TWS #008: Nvidia doing Quantum bets; Stablecoins back?; AI data centers in the desert?; Adapting to AI
and much more...
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Did you know...
Wi-Fi has roots in a failed 1970s Australian astronomy project to detect exploding black holes? A team at CSIRO developed key radio-astronomy signal processing techniques that, years later, became fundamental to creating high-speed wireless networking. The challenge they faced was that these distant and weak signals would be smeared and distorted as they travelled through the vastness of space and then through the Earth's atmosphere. The signals would be almost indistinguishable from the much stronger background radio noise of the universe. To be able to detect it, the CSIRO team needed to find a way to "clean up" and sharpen these smeared signals. They eventually realized that the very same mathematical tools and techniques they had used for sharpening faint radio signals from space could be adapted to solve this indoor wireless communication problem.
Here’s this week’s scoop:
Nvidia investing in Quantum tech
Why OpenAI’s Codex is important
Stablecoins are back
Aussie Space tech about to lift off
AI is making moves in the Middle East
and much more…
Let’s dive in.
🔥 Nuggets for the Road
OpenAI’s New Prompting Cookbook Guide [OPENAI]
How to deal with Shiny Object Syndrome as a Founder [LINK]
A NEW framework for going VIRAL [HBR]
AI models can't tell time or read a calendar, study reveals [LINK]
📡 The Signal
Nvidia Making Quantum Bets Now?
Nvidia is reportedly in advanced talks to invest in PsiQuantum, a quantum computing startup aiming to build the world’s first commercially viable quantum computer by 2027 in Brisbane, Australia, with a second planned for Chicago. Unlike competitors using exotic materials, PsiQuantum uses conventional semiconductor manufacturing techniques (this is really key), making its approach potentially more scalable. The Australian and U.S. governments have invested over $940 million in PsiQuantum, underscoring its strategic importance. This move is a shift for Nvidia, where Jensen previously suggested quantum computing was decades away. It’s a big pivot, signaling that Nvidia sees quantum computing not as a pipedream but a near-term disruptor. You can imagine a world where AI and quantum work together. This could be the vision Nvidia is striving towards. This would give them a critical edge in computation that would put them far ahead not only against their competitors but also against other nation-states (ahem, “China”). [LINK]
Codex: OpenAI’s Releases AI Coding Agent
OpenAI’s Codex is a cloud-based AI coding agent integrated into ChatGPT, by autonomously handling tasks like writing code, fixing bugs, running tests, and proposing pull requests. Powered by the codex-1 model, a fine-tuned version of OpenAI’s o3 reasoning model, Codex works in a sandboxed, virtual environment preloaded with a user’s GitHub repository, ensuring security by disabling internet access during task execution. It supports multiple programming languages, with a focus on Python, and can manage parallel tasks, taking 1 to 30 minutes per job. OpenAI’s training approach is different from others, where they’re using reinforcement learning on real-world coding tasks, which enables Codex to mimic human coding styles and adhere to standards, making it a collaborative “virtual teammate.” Early adopters like Cisco are use it for refactoring, debugging, and feature development. To add to this, OpenAI’s rumored $3 billion acquisition of Windsurf signals an aggressive push to dominate the AI coding space, potentially integrating real-time capabilities soon. It’s clear that OpenAI is vertically integrating itself into the AI stack. [OPENAI]
Stablecoins are on the Rise (for real)
90% of financial institutions are now integrating stablecoins into their infrastructure. Stablecoins are basically cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like fiat currencies, are being adopted primarily for cross-border business-to-business (B2B) payments, addressing inefficiencies in traditional systems like high costs, delays, and lack of transparency. We’re finally seeing a convergence of traditional finance and the blockchain. Stablecoins are not just a crypto fad anymore; they’re becoming a strategic necessity for banks to stay competitive against agile fintechs. The 90% adoption rate is a tipping point, signaling that financial institutions are no longer dabbling but scaling infrastructure for real-world impact. [LINK, STABLECOIN REPORT 2025]
Gilmour Space: Aussie Rocket Company on the Verge of Liftoff
Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian company aiming to launch the nation’s first domestically built orbital rocket, postponed its Eris rocket launch from Bowen, Queensland, due to an electrical fault that caused the payload fairing (the rocket’s nose cone) to open unexpectedly. Originally scheduled for May 16, 2025, after a Thursday attempt was scrubbed due to a power system issue, the launch is now delayed by “at least a few weeks.” The Eris rocket, developed over eight years, aims to fill a global niche for small satellite launches. It’s great to finally see Australia having a seat at the table. This isn’t just about launching a rocket; it’s about establishing Australia as the 12th nation with independent orbital launch capacity, a feat only achieved by a handful of countries. This moment is a reminder that innovation often comes with hiccups, but each stumble builds resilience and expertise. [LINK]
I always love me seeing a good thruster test!
