The week's developments in AI, quantum, and biotech, explained | 24.04.24

If you’re enjoying this briefing, sign up here — and share it with a friend. Reading time: ~4 minutes

In this week’s AI & DeepTech digest we explore how OpenAI helped transform software-giant Microsoft from tech-dinosaur to the world’s most valuable business — a strategic focus on AI boosting their stock by 1000% in the past decade. Is this a standout case or glimpse of the transformative power of AI to come?

Meanwhile, in healthcare, a new AI tool can now separate the responders from non-responders for cancer treatment — from a single cell. And mixed-reality eye-tracking is the new way to determine neurodegenerative diseases early on.  

Keep reading for how researchers are building octopus-inspired robots, how AI made ‘romance bread’, and the future of computing — alongside the coolest AI tools to explore, refine and empower.

— Charlie and the Research & Intelligence Team 

P.S Limited availability for our CogX Transatlantic Accelerator at $795 (RRP $23,621). If you are or know a UK startup, they can apply now for over $20k worth of support to attend, exhibit, and network at the CogX Festival in LA on 7th May here

Innovation and Releases

🚀 OpenAI and Microsoft have awoken a dormant software giant, making Microsoft the world’s most valuable business through a strategic focus on AI. Consequently, Microsoft's market value has surpassed $3 trillion, its stock increasing over 1,000% in the last decade.

💰 Dutch VC ‘PhotonVentures’ to foster European photonics after raising €75 M in funding. The deep tech fund will target startups that are developing photonic chip tech applicable in various sectors including data transmission, health diagnostics, and AI.

📊 Vector databases are having a moment due to advancements in genAI and the use of LLMs. These databases are used to handle unstructured data by converting it into vector embeddings, which enhances ML applications and AI accuracy. 

🤖 Serve Robotics hits the scene with a $40 million public debut on the Nasdaq, backed by Uber and Nvidia. Specialising in AI-powered autonomous delivery robots, the company has ambitious plans to expand operations and targets $80 M in annual revenue by 2025. 

⚛️ The UK has launched its second commercial quantum computer, developed by California-based Rigetti and Oxford Instruments NanoScience. The 32-qubit “Aspen Class” system is housed in Oxford and accessible via Rigetti's cloud services.

AI Tools of the Week

🔌 Explore: Ploogins is an AI-powered WordPress plugin search engine to find and recommend the best plugins.

📝 Refine: ProDream is an AI-powered academic writing assistant that helps with write, automates citations, and conducts plagiarism checks. 

💊 Empower: Docus is an AI-powered health management platform to get a second opinion, offering personalised consultations, answering address health-related queries.

Latest Research

💾 The future of computing looks promising as researchers accelerate magnetic nano bubbles, known as skyrmions, to speeds of up to 900 m/s—previously limited to 100 m/s. This positions skyrmions as viable for future computer memory, boosting performance and energy efficiency.

🧬 AI tool PERCEPTION can predict cancer treatment responses at a single-cell level, effectively categorising patients into responders and non-responders for multiple myeloma, breast, and lung cancers. It also detects resistance development for lung-cancer treatments.

🐙 Octopus inspired robots: Scientists have developed a new suction cup for robots, inspired by the adaptive suction abilities of octopi, enabling them to firmly grasp complex surfaces like rough, curved, and heavy stone without the need for continuous power. 

🍞 This study used AI to develop "Romance Bread," leveraging data from romantic TV shows and love songs to recommend ingredients. Taste testing showed a strong correlation between AI and human preferences, indicating potential AI-human collaboration in food development.

👁️ Eye-tracking in mixed reality can help diagnose neurodegenerative diseases, with significant promise in Parkinson's detection early-on. Findings demonstrate the feasibility of using mixed reality glasses for non-intrusive monitoring and early diagnosis.

In case you missed it

Energy, not compute, will be the #1 limiting factor to AI development — listen to Mark Zuckerberg discuss the insane power required to run (and build) foundational models. 

✍️ Enjoying this newsletter?  Subscribe to our free weekly briefings on Preparing for AI, Cinema & AI, The Race to Net Zero, AI & DeepTech and The Future of Work.

🚀 Limited availability for our CogX Transatlantic Accelerator at $795 (RRP $23,621). If you are or know a UK startup, they can apply now for over $20k worth of support to attend, exhibit, and network at the CogX Festival in LA on 7th May here