Latest news with #Krakow
Forbes
an hour ago
- Science
- Forbes
From the ENIAC to the Cerebras chip, looking clear-eyed at hardware innovation is frankly amazing.
Microchip and Nvidia logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this multiple exposure ... More illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on April 10, 2023. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) For anybody who did any kind of computing in the 1950s or 1960s, (or for that matter, in the 1970s or the 1980s), the advances that we've made in hardware are staggering. But if you do track them to Moore's law and really analyze how incremental doubling works, it all sort of makes sense. If you remember the story about the smartie (in some versions of the tale, the inventor of the game of chess) who asked a king to double a grain of rice 64 times, you get some sense of how this works – an exponential advance that starts out small and reasonable, and ends up in the realm of what people would have originally thought to be fantasy. It's all basic math, but it still seems like a magic trick – you're moving along: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 – and then you wind up with a number bigger than you can visualize! I also found this aside from Wikipedia, describing the original contriver of this trick, to be riotously funny: 'Versions (of the story) differ as to whether the inventor becomes a high-ranking advisor or is executed.' This idea, too, has been applied to our new AI gold rush - in fact, for students of artificial intelligence minutia, none other than Ray Kurzweil talks about the 'second half of the chessboard' phenomenon that goes right to the heart of what I'm trying to articulate – that the first numbers start out seeming very reasonable, until you get about halfway into the series, and then the real exponential change happens. In other words, there's a slow rise, and then a break point where that line spirals up into the stratosphere. If you double the grains of rice on a chessboard and come up with 18 quintillion, 446 quadrillion, 744 trillion and change, you get a powerful visual example of how this works. Well, not a visual example, exactly, because you can't fit all of those grains of rice into a single image, but a conceptual idea of how it works. The Frenetic Pace of Hardware Engineering I previously wrote about the Cerebras WSE chip that's about the size of a dinner plate, and has some 90,000 cores. Sources including IEEE Spectrum show that the WSE‑2 (Cerebras CS‑2) delivers approximately 7,500 trillion FP16 operations per second (7.5 petaFLOPS), while the WSE‑3 gets up to 125 petaFLOPS. This is a powerful thing to hold in your hand, and it demonstrates the power of parallel processing. It wasn't too many years ago that we were using single core chips, then dual core, then quad core. Well, you get the idea. Now we have things like the Huawei Cloudmatrix, where they keep some of these numbers under wraps, but you know intuitively that the hardware power is unreal. Hardware as a Habitat There was an interesting TED talk given by Caleb Sirak that I attended recently where the young innovator talked about hardware as a 'silicon prison.' He went over the history of hardware acceleration from early systems, measured in millions of operations per second, to then trillions, and even quadrillions. He pointed out that in some ways, this process was driven by gaming, but it quickly made its way past that single use case with Nvidia Cuda and other designs. Now, he suggested, it's time to change with the times. 'It's time to rethink the whole system,' Sirak said. Winning the Hardware Lottery One tool in pioneering new kinds of GPUs, Sirak added, is quantization. For example, a 4-bit multiplier is orders of magnitude more efficient than a 32 bit multiplier. He talked about innovations like the Cerebras chip (in this context,) and how you can reduce the trajectory of data transfers to drive efficiencies with AI. 'When each parameter is smaller, we can put more of them across the system per second, and this decreases bottlenecks across memory and network interconnects,' he said. He talked about xAI's Colossus, with what he called a 'road map' to a million GPUs. And then, back to efficiencies: 'You can take a flexible city street grid with a lot of different cars,' he explained,'or you can have an f1 track, and if you have an f1 track, that f1 card goes pretty damn fast.' He covers the work of various companies in designing smart swarms of hardware pieces, which he referred to as 'intelligent colonies.' 'The power that we're unlocking through these AI chips and these advancements has profound implications,' he added, 'and increasingly accessible and globally shared innovation is crucial. At the heart of this revolution lies a supply chain of remarkable complexity, from rare earth minerals combined on one continent, to chemicals on another, and chips on the third.' As another example of an interconnected world, he noted that a single chip can cross dozens of national boundaries before being ultimately put into production. That makes abundant sense to anyone who knows that Taiwan Semiconductor provides the lion's share of chip fabs worldwide. In any case, we really are in the hockey stick curve of a hardware acceleration for the ages. Stay tuned.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Peacock Streaming Service Increasing Subscription Prices This Week
