The internet is filled with sites and services we loathe yet it seems, to paraphrase Brokeback Mountain, we just don’t know how to quit them. Consider the evidence: Facebook was widely reviled after its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, yet it still has over 3 billion monthly active users. Since Elon Musk’s takeover of […]
Why don’t we leave the internet platforms we dislike? Leer más »
With under 2 million people, a landmass that’s half the size of Greece, and a recent history of communist rule, Latvia doesn’t have textbook foundations for building world-leading businesses. But building a world-leading business is exactly what Latvia’s Printful did. In 2021, the on-demand printing startup was valued at over $1 billion, making it the country’s
For European startups, the US is still the land of opportunity Leer más »
It’s a question as old as the tech industry itself: can Europe compete with Silicon Valley? This reared up again in my mind for two main reasons. The first is the recent(-ish) shift of Big Tech into being media entities. And the second? That’s Spotify’s struggles as a European stalwart in this field. Let’s consider
Europe’s battle against the rising media power of Silicon Valley Leer más »
With COP28 underway in Dubai making it again glaringly obvious just how little lawmakers are prepared to bend for the sake of future generations of Earthlings, the release of the first “green filter” generative AI search chatbot could not have been more timely. Berlin-based Ecosia, the world’s largest not-for-profit search engine, hopes the launch of
Tree-planting search engine Ecosia launches ‘green’ AI chatbot Leer más »
Renewable energies like wind and solar are clean, abundant, and cheap — but notoriously unpredictable. That’s why so much time and money has been pumped into scaling energy storage solutions: we need to keep the lights on even when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. While lithium-ion batteries have received the bulk
This giant dome battery cuts CO2 emissions — by using more CO2 Leer más »
From bringing ancient ruins to life through augmented reality (AR) to 3D-printing centuries-old artefacts, cultural heritage startups are transforming the landscape of heritage preservation and education. By leveraging technology to foster a deeper connection with our past, this breed of companies help safeguard some of the most defining elements of human history. TNW spoke with
Tech is bringing ancient ruins back to life. Here’s how Leer más »
My ancient Samsung Galaxy is ready for retirement. Cracks expand across the screen, photos are hazy blurs, and the battery barely survives a day. It’s time to buy a replacement. The initial contenders for my cash were the usual mix: Androids and iPhones with old names, incremental upgrades, and eye-watering price tags. While mulling over
Can you ‘deGoogle’ a phone? Murena tried — and added a kill switch Leer más »
Hailing from South Africa, I like to think of myself as a bit of a barbecue virtuoso. Come rain or shine, most weekends I’ll be out in my backyard, tongs in hand, manning the grill like a meat-addicted maniac (guilty as charged). So when someone suggested I try the world’s first plant-based ribs, adorned with
Vegan ribs with edible bones: This could be the future of BBQ Leer más »
It has been nearly a year since OpenAI unleashed ChatGPT on the world, and it seems as if no one (at least in tech) has stopped talking about generative AI since. Meanwhile, the applications of GenAI go way beyond chatbots and copyright-grey-area image ‘artistry’. For instance, Cradle, a biotech software startup out of Delft, Netherlands,
Dutch biotech startup bags €22M for proprietary generative AI model Leer más »
Ed Newton-Rex had reached a breaking point. As the vice president of audio at Stability AI, the 36-year-old was at the vanguard of a revolution in computational creativity. But there was growing unease about the movement’s strategy. Stability was becoming an emerging powerhouse in generative AI. The London-based startup owns Stability Diffusion, one of the
He quit a GenAI leader in protest. Now he wants to create fairer systems for artists Leer más »
The UK’s new quantum computing missions have been praised as “visionary” and “exciting” plans that can reap financial and geopolitical benefits. The five long-term moonshots were launched today by the British government. The first aims to build quantum computers that can run 1 trillion operations by 2035. Another with a deadline for that year is
UK’s quantum plans could ‘unlock billions — and a geopolitical advantage’ Leer más »
Large Language Models (LLMs) — such as those used in chatbots — have an alarming tendency to hallucinate. That is, to generate false content that they present as accurate. These AI hallucinations pose, among other risks, a direct threat to science and scientific truth, researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute warn. According to their paper,
AI hallucinations pose ‘direct threat’ to science, Oxford study warns Leer más »
