Tech and Beyond: This Week's Most Exciting Updates!

Welcome back to The Chris Worsey Newsletter!

Like every Friday, today we will be breaking down five of the most intriguing stories that grabbed my attention this week. 

The way we use technology is rapidly evolving. Impacting nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives, the framework that dictates the integration of new technologies is being transformed.

From social media, to artificial intelligence, and more, stick around – this is the future.

1) Social Media: Decision Time

In discussing the use of technology across recent years, it’s impossible not to mention the rise of social media. Becoming a cornerstone of society in the 21st century, the way people communicate with one another has been completely transformed. 

But is that a good thing? Well, in all honesty, it’s difficult to give a definitive answer. While its perks cannot be denied, apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), and Tiktok have caused concerns that can be particularly damaging for young users. Yet despite this, government intervention has been limited. Until now… 

• This Tuesday, the Australian Federal Government introduced a legislation that would ban ‘children’ from using social media. 

  • Citing the creation of unhealthy online environments as key drivers for this bill, while the exact age limitations have not been announced yet, reports say that a minimum age could be between 14-16 years old.

2) Apple Intelligence…

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, for Apple, while success may sound simple, their task is quite challenging. Once you reach the very top, maintaining your position becomes VERY difficult.

Recently, this has become increasingly obvious. With competitors such as Google and Samsung announcing new product lines and advancements, the pressure is on for Apple to keep pace. This week, Apple announced their newest releases.

• On Monday this week, Apple announced the release of the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4. 

  • Powered by Apple Intelligence – the company’s response to the rise of AI – new features are set to include built in generative capabilities, and a general easy-to-use implementation of the technology. 

• These advancements are set to be integrated into the devices over a certain period of time rather than appearing all at once.

3) Chai-1: A Breakthrough

New technologies have allowed us to do things that – once – were incomprehensible. As this continues to impact a variety of sectors, perhaps the biggest improvements are coming in the healthcare industry. 

Revolutionising the way that we treat illnesses and injuries, what’s been particularly interesting to see is the development of disease detection; yet more specifically, the diagnosis and treatment of complex conditions.  

• This week, developers at the Chai Discovery Team launched Chai-1.

  • Charged using AI, the revolutionary model can accurately predict complex molecular structures and interactions.

•  Having outperformed its biggest competitors, what sets Chai-1 apart is its potential in enhancing molecular biology and drug discovery research.

  • Backed by key firms such as OpenAI, the model is positioned to drive innovation in AI-related healthcare activities. 

4) The Riskiest Mission Ever?

Space travel is reserved for highly-trained professionals, right?

Well, not anymore. For the first time ever, SpaceX has sent off a crew of four private Astronauts including an entrepreneur, retired military fighter pilot and two SpaceX employees…

• Dubbed by many as the riskiest space travel operation ever, the launch will trial SpaceX’s newest space suits and space crafts.

  • While an attempt to launch last month was called off due to a leak on the day that the group were supposed to ascend, this week SpaceX were successfully able to send the group into space.

5) Europe: Big Changes?

Last July, Ursula von der Leyen tasked Mario Draghi – the former Italy Prime Minister – to draft a report reviewing Europe’s industrial policy and investment needs.

Why is this significant? Well, it underscored some pretty damaging realities regarding Europe’s current standing in the world. Let’s get into it…  

• According to Draghi, Europe is faced with an existential crisis. 

  • Specifically noting Europe’s slow response to transformations occurring in the digital age, sluggish productivity was found to be an incredibly significant issue.

• Emphasising a need for increased efficiency, the damning report stressed the need for increased collaborative efforts and strategic investments to enhance competitiveness and drive economic growth.

  • For reference, the spending recommendations quoted in the report amount to 5% of the entirety of the EU's GDP, and more than double the post-World War Two Marshall Plan.

That’s all we have for this week… Enjoy the weekend! If you want to stay up-to-date with even more interesting bits of news, make sure to follow me on my socials!