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

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

💻 AI startups dominate 25% of Europe’s VC funding in 2024.
👨‍🍳 Robotic chefs struggle to match human culinary expertise.
🖼️ AI artist Botto generates $5M in art sales through decentralized curation.
📉 Ethereum’s growth raises questions about long-term dominance.
🤔 AI hallucinations spark innovation in scientific breakthroughs.

AI

• AI Startups Attracted 25% of Europe’s VC Funding

  • Startups featuring AI received a record 25% of VC funding in Europe in 2024, highlighting their growing dominance in the tech sector.

  • Companies like Mistral AI, founded in 2023, have quickly scaled, achieving valuations near €6 billion in less than two years.

  • The trend reflects Europe’s focus on competing globally in AI, especially in generative AI and applied AI technologies.

• How Hallucinatory A.I. Helps Science Dream Up Big Breakthroughs

  • A.I. hallucinations, often criticized for creating false information, are proving valuable in sparking scientific innovation.

  • Scientists leverage these creative outputs to accelerate discoveries in medicine, weather phenomena, and even Nobel Prize-winning research.

  • By generating unconventional ideas, A.I. shortens research cycles, enabling faster testing and exploration of groundbreaking concepts.

• 10 AI Predictions for 2025

  • Meta is predicted to monetize its Llama models by charging larger enterprises while keeping them free for smaller users.

  • Web agents, automating tasks like paying bills or scheduling appointments, will likely become a consumer AI killer app.

  • An AI safety incident, involving deceptive or autonomous behavior, may occur, raising societal awareness about AI risks.

ROBOTICS

• Why Is It So Hard to Make a Robot Chef?

  • Restaurant robots are advancing but still struggle with tasks requiring dexterity and nuance, like cooking complex meals.

  • Robotic chefs excel at repetitive tasks, yet human intuition and adaptability remain critical in dynamic kitchen environments.

  • Challenges include high costs, technical limitations, and customer preferences for human-prepared food, slowing widespread adoption.

• Humanoid Robots Will March into Factories and Homes in 2025

  • Humanoid robots like Digit GXO are set to expand into warehouses, factories, and homes, promising to perform human-like tasks.

  • These robots aim to fit seamlessly into human spaces, but success depends on advancements in AI and practical applications.

  • Skeptics question their staying power, citing challenges like cost, reliability, and proving utility in diverse environments.

• Robots from China’s Start-up Mass Produced, Outpacing Tesla

  • Chinese start-up Agibot has mass-produced nearly 1,000 general-purpose robots, beating Tesla’s timeline for its humanoid robots.

  • Agibot’s robots perform tasks like inventory management and laundry, leveraging China's efficient manufacturing supply chain.

  • Experts predict the industry will focus on practical applications in 2025, though technical and cost challenges persist globally.

CRYPTO

• $500 Billion Crypto Selloff: Bitcoin Falls 14% as Post-Election Rally Loses Steam

  • The cryptocurrency market experienced a significant downturn, wiping out $500 billion in value, with Bitcoin dropping 14%.

  • This decline follows a post-election rally, indicating the market's volatility and sensitivity to political events.

  • Investors are advised to exercise caution, as the market's future direction remains uncertain amid ongoing economic shifts.

• Ethereum, should you buy it?

  • Ethereum is up 50% this year, nearing its all-time high, but still lags behind Bitcoin's 131% annual growth and other top cryptocurrencies.

  • The launch of spot Ethereum ETFs has underwhelmed, with only $3.5 billion in assets compared to $53.5 billion for Bitcoin ETFs.

  • Faster, cheaper competitor blockchains like Solana and Sui are gaining market share, raising concerns about Ethereum's long-term dominance.

• Crypto.com Launches Polymarket-Style Sports Prediction Market

  • The platform has introduced a new sports prediction market in the U.S., similar to platforms like Polymarket.

  • This service allows users to place bets on various sports outcomes using cryptocurrency, expanding Crypto.com's offerings.

  • The launch signifies the growing intersection of sports betting and digital currencies in the financial landscape.

CONTENT

• AI Semiconductor Landscape feat. Dylan Patel

  • Dylan Patel discusses the evolution of AI semiconductors, highlighting NVIDIA’s dominance and the rise of competitors like AMD and Cerebras.

  • The conversation covers scaling challenges for AI pre-training, the shift to GPUs, and synthetic data's growing role in AI workflows.

  • Predictions for 2025-2026 explore advancements in memory technology, chip manufacturing, and market dynamics.

• Alien Civilizations and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

  • Astrophysicist Adam Frank discusses the Fermi Paradox, the Drake Equation, and potential alien civilizations within the cosmos.

  • Topics include the search for habitable exoplanets, the Kardashev scale, and alien megastructures that could indicate advanced life.

  • The episode explores philosophical and scientific implications of alien contact, alongside technologies like warp drives and cryogenics.

• AI-Powered Acquisitions: A New Playbook

  • Joe Schmidt introduces the concept of AI-driven acquisitions, enabling small businesses to expand through strategic, tech-enhanced growth.

  • AI and automation are reshaping industries like insurance, healthcare, and freight.

  • The episode emphasizes leveraging LLMs to modernize operations and scaling opportunities for service-oriented startups.

AND MORE…

• A Popular Technique to Make AI More Efficient Has Drawbacks

  • Quantization, a technique to reduce AI model sizes, improves efficiency but can compromise accuracy and reliability.

  • Developers must carefully balance efficiency gains with potential performance trade-offs to maintain system functionality.

  • The method’s drawbacks highlight ongoing challenges in optimizing AI for real-world applications.

• The AI Smartphones That Never Materialized in 2024

  • Smartphone makers touted revolutionary AI features in 2024, but most underdelivered, leaving users unimpressed.

  • Promised advancements, like smarter assistants and improved cameras, failed to provide noticeable improvements.

  • The unmet expectations have fueled skepticism around the true potential of AI in consumer devices.

• AI 'Artist' Botto Makes Millions in Art Sales

  • Botto, an AI art program, has generated over $5 million in sales since its launch, producing thousands of images weekly.

  • A decentralized community selects the best works for auction, blending AI creativity with human curation.

  • Botto’s rise demonstrates the growing impact of AI in the art world and its ability to rival human creativity.