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GOOGLE FIBER IS COMING TO LAS VEGAS

Google has started construction in Las Vegas and Clark County, where its internet service will be available later this year.

OPENAI, SOFTBANK EACH COMMIT $19 BILLION TO STARGATE AI DATA CENTER, THE INFORMATION REPORTS

OpenAI will hold a 40% interest in Stargate, a joint venture to develop data centers for artificial intelligence in the US.

Read more and see the benchmarks on the Contextual AI blog →

OPENAI'S STARGATE PROJECT

The Stargate Project is a new company that intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years to build new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States.

MICROSOFT ENDS EXCLUSIVE CLOUD PARTNERSHIP WITH OPENAI

Microsoft is no longer OpenAI's exclusive cloud provider, signaling broader opportunities for OpenAI to expand its partnerships with other providers.

MORE TEENS SAY THEY'RE USING CHATGPT FOR SCHOOLWORK

A Pew Research Center poll revealed that 26% of teens now use ChatGPT for homework assistance, doubling last year's figure. Comfort with AI use varies, with 54% accepting it for research but only 18% for essay writing. While initial bans were imposed, many school districts have eased restrictions on classroom AI use.

EFFICIENT BYTE LEVEL MODELS AT SCALE

EvaByte is a model from SambaNova trained on byte level language modeling. It performs on par with models two generations old (e.g., Llama 2). While this may seem slightly disappointing, it is a big win for byte level models, which have been stuck at sub 1B parameter scale for some time.

TREAD: TOKEN ROUTING FOR EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE-AGNOSTIC DIFFUSION TRAINING

A novel approach to improved sample efficiency for Diffusion models that doesn't involve modifications to the underlying architecture.

ML APPLICATIONS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICES

A comprehensive review of machine learning applications in archaeological practices.

MEDICAL REASONING

MedSSS is a slow-thinking small medical language model built with a self-evolution pipeline.

TOOL-USE BENCHMARK FOR LLMS

MTU-Bench is a new benchmark designed to evaluate large language models' tool-use capabilities across various scenarios.

MMAUDIO

MMAudio is a video-to-audio system that takes videos as input and creates paired audio based on the video's content. It works well with both synthetic and real videos.

GOOGLE IS BUILDING ITS OWN ‘WORLD MODELING' AI TEAM FOR GAMES AND ROBOT TRAINING

Google DeepMind is forming a team led by Tim Brooks to develop AI "world models" for simulating physical environments. These models aim to enhance real-time interactive media and training scenarios, contributing to Google's pursuit of AGI. The initiative will collaborate with existing Google AI projects like Gemini and Veo.

HARNESSING AI TO RESPOND TO THE GLOBAL THREAT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

AMR-Policy GPT is an AI tool that uses LLMs to aid in antimicrobial resistance policy development across 146 countries. The tool provides policymakers with contextually relevant information, fostering better-informed National Action Plans, especially in regions lacking local data or infrastructure. The project is co-led by academics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Durham University.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR AI, AND STEM-CELL THERAPIES

AI predictions for 2025 include advancements in customized agents, generative video, and versatile robots. Meta is dropping professional fact-checkers, shifting responsibility to users, causing concern among its former partners. MIT Technology Review has highlighted emerging stem-cell therapies as one of ten breakthrough technologies for 2025.

workflows. Learn more about Writer's RAG tooling here.

HEYBOSS (PRODUCT)

Heyboss is an AI engineer for non-coders that can build websites, apps, and games.

NVIDIA'S HUANG SEES AI ROBOTS BOOSTING MANUFACTURING

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts that AI robots will first impact manufacturing, boosting productivity and offsetting lost revenues, thus reducing inflation.

DDN NABS $300M FROM BLACKSTONE AS AI KEEPS DATA STORAGE HOT

Blackstone is investing $300 million in data storage firm DDN, valuing it at $5 billion.

CIRCLE ENTERS TOKENIZATION RACE BY ACQUIRING HASHNOTE, $1.3B REAL-WORLD ASSET ISSUER

Circle, the issuer of the $48 billion USDC stablecoin, has acquired Hashnote, which manages a $1.3 billion pool of tokenized Treasury assets through its USYC token. Circle simultaneously announced a partnership with Cumberland DRW for USDC and USYC liquidity provision and plans to integrate with the Canton Network for institutional access.

SEC FORMS NEW CRYPTO TASK FORCE SPEARHEADED BY HESTER PEIRCE

The SEC under Mark Uyeda has created a crypto task force led by “Crypto Mom” Hester Peirce. It publicly acknowledged the shortcomings in its previous enforcement-focused approach, with the new task force now aimed at developing clear regulatory frameworks through collaboration with industry participants, other agencies, and Congress. There is a direct channel for public input through email contacts and future roundtable discussions.

