Thu. 12/05 – Bitcoin $100k!

Dec 5, 2024 17m

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Bitcoin crosses the big $100k mark for the first time. We now know who Trump wants to fill the roles Silicon Valley cares about the most. Is Amazon about to become a top tier AI model player? Two new models from Google DeepMind, one of them promises to revolutionize weather prediction. And Waymo says bienvenido a Miami.

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Crypto Trading Volume Surged to $10 Trillion for the First Time in November (Bloomberg)
Trump Picks Paul Atkins to Run the S.E.C. (NYTimes)
Trump Taps Vance Aide Gail Slater as Top DOJ Antitrust Cop (Bloomberg)
Amazon announces Nova, a new family of multimodal AI models (TechCrunch)
First impressions of the new Amazon Nova LLMs (via a new llm-bedrock plugin) (Simon Willison's Blog)
DeepMind’s Genie 2 can generate interactive worlds that look like video games (TechCrunch)
Google Introduces A.I. Agent That Aces 15-Day Weather Forecasts (NYTimes)
Key leaders behind Google’s viral NotebookLM are leaving to create their own startup (TechCrunch)
Waymo to expand to Miami, aims to launch robotaxi service there in 2026 (CNBC)

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AI-Generated Summary

Bitcoin Surges Past $100k

In an exciting development, Bitcoin has crossed the significant milestone of $100,000 per coin for the very first time. This surge is attributed to a phenomenal increase in trading volumes, which reached an unprecedented $10 trillion in November. Market sentiments have been buoyed by an expectation of a more favorable regulatory atmosphere under the newly elected Trump administration, leading to Bitcoin's meteoric rise of over 38% recently. Institutional interest has also surged, as evidenced by increased CME volumes and significant inflows into Bitcoin ETFs.

Trump's Tech Industry Appointments

The podcast details President Trump's approach to filling two critical tech industry regulatory roles: former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins for SEC Chair and Gail Slater for head of the DOJ's antitrust unit. Atkins is recognized for advocating looser regulations on cryptocurrencies, aligning with the crypto-friendly stance of the Trump administration. Slater is seen as a pro-enforcement figure, suggesting that the new administration may continue the tough regulatory stance of Biden's era, particularly in relation to antitrust issues and big tech.

Amazon's Nova and AI Model Expansion

Amazon has unveiled a new family of AI models called NOVA, which includes various versions for text and media generation. These models offer competitive capabilities and pricing, marking Amazon's entrance into the top tier of AI model providers. Initial feedback suggests that these models are capable multi-modal systems, potentially revolutionizing how businesses utilize AI in content creation. The cost-effectiveness of these models could disrupt the current landscape dominated by Google's Gemini and others.

Google DeepMind's Innovations

Google DeepMind has introduced two noteworthy AI models: Genie 2 and Gencast. Genie 2 is capable of generating immersive 3D worlds from prompts, pushing the envelope in interactive and creative technology. Meanwhile, Gencast is touted as a groundbreaking AI weather forecasting model, outperforming traditional methods in accuracy and speed for long-range weather predictions. These advancements highlight the rapid progress in AI, especially in sectors with significant real-world impacts, such as weather prediction.

Waymo's Expansion into Miami

Waymo is on the verge of expanding its self-driving taxi service to Miami, starting with testing in 2025 and a launch for riders planned for 2026. This move signifies Waymo's growing confidence in deploying autonomous vehicles in varied weather and busy urban settings. The company continues to build on its learning from previous tests in Miami, indicating a strategic focus on enhancing the functionality of its self-driving technology in challenging environments.