Vaporizable Electronics in the US

An Apple iPhone. Photo: Reuters
An Apple iPhone. Photo: Reuters
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Vaporizable Electronics in the US

An Apple iPhone. Photo: Reuters
An Apple iPhone. Photo: Reuters

A new technology allows electronic devices to be remotely vaporized into thin air, giving devices the ability to vanish - along with their valuable data - if they were to get into the wrong hands, according to a team of researchers from Cornell University and the Honeywell Aerospace Company in the United States.

This ability to self-destruct is an emerging technology known as transient electronics.

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The whole idea depends on the key portions of a circuit, or the whole circuit itself, that can discreetly disintegrate or dissolve.

And because this process does not release any harmful byproducts, the researchers see a possibility to use them in biomedical and environmental fields, along with data protection techniques, according to the German news agency (DPA).

There are a number of existing techniques for triggering the vaporization, each with inherent drawbacks.

Some transient electronics use soluble conductors that dissolve when contacted by water, requiring the presence of moisture. Others disintegrate when they reach a specific temperature, requiring a heating element and power source to be attached.

The Phys.org website reported that the team of researchers at the Cornell University has overcome these drawbacks by using a silicon-dioxide microchip attached to a polycarbonate shell. Hidden within the shell are microscopic cavities filled with rubidium and sodium biflouride - chemicals that can thermally react and decompose the microchip.

The thermal reaction can be remotely stimulated by using radio waves to open graphene-on-nitride valves that keep the chemicals sealed in the cavities, said Head of the Cornell University research team.



Tesla’s Musk Hails China’s ‘Vitality’ on Beijing Visit

Residents walk past a Tesla showroom in Beijing, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (AP)
Residents walk past a Tesla showroom in Beijing, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (AP)
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Tesla’s Musk Hails China’s ‘Vitality’ on Beijing Visit

Residents walk past a Tesla showroom in Beijing, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (AP)
Residents walk past a Tesla showroom in Beijing, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (AP)

Elon Musk praised China's "vitality and promise" on Wednesday, Beijing said, during a trip to China in which he has met multiple government officials and reportedly declared he will expand his business there.

 

The mercurial tycoon, one of the world's richest men, is on his first trip to China in over three years.

 

He met Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Beijing on Wednesday, praising "the vitality and potential of China's development", according to a ministry readout of the meeting.

 

Musk "expressed full confidence in the China market, and was willing to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation".

 

He also said "China-US relations are not a zero-sum game", the readout added, and thanked China for "the support and guarantees it provided for Tesla's Shanghai factory during the Covid-19 pandemic", when it was placed under strict lockdowns.

 

Musk has extensive business interests in the country and told Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday that his firm was "willing to continue to expand its business in China", according to the foreign ministry.

 

Musk and Tesla have not released any statement themselves on the trip or responded to AFP requests for comment.

 

Chinese media reported that Tesla welcomed its CEO to Beijing on Tuesday with a 16-course dinner that included seafood, New Zealand lamb and traditional Beijing-style soybean paste noodles.

 

Musk also met Industry Minister Jin Zhuanglong in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss "the development of new energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles", the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a readout.

 

On Wednesday evening the tycoon was seen boarding his private plane at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

 

He is next expected to visit his factory in Shanghai, Bloomberg reported, citing sources, and potentially meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

 

China is the world's biggest electric vehicle market and Tesla announced in April it would build a second massive factory in Shanghai, after its Gigafactory that broke ground in 2019.

 

Deep business ties

 

In his meeting with Qin on Tuesday, Musk expressed his opposition to any economic "decoupling" between China and the United States, Beijing said.

 

"The interests of the United States and China are intertwined, like conjoined twins, who are inseparable from each other," Musk said.

 

Musk's extensive business ties to China have raised eyebrows in Washington, with President Joe Biden saying in November the executive's links to foreign countries were "worthy" of scrutiny.

 

He has also caused controversy by suggesting the self-ruled island of Taiwan should become part of China -- a stance welcomed by Chinese officials but which deeply angered Taipei.

 

Musk is one of a number of Western executives to visit China since the country ended strict Covid controls that saw it largely closed off from the world for almost three years.

 

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said this week that Beijing welcomed visits by international executives "to better understand China and promote mutually beneficial cooperation".

