Tag Archives: startup

Did a Cloud-Seeding Startup Truly Boost Snowfall in Utah? An Investigation

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Innovative Weather Conditioning Equipment by Rain Enhancement Technologies

Rainfall Enhancement Technology

Utah and several western states are grappling with severe snow droughts, raising urgent concerns about escalating wildfires and declining water levels in the critical Colorado River. A pioneering startup claims that by releasing negatively charged aerosols into clouds, it has managed to boost snowfall by 20% across some Utah mountain ranges.

Rain Enhancement Technologies conducted a comparative study of snowfall between the La Sal Mountains and the Abajo Mountains, located 70 kilometers to the south, during five recent dry winters. In January, while operating a high-voltage ionization array upwind of the La Sal Mountains, the company noted an unexpected nine centimeters more snow than anticipated based on the snowfall data from the Abajo Mountains.

However, scientists urge caution, indicating that these observed results might be coincidental and that it is premature to assess the technology’s overall effectiveness.

“While cloud seeding methods have been implemented for years, our approach offers an alternative to enhance precipitation without the need for chemicals,” explains the company’s meteorologist, Jeff Chagnon. “You can activate it from anywhere in the world without needing to fly into the clouds, typically running it for about 48 hours.”

The United Nations has signaled that the world is approaching an era of “water bankruptcy,” with three out of four individuals potentially facing water scarcity or pollution issues. In contrast, countries like Iran, grappling with severe water shortages that have incited protests, are attempting to induce rainfall by dispersing salts like silver iodide from aircraft. Currently, nine U.S. states are known to conduct cloud seeding programs.

Nonetheless, public apprehension about potential health risks linked to the substantial amounts of silver iodide released, along with conspiracy theories surrounding “chemtrails,” contribute to a growing distrust of climate modification initiatives. In fact, cloud seeding is either banned or under scrutiny for potential bans in ten U.S. states.

Rain Enhancement Technologies employs a system that passes 10,000 volts of electricity through coiled wires suspended between two 8-meter pylons. Tiny aerosols, such as dust, soot, and salt, acquire electrons as they pass near these wires, similar to how static electricity builds up on your body when you walk on a carpet. Wind subsequently carries these ionized particles into the clouds.

In the clouds, water naturally condenses around aerosols, forming droplets that can collide and coalesce. When they stick together, they fall as rainfall. However, many smaller droplets typically remain suspended due to upward air currents.

Charged droplets can interact even when they possess the same charge. The negative side of one droplet attracts the positive side of another, creating an electric polarity that enhances collision rates. When droplets coalesce around the negatively charged aerosols from Rain Enhancement Technologies, their increased interactions lead to enhanced rainfall, Chagnon explained.

Although this technique cannot create clouds or induce upward air movement, “we can effectively extract additional water from existing clouds,” notes Chagnon.

Evidence from the Cold War indicates that electrical charges can enlarge cloud droplets. A 2020 study revealed a 24% increase in precipitation day over day in the Shetland Islands, UK, attributable to ionized air resulting from a nuclear bomb test. When radioactive ionization occurred, cloud dynamics were altered.

Trials conducted by Rain Enhancement Technologies in Oman from 2013 to 2018 reported precipitation increases of 10-14%. Additionally, an experiment in China that employed negative ion dispersion showed a 20% increase in precipitation.

Nevertheless, the World Meteorological Organization cautions that while salt diffusion in winter clouds has been documented to influence precipitation, the ionization method still lacks robust scientific validation.

“It’s fascinating that their findings align with observable changes in cloud behavior,” remarks Edward Grispeed from Imperial College London. “However, factors influencing precipitation, including snowfall and rainfall, are highly variable; thus, the chances of their results being coincidental cannot be dismissed.”

Rain Enhancement Technologies acknowledges that the five dry winters used as a baseline for assessment may not adequately represent the natural variability in snowfall from season to season, says Jeff French from the University of Wyoming.

“I recommend awaiting further experimental investigations and more extended data to confirm the viability of ionization as a snowfall catalyst,” adds Ibrahim Oloud from Mutah University in Jordan.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Amazon Files Lawsuit Against AI Startup Over Automated Shopping Features in Browser

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On Tuesday, Amazon filed a lawsuit against a well-known artificial intelligence startup over a feature in its browser that enables users to automate purchases. Amazon alleged that Perplexity AI had illicitly accessed customer accounts and disguised the AI’s actions as human browsing.

“The misconduct by Perplexity must cease,” Amazon’s legal representatives stated. “Perplexity has no permission to act where it is forbidden. The intrusion involves a code rather than a lockpick, rendering it equally illegal.”

Perplexity, which has experienced significant growth in light of the AI assistant boom, previously accused Amazon of leveraging its dominant market position to suppress competition and dismissed Amazon’s allegations.


“Bullying occurs when larger companies employ legal threats and intimidation to stifle innovation and negatively impact people’s lives,” the company expressed in a blog post.

This dispute underscores new conversations regarding the regulation of the increasing use of AI agents, AI-powered autonomous digital assistants, and their interactions with websites.

In its legal action, Amazon accused Perplexity of secretly accessing Amazon’s private customer accounts via the Comet browser and associated AI agents, misrepresenting automated actions as human browsing. Amazon asserted that Perplexity’s systems endangered customer data and ignored repeated calls to shut them down.

“Instead of being transparent, Perplexity deliberately configures its CometAI software to mask Comet AI agent activity on Amazon’s platforms,” the company stated.

Amazon’s complaint also claimed that Perplexity’s Comet AI agent undermined the shopping experience for customers and hindered Amazon’s ability to guarantee that users benefiting from the agent receive the personalized shopping experience it has developed over decades.

In a previous statement, Amazon indicated that third-party applications making purchases on behalf of users should operate transparently and respect companies’ preferences for participation.

Perplexity had earlier revealed that it received legal threats from Amazon aimed at preventing Comet AI agents from shopping on its platform, asserting that this action poses a wider threat to user choice and the future of AI assistants.

