🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Resistant AI Raises Additional $11M; Extends Series A to $27.6M

• Resistant AI, a Prague-based AI and machine learning security company, raised an additional $11M in Series A funding, bringing the total amount to $27.6M.

• Notion Capital led the funding round, along with existing investors such as GV, Index Ventures, Credo Ventures, and Seedcamp.

• The company plans to use the funds to expand its product offerings, team, and geographical presence.

• Resistant AI, founded in 2019, provides machine learning techniques to protect financial services from manipulation and attack.

• Its solutions include Document Forensics, Transaction Forensics, and Identity Forensics, which help detect fraud, forgery, money laundering, and other risks in the financial sector.

• Resistant AI's customer base includes banks, insurers, and fintech companies, and it has offices in Prague, London, Brussels, and New York.

Loora, a generative AI app that uses an audio interface to help users learn English, raises $9.25M

• Loora, a generative AI-based language learning startup, raised $9.25 million in seed funding.

• The funding round was led by Emerge, with participation from Two Lanterns Venture Partners, Kaedan Capital, and angel investors.

• Loora uses an audio interface to help users improve their conversational English skills through voice-based interactions with the Loora iOS assistant.

• The startup focuses on addressing the gap in mastering conversational English in a one-to-one learning environment.

• The AI tutor responds to conversation prompts, provides guidance, and improves spoken English by leveraging generative AI models and speech-to-text technology.

• While Loora focuses on speaking skills, it plans to introduce reading modules in the future, but writing is not currently supported.

Oracle adds generative AI to its human resources software

• Oracle is adding generative AI features to its human resources software to assist with tasks such as drafting job descriptions and performance goals.

• The integration of generative AI aims to provide a starting point and useful information, but human approval is still required for the generated text.

• The AI assistant will be in the form of a button rather than a chatbot to ensure safer and more reliable results.

• Generative AI technology has been approached cautiously due to its potential to generate untrue facts or unsettling statements.

• The features are expected to be available by the end of the year, with future plans to leverage AI for more complex HR tasks, such as complying with local regulations for job requirements.

⚡️ POWER PROMPTING!

Power Prompting is an awesome new section of Future Perfect showcasing powerful prompt engineering techniques, hacks, and strategies! Here’s today’s Power Prompt!

I've been wrestling with a crucial decision: [describe decision]. There are many factors at play including [list of factors]. I want to ensure I am considering all angles and consequences. Can you help me to analyze the situation thoroughly, weighing pros, cons, potential short and long-term impacts?

Want to submit your own? Tweet me @MarcHoag!

🤖🔥🤯 COOL AI TOOLS, APPS, VIDEOS, PODCASTS, LINKS, AND MORE!

• AI arms race global index: A chart showing different countries’ rankings across various AI metrics.

• Unicorn Platform: AI landing page generator to quickly test your idea.

• Zing: AI-powered fitness plan from your body data.

🌡️ CLIMATE CHANGE & CLEAN ENERGY

Air Pollution Causes 1 In 6 Human Deaths

• Air pollution is the 6th leading cause of human deaths worldwide, accounting for 1 in 6 deaths.

• Reductions in deaths from poverty-related pollution have been offset by increased deaths from ambient air pollution and toxic chemical pollution.

• Air pollution resulted in $4.6 trillion in economic losses in 2015, equivalent to 6.2% of global economic output.

• Despite efforts by various groups and some national governments, little progress has been made in addressing air pollution globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

• Stronger international policies and a global response are necessary to effectively combat air pollution, which is a planetary threat closely linked to climate change and biodiversity loss.

• However, achieving global action on pollution is challenging due to prevailing trends of nationalism and protectionism.

White House cautiously opens the door to study blocking sun’s rays to slow global warming

• The White House has released a report outlining research options for studying solar radiation modification (SRM) to slow global warming, but it emphasizes that it is not changing its climate strategy.

• The report considers methods like increasing aerosols in the stratosphere or modifying cloud cover to reflect sunlight away from the Earth.

• Each form of solar radiation modification carries risks, including impacts on human health, biodiversity, geopolitics, and global weather patterns.

• Solar radiation modification alone would not address other climate issues like air pollution or ocean acidification.

• The White House calls for international cooperation and discussions on the risks and uncertainties associated with climate interventions, including SRM. The European Union has expressed willingness to participate in these discussions.

There Goes Green Hydrogen, Out To Sea

• The EU Clean Hydrogen Partnership has granted €20 million to a consortium called HOPE (Hydrogen Offshore Production Europe) to deploy a seawater treatment system and a 10-megawatt electrolyzer in the North Sea.

• The consortium includes Plug Power and Lhyfe, with plans to produce green hydrogen from seawater using renewable energy.

• The floating electrolyzer will be located off the coast of Ostend, Belgium, and will produce 4 tonnes of hydrogen daily, which will be transported to customers within a 300-kilometer radius.

• The project aims to establish Ostend as a hub for Belgium's green hydrogen industry and explore the potential for large-scale offshore hydrogen production sites across the EU.

• The HOPE project incorporates sustainability elements such as repurposing a jack-up barge for the electrolyzer, utilizing an energy-efficient seawater treatment system, and using a flexible thermoplastic composite pipeline for hydrogen transportation.

• Hydrogen is seen as a crucial element for various industries, and the EU is focusing on sustainable sources through initiatives like the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. In the US, research and projects on seawater-based hydrogen and electro-fuels are also underway.

🚗 AUTONOMOUS & ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Aston Martin Plans 4 New Electric Models, Will Use Motors Supplied By Lucid

• Aston Martin plans to develop four new electric car models based on a new electric car platform.

• The company has chosen Lucid to supply the powertrains, including motors, transmissions, and batteries, for its electric cars.

• The partnership with Lucid is a departure from Aston Martin's previous reliance on Mercedes AMG for powertrain supply.

• Lucid's high-power motors and advanced battery technology operating at 924 volts will be used in Aston Martin's upcoming electric models.

• Both Lucid and Aston Martin have financial backing from Saudi Arabia, and the association with Aston Martin could enhance Lucid's reputation as a world-class supplier of automotive technology.

Tesla (TSLA) crushes expectations with deliveries of 466,000 EVs

• Tesla has exceeded expectations with deliveries of over 466,000 electric vehicles in the second quarter of 2023.

• The figure is significantly higher than Wall Street's consensus of 448,000 vehicles.

• Model 3 and Model Y continue to be the main drivers of Tesla's sales and deliveries.

• The number of vehicles in inventory and transit added during the quarter is lower than in previous quarters, possibly indicating more vehicles in inventory.

• Tesla has delivered a total of 888,000 vehicles in the first half of 2023 and is on track to achieve its guidance of 1.8 million vehicles delivered for the year.

Has The Robotaxi Revolution Stalled In San Francisco?

• San Francisco was set to vote on expanding Cruise and Waymo robotaxi services in the city, but the vote has been postponed to July 13 due to opposition.

• Critics claim that robotaxis in San Francisco have been involved in numerous incidents, which are causing problems for emergency vehicles.

• The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency wants incremental expansion of robotaxi services, citing concerns about the readiness and performance of the vehicles.

• However, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) published a report disputing the critics' analysis and stating that the evidence lacks rigor and nuance.

• Taxi drivers have also expressed concerns about the impact of robotaxis on traffic and the lack of regulation requiring expensive medallions for traditional taxis compared to autonomous taxis.

• The vote delay indicates that the robotaxi revolution in San Francisco may be facing challenges and opposition from various stakeholders.

🎉 THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY!

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Thanks for reading!

-Marc 👋

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