 

In March, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited Beijing, saying his company enjoyed a "symbiotic" relationship with China.

 

That same month, Albert Bourla, CEO of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, also paid a visit to the Chinese capital.


EU Tech Chief Calls for Voluntary AI Code of Conduct Within Months 

European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager speaks to the press at the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting in the Kulturens hus in Lulea, Sweden, on May 31, 2023. (AFP)
European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager speaks to the press at the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting in the Kulturens hus in Lulea, Sweden, on May 31, 2023. (AFP)
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EU Tech Chief Calls for Voluntary AI Code of Conduct Within Months 

European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager speaks to the press at the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting in the Kulturens hus in Lulea, Sweden, on May 31, 2023. (AFP)
European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager speaks to the press at the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting in the Kulturens hus in Lulea, Sweden, on May 31, 2023. (AFP)

The United States and European Union should push the artificial intelligence (AI) industry to adopt a voluntary code of conduct within months to provide safeguards while new laws are developed, EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager said on Wednesday.

The European Union's AI Act, with rules on facial recognition and biometric surveillance, could be the world's first comprehensive legislation governing the technology, but is still going through the legislative process.

"In the best of cases it will take effect in two and a half to three years’ time. That is obviously way too late," Vestager told reporters before a meeting of the joint EU-U.S Trade and Technology Council in Sweden. "We need to act now."

EU industry chief Thierry Breton said last week that Alphabet and the European Commission aimed to develop an AI pact as concerns mount about the impact on society particularly from generative AI, like ChapGPT, that create content.

Leaders of the G7 nations called earlier this month for the development of technical standards to keep AI "trustworthy", urging international discussions on topics such as governance, copyrights, transparency and the threat of disinformation

Vestager said there needed to be agreement on specifics, not just general statements, suggesting the European Union and the United States could help drive the process.

"If the two of us take the lead with close friends, I think we can push something that will make us all much more comfortable with the fact that generative AI is now in the world and is developing at amazing speeds," she said.

Vestager, a European Commission vice president, said a code of conduct come emerge quickly while governments and legislators from the EU to Canada to India establish rules.

"That is the kind of speed you need, to discuss in the coming weeks, a few months, and of course also involve industry ... in order for society to trust what is ongoing," she said.


China's Baidu Launches $145 Million Venture Capital AI Fund

FILE PHOTO: Baidu's logo is pictured at the 2018 Baidu World conference and exhibit to showcase its latest AI technology in Beijing, China, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Baidu's logo is pictured at the 2018 Baidu World conference and exhibit to showcase its latest AI technology in Beijing, China, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo
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China's Baidu Launches $145 Million Venture Capital AI Fund

FILE PHOTO: Baidu's logo is pictured at the 2018 Baidu World conference and exhibit to showcase its latest AI technology in Beijing, China, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Baidu's logo is pictured at the 2018 Baidu World conference and exhibit to showcase its latest AI technology in Beijing, China, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

Chinese search giant Baidu Inc will set up a venture capital fund of 1 billion yuan ($145 million) to back start-ups focused on content generated by artificial intelligence applications, it said on Wednesday.

The company will also launch a competition for developers to build applications off its ERNIE large language model (LLM) or integrate the model into their existing products, it added.

Chinese tech companies have raced to release their own LLMs following the dramatic success of ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot released by Microsft-backed OpenAI, Reuters reported.

Almost 80 organizations in China have launched their own LLMs since 2020, with releases this year slightly exceeding those of the United States, a report showed this week.

In March, Baidu unveiled Ernie Bot, its own AI-powered LLM. E-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd was among the other Chinese companies that followed quickly.

In response to the surge of LLMs, China published draft regulations in April on the use of generative AI.


UAE Government Launches AI-powered Chatbot Platform

The platform was designed to address a wide range of inquiries and requests, from simple information to more complex service inquiries. WAM
The platform was designed to address a wide range of inquiries and requests, from simple information to more complex service inquiries. WAM
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UAE Government Launches AI-powered Chatbot Platform

The platform was designed to address a wide range of inquiries and requests, from simple information to more complex service inquiries. WAM
The platform was designed to address a wide range of inquiries and requests, from simple information to more complex service inquiries. WAM

The “U-Ask” platform, a unified AI-powered chatbot for government services, is now available on the official portal of the UAE Government, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Tuesday.

