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- Talking to Your Boss While Driving? Mercedes-Benz Says "Sure!"
Talking to Your Boss While Driving? Mercedes-Benz Says "Sure!"
Today's simple report
TIL Newsletter
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Imagine a super-smart computer brain. Normally, these brains (called AI) can sometimes say weird stuff.
But now, Google (the internet search guys) and Westinghouse (who make stuff for nuclear power) are using these super-smart computers to help build nuclear power plants!
How?
Westinghouse has its own special AI brains named HiVE and bertha. They've learned tons about nuclear power. Google is adding its powerful computers to the mix.
Together, they're making it faster and easier to build new nuclear plants. They're also helping the ones already running work even better.
Why do we need more power?
These super-smart AI computers need a LOT of electricity to work! All the new AI computer centers are using up tons of power. So, we need more ways to make it.
Google is even buying a lot of electricity from water power plants for a long time.
What kind of plants?
They're excited about a plant called the AP1000. It's like a big LEGO set for power, and it's already working in some places. They've even tested their AI, and it helped them put parts of the AP1000 together!
Hopefully, these smart computers will do a great job and not mess anything up!
Imagine you're driving your car. Most people like to relax, right? But Mercedes-Benz (the fancy car company) has a new idea for people who love to work all the time.
Soon, in some Mercedes cars, you can join a work meeting on Microsoft Teams! And get this: you can even use the car's camera so your coworkers can see you while you're driving.
Wait, is that safe?
Mercedes says you can show your face, but you won't see anything important like shared screens or slides while the car is moving. This is probably for those people who always need to show everyone they're busy, even in the car.
If you turn on your camera, remember it's on! So no picking your nose or doing anything silly, because your coworkers will see it! This new feature will first show up in the new Mercedes CLA car.
More Work in Your Car?
Mercedes is also working with Microsoft to let you talk to your car to do work stuff. Like, you could tell your car to summarize emails or help with your daily tasks, just by using your voice.
Mercedes thinks this will make your car like a third office (after your real office and your home office). But honestly, many people already feel like they work too much with their phones and laptops, and they probably don't want to work while driving!
It seems like more Mercedes cars will get these features soon, especially the ones with cameras already built in.
Okay, imagine your smart computer helper, ChatGPT. If you pay for the special version and use a Mac computer, it just learned a new trick!
What's the trick?
It's called "Record Mode." ChatGPT can now listen to people talk (like in a meeting) and write down everything they say. Then, it gives you a short, easy summary of what happened. Super handy!
Who gets this trick?
Only people who pay for ChatGPT and use a Mac computer for now. Sorry, phone and Windows users, you're still waiting.
Is it safe?
ChatGPT listens and writes, but it doesn't save the actual sound. And remember, if you record others, always tell them first! It's the right thing to do.
So, if you have a Mac and pay for ChatGPT, it's like having a fast note-taker for all your talks!
Okay, imagine you're getting older, and sometimes your body feels a bit weak or tired. Doctors call this "frailty." It means you might fall more easily or need help doing everyday things.
Signs of frailty are things like:
Losing weight without trying
Moving really slowly
Feeling weak or super tired all the time
Not moving around much
Walking is Like Magic!
Good news! Moving around, especially walking, can really help older people stay strong and independent for longer.
But how fast should they walk? For a long time, people just said, "Walk fast enough that you can still talk but can't sing." That's hard to measure, right?
New Idea: Walk a Bit Quicker!
Smart doctors found something cool: if older people who are weak or might become weak walk just a little bit faster than their normal speed – like 14 more steps per minute – they get much stronger! It's like a secret power-up for their bodies. They could walk longer distances and feel less tired.
There's an App for That!
To make this easier, these doctors also made a special phone app! This app helps people measure how many steps they take each minute, so they know if they're walking fast enough. It's super accurate and easy to use, even for older folks who might not be tech experts.
Why Faster is Better
The doctor who did this study, Daniel Rubin, learned that how fast someone walks (steps per minute) is a really good way to see how strong they are before things like surgery. The faster they walked, the fewer problems they had!
So, the big takeaway is: walking is good, but walking a little bit faster is even better for older people to stay strong, healthy, and independent! You can use a metronome app to help you keep a steady, faster beat if you want to try it.