Category: Tech

The Swedish retailer H&M said it was exploring the use of artificial intelligence in producing “digital twins” of models.

The deal combined two of Mr. Musk’s companies, which have been on different trajectories. The transaction valued xAI at $80 billion and X at $30 billion, the billionaire said.

The chairman, Brendan Carr, sent a letter to the company accusing it of violating equal employment opportunity regulations.

Sierra EV Denali stands out with a GM-estimated 460 miles Midgate setup allows flexibility for items nearing 11-feet long Versatility from air suspension, rear-wheel steering, Super Cruise “I’ve been on that route, and it’s not one for a full-size pickup—let alone one weighing nearly 9,000 pounds.” That was what I…

Imagine working with special cameras that capture light your eyes can’t even see—ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn, infrared heat signatures that reveal hidden writing, or specific wavelengths that plants use for photosynthesis. Or perhaps using a special camera designed to distinguish the subtle visible differences that make paint colors appear just right under specific lighting. Scientists and engineers do this every day, and they’re drowning in the resulting data. A new compression format called Spectral JPEG XL might finally solve this growing problem in scientific visualization and computer graphics. Researchers Alban Fichet and Christoph Peters of Intel Corporation detailed the format in a recent paper published in the Journal of Computer Graphics Techniques (JCGT). It tackles a serious bottleneck for industries working with these specialized images. These spectral files can contain 30, 100, or more data points per pixel, causing file sizes to balloon into multi-gigabyte territory—making them unwieldy to store and analyze. When we think of digital images, we typically imagine files that store just three colors: red, green, and blue (RGB). This works well for everyday photos, but capturing the true color and behavior of light requires much more detail. Spectral images aim for this higher fidelity by recording light’s intensity not just in broad RGB categories, but across dozens or even hundreds of narrow, specific wavelength bands. This detailed information primarily spans the visible spectrum and often extends into near-infrared and near-ultraviolet regions crucial for simulating how materials interact with light accurately. Read full article Comments

Stellantis may be looking to adapt planetary gear hybrid systems—like the one currently used in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in hybrid minivan—to more rugged vehicles, a patent filing indicates. The Pacifica Hybrid uses a planetary power-split system to juggle its 3.6-liter V-6 and a pair of electric motors, which can both be used…

Since Trump took office on January 20, research funding from the National Institutes of Health has plummeted by more than $3 billion compared with the pace of funding in 2024, according to an analysis by The Washington Post. By this time in March 2024, the NIH had awarded US researchers a total of $1.027 billion for new grants or competitive grant renewals. This year, the figure currently stands at about $400 million. Likewise, funding for renewals of existing grants without competition reached $4.5 billion by this time last year, but has only hit $2 billion this year. Together, this slowdown amounts to a 60 percent drop in grant support for a wide variety of research—from studies on cancer treatments, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, vaccines, mental health, transgender health, and more. The NIH is the primary source of funding for biomedical research in the US. NIH grants support more than 300,000 scientists at more than 2,500 universities, medical schools, and other research organizations across all 50 states. Read full article Comments

Auto-industry tariffs coming in April, may bring immediate price hikes Mexico makes many U.S.-bound EVs, buys few of them EV tax credit still potentially applies to models made in Mexico and Canada The threat of auto tariffs affecting models made in Mexico and Canada has not abated. And as industry experts continue to suggest, there may be rocky…

Five high-flying scaleups from the Benelux region have made it into TECH5 — the “Champions League of Technology.” The classy quintet joins an exclusive group of Europe’s fastest-growing tech companies. Over the next two months, they will join six other regions — the Nordics, Southern Europe, France, the Baltic States, DACH, and the UK & Ireland — in a competition for the crown of hottest scaleup on the continent.  The contest will conclude on June 19-20, when the TECH5 champion will be announced on the main stage of TNW Conference. But first, the contenders have to win their regional title. The… This story continues at The Next Web

A coalition of European startups has urged swift action to slash burdensome EU regulations after a landmark declaration from the D9+ group of digitally advanced nations. The declaration stressed the need for “removing barriers” and “simplifying EU rules and procedures.” Ministers from all 13 countries in the D9+ — Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — signed the statement. They emphasised the need for a “reviewed digital rulebook” that is “deregulated where possible” and “avoids unnecessary red tape.” A startup group has called for the ministers to back up their… This story continues at The Next Web

The start-up, which provides the processing power to help develop A.I. systems, faces questions about its debt and the overall economy.

Tweety McTreason’s intervention came while Mr. Milton was appealing his conviction on securities and wire fraud charges.

Andrew Cunningham and Lee Hutchinson have spent decades of their lives with Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel of Time books, and they previously brought that knowledge to bear as they recapped each first season episode and second season episode of Amazon’s WoT TV series. Now we’re back in the saddle for season 3—along with insights, jokes, and the occasional wild theory. These recaps won’t cover every element of every episode, but they will contain major spoilers for the show and the book series. We’ll do our best to not spoil major future events from the books, but there’s always the danger that something might slip out. If you want to stay completely unspoiled and haven’t read the books, these recaps aren’t for you. New episodes of The Wheel of Time season three will be posted for Amazon Prime subscribers every Thursday. This write-up covers episode five, “Tel’Aran’Rhiod,” which was released on March 27. Read full article Comments

The EU is set to impose minimal fines on Apple and Facebook-owner Meta next week under its Digital Markets Act, as Brussels seeks to avoid escalating tensions with US President Tweety McTreason. According to people familiar with the decisions, the iPhone maker is expected to be fined and ordered to revise its App Store rules, following an investigation into whether they prevent app developers from sending consumers to offers outside its platform. Regulators will also close another investigation into Apple, which was focused on the company’s design of its web browser choice screen without any further sanctions. Read full article Comments