Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 10/25/24. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 10/25/24. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Anthropic's New Tool: A Peek at the Future?
Anthropic just dropped a cool new Computer Use tool that can take control of your mouse to do simple tasks, but don’t get too excited yet. It’s only available through their mid-range 3.5 Sonnet model API, and it still has some growing pains. Think of it as a super fast screenshot-taking assistant, but it can’t handle things like drag-and-drop or fast notifications. It’s a bit clunky and sometimes misses the mark. Curious how it works? Anthropic’s video gives a solid breakdown.
#ai #anthropic #automation #api #technology
> S👁️URCE <
Have you seen this video where they look at different biases of AI model by making AI talking and scoring arguments about "Does God Exist?"
There are certainly biases. It can be maneuvered through algorithms.
Thought this was a interesting take on showcasing that there are different biases of different models. Probably because of the data it's trained on
Some of it is the data but it is more the way the algorithms are structured.
Ah okay, I was trying to figure out if Facebook ppl were more religious then the rest of the web, since Lama was more favorable :)
That was dope...remove Gemini from the equation and the Atheist got smacked around lol
Yes I thought so to. What conclusion for we draw from it? :)
A New Prime Number Record Just Dropped
Luke Durant, a former Nvidia researcher and major player in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS), just found the largest known prime number! Known as M136279841, this massive prime is calculated by multiplying 2 together 136,279,841 times, then subtracting one. What’s wild is that Durant used a supercomputer with thousands of GPUs across 17 countries to pull it off. GIMPS has now discovered the last 18 Mersenne primes, and this new find is a huge win for the project.
#prime #supercomputing #math #discovery #technology
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Colossal's Wild Plan to Bring Back the Thylacine - Tasmanian Tiger
Colossal, the company known for trying to revive the mammoth, just gave an update on its efforts to bring back the thylacine, extinct since 1936. The team is almost done sequencing the thylacine genome and expects to wrap it up soon. Interestingly, marsupials might make de-extinction easier thanks to unique biology, and technology for marsupial work is growing fast. Colossal’s also working on artificial wombs to grow marsupial embryos, imagine that! It’s like Jurassic Park, but with more pouches.
#thylacine #deextinction #artificialwomb #science
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OpenAI
OpenAI says it won’t release a model called Orion this year
OpenAI says that it doesn’t intend to release an AI model code-named Orion this year, countering recent reporting on the company’s product roadmap.
#newsonleo #technology #openai #ai
OpenAI seems to have a lot in the pipeline but release little. To my knowledge, Sora nor the conversation piece for ChatGPT 4.o are still not available.
You're right, maybe OpenAI is waiting for the best time/opportunity to start releasing more of these projects.
Sora will need to be completely awesome when they release it. With the videos they released, the expectations are huge!
We will see what they are doing. Nvidia is in the game.
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Releasing new products has a become a huge poker game between all of the top AI brands. The big players don’t expose their hands at all anymore. It’s like they wait to see what a competitor does and then frame their next release based on it lol
You summarized well how all this is happening. LOL
Basically, that's what the impression is.
LOL
Orion is a cutting-edge AI model developed by OpenAI, showcasing significant advancements in conversational AI. Its key features include:
Orion's capabilities make it an exemplary conversational AI model. Its advancements pave the way for more sophisticated AI interactions.
Without a doubt, LeoAI will be something close to this, we will have an excellent AI assistant.
“We don’t have plans to release a model code-named Orion this year,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch via email. “We do plan to release a lot of other great technology.”
The Verge reported on Thursday that Orion, which is expected to be OpenAI’s next frontier model, would launch by December, and that trusted partners would be the first to preview it ahead of a rollout through ChatGPT. According to The Verge, Microsoft, a close OpenAI collaborator and investor, expects to gain access to Orion as early as November.
OpenAI previously told TechCrunch that The Verge’s report wasn’t accurate, but declined to elaborate further.
Orion, a step up from OpenAI’s current flagship, GPT-4o, is reportedly trained in part on synthetic training data from o1, the company’s “reasoning” model. OpenAI plans for the foreseeable future to continue developing new “GPT” models alongside reasoning models like o1, which it sees as addressing fundamentally different use cases.
OpenAI’s statement leaves substantial wiggle room. It could be that the company’s next major model isn’t, in fact, Orion. Or perhaps OpenAI will release a new model by December, but one less capable than Orion.
At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.
Orion is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, designed to provide information and answer questions. Orion represents a significant advancement in conversational AI, offering more accurate and informative responses.
AI
Classic Christmas song gets authorized Spanish reworking thanks to ‘responsible’ AI
In the decades following its 1958 release, Brenda Lee’s rockabilly-tinged “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has attained status as an all-time holiday classic. Sixty-six years later, it’s getting a Spanish language rework courtesy of “responsible” AI.
#newsonleo #technology
Universal on Friday announced the release of “Noche Buena y Navidad,” which utilized SoundLabs AI’s MicDrop technology to reconstruct Spanish vocals based on the then 13-year-old Lee’s original.
Lee, now 79, appears to approve. “Throughout my career, I performed and recorded many songs in different languages, but I never recorded ‘Rockin’’ in Spanish, which I would have loved to do,” the singer says. “To have this out now is pretty incredible and I’m happy to introduce the song to fans in a new way.”
With the holiday now exactly two months out, it’s a safe bet music execs are dreaming on an AI Christmas.
AI
YC startup Pharos lands a $5M seed led by Felicis to bring AI to hospital quality reporting
Dozens, if not hundreds, of startups, are seeing opportunities to make those bureaucratic processes less burdensome with the help of generative AI. These companies are building AI medical scribes, platforms for pre-authorizing health insurance payments, and products for automatically extracting medical coding from patients’ electronic medical records (EMRs.)
#newsonleo #technology #ai
But Pharos, a company that was a part of Y Combinator’s summer 2024 cohort, is applying AI to tackle another somewhat under-the-radar administrative function for hospitals: quality reporting to external clinical registries.
Organizations like Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American College of Surgeons aim to measure each healthcare centers’ record on delivering safe and effective care for patients. Although reporting to these registries is not always mandatory, it’s often in the best interest of hospitals. These external organizations play a crucial role in identifying quality issues (such as an increase in post-surgery infections), which can be addressed to improve patient care.
However, reporting to the registries is extremely time-consuming. Nurses and other staff must manually sift through each patient’s electronic health record to extract the precise data required for each registry. “A single case can take up to eight hours” to report, said Ryan Isono, a partner at Felicis, “It’s a big problem, but one that you only know about if you’re deep in the industry.”
Indeed, Pharos was co-founded by Felix Brann and Matthew Jones, who had some exposure to the challenges of reporting data to medical registries from their prior work at Vital, a startup that develops software for emergency rooms. They recognized that AI can take unstructured data from EMRs and automatically populate forms required by registries. As they went through YC earlier this year, they added another co-founder – Alex Clarke, a medical doctor who also holds a PhD in artificial intelligence from Imperial College London.
On Friday, Pharos announced that Felicis, with participation from General Catalyst, Moxxie and Y Combinator, led its $5 million seed round.
Pharos caught Felicis’ eye not only because the company could save hospitals money and free up nurses’ time for taking care of patients, but also because the area still doesn’t have other startups going after it, Isono said.
Brann (pictured center above) predicts that other quality reporting companies will emerge soon. “We have five years of experience selling and deploying into hospitals, and we have top-tier AI talent,” he said.” That Venn diagram doesn’t normally overlap. That’s why we think we’re going to win.”
For now, the entire Pharos team consists only of the three co-founders, but they will be using the capital to hire a team that will help the company sell the product and maintain relationships with hospitals.
Intern Sabotages ByteDance's AI Models
So, ByteDance just fired an intern for messing with their AI model training. Apparently, they got caught sabotaging the system, but none of the company’s major projects or their online business were hit. ByteDance even said their large models were totally fine. While there are rumors that the damage might’ve cost them tens of millions, ByteDance insists that's overblown. This shows how even insiders can sometimes pose unexpected risks to companies like ByteDance. Pretty wild, right?