US-UAE-KSA AI Deal
The US has made agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia (KSA) to bolster AI infrastructure. These include massive sales of advanced AI chips, with the UAE potentially acquiring over a million accelerators and KSA securing tens of thousands from Nvidia and AMD. The UAE will also collab with U.S. companies to build a 5-gigawatt (GW) AI data center cluster. These agreements aim to integrate the Gulf states into the U.S. tech ecosystem, leveraging their vast capital and energy resources to address U.S. AI infrastructure bottlenecks, such as power and financing constraints. The UAE’s $1.4T commitment over 10 years and Saudi Arabia’s $600B investment pledge signal a shift toward high-tech economies in the Gulf, with U.S. companies managing data centers to mitigate security risks like chip diversion to adversaries such as China. But, there are concerns about remote access vulnerabilities and the geopolitical implications of empowering authoritarian regimes with advanced AI capabilities. [LINK]
China is Building a Supercomputer in Space
China has launched the first 12 satellites of its “Three-Body Computing Constellation,” a planned 2,800-satellite network aimed at creating the world’s first space-based supercomputer. The goal is to reach 1,000 peta operations per second (this is 1000x10^15), using satellites with high-speed laser communication to process data in real time, bypassing the limitations of ground-based systems. Unlike terrestrial supercomputers, which require costly cooling, these satellites use solar power and the natural cooling of space. The network aims to reduce data transmission bottlenecks since traditional satellites lose over 90% of data due to limited bandwidth and ground station availability. Looks like Space is becoming the next frontier for AI and computing dominance. [LINK]
Rogue Devices in Chinese Solar Equipment
U.S. energy officials are investigating Chinese-made power inverters after discovering undocumented communication devices, including cellular radios, embedded within them. These inverters, which are used for connecting solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, heat pumps, and EV chargers to global electricity grids, are predominantly manufactured in China. While designed for remote maintenance, inverters typically operate behind utility firewalls to block direct communication with China. However, these rogue devices were not listed in product documentation, raising concerns about potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities. These hidden components could bypass firewalls, enabling remote manipulation or shutdown of inverters, which could destabilize power grids, cause blackouts, or damage infrastructure. [REUTERS]
📝 Essay: AI and the Great Adaptation
Lately, there’s been a lot of talk and chatter around the “AI Job Crisis”.
Recent announcements from Canva, Shopify, and Fiverr have sparked conversations about the future of knowledge work, particularly how all of this fits in alongside AI.
The looming question that everyone is asking is: “Is AI going to take my job?”
It’s easy to get swept up in the fever pitch of the hype and immediately jump to pessimistic conclusions, but I think there’s a silver lining in all of this…
Let’s start with the facts.
In April 2025, over at Shopify, CEO Tobi Lütke announced a bold new hiring policy via an internal memo. Teams must now prove that a job cannot be performed by AI before requesting additional headcount. This AI-first approach reflects how they’re becoming more operationally efficient. [1]
In the same month, Canva, an Australian design software giant, laid off 10 of its 12 technical writers…
READ FULL POST BELOW 👇
🧐 Trivia of the Week
Last week’s question: What was the initial main purpose of the internet (ARPANET) when it was developed in the late 1960s?
Answer: Help share scientific papers. It was to enable sharing of computer resources and information among research institutions and universities, particularly those involved with the Department of Defense. This was especially crucial in the context of the Cold War, aiming to create a resilient communication network that could withstand potential attacks.
This week’s trivia:
The answer will be provided in next week’s newsletter.
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Barry.