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Microsoft Unveils New AI-Optimized Chips for Azure and Software Services

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On Wednesday, Microsoft (MSFT.O) unveiled two custom-built computing chips, aligning itself with other major tech companies that are internalizing crucial technologies to manage the escalating costs associated with providing AI services.

Microsoft’s strategy diverges as it plans to leverage these chips exclusively for enhancing its subscription-based software solutions and its Azure cloud computing services, rather than selling them.

During the Ignite developer conference in Seattle, Microsoft showcased ‘Maia,’ a chip engineered to accelerate AI computations and serve as the backbone for its “Copilot” service, priced at $30 monthly for business software clients, and for developers designing bespoke AI applications.

Primarily, the Maia chip is constructed to operate large language models, crucial for Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service and stemming from its partnership with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT.

Firms like Microsoft and Alphabet (GOOGL.O) are addressing the hefty expenses of AI service delivery, which can be up to ten times higher than standard services such as search engines.

Microsoft’s executives plan to streamline AI integration across their products by utilizing a unified set of AI models. The Maia chip is tailored for this very purpose.

Scott Guthrie, the executive vice president of Microsoft’s cloud and AI group, believes these innovations will offer enhanced, cost-effective, and high-quality solutions to customers.

In addition to Maia, Microsoft plans to equip its Azure service with the latest flagship chips from Nvidia (NVDA.O) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) starting next year. The company is currently evaluating OpenAI’s GPT 4 on AMD’s chips.

Ben Bajarin, CEO of Creative Strategies, remarked that the Maia chip wouldn’t replace Nvidia but would allow Microsoft to offer cloud-based AI services until PCs and smartphones are sufficiently equipped to handle these tasks. He noted Microsoft’s unique position in generating substantial per-user revenue from these services.

The second chip, named ‘Cobalt,’ is both a cost-saving measure for Microsoft and a response to its prime cloud competitor, Amazon Web Services. Cobalt, a central processing unit (CPU) developed with Arm Holdings technology, is already being tested with Microsoft Teams, the company’s business communication tool.

Microsoft aims to challenge Amazon’s ‘Graviton’ chip series by offering direct access to Cobalt. Guthrie emphasized Microsoft’s commitment to providing competitive performance and cost-efficiency with Cobalt compared to Amazon’s offerings.

As AWS gears up for its developer conference, with 50,000 customers currently using its Graviton chip, Microsoft’s announcement marks a significant step in the chip competition.

Also Read: Revolutionizing Music Creation: Google’s AI-Powered Tools on YouTube

Rani Borkar, corporate vice president for Azure hardware systems and infrastructure, shared that both chips are manufactured using 5-nanometer technology from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW) and noted Maia’s cost-effective Ethernet network cabling, in contrast to the custom Nvidia networking used in Microsoft’s supercomputers for OpenAI.

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SpaceX Boosts Innovation: Elon Musk’s Company Acquires Parachute Firm for $2.2 Million

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The media stated that Pioneer Aerospace, a manufacturer of space parachute systems, was purchased by Elon Musk’s SpaceX for $2.2 million.

After its parent business filed for bankruptcy in Florida, Pioneer Aerospace manufactures parachutes for spacecraft returning to Earth. Musk’s rocket manufacturing company purchased Pioneer Aerospace, according to The Information.

Since paying $524 million to acquire the small satellite business Swarm in 2021, this is SpaceX’s first acquisition that the public has been made aware of.

Drogue parachute supplies from Pioneer have been essential to several SpaceX and NASA missions. This covers the “Osiris Rex” mission as well as other crewed and cargo trips to the International Space Station (ISS).

In the case of Dragon, the chute deploys after the capsule has reentered through a large portion of the atmosphere, stabilizing the spacecraft and slightly slowing it down. Drogue chutes are incredibly complex components intended for high velocity.

The two drogues are supposed to deploy when the Dragon reaches 18,000 feet in the air and is traveling at around 350 miles per hour, according to NASA.

Also Read: Takes Down Massive Network: Thousands of Fake Accounts Linked to China Removed

(SpaceX purchases the primary chutes from Airborne Systems; they are deployed later during reentry, at an altitude of about 6,000 feet.)