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Perplexity is among several AI startups that are restructuring web browsers to incorporate artificial intelligence, aiming to enhance user autonomy and simplify everyday online tasks, from composing emails to completing purchases.

Amazon is also developing similar functionalities, including Buy For Me, which enables users to shop across various brands within the app, and Rufus, an AI assistant that recommends products and manages shopping carts.

The Comet browser’s AI agent from Perplexity acts as a purchasing and comparison assistant for users. The company contends that user credentials are stored locally and not on its servers, asserting that users have the right to select their own AI assistant and framing Amazon’s actions as an attempt to safeguard its business model.

“Simplified shopping leads to more transactions and greater customer satisfaction,” Perplexity remarked. “However, Amazon is less focused on that and more on serving ads.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

British AI Startup Outperforms Humans in Global Forecasting Competition

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The artificial intelligence system has outperformed numerous prediction enthusiasts, including a number of experts. A competition focused on event predictions spanned events from the fallout between Donald Trump and Elon Musk to Kemi Badenok being dismissed as a potential Conservative leader.

The UK-based AI startup, established by former Google DeepMind researchers, ranks among the top 10 in international forecasting competitions, with participants tasked with predicting the probabilities of 60 events occurring over the summer.

Manticai secured 8th place in the Metaculus Cup, operated by a forecasting firm based in San Francisco aiming to predict the futures of investment funds and corporations.

While AI performance still lags behind the top human predictors, some contend that it could surpass human capabilities sooner than anticipated.

“It feels odd to be outperformed by a few bots at this stage,” remarked Ben Sindel, one of the professional predictors who ended up behind the AI during the competition, eventually finishing on Mantic’s team. “We’ve made significant progress compared to a year ago when the best bots were ranked around 300.”

The Metaculus Cup included questions like which party would win the most seats in the Samoan general election, and how many acres of the US would be affected by fires from January to August. Contestants were graded based on their predictions as of September 1st.

“What Munch achieved is remarkable,” stated Degar Turan, CEO of Metaculus.

Turan estimated that AI would perform at par or even surpass top human predictors by 2029, but also acknowledged that “human predictors currently outshine AI predictors.”

In complex predictions reliant on interrelated events, AI systems tend to struggle with logical validation checks when interpreting knowledge into final forecasts.

Mantic effectively dissects prediction challenges into distinct tasks and assigns them to various machine learning models such as OpenAI, Google, and DeepSeek based on their capabilities.

Co-founder Toby Shevlane indicated that their achievements mark a significant milestone for the AI community, utilizing large language models for predictive analytics.

“Some argue that LLMs merely replicate training data, but we can’t predict such futures,” he noted. “We require genuine inference. We can assert that our system’s forecasts are more original than those of most human contenders, as individuals often compile average community predictions. AI systems frequently differ from these averages.”

Mantic’s systems deploy a range of AI agents to evaluate current events, conduct historical analyses, simulate scenarios, and make future predictions. The strength of AI prediction lies in its capacity for hard work and endurance, vital for effective forecasting.

AI can simultaneously tackle numerous complex challenges, revisiting each daily to adapt based on evolving information. Human predictors also leverage intuition, but Sindel suggests this may emerge in AI as well.

“Intuition is crucial, but I don’t think it’s inherently human,” he commented.

Top-tier human super forecasters assert their superiority. Philip Tetlock, co-author of the bestseller SuperForecasting, recently published research indicating that, on average, experts continue to outperform the best bots.

Turan reiterated that AI systems face challenges in complex predictions involving interdependent events, struggling to identify logical inconsistencies in output during validation checks.

“We’ve witnessed substantial effort and investment,” remarked Warren Hatch, CEO of Good Judgement, a forecasting firm co-founded by Tetlock. “We anticipate AI excelling in specific question categories, such as monthly inflation.

Or, as Lubos Saloky, the human forecaster who placed third in the Metaculus Cup, expressed, “I’m not retiring. If you can’t beat them, I’ll collaborate with them.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI Startup Humanity Settles Copyright Infringement Lawsuits for $1.5 Billion

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Humanity, an artificial intelligence firm, has agreed to a $1.5 billion settlement in response to a class action lawsuit filed by the author of a specific book, who alleges that the company used a pirated copy of their work to train chatbots.

If a judge approves the landmark settlement on Monday, it could signify a significant shift in the ongoing legal conflict between AI companies and writers, visual artists, and other creative professionals who are raising concerns about copyright violations.

The company plans to compensate the author approximately $3,000 for each of the estimated 500,000 books involved in the settlement.

“This could be the largest copyright restoration we’ve seen,” stated Justin Nelson, the author’s attorney. “This marks a first in the era of AI.”


Authors Andrea Burtz, Charles Greber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, who were litigated against last year, now represent a wider group of writers and publishers whose works were utilized to train the AI chatbot Claude.

In June, a federal judge issued a complex ruling stating that training AI chatbots on copyrighted books is not illegal. Unfortunately, Humanity acquired millions of books from copyright-infringing sources inadvertently.

Experts predict that if Humanity hadn’t settled, they would likely have lost the lawsuit as it was set to go to trial in December.

“We’re eager to see how this unfolds in the future,” commented William Long, a legal analyst at Wolters Kluwer.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco is scheduled to hear the terms of the settlement on Monday.

Why are books important to AI?

Books are crucial as they provide the critical data sources—essentially billions of words—needed to develop the large language models that power chatbots like Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Judge Alsup’s ruling revealed that Anthropic had downloaded over 7 million digitized books, many of which are believed to be pirated. The initial download included nearly 200,000 titles from an online library named Books3, created by researchers other than OpenAI to build a vast collection utilized for training ChatGPT.

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Burtz’s debut thriller, The Lost Night, served as the lead plaintiff in this case and was also part of the Books3 dataset.

