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Dec 20, 2023
Every great company is born in a winter’: Jack Ma stuns Alibaba employees with memo calling for firm he co-founded to ‘correct its course
Posted by Kelvin Dafiaghor in categories: business, economics
Jack Ma urged Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to correct course in a surprise internal memo, in which the billionaire called for fundamental change across the company he co-founded decades ago.
Ma, who has mostly stayed away from day-to-day operations since 2020, stunned employees Wednesday by replying to a staff post on Alibaba’s internal forum. In his brief message, the entrepreneur praised decisions taken in recent years by rival PDD Holdings Inc. to wrest market share from China’s e-commerce leader. But Ma was convinced Alibaba will change and “correct its course,” he said in a post confirmed by people familiar with the forum.
Alibaba, once China’s best candidate to become a trillion-dollar company, is trading near its lowest value this year, at a fraction of its peak in 2020. The company is navigating turmoil both internally and externally, as a weaker-than-anticipated economic recovery and up-and-coming rivals such as PDD and ByteDance Ltd. undermine its once-dominant online retail business.
Dec 20, 2023
AI breaks physical boundaries: CyberRunner, the superhuman AI robot
Posted by Cecile G. Tamura in categories: entertainment, robotics/AI
Claim: reinforcement learning AI beats humans in physical domain, playing the “labyrinth” game.
In six hours of training, it solves faster than any human.
Continue reading “AI breaks physical boundaries: CyberRunner, the superhuman AI robot” »
Dec 20, 2023
Spintronics Breakthrough — Scientists Confirm a Previously Undetected Physics Phenomenon
Posted by Paul Battista in categories: computing, particle physics, quantum physics, satellites
In a new breakthrough, researchers have used a novel technique to confirm a previously undetected physics phenomenon that could be used to improve data storage in the next generation of computer devices.
Spintronic memories, utilized in advanced computers and satellites, leverage the magnetic states produced by the intrinsic angular momentum of electrons for data storage and retrieval. Depending on its physical motion, an electron’s spin produces a magnetic current. Known as the “spin Hall effect,” this has key applications for magnetic materials across many different fields, ranging from low-power electronics to fundamental quantum mechanics.
More recently, scientists have found that electrons are also capable of generating electricity through a second kind of movement: orbital angular momentum, similar to how Earth revolves around the sun. This is known as the “orbital Hall effect,” said Roland Kawakami, co-author of the study and a professor in physics at The Ohio State University.
Dec 20, 2023
Why ‘Doing Your Own Research’ May Make You Believe Fake News
Posted by Gemechu Taye in category: futurism
In an age in which misinformation abounds, how do you determine what is real and what is fake?
A new study show how “doing your own research” can actually lead you to believe false stories and misinformation.
Dec 20, 2023
Synaptic transistor models higher-level thinking mimics human intelligence
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: computing, neuroscience
Designed by researchers at Northwestern University, Boston College and MIT.
Taking inspiration from the human brain, researchers from MIT have developed a new synaptic transistor capable of higher-level thinking.
Dec 20, 2023
Ex-Tesla executive’s 100% electric boat soars with 100-mile range
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: sustainability, transportation
“The R in R30 stands for Revolution; we decided to offer something radically different, radically better,” say the creators of the boat.
The Blue Innovations Group, founded by the former Global Head of Manufacturing at Tesla, has officially launched the R30 electric boat.
John Vo, founder and CEO of the Blue Innovations Group, proudly introduced the R30, emphasizing its radical departure from conventional boat designs.
Continue reading “Ex-Tesla executive’s 100% electric boat soars with 100-mile range” »
Dec 20, 2023
Whisper in the sky: Massive electric plane ready to test vertical takeoff
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: sustainability, transportation
Butterfly, the inaugural eVTOL incorporating Optimum Speed Tilt Rotor and Individual Blade Control technologies, promises optimal efficiency and a refined ride.
In response to the dynamic demands of evolving personal mobility, the electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) industry has flourished in recent years. Numerous aviation startups are actively competing to be the pioneers in introducing their respective models to the market.
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Dec 20, 2023
This AI transformer tech-powered robot taught itself to walk
Posted by Gemechu Taye in categories: information science, physics, robotics/AI
The robot is blind and cannot see its environment but can continue to balance and walk, even if an object is hurled at it.
UC researchers Ilija Radosavovic and Bike Zhang wondered if “reinforcement learning,” a concept made popular by large language models (LLMs) last year, could also teach the robot how to adapt to changing needs. To test their theory, the duo started with one of the most basic functions humans can perform — walking.
Transformer model for learning
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Dec 20, 2023
Google will pay $700 million to US states, users in Play Store settlement
Posted by Gemechu Taye in category: entertainment
The deal comes a week after a jury found Google guilty of violating antitrust laws in a similar case brought by Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite game.
As part of the settlement, Google will pay $630 million to refund US consumers overcharged for in-app purchases made through the Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023. The estimated 102 million eligible consumers will receive at least $2 each and may get more depending on their spending. They will be automatically notified about how to claim their money.
Google will also pay $70 million in penalties and other costs to the states involved in the lawsuit.
Continue reading “Google will pay $700 million to US states, users in Play Store settlement” »