Tag: Technology

Tech Insight : Tiny Retinal Chip Restores Sight

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A tiny retinal implant that restores useful central vision to people with one of the world’s leading causes of blindness is about to go on sale across Europe, marking a major milestone not only for ophthalmology but also for the commercialisation of brain-computer interface technology.

What Has Been Announced?

US-based Science Corp has announced the European commercial launch of its PRIMA retinal implant after receiving CE marking under the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation, allowing the device to be sold across 30 European countries.

The implant is designed to help people with geographic atrophy (GA) caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition affecting more than five million people worldwide that progressively destroys the light-sensitive cells responsible for central vision.

For decades, treatment options have focused largely on slowing the disease rather than restoring lost sight. Science Corp now believes PRIMA changes that.

As the company says: “Today marks the European commercial launch of PRIMA, the first and only treatment shown in clinical trials to restore functional central vision to patients with geographic atrophy.”

The first commercial implant is expected to take place in Germany, while reimbursement discussions and clinical site activations are already underway across Europe.

How Does PRIMA Work?

Unlike conventional treatments, PRIMA does not attempt to repair damaged retinal cells. Instead, it bypasses them.

The system combines a tiny, ultra-thin implant placed beneath the damaged part of the retina with a specialised pair of glasses containing a front-facing camera and an eye-facing projector. The glasses project near-infrared light onto the implant, which converts that light into electrical signals capable of stimulating the remaining healthy retinal cells.

Those signals are then processed by the patient’s own visual system, allowing useful central vision to be restored despite the loss of the original photoreceptors.

The glasses also include a zoom function that enlarges letters and other fine detail, making reading considerably easier for many patients.

Science Corp describes the technology as “a novel subretinal photovoltaic implant paired with specialised glasses” featuring “an ultra-thin profile and seamless, wireless integration.”

Clinical Results Show Significant Improvements

The commercial launch follows encouraging results from an international clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study followed 38 patients across 17 clinical centres in five countries, evaluating whether the system could restore meaningful central vision.

According to Science Corp, patients achieved an average improvement of 25.5 letters on the standard ETDRS eye chart, equivalent to more than five additional lines of vision.

Perhaps more importantly, 84 per cent of participants regained the ability to read letters, numbers and words, restoring practical visual function that had previously been lost.

The company also reports that the implant was positioned beneath the damaged area of the retina “without a decline in mean existing natural vision”, meaning patients did not sacrifice the remaining eyesight they already had.

Importantly, it should be noted here that PRIMA is not a cure for AMD. It restores useful central vision but does not halt or reverse the underlying disease process.

A Milestone For Brain-Computer Interfaces

Although PRIMA is primarily an ophthalmology story, it also represents an important milestone for the wider field of neurotechnology.

Brain-computer interfaces have received growing attention in recent years through projects such as Neuralink, where the focus has largely been on restoring movement, enabling communication and eventually allowing people to interact directly with computers using their thoughts. PRIMA demonstrates that the same underlying technology is already finding practical medical applications in another area, namely restoring sight.

The implant works by converting information from the camera into electrical signals that communicate directly with surviving retinal neurons, effectively creating a specialised brain-computer interface focused on vision.

Science Corp therefore describes PRIMA as “the first BCI device to receive CE marking for form vision restoration.”

That achievement also places the company ahead of several much higher-profile neurotechnology firms in bringing a commercially approved brain-computer interface to patients. Rather than waiting for the more ambitious goals often associated with companies such as Neuralink, PRIMA shows that specialised neural implants are already beginning to deliver practical medical benefits.

The significance extends well beyond blindness. It demonstrates that brain-computer interfaces are moving steadily from experimental research into mainstream healthcare, suggesting the wider neurotechnology revolution may arrive through focused medical treatments before expanding into the broader capabilities that have attracted so much public attention.

Europe Leads Commercial Adoption

The decision to launch in Europe first is also significant. Receiving CE marking enables commercial availability throughout much of Europe before the technology reaches the United States, where Science Corp continues working with the Food and Drug Administration.

The company says PRIMA has already received both FDA Breakthrough Device designation and Humanitarian Use Device designation, which are intended to accelerate access to treatments addressing serious unmet medical needs.

Europe’s regulatory approval therefore places it at the forefront of the first commercial rollout of a technology that many have viewed as belonging firmly in the future.

As Science Corp says: “We are proud to be the first BCI company with a CE-marked device for the restoration of detailed form vision.”

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

For businesses, PRIMA highlights how neurotechnology is beginning to mature from laboratory research into commercially available medical products.

Although today’s application focuses on restoring sight, the same principles underpin a much wider generation of brain-computer interface technologies being developed for conditions ranging from paralysis and spinal cord injury to neurological disease. As these technologies mature, they are likely to create new opportunities across medical devices, software, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and specialist healthcare services.

The launch also reinforces Europe’s growing importance in advanced medical technology commercialisation. Companies capable of navigating demanding regulatory pathways and demonstrating meaningful clinical benefits are increasingly able to bring highly sophisticated technologies to patients years before wider global adoption.

Perhaps most significantly, PRIMA demonstrates that brain-computer interfaces are no longer confined to science fiction or experimental research. They are becoming practical medical technologies capable of restoring lost human abilities, and that transition from research project to commercial healthcare product may prove to be one of the most important developments in medical innovation over the coming decade.

Tech Insight : The New Global Chip Race

Posted on by Paul Stradling

In this Tech Insight, we examine why the semiconductor industry has become one of the world’s most strategically important sectors, as major technological breakthroughs, artificial intelligence and geopolitical competition reshape the future of computing.

Pushing Beyond The Limits Of Miniaturisation

One of the clearest signs of that change comes from IBM, which recently unveiled what it describes as the world’s first sub-1 nanometre semiconductor technology.

The company says its new 0.7 nanometre design can pack almost 100 billion transistors onto a chip the size of a fingernail while delivering up to 50 per cent higher performance or 70 per cent greater energy efficiency than its earlier 2 nanometre technology.

Not Just Because They’re Smaller

However, the real breakthrough lies not simply in making chips smaller. For decades, the semiconductor industry relied on Moore’s Law, the observation that the number of transistors on a chip roughly doubles every two years. As transistors have approached atomic dimensions, continuing that trend has become increasingly difficult.

It seems that IBM’s answer has been to rethink how chips are built. For example, instead of simply placing more transistors alongside each other, its new “NanoStack” architecture builds upwards, stacking multiple layers vertically to create far greater transistor density.

As Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research, explained: “With our new NanoStack architecture, we’re not just making smaller transistors, we’re reinventing how chips are built to deliver dramatically more power and energy efficiency.”

AI Is Changing Everything

The timing is no coincidence, as AI has transformed semiconductors from a mature industry into one of the fastest-growing sectors in technology. Modern AI models require enormous computing power, creating unprecedented demand for processors, memory chips, networking hardware and specialised AI accelerators.

The challenge, therefore, is no longer simply producing faster chips. Manufacturers must now also improve energy efficiency because AI data centres consume vast amounts of electricity.

That is why many recent semiconductor announcements have focused as much on power consumption as raw performance. Every improvement in efficiency can reduce operating costs while helping to address the growing environmental impact of AI infrastructure.

