How AI is reducing the impact of contrails
Meanwhile disposable vapes are taking over the world.
Hey Comrade,
Germany is undergoing something of an identity crisis over its constantly delayed train service. One in three long-distance trains arrive late which does not sit well with a country that prides itself on efficiency. It has gotten to the point where the Swiss authorities are considering banning the Deutsche Bahn lest it tarnish their impeccable timeliness.
It makes me think about our own fairly mixed attitudes to trains in the UK. One day you can be crammed into a baking commuter train, the previous four having been cancelled thinking to yourself this is the worst thing that has happened to anyone ever and swear to never get one again. The next you can be on your way to I dunno, Nether Wallop, perfectly on time, sitting in a half-empty carriage watching the fields roll by, Jerusalem echoing through the hills as you marvel at the plucky Victorians and their inventions.
Two hundred years ago people lost their minds at something going 29 mph, no one had ever seen that sort of thing before. They literally had to change the way time worked because Bristol used to be in a different timezone to London, which played havoc with the timetables.
So despite the occasional requirement to be spooned by a stranger on a Tuesday morning, and the constant reminders to be on the lookout for suspicious activity, I’m all for the train.
See it, say it, stuff it,
Hugo
The Phat Conductor
The Business of Stuff
The Stuff
Deliveroo is giving a load of cash back to shareholders 🛵 - the delivery app had to go on a massive cost-cutting exercise to reach profitability. As a result of this, they’re paying a special £250m dividend (not each obviously). Will Shu, the founder, denies this is because some of his shares which give him special voting rights are about to expire.
Oil demand hits a record high 🛢️ - despite the protestations of Just Stop Oil, we’re using more oil than ever at 103 million barrels per day. The reality of the energy transition is it’s not going to happen overnight but I think we’d all feel a bit more relaxed if it did.
Investors are increasingly sure that WeWork won’t work 🏢 - the infamous coworking business which is always the example of startup excess is struggling for cash. There is currently a glut of commercial real estate, meaning lots of competitors have sprung up and they’re also struggling under a pile of debt. Its shares have fallen 95% over the past year.
Zoom tells employees to get back to the office 🚶 - one of the key beneficiaries of the boom in WFH is following a number of other technology companies in encouraging its people to get back to the office. Employees within 50 miles of an office will have to go in two days a week. Meanwhile, Amazon is sending sassy notes to individuals who fail to turn up as much as they are supposed to.
New social network Fizz attracts investment 😑 - against a fairly bleak backdrop of declining tech valuations a new social media app is attracting a lot of attention. Fizz is just for students and users are only able to access the community for their specific university. They’ve raised millions in funding but the fact the founder has been described as the ‘new Mark Zuckerberg’ should probably be a concern.
Disposable vapes are taking over the world 🚭 - the UK in particular is using 1.3 million per week, more than half of which are Lost Marys or Elf Bars. Some countries have imposed an outright ban and others have banned the fruity flavours that appeal to children. Meanwhile in the UK due to the fact they aren’t subject to the same restrictions as tobacco products, you can buy them everywhere from chicken shops to the pub. So far the government have closed a loophole in the law that allowed vape companies to give them away free to children, phew.
Reduction in the impact of contrails using AI ✈️ - the wispy clouds behind planes account for about 35% of the global warming effect produced by planes. By applying AI to satellite imagery Google and American Airlines have developed an approach to slightly rerouting flights that would decrease their impact by 54%. Global aviation contributes about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions and 3.5% of the warming effect but it's a start. Good bit of work that team, well done.
AI is making drug discovery less of a pain 💊 - creating antibodies is bloody hard work because there’s literally an infinite combination of potential molecules but by using computing power scientists can speed up the process by modelling the impact of different compounds. At LabGenius their model can narrow down 100,000 potential antibodies to 700 and then design, build and test them. Also excellent work, good on you.
35% productivity gain from AI 🖥️ - Mactavish, an insurance business has used AI to automate its workflow and train the model to learn the bear traps of insurance contracts. It has massively reduced the time it spends on certain tasks and is expected to increase revenue sevenfold.
Generative AI is being used to manage supply chains 🚢 - some of the world’s biggest companies like Maersk and Unilever are using the rapidly developing technology to negotiate contracts and assess risks/alternative options where their supply chain is vulnerable.
Have a good week!
Other Stuff
Something to watch
How To Build a Supersonic Trebuchet
Something to listen to
David Deutsch: Knowledge, Creation and The Human Race, Part 1
Quote of the week
“Nine and three-quarters? Think you're being funny do ya?” - Station Guard