DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis: ‘Learning How to Learn’ is the Most Critical Skill for the AI Era
Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google’s DeepMind, has identified “learning how to learn” as the most crucial skill for the next generation to navigate the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence. He forecasts that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be realized within the next decade, ushering in profound societal shifts and a future of “radical abundance.” Hassabis emphasized the importance of developing “meta-skills”—such as understanding and optimizing one’s own learning processes—alongside traditional academic subjects. He highlighted that the accelerating pace of AI development will make continuous, lifelong learning an absolute necessity for career longevity.
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Abu Dhabi Pilots Autonomous Delivery Vehicles in Masdar City
Abu Dhabi has launched its inaugural pilot program for autonomous delivery vehicles in the sustainable urban development of Masdar City. These vehicles leverage advanced smart mobility systems and artificial intelligence to navigate complex urban environments and fulfill orders without human intervention. This trial represents a major step toward establishing full-scale commercial autonomous delivery services across the emirate. The initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi’s strategic goal to have 25% of all transportation trips conducted via smart transport solutions by 2040. The program is a collaborative effort between the Integrated Transport Centre, K2, and EMX.
Enterprise Generative AI Platforms Launch from Progress, Workiva, and More
Several new generative AI platforms have been released to meet diverse enterprise needs. Progress has introduced a SaaS Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) platform to help organizations build trustworthy and explainable AI products. Workiva has unveiled a new agentic AI platform designed to integrate generative and autonomous intelligence into ESG, finance, and GRC solutions. Additionally, expert.ai has upgraded its GenAI platform with new enterprise-ready natural language processing models for more accurate summarization and extraction. Gigamon has launched AI-driven insight capabilities to bolster cloud security and automate threat detection, while Hitachi Digital Services has entered the market with HARC, a new agentic AI library and management system for enterprise applications.
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Voyager Establishes First Multi-Cloud Region in Space Aboard the ISS
Voyager Technologies successfully launched its Space Edge™ platform to the International Space Station on September 14th, creating what the company calls the first multi-cloud region in space. This managed, space-hardened cloud infrastructure is engineered to bring data processing capabilities directly into orbit. The primary goals of this initiative are to reduce latency, enhance security, and lower data transport costs for defense, national security, and in-space research missions. To achieve this, Red Hat’s container management technology, Podman, is being used on Space Edge to facilitate low-latency, containerized processing in an orbital environment.
Google Quantum AI Achieves ‘Generative Quantum Advantage’ with 68-Qubit Processor
Researchers at Google Quantum AI have reported the first experimental evidence of ‘generative quantum advantage’. Using a 68-qubit superconducting processor, the team demonstrated that a quantum computer can learn from data and generate novel, complex outputs beyond the capacity of classical computers to produce in a reasonable timeframe. This achievement advances beyond previous demonstrations of quantum advantage, which were limited to random circuit sampling, by proving that quantum models can be efficiently trained. The experiments involved tasks like generating complex bitstring distributions and compressing deep quantum circuits into more manageable, shallower equivalents. While practical applications are still on the horizon, this development marks a significant milestone toward useful quantum computation.
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Kyoto University Scientists Solve Decades-Old ‘W State’ Quantum Entanglement Puzzle
A team of scientists from Kyoto University and Hiroshima University has developed a novel method to identify the elusive ‘W state’ of quantum entanglement, solving a problem that has challenged physicists for decades. The W state is a crucial type of multi-photon entanglement, but its identification has been a significant hurdle. The research team employed a photonic quantum circuit that performs a quantum Fourier transformation, leveraging the W state’s cyclic shift symmetry to enable its identification in a single-shot measurement. This breakthrough, demonstrated with a three-photon W state, paves the way for advancements in quantum teleportation, sophisticated quantum communication protocols, and measurement-based quantum computing. The team now plans to scale this method for larger quantum states and develop on-chip photonic circuits.
Open Source Initiative (OSI) Announces Search for New Executive Director
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) has officially begun its search for a new executive director. The current director, Stefano Maffulli, is set to depart in October to concentrate on his work with Open Source AI and data governance. To ensure a smooth transition, OSI Board Member Emeritus Deborah Bryant has been appointed as the interim executive director. Maffulli’s leadership saw significant organizational growth, including the landmark release of the Open Source AI Definition (OSAID) 1.0.
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