At the same time, companies developing AI are increasingly designing their own silicon.

OpenAI’s Jalapeño

OpenAI recently unveiled Jalapeño, its first custom-designed inference processor, developed with Broadcom. Rather than attempting to replace Nvidia entirely, the company says the chip has been designed specifically for the workloads that power large language models.

According to OpenAI President Greg Brockman, “Jalapeño is part of our long-term full-stack infrastructure strategy to make compute more abundant, resulting in AI which is faster, more reliable, more affordable for people and businesses.”

That reflects a broader trend across the industry. Google, Amazon, Microsoft and other technology giants are all investing heavily in custom chips designed specifically for their own AI platforms.

From Commercial Products To Strategic Assets

Perhaps the biggest change, however, is no longer technological but geopolitical. Semiconductors have become so important that governments increasingly view them as matters of national security rather than purely commercial products.

The latest example is Pax Silica, a US-led initiative intended to strengthen cooperation between allied nations on AI semiconductor supply chains, critical minerals and advanced manufacturing. Although the European Union has simultaneously been promoting greater technological sovereignty, it has now joined the initiative, recognising the practical difficulty of securing advanced semiconductor supply chains independently.

Announcing the decision, the European Commission said: “As AI reshapes our economies and societies, secure and resilient silicon supply chains are more important than ever.”

That statement reflects a growing international consensus. The countries that control semiconductor research, manufacturing capacity and supply chains are increasingly seen as holding significant economic and strategic advantages.

This is particularly important because producing advanced chips requires an extraordinarily complex global supply chain involving specialist equipment, materials and manufacturing expertise spread across multiple countries.

Why This Matters

The semiconductor industry is therefore changing in several ways simultaneously.

Manufacturers are developing entirely new chip architectures as traditional miniaturisation approaches its physical limits. Also, AI is driving unprecedented demand for computing power while making energy efficiency more important than ever. At the same time, governments are treating semiconductor capability as a strategic national resource alongside energy, telecommunications and defence infrastructure.

The result is an industry that is becoming more innovative, more competitive and more politically significant than at any point in its history.

For businesses and consumers, many of these changes will remain largely invisible. Yet they will shape everything from AI performance and cloud computing costs to supply chain resilience and the pace of future technological innovation.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

For businesses, the semiconductor industry may seem remote, but its influence is becoming increasingly direct.

For example, every cloud service, AI platform, cyber security product and business application ultimately depends on the availability of increasingly powerful and efficient chips. As demand continues to accelerate, advances in semiconductor technology will increasingly determine how quickly AI capabilities improve, how much they cost to run and how widely they can be deployed.

The wider lesson is that semiconductors are no longer simply components hidden inside electronic devices. They have become foundational infrastructure for the digital economy. Businesses are unlikely to need to understand transistor physics, but they do need to recognise that developments in semiconductor technology will increasingly influence the cost, availability, performance and resilience of the digital services on which they depend.

The industry is also entering a period where technical innovation, commercial competition and international politics are becoming inseparable. The organisations that understand that broader picture will be better placed to anticipate how AI, cloud computing and digital infrastructure are likely to evolve over the coming decade.

Sustainability-in-Tech : How Technology Is Redefining Drought-Resilient Agriculture

Posted on by Paul Stradling

As climate change drives more frequent and unpredictable drought, scientists are studying resurrection plants to understand how their extreme survival traits could help agriculture become more resilient and sustainable.

What Are Resurrection Plants?

Resurrection plants are a small and exceptional group of flowering plants capable of surviving the loss of more than 90 per cent of their water content, remaining dormant for months before returning to full metabolic activity within hours of rehydration. Out of roughly 352,000 known flowering plant species, only around 240 are known to possess this ability, placing them firmly outside the evolutionary norm.

Where?

Most resurrection plants are found in regions already defined by extreme environmental stress, including southern Africa, parts of Australia, and South America. These landscapes are characterised by rocky slopes, shallow soils, and prolonged dry seasons broken by short, intense rainfall. In such conditions, resurrection plants have evolved to tolerate drought rather than avoid it, resuming growth with little long-term damage once water becomes available again.

How Do They Survive Extreme Dehydration?

At a cellular level, resurrection plants deploy a set of tightly coordinated survival mechanisms. For example, as water is lost, they replace it with sugars such as sucrose, transforming the internal contents of their cells into a glass-like, viscous state. This process, known as vitrification, dramatically slows chemical reactions and protects cellular structures from damage.

During dehydration, the plants also dismantle their photosynthetic machinery, including chloroplasts, effectively switching off photosynthesis to prevent light-induced stress. Protective proteins known as chaperones stabilise membranes and enzymes, helping the plant preserve tissue integrity through prolonged dryness and during the risky process of rehydration.

Similar strategies are seen in desiccation-tolerant organisms such as tardigrades and brine shrimp eggs, but resurrection plants are unique among flowering species in retaining this ability in fully developed leaves and stems.

Why Scientists Are Paying Attention To Them Now

One of the leading figures in resurrection plant research is Jill Farrant, professor of desiccation tolerance at the University of Cape Town. She has spent more than three decades studying how these plants preserve living tissue during extreme drying, describing the process in public lectures and academic commentary as “quite a miracle”.

The growing interest in this field is being driven by climate pressure. For example, droughts are becoming more frequent, more severe, and less predictable. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, drought has intensified globally over the past two decades, with agriculture consistently among the most affected sectors.

In the United States alone, drought, heat, and wildfires caused an estimated $16.6 billion in crop losses in 2023 (according to federal assessments). Also, climate models suggest that by the end of the century, large areas of sub-Saharan Africa, southern Europe, and South America may no longer be suitable for rain-fed agriculture.

The Limits Of Modern Crop Resilience

Modern crops have been bred primarily for yield, speed of growth, and uniformity, often at the expense of resilience. While many crop seeds can tolerate drying during storage, this desiccation tolerance is lost shortly after germination. Once drought strikes during active growth, damage is often permanent.

Carlos Messina, a maize scientist at the University of Florida, has highlighted this problem in published research and public commentary. He has said that maize plants may survive drought, but “when they rehydrate, they don’t go back to the same leaf architecture they had before, and the flow of CO₂ and water is all messed up”, leaving productivity compromised long after rainfall returns. Resurrection plants, by contrast, typically return to their original form and function.

Rethinking Drought Resistance In Crops

For decades, improving drought tolerance in crops has focused on avoidance strategies, such as deeper roots or faster flowering. These approaches help plants escape dry conditions but offer limited protection against sudden or prolonged water loss.

However, it seems that researchers are increasingly concerned about flash droughts, rapid dry periods that occur outside traditional seasonal patterns. For example, Timothy George, a soil scientist at the James Hutton Institute, has described this unpredictability as a defining feature of climate change, making avoidance strategies less reliable.

This has prompted a shift towards exploring whether crops can be engineered or bred to tolerate dehydration itself, rather than simply trying to outgrow it.

