In the world of technology, 2023 will probably be remembered as the year of artificial intelligence.
Generative AI systems can rapidly generate content, from computer code to artwork and articles. It is not ideal, but it has become a useful tool in many industries and sectors.
Microsoft-backed ChatGPT led the field. It was launched in late 2022 but since then many rivals have entered the fray.
This month, Alphabet (the company that owns Google) introduced Gemini, an artificial intelligence technology that will be used in Google products. Apart from Google’s search engine, it can also be used in specific chatbots.
Google claims that Gemini can outperform the current version of ChatGPT, but according to OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT, its more powerful software could arrive next year.
“You’re going to find the current version very old compared to what we’re going to build for you,” OpenAI head Sam Altman said at a conference in November.
Meanwhile, investors are pouring money into the industry, all hoping to be on board with the next big player.
According to Pitchbook, venture capital firms globally have invested more than $21 billion in artificial intelligence startups. These figures are for September only. You can compare this to the fact that only $5.1 billion was invested in this industry during the year 2022.
But some warn that we need to pay more attention to it. Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said generative AI will be a ‘water bath’ by 2024.
“This trend has overlooked a number of obstacles that we believe will slow it down in the short term.”
In his opinion, building and running generative AI systems is currently too expensive. This requires computing power and expensive computer chips that are currently in short supply.
To reduce these costs, he believes some AI startups will create hybrid systems, meaning that some artificial intelligence objects will be processed locally, via a laptop or phone.
Wood says there are legislative and legal barriers to artificial intelligence that could hinder it. “Companies may face a situation where they have invested a lot of money in an artificial intelligence service, but then they have to suspend some services because of the laws to comply with the law.”
Sale on electric vehicles
One million electric vehicles will be on UK roads by the first quarter of 2024, according to a vehicle research firm. Thus, Britain will become the second country after Germany to reach this historic moment.
Nevertheless, 2024 could be another tough year for electric vehicle manufacturers.
As late as 2023, Ford, GM and Tesla halted plans to increase production of electric vehicles.
In October, Mercedes-Benz called the industry “brutal” and blamed price wars and supply chain problems.
According to experts, this situation is not going to improve soon.
Auto market analyst Mathias Schmid predicts that sales of electric vehicles in Europe will continue to stagnate through 2024. A fifth of the vehicles sold from January will have to be electric. A target of 80 percent electric vehicle sales by 2030 was set.
This could be good news for those looking to buy an electric car. “The market will be favorable to buyers as companies will want to meet their targets.”
Prices will continue to fall. Financing deals will be given for this and lighter models will be introduced without additional costs. Companies will try to make the reduction in prices not obvious.
Factory worker robots
Human-like robots are likely to become effective from next year and can be used in a better way.
Tesla engineers working on ‘Optimus’. This is a robot that will be able to perform basic factory tasks.
An updated version of Optimus can be seen in a video released in December. It is lighter than the previous machine. It has modern hands that are powered by new motors.
Elon Musk said in July that the Optimus would be able to operate regularly at the Tesla factory from 2024. “We will first test it in our factories where it can prove its worth,” he says. I hope and trust that from next year it will start proving effective in factories.
Tesla has many competitors in the humanoid robot industry. Other companies are also building robots that can learn to do jobs in offices or factories.
Amazon is testing one such robot ‘Digit’ in its warehouse. It can walk like humans, pick up objects and move them from one place to another.
It’s built by Agility Robotics, and it hopes to bring Digit Robot to other customers next year.
Canada Century AI has trained its robot ‘Phoenix’ for bag packaging. In 2024, they plan to teach Phoenix more.
Weight loss pill
A cure is selling very fast in the world of pharmaceutical companies. The pace is so fast that a company is far behind in meeting the demand.
The weight loss drug semaglutide is sold under the brand name ‘Vegui’. He has achieved great success, making his company Novo Nordisk Europe’s most valuable company.
The Danish company has invested billions of euros to meet demand and increase production capacity. Currently Vigvi is given to the patient through weekly injections, but its tablets are almost ready. Novo Nordisk has not said anything about when it will be introduced to the market.
The company may face competition next year. Eli Lilly’s drug ‘Monjaro‘ has recently been approved as a weight loss treatment in the US and UK.
It is likely that it will get approval in the European Union soon.
Pfizer also hopes to get a weight loss pill approved soon.