Yet another startup wants to crack the LLM code but this time using light; optical pioneer Oriole Networks wants to train LLMs 100x faster with a fraction of the power
A couple of years ago, Israeli startup CogniFiber made headlines with Deeplight, a fiber-optic cable which could, “process complex algorithms within the fiber itself before the signal hits the terminal.” At the time, we warned this technology wouldn’t reach end users in the near future, and was unlikely to appear in laptops or smartphones anytime soon.
However, eeNews Embedded is now reporting on Oriole Networks, a UK-based startup using light for a different purpose – to create efficient networks of AI chips.
The technology can reportedly train LLMs up to 100 times faster than conventional methods while drastically reducing power usage, and this research aims to mitigate the growing energy consumption of data centers driven by the rapid expansion of AI workloads and the increasing demand for high-performance computing.
20 years of photonics research
“Our ambition is to create an ecosystem of photonic networking that can reshape this industry by solving today’s bottlenecks and enabling greater competition at the GPU layer. Building on decades of research, we’re paving the way for faster, more efficient, more sustainable AI,” said James Regan, CEO of Oriole Networks.
Advertisement
The company’s roots lie in optical network research from University College London (UCL) and Oriole’s unique IP is based on the work of founding scientists Professor George Zervas, Alessandro Ottino, and Joshua Benjamin.
The startup has already drawn attention from a number of investors keen to find solutions for AI’s increasing energy demands.
With plans to release its early-stage products by 2025, Oriole Networks hopes to reshape AI’s infrastructure by making it faster, more energy-efficient, and ultimately more sustainable.
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Advertisement
eeNews Embedded quotes Ian Hogarth, a member of Oriole’s board, and a partner at Plural which led the latest funding round, “Applying 20 years of deep research and learning in photonics to create a better AI infrastructure demonstrates how much more innovation there is to come to help reap the benefits of this technology,” he said.
“The team behind Oriole Networks has proven experience in both company building and bringing deep science to commercialization, creating a fundamental shift in the design of next-generation networked systems that will reduce latency and slash the energy impact of data centers on which we now rely.”
Connections is the latest puzzle game from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.
Some days are trickier than others. If you’re having a little trouble solving today’s Connections puzzle, check out our tips and hints below. And if you still can’t get it, we’ll tell you today’s answers at the very end.
In Connections, you’ll be shown a grid containing 16 words — your objective is to organize these words into four sets of four by identifying the connections that link them. These sets could encompass concepts like titles of video game franchises, book series sequels, shades of red, names of chain restaurants, etc.
There are generally words that seem like they could fit multiple themes, but there’s only one 100% correct answer. You’re able to shuffle the grid of words and rearrange them to help better see the potential connections.
Each group is color-coded. The yellow group is the easiest to figure out, followed by the green, blue, and purple groups.
Advertisement
Pick four words and hit Submit. If you’re correct, the four words will be removed from the grid and the theme connecting them will be revealed. Guess incorrectly and it’ll count as a mistake. You only have four mistakes available until the game ends.
We can help you solve today’s Connection by telling you the four themes. If you need more assistance, we’ll also give you one word from each group below.
Right now Best Buy is offering a great deal on the 43-inch Pioneer Xumo TV that we think is a must-have pickup if you’re in the market for an affordable 4K TV option.
Normally this TV retails for $270 at its full retail price. However, Best Buy is currently offering it for just $130. This is the same TV that was on sale for $150 back in September. So Best Buy has knocked the price down by another $20 to make it cheaper than ever. This is also the all-time low price based on price history over the past year.
Now most people probably think of affordable TV that are this low-priced as being low quality but that simply isn’t the case. Not these days. This is simply a good deal on a decent TV that won’t break the bank. It has a 43-inch screen and it’s 4K so it’s perfect for either a secondary room or a TV for the kids. It’s even a decent option as your main TV if you don’t have one and aren’t looking to spend a lot.
In addition to being a 4K TV, this is a smart TV as well. What that means if you’re new to smart TVs is that you will have access to all kinds of apps for streaming content. Whether you want to stream music or stream movies or TV, you’ll have options. You can install apps from all kinds of services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, YouTube, and more.
Advertisement
The Xumo TV is also compatible with Apple AirPlay and it supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio for better picture and sound quality. All-in-all, a great TV at a really great price.
It’s easier than ever to avoid finding yourself in a pickle because your phone (or another important device) has run out of juice. There are a ton of great on-the-go charging options now, and Anker is behind some of the . There’s a sale on Anker gear at Amazon at the minute, with the prices of some devices dropping by as much as 50 percent. For instance, Anker’s 633 10K magnetic power bank is .
This MagSafe-enabled charger has a 10,000mAh capacity, meaning it should be able to fully charge a Phone 16 Pro Max (which has a ) around twice over. The power bank has a built-in stand and you can position your phone horizontally on the MagSafe connector so you can watch videos or play games while it charges.
