NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Jurassic Park 2.0? AI’s Making It Happen

Colossal Biosciences, the world's first de-extinction company, has secured $200 million in Series C funding, propelling its valuation to a staggering $10.2 billion.

Yep, you read that right: the world’s first de-extinction company. So what does that mean?

Well it means the company will use AI and genetic engineering to bring extinct species like the woolly mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, and dodo bird back to life.

It may sound like science fiction, but it’s not. Here’s how Colossal is doing it:

• Scientists are using AI to analyze huge amounts of mammoth DNA data from fossils and compare it to modern elephants (which are 99.6% identical to mammoths). AI helps identify the important differences much faster than humans could.

• They've used AI to pinpoint about 60 key mammoth genes that helped them survive in the cold - like genes for thick fur, extra fat, and special blood that works well in freezing temperatures.

• Using gene editing tools (like CRISPR) combined with AI that predicts which edits will work best, they're planning to modify modern elephant cells to have these mammoth features.

• AI helps simulate how these genetic changes might affect the animal before they try them in real cells, making the process safer and more efficient.

• If successful, their ambitious project aims to create hybrid elephant-mammoth embryos capable of thriving in the Arctic, with the first calves potentially arriving by 2028. 🤯

So what’s the plan with these woolly mammoths… because if I remember correctly, things didn’t turn out so well in the movie Jurassic Park. Spoiler alert: the scientists recreated ancient dinosaurs, which then started attacking humans. Eeek!

Colossal’s founders say preserving endangered ones is a bold attempt to address the looming biodiversity crisis and contribute to ecosystem restoration.

While the mission is noble, I think we also need to very carefully examine how reintroduced species affect existing ecosystems. 🤔

Billionaire Wars: India’s Ambani Steps Up

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of India’s Reliance Industries, is setting the stage for a global milestone: the world’s largest data center.

Here’s why data centers represent a power play for companies and countries:

• Data centers are essentially massive warehouses filled with powerful computers that work together to process the enormous amounts of information needed to train and run AI systems, similar to how a human brain needs billions of neurons working together to think.

• Data centers are crucial for AI - without them, modern AI systems like ChatGPT or self-driving cars simply couldn't function.

So the bigger your data center, the more power you have to capitalize on AI and its ability to make your industries faster, better, and cheaper to run.

The global AI arms race has kicked into high gear, with tech titans and billionaires making unprecedented moves.

• In the United States, President Trump, himself a billionaire, recently announced a $500 billion private sector AI initiative called 'Stargate' - bringing together fellow billionaire CEOs from OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank.

• This comes as two other tech billionaires - Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla's Elon Musk (currently the world's wealthiest person) - are racing to build ever-larger data centers.

This leads us back to India's Ambani. With a net worth of approximately $119.5 billion, he stands as the richest person in Asia and the 9th richest globally. 😎

His plan for the data center (projected to cost $20-$30 billion) is to have a capacity three times larger than the biggest ones we have today. That would certainly position his company Reliance and India as a major player in the global AI infrastructure race.

Here’s what I admire about Ambani’s plan: the facility will be powered primarily by renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydrogen power from an adjacent green energy complex.  

Would a Robot Puppy Help Seniors Find Comfort?

Tombot has unveiled Jennie, a robotic Labrador puppy designed to support seniors with dementia.

With lifelike movements, touch responses, and the ability to provide emotional support, Jennie takes the idea of a pet to a whole new level—without the need for feeding, walking, or cleanup.

It’s even being considered as a medical device to help reduce symptoms like aggression and depression.

With pre-orders priced at $399, Jennie could become a new way to bring comfort and companionship into homes and care facilities. What do you think?