Genetic Pathways Without New Genes

Early attempts to transfer resurrection traits into crops seem to have mainly relied on transgenic genetic modification, i.e., inserting genes from unrelated species. While advances in CRISPR gene editing have made such work more precise, regulatory hurdles and public concern remain significant, particularly in Europe.

More recent research suggests that many of the genes involved in desiccation tolerance already exist within crop genomes, especially in seeds. Farrant and others argue that the challenge lies in reactivating these genetic programmes in mature plants, rather than introducing foreign DNA.

This work is increasingly supported by modern tools such as RNA sequencing, which allows scientists to track which genes are switched on and off during dehydration, and high-throughput plant phenotyping, which uses sensors and imaging systems to monitor stress responses in real time. Together, these technologies are helping researchers identify which genetic pathways matter most, and when they need to be activated.

Julia Buitink, a seed biologist at the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, has described this approach as technically feasible but biologically complex. In published research and interviews, she has stressed that activating stress-response genes often affects multiple plant systems at once, frequently reducing yield, which remains a critical concern for farmers.

Evidence From Targeted Genetic Studies

A notable proof-of-concept study emerged back in 2018, when researchers in Kenya and Sweden introduced a single gene from the resurrection plant Xerophyta viscosa into sweet potato. The gene, XvAld1, plays a role in antioxidant defence.

Under controlled drought conditions, the modified plants remained greener, lost fewer leaves, and continued growing longer than unmodified plants. Crucially, they showed no visible differences under normal watering conditions, suggesting drought protection could be activated without harming everyday growth.

The Role Of Microbiomes In Drought Survival

It’s worth noting here that genetics isn’t the only avenue being explored. For example, the plant root microbiome, or rhizosphere, has become a growing area of interest in drought research. Scientists are investigating whether microbial communities associated with resurrection plants help them tolerate extreme stress.

In fact, Farrant’s team has begun mapping the rhizosphere of Myrothamnus flabellifolia, a woody resurrection plant capable of surviving up to nine months without water. A 2024 study identified more than 900 distinct bacterial and fungal groups associated with its roots, raising the possibility that some drought tolerance traits could be transferred via microbial partnerships rather than genetic modification.

Teff And Its Resurrection Plant Relative

Another promising research pathway involves teff, a cereal grown for thousands of years in Ethiopia. Teff is naturally drought tolerant and has a close evolutionary relative, Eragrostis nindensis, which is itself a resurrection plant.

Comparative studies suggest that differences in sunlight protection, including antioxidant production and surface pigments that act like natural sun protection, may explain why one species survives extreme drought while the other does not. Understanding which traits were lost or silenced during domestication could inform future breeding or gene regulation strategies.

A Broader Sustainability Question

It seems that resurrection plants are no longer viewed as botanical curiosities, but more as representing a living archive of survival strategies largely set aside during the twentieth century’s drive for high-yield agriculture. Therefore, as climate pressures intensify, researchers are now increasingly questioning whether resilience, even at the cost of some productivity, may become essential for sustaining food systems in an increasingly unpredictable world.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

The recent research around resurrection plants seems to point to a clear recalibration in how drought resilience is being approached, moving away from simply trying to avoid water stress and towards learning how plants can survive it without lasting damage. Rather than offering a single technological fix, this body of work highlights a combination of genetics, gene regulation, advanced sensing technologies, and microbiome science that together could reshape how crops cope with increasingly erratic conditions.

For farmers and agricultural supply chains, this matters because climate volatility is no longer a distant risk but a present operational challenge. Technologies such as RNA sequencing and real-time plant phenotyping are already helping researchers identify which traits genuinely improve recovery after drought, rather than just short-term survival. Over time, that knowledge could inform breeding programmes that prioritise stability and recovery, particularly in regions where rainfall can no longer be relied upon.

There are also some clear implications for UK businesses. For example, food producers, processors, and retailers are increasingly exposed to climate-driven supply disruption, even when crops are grown overseas. More resilient crop varieties could help stabilise yields, reduce price volatility, and support long-term procurement planning. Agri-technology firms, seed developers, and data-driven farming platforms also stand to benefit as demand grows for tools that monitor plant stress, optimise inputs, and support more resilient production systems.

At the same time, the research highlights the trade-offs involved. For example, improving resilience can come at the cost of yield, and regulatory barriers around genetic technologies remain significant, particularly in Europe. For policymakers, investors, and sustainability leaders, the challenge will be balancing innovation with public trust, food affordability, and environmental responsibility.

Taken together, resurrection plants offer less of a blueprint and more of a reference point. They show that extreme resilience is biologically possible, and that modern technology is making it easier to understand how it works. Whether that knowledge can be translated into scalable, acceptable, and economically viable solutions will shape not just future agriculture, but the resilience of food systems that UK businesses and consumers ultimately depend on.

Tech News : Fastest Change In Tech History

Posted on by Paul Stradling

The pace and scale of artificial intelligence (AI) development is now outstripping every previous tech revolution, according to new landmark reports.

Faster Than Anything We’ve Seen Before

Some of the latest data confirms that AI really is moving faster than anything that’s come before it. That’s the key message from recent high-profile reports including Mary Meeker’s new Trends – Artificial Intelligence report and Stanford’s latest AI Index, both released in spring 2025. Together, the data they present highlights an industry surging ahead at a speed that’s catching even seasoned technologists off guard.

Meeker, the influential venture capitalist once dubbed “Queen of the Internet”, hasn’t published a trends report since 2019 but it seems that the extraordinary pace of AI progress has lured her back, and her new 340-page analysis uses the word “unprecedented” more than 50 times (with good reason).

“Adoption of artificial intelligence technology is unlike anything seen before in the history of computing,” Meeker writes. “The speed, scale, and competitive intensity are fundamentally reshaping the tech landscape.”

Stanford’s findings echo this. For example, its 2025 AI Index Report outlines how generative AI in particular has catalysed a rapid transformation, with advances in model size, performance, use cases, and user uptake occurring faster than academic and policy communities can track.

The Numbers That Prove the Surge

In terms of users, OpenAI’s ChatGPT generative AI chatbot hit 100 million users in two months and it’s now approaching 800 million monthly users just 17 months after launch. No platform in history has scaled that quickly – not Google, not Facebook, not TikTok.

Business adoption of AI is rising rapidly. For example, according to Stanford’s AI Index 2025, more than 70 per cent of surveyed global companies are now either actively deploying or exploring the use of generative AI. This represents a significant increase from fewer than 10 per cent just two years earlier. At the same time, worldwide investment in AI reached $189 billion in 2023, with technology firms allocating record levels of funding to infrastructure, research, and product development.

Cost of Accessing AI Falling

It seems that the cost of accessing AI services is also falling sharply. For example, Meeker’s Trends – Artificial Intelligence report notes that inference costs, i.e. the operational cost of running AI models, have declined by a massive 99.7 per cent over the past two years. Based on Stanford’s calculations, this means that businesses are now able to access advanced AI capabilities at a fraction of the price paid in 2022.

What’s Driving This Acceleration?

Several factors are converging at once to drive this acceleration. These are:

– Hardware efficiency leaps. Nvidia’s 2024 Blackwell GPU reportedly uses 105,000x less energy per token than its 2014 Kepler chip! At the same time, custom AI chips from Google (TPU), Amazon (Trainium), and Microsoft (Athena) are rapidly improving performance and slashing energy use.