The ruling revealed that at least 5 million copies had been ingested from around 2 million instances found on Pirate websites like Library Genesis.

The Author Guild informed its thousands of members last month that it anticipated losses of at least $750 per work, which could potentially be much higher. A sizeable settlement award of about $3,000 per work could indicate a reduced pool of impacted titles after taking duplicates and non-copyrighted works into account.

On Friday, Author Guild CEO Mary Raysenberger stated that the settlement represents “a tremendous victory for authors, publishers, and rights holders, sending a strong message to the AI industry about the dangers of using pirated works to train AI at the expense of those who can’t afford it.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI Startup Mask Files Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Apple for Anti-Competitive Practices

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Elon Musk’s AI startup, Xai, has initiated legal action against OpenAI and Apple, accusing them of anti-competitive practices. This lawsuit, submitted on Monday in a Texas court, alleges a “conspiracy to monopolize the smartphone and generative AI chatbot market.”

Earlier this month, Musk had hinted at legal action against Apple and OpenAI, criticizing ChatGPT and claiming that other AI companies faced barriers to reaching the top of the App Store. Musk’s Xai has developed a chatbot called Grok.

The lawsuit challenges a significant collaboration between Apple and OpenAI. That partnership was announced last year, allowing Apple to integrate OpenAI’s AI functionality into its operating system. Musk’s legal action aims to disrupt one of Apple’s major ventures into AI and OpenAI’s standout partnership, accusing them of “restricting the market.”

According to the complaint, “The defendants have engaged in unlawful agreements and conspiracies to exploit Apple’s monopoly in the US smartphone industry while upholding OpenAI’s dominance in generative AI chatbots.” They are also seeking “billions in damages.”

OpenAI has dismissed Musk’s claims, characterizing the lawsuit as part of his ongoing vendetta against the company. An OpenAI representative stated, “This latest filing is indicative of Musk’s persistent pattern of harassment.”

Apple has not yet responded to inquiries for comment.

This lawsuit marks a new chapter in the longstanding feud between Musk and Altman. The two tech titans co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but have increasingly drifted apart, frequently engaging in legal disputes.

Musk departed from OpenAI after expressing interest in taking control of the organization in 2018, subsequently launching several lawsuits concerning its transition to a for-profit model. Altman and OpenAI have consistently rebuffed Musk’s criticisms, portraying him as a vindictive former associate.

“It’s unfortunate to see this from those we’ve held in high regard. He urged us to push our limits, but when we indicated we might fail, he formed competitor companies and made significant strides towards OpenAI’s mission without him.”

Tensions between Altman and Musk escalated earlier this month following Musk’s accusations directed at Apple. Musk claimed that Apple was manipulating App Store rankings to disadvantage other AI competitors, prompting a public exchange of challenges between the two tech leaders.

“It’s an unexpected assertion given that Elon claims to manipulate X for personal gain while undermining individuals he opposes,” Altman wrote in response to Musk’s claims about Apple’s favoritism toward OpenAI.

Currently, OpenAI is concentrating on a $500 million valuation, poised to become the most valuable private entity at $350 billion, surpassing Musk’s SpaceX, which holds the current title.

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Source: www.theguardian.com

OpenAI Acquires iPhone Architect Startup for $6.4 Billion in Tech Deal

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OpenAI is set to acquire an innovative startup for $6.4 billion, marking its largest acquisition to date. The hardware startup, named IO, was established by Apple design legend Jony Ive, who is widely recognized as a key architect behind the iPhone. Sam Altman, the CEO of both IO and OpenAI, highlighted in a blog post that their partnership is expected to span two years.

“Our collaboration, rooted in friendship, curiosity, and aligned values, has rapidly expanded in ambition,” they noted in their blog, offering minimal specifics about the forthcoming devices. “Initial concepts and explorations have refined into tangible designs.”

The acquisition of IO by OpenAI is its most notable to date. According to the blog post, Ive and other alumni from Apple co-founded IO a year ago as part of a larger initiative called Lovefrom, which they describe as a “creative collective” of architects, artists, engineers, designers, musicians, and writers.

Ive departed from Apple in 2019 after spending 27 years as a leading product designer. He is celebrated for his minimalist aesthetics and meticulous attention to details such as packaging and typography. One of his early acclaimed designs was the vibrant, bubble-shaped iMac computer, followed by iconic products like the iPod, iPhone, MacBook Air, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

For his contributions to distinctive product design, Ive was knighted by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace in 2012.

In a blog post shared on Wednesday, Altman and Ive stated that the IO team will integrate with OpenAI to foster closer collaboration with their research, engineering, and product divisions. Although Ive will not join OpenAI as an employee, his company will manage all of OpenAI’s design aspects, including software. Bloomberg.

Since launching Lovefrom and leaving Apple, Ive has largely remained low-profile, and IO has yet to unveil any hardware. However, reports suggest that the company has clients such as Christie’s, Airbnb, and Ferrari. Another venture IVE is pursuing is the design of Lovefrom’s headquarters in San Francisco. The New York Times detailed that Ive is tasked with creating the headquarters for the entity he is developing at OpenAI.

While OpenAI hasn’t yet revealed any hardware products, it indicates a future direction in that realm. The company has hired hardware and robotics experts, including Caitlin “CK” Karinovsky, who previously led Meta’s Augmented Reality Glasses initiative. In her LinkedIn announcement, Karinovsky mentioned that her new focus at OpenAI will be on “robotics projects and partnerships aimed at integrating AI into the physical realm.” OpenAI is also investing in robotics startups including Physical Intelligence, stating, “We intend to bring general AI into the physical world.”

Investors have been actively funding OpenAI in recent years, with a current valuation of $300 billion, according to Bloomberg. In March, OpenAI completed a $400 billion funding round led by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. Microsoft holds a 49% stake in the AI company after its $13 billion investment in 2023.

