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Quick Hits
AIEEEE!: Adobe rolls out AI features, doubles prices.
Bumper bot crop: AI/ML startups flooded YC Demo Day.
Byte house: U.S. hires defender of digital freedom.
Core concession: Apple blinks on iPhone pricing.
IoT Ivy: Coventry University opens futuristic science labs.
K2118b: Webb Telescope spots carbon on distant exoplanet.
More H100s: Meta flexes AI to compete with OpenAI.
Non iPhone 12: France halts sales over radiation exposure.
PlayBlock: Roblox comes to Playstation.
Silicon standoff: Alt-Zuck face off over AI in D.C.
Slot Shock: Casino hack targets MGM Resorts.
Streamlined rescue: Bear cams save Alaska hiker’s life.
Waste watts: Scientists generate electricity using E. coli.
Musk: AI will ‘dwarf’ human intelligence
Elon Musk warns in a new biography that digital brainpower will soon "dwarf" human intelligence, posing risks from super-intelligent AI systems. He claims computer intelligence is skyrocketing while human intellect levels off.
Accelerators switch on to cleantech opportunities
Global accelerators are pivoting to cleantech, fueled by incentives like the U.S. Investment Reduction Act. With over two dozen U.S. cleantech hubs, including Greentown Labs, and initiatives from tech giants like Google and Amazon, the sector is booming. Companies like Zipline and Elyos Energy are getting major boosts.
Quantum leap: Physicists make particle with a ‘memory’
Physicists engineered particles that “remember” their pasts, potentially revolutionizing quantum computing. These non-abelian anyons could serve as the foundation for building error-tolerant quantum computers. "As pure science, it's just, wow," says a theorist at the Weizmann Institute.
AI vs. linguists
Even linguistic experts can’t tell who wrote what, according to a new study. Experts from top global journals accurately distinguished between AI and human-authored abstracts only about 39% of the time. Experts were asked to examine four writing samples. Nobody got them all right; 13% got them all wrong. “They shared very logical reasons, but again and again, they were not accurate or consistent,” a researcher said.
EY bets big on AI
Consulting firm EY announced a $1.4B investment into AI. The professional services company also created its own large language model, EY.ai EYQ accessible to its 400k employees.
Amazon draws line on AI
Amazon updated its Kindle Direct Publishing guidelines to require disclosure for AI-generated content, while AI-assisted editing remains exempt. The policy aims to distinguish between AI-created and AI-enhanced works.
AI vs. MBAs
Wharton researchers found that “ChatGPT isn’t only faster but also on average better at idea generation” than randomly selected MBA candidates. Professors asked ChatGPT4 to generate 100 ideas for a new product or service under $50 that college students would buy. AI outperformed the students by nearly 10 percentage points when seeded with example ideas.
The Weekly Pulse
Ever-elusive product-market fit
According to experts, top B2B startups generally take about two years to achieve product-market fit. However, founders argue that the journey is far from straightforward. For example, payroll startup Gusto quickly moved from MVP to product-market fit, yet co-founder Tomer London didn't feel the same level of certainty. The "fit" can vary significantly between different customer bases.
Poll of the Week
Recently Funded
Ten African startups were selected for FuturizeU, one of the first healthtech incubators in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Spokane, Wash.-based Treasury4, a data analytics platform for planning and risk management, secured a $20M Series A led by WestCap.
Miami-based DeLorean AI, a patient outcomes prediction startup, raised a $7.55M Series A led by Sopris VC.
Los Gatos-based Alix, an estate settlement automation tool, raised a $5.5M seed round led by Initialized Capital.
SF-based Glass Health, a digital notebook for clinicians, raised a $5M round led by Initialized Capital.
GoCharlie, a developer of generative AI models for marketing, raised a $2M seed round led by Goodwater Capital.
Post of the Week
Podcasts of the Week
How I Raised It with Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences (How I Raised It)
What We’re Reading
There are now two types of PayPal dollars, and one is better than the other (Moneyness)
Hell of a Ride (Tumenko)
Accelerators switch on to cleantech opportunities (Financial Times)
They logged on to watch the famous fat brown bears. They saved a hiker's life instead (NPR)
The iPhone 15 Opts for Intuitive AI, Not Generative AI (Wired)
Startups Hiring Now
Moov Technologies: A semiconductor broker technology company | 3 open roles
vialytics: Helping cities take care of their roads | 2 open roles
Woflow: We are the world's first merchant data platform | 5 open roles
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