– Cloud hyperscale investment. The world’s biggest tech firms are betting big on AI infrastructure. Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are all racing to expand their cloud platforms with AI-specific hardware and software. As Meeker puts it, “These aren’t side projects — they’re foundational bets.”

– Open-source momentum. Hugging Face, Mistral, Meta’s LLaMA, and a host of Chinese labs are releasing increasingly powerful open-source models. This is democratising access, increasing competition, and reducing costs — all of which accelerate adoption.

– Government and sovereign AI initiatives. National efforts, particularly in China and the EU, are helping to fund AI infrastructure and drive localisation. These projects are pushing innovation outside Silicon Valley at a rapid pace.

– Developer ecosystem growth. Millions of developers are now building on top of generative AI APIs. Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and others have created platforms where innovation compounds rapidly. As Stanford notes, “Industry now outperforms academia on nearly every AI benchmark.”

AI Agents – From Chat to Task Execution

One major change in the past year has been the move beyond simple chatbot interfaces. For example, so-called “AI agents”, i.e. systems that can plan and carry out multi-step tasks, are emerging quickly. This includes tools that can search the web, book travel, summarise documents, or even write and run code autonomously.

Companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Adept are racing to build these agentic systems. The goal is to create AI that can do, not just respond. This could fundamentally change knowledge work, and is already being trialled in areas like customer service, legal research, and software testing.

The Message

For businesses, the message appears to be that there is a need to adapt quickly, or risk falling behind.

Meeker’s report emphasises that AI is already “redefining productivity”, with tools delivering step changes in output for tasks like drafting, data analysis, code generation, and document processing. Many enterprise users report 20–40 per cent efficiency gains when integrating AI into daily workflows.

However, it’s not just about performance. Falling costs and rising model capabilities mean that AI is becoming accessible to even small businesses, not just tech giants. Whether it’s automating customer support or generating marketing copy, SMEs now have access to tools that rival those of major players.

From a market perspective, however, things are less clear-cut. While revenue is rising – OpenAI is projected to hit $3.4 billion in 2025, up from around $1.6 billion last year – most AI firms are still burning through capital at unsustainable rates.

Also, training large models is very expensive. GPT-4, for example, reportedly cost $78 million just to train, and newer models will likely exceed that. As Meeker cautions: “Only time will tell which side of the money-making equation the current AI aspirants will land.”

Challenges, Criticism, and Growing Pains

Despite the enthusiasm, not everything is rosy. The pace of AI’s rise has sparked a host of issues, such as:

– Energy use and environmental impact. Training and running AI models consumes vast amounts of electricity. Even with hardware improvements, Stanford warns of “significant sustainability challenges” as model sizes increase.

– AI misuse and disinformation. The Stanford report logs a steep rise in reported AI misuse incidents, particularly involving deepfakes, scams, and electoral disinformation. Regulatory frameworks remain patchy and reactive.

– Labour market upheaval. Stanford data shows a clear impact on job structures, particularly in content-heavy and administrative roles. While AI augments some jobs, it also displaces others and workers, employers, and policymakers are struggling to keep up.

– Profitability concerns. While AI infrastructure is growing rapidly, it’s not yet clear which companies will convert hype into long-term revenue. Even the most well-funded players face stiff competition, regulatory scrutiny, and the risk of market saturation.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

It seems that the combination of surging adoption, falling costs, and rising capability is placing AI at the centre of digital transformation efforts across nearly every sector. For global businesses, the incentives to engage with AI tools are growing rapidly, with productivity benefits now being demonstrated at scale. At the same time, the pace of change is creating new risks, particularly in terms of workforce disruption, misuse, and unsustainable infrastructure demands, that still lack clear long-term responses.

For UK businesses, the implications are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. As global competitors embed AI into operations, decision-making, and service delivery, organisations that delay may struggle to keep pace. At the same time, the availability of open-source models and accessible APIs means that smaller firms and startups are also in a position to benefit, if they can navigate the complexity and choose the right tools. Key sectors such as financial services, legal, healthcare, and logistics are already seeing early AI-driven efficiencies, and pressure is mounting on others to follow suit.

Policy makers, regulators, and infrastructure providers also have critical roles to play. Whether it is through ensuring fair access to computing resources, investing in AI literacy and skills, or designing governance frameworks that can evolve with the technology, stakeholders across the economy will need to respond quickly and collaboratively. While the financial picture remains uncertain, what is now clear is that AI is no longer a frontier science, but is a core driver of technological change, and one that is advancing at a pace few expected.

Sustainability-in-Tech : Twisted Carbon Nanotubes Store 3 X More Energy Than Best Lithium Batteries

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A team of 20 team global scientists have published research findings showing that “twisted single-walled carbon nanotube ropes” can store three times more energy per unit mass than advanced lithium-ion batteries.

The Search For New Energy Sources 

The research team, which includes members from the University of Maryland- Baltimore County (UMBC) and its Centre for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) set out to look at new energy sources to help meet the net-zero objective needed by the next-generation. As the researchers noted: “Energy acquisition in itself is not enough, and an environmentally compatible approach for efficient energy storage during times of high demand is presently the top-ranking priority for humankind.” 

Twisted Carbon Nanotubes 

The researchers discovered that a twisted rope composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) “possesses the remarkable ability to reversibly store nanomechanical energy”. In fact, these ropes (wrapped in thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers) were found to be able to store over 10,000 times more energy than steel springs and three times more energy than the best lithium-ion batteries.

Also, unlike chemical and electrochemical energy carriers, the nanomechanical energy stored in a SWCNT rope was found to be very safe, even in harsh conditions, with the energy not depleting over time and remaining accessible in a wide temperature range (from −60 to +100°C).

In addition to being able to store vast amounts of energy, SWCNTs are 100 times stronger and five times stiffer than steel at a fraction of its weight, with unparalleled mechanical toughness. They are also easy to manufacture!

Applications 

With the SWCNT rope samples investigated in the research being “miniscule”, the researchers have suggested their current use could be for microscale energy storage in hydro and wind power and in small devices. However, advances in SWCNT spinning could make them suitable for other applications, but further research would be required, e.g. to make ropes with greater energy storage.

That said, with their high energy storage capacity, safety, and stability across a wide temperature range, it’s possible that SWCNTs could be used in future to power things such as medical devices and implants safely within the human body. They could also conceivably be used to enhance wearable electronics, support sensors in harsh environments, and perhaps be used in advanced space technologies. It’s understood that one of the first uses of the twisted carbon nanotubes is as an energy source for a prototype sensor that the CAST team is developing.

Exciting Discovery 

Although energy has been stored in mechanical coil springs to power devices such as watches and toys for many years, the SWCNTs developed by the researchers have dramatically increased the amount of energy that can be stored in a tiny, coiled structure.

For this reason, Sanjeev Kumar Ujjain, from CAST, a lead researcher on the work, said: “This research shows twisted carbon nanotubes have great potential for mechanical energy storage, and we are excited to share the news with the world.” 