#bytedance #ai #business #techsecurity #technology
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World’s 1st solid-state battery EV to hit roads in 2026 with 600-mile range
Stellantis is incorporating Factorial’s solid-state batteries into a demonstration fleet of all-new Dodge Charger Daytona vehicles based on the STLA Large platform.
Most auto manufacturers plan to launch their electric vehicles (EVs) with solid-state batteries by 2030.
However, Stellantis has announced that it will introduce a demonstration fleet of brand-new Dodge Charger Daytona EVs featuring solid-state batteries by 2026.
Stellantis is incorporating Factorial’s solid-state batteries into a demonstration fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona vehicles.
The vehicles will utilize solid-state battery technology with over 390Wh/kg energy density.
#technology #newsonleo #ev #battery
On October 23, Stellantis and Factorial announced the next chapter in their partnership to accelerate the development and deployment of next-generation EVs powered by Factorial’s solid-state battery technology.
This initiative builds upon the $75 million investment Stellantis made in Factorial in 2021.
Stellantis will test the performance of Factorial’s solid-state battery in real driving conditions using its Dodge Charger Daytona vehicles in 2026.
Article
I was sceptical that these new solid state batteries might have a higher ecological footprint than the batteries used now, so I read a couple of articles. Without researching further my initial conclusion is that they have a lower footprint, but i'm not convinced yet.
https://www.uk-cpi.com/blog/6-ways-solid-state-batteries-are-better-than-lithium-ion-alternatives-in-electric-vehicles
VW spinoff Scout reveals its EV vision and it includes a model with a gas-powered generator
Scout Motors, the Volkswagen Group spinoff, unveiled Thursday two EVs it hopes will hook American customers
Scout Motors, the Volkswagen Group spinoff, unveiled Thursday two EVs it hopes will hook American customers with modern-meets-rugged styling that downplays digital and embraces the mechanical.
#vw #technology #scout #newsonleo
Article
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The catch? The company will also offer variants to its all-electric Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra Truck that will come equipped with a built-in gas-powered generator using a system called Harvester — a nod to the brand’s roots with the International Harvester Scout from the 1960s.
If the idea of electric-meets-gas-generator sounds familiar, it is. Stellantis brand Ram unveiled last year the Ramcharger, a battery electric truck equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine and on-board 130 kilowatt generator that, when combined, promises a targeted range of 690 miles.
Popular drug to end early pregnancies could also extend lifespan, scientists say
Scientists say mifepristone, used in cancer and reproductive care, could pave the way for anti-aging treatments.
New research from biologists at the University of South California (USC) Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences reveals that mifepristone, a drug best known for its use for ending early pregnancies, might also extend lifespan.
The findings could pave the way for anti-aging treatments.
Mifepristone, which is also used to treat Cushing’s disease and certain cancers, has caught the attention of scientists exploring ways to promote longer, healthier lives.
#newsonleo #health #lifespan #technology
I don't wish to throw a damper on it, but, it won't surprise me if in a few years many side effects (even death) come to light, like most #BigPharma #pharmaceuticals (aka #drugs)
Those pesky side effects.
Big Pharma has given us every reason to trust us. So has the FDA and CDC.
In a study involving fruit flies, John Tower, a professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife, compared the effects of mifepristone to rapamycin, a drug that has demonstrated the ability to increase the lifespan of various animals.
The study, published in the journal Fly, showed that both drugs independently extended the lifespan of fruit flies.
Interestingly, combining the two drugs does not offer additional benefits and a slightly reduced lifespan, suggesting they act through the same biological pathway.
Researchers focused on mitophagy to understand how mifepristone and rapamycin might extend lifespan.
Mitophagy is like a cellular “cleanup” process in which damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria — the cell’s energy producers — are broken down and recycled. Impaired mitophagy has been linked to aging and age-related diseases, while increased mitophagy is believed to be a factor in rapamycin’s life-extending effects.
Article
New EV battery offers 800 Wh/L energy density, charges upto 80% in 15 mins
The battery goes from 10 to 80 percent charge in under 15 minutes and has an energy density of over 800 Wh/L.
California-based QuantumScape, a startup making solid-state batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), has started low-volume production of its B-sample cells. According to the company’s Q3 report, it will soon ship them to EV makers for implementation testing.
The recent surge in EV adoption is an encouraging trend in electrified transportation. If EV adoption continues to increase, tailpipe emissions from cars and even trucks can be brought to zero in the coming years, giving a huge boost to net-zero targets.
#quantumscape #technology #battery #newsonleo
However, apart from government policy and subsidies, the performance of EVs must also encourage users to adopt them. Although EV manufacturers equip their newer models with high-tech and smart features, the deciding factor in EV purchase remains the battery for potential customers.
Everything revolves around the battery pack, from deciding the range to charging time, the time required to travel to a destination, and the safety and sustainability concerns of an EV. California-based QuantumScape is on a mission to deliver the best battery solution to herald a low-carbon future in EVs and energy storage.
Founded in 2010, QuantumScape has spent most of the last decade perfecting solid-state batteries. Its major advancement came about four years ago when it developed a ceramic separator to replace the polymer separator conventionally used in batteries.
According to its website, the ceramic separator allows the replacement of carbon or silicon anode with lithium metal, which is much more energy-dense and stores more charge in the same volume. This also allowed QuantumScape to make an anode-less battery since lithium from the battery makes the anode on the first charge.
Article
QuantumScape Story
We’re on a mission to revolutionize energy storage and power a decarbonized future, and we’re starting with transportation. Lithium-ion batteries are at the heart of the next transportation revolution, but in the technology’s current form, they fall short of meeting the needs of drivers in key areas like battery life, charging speed and cost. QuantumScape was founded in 2010 to create a battery that doesn’t make compromises — and after a decade of hard work, we’ve built a technology that enables the fast charging, long-lasting and safer batteries required to power zero-emissions transportation.
The key to our technology is a patented solid ceramic electrolyte separator, the material that keeps the anode and cathode from touching and moves lithium ions from one side of the battery to the other during charge and discharge. Our technology creates the lithium anode in situ during the first charge, an innovation that dramatically simplifies battery design and makes it fundamentally cheaper to manufacture. The solid electrolyte allows us to use lithium-metal for the anode, which is the lightest metal on the planet and nearly 10 times more energy dense than what’s used in today’s batteries. And the ceramic separator is non-flammable and noncombustible, making our batteries safer than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
In order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, we must electrify transportation and turn internal combustion engines into a way of the past. Replacing this century-old technology won’t happen overnight, but with the help of our automotive partners, our dedicated team of world-class scientists and engineers is working around the clock to put our breakthrough, solid-state technology on the road as soon as possible. The future is solid.
DR. SIVA SIVARAM
President & CEO
Dr. Sivaram is QuantumScape’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this, he served in various roles at data storage solutions provider, Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC), where he was responsible for the development of corporate strategy and growth technologies, including in his last role as President, Technology and Strategy from August 2019 to August 2023, and, prior to that, as Executive Vice President, Silicon Technology and Manufacturing since November 2017. Prior to joining Western Digital in 2016, Dr. Sivaram held the title of Executive Vice President, Memory Technology, at SanDisk.
In 2008, he founded Twin Creek Technologies, an American technology manufacturer specializing in solar model equipment, where he served as CEO for five years. Earlier in his career, Dr. Sivaram held leadership positions at SanDisk, Matrix Semiconductor and Intel. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Materials Science from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a Distinguished Alumnus of the National Institute of Technology, Trichy, where he received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
DR. TIM HOLME
Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Holme is QuantumScape’s Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Holme has served as QuantumScape’s Chief Technology Officer since January 2011. Prior to joining QuantumScape, he was a Research Associate at Stanford University from June 2008 to January 2011. Dr. Holme holds a B.S. in Physics, a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.
DR. MOHIT SINGH
Chief Development Officer
Dr. Singh is QuantumScape’s Chief Development Officer. Dr. Singh has served as QuantumScape’s Chief Development Officer since June 2015. Prior to this, Dr. Singh served as QuantumScape’s Vice President, Research and Development and Engineering from April 2014 to June 2015. From 2004 to 2007, Dr. Singh conducted post doctorate research in Chemical Engineering at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Singh holds a B. Tech in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Tulane University.
