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BBC invests in 3D streaming startup behind broadcaster’s immersive live gigs
The BBC has invested £500,000 in a virtual events startup creating immersive gigs for the broadcaster. The UK-based Condense bills itself as the first company in the world to provide live streams of 3D videos in virtual spaces. Quietly, the startup recently began delivering these experiences to BBC audiences. Last month, Condense powered the BBC’s first-ever live virtual concert. Singer Sam Tompkins took the digital stage for the milestone. The BBC today revealed the partnership’s next moves. At their core is a virtual venue called the New Music Portal. It hosts interactive concerts that fans can attend from the comfort…This story continues at The Next Web
The BBC has invested £500,000 in a virtual events startup creating immersive gigs for the broadcaster. The UK-based Condense bills itself as the first company in the world to provide live streams of 3D videos in virtual spaces. Quietly, the startup recently began delivering these experiences to BBC audiences. Last month, Condense powered the BBC’s first-ever live virtual concert. Singer Sam Tompkins took the digital stage for the milestone. The BBC today revealed the partnership’s next moves. At their core is a virtual venue called the New Music Portal. It hosts interactive concerts that fans can attend from the comfort…
This story continues at The Next Web
Space forges, faster AI, and battlefield robots: NATO backs first 4 European startups
NATO has confirmed the first group of European startups and venture capital firms it’s investing in as part of its €1bn innovation fund. Officially launched in 2023, the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) is a multi-sovereign VC fund that will back early-stage deep tech startups and VCs targeting emerging technologies with military and defence applications. The list of technologies ranges from AI, big data processing, and quantum computing to biotech, novel materials, and spacetech. The NIF’s aim is to enhance the defence and security of the 24 members of the Alliance. Its headquarters are located in the Netherlands. “Enabling capital and…This story continues at The Next Web
NATO has confirmed the first group of European startups and venture capital firms it’s investing in as part of its €1bn innovation fund. Officially launched in 2023, the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) is a multi-sovereign VC fund that will back early-stage deep tech startups and VCs targeting emerging technologies with military and defence applications. The list of technologies ranges from AI, big data processing, and quantum computing to biotech, novel materials, and spacetech. The NIF’s aim is to enhance the defence and security of the 24 members of the Alliance. Its headquarters are located in the Netherlands. “Enabling capital and…
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How startups’ marketing and communications strategies are shifting in the US and Europe
If I had to describe European tech growth over the last few years with one word, it would be ‘disruptive’. While it may seem cliché, I’ve chosen this word for many reasons. Through a positive lens, European tech ‘disrupted’ many key sectors in the early 2020s, most notably Life Sciences, Energy Transition, and DeepTech — which are pretty ‘disruptive’ industries in themselves, with goals to drive positive impact in the world. It’s worth noting that while DeepTech is an area of significant opportunity for Europe, it has also faced challenges largely due to a lack of government funding in certain…This story continues at The Next Web
If I had to describe European tech growth over the last few years with one word, it would be ‘disruptive’. While it may seem cliché, I’ve chosen this word for many reasons. Through a positive lens, European tech ‘disrupted’ many key sectors in the early 2020s, most notably Life Sciences, Energy Transition, and DeepTech — which are pretty ‘disruptive’ industries in themselves, with goals to drive positive impact in the world. It’s worth noting that while DeepTech is an area of significant opportunity for Europe, it has also faced challenges largely due to a lack of government funding in certain…
This story continues at The Next Web
Why we need education-specific small language AI models
This article features an interview with Dan Rosensweig, who is speaking at TNW Conference on June 20. Check out the full event schedule here. Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform education for the better. But when ChatGPT launched in 2022, it caused schools and academia alike to panic. The AI model, able to reply to any question and write any text, was quickly denounced as a cheating-enabling tool — and one that undermined learning. Fast-forward to 2024, panic has ceased and the education sector has recognised the potential of large language models (LLMs) to provide support to both students…This story continues at The Next Web
This article features an interview with Dan Rosensweig, who is speaking at TNW Conference on June 20. Check out the full event schedule here. Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform education for the better. But when ChatGPT launched in 2022, it caused schools and academia alike to panic. The AI model, able to reply to any question and write any text, was quickly denounced as a cheating-enabling tool — and one that undermined learning. Fast-forward to 2024, panic has ceased and the education sector has recognised the potential of large language models (LLMs) to provide support to both students…
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We don’t want AI writers in the newsroom, say humans
Most news readers from the UK and US are uncomfortable with AI-generated journalism, an extensive new survey has revealed. Like most journalists these days, I use AI sometimes — to help me transcribe an interview or summarise a text. But I have long opposed using AI to generate content. AI simply cannot be trusted to report the news. Researchers have shown that even the most advanced large language models (LLMs) can “hallucinate” incorrect information. Many display clear bias. My stance is clear, and it looks as if news readers concur. Only 23% of US respondents and 10% of those in…This story continues at The Next Web
Most news readers from the UK and US are uncomfortable with AI-generated journalism, an extensive new survey has revealed. Like most journalists these days, I use AI sometimes — to help me transcribe an interview or summarise a text. But I have long opposed using AI to generate content. AI simply cannot be trusted to report the news. Researchers have shown that even the most advanced large language models (LLMs) can “hallucinate” incorrect information. Many display clear bias. My stance is clear, and it looks as if news readers concur. Only 23% of US respondents and 10% of those in…
This story continues at The Next Web