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The breakthrough in twisted single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) ropes presents a transformative opportunity for businesses across various sectors. The ability of SWCNT ropes to store three times more energy per unit mass than advanced lithium-ion batteries and 10,000 times more than steel springs signifies a substantial leap in energy storage technology. This innovation offers a pathway to more efficient and sustainable energy solutions, aligning with global net-zero objectives.

For companies involved in renewable energy, SWCNT ropes could revolutionise microscale energy storage, particularly in hydro and wind power applications. Their high energy-density and stability across a wide temperature range ensure consistent performance and safety, even in harsh environments. This makes them a reliable option for remote or extreme condition deployments, enhancing the resilience and efficiency of renewable energy systems.

In the healthcare sector, the application of SWCNT ropes in powering medical devices and implants opens up new possibilities. Their compact size and high energy capacity make them ideal for long-lasting, safe energy storage in medical technologies, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing the need for frequent interventions.

The electronics industry can also benefit from the integration of SWCNT ropes into wearable devices. Their lightweight and flexible nature, coupled with significant energy storage capabilities, can lead to the development of more advanced, longer-lasting wearable technology, enhancing user experience and device functionality.

Also, the aerospace and defence industries could leverage the unparalleled mechanical toughness and energy density of SWCNT ropes for powering sensors and other critical components in space and military technologies. The ability to maintain performance across a broad temperature range further suggests their suitability for such demanding applications.

The discovery of twisted carbon nanotube ropes, therefore, represents a significant advancement in energy storage technology, offering numerous applications across various industries. Businesses that invest in this technology early on could gain a competitive edge by developing innovative, energy-efficient products and solutions that meet the growing demand for sustainable and reliable energy sources.

Tech News : New Fear Unlocked – Robot Dentists

Posted on by Paul Stradling

AI-driven automated dental technology company Perceptive has announced the completion of the world’s first fully automated dental procedure on a human using its robotic dentistry system.

Perceptive 

Boston-based Perceptive is an innovative dental technology company that has developed an AI powered dental robotics system to complete restorative dental procedures (e.g. crown replacements) faster and more accurately than any human dentist.

For example, Perceptive says the target for its AI dental robot is for it to be able to “complete a restorative dental procedure, such as a crown, with only one visit” of 15 minutes, which is “down from two visits of one hour each with traditional methods.” 

Interestingly, in addition to being partnered with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and American Dental Association’s Forsyth Institute, one of the company’s backers is dentist Edward Zuckerberg, the father of Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg.

Not Enough Dentists 

Perceptive’s founder and CEO, Canadian-born Dr. Chris Ciriello said that while working in rural Canada after completing dental school, he noticed that there weren’t enough dentists in the area to treat all available patients. Therefore, to tackle this challenge, he initially built his own Dental Support Organization (DSO) but found that he still had more patients than he could treat, hence the idea to find a technological solution.

How Perceptive’s Dental Robot Works 

To meet the challenge initially identified by Ciriello, his company (Perceptive) developed an advanced dental robot system to carry out surgeries.  To begin a procedure, Perseptive’s AI robotics system uses optical coherence technology (OCT) to make a detailed 3D scan of the patient’s tooth and mouth (including below the gum line, through fluids, and under the tooth surface) using Perceptive’s handheld intraoral scanner. These 3D images are then analysed by AI algorithms to plan and execute the dental procedure efficiently. The actual surgery is then carried out by the system’s robot arm.

Works In A Fraction Of The Time 

Perspective says that its system can prepare teeth “in a fraction of the time” compared to traditional procedures carried out by human dentists. This is because its robot system simulates the preparation geometry prior to prepping the tooth, enabling it to manufacture the restoration (a filling or crown) even before prepping the tooth. The company says this improvement in workflow should allow for a 15-minute restoration visit (unverified and based on their pre-clinical in-house testing).

Accurate & Enhanced Patient Care and Safety

German Galluicci, DMD, Ph.D., Chairman of Restorative Dentistry at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, has been quoted as saying that Perceptive’s technology “achieves over a 90 per cent accuracy rate for detecting caries without the ionising radiation associated with traditional X-rays and CBCT scanners”, noting that this is a “significant improvement over the approximately 40 per cent accuracy of 2D X-rays”. Galluicci says this results in “safer and more precise diagnoses” thereby “enhancing patient care and safety.” 

First Procedure 

The company recently announced that in a world-first, its robot dental arm successfully completed a dental procedure (restoration – a crown replacement) on a human. Perspective’s founder and CEO, Dr. Chris Ciriello, said: “We’re excited to successfully complete the world’s first fully automated robotic dental procedure,” and that “This medical breakthrough enhances precision and efficiency of dental procedures, and democratises access to better dental care, for improved patient experience and clinical outcomes. We look forward to advancing our system and pioneering scalable, fully automated dental healthcare solutions for patients.”

The Benefits 

Although this is only the first dental procedure by the Perspective system on a human, it’s anticipated that the system has the potential to enable dentists to diagnose and treat more patients with higher quality care in less time, thereby reducing the need for manual labour while minimising the chances of human error. As highlighted by Perspective’s CEO, it may also provide the benefit of democratising access to better dental care, bringing about improved patient experience and clinical outcomes.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The successful completion of the world’s first fully automated dental procedure by Perceptive’s robotic system may mark a significant milestone in the evolution of dental care. For businesses in the dental and healthcare sectors, this breakthrough could present both opportunities and challenges that should not be overlooked. Doubtless, there will be fear to be overcome as well as a societal shift in accepting robots of this kind for intimate work.

For example, the introduction of AI-driven robotic dentistry highlights the growing trend toward automation in healthcare, a trend that is likely to reshape how services are delivered. For dental practices, this could mean the need to reassess traditional workflows and consider integrating advanced technologies to remain competitive. The potential to reduce procedure times from hours to just 15 minutes could revolutionise patient throughput, allowing practices to treat more patients with greater efficiency, thereby increasing revenue and enhancing patient satisfaction.

However, with these advancements comes the need for investment in new technologies and training. Dental businesses will need to weigh the costs of adopting such systems against the benefits they offer. Early adopters could gain a competitive edge by positioning themselves as leaders in cutting-edge dental care, attracting tech-savvy patients who value speed and precision in their treatment. Also, the promise of higher accuracy in diagnostics and procedures, as evidenced by Perceptive’s system, could lead to better clinical outcomes, further enhancing the reputation of practices that embrace this technology.

This development may also prompt a shift in the role of dental professionals. As automated systems take on more routine tasks, for example, the role of the dentist could evolve toward more complex decision-making and patient interaction, areas where human skills remain irreplaceable. This could lead to a redefinition of the profession, requiring continuous education and adaptation to new technologies.

The advent of robotic dentistry, therefore, could signify the beginning of a transformative period for the dental industry. Those who proactively adapt to these changes, by investing in technology and upskilling, may be more likely to thrive in this new landscape. Those who fail to do so may find themselves at a disadvantage as the industry moves toward faster, more precise, and more accessible dental care.

Tech News : Microsoft Deepfakes Too Dangerous For Release

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Microsoft says its new VASA-1 AI framework for generating lifelike talking faces of virtual characters is so good that it could easily be misused for impersonating humans and, therefore, Microsoft says it has “no plans” to release any aspect of it until it can be sure it can be used responsibly.