KEVIN HETTRICH
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Hettrich is QuantumScape’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Hettrich has served as QuantumScape’s Chief Financial Officer and head of Business Operations since September 2018. Prior to this, Mr. Hettrich served as QuantumScape’s Vice President of Business Operations from March 2016 to March 2018, as Senior Director of Finance and Product Management from March 2014 to March 2016, as a Director of Product Management from March 2013 to March 2014, and as a Manager of Product Management from January 2012 to March 2013. Prior to joining QuantumScape, Mr. Hettrich served as a Private Equity Associate of Bain Capital, an investment firm, from September 2007 to July 2009.
Mr. Hettrich also served as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, from September 2004 to July 2007. Mr. Hettrich holds a B.A. in Economics from Pomona College, a M.B.A. from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a M.S. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University.
MIKE MCCARTHY
Chief Legal Officer & Head of Corp. Dev.
Mr. McCarthy has served as QuantumScape’s Chief Legal Officer and Head of Corporate Development since March 2013. Mr. McCarthy also currently serves on the board of QSV Operations LLC. Prior to joining QuantumScape, he was the Chief Administrative Officer at Infinera Corporation from April 2003 to March 2013. From September 1997 to April 2003, Mr. McCarthy served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Ciena Corporation, a network strategy and technology company. Mr. McCarthy currently serves as a member of the boards of several privately-held companies. Mr. McCarthy holds a B.A. in Mathematical Economics from Colgate University and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.
US approves huge lithium mine to produce EV batteries for 370,000 cars annually
The project will quadruple US lithium output and is expected to be operationalized by 2028.
Ioneer, a company focused on lithium mineral production, received its federal permit to develop the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project from the Bureau of Land Management on October 24.
Rhyolite Ridge will boost the US’s critical mineral production and support investment in Esmeralda County, Nevada, aiming for construction in 2025 and first production in 2028.
The project will supply the batteries for more than 370,000 American-made electric vehicles annually and process crucial battery materials on-site in the United States.
#lithium #ev #technology #newsonleo #ioneer
The Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project is a large-scale, greenfield open-pit project.
The project is expected to generate an average of 22,340 tonnes (t) of lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) during the first three years.
Following that, it will produce 21,951 tonnes of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) for the remainder of the mine’s life. Additionally, the project will yield 174,378 tonnes per year of boric acid (H₃BO₃) throughout its lifespan.
The total mine life is expected to be 26 years.
“For more than six years, we have worked closely with state, federal and tribal governments, as well as the Fish Lake Valley community, to ensure the sound and sustainable development of our Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project. We value our relationships with these stakeholders and appreciate their openness to engage, discuss concerns and develop solutions. Without that open and honest dialogue, such an outcome could never have been possible,” said Ioneer Managing Director Bernard Rowe.
“This permit gives us a license to commence construction in 2025 and begin our work in creating hundreds of good-paying rural jobs, generating millions in tax revenue for Esmeralda County, and bolstering the domestic production of critical minerals.”
Article
Ioneer’s core mission is to develop a U.S. based source of lithium and boron that can be extracted in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, providing two materials that are essential to achieve a sustainable future for our planet.
What we believe
From Wikipedia:
ioneer, Ltd. was listed on ASX in 2007 under the name Global Geoscience Limited
An option over Rhyolite Ridge was acquired in June 2016 and the purchase of a 100% interest in the project was completed in July 2017.
In 2017, Global Geoscience secured ownership of the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project
In 2018, the company changed its name from Global Geoscience to ioneer, which is a combination of the words “ion” and “pioneer.” The new name reflects the company’s new focus and commitment to becoming an important producer of the materials necessary for a sustainable future.
In April 2020, ioneer announced the results of a Definitive Feasibility Study validating the robust economics and viability of Rhyolite Ridge
On November 18, 2020, ioneer became a founding member of the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) in the US
UnitedHealth says Change Healthcare hack affects over 100 million, the largest-ever US healthcare data breach
UnitedHealth, the largest U.S. health insurance provider, blamed a Russia-based ransomware gang for the huge data breach of U.S. medical data.
More than 100 million individuals had their private health information stolen during the ransomware attack on Change Healthcare in February, a cyberattack that caused months of unprecedented outages and widespread disruption across the U.S. healthcare sector.
#unitedhealthcare #hack #data #technology #newsonleo
This is the first time that UnitedHealth Group (UHG), the U.S. health insurance provider that owns the health tech company, has put a number of affected individuals to the data breach, after previously saying it anticipated the breach to include data on a “substantial proportion of people in America.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services first reported the updated number on its data breach portal on Thursday.
UHG spokesperson Tyler Mason said in a brief statement: “We continue to notify potentially impacted individuals as quickly as possible, on a rolling basis, given the volume and complexity of the data involved and the investigation is still in its final stages.”
The ransomware attack and data breach at Change Healthcare stands as the largest known digital theft of U.S. medical records, and one of the biggest data breaches in living history. The ramifications for the millions of Americans whose private medical information was irretrievably stolen are likely to be life lasting.
Article
Airdog's founders are back with a precision-strike drone meant for modern warfare
The war in Ukraine has shown that warfare changes by the day.
The war in Ukraine has shown that warfare changes by the day. It’s also clear that the tech used to make war today is costly: While larger countries can afford legions of tanks, helicopters, and precision-strike systems, smaller nations find themselves scrambling for cheaper ways to defend themselves.
#airdog #war #technology #newsonleo
Origin, a new defense tech startup out of Latvia, specializes in making reusable, autonomous drones that can deliver munitions far more cheaply than similar solutions. The company already has commercial agreements with two NATO countries, though these remain unnamed for security reasons.
Founded in 2022 by Agris Kipurs and Ilya Nevdah, Origin emerged after the pair exited Airdog, which made an autonomous drone that is famously used for recording extreme sports. Eventually, Airdog was acquired by U.S. smart home solutions developer Alarm.com.
“Airdog was a consumer drone. We were the first in the world to launch an autonomously flying system in 2015,” Kipurs (CEO) told TechCrunch. “We founded Origin in March of 2022, obviously in response to the invasion of Ukraine. We realized that we had to go back to doing what we do best, this time for military applications. We knew that the skill set that we have as a team is rare, as we’d been building autonomous systems for 10+ years.”
The startup’s flagship product, BEAK, is an ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) drone with precision guidance technology. It packs a camera, is capable of autonomous flight, and can withstand intense radio jamming. It’s also man-portable, making it well suited to wars like the one in Ukraine.
Article
At Origin we develop highly advanced autonomous systems to enhance the capabilities of Europe and our NATO allies. We empower cost-efficient hardware with state-of-the-art software to deter and defend.
We invest private capital in developing the systems we bring to the defense market, focusing on cost-efficient solutions and fast iteration cycles. This approach allows the governments we work with to save money while providing a sufficient response to the ever-evolving challenges of today's battlefield.
YouTube brings its affilate program to India, partners with Flipkart
YouTube has brought its affiliate program to India, letting uploaders tag products in their videos and earn referrals.
Just ahead of the local festive season, YouTube has brought its affiliate program to India, letting uploaders tag products in their videos and earn referrals. The company is partnering with Walmart-owned e-commerce service Flipkart and fashion retailer Myntra to open up their product catalogs to uploaders.
#youtube #newsonleo #technology #socialmedia #referral
To be eligible for the affiliate program, creators must have their channels listed in the partner program and have at least 10,000 subscribers.
YouTube already allows select creators in India to list their own merchandise on their channels, and now creators can tag products they might be talking about in their videos, shorts and livestreams.
Article
OpenAI reportedly plans to release its Orion AI model by December
OpenAI is reportedly planning to release its next frontier AI model, codenamed Orion inside the company, by December of this year
#openai #orion #technology #ai
OpenAI is reportedly planning to release its next frontier AI model, codenamed Orion inside the company, by December of this year, The Verge reported on Thursday. Unlike previous releases, the company reportedly plans to release the model gradually to trusted partners before a broader rollout through ChatGPT.
An OpenAI spokesperson tells TechCrunch the report is not accurate but would not elaborate further.