Using generative AI technology, the platform allows users to access information about government services in one place in both Arabic and English, including service requirements, relevant information based on their preferences, and direct links for applications, WAM said.

Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and The Future and Chairperson of the Higher Committee for Government Digital Transformation, said the platform would enable the Committee to achieve its goal of advancing the government’s digital efforts, integrating and coordinating its projects, and improving the efficiency of its systems.

Al Roumi added that the UAE Government’s digital system is constantly being improved by the committee, which involves upgrading relevant infrastructure and systems in line with its pledge to offer streamlined services that meet people’s needs.

Chief of Government Services for the UAE Government Mohamed bin Taliah said users could easily and flexibly access government services through the chatbot platform.

The UAE government aims to provide a smoother, simpler user experience, he added, noting that government services in the UAE serve different groups and sectors both inside and outside the country, and this 24/7 information and support service is a new step for the UAE’s global leadership in providing the best government services.

The platform was designed to address a wide range of inquiries and requests, from simple information to more complex service inquiries. It also provides comprehensive answers, including basic information and available ways to apply for services.

The platform was developed in partnership with Microsoft and PwC Middle East and can provide personalized recommendations and suggestions based on users' preferences and previous interactions.


Elon Musk Kicks off China Visit, Tesla Expansion in Focus

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk in Beijing, China, in this handout image released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 30, 2023. (China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Reuters)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk in Beijing, China, in this handout image released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 30, 2023. (China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Reuters)
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Elon Musk Kicks off China Visit, Tesla Expansion in Focus

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk in Beijing, China, in this handout image released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 30, 2023. (China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Reuters)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk in Beijing, China, in this handout image released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 30, 2023. (China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Reuters)

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk on Tuesday kicked off a high-stakes visit to China with a meeting with the country's foreign minister in Beijing, marking his return to the electric carmaker's largest production hub after three years.

The trip is the latest return by a top US CEO to China since the country reopened its borders and reversed its zero-COVID policy in December. Apple's Tim Cook visited in March, while JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon and Starbucks' Laxman Narasimhan are also in China this week.

Musk met Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang hours after landing in Beijing.

Qin told Musk China was committed to improving the business environment for investors, including Tesla, and used an elaborate driving metaphor to describe China-US relations, according to a statement from his ministry.

"We must step on the brake in time, avoid dangerous driving and be skillful at using the accelerator to promote mutually beneficial cooperation," Qin said.

The foreign ministry quoted Musk as saying he was willing to expand business in China and opposed a decoupling of the US and China economies, adding he described the world's two largest economies "conjoined twins."

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on Musk's trip, his itinerary or his meeting with Qin. China is Tesla's second-largest market after the United States.

Musk, who also owns Twitter, was quiet on the platform after arriving in China, where Twitter is banned but accessible to some users through a virtual private network. He had not posted on his official Weibo account either.

He is expected to meet other senior Chinese officials and visit Tesla's Shanghai plant during his trip, Reuters reported on Monday, though it was not clear who exactly he would meet or what issues they would discuss.

A source with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday that a meeting with Zeng Yuqun, chairman of CATL, the Chinese battery giant and a key Tesla supplier, was also planned in Beijing. CATL did not respond to a request for comment.

Reuters reported in March that Musk had been planning a trip to China and seeking a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

In a 2019 trip to China, Musk met with then-Premier Li Keqiang. A year later, he created a buzz on Chinese social media for dancing onstage to celebrate the opening of Tesla's Shanghai factory.

Increasing competition for Tesla

Tesla faces intensifying competition from Chinese-made electric vehicles and some uncertainty about expansion plans for the Shanghai plant, its largest production hub.

Tesla investors have questioned whether and by how much the electric carmaker will increase output in Shanghai.

Investment firm Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said he expected Tesla to "aggressively focus on building out its China footprint".

Despite increasing competition, China's market for electric vehicles, the world's largest, has become "the golden goose EV market", he said, a reference to a source of continued profit.

He called Tesla's Shanghai plant "the heart and lungs" of the company's global production in a note for investors.

Another issue for investors is whether China regulators will clear the release of Tesla's advanced driver assistance features available in the United States as part of the "Full Self Driving" software it sells for $15,000 per vehicle.

