Breakpoints - 12

A report by The Guardian reveals that environmental reports from tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft have underestimated the carbon emissions from their data centres. Actual emissions between 2020 and 2022 were 662% higher than reported.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo announced that pre-orders for the recently launched iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models were lower than expected, with 37 million units sold, marking a 13% drop compared to the previous series

OpenAI admitted that its new AI model “o1” could potentially be used in the creation of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. The company’s CTO, Mira Murati, stated they are proceeding cautiously with the public release due to these risks.

Refik Anadol will open the world’s first AI-focused art museum, “DATALAND”, in Los Angeles in 2025.

It is rumoured that Qualcomm has offered to buy chipmaker Intel for $90 billion, as Intel struggles to keep up with NVIDIA in the AI race.

BlackRock, Microsoft, and MGX have signed a $100 billion partnership deal to develop energy infrastructure and data centres in the UAE. This move towards closer ties with the US has raised concerns in China.

The University of Southampton has developed a 5-dimensional crystal capable of storing 360 terabytes of data. These crystals can withstand 1,000°C and last for 9 billion years without data degradation.

Chinese scientists have built the world’s strongest electromagnet, with a strength of 42 Tesla. This breakthrough could have applications in industries ranging from power generation to home appliances.

Apple is expected to release an AI-powered smart display in 2025, rumoured to run on a new operating system called “homeOS” and feature “Apple Intelligence” capabilities.

India holds the record for the most internet shutdowns, with 771 instances between 2016 and 2023. This year alone, there have been 51 shutdowns. According to the Internet Society, these disruptions have cost India’s economy $216 billion over the past decade.

According to a report by Fidelity, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (X Holdings Corp.) has led to a 78.7% decrease in the company’s value. Fidelity had invested $19.6 million during the sale process.