What’s The Problem? 

2024 is an election year in at least 64 countries (including the US, UK, India, and South Africa) and the risk of AI being misused to spread misinformation has grown dramatically.  In the US, for example, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law has held a hearing titled “Oversight of AI: Election Deepfakes”. There is also now widespread recognition of the threats posed by deepfakes and proactive measures are being taken by governments and private sectors to safeguard electoral integrity. AI companies are keenly aware of the risks and have been taking their own measures. For example, Google’s Gemini has been restricted in the kinds of election-related questions that its AI chatbot will return responses to.

Google has also recently (in a blog post) addressed India’s AI concerns as regards its potential impact (deepfakes and misinformation) on what is the world’s largest election. None of the main AI companies have, therefore, wanted to simply release their latest updated generative AI without being seen to test them and include what safeguards they can against misuse. Also, none of the main AI companies are keen to be publicly singled-out as enabling electoral interference.

VASA-1 

Microsoft says its VASA-1 AI can produce lifelike audio-driven talking faces, generated in real-time, all from a single static portrait photo and a speech audio clip.

How Good Is It? 

Microsoft says that its premier model, VASA-1, is “capable of not only producing lip movements that are exquisitely synchronised with the audio, but also capturing a large spectrum of facial nuances and natural head motions that contribute to the perception of authenticity and liveliness.” 

The “core innovations” of VASA-1 include “a holistic facial dynamics and head movement generation model that works in a face latent space, and the development of such an expressive and disentangled face latent space using videos”. 

See some demos of VASA-1 in action here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/vasa-1/

Key Benefits

Microsoft says some of the key benefits of the VASA-1 model that set it apart are:

– Realism and liveliness. The model can produce convincing lip-audio synchronisation, and a large spectrum of expressive facial nuances and natural head motions. It can also handle arbitrary-length audio and stably output seamless talking face videos.

– Controllability of generation. Microsoft says its diffusion model accepts optional signals as conditions, such as main eye gaze direction and head distance, and emotion offsets.

– Out-of-distribution generalisation. In other words, the model can handle photo and audio inputs that weren’t present in its training set, e.g., artistic photos, singing audios, and non-English speech.

– Power of disentanglement. VASA-1’s latent representation disentangles appearance, 3D head pose, and facial dynamics, enabling separate attribute control and editing of the generated content.

– Real-time efficiency. Microsoft says VASA-1 generates video frames of 512×512 size at 45fps in the offline batch processing mode and can support up to 40fps in the online streaming mode with a preceding latency of only 170ms, evaluated on a desktop PC with a single NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU.

Not Yet 

However, Microsoft says it is holding back the release of VASA-1 pending the addressing of privacy and usage issues, stating that: “we have no plans to release an online demo, API, product, additional implementation details, or any related offerings until we are certain that the technology will be used responsibly and in accordance with proper regulations”. 

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

Given what VASA-1 can do, you’d think Microsoft would be itching to get VASA-1 out there, monetised, and competing with the likes of Google’s Gemini family of models. However, as with Gemini and other generative AI, it may not be fully ready and may have some issues – as Gemini did when it received widespread criticism and had to be worked-on to correct ‘historical inaccuracies’ and woke outputs.

This is also, crucially, an important and busy electoral year globally with governments nervous, trying to introduce legislation and safeguards, and keeping a close eye on AI companies and their products’ potential to cause damaging deepfake and misinformation/disinformation and electoral interference issues, as well as their potential for use in cybercrime. As such, AI companies are queuing up to be seen to be acting as responsibly and ethically as possible, claiming to be holding back and testing every aspect of their products that could be misused – at the same time basically avoiding the eyes of governments and regulators, and potentially bad publicity and penalties.

As some have pointed out, however, it would be difficult for anyone to regulate who uses certain AI models for the right or wrong reasons and that some very sophisticated open source models can be made from source code found on GitHub by those who are determined. All that said, it shouldn’t be forgotten that VASA-1 appears to be very advanced and could offer many benefits and useful value-adding applications, e.g. for personalising emails and other business mass-communication. It remains to be seen how long Microsoft is prepared to wait before making VASA-1 generally available.

Featured Article : What Was Fun At CES?

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Following the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week, we take a look at some of the more novel and fun gadgets (and claims from the show) and what lessons businesses can take away from this year’s event.

CES

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which this year took place in Las Vegas (from January 9th to 12th) once again acted as a global stage for tech innovation and a glimpse of things to come. It’s a place where industry leaders, startups, and tech enthusiasts converge to showcase and witness the latest advancements and future trends in technology and which sets the tone for the tech industry each year. Among the more ‘serious’ products, however, the show features many fun/novel and more left-field gadgets and claims. Here’s some standout examples of these from CES 2024.

LG’s Smart Home AI Agent. This AI device (a kind of robotic home manager) transcends traditional smart home functions. It’s capable of engaging in meaningful conversations, providing reminders for medication, and even contacting emergency services if needed, showcasing a new level of AI integration in home management. The Smart Home AI Agent is an example of a product that fits LG’s vision of a “zero-labour home”, something that many of us can only dream about!

For those who want to keep their conversations secret, how about Skyted’s Mobility Privacy Mask? This innovative gadget is essentially a Bluetooth-enabled face mask yet it’s designed to absorb voice frequencies, thereby ensuring private conversations in public spaces. The potential applications for the device highlighted by the company include conversations in public spaces, while travelling (for frequent travellers or regular commuters), plus those working in aeroplanes, in and in offices or call centres. It’s an interesting idea which highlights a growing demand for privacy in our increasingly connected world.

GlüxKind’s AI-powered Stroller (Pram), Ella. This gadget is a step forward (or a roll forward) in making the life of modern, connected parents that bit easier. It’s a pram that offers hands-free operation, automatic stopping on inclines, and a gentle rocking feature for the baby. Its built-in white noise machine adds another layer of innovation, showcasing how parenting can be assisted by smart technology.

The WeHead GPT Edition is an AI-powered head with a face that gives ChatGPT a physical form, providing a unique interactive experience. Some have criticised the face for appearing to be a little emotionless when it talks. It’s been designed for brainstorming and idea generation, and it represents an intriguing (some have said creepy) blend of virtual and physical AI interfaces.

Rabbit’s R1 Pocket AI Assistant. Developed by Teenage Engineering, this ($200) handheld AI assistant with a 2.88-inch touchscreen navigates smartphone apps on command, simplifying tasks like ordering food or managing apps. It operates on a language action model, pushing the boundaries of how we interact with our digital devices.

French startup MolluSCAN’s Smart Molluscs is a novel, environmentally-focused technology that uses sensors literally upon molluscs to monitor water quality and pollution. It represents a highly innovative approach to environmental monitoring, combining biology with technology.

For those who remember how some TVs used to fold into cabinets and be disguised as home furniture, SEED’s N1 Folding TV takes things quite a few steps further. This innovative TV transitions itself from a large 137-inch screen to a sleek sculpture. The seamless MicroLED panels provide an uninterrupted viewing experience, reflecting the fusion of technology and art.

