Category: Tech

The European Parliament has granted final approval to the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, marking a significant milestone in global AI regulation. Passed after five years of deliberation, the Act aims to steer AI development towards a human-centric approach, ensuring human control over the technology for societal progress and economic growth.

The law classifies AI applications according to risk levels, imposing more stringent regulations on high-risk applications, including vital infrastructure and medical devices. Companies must adhere to voluntary standards and codes of conduct, while certain AI applications, like social scoring systems and predictive policing, are outright banned due to their perceived risks.

The EU’s regulatory framework sets a precedent for other nations grappling with AI governance. While the U.S. is drafting its own AI legislation under President Joe Biden, China has introduced interim measures for managing AI, emphasising fair and safe use. Brussels’ initiative emphasises its leadership in shaping global AI governance, urging other governments to follow suit in ensuring responsible AI deployment.

The AI Act signifies a shift towards proactive regulation in the face of rapidly advancing technology, reflecting the EU’s commitment to safeguarding consumer interests and fundamental rights. By providing a comprehensive framework for AI governance, the EU aims to foster innovation while mitigating the potential risks associated with AI proliferation.

India successfully conducted the inaugural test flight of its indigenous Agni 5 missile, featuring Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the success of the mission. Expressing pride in the achievement, he praised the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists for their contribution to “Mission Divyastra.”

This technological breakthrough, according to sources, allows a single missile to drop many warheads in different places. The project director is a woman, which is noteworthy as it highlights the major engagement of women in the initiative.

India joins the group of countries with MIRV capability with the launch of Mission Divyastra. Equipped with indigenous avionics systems and high-precision sensor packages, the system ensures that re-entry vehicles hit designated targets with remarkable accuracy. Furthermore, it showcases India’s expanding technological prowess.

In recent years, India has conducted a series of Agni-5 tests, including the successful launch in October 2021 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. Utilising a three-stage solid-fuel engine, the missile boasts a striking range of up to 5,000 kilometres with exceptional precision.

The achievement aligns with India’s ‘No First Use’ policy and its upholding of a ‘credible minimum deterrence.’

The Indian government plans to invest 103 billion rupees ($1.25 billion) in AI projects, including computing infrastructure, large language models, and startup funding. The government aims to develop AI applications for the public sector, anticipating India’s AI market to reach $17 billion by 2027, with a growth rate of 25%–35% annually from 2024 to 2027.

According to junior minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the investment will boost computing infrastructure and support AI startups, fostering India’s AI ecosystem. Though India’s AI market is still in its early stages, with projections of $17 billion by 2027, it only makes up a small portion of the worldwide AI software market, estimated to reach $297 billion by the same year.

AI software brings both an opportunity and challenges for India’s software services sector, which has grown since the outsourcing boom of the 1990s. AI models may put engineering graduates in danger of replacing traditional call centre and coding jobs. Sam Altman of OpenAI emphasised that significant funding is required for Indian AI projects.

A collaboration between Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries and top universities aims to unveil a ChatGPT-style chatbot application.

India’s defence ministry recently inked contracts worth $2.36 billion to acquire nuclear-
capable BrahMos missiles for the navy, alongside a ship-borne missile system costing $1.3 billion. These purchases, part of the Make-in-India initiative, include aero-engines for MiG-29s, close-in weapon systems, High-Power Radar, and Shipborne Brahmos systems.

The BrahMos serves as the navy’s primary weapon for maritime strike operations, boasting precision and supersonic speeds for hitting land or sea targets. The procurement aims to meet combat and training requirements. The total value of the five contracts stands at $4.7 billion, aiming to enhance domestic capabilities, reduce foreign currency expenditure, and reduce the dependency on overseas manufacturers.

This deal follows India and Mauritius’ joint inauguration of an Indian-funded air base on Agalega Island, strategically situated in the southwest Indian Ocean. It addresses concerns over China’s regional influence.

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security recently approved the acquisition of over 200 BrahMos extended-range supersonic cruise missiles for deployment on warships. Developed collaboratively by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile deployable from various platforms.

The BrahMos cruise missile can reach speeds of Mach 3 and carry up to 300 kg of warheads, making it one of the world’s fastest cruise missiles.

Japan’s SLIM moon probe has defied expectations by surviving the frigid lunar night and re-establishing communication with Earth, over a month after its historic touchdown on the moon’s surface. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) achieved its pinpoint landing last month, marking Japan as the fifth nation to land a probe on the moon.

Initially, SLIM faced power depletion due to a tipped-over position, rendering its solar panels ineffective. However, a shift in the angle of the sun brought the panels back to life, marking an important achievement considering SLIM’s initial lack of ability for the challenging conditions of the lunar night. The fact that SLIM had to reboot after spending the lunar night highlights the technological difficulties of maintaining long-term missions on the moon, particularly concerning temperature swings.

Despite SLIM’s close landing on the equator, communication failures during lunar midday necessitated operational pauses while equipment cooled. Japan’s successful moon landing solidifies its place in the select countries capable of soft lunar landings.

Similarly, Odysseus, a private lunar exploration project by U.S.-based Intuitive Machines, is still in operation after a risky landing. The fact that comprehensive surface photography from both missions is still awaited highlights the continuous investigation of Earth’s planetary neighbour.

On February 22, a significant milestone was achieved in lunar exploration as Odysseus, the first private spacecraft from Intuitive Machines in Houston, Texas, successfully landed on the Moon. This marks the United States’ first lunar landing since 1972.