TV remote control is seen with Peacock logo displayed on a screen in this illustration photo taken ... More in Krakow, Poland on February 6, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NBC Universal's Peacock streaming service is boosting the prices of its monthly and yearly streaming packages this week. Peacock launched on April 15, 2020, and primarily contains content from the NBC Universal library, which includes NBC-TV programming and Universal Pictures releases (Wicked, Nosferatu, etc.) . In addition to library content, Peacock also produces original TV programming and movies, and features sports programming including the NFL's Sunday Night Football, NBA Basketball and the Olympics. Currently, Peacock costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per month for Peacock Premium, which includes ad-based programming or $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year for Peacock Premium Plus, which has ad-free programming. Peacock recently announced, however, that on Wednesday, July 23, the ad-based tier, which is known as Peacock Premium, will be increased to $10.99 per month to $109.99 per year, while ad-free programming on the Peacock Premium Plus tier will increase to $16.99 per month to $169.99 per year. Depending on when they are billed, some current Peacock subscribers may not see the subscription bill until as late as Aug. 22. With the price increases, Peacock's ad-based and ad-free tiers will be more expensive than its main competitors — Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Paramount+ — Variety reported. KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 13: A view of the Peacock logo before an AFC Wild Card playoff game ... More between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan 13, 2024 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The Upcoming Peacock Price Increase Is The Third For The Streamer In 5 years When Peacock launched in 2020, the NBC Universal streaming service cost $4.99 per month for the ad-based Peacock Premium tier and $9.99 per month for Peacock Premium Plus. The streaming service maintained the pricing until July 18, 2023, when Peacock increased its monthly subscription pricing to $5.99 monthly and $59.99 yearly for Peacock Premium and $11.99 monthly and $119.99 yearly for Peacock Premium Plus. Then, in July of 2024, Peacock hiked its prices again to $7.99 per month or $79.99 per month for Peacock Premium and $13.99 per month or $139.99 for Peacock Premium Plus. With the new price increases, Peacock will also be offering a cheaper alternative with its Peacock Select tier, which will cost $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Per Variety, the tier includes current seasons of NBC-TV and Bravo programming, as well as some library titles. According to Variety, Peacock announced earlier in 2025 that the service has 41 million subscribers, which increased from 36 million subscribers in 2024.
Vogue
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
‘Kiki Ballroom Culture in Poland' by Michał Korta
"Ballroom culture is a vibrant, inclusive space where anyone—regardless of sexual orientation, race, political beliefs, or background—can freely explore their identity. Originating in 1970s New York, ballroom was created by trans women of color as a response to systemic exclusion, offering a safe haven and sense of belonging. This culture is built around more than just LGBTQ+ balls and competitions; it fosters a sense of community, with 'houses' that often become chosen families. Kiki Ballroom in Krakow Michal Korta Copyriqht 2023
RNZ News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Antisemitic posts appear on Elmo's X account after hack
By Issy Ronald, CNN Elmo's X account was hacked on 13 July. Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA Today / Imagn via CNN Newsource Elmo's X account was hacked over the weekend causing the beloved "Sesame Street" character to appear to post expletive-filled antisemitic rants and anti-Trump statements. The posts have since been deleted, but widely circulated screenshots show Elmo apparently calling for violence against Jews and calling for the release of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. "Elmo's X account was compromised by an unknown hacker who posted disgusting messages, including antisemitic and racist posts," a spokesperson for Sesame Workshop, the makers of "Sesame Street," told CNN in a statement. "We are working to restore full control of the account." CNN has contacted X for comment. The tirade was a jarring departure from Elmo's usual upbeat, motivational posts and wholesome pictures with other "Sesame Street" characters or celebrities. Some of the posts even mimicked his habit of referring to himself in the third person. The posts came a week after Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI froze its Grok chatbot's X account after it began spouting