Weekly Snapshot - October 14, 2024
Roberto dos Reis Alvarez
I simplify complexity and connect dots to create value | Chief Curiosity Officer
Welcome to the latest edition of the Weekly Snapshot! Get ready to dive into this week’s highlights and insights. Don’t forget to share with anyone who might find it interesting!
👉 And the Nobel goes to…
↳ Why does it matter?
Artificial intelligence is indeed transforming the world, and the recent Nobel Prizes awarded to Google DeepMind researchers and Geoffrey Hinton (who worked for Google 2013-2023) underscore AI's significant impact. DeepMind's work in predicting protein folding has surpassed expectations, showcasing how AI can drive scientific breakthroughs with vast implications. Big tech companies are no longer just market players; they are now at the forefront of cutting-edge science, gaining recognition and scrutiny alike.
↳ My thoughts on it
Big tech holds a fundamental position today. While companies like Google face scrutiny and the US Department of Justice considers asking for its unbundling, their research capabilities are astounding. This prominence is about resources, but also importantly about organizational models, methods, and mindsets. We need to consider how the incentives and processes in science compare (and are perhaps below) to those in big tech. To solve big problems quickly, innovation in long-established models and organizational setups is needed. Additionally, a big question remains: Will AI itself be awarded top scientific honors such as the Nobel in the years to come?
↳ Read more here 👇
👉 A skyscraper returned
↳ Why does it matter?
SpaceX has achieved an incredible engineering feat. Imagine a 15-story building launching into space and then returning to land precisely where it started. That's exactly what happened with SpaceX's "Mechazilla," which caught the Super Heavy booster with its "chopsticks." This marks a major step in reinventing the space economy. With this innovation, space access costs are expected to drop tenfold—just as they did in the past with reusable rockets. And now, SpaceX is set to do it again. This is big.
↳ My thoughts on it
SpaceX is an emblematic company, with achievements that are truly unparalleled. It blends an entrepreneurial mindset with clever engineering. Government support certainly helped kickstart it, and government funding continues to fuel it today. Yet, SpaceX exemplifies the power of questioning the status quo (why? why are things as they are?), delving deep into why things are the way they are, and reimagining them. Above all, it’s a testament to the success of deep thinking, audacious goals, and bold approaches to solving problems.
↳ Read more here 👇
👉 They are here to stay
↳ Why does it matter?
The promise of robots as daily companions hasn't been fully realized—until now. Technology evolves in phases, and we might be at a turning point. Seeing Tesla's Optimus walk into a room, interact with people, and even prepare drinks was incredible. This represents a major engineering achievement in both hardware and software, but it’s also much more. Musk's forecasted price of $20,000 to $30,000 for these robots is astonishing. This past week was a landmark moment in tech, and it will certainly go down in history.
↳ My thoughts on it
The future is closer than you think. In many ways, it's already here. I’ve written about robotics before—BMW, for example, is using advanced robots like Figure 02, built in California. But this is different. With the prospects of truly functional humanoid robots entering our daily lives—not just being confined to shop floors or storage centers—things are speeding up. I’m currently in Japan, where robots are part of life in various ways, from manufacturing environments to daily routines. Robots like Honda’s Asimo, the dog robot, and the Lovots that greet you and behave like pets never quite went mainstream in the West, but functional, human-like robots could change everything. This shift demands our attention. Stay tuned and follow closely. And... watch your back—a robot may be coming for your job. Big congrats to Elon Musk.
↳ Read more here 👇
👉 To keep an eye on this week
Mkt Director and shareholder at TECSYS do BRASIL INDUSTRIAL Ltda.
2moGenial!
Entrepreneur. Creating solutions to have clean energy wherever you are. Mentor and advisor. Digitalization specialist. Innovation and renewable energy expert and speaker.
2moSpaceX achievement was amazing! From my X feed what called my attention was this picture of the team that built, tested and fixed the system we so until it worked. Because every single advancement of humanity at end is about this, how to assemble a team with the commitment and the resources to build things that were thought imposible. The power a team of "normal" people making something extraordinary when they work together.