Nvidia reported a staggering $19B in net income last quarter but faced questions about sustaining its rapid growth amid shifts in AI development methods. Analysts questioned CEO Jensen Huang on how Nvidia’s position might evolve with trends like ‘test-time scaling,’ a method that enhances AI responses by increasing computing power during inference, the phase when AI generates answers.
Huang described test-time scaling as a groundbreaking development and emphasised Nvidia’s readiness to support it. He noted that while most of the company’s focus remains on pretraining AI models, the growing emphasis on inference could transform the AI landscape. Nvidia’s dominance in pretraining has propelled its stock up 180% this year, but competition in AI inference is heating up, with startups like Groq and Cerebras offering alternative chip solutions.
Despite concerns about diminishing returns from traditional AI scaling, Huang remains optimistic, asserting that foundational AI development continues to advance. He reiterated Nvidia’s advantage as the largest AI inference platform globally, citing the company’s scale and reliability as critical factors in maintaining its edge.
Snowflake has raised its annual product revenue forecast after announcing a multi-year partnership with AI firm Anthropic. The collaboration is designed to enhance Snowflake’s data cloud services by integrating Anthropic’s advanced AI models, which enable businesses to develop custom AI applications within secure environments. Shares of the data analytics company surged nearly 19% in extended trading after the announcement.
Snowflake’s platform has seen widespread adoption among enterprises seeking to leverage AI-powered solutions for data organisation and analysis. The partnership with Anthropic will also enable Snowflake’s AI agents to perform sophisticated tasks such as deep data analysis and visualisation. Analysts note that the move positions Snowflake as a strong competitor in the AI technology space.
The company outperformed expectations for the third quarter, reporting $942.1 million in total revenue, compared with estimates of $897 million. Product revenue reached $900.3 million, surpassing forecasts. Snowflake also reported an adjusted profit of 20 cents per share, exceeding analysts’ predictions of 15 cents.
Snowflake expects product revenue of $3.43 billion for fiscal 2025, up from its prior estimate of $3.36 billion. Fourth-quarter projections are also strong, with product revenue anticipated to be between $906 million and $911 million, above market expectations.
New Lantern, a startup founded by engineer Shiva Suri, has raised $19M in Series A funding led by Benchmark. Inspired by observing his mother’s work as a radiologist, Suri created the platform to address inefficiencies in the field. New Lantern combines two core radiology tools, PACS, which stores medical images and reporting software, into a streamlined system powered by AI.
Unlike other AI solutions that focus on replacing radiologists, New Lantern enhances productivity by automating repetitive tasks like measurements and report generation. This approach allows radiologists to focus on analysing scans, which Benchmark’s Eric Vishria praised for doubling efficiency. The startup’s software is already being used by some radiology practices, although specifics remain undisclosed.
Suri envisions New Lantern as the next major evolution in radiology, akin to the industry’s shift from physical film to digital PACS. With plans to fully modernise the field, including cloud-based data storage, the company aims to disrupt entrenched players like GE Healthcare and Microsoft’s Nuance. For Suri, the personal stakes are high as his mom is an avid supporter of the platform she inspired.
SK Square, the holding company of AI chipmaker SK Hynix, unveiled plans to enhance shareholder value through a share buyback and other measures. The company will repurchase 100 billion won ($71.51 million) worth of shares within three months and cancel them, following a similar cancellation of shares bought in April.
The move comes after London-based hedge fund Palliser Capital proposed strategies to address SK Square’s undervaluation, with the company’s market value currently less than half the $18 billion worth of its 20% stake in SK Hynix. Palliser, which acquired a 1% stake in SK Square this year, has been in talks with the firm to improve shareholder returns.
This initiative aligns with South Korea‘s “Value-Up” program, designed to encourage companies to increase market value. SK Hynix, a key asset of SK Square, recently reported record profits driven by soaring AI chip demand from Nvidia, adding to the company’s potential for growth.
Meta is enhancing its Messenger app with a range of new features, including HD video calls, voice isolation, and AI-powered backgrounds. HD calls are now the default for Wi-Fi users and can also be enabled for cellular calls. Voice isolation reduces background noise during calls, improving clarity.
The app also introduces video and audio voice messages, allowing users to leave recordings when their contacts are unavailable. iOS users gain the ability to send messages and make calls through Siri, offering hands-free convenience.
Another highlight is the AI-generated backgrounds for video calls. Users can select this feature via the “effects” icon during calls, adding a creative, customisable touch to their conversations. These updates follow recent improvements, such as end-to-end encryption by default and the addition of a Meta AI chatbot in Messenger. Meta continues to evolve Messenger into a versatile communication platform, blending functionality with cutting-edge technology to enhance the user experience.