This occurs as SpaceX gets ready to launch their Starship rocket system as a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying people and goods into Earth orbit, assisting in the return of humans to the Moon, and reaching Mars and beyond.

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Takes Down Massive Network: Thousands of Fake Accounts Linked to China Removed

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According to Meta (formerly Facebook), it has eliminated hundreds of fraudulent and deceptive profiles that were located in China.

The users attempted to spread contentious ideas regarding US politics and US-China relations while posing as Americans. The network’s coverage included abortion, culture war issues, and aid to Ukraine, according to report.

The identities were not connected to officials in Beijing, but prior to the US elections in 2024, there has been an increase in these kinds of Chinese-based networks.

China is currently the third-largest geographical source of these networks, behind Iran and Russia, according to the business.

Over 4,700 accounts and cloned identities and profile pictures from other people throughout the world are part of the China-based network.

According to the research, some of the content appeared to be direct copies of X (previously Twitter), and the identities liked and shared each other’s tweets.

One of the instances given by Meta showed how a user of the Chinese network duplicated the remarks from a tweet that Democratic Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia had posted earlier in the year. “Remember that abortion is healthcare,” she wrote, denouncing Texas’ restrictive abortion laws.

Nevertheless, a tweet from Republican Representative Ronny Jackson that stated, “Taxpayer dollars should NEVER fund travel for abortions,” was copied and pasted by another network user.

Also Read: 4 Exciting Updates in the Upcoming Apple iPhone 16 Series

Meta said, “It’s unclear whether this approach was intended to build audiences among these politicians’ supporters, amplify partisan tensions, or make fake accounts sharing authentic content appear more genuine.”

Additionally, the organization found two smaller networks: one in Russia that supported Telegram channels and was focused on the invasion of Ukraine, and one in China that was focused on Tibet and India.

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4 Exciting Updates in the Upcoming Apple iPhone 16 Series

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Although Apple’s 15 series iPhones are still relatively new, there are already a lot of circulating speculations concerning the upcoming iPhone generation. Anticipated for release in the upcoming year, the iPhone 16 series is said to include a number of significant improvements. These include of better cameras, bigger screens, solid-state buttons, and more.
These are the four most anticipated advancements for the next generation of Apple smartphones, which are most likely going to be the iPhone 16 series, based on leaks and reports that have surfaced recently.

Design

According to reports, Apple plans to include a stacking architecture in the next generation of iPhone  Pro models. This design is said to improve light capture capabilities and increase dynamic range, which might improve Night Mode performance. It is anticipated that this design modification would result in a little increase in thickness for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to have bigger presentations notwithstanding its stacked plan. The previous will have a 6.3-inch show, while the last option will have a 6.9-inch show.

As per tales, the next iPhone might remember an extra capacitive button for the side close to the power button that is known as the “Capture Button”. It has been reported that Apple intends to move the mmWave cutout to make room for this button, which will provide haptic feedback by detecting touch and pressure. Although its function is yet unknown, the Capture Button gives the iPhone’s UI a new feature.

Display

It is anticipated that the iPhone 16 Pro versions would have bigger screens than its predecessors. There are reports that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 6.3-inch show, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to wear a 6.9-inch show. Alternately, it is guessed that the ordinary iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Or more models would stay with the 6.7-inch show size tracked down in their ancestors.

In an effort to increase power economy, Apple is also allegedly developing new display technology that might eventually replace blue fluorescent technology with blue phosphorescence. It’s unclear, though, if this technology will be prepared for the iPhone 16.

Camera

The same 5x zoom tetraprism camera for images and movies that is now only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is anticipated to be included in the iPhone 16 Pro.The iPhone 16 Prp is accounted for to use another Sony sensor for the essential camera notwithstanding the new zooming focal point. Despite the fact that there are at present no exact specs accessible, it is guessed that this sensor will fundamentally work on low-light photography.

Also Read: Microsoft Takes Non-Voting Observer Role on OpenAI’s Board

It’s also said that the iPhone 16 Pro Max would include a new “periscope ultra-long telephoto camera,” which will enhance optical zoom capabilities even more. Even more zoom range might be conceivable with this technique, enabling the capturing of far-off things in stunning detail.

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