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In addition to the acquisition of IO, OpenAI has also pursued other significant purchases in the past year. Earlier this month, it acquired the AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for $3 billion, and last summer, it purchased Rockset, a real-time analytics database, for an undisclosed amount.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sam Altman’s Startup Unveils Ice Canning Crypto Orb in the U.S.

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Immerse yourself in the vibrant ethos of San Francisco, where the future of cyberpunk is already unfolding. Self-driving vehicles? Boring. A venture aiming to resurrect woolly mammoths? Absolutely, why not! Summoning a god-like AI capable of eradicating humanity? Why not.

Just like you did on Wednesday evening, you might find yourself in a bustling venue in the Marina district, gazing at a luminous white sphere, commonly referred to as an orb, as it scans your eyes in exchange for your cryptocurrency and World ID.

The event was organized by World, a startup based in San Francisco, co-founded by the enterprising Sam Altman, known for his ambitious (or depending on your perspective, unsettling) technological initiatives.

This is essentially the core proposition of the company. The internet is on the brink of being overwhelmed by a multitude of realistic AI bots, making it nearly impossible to discern real individuals on social networks, dating platforms, gaming sites, and other digital realms.

To address this issue, World developed a program called World ID, akin to Internet clearance or TSA Precheck, enabling users to authenticate their humanity online.

To sign up, users gaze into the orb, which captures their iris scans. Following that, they complete a few prompts on a mobile app to attain a unique biometric identifier, stored on their device. The system includes built-in privacy features, assuring that no iris images are retained, only a numeric code linked to the user.

In return, participants earn a cryptocurrency named WorldCoin. (As of Wednesday night, the sign-up bonus was estimated to be valued at around $40.)

During the event, Altman framed the initiative as a response to a dilemma he termed “trust in the AGI era,” as artificial general intelligence is on the horizon and increasingly human-like AI systems are coming to fruition.

“We wanted to ensure that humans remain unique and pivotal in a landscape brimming with AI-generated content online,” Altman explained.

Ultimately, Altman and World’s CEO Alex Blania contend that a solution like WorldCoin is essential for redistributing wealth generated by powerful AI systems to humans, potentially in the form of a universal basic income. They delved into varied methods for establishing a “real human network,” merging proof-of-human verification with financial systems enabling validated individuals to transact with one another.

“Our initial concept seemed quite radical,” Altman remarked. “Then we embraced our craziness and evolved into World.”

Launched globally two years ago, the project initially gained traction in developing regions such as Kenya and Indonesia, where individuals queued for ORB scans in exchange for cryptocurrency incentives. The company has secured about $200 million from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Khosla Ventures.

However, challenges arose. The global collection of biometric data has drawn criticism from privacy advocates and regulatory bodies, leading to the company being banned or investigated in locations like Hong Kong and Spain. Reports of fraud and worker exploitation tied to the project’s crypto-based reward mechanism have also surfaced.

Despite these issues, the venture appears to be expanding swiftly. According to Blania, approximately 26 million individuals have signed up for the app worldwide since its debut, with more than 12 million undergoing ORB scans to confirm their humanity.

Initially, the world was kept separate from the US due to regulatory concerns, but the Trump administration’s crypto-friendly policies created an opportunity.

On Wednesday, World announced plans to launch in the US, with retail outlets slated to open in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Nashville. They aim to install 7,500 orbs across the country by year-end.

The company also unveiled a new version of the ORB, dubbed the Orb Mini. This device resembles a smartphone, yet performs the same function as the larger orb. World has established partnerships with gaming company Razer and the dating conglomerate Match Group.

Uncertainty lingers about the potential for profitability, or whether privacy-conscious Americans are inclined to share their biometric data for cryptocurrency, as many in developing regions have done.

Moreover, it remains to be seen if the world can overcome the inherent skepticism surrounding the peculiar and foreboding aspects of the initiative.

For my part, I recognize the necessity for a method to distinguish bots from humans. However, the proposed solution—a global biometric registry sustained by volatile cryptocurrencies and monitored by private entities—might resemble a “Black Mirror” episode that struggles to achieve widespread acceptance. Even during Wednesday’s event, I observed numerous attendees hesitating to approach the orb amidst a crowd of eager early adopters.

“You can’t easily discard your personal data. It’s essentially your eyeball data at stake,” remarked one tech worker.

Altman’s global affiliations are also under scrutiny. Attendees noted that, through his role at OpenAI, he might be perpetuating the very issue World aims to rectify (an internet flooded with engaging bots).

Nevertheless, Altman’s connections could potentially accelerate World’s growth, especially if collaborations with OpenAI come to fruition or if it becomes integrated with an AI product. Perhaps OpenAI is planning a social network feature with a “Verified Humans Only” setting. Additionally, users who contribute beneficially to OpenAI’s products might one day earn WorldCoin.

(Note: The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming copyright infringement regarding news content related to AI systems, a claim which both companies deny.)

Furthermore, societal norms regarding privacy may shift in favor of the initiative, and what seems unusual today could become the norm tomorrow. (Think back to when seeing an airport biometric kiosk felt bizarre—did you vow to never share your biometric details?)

When my turn arrived to approach the orb, I removed my glasses, opened the World app, and adhered to its instructions (Look this way, adjust my position). The orb’s camera recorded the details of my iris and paused for a moment. The rings surrounding the orb glowed yellow, accompanied by a cheerful chime.

Minutes later, I had secured WorldCoin Tokens alongside a World ID and had around 39.22 tokens (valued at $40.77 at current rates). If I manage to transfer them from my phone, I will donate to charity.

My ORB scan was swift and painless, but I felt a subtle sense of vulnerability throughout the night. Conversely, many attendees appeared unfazed.

“What’s the big deal? What am I concealing?” remarked social media influencer Hannah Stocking as she prepared for her orb scan. “Who really cares? I’m all in.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Start-Up Space Clock: Precision Countdown to Catastrophe

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Canadarm2, ISS robot arm built by the Canadian Space Agency

ESA/NASA

The most accurate clock in space will start within a few days and start building highly synced networks from the best clocks on the planet. However, the project will only work for a few decades, and only a few years before it burns out as hair removal for the International Space Station at the end of the decade.