Anker
This MagSafe-enabled Anker charger has dropped by 50 percent to $40. It’s a convenient way to keep your iPhone battery topped up while you’re on the go.
While the MagSafe option is convenient, you can hook up your iPhone to the 20W Power Delivery port via a USB-C cable. Anker says this will charge your phone three times faster than you can via MagSafe. This port means you can also charge non-MagSafe devices with the power bank.
If you’re looking for a portable charger with a much larger capacity, the Anker Prime Power Bank could be an option. .
The soda can-sized power bank has a 27,650mAh capacity and a trifecta of charging ports: two USB-C and one USB-A. As you might imagine, this allows you to charge three devices simultaneously. Anker says the power bank can deliver up to 250W of power. This is said to include the ability to deliver up to 50 percent charge to a 16-inch M2 MacBook Pro in 28 minutes.
Advertisement
There are also some Prime exclusive deals as part of the sale. If you’re a member, you can secure a Prime Power Bank — fittingly enough — with a charging dock for . The base itself has dual USB-C charging ports and a USB-A one, and it can be used to top up the power bank’s battery.
In addition, you can get $9 off a convenient 10,000mAh charger with a built-in USB-C cable, a separate USB-C port and a foldable AC plug. It’s available in most colors outright , but oddly, the discount on the black option is only for Prime members.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More
I met Anton Gauffin in Israel years ago when he was running Huuuge, a social casino game with Finnish roots and with a big presence in Poland. He had a great ride, starting up in 2014 with a seasoned team, taking the company public in 2021 and generating more than $2 billion in lifetime revenue.
Now he’s moving on to chapter two, which involves a new startup called Beyond, which is making a fashion game called Decor Society using generative AI. Right now, he’s just teasing the new business and not saying much about it, but you can guess where some of it is going.
Huuuge was a latecomer to the social casino games market, but it grabbed market share with innovations in gameplay and by targeting the unexpected market of young gamers. Huuuge refreshed the look of traditional casino games for a new generation.
Advertisement
“There were many who said that you are late. We were looking at the landscape at that time, and we saw a lot of room for product innovation,” Gauffin said. “We had the viewpoint that the games called themselves social casino, but they provided very limited social functionality. I think we proved them wrong.”
A decade on, the company is still worth nearly $1 billion, and it is still a contender in that market.
The journey of Huuuge in the social casino games market.
In September 2023, Gauffin appointed Wojciech Wronowski as CEO and became executive chairman, giving up day-to-day management of a company he ran for nearly a decade. Reflecting on the success in an exclusive interview with GamesBeat, he saw the secret sauce as “being humble and hungry and having curiosity and energy to learn new all the time.”
Gauffin moved on, studied the booming generative AI market, and started the new startup Beyond, named to note he is moving beyond gaming and his past self. Social casino had its boom, but it was a niche in the market. Now he sees himself as a builder again.
“This is about having a chance to create something new that hopefully goes beyond what you’ve built so far,” Gauffin said. “For me, Beyond is all about hitting those wildest part of your imagination.”
Advertisement
Anton Gauffin is chairman of Huuuge and the founder of Beyond.
He added, “I’m turning 46. I love creating new things. I love innovation, and I love entertainment, and I love doing it together with amazingly talented, awesome people. This is a continuation of a longer journey where I’m evolving, and technology is evolving. It makes me say, ‘Wow!’”
His BeyondOS platform is powered by different AI diffusion models, and it is pointed at the market for designing home decor, much like the successful Electronic Arts game Design Home. Gauffin has assembled a team to make Decor Society as his next act.
Regarding leveraging AI, it’s going to be harder for existing companies. That’s why starting Beyond as a private company makes sense in a fast-moving market.
“I was mesmerized by the capabilities of Gen AI, and I’m surrounded with talented, amazing individuals,” Gauffin said. “I see things that used to take a massive amount of time and now they’re happening instantly.”
As for the decor space, it has been dominated by Design Home, but that product was created by Crowdstar, was acquired by Glu Mobile, which in turn was acquired by Electronic Arts. Gauffin doesn’t see much innovation in the space. And the company is addressing multiple interest verticals.
Advertisement
“The established apps are trying to monetize their existing audience rather than having the appetite to take bigger risks, innovate and invest,” he said. “There is a big opportunity for us to serve this audience better. We’re going to be providing hyper-personalized experiences.”
As an athlete entrepreneur (he played floorball), Gauffin believes in performance, and he felt he wanted to create better and more capable versions of himself. The call to create something new was too hard to resist. He felt that when he started GameLion in 2002, and again in 2014 and again during the past year.
“We are at the dawn of a new AI enhanced era and the opportunity to build a next-gen AI powered entertainment platform got my attention,” Gauffin said.
