Tech predictions for 2024 and beyond (17 minute read)
The rate of change in the technology world has rapidly accelerated in the past year. Cloud technologies, machine learning, and generative AI have become more accessible, impacting nearly every aspect of our lives. The coming years will see innovations in areas designed to democratize access to technology and help us keep up with the increasing pace of everyday life. This article makes some predictions on what technologies generative AI will enable over the next few years.
How Huawei made a cutting-edge chip in China and surprised the US (11 minute read)
The Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, a state-backed foundry, managed to scrape together equipment from existing plants and those received before Washington’s sanctions to keep its 7 nm production line going.
Chrome’s next weapon in the War on Ad Blockers: Slower extension updates (3 minute read)
Manifest V3 will delay extension developers' abilities to react quickly to changes by putting up roadblocks before extension updates on Chrome's extension platform. Ad blocking is a cat-and-mouse game of updates and counter-updates, and Google is forcing one side to slow down. With Manifest V3, all updates to extensions, including filtering lists, will need to happen through a full extension update on the Chrome Web Store, which means they will be subject to the Chrome Web Store reviews process. Once it becomes mandatory in June 2024, daily updates will no longer be an option.
SQLSync is a collaborative offline-first wrapper around SQLite designed to synchronize web application state between users, devices, and the edge. It features eventually consistent SQLite, optimistic reads and writes, reactive query subscriptions, real-time collaboration, and more. A live demo is available.
Google delays Gemini launch from next week to January (1 minute read)
Google was originally going to launch Gemini next week, but the release of the next-generation foundation model has now been delayed until January.
Where are all the robot trucks? (14 minute read)
Despite claims that autonomous vehicles reduce accidents and assurances that they won't displace truckers, autonomous trucks still scare the public and alarm labor groups. Some major companies claim they have achieved Level 4 automation, which means their vehicles can be operated without human presence. Several companies have plans to launch their vehicles within the next few years. This article looks at the upcoming wave of autonomous trucks and the issues that will need to be overcome before they become a common sight on the road.
Streaming apps are trying to bundle their way out of customer disenchantment (3 minute read)
Verizon recently released a Netflix and Max bundle and may release an Apple TV+ and Paramount+ bundle, following a trend that is seeing streaming apps partnering with other apps and other types of companies to offer TV streaming at a lower monthly price.
Elon Musk’s AI startup — X.AI — files to raise $1 billion in fresh capital (3 minute read)
X.AI has filed with the SEC to raise up to $1 billion in an equity offering. It has already raised nearly $135 million from four investors and has a binding and enforceable agreement for the purchase of the remaining shares. The startup released an AI chatbot with real-time knowledge of the internet called Grok last month. It aims to directly compete with companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.
The first humanoid robot factory is about to open (5 minute read)
Agility Robotics is building a manufacturing facility in Salem, Oregon, that will eventually pump out 10,000 bi-pedal robots a year. The RoboFab will open early next year. Agility Robotics' Digit is the first commercially available human-shaped robot designed for warehouse work. Deliveries of the robots will start in 2024.
‘Animate Anyone’ heralds the approach of full-motion deepfakes (4 minute read)
Animate Anyone uses a generative video technique to create videos from pictures of people. While its results are far from perfect, the model is a huge leap over the previous state of the art, which produced way more artifacts or completely lost important details. The team behind the model hasn't released the code for it yet. Videos showing deepfakes made with Animate Anyone are available in the article.