On the subject of TVs, how about one you can’t see at all? Samsung’s Transparent TV can blend in with the background of your room when not in use, so it looks like a transparent piece of glass in a frame! The design uses Micro LED technology which Samsung says makes “the line between content and reality virtually indistinguishable.”

In the health industry, ADAM-X by Medical-X is essentially a robot patient that simulates a wide range of medical scenarios and reacts how a live patient would react, providing real-time feedback to trainees. It also has simulated bodily fluids. This advanced CPR dummy is designed for medical training and is a good example of how technology is enhancing medical training with lifelike simulations.

Again, in the health domain, the BMind AI-Powered Smart Mirror by Baracoda is a smart mirror that acts as a mental wellness health companion. For example, this mirror not only reflects your image but also gauges your mood using AI. It can engage in conversations, provide meditation exercises, and even offers light therapy, marking a new era in personal wellness technology.

The Clicks Technology’s BlackBerry-style iPhone Keyboard attachment transforms an iPhone into a device reminiscent of the BlackBerry era. It provides a tactile typing experience while liberating screen space, blending nostalgia with modern smartphone functionality.

Sound Drive’s Dynamic Sound Mixing, created by Will.i.am’s startup, is a system that adjusts your car’s music based on your driving speed and conditions. It dynamically mixes the music, adding or dropping lyrics as needed, to match the energy of your drive.

How about having a conversation with your bathroom furniture? A step too far? Not in the case of Kohler’s PureWash E930 Bidet Seat which features voice command capabilities. It allows users to control various functions such as activating the spray or dryer, or using its self-cleaning UV feature, all through voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. Just be careful not to say the wrong thing at the wrong time!

One novel piece of tech for pets presented at CES this year was the ‘Flappie,’ the AI-powered cat flap, described as “world’s most intelligent” cat flap.  Flappie uses cameras and AI to prevent unwanted visitors from following your pet indoors. It’s designed to recognise your cat and distinguish it from other animals, ensuring that only your pet has access. This product reflects the increasing use of AI in everyday household items, offering convenience and problem-solving in unexpected areas.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

It seems that CES 2024 has demonstrated how technology is becoming increasingly intertwined with every aspect of our lives. From smart-home advancements to groundbreaking developments in environmental monitoring and healthcare, even the more novel tech innovations offer a glimpse into a future where technology enhances and simplifies our daily experiences.

For UK businesses, these trends underscore the importance of embracing innovation, focusing on user experience, and exploring eco-friendly technologies. They also highlight how the integration of AI is changing everything and opening up so many more opportunities and avenues for product innovation and enhancement. The gadgets and AI advancements from CES 2024, therefore, not only reflect the current state of technology but also offer a roadmap for future developments. UK businesses can learn from these innovations to identify new opportunities, meet emerging consumer needs, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving global tech landscape.

Although this selection focuses on the more novel and unusual gadgets, the key general takeaway from CES 2024 could be that the future is not just about technology for its own sake, but technology that enriches, simplifies, and adds value to our everyday lives.

Tech News : Autumn Statement Suggests IT Spending Boost

Posted on by Paul Stradling

The announcement of measures intended to boost investment in innovation and technology in UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement could mean increased spending on IT and AI.

Measures To Boost The Tech Sector

The UK Chancellor’s Autumn Statement introduced a range of measures aimed at boosting the tech sector, with potentially significant implications for tech spending and investment in innovation. Some tech commentators have suggested that this could mean that private-sector IT buyers will see a long-term boost. Here we take a look at how the measures announced could affect tech spending, their potential overall impact, and any negative effects they might have.

Positive Impacts on Tech Spending 

Some of the key announcements in the Autumn Statement that could have a positive effect on tech spending include :

– A permanent full expensing policy. Mr Hunt’s decision to make the full expensing policy permanent allows private sector IT buyers to write off the cost of IT equipment against tax. This policy, therefore, looks likely to encourage more investment in IT infrastructure, as companies can deduct these expenses from taxable profits.

– Enhanced R&D tax credits. The merger of the R&D Expenditure Credit and SME schemes from April 2024 will make more companies eligible for claims supporting innovation. It’s thought that around 5,000 additional small businesses may benefit, thereby helping to foster a more innovative environment in the UK tech sector.

– Investment in AI and quantum technologies. The government’s commitment of £500 million over two years to establish additional ‘compute innovation centres’ and the funding being part of a larger £1.5 billion investment is intended to enhance the UK’s capabilities in AI. The Statement also outlined five quantum missions as part of the ‘National Quantum Strategy.’ These missions focus on establishing advanced quantum computing capabilities and networks and incorporating quantum technologies in various sectors such as healthcare, transportation, and defence by 2030 and 2035. One key benefit of quantum computing being made available to healthcare could of course be breakthroughs in areas like drug discovery. Thinking back to the pandemic, many peopel may remember how quantum computing was something that was being used to help speed the way to developing effective vaccines.

– Skills development Initiatives. It’s long been known that the UK has a tech skills gap which is something that threatens to hamper its ambition to become an international technology superpower. Therefore, a £50 million investment to pilot ways to increase apprenticeships in key growth sectors (including engineering) aligns with the need for a skilled workforce to sustain tech advancements. Mr Hunt also announced three more investment zones (on top of the 12 announced in March) in order to boost advanced manufacturing in the West Midlands, East Midlands, and Greater Manchester.

– Support for clean energy and infrastructure. The outlined efforts to cut grid access delays and provide financial incentives for clean energy businesses will likely accelerate the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy, benefiting green tech initiatives. For example, a £960m Green Industries Growth Accelerator fund may help to support emerging technologies in clean energy and the transition to net-zero.

Not All Positive 

Some of the Autumn Statement announcements, however, may not be such good news for the UK’s tech sector. For example, some of the potential challenges and negative effects include:

– Negative economic forecasts and tight public spending: Despite some of the ambitious measures announced, their success is essentially contingent on economic forecasts, which are currently revised downwards. A significant squeeze on public spending due to inflation may also hamper the plans for digital transformation, especially if budget constraints affect public sector investments.

– Implementation and collaboration needs. The effectiveness of the many potentially positive measures announced depends on the government’s ability to implement them quickly and efficiently. Also, government collaboration with the tech sector is crucial to ensure these policies translate into tangible growth and innovation. For example, the government will need to work alongside tech companies, startups, and industry experts to understand their needs, address potential challenges, and ensure that the policies are actually practical and beneficial.

– A reliance on estimates and uncertainties. Some reforms, like those to the energy grid and pension and capital market reforms, are unfortunately based on estimates that may not actually materialise as expected. If these projections fall short, it could limit the overall impact of the statement’s measures on tech investment and growth.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The Autumn Statement’s initiatives offer a promising landscape for businesses beyond just IT buyers, possibly signalling a transformative shift in the UK’s approach to technological advancement and innovation. The decision to make full expensing permanent, coupled with enhanced R&D tax credits, may help present a financially viable path for businesses across various sectors to invest more boldly in new technology and innovation projects. This change not only eases the financial burden of such investments but may also go some way to encouraging a culture of continuous innovation.