CIRCLE MAKES THREE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS

Circle has announced three major developments: the acquisition of Hashnote, the issuer of the largest tokenized money market fund (USYC); a strategic partnership with global trading firm DRW to drive adoption of USDC and USYC across crypto and traditional finance; and plans to launch USDC and USYC on the Canton blockchain. These moves aim to integrate tokenized assets with real-time settlement and liquidity, bridging crypto and traditional financial markets.

TELEGRAM GOES EXCLUSIVE WITH TON, BARRING OTHER NETWORKS FROM APPS AND GAMES

Telegram has announced an exclusive partnership with The Open Network (TON) that will require all crypto-enabled mini apps and games on its platform to use the TON blockchain exclusively. The messaging platform and its 950 million active users will only allow non-TON chains for bridging. The TON Foundation is offering up to $50,000 grants for affected projects that transition within 30 days. TON was originally created by Telegram but spun out in 2020 due to regulatory concerns.

DEFAI: THE RISE OF TRADING AGENTS

Autonomous trading agents are transforming the DeFi landscape by automating complex strategies, analyzing data, and executing trades efficiently, eliminating human effort while generating consistent alpha. Platforms like Cod3x, Almanak, and Sekoia are leading the charge with user-friendly tools, real-time performance tracking, and innovative frameworks for agent collaboration, while ecosystems like Virtuals further push boundaries by fostering investment in cutting-edge microcap tokens and agent-driven projects.

WHY (GOOD) AI NEEDS CRYPTO

AI development is following social media's path toward centralization, with foundation model training costing hundreds of millions of dollars and creating insurmountable barriers for new entrants. While open source alternatives exist, they face a “resource problem” where contributors must provide both time and significant compute/data resources, making traditional open source development models unfeasible for AI. Crypto-based ownership models could solve this by incentivizing resource providers to contribute compute and data to open source AI projects, potentially enabling larger models than closed systems.

ASSET TOKENIZATION CAN UNLOCK FINANCIAL INCLUSION FOR LATAM'S UNBANKED

Asset tokenization, as highlighted in a Mastercard and Ava Labs report, has the potential to revolutionize Latin America's financial systems by improving efficiency, transparency, and inclusion, particularly for the unbanked. Using blockchain can facilitate fractional ownership, faster settlements, and reduced risks, positioning the region for innovation in decentralized finance despite regulatory challenges.

MANTLE'S NEXT CHAPTER (INTERVIEW WITH DEFI MAESTRO)

Mantle is poised for a transformative 2025, focusing on AI-powered innovation, institutional adoption, and expanding its DeFi ecosystem with new products like an Enhanced Index Fund and Mantle Banking. With strong alignment to Ethereum, a focus on modular architecture, and initiatives like mETH and cmETH, Mantle is driving user and institutional growth while aiming to scale Ethereum's ecosystem.

DISCUSSION ABOUT ETHEREUM IMPROVEMENTS

Ethereum developers are debating the network's upgrade process, calling for clearer long-term scaling plans to boost builder confidence.

COINBASE ADDRESSING SOLANA PROBLEMS

CEO Brian Armstrong publicly stated that Coinbase is diligently working to solve issues related to slow Solana sends on Coinbase, and that the problems are due to all-time high activity on Solana.

US COURT RULES AGAINST TORNADO CASH SANCTIONS, TORN CRYPTOCURRENCY SURGES 140%

A U.S. District Court reversed sanctions on Tornado Cash, ruling that its immutable smart contracts do not qualify as "property" under the IEEPA.

HONG KONG'S LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DISCUSSES NEW STABLECOIN BILL AMID CRYPTO HUB PUSH

Hong Kong's Legislative Council held its first meeting to discuss the proposed “Stablecoins Bill,” which would require issuers to get licenses from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and maintain robust reserve mechanisms.

LIDO FOUNDER SAYS THERE'S 'NO ACTUAL' SECOND FOUNDATION AMID ETHEREUM FOUNDATION BACKLASH

Lido co-founder Konstantin Lomashuk denied the creation of a “Second Foundation” rumored to split from the Ethereum Foundation, explaining no such organization currently exists.

ETHEREUM ETF ISSUERS EXPECT STAKING TO BE GREENLIT SOON: JOE LUBIN

Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin revealed that issuers of Ether ETFs are optimistic about the SEC soon approving staked Ether ETFs under its new crypto-friendly leadership.

