🥣 AI Brewing Breakthrough

PLUS: Intel Inks $8.5B Chip Deal

Read time: 3.0 minutes

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Top Stories

Belgian Beer Gets AI Upgrade for Enhanced Flavors

Researchers in Belgium are tapping into the power of artificial intelligence to take the art of brewing to new heights. Led by Prof Kevin Verstrepen from KU Leuven university, the team delved into the intricate world of beer flavors and aromas, leveraging AI to unravel the complex interactions that influence human perception of taste. Their study, detailed in Nature Communications, involved analyzing the chemical composition of 250 Belgian beers across various styles, from lagers to ales, to uncover the key elements shaping flavor profiles.

Through a meticulous process spanning three years, a tasting panel evaluated each beer for 50 attributes, shedding light on nuances like hop flavors, sweetness levels, and acidity. Interestingly, the researchers also tapped into online consumer reviews, cross-referencing them with the panel's assessments to validate their findings. The AI-powered models they developed not only predicted how beers would taste based on their composition but also identified specific compounds that could enhance overall appreciation when added to commercial brews.

While AI adds a modern twist to beer innovation, Verstrepen emphasizes that the brewer's expertise remains paramount in bringing these enhancements to life. The integration of AI insights with traditional brewing methods holds promise for refining flavors, especially in the realm of non-alcoholic beers, showcasing a harmonious blend of technology and craftsmanship in the age-old art of brewing.

White House Announces $8.5B Chip Deal with Intel

The White House is making significant strides in bolstering U.S. semiconductor technology through a groundbreaking agreement with Intel. With up to $8.5 billion in potential direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act, this collaboration aims to fortify the domestic supply chain and reaffirm American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. This investment is projected to create tens of thousands of jobs across Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon, marking one of the largest-ever commitments to U.S. semiconductor production.

Intel's ambitious plans, totaling over $100 billion in investments over the next five years, underscore a monumental shift towards advancing critical technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) within the United States. Through strategic partnerships and workforce development initiatives, Intel is poised to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and contribute significantly to the nation's technological and economic prowess. This monumental agreement signals a new era of innovation, job creation, and sustainable growth in the semiconductor industry, aligning with President Biden's vision to revitalize American manufacturing and secure a robust semiconductor ecosystem for future generations.

News

Quick bites to start your morning:

  • Musk said that Tesla’s Optimus could eventually be controlled as prosthetics via a Neuralink brain chip (X)

  • BBC develops AI plans and talks to Big Tech over archives access (FT)

  • OpenAI seeks out more Hollywood studios to start implementing Sora (GM)

  • The Financial Times is testing a chatbot trained on its entire archive of articles (TV)

  • Baidu shares rose after reports that Apple will use its AI services on China products (WSJ)

  • World Poker Tour bets on AI dubbing of tournaments for Latin America (THR)

  • Adobe announces Gen-AI tool for on-brand marketing (TC)

  • Microsoft Teams gets major AI upgrade (TV)

  • Claude 3 Opus officially beats GPT-4 Turbo on LMSys leaderboards (HF)

  • Apple’s iOS 18 AI strategy (B)

  • Mark Zuckerberg is ramping up Meta’s AI recruiting efforts (TI)

  • Stability AI CEO Resigns To “Pursue Decentralized AI” (TV)

AI Funding

Cohere: Wants a $6B valuation despite just $13M in ARR (TI)

Anthropic: Former crypto exchange, and investor, FTX sells its stake for $884M (CNBC)

Fieldguide: AI platform for advisory and audit services raised $30M (FN)

Fireworks.ai: Startup building an open-source model API raised $25M (TC)

Binarly: AI-powered firmware and software supply chain security platform raised $11M (BW)

FundGuard: AI-Powered multi-asset class investment accounting platform raised $100M (BW)

Buddywise: AI-powered workplace safety platform raised $4M (FN)

graswald.ai: 3D tooling startup raised $4M (FN)

Profluent: AI-first protein design company raised $35M (BW)

Buzz Solutions: AI company that inspects and protects critical energy infrastructure raised $5M (FN)

0G Labs: Modular AI blockchain startup raised $35M (TC)

RealSage: AI platform that helps rental owners make decisions raised $4M (CBI)

AI Tools

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