Despite initial challenges with laser rangefinders, Odysseus managed to land at 6:23 p.m. Houston time, sending a signal back to mission control amid cheers of success. Odysseus, launched on February 15 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, utilised innovative methane-based rocket fuel, which is more efficient and environmentally friendly. In addition to exploring potential ice resources, the spacecraft’s landing near the Malapert A crater opens doors for further exploration.

NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme, under which Odysseus operates, seeks to facilitate low-cost lunar missions with small aerospace companies. With NASA’s payloads onboard, including cameras to study rocket exhaust interactions, Odysseus exemplifies the programme’s potential.

The success of Odysseus boosts confidence in the CLPS programme and paves the way for future missions, including plans to send astronauts to the lunar south pole as early as 2026.

Moreover, Odysseus’s use of methane-based propellants sets a precedent for more environmentally friendly propulsion systems in space exploration.

India’s ISRO is gearing up to send a helicopter to Mars alongside a lander, marking a continuation of its space exploration efforts after the Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission concluded in 2022.

The mission aims to have a lander touchdown on the red planet, deploying both a rover and a drone similar to NASA’s Ingenuity quadcopter, which recently completed an unprecedented three-year mission comprising 72 flights.

While ISRO’s drone programme is still in its conceptual stage, it envisions flights reaching heights of up to 100 metres in Mars’ thin atmosphere. The drone will carry payloads such as the Martian Boundary Layer Explorer (Marble) to investigate Martian weather patterns and climate history, aiding future exploration endeavours and predictions of future conditions. Additionally, the drone will conduct vertical profiling of atmospheric parameters and perform in-situ measurements in the near-surface boundary layers of Mars.

This forthcoming Martian drone expedition further underscores India’s rising prominence in space exploration. ISRO has garnered praise from global counterparts like NASA and its MAVEN team, showcasing the collaborative spirit driving humanity’s quest to explore the cosmos.

In pursuing the mysteries of the universe, India continues to contribute significantly through initiatives like these.

On Thursday, a private US company launched a lunar lander, sponsored by NASA, following a recent failed attempt by a rival. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket, carrying Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander, took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre and aims to land on the moon next week. For its latest lunar experiments, NASA is paying Intuitive Machines $118 million.

The lander from Intuitive Machines is named after Odysseus from Homer, signifying the historic journey that lies ahead. A variety of organisations, including Columbia Sportswear and sculptor Jeff Koons, have contributed experiments and payloads to the mission as part of NASA’s investment.

The Odysseus lander will also carry Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Eaglecam for imaging purposes. After a week on the lunar surface, the spacecraft’s operations will conclude. After a week on the lunar surface, the spacecraft’s operations will conclude.

The CEO of Intuitive Machines highlighted the difficulties ahead of the trip while expressing excitement. NASA is still dedicated to supporting private space initiatives, despite the obstacles faced by its commercial lunar delivery service. Until now, only five nations have landed on the moon, and no private enterprise has succeeded. NASA aims at sending men to the moon’s south pole, which is close to where Intuitive Machines expect to land their 14-foot-tall lander. Despite recent failures on lunar missions, optimism remains high.

In 2023, American tech giant Apple beat out competitors in the BigTech space to acquire the most startups. According to Stocklytics, which gathered their data from Statista, Apple purchased up to 32 artificial intelligence startups last year to strengthen its AI capabilities.

This strategic move bolsters Apple’s AI capabilities across its products and services. Financial analyst Edith Reads highlighted Apple’s significant deals, which bring in top talent and innovative technologies. While Apple remains discreet about its AI integration plans, its approach encompasses talent acquisition, technology integration, and intellectual property expansion.

Key acquisitions include Voysis for voice assistants, WaveOne for video compression, and Emotient for expression recognition. Apple targets early-stage startups to anticipate emerging AI trends. Despite advances by competitors like Samsung and Google in AI, Apple’s aggressive acquisition rate hints at ambitious plans for future devices and services.

Apple’s secretive nature obscures exact figures, but analysts estimate an acquisition rate of 2–3 startups per week. Apple’s pursuit of promising AI startups is evidence of its commitment to leading the race, in contrast to Google and Microsoft, who appear more interested in acquiring established businesses. However, Apple rarely discloses its acquisition intentions.

NASA’s Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity, has wrapped up its groundbreaking mission after completing an impressive 72 flights (roughly 129 minutes of flight time in the skies of Mars) on the red planet. Initially conceived as a brief technological demonstration, Ingenuity exceeded expectations by demonstrating the potential for aerial exploration on distant planets.

Despite its diminutive 4-pound size and initial plans for just five flights, Ingenuity surpassed predictions, showcasing the viability of flight in Mars’ thin atmosphere, which is only 1% of Earth’s volume.

However, during its 72nd flight, Ingenuity encountered a setback as one of its rotor blades sustained irreversible damage, effectively grounding it for good. Despite this, Ingenuity’s legacy remains intact as the first aircraft to fly on another planet. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commended Ingenuity’s historic journey, highlighting its ability to fly higher and farther than ever imagined.

Ingenuity’s collaboration with NASA’s Perseverance rover, which touched down at the Jezero Crater on Mars in February 2021, represents a significant milestone in space exploration. Together, they have pushed the boundaries of what is possible in planetary exploration, paving the way for future missions to explore the mysteries of our solar system and beyond.