Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has urged South Korea’s SK Hynix to speed up the delivery of its next-generation HBM4 memory chips by six months, according to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. Initially scheduled for the latter half of 2025, the HBM4 chips are in high demand as Nvidia’s GPUs require them for advancing AI technology. Nvidia, which holds a dominant share of the AI chip market, relies on SK Hynix’s high-bandwidth memory to support AI processing.
Facing growing competition from Samsung and Micron, SK Hynix is working to deliver its latest HBM3E chips this year, with plans to release improved 16-layer versions early next year. Samsung has also announced progress on a new supply deal and aims to roll out its HBM4 products by the second half of 2024.
Shares of SK Hynix surged 5.1% on the news, reflecting strong investor confidence in its strategic response to the booming demand for advanced memory technology.
Disney is establishing a new division, the Office of Technology Enablement, dedicated to advancing the company’s use of AI and mixed reality (XR). Led by Jamie Voris, Disney’s former chief technology officer for its film studio, the unit will oversee projects across Disney’s film, television, and theme park segments to leverage these rapidly evolving technologies. This group will focus on coordinating various initiatives without centralising them, ensuring each project aligns with Disney’s broader technological strategy.
The new office, which will ultimately expand to about 100 employees, comes as Disney looks to tap into cutting-edge AI and augmented reality (AR) applications. Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman emphasised the importance of exploring AI’s potential while mitigating risks, signaling Disney’s intention to create next-generation experiences for theme parks and home entertainment. Voris’s leadership will be succeeded by Eddie Drake as Disney’s new film studio CTO.
Disney has been actively building expertise in AR and virtual reality (VR) as technology companies like Meta and Apple compete in the emerging AR/VR market. The company also rehired Kyle Laughlin, a specialist in these technologies, as Senior VP of Research and Development for Disney Imagineering, its theme park innovation branch. By assembling a team with expertise in advanced tech, Disney aims to create immersive, engaging experiences for its global audience.
Dubai Chambers and Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) have joined forces in a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance Dubai’s status as a global hub for digital investments. The strategic collaboration focuses on attracting companies that specialise in AI, cryptocurrencies, and gaming, recognising their importance in shaping the future of the digital economy.
As part of the MoU, DMCC will provide specialised business setup support packages to facilitate the entry of new enterprises and ensure they have the necessary tools to thrive. Companies will also gain access to valuable resources, including participation in DMCC’s knowledge series events and complimentary compliance services and tax clinics.
That partnership aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which seeks to double the size of Dubai’s economy over the next decade and position the emirate among the top three global cities for business and innovation. Dubai Chambers and DMCC are united in their commitment to driving economic growth and innovation within the emirate through their collaboration.
They recognise the importance of creating a favourable business environment to support international companies and investments. By enhancing the growth of the digital economy and fostering a climate of institutional excellence, their efforts aim to provide a robust ecosystem that not only attracts innovative firms but also encourages the development of future-facing sectors.
Google researchers announced a breakthrough in cybersecurity, revealing they have discovered the first vulnerability using a large language model. This vulnerability, identified as an exploitable memory-safety issue in SQLite—a widely used open-source database engine—marks a significant milestone, as it is believed to be the first public instance of an AI tool uncovering a previously unknown flaw in real-world software.
The vulnerability was reported to SQLite developers in early October, who promptly addressed the issue on the same day it was identified. Notably, the bug was discovered before being included in an official release, ensuring that SQLite users were unaffected. Google emphasised this development as a demonstration of AI’s significant potential for enhancing cybersecurity defences.
The initiative is part of a collaborative project called Big Sleep, which involves Google Project Zero and Google DeepMind, stemming from previous efforts focused on AI-assisted vulnerability research.
Many companies, including Google, typically employ a technique known as ‘fuzzing,’ where software is tested by inputting random or invalid data to uncover vulnerabilities. However, Google noted that fuzzing often needs to improve in identifying hard-to-find bugs. The researchers expressed optimism that AI could help bridge this gap. ‘We see this as a promising avenue to achieve a defensive advantage,’ they stated.
The identified vulnerability was particularly intriguing because it was missed by existing testing frameworks, including OSS-Fuzz and SQLite’s internal systems. One of the key motivations behind the Big Sleep project is the ongoing challenge of vulnerability variants, with more than 40% of zero-day vulnerabilities identified in 2022 being variants of previously reported issues.
The UAE’s energy giant ADNOC is pioneering the use of highly autonomous agentic AI in the energy sector through a partnership with G42, Microsoft, and AIQ, as announced by CEO Sultan Al Jaber at an industry event in Abu Dhabi. This move is part of a broader UAE strategy to reduce reliance on oil, with support from G42, which secured a $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft to fuel the nation’s tech industry diversification.
Agentic AI, viewed as the future of artificial intelligence, allows systems to operate independently and make proactive decisions. According to Jaber, this advanced AI will significantly enhance operations by analysing vast amounts of data, reducing seismic survey times from months to days, and improving production forecasts by up to 90%.
The UAE’s government is investing billions in AI, including regional language-specific chatbots, positioning the Gulf state to remain economically influential as global demand for oil wanes.
Leading tech giants are racing to expand their AI infrastructure, with companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon dedicating billions to meet rising demand. However, the heavy spending on data centres and computing power is sparking concern among investors who are eager for quicker returns. Big Tech’s significant capital investments come with mounting costs, threatening profitability and raising questions about how quickly these ventures will yield results.
