Auto industry insiders were stunned when Caresoft, a highly regarded engineering consulting firm, tore down BYD’s mass-market EV, the Seagull. Priced around $11,000, the engineers found the Seagull to be well-designed, user-friendly, rich with options, and of surprisingly high quality and reliability. The US automakers reacted swiftly and produced reports insisting that BYD’s entrance into US car markets would be met with strong enthusiasm from buyers, and legacy carmakers would be unable to survive. Because of the Seagull’s low price point, US tariffs of 25% would be irrelevant: BYD could still make high profits even after the tariffs were paid. Or, BYD could simply place final assembly plants in Mexico and avoid them altogether. Aware of this, the Biden Administration in May jacked the tariffs up to 100% and announced that Chinese car plants even in tariff treaty countries would be cut off from US markets.
AI power demand could stifle industry’s growth | FT Energy Source
AI’s energy use is set to rocket. That could not only constrain the industry’s growth, but also threaten green energy targets. Renewable sources of energy may not be able to cope with the load and reliability of supply needed, so data centre developers are considering options such as onsite power generation and nuclear energy.
How can we harness gravity to solve our energy needs?
Gravity batteries are a new big hope for storing excess renewable electricity. The idea is ingenious. Does it pass the reality check?
AI’s Influence on Influencer Decision-Making
Investments in influencer marketing are skyrocketing, but how do brands know if they’re choosing the right promotional partners? A new article in The New York Times points to the use of AI tools to grade social media influencers on the brand-friendliness of their content. Robert Rose sees this as a sign that developing a framework and measurement strategy for influencer programs will be a meaningful challenge for brands in the months ahead.
Why are more of the largest US companies worried about AI? | Inside Story
More than half of the top 500 companies in the United States now see Artificial Intelligence as posing potential risk. That is a five-fold increase in just two years, according to a new survey. And some believe the technology could become a threat to their businesses. So what is driving these fears?
How Americans Are Losing Their Life Savings To Crypto Fraud
“Pig butchering” scams got its name from the idea that scammers “fatten up” victims by building trust, and the strategy has amassed billions in stolen funds—particularly in the form of cryptocurrencies. Losses from investment scams soared 38% to a new record high in 2023, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report. Of the $4.57 billion in funds reported stolen, $3.96 billion involved fraudulent crypto investments. So, why are these scams so successful and what is law enforcement doing about it?
It’s Happening – China Launches World’s First Thorium Nuclear Reactor
China just announced the construction of the Wolds First nuclear power plant fuelled by molten Thorium salt.
The Terrifying Efficiency of Drone Warfare
The evolution of killing via drones.
Big Tech: too big to split
After losing a landmark antitrust case over its dominance in the search market, Google is now facing the real threat of a court-mandated breakup of the search giant. But on the heels of a flashy ‘Made by Google’ event showcasing new phones and AI features, Google is now more deeply integrated than ever – an ecosystem within search, cloud, streaming, hardware… and generative artificial intelligence is the thread tying it tightly together. It all means a potential breakup would be nearly impossible technically – and could hold true for other megacaps including Apple, Amazon and Meta, all of which are facing their own antitrust suits. This week on TechCheck, is big tech too big to split?
Blockchain Explained! How Does It Work? | Blum Academy
In this video, we provide a detailed overview of blockchain – a technology that is transforming our world not only in the realm of cryptocurrencies but also in various other fields. You will learn what blockchain is, how it works, and why it is so important. We discuss the history of blockchain, starting with the emergence of Bitcoin in 2009, and explore how technologies like smart contracts on Ethereum have revolutionized the blockchain ecosystem.