Atomic Clock in Space (ACES) is a European Space Agency (ESA) mission that generates time signals with unprecedented accuracy and transmits them to nine ground stations via lasers as they pass over the overhead at 27,000 km/h. This watch network is very closely synchronized and provides extremely accurate timekeeping around the world.

As a result, ACES can test Einstein’s theory of general relativity. This states that the passage of time is influenced by the strength of gravity and is very accurately affected. It also supports all research, from dark matter to string theory.

ACES is scheduled to be released on April 21st for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Upon reaching the ISS, the Canadarm2, the Canadian Space Agency’s robotic arm, attaches it to the outside of ESA’s Columbus Laboratory, where it remains in a vacuum in the space.

The package actually consists of two clocks. One is called SHM, which can be kept stable for a short period of time. Together, these watches are extremely accurate, losing less than a second for over 300 million years. It is 10 times more accurate than a GPS satellite clock.

Pharaohs are basically modeled on Paris’ atomic clocks that occupy the entire room. Its technology was no more than a cubic meter, miniaturization to something that could allow rocket launches and survive the harshness of living in space was by no means a feat.

To generate an accurate clock signal, the pharaoh expels a fountain of cesium atoms cooled to absolute zero and observes its interaction with the microwave field. On Earth, devices of 3 meters are required, but at microgravity, these atoms move slowly and are sprayed into smaller fountains, making them much smaller.

Simon Weinberg The ESA says that simply placing a teaspoon close can create an electromagnetic field strong enough to destroy the watch. “Just putting it in context, it’s better than the 100 million seconds we’re trying to measure here,” says Weinberg. “So it’s one hell of challenging work.”

The ACES concept dates back to the 1990s and was originally scheduled to be released at the Space Shuttle, which retired in 2011. Once you reach space, the first signal will not reach the Earth-bound clock for a year and a half. It takes about six months to outsource the device.

The ACES then operates until 2030, after which the ISS intentionally crashes into the Earth’s atmosphere and burns out. By that point, the new ultra-precision watch known as optical watches likely have created an atomic clock that has become obsolete on Earth, but by then it may not be small or robust enough to be used in space.

At one point, Weinberg says the ESA is aiming to launch a new generation of ACEs to replace what was lost in the ISS, whatever the technology was most appropriate back then. “We’ll go a long way from doing it, and we have to gather support, fundraising and more to make sure that happens.”

topic:

  • time/
  • International Space Station

Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk confirms sale of X to his AI startup Xai

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Elon Musk announced on Friday that his social media company, X, sold its artificial intelligence startup, Xa, in a rare financial arrangement within the business empire of the world’s wealthiest man.

The total stock trading valued Xai at $80 billion and X at $30 billion. X’s price fell from the $44 billion it paid to social media companies in 2022, but it was still higher than the $12 billion valuation given by some X investors recently. Xai’s final valuation in the December funding round was about $40 billion.

The two companies are private and already share important resources such as engineers. Xai’s chatbot, Grok, is trained with data posted by X users and is available in X. A banker at X for X informed investors that a portion of the social media company’s revenue came from Xai.

In his post, Musk wrote, “The future of Xai and X are intertwined. Today, we have officially taken a step towards combining data, models, calculation, distribution, and talent. The total company will provide a smarter, more meaningful experience to billions of people, while still remaining true to our core mission of improving knowledge in search of truth.”

The deal highlights Musk’s ability to manipulate different parts of his business empire. He merged the company that had lost value, X, with the company that had gained value, Xai, in a strategic move. Musk previously executed a similar strategy in 2016 when he used Tesla’s stocks to acquire SolarCity.

While Tesla is publicly traded, most of Musk’s other companies, like SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink, are private and less transparent. Musk often reallocates resources and employees among his businesses, operating them as a single entity.

X’s CEO, Linda Jaccarino, expressed concerns about the future, indicating a downturn in fortunes. X and Xai operate in different orbits, with X being more widely known. Since Musk’s acquisition, X has struggled financially due to controversial decisions and a decline in advertiser confidence.

According to Fidelity, X’s valuation plummeted to $12 billion in December. Some advertisers have returned to X recently, hoping for Musk’s favor, but the company has not yet achieved financial stability.

Xai was founded by Musk in 2023 to compete with OpenAI. Musk’s strategic moves and financial decisions have had a significant impact on X’s performance and revenue generation.

Despite challenges, the company remains resilient and continues to work towards its revenue targets. X’s focus on innovation and growth reflects its commitment to delivering value in the tech industry.

Musk’s vision for Xai and X reflects a strategic alignment of data, technology, and talent. The convergence of these resources aims to revolutionize the user experience and enhance knowledge discovery.

With Musk at the helm, X and Xai are poised to unlock new potentials and drive growth in the tech ecosystem. The integration of their capabilities will redefine the boundaries of innovation and propel the companies to new heights.

As Musk continues to navigate the complexities of business and technology, his visionary leadership will shape the future trajectory of X and Xai. The synergy between these entities promises a transformative journey towards excellence and impact in the digital landscape.

News of the trading deal on Friday was met with enthusiasm within X. Jaccarino’s message to employees underscores the excitement and optimism surrounding the company’s future prospects.

As X and Xai embark on a new chapter of growth and innovation, the resilience and determination of the team will drive them towards success. Musk’s strategic vision and leadership will guide the companies towards a future filled with limitless possibilities and achievements.

Ryan Mac Reports of contributions.

Source: www.nytimes.com

UK AI startup with government ties creating military drone technology using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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The company has collaborated closely with the UK government on artificial intelligence safety, the NHS, and education. They are also working on AI development for military drones.

Their defense industry partners note that Faculty AI has experience in developing and deploying AI models on UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).