The substantial investments in AI, quantum computing, and compute infrastructure could open up new avenues for businesses to access and leverage advanced technologies. These technologies, for example, have the potential to revolutionise product development and operational efficiency across a wide range of industries. As a result, organisations can look forward to not only improved business-processes but also the possibility of developing groundbreaking new products and services.

The focus on developing much-needed tech skills in the UK workforce through apprenticeships and training initiatives is another critical aspect. This approach could help give UK businesses access to employees equipped with the necessary skills to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex technological landscape. This is particularly crucial at a time when technology is evolving rapidly, and the demand for skilled professionals is at an all-time high.

Businesses with a focus on green technologies or those looking to transition to more sustainable practices may get support through initiatives aimed at reducing grid access delays and promoting clean energy. This not only aligns with global trends toward sustainability but also offers a competitive edge to businesses that prioritise environmental responsibility.

However, businesses in what are challenging economic times are likely to see the announcements in the broader economic context. The success of these measures is not guaranteed and is contingent upon effective implementation amidst economic uncertainties and potential public spending constraints. Therefore, businesses need to stay informed and agile, ready to adapt to changing regulations and economic conditions.

Looking on the bright side, this year’s Autumn Statement generally appears to present a multifaceted opportunity for businesses to grow, innovate, and adapt in a rapidly evolving technological environment. If UK businesses can capitalise on the initiatives announced and navigate the associated challenges, they may be better positioned to make the most of new technologies like AI.

Featured Article : OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman Fired (But Will Return)

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Following the shock announcement that the boss of OpenAI (which created ChatGPT) has been quickly ousted by the board and replaced by an interim CEO, we look at what happened, why, and what may be next.

Ousted 

38-year-old Sam Altman, who helped launch OpenAI back in 2015, firstly as a non-profit before its restructuring and investment from Microsoft, has become widely known as the face of OpenAI’s incredible rise. However, it’s been reported that following some video conference calls with OpenAI’s board of 6 members, Mr Altman was removed from his role as CEO, and from the board of directors. Also, OpenAI’s co-founder, Greg Brockman, was removed from his position as chairman of the board of directors, after which he resigned from the company. Both men were reportedly shocked by the speed of their dismissal.

Why? 

The reason given in a statement by OpenAI for removing Mr Altman was: “Mr. Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities. The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.” 

The company also said: “We are grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward.” 

Sam Altman Says … 

Mr Altman, who since the introduction of ChatGPT and his many public appearances (most recently at the UK’s AI Safety Summit), interviews, and statements, many people see as the generally well-liked, public face of AI, has not publicly elaborated on what he may not have been candid about.

He commented on Elon Musk’s X platform (Musk was one of the founding co-chairs of OpenAI) that: “I loved my time at OpenAI. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all I loved working with such talented people. Will have more to say about what’s next later.” 

Intriguingly, there were also reports at the time that Mr Altman and Mr Brockman may have been willing to return if the board members who ousted Altman stepped down – chief scientist Ilya Sutskever has been singled out in some reports as person who led the move to oust Altman.

Theories  

The sudden nature of the sacking and the vagueness of OpenAI’s statement, plus some of the events afterwards have led to speculation by many commentators about the real cause/reason for ousting Mr Altman. Leading theories include.

Mr Altman may have either told the board about something they didn’t like, not told something important (and perhaps been caught out), or may have been outed about something in comments made by other parties. Although this is the board’s version, no clear evidence has been made public. However, just prior to his ousting, in TV interviews, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella is reported to say that whether Altman and OpenAI staffers would become Microsoft employees was “for the OpenAI board and management and employees to choose” and that Microsoft expected governance changes at OpenAI. He’s also quoted as saying that the partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI “depends on the people at OpenAI staying there or coming to Microsoft, so I’m open to both options.”

It’s also been reported that two senior OpenAI researchers had resigned and that they (and possibly hundreds of OpenAI employees) may join Microsoft, or that Altman may have been planning to start a new company with the open OpenAI employees who’d already left (which the board may have discovered).

Also, shortly after the whole indecent, Microsoft announced that it had hired Altman and Brockman to launch a new advanced-AI research team with Altman as CEO, which may indicate that Altman had already been in talks with Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella about it, which may have been discovered by OpenAI’s board.

As hinted at in the board’s statement, i.e. the part about “OpenAI was deliberately structured to advance our mission: to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all humanity,” that there was an unresolved issue over bad feelings that the company had strayed from its initial ‘non-profit’ status. Some commentators have pointed to Elon Musk taking this view and his apparent silence over Altman’s ousting as possible evidence of this.

Another possible reason for ousting Altman is a board power struggle. Evidence that this may be the case includes:

– Mr Altman and Mr Brockman saying they’d be wiling to return if board members who ousted Altman stepped down.

– Following his sacking, OpenAI investors trying to get Altman reinstated.

– Altman and leading shareholders in OpenAI (Microsoft and Thrive Capital) reportedly wanting the entire board to be replaced.

– Reported huge support for Altman among employees.

Interim CEOs 

Shortly after Altman’s ousting, OpenAI replaced him with two interim CEOs within a short space of time. These were/are:

– Firstly, OpenAI’s CTO Mira Murati. With previous experience in working at Goldman Sachs, Zodiac Aerospace, Tesla, and Leap Motion, Murati was seen as a strong leader who sees multimodal models as he future of the company’s AI.

– Secondly (the current interim CEO) is Emmett Shear, the former CEO of game streaming platform Twitch. Mr Shear said on X about his appointment: “It’s clear that the process and communications around Sam’s removal has been handled very badly, which has seriously damaged our trust,” adding that: “I took this job because I believe that OpenAI is one of the most important companies currently in existence.” 

Mr Shear’s Plans 

It’s been reported that Mr Shear plans to hire an independent investigator to examine who ousted Altman and why, speak with OpenAI’s company stakeholders, and reform the company’s management team as needed.

Mr Shear said: “Depending on the results everything we learn from these, I will drive changes in the organisation – up to and including pushing strongly for significant governance changes if necessary.” 

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Sam Altman has become known as the broadly well-liked face of AI since the introduction of OpenAI’s hugely popular ChatGPT chatbot one year ago. He’s extremely popular too with OpenAI employees, and other major tech industry figures, including Emmett Shear, who is now OpenAI’s interim CEO and Google boss Eric Schmidt who’s described Mr Altman “a hero of mine”. Also, Mr Altman is very close to OpenAI’s major investors Microsoft, and has already been snapped up by Microsoft (along with Brockman) as head of a new AI research team there.

Altman’s rapid ousting from OpenAI has not gone down well and all eyes appear to be focused on some of the other members of OpenAI’s board, plus the power struggle that appears to have been fought, and what kind of management and governance is needed at the top of OpenAI now to take it forward. It’s still early and it remains to be seen what happens at the top following the investigation by interim CEO Shears. Microsoft will doubtless be very happy about having Altman on board which could see them make their own gains in the now highly competitive generative AI market.

With Altman gone, it remains to be seen how/if OpenAI’s products and rapid progress and success is ultimately affected.

Update: 22.11.23 – It’s been announced that Sam Altman will soon return to OpenAI following changes to the board.