Musk's space company, SpaceX, and the military applications of its Starlink satellite network have also been watched with interest and concern by Chinese researchers since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

State-owned Chinese companies are rushing to follow Starlink by launching their own low-Earth orbit, communications satellites. Chinese military researchers have studied Starlink as a potentially threatening technology, according to research reviewed by Reuters.


Nvidia Set to Become First US Chipmaker Valued at Over $1 Trillion 

Nvidia's Grace Hopper superchips are displayed at Gigabyte during COMPUTEX Taipei, one of the world's largest computer and technology trade shows, in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2023. (Reuters)
Nvidia's Grace Hopper superchips are displayed at Gigabyte during COMPUTEX Taipei, one of the world's largest computer and technology trade shows, in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2023. (Reuters)
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Nvidia Set to Become First US Chipmaker Valued at Over $1 Trillion 

Nvidia's Grace Hopper superchips are displayed at Gigabyte during COMPUTEX Taipei, one of the world's largest computer and technology trade shows, in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2023. (Reuters)
Nvidia's Grace Hopper superchips are displayed at Gigabyte during COMPUTEX Taipei, one of the world's largest computer and technology trade shows, in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2023. (Reuters)

Nvidia Corp was on track on Tuesday to breach $1 trillion in market capitalization for the first time, making it the first US chipmaker to join the trillion-dollar club.

The company's shares were last up 3.8% at $404.17 in premarket trading.

Meta, valued at about $670 billion as of last close, clinched the trillion-dollar market capitalization milestone in 2021, while Apple Inc, Alphabet Inc, Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc are the other US companies that are part of the club.

AI took center stage after Nvidia stunned investors with a revenue forecast that surpassed analysts' expectations by more than 50%.

The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index closed at its highest in over a year last week after Nvidia's stellar results powered other chipmakers higher.


EV Charging Stations Increased 60% Across UAE in 3 Years

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei speaks at the second edition of the Electric Vehicles Innovation Summit (EVIS2023). (WAM)
UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei speaks at the second edition of the Electric Vehicles Innovation Summit (EVIS2023). (WAM)
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EV Charging Stations Increased 60% Across UAE in 3 Years

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei speaks at the second edition of the Electric Vehicles Innovation Summit (EVIS2023). (WAM)
UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei speaks at the second edition of the Electric Vehicles Innovation Summit (EVIS2023). (WAM)

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei revealed that the country's electric vehicle (EV) charging stations had risen nearly 60 percent over the past three years.

Mazrouei pointed to a noticeable increase in EV sales, which aligns with the ambitious plans, qualitative initiatives, and incentives provided by the government to encourage the conversion to electric vehicles.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Electric Vehicles Innovation Summit (EVIS2023), the minister said that the increase in the shift towards electric vehicles will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint, in line with the UAE's efforts to achieve climate neutral by 2050.

The government aims to increase the number of EVs on the roads by 2050, which would support the UAE's goals for climate neutrality, said the minister, noting that transportation is one of the sectors most concerned with reducing the carbon footprint.

He indicated that this requires everyone to take practical steps to reduce transportation emissions and help build appropriate infrastructure, frameworks, and policies to design a sustainable sector.

According to Statista, transportation accounts for 17 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions - behind only the power sector.

Public charging stations

Mazrouei announced that to fully realize the potential of electric mobility, the UAE is deploying a nationwide network of public and private charging stations equipped with the latest innovative technologies to reduce charging time.

"The stations follow a national guide that unifies their specifications across the emirates and aligns them with world-class standards," he added.

The minister stated that EVs "are set to be at the core of our shift to green mobility. The EV market looks promising and offers unique investment opportunities. We invite future-thinking businesses to capitalize on these opportunities."

EVIS2023 aims to promote the transition from dependence on fossil fuels to electric mobility, which saves the planet from the environmental consequences of CO2 and other emissions.

The summit's two-day conference will bring together delegates, experts, and representatives of the mobility industry from dozens of countries to discuss the current landscape and future challenges and opportunities.

It will feature more than 75 sessions, with keynote speakers, presentations, and panel discussions covering the EV industry's complete value chain.

It will be a valuable opportunity for attendants to network, share ideas and insights, and strike business deals.