The Verge writes that Microsoft engineers expect to receive access to Orion as early as November, although it’s unclear what OpenAI will ultimately call the model. The o1 series of models was codenamed “strawberry” inside OpenAI for months before it was released.
There’s a lot riding on OpenAI’s next frontier model release. The AI startup just raised $6.6 billion in funding at a $157 billion valuation, and investors are expecting OpenAI to continue releasing increasingly capable models to lead the tech world.
Blue Origin certifies second capsule for suborbital space tourism flights
Blue Origin has carried out a successful uncrewed certification mission of its second New Shepard ship on Wednesday
Blue Origin has carried out a successful uncrewed certification mission of its second New Shepard ship on Wednesday, as the company looks to effectively double the number of tourists it can fly to suborbital space and back.
#blueorigin #technology #space #tourism #newsonleo
The RSS Kármán Line capsule is named for the imaginary boundary at 100 kilometers of altitude separating the atmosphere from space; it launched to suborbital space from Blue Origin’s West Texas launch site at 8:27 a.m. PT. This was the 27th flight of a New Shepard launch vehicle since 2015. All those missions used the same capsule, the RSS First Step, bringing 43 people to the edge of space since crewed missions started in 2021. (Boosters, of which there are several, don’t get names.)
“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new booster and a new crew capsule,” Blue Origin’s Maggie McNeece said during a launch livestream.
The vehicle included some new upgrades to improve performance and reliability, Blue Origin said, as well as improved payload accommodations on the booster. That booster carried five payloads for this mission, while seven additional payloads were placed inside the capsule. While Blue Origin did not release details on all the payloads, McNeece said all but one were technology demonstrations developed in-house. That included two different lidar sensors for the “lunar permanence” program and a navigation system for both New Shepard and New Glenn, Blue Origin’s first orbital rocket, which could launch before the end of the year.
Article
Embattled Astra scores DOD contract to develop point-to-point cargo delivery from space
Don’t count out Astra Space just yet. The company, which was taken private again earlier this year for a sliver of its former value,
Don’t count out Astra Space just yet. The company, which was taken private again earlier this year for a sliver of its former value, has landed a new contract with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to support the development of a next-gen launch system for time-sensitive space missions.
#astra #dod #technology #space
The contract, which the DIU awarded under its Novel Responsive Space Delivery (NRSD) program, has a maximum value of $44 million. The money (however much of it is actually sent) will go toward the continued development of Astra’s Launch System 2, designed to perform rapid, ultra-low-cost launches.
The new funding is a sign that not everyone has lost faith in Astra, a startup that went public in 2021 at a $2.1 billion valuation with lofty ambitions of mass producing small, cheap rockets capable of executing hundreds of missions per year. But the company burned through cash as it struggled to materialize those statements, notching several failed launches (and two successful ones) before announcing the pivot to the 600-kilogram payload capacity Rocket 4.
The company spent a number of months searching — and failing to secure — enough financing to stay afloat on the public markets. The saga culminated in March when the company announced that the board had accepted an offer from co-founders Chris Kemp and Adam London to purchase the remaining Astra stock at a price of just $0.50 per share. Astra ceased trading on the Nasdaq in July.
DIU was evidently swayed by Astra’s proposal, however, and the new contract could help see Rocket 4 reach orbit for the first time. The goal of that launch, according to a document released by DIU last summer, would be to demonstrate one or more of these capabilities: delivery through space from one orbit to another; an orbital return from space to a precise location on Earth; or through a specific orbit or trajectory in space. Solutions should be flight-ready within 24 months, the document states.
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OUR MISSION
Astra’s mission is to Improve Life on Earth from Space® by creating a healthier and more connected planet.
Astra pursues that mission through its Launch Services and Space Products businesses. Astra’s Launch Services business offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services of any operational launch provider in the world. Astra delivered its first commercial launch to low Earth orbit in 2021, making it the fastest company in history to reach this milestone, just five years after it was founded in 2016. Astra’s Space Products business offers one of the industry’s first flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, the Astra Spacecraft Engine™. Astra Spacecraft Engines™ have extensive on-orbit flight heritage and are available as fully assembled units or as individual components in the Astra Propulsion Kit. Astra (NASDAQ: ASTR) was the first space launch company to be publicly traded on Nasdaq.
Joby launches $200M public offering ahead of 2025 commercial eVTOL release
Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle startup Joby Aviation has launched a public offering to sell up to $200 million of its shares
Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle startup Joby Aviation has launched a public offering to sell up to $200 million of its shares of common stock, per a regulatory filing.
#joby #evtol #technology #aviation #newsonleo
Joby said it will use the proceeds from the raise — together with its existing cash — to fund its certification and manufacturing efforts, prepare for commercial launch in 2025, and for general working capital.
The eVTOL firm added that it intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an additional $30 million shares of its common stock.
Joby plans to launch air taxis for urban transportation next year in New York City and Los Angeles alongside partners Delta Air Lines and Uber, as well as in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The startup also has a $55 million contract with the Department of Defense.
Before Joby can launch, it will need to complete its type certification process to ensure the design of its aircraft meets required safety and airworthiness standards.
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Feds clear way for EVTOL startups to bring flying vehicles to U.S. airspace
Federal regulators have cleared the path for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to share U.S. airspace with planes and helicopters -- a win}
Federal regulators have cleared the path for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to share U.S. airspace with planes and helicopters — a win for the burgeoning industry and a timely decision for startups like Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation that are expected to launch air taxi networks commercially in 2025.
The Federal Aviation Administration published Tuesday its much-anticipated final ruling on the integration of “powered-lift” vehicles, a category the FAA revived two years ago to accommodate eVTOLs and one that describes aircraft that can take off and land like helicopters but then transition to forward flight like airplanes.
“Powered-lift aircraft are the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years and this historic rule will pave the way for accommodating wide-scale Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations in the future,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement. Whitaker announced the rule during the NBAA-Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas.
The ruling also contains guidelines for pilot training and clarifies operating rules. For example, aside from a new type of powered-lift pilot certification, the ruling includes an expanded ability for operators to train and qualify pilots using flight simulation training devices.
The operating rules are tailored specifically to powered-lift vehicles and, as such, allow eVTOLs the flexibility to switch between helicopter and airplane rules as needed.
Joby, Archer, Beta Technologies, and Wisk Aero — which are building aircraft for urban air taxi networks, defense, cargo, and medical logistics — have worked closely with the FAA since 2022 to develop this new set of rules for training, operations, and maintenance.
“[The ruling] aligns with all the hopes that we had been designing for,” Greg Bowles, head of government affairs at Joby Aviation, told TechCrunch. “So the way that we’ve designed the operating system, the cockpit we’ve designed, the way we’ve designed for energy reserves, all align with the FAA rule.”
Toyota pours another $500M into electric air taxi startup Joby Aviation
Toyota is doubling down on Joby Aviation with a $500 million investment into the California-based company that's developing electric air taxis.
Toyota is doubling down on Joby Aviation with a $500 million investment into the California-based company that’s developing electric air taxis. Toyota’s total investment in Joby, which includes a $394 million capital injection back in 2020, is now $894 million.
The funds will be used to help Joby complete the lengthy Type 2 certification process with the Federal Aviation Administration and support commercial production of its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Joby is in the fourth of five stages of the type certification and aims to launch a commercial air taxi business in 2025. The company also recently rolled its third aircraft off its pilot production line in Marina, California, and broke ground on an expanded facility in California that will more than double its manufacturing footprint.
The companies said the investment will be made in two equal tranches in the form of cash for common stock. The first amount is expected to close later this year and the second in 2025.
Joby, which was founded in 2009 by JoeBen Bevirt, has been working for more than a decade to develop, certify and produce an eVTOL aircraft that will be used as a commercial taxi service in cities. Joby has become more visible in the past five years as it made progress on its eVTOL development and made high-profile financial moves.
In 2020, Joby acquired Uber’s air taxi moonshot Elevate as part of a complex deal. Under the terms, Uber offloaded Elevate to Joby Aviation and invested $75 million into the startup. The two companies also expanded an existing partnership. A year later, Joby announced plans to become a public company through a merger with Reinvent Technology Partners, a special purpose acquisition company from well-known investor and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus.
