Newsletter 0311023

Newsletter 03112023: MultiChoice’s Showmax to discontinue services outside Africa 

MEDIA

MultiChoice’s Showmax to discontinue services outside Africa

MultiChoice’s popular subscription on-demand video streaming service, Showmax, announced via its website that, it will no longer be available outside Africa effective from Dec. 1, 2023.

The news comes days after announcing that its streaming platform, Showmax Pro will be phased out by November 30, 2023, as part of a larger effort to revamp Showmax. Showmax Pro stopped being available for new subscribers as of October 1..…..Continue reading

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The UK to splash $273M to build its most powerful AI supercomputer

The UK government has announced a $273 million investment to build its most powerful supercomputer yet, Isambard-AI, which will rank among the top AI supercomputers in the world when it’s switched on.

The supercomputer will pack thousands of NVIDIA superchips, allowing it to run more than 200 quadrillion calculations per second. Isambard-AI is expected to begin operations in summer 2024 and will be hosted by the University of Bristol.……..Continue reading

2023 UK’s AI Safety Summit key takeaways on the future of AI

The UK hosted a major artificial intelligence (AI) summit aimed at establishing some ground rules and fostering international collaboration. The event brought together political leaders and tech experts to discuss both the promise and potential perils of this rapidly advancing technology.

The summit resulted in some important declarations and initiatives that give us a glimpse into the future of AI governance. Just in case you missed out the summit, let’s break down the critical highlights for you……..Continue reading

Microsoft pushes the boundaries of small AI models with big breakthrough

Microsoft’s research division has added a major new capability to one of its smaller large language models, a big step that shows less expensive AI technology can have some of the same features as OpenAI’s massive GPT-4. The model, Phi 1.5, is now “multimodal,” meaning it can view and interpret images….Continue reading

OTHER STORIES

• Disney reaches $8.6 billion deal with Comcast to fully acquire Hulu. Navigating through a dense mathematics text or seeking clarity on an intricate physics query can often feel like traversing a labyrinth. And that’s not even diving into the convoluted realms of biology or the sometimes baffling world of geometry. But, fret not. Google’s revamped Search and Lens functionalities are here to be your guiding light, offering a more immersive and intuitive approach to STEM-related queries..……Continue reading

• SBI Holdings and Novastar Establish a US$80 Million Pioneering Alliance to Boost Japanese Investment in Africa. Japan’s heavyweight in venture capital, SBI Holdings, and Africa’s premier VC investor, Novastar Ventures, have embarked on a monumental strategic partnership. The alliance sees a substantial $40 million multi-fund investment from SBI Holdings, aimed at anchoring Novastar’s future funds. This partnership goes beyond mere monetary terms. SBI Holdings aims to rally additional matching commitments from other influential Japanese institutional investors for Novastar’s funds. In return, Novastar, with its established footing and market intelligence in Africa, will offer co-investment avenues and provide invaluable market insights.....….Continue reading