Faculty is one of the most active companies offering AI services in the UK. Unlike other companies like OpenAI and Deepmind, they do not develop their own models, focusing instead on reselling models from OpenAI and providing consulting services on their use in government and industry.

The company gained recognition in the UK for their work on data analysis during the Vote Leave campaign before the Brexit vote. This led to their involvement in government projects during the pandemic, with their CEO Mark Warner participating in meetings of the government’s scientific advisory committee.

Under former chancellor Rishi Sunak, Faculty Science has been testing AI models for the UK government’s AI Safety Institute (AISI), established in 2023.

Governments worldwide are racing to understand the safety implications of AI, particularly in the context of military applications such as equipping drones with AI for various purposes.

In a press release, British startup Hadean announced a partnership with Faculty AI to explore AI capabilities in defense, including subject identification, object movement tracking, and autonomous swarming.

Faculty’s work with Hadeen does not involve targeting weapons, according to their statements. They emphasize their expertise in AI safety and ethical application of AI technologies.

The company collaborates with AISI and government agencies on various projects, including investigating the use of large-scale language models for identifying undesirable conduct.

The Faculty, led by Chief Executive Mark Warner, continues to work closely with AISI. Photo: Al Tronto/Faculty AI

Faculty has incorporated models like ChatGPT, developed in collaboration with OpenAI, into their projects. Concerns have been raised about their collaborations with AISI and possible conflicts of interest.

The company stresses its commitment to AI safety and ethical deployment of AI technologies across various sectors, including defense.

They have secured contracts with multiple government departments, including the NHS, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education, and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, generating significant income.

Experts caution about the responsibility of technology companies in AI development and the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest in projects like AISI.

The Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Technology has not provided specific details on commercial contracts with the company.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Throoples Dating App Feeld Sees Revenue Soar to £39.5m, Doubles Previous Year’s Earnings

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The alternative relationship dating app has experienced global expansion and nearly doubled its revenue last year, thanks to non-monogamous, queer, and kinky users.

Founded by an entrepreneurial couple in an open relationship, Feeld is “on a mission to elevate the human sexual and relationship experience” from its registered office in Carlisle, Cumbria.

Feeld has surged in popularity due to the increasing interest in non-traditional relationship structures like polyamory. Last year marked its first time filing full accounts with Companies House.

The company’s revenue increased from £20.7 million to £39.5 million, with profits rising from £2.4 million to £5.5 million in 2023.

Most revenue comes from outside the UK, with £33 million in sales from overseas. The app is free to download globally but charges users for full services.

Founded in 2014 by Dimo Trifonov and Ana Kirova, Feeld (formerly 3nder) arose from their openness about their relationship.

Ana Kirova is CEO of Feeld, a company founded by her partner Dimo Trifonov. Photo: Field

Kirova joined the company early on when it faced legal issues with Tinder. She became CEO in 2023 and led a rebranding and tech upgrade to resolve initial glitches.

Company filings show ownership shifts since Kirova’s appointment, with Trifonov transferring shares to her. Previously, Trifonov owned the majority of shares.

Feeld’s growth involves strategic decisions rather than aggressive expansion. The company values member feedback and aims to support their personal journeys.

The company’s innovative approach has set it apart in the dating app industry, reflecting changing trends and member response.

Feeld’s growth story includes overcoming challenges, like a lawsuit from Tinder, to expand its team from eight in 2016 to nearly 50 employees.

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK tech startup secures £5m funding to eradicate hazardous mould in social housing

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An innovative British startup focusing on technology to prevent cold and damp in rental homes has received new funding to expand its operations. This comes as landlords are now recognizing the importance of addressing mold issues in older social housing units.

Switchey has raised £5 million, with existing investors AXA IM Aults and Octopus Ventures each contributing. The company aims to use this funding, combined with a previous investment round of £6.5 million led by AXA, to install its technology in 1 million UK social housing units.

Switchey’s technology, utilized by over 130 social housing providers, monitors humidity, temperature, and pressure to prevent mold, lower heating costs, and enhance communication between tenants and landlords.

The quality of social housing has been under scrutiny following the tragic death of a two-year-old who succumbed to mold in his rented flat. Switchy’s CEO Tom Robbins stated that there is a growing demand for improved housing standards, prompting landlords to seek technology-driven solutions.

The company aims to address the disparity in access to cost-saving technology, particularly for those struggling with heating bills. Switchey’s equipment has already made a significant impact, helping families living in unsafe conditions due to damp and mold.

In addition to reducing heating costs and improving housing conditions, Switchey’s technology contributes to environmental sustainability. The company is part of initiatives like the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund to promote energy-efficient solutions.

Revenue at Switchey has doubled over the past three years, reaching £10 million in the last fiscal year. While focused on scalability, the company remains committed to its social and environmental mission.

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Edward Kieran, a partner at Octopus Ventures, highlighted Switchey’s focus on social housing and environmental impact. The company has achieved B Corp Status and counts AXA as its largest shareholder.

Founded in 2015 by Adam Hudakowski and Ian Napier, Switchey has connected 35,000 devices in homes to date. The company aims to reach a million homes over the next five to ten years as a tribute to Napier, who tragically took his own life in 2019 but played a crucial role in shaping the company’s vision.

Source: www.theguardian.com

From Rust to Riches: Flying Taxi Startup Transforms Ohio City’s Prosperity

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FDayton, in southwestern Ohio, has been fighting for a decade to break out of its Rust Belt past. New apartment complexes, hotels, and breweries cut into a landscape dominated by abandoned warehouses and general industrial decline. But today, that transformation is shifting gears and taking to the skies.

Hundreds of flight facilities will be built in the town where the Wright brothers pioneered manned flight 120 years ago. futuristic flying taxi Every year.



Joby Aviation plans to build electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft here in Dayton, rather than in its home state of California.

