New sections may appear every week or just when I have something new to share.
The startup I am sharing about this week is Voatz. Voatz is the only company that has delivered a successful smartphone app-first election solution (backed by a blockchain-based infrastructure) that is in use by multiple governments and political parties today. I invested in Voatz in 2021.
Last month, the Government Blockchain Association (GBA) announced that Voatz, a leader in blockchain-based voting technology, has earned the prestigious designation of a Trusted Blockchain Solution after undergoing a rigorous independent assessment using the Blockchain Maturity Model (BMM).
Voatz may revolutionize the way we vote. If you would like to see a demo of how the mobile voting works, click here. Like all startups, it is not risk free. As always, remember most startups fail. Never invest in a startup unless you are prepared to lose every penny you invest.
Here are some of the top news stories this week according to Bard AI:
- Google AI researchers develop new AI model that can translate languages more accurately than humans. Google AI researchers have developed a new AI model that can translate languages more accurately than humans. The model, called PaLM, is a 540-billion parameter transformer language model that has been trained on a massive dataset of text and code. PaLM can translate between 265 languages and dialects, and it is able to achieve state-of-the-art results on a variety of translation benchmarks.
- Meta unveils new AI model that can generate realistic images from text descriptions. Meta has unveiled a new AI model that can generate realistic images from text descriptions. The model, called Imagen, is a 30-billion parameter diffusion model that has been trained on a massive dataset of images and text descriptions. Imagen can generate images of a wide variety of objects and scenes, and it is able to produce results that are indistinguishable from real photographs.
- IBM Research develops new AI chip that is specifically designed for machine learning. IBM Research has developed a new AI chip that is specifically designed for machine learning. The chip, called Telum, is a 256-core processor that is able to perform machine learning tasks up to 100 times faster than traditional CPUs. Telum is expected to be used in a variety of applications, including data centers, cloud computing,and edge computing.
- OpenAI releases new GPT-4 language model. OpenAI has released a new language model called GPT-4. GPT-4 is a 175-billion parameter transformer language model that has been trained on a massive dataset of text and code. GPT-4 can generate text, translate languages, write different kinds of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way.
- DeepMind AI researchers develop new AI agent that can master complex video games. DeepMind AI researchers have developed a new AI agent that can master complex video games. The agent, called Gato, is able to learn and play over 500 different Atari games without any human intervention. Gato’s performance on Atari games is comparable to that of human experts, and it is the first AI agent to be able to master such a wide variety of games.
AI is a rapidly changing and evolving field. It is very difficult to stay informed about the latest developments in AI in order to make informed decisions about how to use AI to your advantage. I hope these weekly snippets provides some highlights of what is going on.
Bitcoin has had its best week in 18 months but the big news from my perspective is Visa and Mastercard, two of the world’s largest payment processors, have partnered to launch a new crypto payment network. The new network, called Universal Crypto Remittance Network (UCRN), will allow users to send and receive cryptocurrency payments quickly and easily. The launch of UCRN is a major step towards making cryptocurrency payments more mainstream.
Bitcoin price has more than doubled in the past year. It climbed above $35,000 but has now pulled back a bit. What is behind the rise? There are a number of factors but probably the biggest reasons is growing anticipation one or more of Wall Street’s many “spot” BTC exchange-traded funds (ETF) will finally get SEC approval soon. The market capitalization of all crypto is up to $1.3 trillion. Bitcoin represents 53% of the total at $660 billion (as of Thursday afternoon). The BTC futures markets suggests at least some traders predict more good news to come. Hard to say for sure.
I don’t think I add much with my Wall Street comments. I suggest a click on MarketWatch will do a much better job.
Following are videos of talks I gave this year. I have been fortunate to be able to share my thoughts on technology with a number of groups.
On September 14, I gave a talk on AI at the Ridgefield Library in Ridgefield, CT.
On July 21, I gave a lecture on AI @FoundersHallCT. I wan’t sure how many would turn out. It was a lot. Great interest in the topic. In addition to current events and outlooks, I told the audience about Robot Attitude: How Robots and Artificial Intelligence Will Make Our Lives Better.
On March 8th I was the guest speaker at the first meeting of Probus in Palm Coast, Florida on March 8. Probus is a worldwide organization of retired and semi-retired men and women who come together to make new friends, learn new things, and have fun. There are over 4,000 Probus clubs in more than 100 countries, with over 400,000 members. Probus clubs are non-political, non-sectarian, and non-profit. They are self-governing and autonomous, and each club sets its own policies and activities.
On March 30, I gave my 12th annual lecture called Tech Talk at Hammock Dunes Club in Palm Coast, Florida where I live in the winter.
On March 23, gave a town hall-like speech and Q&A with the IT special interest group (SIG) of the New York Executive Forum. The event was via Zoom.
On April 19, I gave a talk and Q&A with a group of Union Carbide retirees. Some years ago, Union Carbide had its headquarters about a mile from where I live in Connecticut. The event was via Zoom.
There are many more videos of my lectures, interviews, etc. on my YouTube channel which you can find here.