Huawei plans to begin mass-producing its Ascend 910C AI chip in early 2025, despite ongoing struggles to achieve sufficient production yields due to US trade restrictions. The Chinese telecom giant has already sent samples to tech firms and started taking orders for the chip, designed to rival Nvidia’s high-performance processors. The company faces significant challenges, as restrictions on advanced manufacturing technologies have limited its chip-making efficiency.
The Ascend 910C is produced by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) using an N+2 process but suffers from a yield of just 20%—far below the 70% required for commercial viability. Previous Huawei processors, including the 910B, achieved yields of around 50%, leading to delays in fulfilling orders from major clients like ByteDance. Washington’s restrictions, which prevent access to critical Dutch lithography equipment, have further constrained China’s ability to produce advanced semiconductors.
Huawei’s reliance on SMIC has been costly, with chips produced on its advanced nodes priced up to 50% higher than alternatives. While the company has sought supplemental production from Taiwan’s TSMC, US authorities have tightened export controls, limiting access to cutting-edge chips and forcing Huawei to prioritise strategic government and corporate orders. The escalating trade tensions underscore the geopolitical struggle between the US and China over technological dominance, with both nations doubling down on policies to secure their interests.
As Beijing pushes for self-reliance in semiconductors, Huawei’s production challenges reflect the broader impact of US restrictions on China’s tech sector. With further curbs on the horizon, Huawei’s success in advancing its AI chips may shape the next phase of the US -China tech rivalry.
Actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck has weighed in on the ongoing debate over AI in the entertainment industry, arguing that AI poses little immediate threat to actors and screenwriters. Speaking to CNBC, Affleck stated that while AI can replicate certain styles, it lacks the creative depth required to craft meaningful narratives or performances, likening it to a poor substitute for human ingenuity.
Affleck, co-founder of a film studio with fellow actor Matt Damon, expressed optimism about AI’s role in Hollywood, suggesting it might even generate new opportunities for creative professionals. However, he raised concerns about its potential impact on the visual effects industry, which could face significant disruptions as AI technologies advance.
Strikes by Hollywood unions last year highlighted fears that AI could replace creative talent. Affleck remains sceptical of such a scenario, maintaining that storytelling and human performance remain uniquely human domains that AI is unlikely to master soon.
Security experts are urging caution when using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Grok for interpreting medical scans or sharing private health information. Recent trends show users uploading X-rays, MRIs, and other sensitive data to these platforms, but such actions can pose significant privacy risks. Uploaded medical images may become part of training datasets for AI models, leaving personal information exposed to misuse.
Unlike healthcare apps covered by laws like HIPAA, many AI chatbots lack strict data protection safeguards. Companies offering these services may use the data to improve their algorithms, but it’s often unclear who has access or how the data will be used. This lack of transparency has raised alarms among privacy advocates.
X-owner Elon Musk recently encouraged users to upload medical imagery to Grok, his platform’s AI chatbot, citing its potential to evolve into a reliable diagnostic tool. However, Musk acknowledged that Grok is still in its early stages, and critics warn that sharing such data online could have lasting consequences.
Google has announced a $20 million fund, with an additional $2 million in cloud credits, to support researchers using AI to tackle complex scientific challenges. The initiative, unveiled by Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis at the AI for Science Forum in London, is part of Google’s broader strategy to foster innovation and collaboration with academic and non-profit organisations globally.
The funding will prioritise interdisciplinary projects addressing challenges in fields such as rare disease research, experimental biology, sustainability, and materials science. Google plans to distribute the funding to approximately 15 organisations by 2026, ensuring each grant is substantial enough to drive impactful breakthroughs. The programme reflects Google’s aim to position itself as a key partner in advancing science through AI, building on successes like AlphaFold, which recently earned DeepMind leaders a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The move aligns with a growing trend among Big Tech firms investing heavily in AI-driven research. Amazon’s AWS recently committed $110 million to similar grants, underscoring the race to attract leading scientists and researchers into their ecosystems. Hassabis expressed hope that the initiative would inspire greater collaboration between the private and public sectors and further demonstrate AI’s transformative potential in science.
A chapel in Lucerne, Switzerland, has introduced an AI-powered confessional, featuring an avatar named ‘AI Jesus’ to offer spiritual advice. Parishioners communicate with the AI by voicing concerns and receiving machine-generated guidance. The experiment, developed at a local university, aims to spark debate about technology’s role in religion.
Theologians involved highlight AI’s 24/7 availability as a key advantage, contrasting it with human pastors‘ limited schedules. Parishioners have expressed mixed reactions, with some praising its convenience and others criticising its generic responses as superficial.
Despite the novelty, the AI advises users not to disclose personal data, underscoring privacy concerns. Traditional clergy remain essential, as many see the AI as a supplementary tool rather than a replacement for spiritual leaders.