BALENCIAGA'S UGLY GAME CONSOLE LOOKS LIKE A CHEAP CYBERTRUCK-INSPIRED GAME BOY

Balenciaga's retro gaming console, designed as a Lunar New Year gift for Chinese VIPs, resembles a cheap blend of a Game Boy and Cybertruck and only plays the classic Snake. Critics say that it highlights the clash between hype fashion and gaming and departs from Cristóbal Balenciaga's craftsmanship. Its minimalist design and limited functionality fail to impress compared to established gaming consoles.

SAMSUNG UNPACKED: GOOGLE MAKES CIRCLE TO SEARCH MORE HELPFUL

At Samsung Unpacked 2025, Google announced updates to its Circle to Search feature, which enables users to find information more easily using gestures like circling or tapping. The update also expands AI Overviews to provide instant insights on places, objects, and images without needing extra text. Users can now interact directly with numbers, emails, and URLs on their screens through action chips. The feature is rolling out to all Android devices.

PLEX STARTS TESTING ITS BIG REDESIGN ON APPLE TV

Plex has begun testing its redesigned app experience on Apple TV. The update focuses on live TV and on-demand rentals, allowing users to customize their navigation. It introduces a social element inspired by platforms like Letterboxd, enabling public user reviews and comments. Plex Plus customers have gained access to HEVC hardware encoding with full HDR metadata support for improved video quality and efficient bandwidth use.

TOOLS AS WAYS OF BEING

There's an interesting opportunity for hybrid tools that enhance user creativity, collaboration, and empathy. Such tools improve outcomes and foster understanding of others' disciplines, shaping shared ways of being. Communities around tools reflect their impact, highlighting the need for thoughtful, diverse tool design.

SHAPING MINDS: HOW FIRST IMPRESSIONS DRIVE AI ADOPTION

Technology Acceptance Theory explains how perceived usefulness, ease of use, and social factors impact user adoption. AI tools like Khanmigo show how empathetic, intuitive designs foster trust. Understanding user psychology and creating positive first interactions are key to bridging the gap between skepticism and acceptance.

THE ICONIC VISUAL DESIGN OF SQUID GAME: LESSONS FOR WEB DESIGNERS

"Squid Game" demonstrates the power of purposeful design through bold colors, minimalism, and geometry to evoke emotion and enhance storytelling. Web designers can draw inspiration from its strategic use of contrast, visual tension, and mystery to create impactful, memorable user experiences. Embracing these lessons requires courage and a focus on intentional design choices.

QUICKFILL - DESIGN FASTER WITH READY CONTENT (FIGMA PLUGIN)

This plugin helps UI/UX designers quickly fill designs with curated, updated content, saving time and ensuring quality.

UNLIMITED FREE AI IMAGE GENERATOR

Create stunning images with Raphael, the world's first completely free and unlimited AI Image Generator powered by FLUX.1-Dev model.

TYPOGRAPHY VARIABLES STARTER KIT (FIGMA FILE)

Speed up your design system with a typography variables setup that includes font family, size, line height, and weight.

SIMPLY BRINGS DANISH DESIGN TO THE ASIAN MILK POWDER MARKET

Danish agency Simply designed Them 1888's Grow Up milk powder with soft, retro-inspired packaging to stand out in the Asian market. The brand aims to appear premium, authentic, and trustworthy by avoiding the typical clinical look.

WITH NOSTALGIC AND PERSONAL ROOTS, LIFT TYPE'S MELUN IS A LOVE LETTER TO THE TYPEFACES OF THE PAST

The Melun typeface, designed by Romain Oudin of Lift Type, is a geometric sans-serif inspired by Futura and Avant Garde Gothic. Available in Display, Normal, and High variants, it suits diverse design needs, from editorial projects to branding.

MAJOR CHARITIES CREATING BOLD NEW BRANDS AS DONOR NUMBERS FALL

Leading UK charities like Parkinson's UK, Scope, and the Trussell Trust are rebranding to modernize, boost engagement, and stay competitive. Their new identities aim to reflect evolving missions, resonate with audiences, and strengthen their impact amid shifting donor attitudes.

TRUMP JUST REBRANDED THE U.S. DIGITAL SERVICE AS ‘DOGE'

President Donald Trump renamed the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) to 'DOGE' via executive order - the department continues on its mission to improve federal IT systems.

THIS DESIGNER HAS A WILD IDEA TO MAKE TECH COMPANIES GREAT AGAIN – TECH TRADING CARDS

Andrea Copellino proposes reviving the joy of unboxing through collectible trading cards.

PREPARATION TACTICS FOR A TOUGH UX JOB MARKET

Navigating a tough UX job market requires resilience and strategy.