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THE DAILY INDEX

Technology, AI, software, security, crypto and business

Across today’s newsletters

Today’s Index

META'S BATTLE WITH CHATGPT BEGINS NOW

Meta's AI assistant is being integrated into search boxes within its apps. It will start appearing directly in the main Facebook feed and users can chat with it using Meta's messaging apps. The assistant is also accessible via a standalone website. It runs on Meta's new Llama 3 model, which outperforms competing models of its class on key benchmarks. The assistant integrates real-time search results from both Bing and Google and can generate images.

TWO LIFEFORMS MERGE IN ONCE-IN-A-BILLION-YEARS EVOLUTIONARY EVENT

Scientists have witnessed a rare phenomenon called primary endosymbiosis, where one microbial organism engulfs another and starts using it like an internal organ. The process results in the host cell providing nutrients, energy, protection, and other benefits to the symbiote, which eventually becomes an organelle. It is being observed in a species of algae which have engulfed a cyanobacterium, allowing the algae to obtain nitrogen straight from the air. The relationship between the two organisms started to evolve around 100 million years ago. Studying the process may provide a new path to incorporate nitrogen-fixing into plants to grow better crops.

VIDEO: BOOM'S XB-1 CLEARED FOR SUPERSONIC TEST FLIGHTS

The US FAA has given Boom the first-ever Special Flight Authorization to Exceed Mach. The authorization will allow the company's XB-1 prototype to break the sound barrier during its test flights. The permission designated the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor at Edwards Air Force Base in California and part of the High Altitude Supersonic Corridor within the R-2515 airspace as a permissible area for Boom to conduct supersonic test flights. Boom still has to complete up to 20 subsonic tests before starting supersonic tests.

CHINA ORDERS APPLE TO REMOVE POPULAR MESSAGING APPS

China has ordered Apple to remove some of the world's most popular messaging apps from the App Store in the country. WhatsApp, Threads, Signal, Telegram, and Line have now been removed from the store. Apple said it was told to remove the apps due to national security concerns. The messaging apps were only accessible in China through virtual private networks, but they were still commonly used. China's increasing censorship will likely result in more apps being removed from app stores over the coming months.

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