Redefining Possible
Today, our team of more than 1500 passionate engineers, experts, and leaders, are all focused on bringing our pioneering vision to life. We’re developing a world-class manufacturing facility in Marina, CA and have offices and workshops in Santa Cruz, San Carlos, Washington, D.C., and Munich, Germany.
But it hasn’t always been like that.
The Beginning
Day and night, a small team of seven engineers worked out of “The Barn,” our workshop in the mountains above Santa Cruz. We explored the frontiers of technologies like electric motors, flight software, and lithium-ion batteries — engineering almost every component from the ground up.
NASA Partnership
Beginning in 2012, Joby was selected to collaborate with NASA on several groundbreaking electric flight projects, including the X-57 and LEAPTech.
The Guardian: Tesla adds close to $150bn in market value on best day in over a decade
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/24/tesla-shares-elon-musk
BBC Video: The AI that's already in your phone
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0jzmgz9/the-ai-that-s-already-in-your-phone
BBC: The green software that could make big carbon savings
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8j7md2kj8vo
BBC: Can meetup apps help us make friends?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86ql272pxvo
BBC: Cod liver oil: A fishy fix that had suprisingly clear health benefits
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241023-the-truth-about-the-odd-tasting-oils-we-were-told-were-healthy
How the ransomware attack at Change Healthcare went down: A timeline
A hack on UnitedHealth-owned tech giant Change Healthcare likely stands as one of the biggest data breaches of U.S. medical data in history.
A ransomware attack earlier this year on UnitedHealth-owned health tech company Change Healthcare likely stands as one of the largest data breaches of U.S. health and medical data in history.
#healthcare #ransomware #data #technology #unitedhealthcare
Months after the February data breach, a “substantial proportion of people living in America” are receiving notice by mail that their personal and health information was stolen by cybercriminals during the cyberattack on Change Healthcare. At least 100 million people are now known to be affected by the breach.
Change Healthcare processes billing and insurance for hundreds of thousands of hospitals, pharmacies and medical practices across the U.S. healthcare sector. As such, it collects and stores vast amounts of highly sensitive medical data on patients in the United States. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Change became one of the largest processors of U.S. health data, handling between one-third and one-half of all U.S. health transactions.
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Change Healthcare Data Breach: What to Know for Your Social Security Number and More
If you got a notification about the Change Healthcare data breach that happened in February, there are some steps you should take.
It's been a scary year for protecting your personal information. A breach at AT&T announced this summer impacted nearly all customers — not to be confused with another AT&T data breach disclosed this spring. There was a breach at Roku and a settlement for Cash App customers after data breaches. And last month, a cyberattack at National Public Data was confirmed.
It's hard to keep track of where your data is at risk, making me feel a bit like a cartoon character figuring out which hole to plug next. Amidst all of that, there was also a data breach at Change Healthcare, which is owned by UnitedHealth. This impacted a massive amount of people; an exact number hasn't been indicated, but Change Healthcare says "the impacted data could cover a substantial proportion of people in America," and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) noted the cyberattack's "unprecedented magnitude."
While the Change Healthcare data breach took place in February, people started getting notifications about it in late summer and into the fall. Whether you got a letter or not, there are some action items you should take to protect your identity and finances. Here's what you need to know about the Change Healthcare breach.
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Reuters: China welcomes Apple's continued, deeper presence
https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-welcomes-apples-continued-deeper-presence-2024-10-25/
Reuters: China's WeRide raises $440.5 million through US IPO, placement
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/chinese-self-driving-firm-weride-raises-120-million-us-ipo-2024-10-25/
Reuters: Huawei Cloud sees fast business growth in South Africa
https://www.reuters.com/technology/huawei-cloud-sees-fast-business-growth-south-africa-2024-10-24/
Reuters: White House presses gov't AI use with eye on security, guardrails
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-presses-govt-ai-use-with-eye-security-guardrails-2024-10-24/
Reuters: Missouri to probe Google over allegations of censoring conservative speech
https://www.reuters.com/technology/missouri-probe-google-over-allegations-censoring-conservative-speech-2024-10-25/
Reuters: Exclusive: Accused Iranian hackers successfully peddle stolen Trump emails
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/accused-iranian-hackers-successfully-peddle-stolen-trump-emails-2024-10-25/
Reuters: Indian court tells Star Health to share details of leak so Telegram can delete chatbots
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-court-asks-star-health-share-data-leak-details-with-telegram-deletion-2024-10-25/
Reuters: Hack at UnitedHealth's tech unit impacted 100 mln people, US health dept says
https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/hack-unitedhealths-tech-unit-impacted-100-mln-people-2024-10-24/
Lumen Orbit closed one of the biggest rounds from Y Combinator's last cohort
This data-centers-in-space startup had an incredibly competitive deal as VCs scramble to fund power source companies for the AI race.
Lumen Orbit has closed an oversubscribed, eight-figure seed round of more than $10 million, a source familiar with the details told TechCrunch. That would make it one of the hottest deals, if not the hottest deal, of the most recent Y Combinator batch.
#space #lumenorbit #funding #newsonleo #technology
The Redmond, Washington-based startup is pursuing a moonshot idea to build a network of data centers in space that can scale to a gigawatt capacity and be used to train large AI models. Lumen Orbit declined to comment.
The company went through YC’s 2024 summer batch and garnered a significant amount of attention from VCs, multiple VCs told TechCrunch. This interest led to an extremely competitive deal process for the startup’s seed round.
While Lumen has a lofty mission, the company seems to be making notable progress already. It was founded earlier this year and is planning to launch its demonstrator satellite in 2025 in partnership with Nvidia’s Inception program.
It’s not surprising that a company looking to build data centers in space would garner a lot of interest. There’s such a big scramble to power AI that companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are inking deals with nuclear power plants. Data centers are expected to consume 9% of overall energy consumption in the U.S. by 2030.
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Lumen Orbit is a space startup that's pioneering data centers in space, aiming to revolutionize the way we process and store data. Their innovative approach leverages the benefits of space-based operations, including abundant solar energy and passive cooling, to create scalable and sustainable data centers.
Founded by Philip Johnston, Ezra Feilden, and Adi Oltean, Lumen Orbit is tackling the challenge of hyperscale data centers, which are expected to put a huge strain on electricity grids and freshwater distribution .
By moving data centers to space, they're addressing these concerns while enabling the future of AI.
Key Benefits of Lumen Orbit's Space-Based Data Centers:
Reduced cost: Abundant solar energy without batteries and passive radiative cooling minimize expenses.
scalability: Grow to gigawatt scale without terrestrial constraints.
Rapid Deployment: Avoid restrictive permitting constraints on Earth.
The company has already made significant progress, securing $2.4 million in funding and booking their first launch for May 2025. With their cutting-edge technology and ambitious goals, Lumen Orbit is poised to transform the data center industry.
Lumen Orbit
What it does: Data centers in space.
Why it’s a fave: This company stood out because it seems like an extreme moonshot, and yet it’s already landed customers and is launching a demonstrator satellite next year. The concept of using solar energy to power data centers may be one to consider doing on Earth, too.
'They wish this technology didn't exist': Perplexity responds to News Corp's lawsuit
Perplexity shot back at media companies skeptical of AI's benefits in a blog post Thursday, responding to News Corp's lawsuit filed against the startup
Perplexity shot back at media companies skeptical of AI’s benefits in a blog post Thursday, responding to News Corp’s lawsuit filed against the startup earlier this week. The lawsuit alleged Perplexity engaged in large-scale copyright violations against Dow Jones and the NY Post. Several other media organizations — including Forbes, The New York Times, and Wired — have made similar accusations against Perplexity.
#perplexity #newscorp #lawsuit #generativeai #technology #newsonleo
“There are around three dozen lawsuits by media companies against generative AI tools. The common theme betrayed by those complaints collectively is that they wish this technology didn’t exist,” said the Perplexity team in the blog. “They prefer to live in a world where publicly reported facts are owned by corporations, and no one can do anything with those publicly reported facts without paying a toll.”
