Author: Zech
Key Takeaways Open source software powers many of the technology products you use every day, from browsers to mobile phones. Open source updates and firmware keep older devices from becoming obsolete. Open source encryption and untraceability enhance security and privacy. Open source software has been around in some form since the early 1980s and is now used in nearly every sector of technology. Open source tools and software are used in everything from television to ChatGPT, so there’s a good chance you’re already using it, even if you don’t realize it. Open source is found in web browsers, operating systems,…
In the weeks before former president Donald Trump announced his vice-presidential pick, some of tech’s biggest names launched a quiet campaign to push for one of their own: Ohio Sen. JD Vance.The former president fielded repeated calls from tech entrepreneur David Sacks, Palantir adviser Jacob Helberg, and billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Vance’s former employer and mentor, imploring him to add the one-time Silicon Valley investor to the ticket, according to three people familiar with the entreaties, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private conversations.Vance’s most forceful Silicon Valley advocates are euphoric about the former never…
IBM’s quantum computer, London. — Image: © Tim Sandle The manipulation of neutral atoms with light is one of the most important scientific discoveries of the past 30 years in the field of quantum physics. Researchers have shown that increasing the number of trapped atoms enables the solution of more complex use cases, such as optimization problems and quantum simulation of complex systems. Pasqal has successfully loaded more than 1,000 atoms in a single shot within a quantum computing setup, which is seen by the industry as representing a major leap towards scalable quantum processors. Pasqal is a quantum computing…
The Startup Colorado Pitch Competition aims to provide $280,000 in investment opportunities to five local founders. West Slope Startup Week runs from Aug. 19 to Aug. 23 and offers a variety of networking opportunities for entrepreneurs. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald File) Jerry McBride West Slope Startup Week, hosted by Startup Colorado, returns to Durango in late August. Entrepreneurs and small business owners from across the region will attend a free educational conference at the Fort Lewis College Innovation Center from Aug. 19 to Aug. 23. Startup Colorado aims to help local entrepreneurs make connections within a statewide network of resources that…
The photo of the Capitol is by Martin Jacobsen and is CC licensed. During the Democratic primary in January, thousands of voters received robocalls using artificial intelligence to impersonate President Biden and discourage them from voting. The political consultants responsible now face millions of dollars in fines and prison time on 13 felony counts of voter suppression and 13 misdemeanor counts of impersonating a candidate. To combat the emerging threat of AI deepfakes and misinformation in U.S. elections, a new Artificial Intelligence Task Force has brought together state and local elected officials to focus on ways to combat malicious AI-generated…
The Department of Justice announced Thursday that Dallas-based hospice provider Provista Health has been ordered to pay $26.3 million for billing Medicare for a range of medically unnecessary Respiratory Pathogen Panel (RPP) tests administered in nursing homes during the pandemic. On July 18, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland entered default judgments against Provista, Inc., owned by Patrick Britton Herr, and other laboratory companies for violations of the False Claims Act in the amounts listed above. In a July 2023 complaint, the United States argued that the RPP tests were not medically necessary because the beneficiaries…
Futurology: The global demand for AI computing is causing data centers to guzzle electricity like dorm rooms guzzling beer, but researchers at the University of Minnesota may have a highly innovative solution to curb AI’s growing power demands with a revolutionary new device that promises far greater energy efficiency. Researchers have designed a new “computational random access memory” (CRAM) prototype chip that could reduce the energy demands of AI applications by more than 1,000 times compared to current methods, with one simulation showing a staggering 2,500 times energy savings with the CRAM technology. Traditional computing relies on the decades-old von…
Over the weekend, Tedeschi Trucks Band played two shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Ahead of the shows, the husband-and-wife blues-rock duo shared a print on Instagram that was also available for purchase at the venue. But some were skeptical. The post was inundated with comments accusing the band of using AI to generate the artwork, pointing out dubious names for the credited “collection of artists,” and criticizing the illustration for not looking like Red Rocks at all. There aren’t even any stairs! The poster art comes from Brilliant Workshop, an Instagram account that’s only been up and running for two…
The UNDP Acceleration Pilot Programme for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Startups in Africa 2024 aims to build a strong AI ecosystem in Africa. Apply below. When is the application deadline: The application deadline for UNDP’s Acceleration Pilot Programme for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Startups in Africa 2024 is 5 August 2024, 11:59 UTC+3. Tell us about the award: The pilot program, which will run from September to October 2024, aims to foster innovation and partnerships across three key pillars that underpin Africa’s local AI ecosystem: data, compute, and talent pipeline. By focusing on these foundational elements, the pilot program seeks to address…
Tesla is set to release software update 2024.26, which brings several new features and enhancements to its vehicles. The company has released some more screenshots of the latest features and detailed that a wider rollout is coming soon. The rollout of 2024.26 began in early July. The update also introduces native apps for Amazon Music and YouTube Music, allowing users to stream music directly from the Tesla infotainment system. The hit game Castle Doombad Classic is now touch-enabled and includes the complete original game. This release also includes updates to Polytopia Elyrion and Vampire Survivors’ Laboratory. Enhanced parental controls allow…