Joby’s Didier Papadopoulos cited several reasons for the company’s plans to hire up to 2,000 people at a time. $500 million facility It is scheduled to open next year north of Dayton.

For one thing, “aviation has an immense history. It’s the birthplace of flight,” Papadopoulos said recently. He also said, “Ohio has a talented and skilled manufacturing workforce and we look forward to hiring and training both local and national applicants.”

Some expect the aircraft, which is scheduled to debut at this summer’s Paris Olympics, to reshape not just air travel but the broader mobility industry. In recent years, many startups and established companies have entered electric flying vehicles, and the global eVTOL market is expected to reach a value of $1 trillion by 2040.

Joby positions itself as the “Uber of the sky.” The aircraft has space for one pilot and four passengers and can reach speeds of up to 200 mph (322 km/h). A test flight in November took the plane from Lower Manhattan to JFK International Airport in just seven minutes, compared to an hour by taxi or subway.

The company aims to operate commercial flights between New York City and Los Angeles in 2025. Taxi service from home to airport on Delta Airlines.

President Joe Biden is plowing billions of dollars into a new era of manufacturing, with much of the money going to the industrial Midwest as part of a broader move to reduce U.S. dependence on other countries for key technology products. is flowing into. Millions of dollars in government incentives are being poured into new semiconductor and other mobility projects in Ohio. michigan and other states are often associated with socio-economic decline more generally.

The move could be a major turnaround for Dayton, which has lost nearly half its population since the 1960s.

“Ohio is Advanced air mobility plans” said Ted Angell of the Dayton Development Coalition, Joby’s liaison. “No other state was leaning so far forward.”

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, located a few miles east of Dayton, is the largest single employer in Ohio and boasts significant federal military research and development spending power, resulting in It is attracting a growing ecosystem of space partners and startups. area.

Nearby Springfield, a city of 60,000 people, has also suffered years of manufacturing closures, but the U.S. Air Force is helping build a new National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence, which is expected to become a hub for the aviation industry. . korean companies And elsewhere too.

“For products like this, [Joby] Jennifer Clark, a regional planning expert at Ohio State University, said: “That’s just normal in the airline industry. Almost every airline you can think of does both defense and civilian manufacturing. The Dayton area knows that very well.”

While the creation of thousands of new skilled jobs in economically challenged areas like Dayton has been widely welcomed, some of these communities may bear the cost.

Dayton has long been known as a place with an abundance of affordable housing, but rising rental prices over the past year have pushed residents to form a tenant associationin other citylarge manufacturing plants fueled a significant increase in real estate prices.

Ohio state government is the largest Taxpayers $325 million in taxes We will support Joby’s facility construction.Montgomery County, Dayton was suggested Donate $1 million to the company as “development costs.”



“There’s a belief among economic development officials that doing all this recruitment, retention and expansion with individual companies is risky and not the best use of taxpayer dollars,” Clark said. Stated. “Most of the research shows that if we want to have sustainable economic development, we need to invest in our entire institutional infrastructure. But it’s a long game.”

Mr Joby’s initial announcement suggested 2,000 jobs would be created, but that number has now been reduced to approaching 1,200may rise.

Still, investment from companies at the forefront of mobility is seen as a welcome shot in the arm for a region that has seen decades of population decline. That’s evidenced by the fact that the new factory sits on what was once a U.S. Postal Service airmail facility.

Angell, of the Dayton Development Coalition, said many community colleges and universities in the area are adjusting by opening training programs to establish a pipeline of technicians for Joby and other airlines. Ta.

“I can’t tell you how many tours I’ve done with school kids,” he says. ” [new] A flying revolution is happening here. ”

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Spanish Tech Startup Aims to Introduce 3D Printed Meat to Our Tables’

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Cocuus, a cutting-edge technology start-up headquartered in an industrial park on the outskirts of Pamplona, ​​takes on a group of drunken tourists who willingly surrender to the sound of fate, horns and hooves during a bull run in a Spanish city. They are just as happy to embrace every bit of the clichés of their sector. A festival held every July.

Table soccer? check.lager and IPA on tap? check. Inspirational Message – Preferably an homage to Alice in Wonderland with “Before Breakfast She Believes in Six Impossible Things”? Check. How about sci-fi memorabilia, perhaps Tintin's moon rocket or Alien's xenomorph head? Check. clearly.

A clue as to what's different lies in the platters of oysters, tuna, foie gras, bacon, nuggets, steak and charcuterie displayed at the bar. Nothing is what it seems. Steak and pork do contain meat, but like other dishes, they are the result of years of research into “copycat foods,” culminating in the rapid burst of 3D printing.

Founded six years ago by Patxi Larumbe and Daniel Rico, Cocuus continues its loud and disruptive quest to fuse science, technology, and nutrition. It announced its existence three years ago when the duo decided to attract meat lovers in Pamplona and beyond by 3D printing steaks and posting them on social media.




Patsi Larumbe with 3D machinery to produce shrimp. Photo: Markel Redondo/Guardian

“I knew that if I was going to print something, it had to be something that would piss people off,” says Larumbe, who quit a €100,000-a-year job in construction materials to focus on the startup.

“We knew that printing a big steak would upset a lot of people in Spain, especially in northern Spain. So we printed the steak and posted it on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 700,000 people. We got replies. Most of them were people telling us to shove it up our butts. It was crazy and I was really happy.”

Even better, the product also attracted the attention of American food company Cargill, which is now one of Coccus' major investors. This Spanish company also specializes in formulations and machinery used in food printing, and for the past few years has designed and manufactured multi-nozzle printers that can create food products that mimic the taste and texture of meat and fish. . The hardware can also be painted on molded purees to look like a plate of chicken and chips or hake and peas, creating meals that stimulate the eyes and appetites of people with swallowing difficulties.

