Day: December 5, 2024

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OpenAI Is Working With Anduril to Supply the US Military With AI

https://www.wired.com/story/openai-anduril-defense/

OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT and one of the most prominent artificial intelligence companies in the world, said today that it has entered a partnership with Anduril, a defense startup that makes missiles, drones, and software for the United States military. It marks the latest in a series of similar announcements made recently by major tech companies in Silicon Valley, which has warmed to forming closer ties with the defense industry.

“OpenAI builds AI to benefit as many people as possible, and supports US-led efforts to ensure the technology upholds democratic values," Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, said in a statement Wednesday.

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OpenAI’s AI models will be used to improve systems used for air defense, Brian Schimpf, co-founder and CEO of Anduril, said in the statement. “Together, we are committed to developing responsible solutions that enable military and intelligence operators to make faster, more accurate decisions in high-pressure situations,” he said.

OpenAI’s technology will be used to “assess drone threats more quickly and accurately, giving operators the information they need to make better decisions while staying out of harm’s way,” says a former OpenAI employee who left the company earlier this year and spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their professional relationships.

OpenAI altered its policy on the use of its AI for military applications earlier this year. A source who worked at the company at the time says some staff were unhappy with the change, but there were no open protests. The US military already uses some OpenAI technology, according to reporting by The Intercept.

Anduril is developing an advanced air defense system featuring a swarm of small, autonomous aircraft that work together on missions. These aircraft are controlled through an interface powered by a large language model, which interprets natural language commands and translates them into instructions that both human pilots and the drones can understand and execute. Until now, Anduril has been using open-source language models for testing purposes.

Anduril is not currently known to be using advanced AI to control its autonomous systems or to allow them to make their own decisions. Such a move would be more risky, particularly given the unpredictability of today’s models.

A few years ago, many AI researchers in Silicon Valley were firmly opposed to working with the military. In 2018, thousands of Google employees staged protests over the company supplying AI to the US Department of Defense through what was then known within the Pentagon as Project Maven. Google later backed out of the project.

via Wired Top Stories https://www.wired.com

December 4, 2024 at 03:12PM

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Mercedes-Benz solar paint could revolutionize EV charging

https://www.autoblog.com/news/mercedes-benz-solar-paint-could-revolutionize-ev-charging

Electric vehicle charging and infrastructure are two major obstacles to EV adoption on a mass scale, but Mercedes-Benz may have a solution in the form of solar paint. In an effort to increase efficiency, the German automaker has created a new solar coating that could cover future electric models. Mercedes-Benz’s solar coating could revolutionize EV charging, making it more convenient to own an EV or PHEV.

2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e Hybrid

Mercedes-Benz

Related: A new Toyota Celica is coming

Mercedes-Benz’s solar paint is just 5 micrometers thick

Other companies have explored charging EVs via solar power but, for the most part, their solution was in the form of solar modules. Solar modules on vehicles presented a myriad of problems, though, namely in their lack of flexibility and fragility in the event of an accident.

Mercedes-Benz’s solar coating can cover the entire body of the car as opposed to just the roof or sides. The coating weighs in at just 50 grams per square meter and measures just five micrometers thick. It can also be applied to any surface, including panel creases and curved fenders.

2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e Hybrid

Mercedes-Benz

According to Mercedes engineers, the solar paint currently operates at 20% efficiency, the same efficiency as the solar cells that are currently used on vehicles. In addition to being more flexible than solar panels, solar paint is always active and can charge an EV battery at all times, provided there’s sunlight. Currently, it could generate enough energy to add 34 miles to an EV per day in sunny areas.

Mercedes is still developing this new technology, so they have left some details to speculation, such as how it would be applied to vehicles. Notably, however, the German automaker said the solar coating won’t be painted over a vehicle’s finish.

Related: 2024 Mercedes-Benz E450 wagon review: A family favorite with AMG power vibes

Solar paint could produce up to 7,456 miles per year

Mercedes’ new solar paint technology could generate enough power to add thousands of miles per year in driving range, even while operating at 20% efficiency. Since the coating can cover the entire vehicle, a coating with an area of 118.4 square feet, which is about the size of a midsize SUV, could produce more than 7,450 miles of driving range per year.

According to Mercedes, drivers in Stuttgart, Germany drive around 32 miles a day. Vehicles equipped with the German automaker’s solar paint are covering around 60% of that distance with solar energy. In sunnier areas, like Los Angeles, the abundance of solar energy would allow for even higher rates of energy production.

Solar paint comes with more benefits than just increased durability and flexibility, making it an ideal solution for extending an EV’s range. It’s non-toxic, easy to recycle, and cheaper to create than standard solar modules. It also doesn’t contain any rare earth metals and only uses raw materials that are easily accessible.

Mercedes’ Solar Coating Generates Electricity

Mercedes-Benz

Final thoughts

A lack of charging infrastructure is crippling the adoption of EVs nationwide, but it’s especially apparent in the United States. Alternative methods of energy harnessing could help alleviate range anxiety, increase an EV’s driving distance, and reduce charging costs across the board. Not only that but considering the cost of producing Mercedes’ solar coating and the lack of rare earth metals, it could be the leading solution to charging concerns.

Other companies, like Sono Motors and Aptera, have either tried or will be trying solar module integration on their vehicles. Meanwhile, Mercedes’s solar coating is already producing results in real-world application tests. While the German automaker says the solar paint isn’t ready for production on a mass scale, research, and development are progressing at a steady rate. If all goes well, we’ll hopefully see solar coating as an accessory EV charging solution within the next decade.

Related: Mercedes plans radical brake redesign to improve EVs

via Autoblog https://ift.tt/C2t6X4m

December 4, 2024 at 04:22PM