around the world, especially in the United States, is unprecedented and huge. We have energy-intensive platforms that require significant amounts of electrical infrastructure.”

The remaining $30 million will be used to develop an artificial intelligence cloud services project at Akron’s data center in Norway to help serve the generative AI and large-scale language model training markets. “Over the past year, we have seen a significant acceleration in market demand for generative AI and large-scale learning model applications,” he said.

However, there is a lack of specialized physical infrastructure to power computers and support most of these products. Akron aims to fill that gap by providing the underlying infrastructure layer that the AI ​​sector relies on.

Over the past year, with spot ETF approval looming, on top of Bitcoin’s potential growth and adoption in the mainstream institutional market, there has been a “meteorous rise in AI applications,” such as Akron’s Specialized data centers are “poised to continue to grow exponentially,” Payne said.

Source: techcrunch.com

Superpedestrian, a scooter startup, shuts down U.S. operations and explores selling its European operations

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super pedestrian electric scooter
The startup known for its self-diagnostic software is shutting down its U.S.-based scooter-sharing business and considering selling its European operations, TechCrunch has learned exclusively.

Alexander Berg, the company’s director of U.S. operations, confirmed the news to his team on a Zoom call Friday afternoon. Berg said the reason for the closure was economic, but declined to provide further details. “Investors have also put in money to keep us going to this day,” he said on a conference call. “It’s not because I didn’t try hard enough.”

The closure comes as the startup raises equity and debt funding including investors from Jefferies, Antara Capital, Sony Innovation Fund by IGV, and FM Capital, in addition to existing backers such as Spark Capital, General Catalyst, and Citi. This comes just 18 months after the company raised $125 million in Series C funding. Via Citi Impact Fund.

However, since then, the electric scooter industry has been in a somewhat difficult situation. Bird’s valuation plummeted after its listing, and the company was forced to exit multiple markets.

Superpedestrian itself has experienced a series of layoffs, including one just months after the end of its Series C round. The latest incident happened earlier this month, according to a post on LinkedIn.

The company pulled out of Chicago in September, citing competitive difficulties, but said its scooters operate in more than 60 cities in 11 countries. A representative for the city of Waco, Texas, where Superpedestrian recently launched a scooter squad, said by phone Friday that he had no knowledge of the impending closure.

Superpedestrian used technology, specifically diagnostic and safety software, to differentiate itself from competitors like Bird and Tier. The company strengthened its technology efforts with the acquisition of Navmatic in July 2021.

Using Navmatic’s technology, we developed and deployed a so-called pedestrian protection safety system. This system is a feature designed to detect and correct unsafe riding behavior, such as riding on sidewalks, in real time. Superpedestrian had planned to build a new scooter with its own branded pedestrian protection features and roll it out to 25 cities in the U.S. and Europe in 2022. Initial rollouts were expected to begin in pedestrian-dense cities in the U.S. and U.K. by early spring, the company said.

The story is unfolding…

Source: techcrunch.com

Hyperplane Aims to Integrate AI into Banking Operations

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Hyperplane, a San Francisco-based startup building foundational models to help banks predict customer behavior, today raised $6 million in funding led by former Stripe executive Lachy Groom. Ventures, Liquid2 Ventures, Soma Capital, Latitud, Atman Capital, Crestone VC, and Norte announced the round and came out of stealth with participation from Clocktower Technology’s SV Angel. The general idea here is to allow banks to use their data to predict user behavior and build personalized experiences.

The company already has partnerships with about a dozen banks in Brazil, and is now looking to expand into the United States. Hyperplane is currently focused only on the banking industry, but over time, the team plans to bring its technology to other sectors as well.

Hyperplane was co-founded by Felipe Ramunier, Daniel Silva, Rohan Ramanas, and Felipe Meneses.Ramnier (CEO) has spent the past seven years start setis a Brazilian EdTech startup whose members Daniel Silva and Rohan Ramanas previously built large-scale AI systems at Google and LinkedIn.