AI Means Everyone Can Now Be a Programmer, Nvidia Chief Says 

Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei, Taiwan May 29, 2023. (Reuters) 
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei, Taiwan May 29, 2023. (Reuters) 
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AI Means Everyone Can Now Be a Programmer, Nvidia Chief Says 

Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei, Taiwan May 29, 2023. (Reuters) 
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang speaks at the COMPUTEX forum in Taipei, Taiwan May 29, 2023. (Reuters) 

Artificial intelligence means everyone can now be a computer programmer as all they need to do is speak to the computer, Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang said on Monday, hailing the end of the "digital divide".

Nvidia has surged to become the world's most valuable listed semiconductor company as a major supplier of chips and computing systems for artificial intelligence.

The company last week forecast second-quarter revenue more than 50% above Wall Street estimates and said it was boosting supply to meet surging demand for its artificial-intelligence chips, which are used to power ChatGPT and many similar services.

Speaking to thousands of people at the Computex forum in Taipei, Huang, who was born in southern Taiwan before his family emigrated to the United States when he was a child, said AI was leading a computing revolution.

"There's no question we're in a new computing era," he said in a speech, occasionally dropping in words of Mandarin or Taiwanese to the delight of the crowd.

"Every single computing era you could do different things that weren't possible before, and artificial intelligence certainly qualifies," Huang added.

"The programming barrier is incredibly low. We have closed the digital divide. Everyone is a programmer now - you just have to say something to the computer," he said.

"The rate of progress, because it's so easy to use, is the reason why it's growing so fast. This is going to touch literally every single industry."

Nvidia's chips have helped companies such as Microsoft Corp add human-like chat features to search engines such as Bing.

Huang demonstrated what AI could do, including getting a program to write a short pop song praising Nvidia with only a few words of instruction.

He unveiled several new applications, including a partnership with the world's largest advertising group WPP for generative AI-enabled content for digital advertising.

Nvidia has strained to meet demand for its AI chips, with Tesla Inc TSLA.O CEO Elon Musk, who is reportedly building out an artificial-intelligence startup, last week telling an interviewer that the graphics processing units (GPUs) are "considerably harder to get than drugs".


Tourism Development Fund Acquires ISO Certification in IT Service Management

Tourism Development Fund Acquires ISO Certification in IT Service Management
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Tourism Development Fund Acquires ISO Certification in IT Service Management

Tourism Development Fund Acquires ISO Certification in IT Service Management

The Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has acquired the ISO/IEC 20000 Certification in Information Technology Service Management, issued by the International Organization for Standardization.

"This certificate comes in light of the successes achieved by TDF in raising the efficiency of its services, due to its adherence to international standards and specifications, and its keenness to develop the tourism sector and enable its digitization," CEO of TDF Qusai Al-Fakhri said.

He also stressed that this comes in line with the digital transformation, "which is one of the main objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030."


Saudi Astronauts Conduct Space Kite Experiment with School Students in Saudi Arabia

Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni at the ISS. (SPA)
Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni at the ISS. (SPA)
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Saudi Astronauts Conduct Space Kite Experiment with School Students in Saudi Arabia

Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni at the ISS. (SPA)
Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni at the ISS. (SPA)

Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni conducted a second educational experiment, the “space kite”, from the International Space Station (ISS) with middle school students in Saudi Arabia.

The interaction, via satellite, is aimed at building and incentivizing a new generation of Saudi leaders, explorers and scientists whilst achieving the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in terms of building cadres and enhancing a culture of research, development and innovation in students.

The Saudi Space Commission is organizing the educational experiments in partnership with the Communication, Space and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Education, King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and Al-Riyadh and Misk schools.

The experiment allowed students to communicate with the two astronauts, ask questions and compare research results from the astronaut's experience in a microgravity environment to students who are on the ground.

The experiment with middle school students tackled aerodynamics. It focused on comparing the aerodynamics of the space kite inside the microgravity environment of the ISS, versus what happens on Earth, showing them how the behavior is different on the ground as opposed to in space.

The experiments seek to increase the students' interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They also aim to build human capital by attracting talents and developing the necessary skills in this field, contributing to enhancing the Kingdom's role in developing the space sector and its position in the global community in space science research and investing in research in the service of humanity.