Technology

Climate campaign pushes Bitcoin network to drop energy-hungry code

Published

3 years ago

March 29, 2022

Climate campaign pushes Bitcoin network to drop energy-hungry code

Greenpeace and different environmental teams launched a brand new marketing campaign at this time to push the Bitcoin community to slash its rising greenhouse fuel emissions. The aim of the marketing campaign, dubbed “Change the code, not the local weather,” is to change up the energy-hungry means of verifying transactions and mining new Bitcoins.

The cryptocurrency makes use of extra electrical energy yearly than world gold mining operations or all the nation of Norway, based on the Cambridge Centre for Various Finance. Burning by means of a lot vitality generates some critical greenhouse fuel emissions, however marketing campaign organizers argue that it doesn’t need to be that means. Different cryptocurrencies use only a fraction of the vitality Bitcoin requires as a result of they use a distinct system to confirm transactions.

In an effort to validate transactions, Bitcoin miners depend on specialised {hardware} to resolve advanced puzzles. Their computer systems gobble up lots of vitality within the course of, and the miners get new tokens in return. It’s a course of referred to as “proof of labor,” wherein the vitality used is kind of the worth paid to confirm transactions. The method is intentionally energy-intensive as a security measure. The baked-in inefficiency is supposed to discourage unhealthy actors from manipulating the info as a result of it might value lots of vitality to take action.

The brand new marketing campaign goals to maneuver Bitcoin away from that energy-hungry proof of labor course of. The preferred different is known as proof of stake. Cryptocurrencies that use proof of stake use vastly much less vitality as a result of there aren’t any puzzles to resolve. As a substitute of primarily paying with electrical energy to take part within the course of, it’s a must to supply up a few of your individual tokens. That is imagined to show that you’ve a “stake” in protecting the ledger correct. Should you mess something up, you lose tokens as a penalty.

Whereas proof of stake may make remedy lots of Bitcoin’s air pollution issues, specialists have been skeptical that miners can be prepared to make the change. Miners make investments rather a lot of their {hardware} and can be hard-pressed to desert it. And a few followers of proof of labor keep that it’s essentially the most safe method to keep the ledger.

“We all know Bitcoin stakeholders are incentivized to not change,” the marketing campaign acknowledges on its web site. “Altering Bitcoin would render an entire lot of costly infrastructure nugatory, which means Bitcoin stakeholders might want to stroll away from sunk prices — or discover different artistic options.”

Regardless, the marketing campaign’s organizers are attempting to enlist some massive names in tech to assist flip up the warmth on Bitcoin miners to make the change. “Leaders like Elon Musk of Tesla, Jack Dorsey of Block, and Abby Johnson of Constancy have vested pursuits in Bitcoin — and the ability to have an effect on change,” the marketing campaign web site says.

The web site implores guests to tweet on the Musk, Dorsey, and Johnson to help the marketing campaign. The marketing campaign additionally consists of new adverts in The Wall Avenue Journal, The New York Occasions, MarketWatch, Politico, and on Fb.

“Regardless of how you’re feeling about Bitcoin, pushing these with the ability to make sure a code change will make our planet and communities safer from the damaging impacts of local weather change,” Greenpeace USA chief program officer Tefere Gebre stated in a press launch.

Bitcoin has gotten even dirtier since China banned it in 2021. The largest mining hub on the earth is now the US, the place miners have breathed new life into retired and ageing coal and fuel energy crops.

Technology

Gemini can now tell when a PDF is on your phone screen

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Gemini can now tell when a PDF is on your phone screen

In the latest version of the Files by Google app, summoning Gemini while looking at a PDF gives you the option to ask about the file, writes Android Police. You’ll need to be a Gemini Advanced subscriber to use the feature though, according to Mishaal Rahman, who reported on Friday that it had started rolling out.