In his memories of a decade at Huuuge, he recalled there were tough decisions, and he had to lay off people. He became both an investor and entrepreneur. He has observed how people are spending more of their time engaging on digital platforms and how one operates in today’s reality has evolved a lot. Quality expectations continue to climb and being good is not enough.
Advertisement
Decor Society’s focus is on home decor fans.
“AI is here with us already today, this is one mega trend where the more time passes the more influential the AI impact on our society and market will be,” he said.
He said you have to embrace this change and be fast in using it to your advantage and deliver amazing results. He believes that in the era of AI, it makes sense to have a wild imagination and stretch your dreams. And he believes you have created the best team, not just the best individuals. He’s also excited about the capabilities of GenAI today and how it will grow in the next five to 10 years — and its coming impact on gaming and entertainment.
With Beyond and Decor Society, Gauffin believes that a more playable entertainment experience that looks and feels real is possible thanks to BeyondOS and how it will combine AI with the imagination of players who love interior design. It will turn their ideas, visions and passions into “hyperrealistic experiences that go way beyond static image tweaking and tuning.”
As for Decor Society, Gauffin poses the notion. “What if those images and experiences on Pinterest were composable and playable,” he said. “We are building a product that’s called Decor Society. And this will be the first release based on the BeyondOS.”
This experience will be social and bridge reality and fantasy, he said. It wouldn’t necessarily be categorized as a classic game. It’s not a foundational model, but an application layer on top.
Advertisement
“We have a big vision with Beyond. I do see us as an entertainment company. It’s AI meets entertainment,” he said.
Gauffin will seek out natural allies. The company is nurturing an engaged community. An open beta is not so far away.
“It’s a lot about building a team. At the end of the day, you are building team and capabilities. And the longer I’ve been in this space, the better my network has become. I have trusted and talented people to build something together,” Gauffin said. “I have had already operated as a founder for the last 10 years. So what I’ve learned is that it’s going to be a long journey to build and establish some something significant. And you have to manage your own expectations. You have to keep people excited but at the same time, if you oversell and don’t deliver, that’s not a good outcome.”
The company has 10 people now, mainly in Helsinki and Adelaide, with some in Berlin. Gauffin has invested money from his own family office, and he has investors including Play Ventures and Ilkka Teppo, the former CEO of Reworks.
Advertisement
As for the funk in the game industry as demand subsided after the pandemic, Gauffin saw compounding effects as people went outside and Apple focused on privacy over targeted advertising. He remains optimistic about the long-term outlook for games. But he added, “You will not be succeeding by what has already been done. You have to focus on a product and excel and innovate.”
Anton Gauffin’s journey with Huuuge.
That brings him back to thinking about “beyond games, beyond app stores.” There are new platforms arising like Telegram and the industry is evolving. Gaming takes mastery and understanding the audience, he said.
“Approaching AI as an opportunity from the entertainment point of view is the key to reach millions, if not billions of people,” he said.
With the unveiling of Beyond, Gauffin is looking for people that can help with the mission and help the company find its audience.
VB Daily
Advertisement
Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily
After a year, Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment has opened the gates to a mysterious location in the 2023 third-person horror hit Alan Wake 2, known as The Lake House. In this short DLC, released just in time for Halloween, players step into the shoes of Kiran Estevez, the long-suffering agent of the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control we meet in the main game, who allies with Alan Wake 2’s protagonists, Alan Wake and Saga Anderson. Set before the events of Alan Wake 2, The Lake House sees Kiran recounting a horrifying event at the titular location to Saga, yet the plot is almost firmly removed from the main game itself.
This is both a boon and a curse, depending on what you were looking for. But as a bridge to the continuation of Remedy’s grand connected universe narrative — which also includes the supernatural thriller Control — it’s ideal. Instead of waving goodbye to Alan and Saga, Remedy is extending a hand to take us on its next weird journey.
Kiran is investigating a research station, where FBC researchers, doctors Jules and Diana Marmont and their teams, are looking into the effects of Cauldron Lake. In Remedy’s lore, there is a connection between the power of creating “art” and the power of otherworldly forces to misuse such gifts.
The Marmonts are experimenting on a painter, Rudolf Lane, who some might remember from the main game. Lane’s creativity has a tendency to illustrate — and possibly create — the future, much as Alan’s writing did. (God forbid those two ever make a comic book together.) I won’t spoil what the Marmonts did, save to say they were monsters long before any otherworldly forces came into the frame. Regardless, the Lake House is suddenly cut off and unresponsive to FBC HQ, resulting in Kiran investigating with a small team.
Advertisement
Image: Remedy Entertainment
Remedy has been playing with a connected universe since Control, and the Lake House is a firm bridge backward and forward to that story. Of course, being an Alan Wake DLC, players can expect the solid third-person survival horror of the main game.