Hyperplane founders Felipe Meneses, Rohan Ramanas, Felipe Ramunier, Daniel Silva

“The core hypothesis we started with was: What does it take to build a layer of personalization for banks around the world?” Ramanath explained. “If you think about big tech companies, they have a lot of first-party data, but in order to use all of this data to understand the consumer and build personalization, they have to rely on their data infrastructure and enterprise data. We’re also investing heavily in warehousing, where we create every product page and ultimately incorporate this into the consumer experience itself. Hyperplane’s goal is to help banks around the world store large amounts of first-party data. , what does it take to build a data intelligence layer so banks can connect their first-party data?”

Lamnier also highlighted the fact that banks have detailed data about their customers that is not available with other services. “One of the arguments I often use when pitching banks is that the data these banks have about me as a customer can tell me much more about my behavior than the data Google or Facebook has. You’re vulnerable. Visiting Porsche’s website doesn’t mean you can buy a Porsche. But Chase and Bank of America can’t tell you what kind of restaurant I go to or what grocery store I go to. How much does it cost to take Uber? We have all that data in-house.”

Currently, most banks offer little personalized experience, so the baseline is low. But consumers increasingly expect their banking experience to be similar to other online experiences, especially in competitive banking markets like Brazil. At its core, Hyperplane provides banks with an API to build these personalization models on the fly. The team stressed that all of these deployments are private and no data sharing will take place. Hyperplane also uses its own models for all of this.

Currently, the company offers two modules. One is for building audience segments and the other is for creating lookalike audiences to find similar users and expand your potential target audience. ” We find that by building task-specific models, we can get more benefits from our construction. It was something custom and made from scratch,” Ramanath said.

Most recently, Hyperplane launched the Mandelbrot LLM. This is a particularly useful model for predicting when banks will churn customers and which users will treat a particular bank as their primary bank.

Hyperplane says that by using its services, the credit line division of a Brazilian neobank, for example, has been able to get a clearer picture of its customers’ estimated income, increasing transaction volumes by 46%.

“Brazil has experienced an important pro-competitive movement over the past decade, and we now see an ecosystem eager to adopt new technologies,” Ramnier said. “Hyperplane’s cloud can be scaled across markets with little effort. We will be announcing our first partnership in the US soon.”

Source: techcrunch.com

Reliance reportedly nearing agreement to purchase Disney’s India operations

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Reliance is reportedly close to agreeing to buy Disney’s India operations as Mukesh Ambani’s oil telecom empire looks to expand its digital and television assets.

Disney values ​​its India operations at about $10 billion, while Reliance pegs its assets at $7 billion to $8 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. According to the report, a deal could be signed and announced as early as next month.

Reliance said in an earlier statement that the company is constantly evaluating properties for acquisition.

In 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets for $71.3 billion, a move that was significantly strengthened by the addition of Star India.

The deal was critical to Disney’s global streaming expansion, giving Disney broadcast and streaming rights to Indian Premier League cricket matches, a number of multilingual television channels, and an interest in a Bollywood film production company. At the time of acquisition, Star’s Hotstar had approximately 150 million monthly active users.

Hotstar dominated India’s video streaming world for several more quarters, but its popularity grew after Reliance-backed Viacom18 secured five-year rights to stream IPL cricket matches for about $3 billion, and the situation has since changed. became tapered. Disney paid $3 billion for the same five-year rights to air the content on television.

Reliance has poached a number of top leadership and engineering talent to strengthen JioCinema over the past year, bringing premium content from HBO and NBC to its on-demand streaming service.

Disney’s Hotstar, which lost around 20 million subscribers this year as consumers flocked to JioCinema to watch IPL matches, has turned to the ongoing Cricket World Cup in hopes of winning back customers. Streaming for free to mobile viewers. Earlier this month, the Disney Streamer app took back the global on-demand video streaming record from JioCinema when a cricket match drew 35 million concurrent viewers. During Sunday’s India vs. New Zealand match, concurrent viewership jumped to 43 million viewers, breaking its own record.

Source: techcrunch.com