Despite exceeding recent earnings forecasts, Big Tech stocks dropped on Thursday, underlining the pressure they face to balance AI expansion with shareholder expectations. Microsoft and Meta reported increased spending in their latest quarters, yet their shares fell, with Microsoft dropping 6% and Meta 4%. Amazon’s shares saw a brief dip before recovering on news of a strong third-quarter performance. Analysts point to a challenging road ahead as these firms juggle AI ambitions with market demands for near-term gains.
The challenges extend to capacity issues, with firms like Microsoft struggling to keep up with demand due to data centre constraints. Meanwhile, Meta forecasts that its AI-related expenses will increase significantly next year, and chip manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD are racing to fulfil orders. This supply bottleneck highlights the complex task of scaling up AI services, adding a layer of unpredictability to Big Tech’s efforts.
Despite short-term risks, companies remain committed to AI. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy described AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, while Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg likened today’s investment climate to the early days of cloud computing. As firms continue to ramp up infrastructure spending, they are counting on long-term returns, hoping to transform initial scepticism into eventual success.
Nvidia is seeking antitrust approval from the European Union for its planned acquisition of Israeli AI startup Run:ai valued at approximately $700 million. The European Commission has raised concerns that the merger could harm competition in the markets where both companies operate, prompting increased scrutiny of tech giants acquiring startups. This move reflects a broader regulatory trend aimed at preventing potential monopolistic practices in the tech sector.
Although the acquisition does not meet the EU’s turnover threshold for automatic review, it was flagged by Italy’s competition agency, which requested the EU to investigate further. The Commission has accepted this request, indicating that the transaction could significantly impact competition across the European Economic Area.
In response to the regulatory review, Nvidia expressed its readiness to cooperate and answer any questions regarding the acquisition. The company is committed to ensuring that AI technologies remain accessible across various platforms, emphasising its role as a leader in the chip industry, particularly for AI applications like ChatGPT.
Praxis, a forward-thinking tech company, has secured a remarkable $525 million investment to create a groundbreaking city on the Mediterranean coast that merges cryptocurrency and AI. This ambitious project, aimed at crafting a tech-driven society, envisions a seamless blend of nature and advanced technology, where electric vehicles and AI-driven systems enhance urban life.
Founded in 2019 by Dryden Brown and Charlie Callinan, Praxis seeks to establish a utopian city that champions innovation, minimal governance, and a libertarian lifestyle. With plans to use cryptocurrency as the primary currency, the city promises to attract top tech talent and entrepreneurs looking for a fresh start free from traditional constraints. Despite the project’s romantic nature, it has already garnered the interest of over 2,000 prospective residents, with a waiting list of 50,000.
Collaborating with renowned firm Zaha Hadid Architects, Praxis aims to design a city that harmoniously fuses futuristic and traditional styles, ensuring adaptability for future growth. While some critics question the project’s feasibility, the support from prominent investors like Peter Thiel and Balaji Srinivasan underlines the potential for this vision to reshape urban living. With operations projected to begin around 2026, Praxis is set to host its first event in the Dominican Republic to gather leaders and innovators focused on the future of digital sovereignty.
Election officials across the US are intensifying efforts to counter deepfake robocalls as the 2024 election nears, worried about AI-driven disinformation campaigns. Unlike visible manipulated images or videos, fake audio calls targeting voters are harder to detect, leaving officials bracing for the impact on public trust. A recent incident in New Hampshire, where a robocall falsely claimed to be from President Biden urging people to skip voting, highlighted how disruptive these AI-generated calls can be.
Election leaders have developed low-tech methods to counter this high-tech threat, such as unique code words to verify identities in sensitive phone interactions. In states like Colorado, officials have been trained to respond quickly to suspicious calls, including hanging up and verifying information directly with their offices. Colorado’s Secretary of State Jena Griswold and other leaders are urging election directors to rely on trusted contacts to avoid being misled by convincing deepfake messages.
To counter misinformation, some states are also enlisting local leaders and community figures to help debunk false claims. Officials in states like Minnesota and Illinois have collaborated with media outlets and launched public awareness campaigns, warning voters about potential disinformation in the lead-up to the election. These campaigns, broadcasted widely on television and radio, aim to preempt misinformation by providing accurate, timely information.
While no confirmed cases show that robocalls have swayed voters, election officials regard the potential impact as severe. Local efforts to counteract these messages, such as public statements and community outreach, serve as a reminder of the new and evolving risks AI technology brings to election security.
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has adapted Meta’s open-source AI model, Llama, to create a military-focused tool named ChatBIT. Developed by researchers from PLA-linked institutions, including the Academy of Military Science, ChatBIT leverages an earlier version of Llama, fine-tuned for military decision-making and intelligence processing tasks. The tool reportedly performs better than some alternative AI models, though it falls short of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4.
Meta, which supports open innovation, has restrictions against military uses of its models. However, the open-source nature of Llama limits Meta’s ability to prevent unauthorised adaptations, such as ChatBIT. In response, Meta affirmed its commitment to ethical AI use and noted the need for US innovation to stay competitive as China intensifies its AI research investments.
China’s approach reflects a broader trend, as its institutions reportedly employ Western AI technologies for areas like airborne warfare and domestic security. With increasing US scrutiny over the national security implications of open-source AI, the Biden administration has moved to regulate AI’s development, balancing its potential benefits with growing risks of misuse.