In just over 600 words, Perplexity makes several grandiose claims about the media industry but does little to back up those claims with facts or evidence, saying, “This is not the place to get into the weeds of it all.” That said, the overall tone represents a sharp change from how Perplexity has previously engaged with the media companies that power its AI search engine. In the post, Perplexity referenced an adversarial posture between the media and tech, calling this lawsuit “fundamentally shortsighted, unnecessary, and self defeating.”
Throughout the blog, Perplexity does not mention or address the central claim of the lawsuit: that Perplexity allegedly copies content at a massive scale from publishers, then competes with them for the same audience.
Perplexity instead asserts that media companies like News Corp wish AI tools didn’t exist, a claim that’s very hard to justify. News Corp is one of many media companies that has a multi-year partnership with OpenAI to display the work of its journalists within ChatGPT. Perplexity itself also works with several legacy media companies — including Time, Fortune, and Der Spiegel — in a revenue share program. The facts suggest that many media companies simply don’t like the deal Perplexity and other AI companies are offering.
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Electric aircraft startup Lilium has run out of money
Electric aircraft startup Lilium is shutting down after failing to raise emergency money from the German government, according to a regulatory filing.
Electric aircraft startup Lilium is shutting down after failing to raise emergency money from the German government, according to a regulatory filing.
#lilium #aircraft #technology #newsonleo
The filing comes after a series of setbacks from the German company that was once a darling in the nascent industry of electric aircraft. Lilium, which was developing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft with speeds of up to 100 km/h, had raised more than $1 billion from investors before going public in 2021 on the Nasdaq Exchange via a reverse merger with a blank-check company, SPAC Qell.
Lilium had success landing a number of high-profile investors like Tencent and locking in customers, including an order for 100 electric jets from Saudi Arabia. And more recently it had powered up its first full-scale prototype. But the company was still years away from delivering its product.
In the meantime, it burned through cash and grappled with other challenges. In 2020, one of Lilium’s two prototypes burst into flames while maintenance was being carried out. While the model was close to being retired, Lilium paused testing on its the second, newer model until it could determine the cause of the accident with the first aircraft.
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Chinas Answer To The Teslabot Is HERE! (Engine AI's Humanoid Robot)
#robotics #tesla #china #technology
Apple will pay security researchers up to $1 million to hack its private AI cloud
Ahead of the debut of Apple's private AI cloud next week, dubbed Private Cloud Compute
Ahead of the debut of Apple’s private AI cloud next week, dubbed Private Cloud Compute, the technology giant says it will pay security researchers up to $1 million to find vulnerabilities that can compromise the security of its private AI cloud.
#aicloud #apple #Technology #compute #newsonleo
In a post on Apple’s security blog, the company said it would pay up to the maximum $1 million bounty to anyone who reports exploits capable of remotely running malicious code on its Private Cloud Compute servers. Apple said it would also award researchers up to $250,000 for privately reporting exploits capable of extracting users’ sensitive information or the prompts that customers submit to the company’s private cloud.
Apple said it would “consider any security issue that has a significant impact” outside of a published category, including up to $150,000 for exploits capable of accessing sensitive user information from a privileged network position.
“We award maximum amounts for vulnerabilities that compromise user data and inference request data outside the [private cloud compute] trust boundary,” Apple said.
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Security research on Private Cloud Compute - Apple Security Research
Private Cloud Compute (PCC) fulfills computationally intensive requests for Apple Intelligence while providing groundbreaking privacy and security protections — by bringing our industry-leading device security model into the cloud.
Private Cloud Compute (PCC) fulfills computationally intensive requests for Apple Intelligence while providing groundbreaking privacy and security protections — by bringing our industry-leading device security model into the cloud. In our previous post introducing Private Cloud Compute, we explained that to build public trust
in the system, we would take the extraordinary step of allowing security and privacy researchers to inspect and verify the end-to-end security and privacy promises of PCC. In the weeks after we announced Apple Intelligence and PCC, we provided third-party auditors and select security researchers early access to the resources we created to enable this inspection, including the PCC Virtual Research Environment (VRE).
Today we’re making these resources publicly available to invite all security and privacy researchers — or anyone with interest and a technical curiosity — to learn more about PCC and perform their own independent verification of our claims. And we’re excited to announce that we’re expanding Apple Security bounty to include PCC, with significant rewards for reports of issues with our security or privacy claims.
To help you understand how we designed PCC’s architecture to accomplish each of our core requirements, we’ve published the Private Cloud Compute Security Guide. The guide includes comprehensive technical details about the components of PCC and how they work together to deliver a groundbreaking level of privacy for AI processing in the cloud.
The guide covers topics such as: how PCC attestations build on an immutable foundation of features implemented in hardware; how PCC requests are authenticated and routed to provide non-targetability; how we technically ensure that you can inspect the software running in Apple’s data centers; and how PCC’s privacy and security properties hold up in various attack scenarios.
Virtual Research Environment
Virtual Research Environment Icon
For the first time ever, we’ve created a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) for an Apple platform. The VRE is a set of tools that enables you to perform your own security analysis of Private Cloud Compute right from your Mac. This environment enables you to go well beyond simply understanding the security features of the platform. You can confirm that Private Cloud Compute indeed maintains user privacy in the ways we describe.
The VRE runs the PCC node software in a virtual machine with only minor modifications. Userspace software runs identically to the PCC node, with the boot process and kernel adapted for virtualization. The VRE includes a virtual Secure Enclave Processor (SEP), enabling security research in this component for the first time — and also uses the built-in macOS support for paravirtualized graphics to enable inference.
You can use the VRE tools to:
List and inspect PCC software releases
Verify the consistency of the transparency log
Download the binaries corresponding to each release
Boot a release in a virtualized environment
Perform inference against demonstration models
Modify and debug the PCC software to enable deeper investigation
The Virtual Research Environment for Private Cloud Compute
The VRE is available in the latest macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer Preview and requires a Mac with Apple silicon and 16GB or more unified memory. Learn how to get started with the Private Cloud Compute Virtual Research Environment.
We’re also making available the source code for certain key components of PCC that help to implement its security and privacy requirements. We provide this source under a limited-use license agreement to allow you to perform deeper analysis of PCC.
The projects for which we’re releasing source code cover a range of PCC areas, including:
The CloudAttestation project, which is responsible for constructing and validating the PCC node’s attestations.
The Thimble project, which includes the privatecloudcomputed daemon that runs on a user’s device and uses CloudAttestation to enforce verifiable transparency.
The splunkloggingd daemon, which filters the logs that can be emitted from a PCC node to protect against accidental data disclosure.
The srd_tools project, which contains the VRE tooling and which you can use to understand how the VRE enables running the PCC code.
Apple Security Bounty for Private Cloud Compute
bug Bounty Icon
To further encourage your research in Private Cloud Compute, we’re expanding Apple Security Bounty to include rewards for vulnerabilities that demonstrate a compromise of the fundamental security and privacy guarantees of PCC.
Our new PCC bounty categories are aligned with the most critical threats we describe in the Security Guide:
Accidental data disclosure: vulnerabilities leading to unintended data exposure due to configuration flaws or system design issues.
External compromise from user requests: vulnerabilities enabling external actors to exploit user requests to gain unauthorized access to PCC.
Physical or internal access: vulnerabilities where access to internal interfaces enables a compromise of the system.
Because PCC extends the industry-leading security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud, the rewards we offer are comparable to those for iOS. We award maximum amounts for vulnerabilities that compromise user data and inference request data outside the PCC trust boundary.
Apple Security Bounty: Private Cloud Compute
Category
Description
Maximum Bounty
Remote attack on request data
Arbitrary code execution with arbitrary entitlements
$1,000,000
Access to a user's request data or sensitive information about the user's requests outside the trust boundary
$250,000
Attack on request data from a privileged network position
Access to a user's request data or other sensitive information about the user outside the trust boundary
$150,000
Ability to execute unattested code
$100,000
Accidental or unexpected data disclosure due to deployment or configuration issue
$50,000
Because we care deeply about any compromise to user privacy or security, we will consider any security issue that has a significant impact to PCC for an Apple Security Bounty reward, even if it doesn’t match a published category. We’ll evaluate every report according to the quality of what's presented, the proof of what can be exploited, and the impact to users. Visit our Apple Security Bounty page to learn more about the program and to submit your research.
