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Google DeepMind announced today the release of the 2 billion (2B) parameter version of Gemma 2, the second generation of its Gemma AI models. First launched in February this year, Gemma is a family of lightweight, text-to-text open models designed for developers and researchers — and built on the technology that powers Google Gemini. DeepMind released Gemma 2 in June, in two different sizes: 9 billion (9B) and 27 billion (27) parameters. The new 2B model learns from larger models through distillation and produces outsized results, DeepMind says. The company also claims that it outperforms all GPT-3.5 models on the…

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The EU has awarded €1.8mn to 15 startups to help tackle online misinformation, fraud, and fake identities with blockchain-based technologies. The grant funding is part of the NGI TrustChain initiative, which focuses on building a more decentralised, trustworthy, and user-centric internet by supporting innovations in blockchain. To date, TrustChain has provided over €4.5mn in funding to 43 companies. Among the initiative’s key targets is the protection of human rights and democratic processes in online spaces. Both are threatened by misinformation and fake identities — be it through distorted information, manipulation, or even weaponisation. “Misinformation and deepfakes are inescapable in this…

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A push for single-pilot planes is a “dangerous gamble,” a leading aviation union has warned. The European Cockpit Association (ECA) sounded the alarm over plans to automate commercial flights. Aircraft makers want software to support a new single-pilot model. Known as extended minimum crew operations (eMCO), the concept removes one pilot from the flight deck during an aircraft’s cruise phase. Automation tech would take over their supporting role. The second pilot can then rest while their colleague stays at the controls. The EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is now evaluating the proposals. If the regulator approves eMCO, commercial planes could…

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Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Linnea and Andrii talk about batteries and life on Earth, very expensive AI research proposals, copyright traps, and of course the Olympics. You’ll also hear an on-stage conversation with Parag Parekh, IKEA’s Chief Digital Officer, conducted at the TNW Conference by Linnea. The topic of the conversation read “Digital Ethics in Practice” — and Parag was able to offer a good…

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In 2021, then-Nike senior brand director Massimo Giunco was baffled to hear online fashion retailer ASOS come up repeatedly in meetings. Giunco, who left Nike in June 2022 after 22 years there, had been in internal conversations in which Nike staffers suggested they meet with ASOS to borrow its digital tactics, he told ADWEEK. These…Read More

Picture this: You sit down with your spouse to watch YouTube on your connected television (CTV), but before the video starts, a pre-roll ad runs promoting the services of the best divorce lawyer in town. If you were watching linear television, where ads are served based on broad factors like programming and geography, you might…Read More

Privacy-compliance platform SafeGuard Privacy has raised $3.6 million in its latest “seed-extension” funding round. This is the company’s second seed funding round after raising $7 million in 2022. The latest round was led by venture capital firm TechOperators. Investment funds Dynamism and SideKick and two family office funds also invested in the round. SafeGuard Privacy…Read More

The potential for deep tech to reshape industries from healthcare to climate science is immense. Yet, harnessing this potential requires more than just breakthroughs in isolated silos; it necessitates a nurturing ecosystem where collaboration and knowledge sharing are paramount. Deep tech spans several fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced materials. Each area demands considerable expertise and significant research and development (R&D) investment. Unlike conventional tech companies that might focus on software or applications with quicker market cycles, deep tech ventures typically endure longer development phases and face higher technological risks. Traditionally, deep tech innovation has often…

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Make a list of things you used to believe. Fervently, certainly, completely.

Things that you were sure of, but now, with the passage of time and the benefit of experience, you know to be incorrect or incomplete.

Of course, it’s not just mythical creatures beloved by children. It’s our adherence to a social norm, loyalty to a leader or the structure of a point of view.

We’re pretty good at allowing our incorrect certainties to slowly fade into the background, without a crisis or reckoning. We gradually move on, now even more certain about the other things we’re certain of.

Resilience can be found by holding onto our certainties just a little less tightly. One way to do that is to remember just how often the old ones fade away.

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It’s only days into the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, but from ratings to engagement, NBCUniversal is off to a winning start. Today, NBCU announced it’s delivering the highest Olympic and Paralympic ad revenue in history, securing more advertisers than the Rio and Tokyo Olympics combined, with nearly $500 million coming from first-time sponsors. Additionally, 70%…Read More