antisemitic tropes and White nationalist talking points. A portrait picture of Elon Musk photographed in Krakow, Poland on 22 January. Photo: AFP / BEATA ZAWRZEL The company later issued a lengthy apology, saying that a system update caused Grok to refer to "existing X user posts; including when such posts contained extremist views," meaning that it issued responses praising Adolf Hitler, repeated conspiracy theories and spewed longstanding antisemitic tropes. Jewish leaders in the United States have been alarmed by the rise in antisemitic threats since Hamas' deadly terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October, 2023 and Israel's subsequent response in Gaza, which has devastated the enclave. In June, a man is accused of targeting a group of people demonstrating in support of Israeli hostages in a firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, resulting in the death of an 82-year-old woman. He faces federal hate crimes charges, among others. In May, two Israeli embassy workers in Washington, DC, were killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum; and, in April, an arsonist set the Pennsylvania governor's mansion on fire on the first night of Passover because of Gov. Josh Shapiro's views on the war in Gaza, according to search warrants. The Elmo hacker's posts also referenced documents relating to the Epstein case, which has been in the headlines again in recent days. Last week, US President Donald Trump's administration released a memo about Epstein - an accused sex trafficker and disgraced financier who died by suicide in 2019 - that were directly at odds with conspiracy theories previously pushed by the president and some of his top lieutenants. - CNN
Associated Press
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Ray Isaac Finds Divine Mercy
Sydney, Australia July 11, 2025 --( )-- Watch Ray Isaac's 'Divine Mercy' Song here: As millions of people around the world are recognizing that there is a crisis of identity and truth, the latest song from Ray Isaac aims to show that sexuality is sacred, not degrading, the body is a temple, not a toy. Filmed at the International Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland the 'Divine Mercy' music video is an invitation to the global community regardless of personal beliefs to renew their minds and restore the dignity of freedom in precious human life. 'If you're seeking sincerely, Divine Mercy will find you! 'I've discovered real love, joy and genuine friendships in a community of love. Communion, belonging and love are what everyone needs, not fantasy and deeper wounds. 'Nobody heals themselves by hurting others, Love lifts up, lust and selfish pride only takes. Love is meant to reflect God's unconditional love through mutual respect, generosity, and sacrifice. We are all children of God and shouldn't only identify ourselves by possibly addictive and harmful characteristic of our lifestyles. 'It says so little about the human person. I experienced this when I had everything that should satisfy me. The music, clubs, parties and the fans but I still felt a deep emptiness inside of me. 'True freedom never results in the erosion of human values or morality in our society. It is using our human conscience and free will to choose the highest good. That's why Divine Mercy is an invitation to make you a New Creation,' Ray shares. 'The only one that can truly satisfy the human heart is the one that made it. Teresa of Ávila says in the intimacy of union with God, the soul finds its peace, joy, and fulfillment. It is a relationship of love, where the human soul seeks God's truthful way of life and treating others above all else. 'I would encourage all who are seeking divine healing, transcendence and genuine friendships to keep searching. 'Knock and it will be opened to you! Seek and you shall find!' Blending music, raw personal testimony, and a message of grace and unconditional love, the video offers hope to anyone struggling with loneliness, emptiness, or the chains of self-seeking sensuality. Real love is self-giving, not lustful self-dominating, and the body is in unity with the mind and soul, it's not just an object. Ray Isaac invites you to step into his powerful journey of rediscovery through Divine Mercy—a deeply personal expression of the transformation of the heart, where the soul finds true freedom through divine grace. Divine Mercy is more than a music video; it is an encouraging spiritual journey, filmed in Kraków, Poland—hometown of Saint Pope John Paul II and location of the International Divine Mercy Shrine. It draws inspiration from Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun received visitations and the mission of divine mercy from Jesus in the 1930s. The shrine now honors the Divine Mercy legacy and stands as a global center for spiritual reflection, prayer, and hope. It carries a universal message: a call for all of humanity to encounter personal grace, mercy, and peace in a divided world. Discover more at Contact Information: Ray of Light Music Jonathan Brown +61 499 980 436 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Ray Isaac Finds Divine Mercy Press Release Distributed by