The Lake House, as a setting, is as unnerving as most of the spaces in Alan Wake 2. However, there’s more of a focus on the brutalist and office-space aesthetics from Control, without the outside or natural environments that dominated about half of the main game. In the eerily quiet office spaces, there are visual wonders like looping hallways and rooms of infinite typewriters, which have been programmed to “write” like Alan Wake.
That last quirk appears to be a clear jab by Remedy’s writers at AI slop, with a page of Alan’s real writing saying, “The art was not art. Just content for the experiment.” Indeed, the whole thesis of The Lake House is the misuse of art for the acquisition of some end product, rather than relishing in the beauty art can create. This is all the more obvious when you figure out who the villain is and who has created the new terrifying humanoid paint beasts that slither out of the walls. Remedy is not subtle in its disdain for the corporatization of creativity, the reconfiguration of art into a harvest field of bland capitalistic fervor. There’s no love lost and much hate gained in the Lake House’s story, outlining the interaction between artistic freedom and corporate control: a golden hand wrapped around imagination’s throat.
Advertisement
Image: Remedy Entertainment
To say too much about this already short game would spoil it, so I won’t go into detail about the clever set pieces that would feel right at home in Control. Let’s just say, light switches and motels make a welcome return, as does a familiar and powerful character.
Kiran, unfortunately, does not mechanically demonstrate any prowess fighting otherworldly beings, despite her years as an FBC agent. She plays no different to Saga or Alan Wake, once again using a flashlight to whittle down enemies’ shadowy armor before unloading a satisfying number of bullets into their bodies. There is also only one new enemy type: the aforementioned long-limbed painting creatures who can only be destroyed with a new weapon Kiran discovers late in the story.
I would’ve liked some new ability or mechanic that demonstrates her years of experience in dealing with the weird. Instead, this is relegated to her interactions with the odd object / entity, being able to quickly control her fear, and knowing how to deal with recurring “items” Control veterans like myself know all too well.
Advertisement
Much of the joy of the Lake House is discovering what occurred and experiencing the few floors for yourself. The DLC takes about two hours to complete. But in that short span of time, it made for not only a satisfying send-off of one of my favorite recent games but also a bridge back into the world of Control.
All signs seem to indicate Remedy will be taking the grand plot of this connected universe to an almost apocalyptic level. We can probably expect to see plenty of returning characters, including Kiran herself, as Remedy steers us through its creepy weird lake of stories.
The Lake House expansion for Alan Wake 2 is available now.
“It is very important to defend the Earth from asteroids and we need to prepare ourselves with a little bit of defence from the asteroids though they are not going to come and attack us like missiles, guns or laser beams but will simply come and hit us and can be dangerous,” remarked ISRO Chairman S Somanath while speaking on a Workshop on Planetary Defence on the sidelines of the International of International Asteroid Day 2024. He said that no one nation can defend the earth against the Asteroids alone and a joint effort of different nations in the world is needed to serve the purpose.
S Somanath added that India as a space-faring nation is very keen to work on this. Debate and discussions are required to save the Earth from any such kind of catastrophe.
Speaking at length on asteroids, Somanath said that there were lakhs of asteroids mainly between Mars and Jupiter. “Asteroids are small in size compared to the celestial bodies such as the Sun, the Moon and the planets but have huge energy. Some of them are as big as 1000 kilometers. They move at tremendous speeds and it is very important to understand them. Many missions have gone to asteroids and collected samples.
“It is more challenging to go to Asteroids when compared to other planetary objects such as the Moon as the Moon has a definite path around the Earth. Landing on an Asteroid is much more trickier because of their shape. However many many nations have done this which is remarkable,” said Somanath.
Advertisement
The ISRO chairman also recalled the Hollywood movie “Armageddon’ that focused on a large asteroid en route to Earth with the possibility to destroy life. He also recalled the June 30t incident in 1908 wherein a huge blast from an asteroid had flattened about 2200 square kilometre of forest destroying nearly 80 million trees in Tunguska a remote location in Siberia, Russia.
In accordance with the UN resolution in 2016, International Asteroid Day is celebrated to “observe each year at the international level the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia Russian Federation, on 30t June 1908 and to raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard”.
The workshop on planetary defence was the first of its kind in the country and aimed to raise awareness on the impact threats of asteroids, the importance of asteroids research for a better understanding of our universe and also inspire participants to find innovative solutions for planetary defence.
Planetary defence involves early detection of hazardous asteroids, their continual observation for better characterization and risk assessment and devising an appropriate risk mitigation strategy. Several scientific missions for asteroid exploration and sample return have improved the understanding of the asteroids and the recent successful demonstrations of kinetic impactor technology for asteroid deflection by DART mission has further spurred global interest in this field. Due to this, ISRO has also initiated focused activities towards planetary defence.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login