Welcome back to your daily dossier talking AI, robotics, crypto and the future of tech. 👾

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

📱 Trump saved TikTok and launched multiple meme coins.
🤖 German humanoid robot to ‘see, hear, touch’ better with $120 million funding boost.
📈 Solana surges 12% on launch of Trump-themed meme coin, ether falls.
🎙️ How to build your AI App with Cursor, Firebase, Vercel.
🏀 Hoops game 'Rumble Kong League' ditches avalanche for Ethereum and Ronin.

AI

• TikTok is restoring service for U.S. users

  • On January 19, 2025, TikTok began restoring its services in the United States after a temporary shutdown affecting 170 million users.

  • This restoration follows President-elect Donald Trump's announcement to issue an executive order extending the deadline to Bytedance.

  • The extension aims to provide additional time for negotiations to address national security concerns.

• FTC says partnerships like Microsoft-OpenAI raise antitrust concerns

  • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has expressed concerns regarding partnerships between Microsoft and OpenAI.

  • This scrutiny is part of a broader effort by the FTC to examine the competitive implications of significant investments and collaborations.

  • The agency aims to ensure that such relationships do not lead to monopolistic practices or stifle competition.

• Perplexity AI makes a bid to merge with TikTok U.S.

  • Perplexity AI submitted a bid on Saturday to TikTok parent ByteDance, proposing that Perplexity merge with TikTok U.S.

  • The new structure would allow for most of ByteDance’s existing investors to retain their equity stakes and more video to Perplexity.

  • President-elect Donald Trump said he “most likely” would give TikTok 90 more days to work out a deal.

ROBOTICS

• German humanoid robot to ‘see, hear, touch’ better with $120M funding boost

  • Neura Robotics, a German startup specializing in advanced humanoid robots, has secured $120 million in funding to enhance.

  • The investment round was led by Lingotto Investment Management, with participation from Volvo Cars Tech Fund.

  • Neura's flagship humanoid robot, 4NE-1, is designed to perform tasks such as unloading washers, ironing clothes, and pouring drinks.

• Hyundai’s robotics lab wins 17 Good Design Awards

  • Hyundai Motor Group's Robotics Lab, along with Hyundai Motor, secured 17 Good Design Awards in 2024 across multiple categories.

  • The Robotics Lab received five awards in the Robotics category for innovations including the X-ble Shoulder, and MobED Delivery.

  • These accolades highlight Hyundai's commitment to design excellence and innovation in robotics.

• Milking Robots: Are they the future of Dairy farming?

  • GEA's DairyProQ, a fully automated robotic rotary parlor, can milk up to 400 cows per hour with just one operator.

  • The trend toward automation is gaining momentum, with over 300 U.S. dairy farms, a number that has continued to rise.

  • Companies like DeLaval have responded to this growing demand by increasing production capacity of automatic milking robots by 50%.

CRYPTO

• Trump Begins Selling New Crypto Token, Raising Ethical Concerns

  • The president-elect and his family have a direct and lucrative stake in the sale of a cryptocurrency product that initially surged in value.

  • Trump and his family launch $TRUMP followed shortly after by $MELANIA.

  • Shortly after the second meme coin was released did the $TRUMP coins value begin to plummet.

• Coinbase, Binance plan to list Donald Trump's official TRUMP token after its phenomenal debut

  • President-elect Donald Trump has introduced a new cryptocurrency called $TRUMP, a meme coin on the Solana blockchain.

  • Despite its success, the coin faced criticism for heavy insider ownership, with 80% controlled by Fight Fight Fight and CIC Digital.

  • Critics highlight potential conflicts of interest, suggesting the coin could be used by foreign entities to influence the administration.

• Ethereum Layer 2 Abstract announces incentives program

  • Abstract, the Ethereum Layer 2 built by Igloo Inc., announced its version of a points program ahead of its mainnet launch.

  • TheLayer 2 is set to unveil its public mainnet before the end of January.

  • Abstract Global Wallets are powered by Privy.

CONTENT

• How to build your AI App with Cursor, Firebase, Vercel

  • Riley Brown provides a comprehensive tutorial on building a full AI image generation app using Cursor's Agent feature.

  • The tutorial includes setup, Firebase integration for authentication and storage, and implementation of various AI image generation models.

  • The project showcases how developers can leverage modern tools to rapidly create scalable applications with minimal coding.

• Scaling Success: Insights from Altos and startups redefining industries

  • A new podcast series will explore Altos's investment philosophy, startup growth strategies, and how to build effective VC-startup relationships.

  • Daniel Lang, Founder and CEO of Mangomint, who shares insights on transforming the beauty and wellness industry through innovation.

  • With $60M in funding, Mangomint aims to lead its market by tackling industry pain points and competing effectively against tech giants.

• The Elusive Concept of Freedom: perspectives on its meaning and role in society

  • The discussion features diverse expertise on economics, nationalism, inequality, and mental health hosted by Isabel Hilton.

  • Thinkers like Lenin, Burke, Voltaire, and Arendt have offered conflicting perspectives on its meaning and attainability.

  • The debate raises critical questions: Are humans ever truly free from external forces such as upbringing, culture, and circumstances?

AND MORE…

• Hoops game 'Rumble Kong League' ditches avalanche for Ethereum and Ronin

  • Rumble Kong League (RKL), an NFT-driven basketball game, has announced its migration from the Avalanche blockchain to Ethereum and Ronin.

  • Initially, RKL released NFTs on Ethereum before moving to Avalanche for scalability.

  • The latest transition aims to leverage Ethereum's robust ecosystem and Ronin's gaming-focused infrastructure.

• AI isn’t very good at history, new paper finds

  • A recent study highlights that AI models, often produce inaccurate or fabricated historical information, known as "hallucination."

  • Despite advancements in AI, these inaccuracies persist, raising concerns about the reliability of AI-generated historical content.

  • The study emphasizes the need for improved training methods and data quality to enhance the factual accuracy of AI outputs.

• GameGPT launches the revolutionary Genesis AI NFT collection, combining AI and blockchain for the future of gaming

  • GameGPT has unveiled its Genesis AI NFT Collection, marking a significant advancement in the integration of artificial intelligence.

  • This collection introduces AI-powered NFTs that can evolve and adapt based on player interactions.

  • GameGPT aims to set a new standard for interactive entertainment, paving the way for future innovations in the gaming sector.