As befits a self-confessed bunch of sci-fi geeks, much of the inspiration comes from the transport plane that beams the crew of the USS Enterprise between the ship and the planet's surface. Larrambe said Social Media Steak is the result of experimenting with the idea of ​​converting steak cells into data that can be teleported. After taking X-rays and cross-sectional scans of real steaks, they located the cells that make up the meat, fat, and bones, converted them into data, and entered them into a printer.




Larumbe cooks 3D vegan steaks. Photo: Markel Redondo/Guardian

“We're a group of physicists, geometry mathematicians, geeks, and Star Trek and Star Wars enthusiasts who are starting to research food,” Larumbe says. “Every food company studies things in very similar ways, using nutritionists and food technologists, and they come to very similar conclusions to existing ones. To come up with new cakes. If you get a bunch of bakers together, they'll come up with something very similar to what already exists and what we know as cake.”

But if you combine a physicist with a nutritionist, a machine maker, a baker and a comedian, he added, “you'll create a new kind of cake.”

Cocuus' bacon and foie gras are made from a rich vegetable paste, while the steaks are made with real beef from 50kg of meat that would otherwise be discarded or made into cat food when cows are slaughtered. The fat in steak marbling is made from a vegetable mixture and is much lower in saturated fat than the real thing.

Mr Larumbe exudes confidence in his products as surely as his printers extrude meat and vegetable pastes, but he also takes a swipe at many of his supposed rivals and says they've made light work of the vegan burger boom in recent years. He dismissed it as a “bubble” and pointed out the huge costs and low costs. Yields of lab-grown meat.




Cocuus' 3D printed meat steaks contain real beef. Photo: Markel Redondo/Guardian

When asked what sets his company apart in an already crowded field, he insists it's scale. Cocuus and its partner Foody's have sold 80,000 pieces of meat-free foie gras and 200,000 pieces of cholesterol-free vegan bacon since the products hit Carrefour store shelves last September. Cocius also has the production capacity to produce 1,000 tons of bacon and his 3,000 tons of foie gras annually at his factory in the city of Tudela.

“We are the first company in the world to successfully do this on an industrial scale rather than on an experimental scale,” says Larumbe.

“Secondly, our imitation is complete and has never existed before. There was a vegetarian version, but the content was bad. Thirdly, there is something fundamentally wrong here. We have scientists coming up with different formulations and technologies. All of this means we are the most advanced company in the world in this field, and one that partners with the largest international food companies. about it.”

What has the local reaction been like in areas where beef is highly revered?

Making bacon without pigs or “seeing a bunch of idiots make steaks with 3D printing” may not be appealing to Navarre's farmers, Larumbe admits. But after learning more about the company and understanding that more money could be made for the cows thanks to new technology that utilizes parts that were traditionally thrown or fed to cats, many He says people are coming.

Once again, after spending an hour or two with him, you get the impression that Larumbe doesn't really care about other people's opinions.

“Humanity progresses because of people who disagree,” he says. “There is no progress if you and I agree. We don't agree on everything.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Building a solid foundation for your startup can help you secure early-stage funding

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Russ Heddleston, CEO of Dropbox’s DocSend, says that as valuations fall, founders are more than ever “convinced that their company is built to survive with long-term profitability and scalability in mind. “I need to prove that,” he wrote.

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According to data from DocSend, investors aren’t looking at proposal materials as seriously as they used to. However, there is still a market for early-stage deals. “For founders, perfecting their pitch, developing an efficient sales strategy, and quickly narrowing down their product scope will lay a strong foundation for success in attracting investors.”

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a nice vacation.

Karin

Ask Sophie: Is it still easy for AI founders to get a green card?

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Dear Sophie

I’m interested in the Biden administration’s efforts to retain AI talent in the United States. How is the government making it easier for AI companies to sponsor permanent residency for their employees? Will the number of green cards allocated to individuals in the AI ​​field increase?

— All about AI

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Cryptocurrency valuations “back to reality” in 2023, but venture capitalists expect them to rise again in 2024

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It hasn’t been a great year for cryptocurrency companies, but change may be on the way. Experts told Jacqueline Melinek that crypto trading is likely to become active again in 2024. “The tougher funding environment in 2023 only culled out weaker companies that were able to secure capital in 2021,” she wrote.

From Seed to Series A: Strategic Insights for Technology Founders in the 2024 Venture Environment

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A new report from Forum Ventures provides a good look at the current state of early-stage B2B SaaS investing.

While the data may be discouraging, the silver lining is that rounds are still being made and companies that find product-market fit will likely scale up in the next few years, likely in the next bull market. “This means they should benefit,” wrote the CEO of Forum Ventures. Managing Partner Mike Cardamone.

Source: techcrunch.com

Startup performance is better than you think

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Data shows hope amid this year’s dark headlines

on the face (expression) With the recent economic downturn and concerns about the startup bubble bursting, you may be surprised to hear that startups are doing better than you think. I’ve talked to a lot of founders who are struggling to raise money, and it’s a real problem. However, there are some startups that focus on business fundamentals and are still thriving.

Dig deep into the data of emerging accounting firms Kurze Consulting Startups that can focus on fundamentals, i.e. startups that are run more like a “real” business rather than the “growth at all costs” mentality of the past few years. This indicates that the company is in a serious situation. Decent shape. Looking at the numbers, this shows up as an increase in median runway length, lower operating costs, and a promising increase in profitability.

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A leaner run than I expected. image credits: Kruse Consulting

“Average burn is down this year due to lower operating expenses, which means founders are focused on being more efficient,” said Kruze Consulting Vice President of Financial Strategy. one Healy Jones told me. “Of course, much of that is due to headline-grabbing layoffs (so nothing to brag about), but on the other hand, founders are learning how to use their capital more effectively, which is good for the ecosystem. it’s a good thing.”

Median startup runway, the estimated length of time a company can operate before running out of cash, actually increased in the second half of 2023. Now it’s a staggering 12.5 months, which is significantly higher than 9-10 months. Typically expected after an average funding round.

Source: techcrunch.com