Davis Wilson:

SpaceX Gets FCC Permission To Launch Another 7,500 Starlink Satellites

Late last week, SpaceX received U.S. permission to launch another 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, bringing its total authorization to 15,000 Gen2 satellites including those previously approved.

“Under this grant, SpaceX is authorized to construct, deploy, and operate an additional 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites, bringing the total to 15,000 satellites worldwide,” the Federal Communications Commission announced. “This expansion will enable SpaceX to deliver high-speed, low-latency Internet service globally, including enhanced mobile and supplemental coverage from space.”

The FCC gave SpaceX permission for the first set of 7,500 satellites in December 2022. The agency deferred action on the rest of the second-generation constellation at the time and limited the first batch to certain altitudes, saying it needed to “address concerns about orbital debris and space safety” before approving the full bunch.

The FCC also said the order allows SpaceX to “upgrade the Gen2 Starlink satellites with advanced form factors and cutting-edge technology."

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Ray Blanco:

Nvidia and Eli Lilly Are Launching an AI Drug Discovery Lab

Nvidia and Eli Lilly announced Monday that they’re launching a co-innovation AI lab aimed at speeding up drug discovery — a five-year commitment of over $1 billion, built around accelerated, closed-loop discovery that’s meant to “industrialize” AI models and accelerate clinical development. 

The companies will co-locate at a new Bay Area site so teams can work together in real time, with the opening targeted for the end of March.

Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare, linked the scaling plan to Nvidia’s future hardware, saying Lilly’s newly deployed AI factory is expected to grow into a hybrid cloud environment powered by future Nvidia Vera Rubin systems, alongside Nvidia’s DGX cloud capacity. For Nvidia, that’s the kind of detail that turns a partnership into something sturdier than a headline: a multiyear plan that’s already looking past the current generation of machines.

“By combining Lilly's deep domain expertise in drug discovery and Nvidia's expertise in AI and accelerated computing,” Powell said, “we are building the future of how medicines will be designed and developed.”

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James Altucher:

Apple Picks Google’s Gemini To Run AI-Powered Siri Coming This Year

Apple is joining forces with Google to power its artificial intelligence features for products such as Siri later this year. The multi-year partnership will lean on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology for future Apple foundational models.

“After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users,” Apple wrote. Apple declined to comment on the terms of the deal.

Last week, Google's market capitalization surpassed Apple for the first time since 2019. Shares were slightly lower following the news. Google briefly touched above a $4 trillion market value.

Apple has mostly stood on the sidelines of the AI frenzy that’s swept up Wall Street since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT at the end of 2022. Hyperscalers including Amazon, Meta Platforms and Microsoft are also shelling out billions on more products and tools for their customers.

That’s amped up the pressure on the iPhone maker to deliver an impressive Siri AI voice upgrade, which it delayed last year until 2026, despite running ads for the product.

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