Tech News December: AI, Space, Robotics, and Industry Transformations
Welcome to the December Tech News episode, where we investigate the most recent developments in robotics, artificial intelligence, space exploration, and the industrial boom. The tech industry is changing at an unprecedented pace, from Nvidia’s transition to humanoid robots with Jetson Thor to the historic benchmarks in space and innovative AI models.
Keeping informed has never been more important as businesses change and AI competition becomes more intense.
Nvidia Targets Humanoid Robots with Jetson Thor, Pivoting Amid AI Competition
Focusing on aiding robot makers instead of conducting direct manufacturing, Nvidia will introduce Jetson Thor, a revolutionary small microprocessor for humanoid robots, in early 2025. This action establishes Nvidia as a major OEM supplier and takes advantage of generative AI and robot training developments in simulated environments. The change aligns with Nvidia’s diversification in response to initiatives by large customers like Amazon and Google to reduce dependency on its AI chips.
2024’s Top Space Moments: Super Heavy Catch, Lunar Missions, and Private Spacewalks
The space industry in 2024 witnessed historic milestones, including SpaceX’s first successful catch of its massive Super Heavy booster, a groundbreaking private spacewalk by the Polaris Dawn crew, and diverse lunar landing attempts by private companies and nations. Boeing faced setbacks with its Starliner mission, while the Space Force bolstered the sector with major contracts. These events highlight an era of innovation, collaboration, and competition in the new space age.
DeepSeek V3: A Powerful New Open AI Model Challenges Industry Giants
Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has released DeepSeek V3, an advanced open-source AI model designed for coding, translation, and creative writing tasks. The model, featuring 671 billion parameters, surpasses competitors like Meta’s Llama 3.1 and OpenAI’s GPT-4o in internal benchmarks, including coding challenges and integration tests. Developed using Nvidia GPUs, DeepSeek V3 was trained on a massive 14.8-trillion-token dataset for just $5.5 million. However, the model reflects China’s regulatory constraints, avoiding politically sensitive topics. DeepSeek’s backer, High-Flyer Capital Management, aims to push AI capabilities toward “superintelligence.”
OpenAI Reportedly Considered Developing a Humanoid Robot
OpenAI has investigated the idea of creating a humanoid robot, according to a recent article. While the AI business had abandoned robotics in 2021, its recent investments in robotics companies Figure, 1X, and Physical Intelligence signal fresh interest. Reviving a robotics sector would need tremendous work to catch up in the fast-evolving area.
Instagram Tests Feature to Highlight Unseen Stories
Instagram is testing a feature that displays unseen Story Highlights from mutual followers at the end of the Stories tray. The update aims to help users catch up on content they might have missed from friends amid the platform’s crowded interface. Visible only after current Stories are viewed, these Highlights include curated Stories saved to profiles, not the 24-hour disappearing ones. The feature is currently being tested with a small group of users.
Honda and Nissan Explore Major Merger Amid Industry Shifts
The world’s third-largest automaker could be formed by a partnership between Honda and Nissan, focusing on “intelligence and electrification” to remain competitive in the changing automotive market. The deal is expected to be finalized by 2026 and could involve Mitsubishi, depending on its decision in early 2025. Traditional automakers face challenges from rising electric vehicle dominance by Tesla and China’s increasing influence. Nissan’s alliance with Renault adds another layer of complexity, considering their history of disagreements.
xAI Tests Standalone Grok Chatbot App with Enhanced AI Tools
Elon Musk’s AI business, xAI, is currently testing a separate iOS app for its Grok chatbot, which was previously confined to X customers. The app provides text rewriting, Q&A, real-time web and X data access, and image generation from text cues. Additionally in construction is a dedicated website called Grok.com. Originally accessible only to paying members, Grok recently introduced a free edition for all users. The picture generator of the chatbot emphasizes photorealistic rendering with little control over content production.
OpenAI Unveils o3 Reasoning Models, Pushing Boundaries Towards AGI
OpenAI has introduced its o3 reasoning model family, including o3 and the compact o3-mini, as the successor to its earlier o1 model. Designed for challenging intellectual challenges, o3 has improved benchmarks like ARC-AGI and SWE-Bench Verified, added self-checking capabilities, and configurable calculation settings. OpenAI claims o3 techniques AGI in some situations, but its dependability and cost-effectiveness are under investigation. Though discussions regarding their efficiency and scalability continue, the publication reflects a rising trend toward reasoning models in artificial intelligence research.
Tesla Is Courting Austin in Texas for Robotaxi Testing
Tesla is exploring Texas cities, including Austin, as potential sites for testing its long-promised robotaxi service, according to internal communications. Since May, the business has been working with Austin authorities, and in December, it sponsored an event to instruct first responders on how to use Tesla’s autonomous car technology. While no public road testing has commenced, Austin remains a candidate, but Tesla has yet to decide on its initial deployment site. The project emphasizes Tesla’s approach of using competition among governments and municipalities to provide optimal conditions for its activities.
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