If you have the feature, when you summon Gemini while looking at a PDF in the Files app, you’ll see an “Ask about this PDF” button appear. Tapping that lets you ask questions about the file, the same way you might ask ChatGPT about a PDF. Google first announced this screen-aware feature during its I/O developer conference in May.

Rahman posted a screenshot of what it looks like in action:

Other context-aware Gemini features include the ability to ask about web pages and YouTube videos. For apps or file types without Gemini’s context-aware support, the assistant instead offers to answer questions about your screen, using a screenshot it takes when you tap “Ask about this screen.”

Technology

Fox News AI Newsletter: Cate Blanchett 'deeply concerned'

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 03: Cate Blanchett attends the World Premiere of “The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim” at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on December 3, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage) (Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage)

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

– Cate Blanchett worries AI could ‘totally replace anyone’
– ChatGPT CEO talks Elon Musk feud, criticizes Biden admin AI regulation
– 10 things you should never tell an AI chatbot

‘DEEPLY CONCERNED’: Cate Blanchett is one of the many actors expressing fears about artificial intelligence. In a recent interview with the BBC, the Oscar winner said the technology “deeply concerned” her.

Cate Blanchett at the Cannes Film Festival in a black strapless dress soft smiles

Cate Blanchett. (Rocco Spaziani/Archivio Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

ALTMAN OPENS UP: OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman opened up about Elon Musk’s feud with him and his view of how regulations related to artificial intelligence development should be framed.

Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI, during a panel session on day three of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2024. (Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

CHATBOT SAFETY: This is a heartbreaking story out of Florida. Megan Garcia thought her 14-year-old son was spending all his time playing video games. She had no idea he was having abusive, in-depth and sexual conversations with a chatbot powered by the app Character AI.

SPLIT STRATEGY: A recent survey found that investors and CEOs are viewing artificial intelligence (AI) investments differently. Nearly 80% of investors expect AI projects to generate a positive return on investment within the first year, while 41% CEOs of large-cap companies are willing to let AI initiatives mature over the course of one to two years before they expect positive results.

TECH REVOLUTION: Congress’s bipartisan task force on artificial intelligence recently released its long-anticipated report, detailing strategies for how the U.S. can protect itself against emerging AI-related threats while ensuring the nation remains a leader in innovation within this rapidly evolving sector.

Congress released a long-awaited AI report recently. (iStock)

Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox.

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Twitter
LinkedIn

SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS

Fox News First
Fox News Opinion
Fox News Lifestyle
Fox News Health

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

Fox News
Fox Business
Fox Weather
Fox Sports
Tubi

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Fox News Go

STREAM FOX NATION

Fox Nation

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.

This article was written by Fox News staff.

Technology

The US finalizes CHIPS Act funding for Samsung and Texas Instruments

Published

10 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

The US finalizes CHIPS Act funding for Samsung and Texas Instruments

The US Commerce Department has awarded Samsung and Texas Instruments with a combined over $6 billion in “direct funding under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication,” according to a pair of announcements published on Friday.

Samsung will get the larger of the two awards at $4.745 billion. The Commerce Department says the company will use this as part of its planned $37 billion investment in Texas chip facilities that include two new “leading-edge logic fabs and an R&D fab” in Taylor, Texas, and the expansion of its plant in Austin.

The company was originally slated to receive $6.4 billion. In a statement reported by Bloomberg, the company said that its “mid-to-long-term investment plan has been partially revised to optimize overall investment efficiency,” which suggests the company has dialed back its plans, according to the outlet.

Texas Instruments will receive $1.61 billion to bolster the $18 billion it plans to spend on projects like constructing two wafer fabs in Texas and a third in Utah. The Commerce Department announced smaller awards this week too, including $407 million in funding for Amkor Technology, a US-based company that tests and packages chips for companies like Apple.

All three awards were announced earlier this year, with Samsung first in April, and they join other CHIPS Act funding grants given to companies like Micron, Intel, and TSMC. And their finalizations come with just under a month to go before Donald Trump, who has criticized the CHIPS Act, assumes the US Presidency on January 20th.