【TIMELINE】2023/06#2
◉Financing in the Metaverse sector
- Investment of over €500 million! French President to create a world-class industry cluster
French President Macron announced at the "VivaTech" technology innovation exhibition in Paris that he will invest over €500 million to develop artificial intelligence and create a world-class industry cluster. During a roundtable discussion with startup leaders, Macron emphasized that in the face of the new industrial revolution, France must create 5 to 10 artificial intelligence industry clusters and produce top-tier companies that lead the world. He also mentioned that the government will invest €50 million to upgrade the existing Jean Zay supercomputer project. He hopes that France will vigorously develop generative AI and open-source large language models while encouraging the establishment of a French language database.
- NFT startup Tegro completes seed investment at a valuation of $100 million
According to an official blog post, NFT startup Tegro has completed a seed funding round with a valuation of $100 million. Polygon Ventures and other private investment firms participated in the funding, although the specific amount has not been disclosed. Tegro is an NFT-20 exchange and has revealed plans to announce "major partnership deals" and community-focused "airdrop campaigns" in the coming months.
- Accenture signs $100 million generative AI project
Over the past four months, Accenture has secured generative AI projects worth $100 million. Julie Sweet, the Chairman and CEO of Accenture, stated that "Gen AI is a big opportunity, but it's still early."
◉NFT & Blockchain
- HSBC files new trademarks related to metaverse and NFTs
On June 21, it was reported that HSBC has recently filed new trademarks covering metaverse banking/consulting/financial services, virtual credit cards, NFTs, and NFT-supported media, among others.
- Nike's NFT fashion show collaborates with Fortnite
Nike's official Twitter account shared a teaser trailer for Fortnite's "Ultimate Stealth Hunt," featuring the logos of Nike and Unreal Engine at the end of the trailer, along with the date "6.20."
- Trump NFT: Starting NFT burning for a chance to win physical prizes
The Trump NFT project based on Polygon has sent emails to the winners, inviting holders to burn their NFTs. According to the information, winners holding the "prize NFT" can choose to burn the NFT and receive a physical prize. The redemption process started on May 31 and will end on December 31, as indicated on the project's official website. The specific details of the physical prizes have not been disclosed on the website yet.
◉VR & XR
- NuDo Medical collaborates with SimX for VR medical training
Through this collaboration, NuDo Medical will become the primary distributor of the SimX VR simulation platform for hospitals, emergency centers, and government clients in the United States and Canada.
- Apple acquires AR headset startup Mira
Apple has acquired the U.S.-based AR headset startup, Mira. Mira is a Los Angeles-based AR startup that produces headsets for other companies and the U.S. military. Apple has confirmed the acquisition.
◉Top
- Japan bans students from using ChatGPT for essay writing
The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology recently stated that it has drafted guidelines for schools regarding generative AI, represented by ChatGPT. The draft points out the various risks associated with generative AI, such as copyright infringement and the spread of false information. Therefore, it suggests that implementing restrictions on the use of generative AI in schools is appropriate.
- a16z's ambition: Turning the UK into the world's Web3 hub
a16z announced plans to open an office in London, led by General Partner Sriram Krishnan, with the goal of developing the cryptocurrency and startup ecosystem in the UK and Europe. The new office is expected to open later this year. Additionally, a16z plans to host the next Crypto Startup School in London in the spring of 2024. The opening of the office in London has the support of the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who expressed a determination to unleash opportunities for this technology and transform the UK into the world's Web3 hub.
- Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI founder support EU regulation of AI
Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman expressed their support for government oversight of artificial intelligence after discussions with the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton.
- "AI Sweatshops" behind ChatGPT earn as little as $1 per hour
Artificial intelligence learns by finding patterns in data that are categorized and labeled by humans, and the workers responsible for data annotation are often referred to as "ghost workers" hidden behind the machines. As of the beginning of this year, the hourly wages for some data annotators have dropped to as low as $1 to $3.
- Deloitte: Metaverse accelerates economic impact, focus on automotive and healthcare sectors
Deloitte recently released a report titled "Asia Metaverse: Strategies for Accelerating Economic Impact," estimating that by 2035, the impact of the metaverse on Asian GDP could range between $800 billion and $1.4 trillion annually, equivalent to 1.3% to 2.4% of the overall GDP. The metaverse is expected to have an influence on the automotive industry, particularly in the areas of manufacturing, immersive in-car experiences, and marketing. The application of virtual reality in medical training is also being actively explored.
- Microsoft model: Analyzing medical pathology cases
Microsoft researchers showcased the LLaVA-Med model for biomedical research, which can infer a patient's pathological condition based on CT scans, X-ray images, and other medical imaging data.