TNW Conference 2024: A spotlight on the EU’s space ambitions
As we count down to TNW conference in Amsterdam on June 20 and 21, we’re previewing the sessions that we’re most excited about. This year, we’re seeing the EU take several big leaps toward building a stronger and more competitive future in space. In an ambitious step towards greater autonomy, the EU issued a call for bids to develop its own constellation of communications satellites, dubbed IRIS². This €6 billion ($6.6 billion) project is aimed at curbing the bloc’s dependence on SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system after Elon Musk blocked Ukrainian forces from using its services in 2022. The interesting thing…This story continues at The Next Web
As we count down to TNW conference in Amsterdam on June 20 and 21, we’re previewing the sessions that we’re most excited about. This year, we’re seeing the EU take several big leaps toward building a stronger and more competitive future in space. In an ambitious step towards greater autonomy, the EU issued a call for bids to develop its own constellation of communications satellites, dubbed IRIS². This €6 billion ($6.6 billion) project is aimed at curbing the bloc’s dependence on SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system after Elon Musk blocked Ukrainian forces from using its services in 2022. The interesting thing…
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An AI artist has exposed our broken food system — and a way to fix it
This article features an interview with Jeroen van der Most, who is speaking at TNW Conference on June 21. Check out the full event schedule here. The generative AI boom is a double-edged sword for artists. On one side, the tech threatens to replace the future jobs of human creators, while exploiting their old work as training data without compensation. On the other edge of blade, AI is providing artists with empowering new tools. For Jeroen van der Most, they also empower his latest subject: vegetables. The Dutchman a pioneer of AI art. His portfolio stretches back way before the current text-to-image…This story continues at The Next Web
This article features an interview with Jeroen van der Most, who is speaking at TNW Conference on June 21. Check out the full event schedule here. The generative AI boom is a double-edged sword for artists. On one side, the tech threatens to replace the future jobs of human creators, while exploiting their old work as training data without compensation. On the other edge of blade, AI is providing artists with empowering new tools. For Jeroen van der Most, they also empower his latest subject: vegetables. The Dutchman a pioneer of AI art. His portfolio stretches back way before the current text-to-image…
This story continues at The Next Web
4 innovations to spur Europe’s energy transition — and cut reliance on China
Clean energy production from sources like nuclear, wind, and solar reached record levels in 2023, meeting over two-thirds of the EU’s electricity demand. Despite the progress, the Union must prioritise investments in innovative clean technologies that reduce its reliance on China, warns a new report by the EU’s Institute for Security Studies. Europe is notoriously dependent on China and other foreign powers for supplies of everything from solar panels and batteries to semiconductors. But where exactly should the EU put its money? “While the list of promising technologies that should merit greater attention is endless, limited resources call for prioritisation,”…This story continues at The Next Web
Clean energy production from sources like nuclear, wind, and solar reached record levels in 2023, meeting over two-thirds of the EU’s electricity demand. Despite the progress, the Union must prioritise investments in innovative clean technologies that reduce its reliance on China, warns a new report by the EU’s Institute for Security Studies. Europe is notoriously dependent on China and other foreign powers for supplies of everything from solar panels and batteries to semiconductors. But where exactly should the EU put its money? “While the list of promising technologies that should merit greater attention is endless, limited resources call for prioritisation,”…
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This week in Dutch tech: TNW Conference edition
Friday is finally here and so is this week’s round-up of tech news from the Netherlands! With less than seven days to go for TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 20 and 21, this roundup comes with a twist: our editorial team’s picks of the event’s unmissable speakers and talks! But before we get to that, let’s dive into the news. News Highlights Amsterdam suspends shared cargo ebike service Cargoroo over ‘failed questionnaire’ (TNW) Report: The Netherlands is the leading startup ecosystem in the EU (TNW) Dutch home-building platform lands €1.1M to help solve housing crisis (TNW) The Netherlands invests €13M…This story continues at The Next Web
Friday is finally here and so is this week’s round-up of tech news from the Netherlands! With less than seven days to go for TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 20 and 21, this roundup comes with a twist: our editorial team’s picks of the event’s unmissable speakers and talks! But before we get to that, let’s dive into the news. News Highlights Amsterdam suspends shared cargo ebike service Cargoroo over ‘failed questionnaire’ (TNW) Report: The Netherlands is the leading startup ecosystem in the EU (TNW) Dutch home-building platform lands €1.1M to help solve housing crisis (TNW) The Netherlands invests €13M…
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Highview Power secures £300M to build UK’s first liquid air battery
UK scaleup Highview Power has secured £300mn to build a liquid air storage plant in Manchester. The UK government’s Infrastructure Bank led the funding round. Investment bank Goldman Sachs, British energy firm Centrica, and mining giant Rio Tinto also took part. The investment acts as a stamp of approval for an emerging technology that could help wean the country off dirty sources of baseload power like gas and coal. “We have to explore new, innovative ways to store energy so we have electricity available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine,” said Chris O’Shea, group chief executive…This story continues at The Next Web
UK scaleup Highview Power has secured £300mn to build a liquid air storage plant in Manchester. The UK government’s Infrastructure Bank led the funding round. Investment bank Goldman Sachs, British energy firm Centrica, and mining giant Rio Tinto also took part. The investment acts as a stamp of approval for an emerging technology that could help wean the country off dirty sources of baseload power like gas and coal. “We have to explore new, innovative ways to store energy so we have electricity available when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine,” said Chris O’Shea, group chief executive…
This story continues at The Next Web