The week's developments in AI, quantum, and biotech, explained | 03.07.24

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This week, NASA picks SpaceX to blow up the International Space Station (in a controlled way, of course), data centres in space inch closer to reality and over in Tokyo scientists are giving robots a whole new layer of, well, skin - with their innovative technique for attaching lab-grown tissue. Plus, the Dutch startup building the ‘world's most powerful’ AI chip.

We cover this and more, including the latest tools to help you craft songs in seconds, unleash AI-powered reporting, and streamline your research.

🚀You are now able to sign up for the super early bird offer (75% off) to the CogX Leadership Summit in London on October 7th here.

Innovation and Releases

🤖 SpaceX to deorbit ISS: SpaceX won a $843 million contract to build a spacecraft that will safely de-orbit the International Space Station in 2030. The decommissioning will ensure the massive station doesn't hit populated areas upon re-entry.

💡 The ‘world’s most powerful’ AI chip: Dutch startup Axelera has just secured $68 million in funding to further develop Metis, its record-breaking AI chip designed for tasks like computer vision in robots and drones. By processing data locally on the device, Axelera's chips promise better AI performance at lower energy consumption.

🚀 Data centres in space are one step closer: A €2 million study by the EU concluded that space-based data centres are feasible and could be operational by 2036. These data centres would be powered by the sun and eliminate the need for water-intensive cooling systems.

🚗 Character.AI adds voice calls to its AI avatars: Users can now have conversations with their AI creations through voice calls, alongside the existing text chat option. This update opens doors for language practice, mock interviews, and even integrating AI characters into role-playing games.

AI Tools of the Week

🔧 Craft a song in seconds: Voicemod’s Text to Song generator uses natural language processing to convert textual input into an audio composition.

🎨 Unleash AI-powered reporting: v0 Report gathers data from multiple sources, integrates your insights, and generates professional business reports in seconds.

💰 Streamline your workflow: Zerve AI provides a unified workspace for streamlined data science & AI projects.

Latest Research

🧠 Robots ‘face’ the future: Scientists from Tokyo University have developed a way to attach specially grown skin tissue to robots. This "robotic skin" could lead to robots that look and feel more human, as well as boasting superhuman abilities like self-healing.

🧭 Tiny bright objects discovered at dawn of universe baffle scientists: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has found mysterious objects in the early universe that challenge our understanding of galaxy and black hole formation. 

• These extremely luminous and red objects, spotted just 600-800 million years after the Big Bang, contain surprisingly old stars and massive black holes, features not predicted by current cosmological models.

  
  

  
  

🧬 'World record' for data transmission speed: Researchers at Aston University have smashed past the data transmission speed record by transmitting 402 terabits per second using regular optical fibre, that’s over 100 million times faster than Netflix's recommended speed for HD streaming.

🔬This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars: Syntrichia caninervis can survive freezing temperatures, harsh radiation, and even simulated Martian conditions. Researchers believe it could pave the way for creating breathable atmospheres and even food sources for future Martian colonists.

In case you missed it

Once the AI gold standard, the Turing test has been reportedly conquered by GPT — would you be able to tell it apart from a human?

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🚀 You are now able to sign up for the super early bird offer (75% off) to the CogX Leadership Summit in London on October 7th here.