In closing
We designed Private Cloud Compute as part of Apple Intelligence to take an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. This includes providing verifiable transparency — a unique property that sets it apart from other server-based AI approaches. building on our experience with the Apple Security Research Device Program, the tooling and documentation that we released today makes it easier than ever for anyone to not only study, but verify PCC’s critical security and privacy features. We hope that you’ll dive deeper into PCC’s design with our Security Guide, explore the code yourself with the Virtual Research Environment, and report any issues you find through Apple Security Bounty. We believe Private Cloud Compute is the most advanced security architecture ever deployed for cloud AI compute at scale, and we look forward to working with the research community to build trust in the system and make it even more secure and private over time.
New, safer EV battery could achieve 1,000-mile range, 100% recyclability power
Impervio separator works with all battery formats and easily integrates into existing manufacturing processes.
A Massachusetts-based company has begun the delivery of its commercial-sized lithium metal battery cells to a major automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Developed by 24M Technologies, the cells are integrated with its patented Impervio battery separator and Eternalyte electrolyte.
The company claims that the delivery of these batteries to OEM marks a significant step toward large-scale production of safer, more reliable, electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
24M Technologies maintains that the Impervio technology is a transformative battery separator that prevents fires by obstructing dendrite propagation.
#technology #battery
The technology controls the cell at the individual electrode level, preventing dendrites from propagating and enabling early fault detection. Impervio can prevent a thermal runaway by monitoring the cell’s electrochemistry and enabling a failsafe in the event of a potential short, according to the company.
Naoki Ota, CEO and President of 24M Technologies, stated that the growing concerns around battery fire safety must be addressed to ensure widespread adoption of EVs and a more sustainable energy future.
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Goodbye, floppies - San Francisco pays Hitachi $212 million to remove 5.25-inch disks from its light rail service
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) was the first agency in the US to adopt the floppy-based automatic train control system in 1998.
The San Francisco Muni Metro's Automatic Train Control System (ATCS), one of the few remaining major systems still using floppy disks, is dropping the archaic technology as part of a massive upgrade. The SF transportation agency's board has agreed to a $212 million deal with Hitachi Rail to overhaul the service and remove the 5.25-inch floppy disks it's been using since 1998.
#newsonleo #technology #floppydiscs
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) was the first agency in the US to adopt the floppy-based automatic train control system in 1998. It was supposed to be in place for 20 to 25 years. It entered its 26th year of service in 2024.
In April, SFMTA director Jeffrey Tumlin said the increasing risk of the disks suffering data degradation meant that at some point there will be "a catastrophic failure."
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Costco may have found its 'Netflix moment' with this membership-boosting move
Costco's introduction of membership card scanners at the front of US stores is still rolling out, but the move is already paying off big for the wholesale club.
Costco’s introduction of membership card scanners at the front of US stores is still rolling out, but the move is already paying off big for the wholesale club.
#costco #membership #scanners #netflix #subscription #newsonleo
Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a note this week that Costco warehouses are seeing as much as low double-digit increases in membership counts after implementing the scanners, and suggested the high conversion rates of previously non-paying customers could lead to the retailer’s “Netflix moment.”
The report, led by Simeon Gutman, acknowledged that Costco and Netflix have two very different business models, but suggested the warehouse club’s new tool for checking memberships could lead to the kind of growth in paying customers that the streaming giant saw after it cracked down on password sharing.
Since limiting password-sharing last year, Netflix has seen a significant surge in new accounts.
In the first quarter of 2024 alone, the streaming company added 9.3 million sign-ups – a five-fold increase compared to the same quarter in 2023.
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Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo closes $5.6 billion funding round as robotaxi race heats up in the U.S.
Alphabet-owned driverless vehicle unit Waymo just closed a $5.6 billion funding round to expand its robotaxi service across the U.S.
Waymo has closed a $5.6 billion funding round to expand its robotaxi service in and beyond Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix, where it operates today.
#waymo #alphabet #autonomy #robotaxi
The autonomous vehicle venture is owned by Google parent Alphabet, which led the series C investment in Waymo, alongside earlier backers including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Fidelity, Perry Creek, Silver Lake, Tiger Global and T. Rowe Price.
In a statement to CNBC, Waymo co-CEOs Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov said the funding would go toward expansion and advancing the Waymo Driver for business applications.
"With this latest investment, we will continue to welcome more riders into our Waymo One ride-hailing service in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, and in Austin and Atlanta through our expanded partnership with Uber," they wrote.
The series C funding brings Waymo's total capital raised to $11.1 billion after it raised $3.2 billion and $2.5 billion in two earlier rounds. Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat announced in July that the parent company would commit to a multiyear investment of up to $5 billion in Waymo.
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History of Waymo?
Early Beginnings (2009)
In 2009, Google acquired the technology and expertise of a company called SenseTime, which focused on 3D mapping and sensor fusion. SenseTime was founded in 2006 by a team of engineers who had previously worked on projects related to computer vision and robotics. Google acquired SenseTime to gain access to its advanced sensor fusion technology, which would later become a key component of Waymo's autonomous driving system.
Project Kitty Hawk (2010)
In 2010, Google launched its self-driving car project, codenamed "Project Kitty Hawk." The project aimed to develop a fully autonomous vehicle that could navigate roads and traffic without human intervention. The name "Kitty Hawk" was chosen in honor of the location of the Wright brothers' first powered flight, as well as the idea of exploring the frontiers of autonomous driving.
Waymo's Early Development (2011-2013)
In the early days, Waymo's development team focused on building a sensor suite that could gather data from the environment and use it to make decisions about navigation. The team also worked on developing sophisticated algorithms that could process the vast amounts of data generated by the sensors. During this period, Waymo's vehicles were largely confined to a test track in California, where the team could fine-tune the system and gather data.
Waymo's First Self-Driving Cars (2013)
In 2013, Waymo unveiled its first self-driving cars, which were designed to operate on public roads. The vehicles were equipped with a range of sensors, including cameras, radar, and lidar, which were used to gather data about the environment and make decisions about navigation. Waymo's first self-driving cars were initially restricted to a narrow geographic area, but the company quickly expanded its testing to more areas.
Waymo's Partnerships and Funding (2014-2015)
In 2014, Waymo partnered with the City of San Francisco to test its self-driving cars on public roads. The partnership marked an important milestone for Waymo, as it demonstrated the company's ability to work with local governments to integrate its technology into urban infrastructure.
In the same year, Waymo raised $500 million in funding from investors, including Alphabet Inc. and venture capital firms. The funding helped Waymo accelerate its development and expand its operations.
Waymo's Expansion and Diversification (2016)
In 2016, Waymo spun off from Google and became an independent company. The company also expanded its operations to new areas, including the development of self-driving trucks and drones. Waymo's founders, including Sebastian Thrun and Chris Urmson, also established a new company called Argo AI, which would focus on developing self-driving cars for the automotive industry.
Waymo One and Waymo One for cities (2017)
In 2017, Waymo launched Waymo One, a self-driving taxi service designed for cities. Waymo One aimed to provide safe and reliable transportation for passengers, and the service was initially launched in Phoenix, Arizona. Later that year, Waymo announced Waymo One for Cities, a self-driving taxi service designed for urban areas. The service aimed to provide on-demand transportation for residents and commuters.
Waymo's Ride-hailing Partnership (2018)
In 2018, Waymo partnered with Lyft, a ride-hailing company, to offer self-driving taxis to Lyft users. The partnership marked a significant step towards integrating Waymo's technology into the ride-hailing industry. Waymo's self-driving taxis were initially available in Phoenix and other cities, and the company expanded its services to more areas over the following year.
Regulatory Approvals (2019)
In 2019, Waymo received regulatory approvals in several cities, including Arizona, California, and Michigan, to operate self-driving taxis. These approvals enabled Waymo to expand its services and increase its presence in the market. The company also received approval from the National Highway traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to operate self-driving vehicles on public roads.
