AI Arms Race, Quantum Predictions, and Social Impact: The Latest in Tech from OWITH.ai

Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.Sam Altman is leading the charge in an AI arms race by investing billions of dollars in constructing massive data center complexes across the U.S. through OpenAI. His long-term goal is to achieve 250 gigawatts of capacity by 2033, costing trillions of dollars and requiring a significant reimagining of how compute is built. Altman emphasizes scaling compute through brute industrial force and electricity consumption as a measure of AI capacity, raising questions about benefits and costs of such massive projects. The comparison to historical engineering feats like Hoover Dam highlights the magnitude of OpenAI's efforts in reshaping AI technology. Advancements in AI technology include a startup automating software testing with AI, OpenAI's plans to build 'stargates' data centers, Nscale's record-breaking funding round to expand AI infrastructure, and partnerships between OpenAI and Databricks. The Trump administration will provide access to XAI to federal agencies for a nominal fee to bring top AI systems into government use. Economic modeling results forecast big tech companies' record AI-driven capital expenditures in 2025, expected to have a significant impact on the US economy.Touring Capital, founded by former M12 and Softbank investors, has closed its first fund at $330 million. The group aims to evaluate the effectiveness of AI technology, focusing on organizational and process issues rather than hype. They have made 12 investments so far, including in companies like Numa and Cusp. The team at Touring Capital emphasizes a growth mindset and learning every day. They focus on investing in AI-enabled software that generates customer value in large pain-point verticals. The idea for Touring Capital came during a tech market crash in 2022 when software valuations dropped. The team believes that AI will be wealth-creating for the economy, but they are selective about where they invest in the AI hype cycle. Touring Capital's approach involves picking spots on the app side of the landscape.The text discusses the potential reunion between chipmaker Intel and tech giant Apple, as Intel seeks investment from Apple in its government-assisted comeback bid. This news comes after Intel's recent partnership with Nvidia. Additionally, the text mentions Microsoft's incorporation of AI models from Anthropoc in its products, potentially straining its relationship with OpenAI. OpenAI's plans for data centers with Oracle and Softbank also raise concerns about the massive energy consumption required for AI projects.HSBC has successfully deployed a quantum computer chip to predict bond prices, achieving a 34% improvement. Fortune's 11th annual Change the World list highlights 50 companies using capitalism to tackle social issues. The list includes big corporations and startups making positive impacts. Companies like Carrier Global have reduced CO2 emissions, while startups like Amira Learning are addressing teacher shortages. These companies share leadership committed to implementing world-changing ideas. In other news, President Trump demands an investigation into mishaps during his U.N. speech, new tariffs could be imposed on robotics and medical equipment, and cracks are appearing in the U.S. corporate debt market.China is moving towards self-sufficiency in semiconductor production, potentially leaving the U.S. vulnerable to disruptions in Taiwan where most advanced chips are manufactured. Google has launched an open protocol for agentic payments to allow agents based on large language models to make secure online purchases. ChatGPT users are increasingly turning to the chatbot for personal matters rather than work, with m

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