Lifeboat Foundation

The nuclear fusion industry witnessed tremendous developments in 2023. The year 2022 drew its curtains with the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Lab producing a fusion reaction in the laboratory that yielded more energy than was absorbed by the fuel to initiate it. The reaction yielded 1.3 megajoules of energy, about five times the 250 kilojoules that were absorbed by the capsule. This scientific breakthrough sparked an increase in investments in 2023 with new companies joining the race.

The Fusion Industry Association, or FIA, compiled the “Global Fusion Industry Report” of 2023. Pressing for fusion energy to take over as a cleaner source of energy, FIA presented a comprehensive overview of the advancements made in the second quarter of the year in this report. It highlights the effect of a successful ignition or net energy gain in nuclear fusion and its economic consequences.

FIA observed a net increase in investments in the fusion power industry. With $1.4 billion more than the previous year, 27 companies in fusion were able to draw $46 billion in investment. The ignition inspired the emergence of newer and smaller companies which contributed the majority share of the surge in investments. There are two reported big chequeholders securing funding over $100 million in the 2nd quarter—TAE Technologies in California and ENN in China.

A golden opportunity has been unveiled by AI maker OpenAI for those of you who want to turn your use of ChatGPT and GPT-4 into a money-making activity.

Yes, that’s right, serious dough could be had. In short, a new feature known as GPTs gives you a solid chance to go from simply being a hobbyist or fun-filled user of generative AI into someone who garners nice warm cash for your online labors. Plus, whether you want to do so on a heady full-time basis or just as a part-time side hustle is entirely up to you.

In today’s column, I will lay out what this new announcement by OpenAI foretells and indicate how you can leverage the big break that has arisen. It is then up to you to decide what to do next.

Continue reading “OpenAI ChatGPT Opens The Door For You To Make Money By Easily Devising Income-Producing GPTs Based On What You Know Or What Others Want To Know” »

The Nobel Awards Season just ended, with the “Oscars of Science” awarded to some of the world’s brightest minds. The entire science world was watching, and just like with the Oscars, there was an element of suspense, drama, envy, celebration, and happiness. Most of the Nobel Laureates are also phenomenal speakers and communicators with decades of teaching experience, and thousands of people across the world are glued to their monitors to hear their inspiring stories. The Nobel Prizes are awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences. Unfortunately, there is no Nobel Prize for Computer Science, Mathematics, or Engineering. So, it seems like it… More.

While there is no Nobel Prize for AI, Jumper and Hassabis may be the frontrunners for a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of AlphaFold.

BRUSSELS, Oct 29 (Reuters) — The Group of Seven industrial countries will on Monday agree a code of conduct for companies developing advanced artificial intelligence systems, a G7 document showed, as governments seek to mitigate the risks and potential misuse of the technology.

The voluntary code of conduct will set a landmark for how major countries govern AI, amid privacy concerns and security risks, the document seen by Reuters showed.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) economies made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States, as well as the European Union, kicked off the process in May at a ministerial forum dubbed the “Hiroshima AI process”.

The Chicago region has been named an official US Regional and Innovation Technology Hub for quantum technologies by the Biden-Harris administration, a designation that opens the door to new federal funding and recognizes the growing strength of an ecosystem poised to become the heart of the nation’s quantum economy. The Bloch Tech Hub (pronounced “block”), a coalition of industry, academic, government, and nonprofit stakeholders led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, was one of 31 designees from nearly 400 applications across the country.

The selection, announced Monday morning by the White House and the US Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), is the first phase of a federal initiative designed to “supercharge” innovation economies that have the potential to become global leaders in a critical technology within a decade. As a recipient of the US Tech Hubs designation, The Bloch is now eligible to apply for the program’s second phase, which could include millions of dollars in funding to implement the hub’s activities. It was one of two US Tech Hubs designated in Illinois, the other focused on biomanufacturing.

“Home to world-class institutions and first-rate research centers, Illinois is transforming technology, biomanufacturing, and innovation at every turn,” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. “I couldn’t be prouder that the Biden Administration has selected the Chicago Quantum Exchange’s The Bloch and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s iFAB Hub as two of just 31 inaugural tech hubs — opening the door for even more investment, advancement, and discovery. There’s no doubt that the rest of the nation have caught on to our great state’s status as an innovation powerhouse — and our future couldn’t be brighter.”

From the billionaire VC’s hot takes: Slowing AI innovation will kill people, and universal basic income will turn us into zoo animals.

While the stock market may love the term “AI,” companies haven’t figured out how to optimally monetize the services that go along with it.

Where reliability matters, as it does in energy, resilience against cyberattacks enhances a company’s reputation. Disruptions damage that reputation.

In 2021, a ransomware attack shut down Colonial Pipeline operations for six days. Gas shortages in the eastern US, economic turmoil, and eye-catching headlines resulted. Interest in cybersecurity for critical infrastructure intensified — and many leaders seemed to learn the wrong lesson.

Energy sector leaders often take cyber vulnerabilities seriously only after a significant breach. Experiencing a loss (or watching someone else’s) makes companies tighten cybersecurity to avoid similar losses. This pattern emphasizes the loss-avoidance aspects of cybersecurity. Yet thinking of cybersecurity solely as loss avoidance misses a key value generator cybersecurity provides: trust.

Continue reading “Cybersecurity Builds Trust in Critical Infrastructure” »

Core inflation remains elevated in advanced economies, with economists calling for tighter monetary policies in order to improve price and financial stability for sustained economic growth. With inflation only slowly moving towards sustainable targets, investors can leverage insights into teen spending patterns, behaviors, and advancements in technology to identify broader economic and market trends.

In a recent Piper Sandler Taking Stock With Teens survey that analyzed discretionary spending patterns, fashion trends, technology, and brand and media preferences, inflation was determined to be the number two social concern among teens, pointing to initial signs of a slowdown in teen spending.

“Inflation reached its highest mindshare in terms of political and social issues, right behind the environment,” said Edward Yruma, senior research analyst.