Waymo's Current Status (2020)
Today, Waymo is one of the leading companies in the autonomous driving industry, with a strong presence in the ride-hailing and taxi services markets. The company continues to develop and improve its technology, with a focus on safety, efficiency, and user experience. Waymo's self-driving taxis are available in several cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and the company is expanding its services to more areas.
Behind the scenes with the team of ex-prosecutors fighting Amazon’s counterfeit problem
Counterfeits on Amazon skyrocketed after sales from Chinese-based sellers more than doubled in 2015. Here's how Amazon is trying to stop the problem.
In 2018, police showed up at a nondescript industrial warehouse in New York's Brooklyn Navy Yard to investigate reported counterfeits.
#newsonleo #amazon #counterfeit #goods
Federal agents were looking for knockoff military gear as part of an investigation into a distributor, called California Surplus, that had secured a $20 million contract to supply the U.S. military with specialized uniforms. They'd already recovered thousands of boxes of the stuff from a nearby New Jersey warehouse, according to court documents.
California Surplus, it turned out, was selling Chinese-made counterfeit goods designed to look like gear from one of the top military outfitters in America, Crye Precision. Crye's Brooklyn headquarters happened to be located just around the block.
The owner of California Surplus, Ramin Kohanbash, and co-conspirator Bernard Klein pleaded guilty in 2019 to trafficking counterfeit goods and were given jail time.
Counterfeiting has ballooned into a massive problem for Crye, costing it millions of dollars a year, said Jonathan Antone, the company's general counsel. Crye loses out on valuable sales to unlicensed mills overseas that print copies of its patented camouflage, called MultiCam, on ponchos, pants, shirts and hats that sell on Amazon and other marketplaces without Crye's permission.
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Microsoft CEO Nadella asked for pay reduction after security slip, but total comp still rose 63%
Following cyberattacks from China and Russia, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella asked for his pay to be reduced.
Microsoft gave CEO Satya Nadella a pay raise for the 2024 fiscal year of more than $30 million. But his total package would have been $5.5 million higher if not for a series of cyberattacks.
#microsoft #nadella #technology #security #newsonleo
Nadella received $79.1 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, up from $48.5 million in the prior year, according to a proxy filing Thursday. Most of his pay is in the form of stock. The board's compensation committee said Nadella asked that the cash incentive portion reflect the security issues.
The requested reduction came after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in April published a report that followed an independent review of China's breach of U.S. government officials' email accounts. Microsoft disclosed that incident in July 2023.
In January, Microsoft said Russian intelligence had accessed some of the company's top executives' email accounts.
Microsoft said it would revamp its practices to address shortcomings highlighted in the government report, which said "customers would benefit from its CEO and board of directors directly focusing on the company's security culture."
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Dexcom shares fall on slow revenue growth
Dexcom shares fell Thursday after the company released third-quarter results that showed slow revenue growth.
Shares of Dexcom fell 9% in extended trading on Thursday after the company released third-quarter results that beat analysts' expectations but showed a decline in U.S. revenue year over year.
#dexcom #technology #revenue
Here's what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
Earnings per share: 45 cents adjusted vs. 43 cents expected
Revenue: $994 million vs. $990 million expected
The company's revenue increased 2% to $994.2 million from $975 million a year earlier. Dexcom's U.S. revenue declined 2% from $713.6 million the prior year. The company reported net income of $134.6 million, or 34 cents per share, up from $120.7 million, or 29 cents per share, in the same period last year.
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How it works
Dexcom's CGM systems use a small sensor that is inserted under the skin using a needle. The sensor is connected to a small chip that measures glucose levels in the interstitial fluid, which is the fluid that surrounds the cells in the body. The sensor sends the glucose data to a receiver, which can be a mobile app, a wristwatch, or a separate receiver.
The sensor measures glucose levels every few minutes, and the data is sent to the receiver in real-time. The receiver can be programmed to send alerts and notifications when the glucose levels are outside a target range, allowing users to take action to manage their glucose levels.
Components of the system
The Dexcom CGM system consists of several components:
Types of Dexcom CGM systems
Dexcom offers several types of CGM systems, including:
Features and benefits
Dexcom's CGM systems offer several features and benefits, including:
User experience
Using a Dexcom CGM system can be a convenient and effective way to manage glucose levels. Here are some benefits of using a Dexcom CGM system:
Who is Dexcom for?
Dexcom's CGM systems are designed for people with diabetes, including those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as people with other conditions that affect glucose levels, such as insulinoma or pancreatitis.
Cost
The cost of Dexcom's CGM systems can vary depending on the type of system and the frequency of replacement sensors. Here are some approximate costs:
Elon Musk is $26 billion richer after Tesla's best day on the stock market since 2013
Tesla shares soared 22% on Thursday, lifting the world's richest person's net worth by roughly $26 billion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, already the world's richest person, added another $26 billion in paper wealth on Thursday after his company's stock had its biggest rally since 2013.
#tesla #elonmusk #wealth #stock #technology
Musk is now worth about $269 billion, according to Forbes, putting him more than $50 billion ahead of good friend and former Tesla board member Larry Ellison, who remains the largest shareholder in Oracle.
Musk controls close to 13% of Tesla's outstanding shares, accounting for the bulk of his net worth, though he also owns a big chunk of SpaceX, which is valued on the private markets at over $200 billion. Additionally, he's the controlling owner of X, formerly Twitter, and artificial intelligence startup xAI.
Musk's wealth could be even higher depending on the outcome of a shareholder lawsuit surrounding his 2018 pay package that's winding its way through court.
The pop on Thursday followed Tesla's better-than-expected earnings report late Wednesday and Musk's comments on the call suggesting that "vehicle growth" will be 20% to 30% next year. Tesla shares soared 22% at the close, their second-biggest gain since the company's IPO in 2010.
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Why Meta and Snap are spending billions on AR glasses
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel are betting big that augmented-reality glasses will replace the smartphone.
After a decade of development and billions of dollars, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in September pulled back the curtain on one of the company's most ambitious projects: an augmented reality prototype called Orion. A week earlier, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel took the stage at its annual Snap Partner Summit to introduce its AR capable, 5th-generation Spectacles. Both companies see massive potential for the technology, with a grand vision for AR glasses to usurp smartphones as the next generation of computing.
#meta #snap #ar #glasses #technology
"This is a major leap forward for technology," Chris Cox, Meta's chief product officer, told CNBC's Julia Boorstin in an exclusive interview. "It's a big step forward for our sort of goal to help define the next generation of computing."
The dream of augmented and mixed reality is something tech giants have been pursuing for years.
Earlier this year, Apple started selling its Vision Pro virtual reality headset for $3,500. Over a decade ago, Google was first to market in 2013 with Google Glass, an early attempt at an AR device, but the product faced challenges and was ultimately canceled. Microsoft has also invested in AR technology for well over a decade, launching its HoloLens headset for enterprise in 2016. Failing to gain traction, the HoloLens was discontinued in October.
"We're in our adolescence," said Tuong Nguyen, Gartner director analyst. "We see a lot of potential, but we haven't quite reached that potential yet."
While Snap and Meta have debuted AR prototypes, they're still years away from selling those devices to consumers. The technology is too costly to mass produce. For now, Meta plans to use Orion as a developer device for its employees.
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Nvidia doubles down on India with Hindi language model and major partnerships
Nvidia on Thursday announced a slew of partnerships with major Indian firms and launched a Hindi language model.
Nvidia on Thursday announced a slew of partnerships with major Indian firms and launched a Hindi language model, as the American chip company looks to ramp up business in one of the world's biggest technology markets.
#nividia #hindi #india #technology #llms
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spoke about the firm's tech and efforts in India at its AI Summit in Mumbai — an event that featured Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar and India's richest person Mukesh Ambani, the chair of Reliance Industries.
Amid the flurry of partnerships announced on the occasion was a deal between Reliance and Nvidia to build AI infrastructure in India. Huang said that Nvidia is working with companies including Yotta and Tata Communications to also build computing infrastructure. Huang said that by the end of the year, India will have "20 times more compute" than just over a year ago, referring to the country's computing power.
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