Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, your quick-hit source for the latest developments in the digital world. Hosts Adam Nagus and Carly Wilson bring you concise updates on groundbreaking AI advancements, shifting tech policies across the globe, innovations in optical computing, strategic investments in emerging markets, and smart travel tools for the modern explorer. Tune in to stay informed and ahead of the curve with insights into the most exciting and impactful stories shaping the future of technology.
Don't forget to checkout our larger sister podcast - The Digimasters Podcast here. Which has many expert guests discussing AI, Career Mentoring, Fractional Careers, Digital and much much more.
Episode Transcript
Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, we are your hosts Adam
Nagus
Carly W (00:09):
and Carly Wilson delivering the latest scoop from
the digital realm.
Salesforce C.E.O Marc Benioffhas declared he is abandoning
Open A.I's Chat G.P.T in favorof Google's new AI model, Gemini
3.
Benioff described his experiencewith Gemini 3 as an"insane" leap
forward in reasoning, speed, andmultimodal capabilities.
After spending two hours withGemini 3, he tweeted that the
(00:31):
model is sharper and faster,handling images and video with
ease.
His reaction quickly gainedviral attention, overshadowing
even discussions from other techleaders.
Sam Altman, C.E.O of Open A.I,congratulated Google on the
Gemini 3 launch, acknowledgingits strengths.
Former Tesla AI director AndrejKarpathy praised Gemini 3 as
(00:52):
having"clear tier 1 L.L.M"potential.
Stripe C.E.O Patrick Collisonhighlighted Gemini 3’s ability
to create interactive web pagessummarizing complex topics.
Google and DeepMind describeGemini 3 as their most powerful
agentic model yet, integratedacross text, images, video, and
code.
This endorsement from Benioffhighlights shifting preferences
(01:14):
among tech executives amid rapidadvancements in AI.
The release intensifiescompetition with Open A.I’s Chat
G.P.T 4.5 Turbo and 5, andAnthropic’s Claude 3.5, all
vying for AI supremacy.
Adam N2 (01:28):
The European Commission is facing significant delays and
potential rollbacks in its keytech policy initiatives,
including the EU AI Act, DigitalServices Act, and Digital
Markets Act.
Since the EU AI Act took effectin August 2024, full
implementation is scheduled for2027, but proposed amendments
could soften its impact.
(01:49):
Pressure from big tech and U.S.
interests, backed by previousU.S.
administration support, isinfluencing these potential
changes.
The Digital Networks Act hasalso stalled, with disagreements
among member states delayingdiscussions until 2026.
Germany opposes the proposed2030 deadline to shut down
copper networks, while manyresist strengthening the
(02:09):
European regulatory body BEREC.
The EU Space Act faces sharpcriticism from the United
States, which claims itrestricts American companies and
threatens retaliatory trademeasures.
American companies like Appleand Google have voiced strong
opposition to the DigitalMarkets Act, complicating
enforcement efforts.
Meanwhile, the U.S.
lobbied European states toallocate more radio spectrum for
(02:31):
Wi-Fi, challenging mobileoperators’ interests.
With multiple disputes and slowprogress, Europe’s digital
sovereignty goals are at risk ofbeing undermined or postponed.
The European Commission nowfaces a critical test in
balancing regulatory ambitionswith international and internal
pressures.
Scientists have introduced a newoptical computing architecture
(02:52):
called Parallel OpticalMatrix-Matrix Multiplication, or
POMMM, which uses light insteadof electricity to process data
at unprecedented speeds.
This breakthrough enablesmultiple tensor operations to be
executed simultaneously with asingle laser burst, overcoming
the linear processing limits oftraditional optical systems.
Current AI models, such as largelanguage models, rely heavily on
(03:15):
tensor processing, which is akey bottleneck limiting their
speed and size.
Unlike conventional GPU setupsthat require thousands of units
running in parallel, POMMM'spassive, single-shot design
drastically reduces energyconsumption while boosting
computational power.
The technique encodes digitaldata into the amplitude and
phase of light waves, allowingphysical properties of light to
(03:38):
perform mathematical operationspassively as it propagates.
This approach eliminates theneed for additional control or
switching power duringcomputation.
Published in Nature Photonics,the experimental prototype
demonstrates superior speed andenergy efficiency compared to
existing optical and electronicprocessors.
Researchers believe this opticalhardware could underpin future
(03:59):
AI systems, potentiallyaccelerating progress toward
Artificial General Intelligenceby scaling beyond current
hardware limits.
While some experts remainskeptical about L.L.Ms achieving
AGI, POMMM represents asignificant step forward in
overcoming hardware constraintsin AI development.
The team plans to integrate thisframework onto photonic chips,
(04:20):
promising low-power, high-speedAI processors for complex tasks
in the near future.
Carly W (04:25):
The UAE has announced a $1 billion investment in
artificial intelligence projectsacross Africa.
This initiative was revealed atthe G20 summit in Johannesburg
by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed,Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
Although the UAE is not a G20member, it participated as an
invited guest.
The funding aims to supportAfrican nations in sectors such
(04:46):
as education, agriculture,healthcare, digital identity,
and climate adaptation.
The UAE has already signeddigital infrastructure
agreements with countries likeEgypt and Kenya.
Currently, the UAE ranks as thefourth-largest investor in
Africa.
Its investments have mainlytargeted renewable energy,
logistics, and criticalminerals.
(05:06):
Bilateral trade between the UAEand Africa reached$107 billion
in 2024.
This marks a 28% increase fromthe previous year.
The UAE’s growing presenceunderscores its ambition to
become a global leader inartificial intelligence.
This Thanksgiving week, about 73million people are expected to
hit the road, prompting many toseek efficient travel planning
(05:28):
tools.
Curiosio AI emerges as a helpfulplatform offering route
optimization, budgetcalculations, and personalized
itineraries within seconds.
Created by Vas Mylko and RomanBilusiak, Curiosio targets solo,
budget-conscious, and multistoptravelers.
The free tool features distinctmodes: Travel Mode for
simplified real-time guidance,Geek Mode for detailed route
(05:51):
customization, and Beta Mode forexperimental AI enhancements.
Users appreciate Curiosio'sfocus on road trips rather than
generic travel planning,enhanced by country-specific
branding and an intuitiveinterface.
It serves digital nomads,couples, and small groups
seeking flexible, detailed tripplans without relying on
packaged tours.
(06:12):
While great for road tripenthusiasts, Curiosio may not
suit those wanting all-inclusivevacations or city-centered
stays.
Overall, it provides astreamlined, efficient way to
plan personalized journeys whilediscovering hidden gems.
The platform is free to use andemphasizes saving time with an
accessible, adventurousexperience.
For travelers aiming to optimizeroad trips, Curiosio stands out
(06:35):
as a practical AI travelassistant.
Don (06:38):
Thank you for listening to today's AI and Tech News podcast
summary...
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