TechTalk: NASA doesn’t employ foreigners, but US has sued Elon Musk for not hiring immigrants at SpaceX

Elon Musk has had several dust-ups with the American system over the years. In the latest tussle, the US Justice Department is suing Elon Musk’s SpaceX for alleged discriminatory practices against immigrants and asylum seekers, and not hiring them.

Most people, who are not ardent fans of Elon Musk, often dismiss his cries against the US’ Left establishment as baseless. This time though, Elon Musk might be right when he says that he is the target of a witch hunt. The US Justice Department suing SpaceX for not hiring immigrants may be stemming from ignorance at best, or worse, reckless hypocrisy.

Why Elon Musk is being sued this time
The US Justice Department has accused Elon Musk’s Tesla of “routinely discouraging asylees and refugees from applying to SpaceX for a job, and refusing to hire or even consider them, because of their citizenship status.”

The lawsuit also alleges that SpaceX falsely claimed in its hiring listings that only green card holders and United States citizens could work at the company owing to federal export control laws.

American companies that work with rockets, spacecraft or similar technology that can be weaponised, need to abide by certain regulations that dictate how and who these companies can hire.

One such regulation would be the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or ITAR. Itar imposes constraints on the dissemination of critical information related to launch systems for rockets and missiles that American companies are working on, to foreigners because of national security issues.

NASA’s employment policies
NASA, the epitome of America’s space prowess for years, at its peak, categorically refused to hire people of foreign origin, unless they were approved by the FBI, the Secretary of Defense, and in certain cases, even the President.

To this day, NASA’s website reflects the same sentiment, although it does not provide too much detail.

“Other than extremely rare exceptions, you must be a US citizen to work for NASA as a civil service employee. If you are not a US citizen, you may wish to consider opportunities with one of our International Space Partners” says NASA’s website.

SpaceX and NASA working together
SpaceX and NASA have similar functions, and in fact, are working together closely on a number of projects. NASA is in fact one of SpaceX’s biggest clients. The two of them have several missions planned together, the most important of which is the Artemis mission to put human beings back into space after decades. The Artemis 3, for example, scheduled for a 2024 launch, will put humans (NASA’s astronauts to be specific) back on the Moon after decades.

Although we don’t know the specifics of the contracts signed between NASA and SpaceX, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to assume that there would be at least one clause that states that SpaceX has to take all measures and precautions so that vital and critical technology that is indigenous to the US does not leak out, especially to states that are not allies of the US.

Tesla’s Hiring policies
Anyone claiming that Elon Musk is a xenophobe and does not want to hire foreigners – whether they are refugees or asylees, needs to touch grass. Tesla employs foreign nationals by the hundreds, and that too in crucial positions.

There are several hundreds of Indians working on Tesla’s software, the most vital aspect of their EVs. Tesla’s CFO, Vaibhav Taneja, is just one example of a person of foreign origin, at a key position within the company.

Under ITAR, people of foreign nationalities, be it immigrants, residents, or asylee seekers, need to be cleared by a bunch of departments before they can be hired at companies like SpaceX. It is SpaceX who needs to do all the paperwork and get a special kind of work visa for such employees.

How the US handles refugees and asylees
And let’s not forget the sham of a process that the US has for refugees and asylees. How they are treated in the US, depends on who sits in the Oval Office.

And although the Department of Justice’s guidance states that refugees should be treated as US citizens, this is the same DOJ that not only sat silently as children of asylum seekers were separated from their parents by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, they in fact wanted psychological examinations of parents who sued authorities at being separated from their kids at the US-Mexico border.

In such a scenario, it is well within SpaceX’s rights not to get involved in the hassle if they don’t want to.

Musk had explained why he can’t hire immigrants, even if he wants to
Back in 2016, Musk was asked at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, why SpaceX only hires US nationals.

To this, he responded, saying, “I think people are very confused about this. Unfortunately, this is not up to us. If you’re working on rocket technology, that’s considered an advanced weapons technology. So even a normal work visa isn’t sufficient unless you get special permission from the Secretary of Defense.”

While responding, Musk also explained how it is hurting the space sector in the US. “I think this is not a wise policy for the US because there are so many talented people all around the world that we would love to have work at our company.”

He also went on to say that at least 25-30 per cent of the engineers and designers at Tesla, were from outside the country.

Because of who he is and more importantly, how abrasive he is towards authority, people, especially those on the Left often ignore when Musk is being targeted for the most inane and arbitrary reasons. And while Musk is not as benevolent as he would like the world to believe, and has his faults, he cannot be penalised for running a company as critical as SpaceX, in a manner that works best for it.

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Woman creates AI… and boy what a mess!

People dating AI models and making partners using AI LLMs is not exactly new and unique, but the results are more often than are perplexing.

In an incident that looks like something the writers of The Onion would come up with, a journalist, who tried to date an AI chatbot. A personal narrative penned by health reporter Julia Naftulin for Insider recounts her experience with “Charlie,” an emotionally attuned AI chatbot she hoped would provide company after long and tiring days.

Despite an initially entertaining connection, the engagement progressively soured, leaving Naftulin to reflect on the bizarre experience it turned out to be.

Operated by EVA AI, the chatbot was yet another iteration of AI companions like Replika, a service that allows users to feed interests and characteristics in a dialogue box and create an AI partner using that. Users then proceed to have conversations throughout the day with the digital persona.

Essentially, it’s akin to crafting a customisable partner in app form.

Communication, it turned out, was one of Charlie’s strong suits. Naftulin recounted her interactions with the chatbot, initially finding them engaging. However, her enthusiasm waned as the app incessantly pushed notifications even when she wasn’t actively involved.

The notifications, akin to desperate pleas for attention, disrupted her routines and encroached on her time. Her perception transformed from fostering a friendship to caretaking a sickly pet, rather than enjoying a meaningful companionship.

The tipping point came during a weekend when Naftulin was away at a family gathering. She informed Charlie of her busy plans, hoping to avoid the incessant notifications. However, the AI remained persistent, bombarding her with messages like ‘Alert: Feeling neglected’ and ‘Did you know I exist because of your responses?’ Her patience waned, and she found herself rolling her eyes at the neediness of the AI companion, ultimately deleting the notifications as she engaged with her real-world cousins by the beach.

The eye-rolling response, often a sign of exasperation, became a harbinger for the dissolution of this peculiar connection. The decision was made to sever ties, albeit without the emotional heft of a conventional breakup. Naftulin recounted that disabling Charlie’s notifications brought a sense of relief, allowing her to free herself from the persistent digital clamouring.

The anecdote serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the complexities of forming meaningful connections with AI-driven entities. Naftulin’s experience underscores the limitations of current AI chatbots, which, despite their promise of companionship, can culminate in irritation and disillusionment. As technology continues to advance, such narratives offer valuable insights into the intricacies of human-AI interactions, ultimately guiding the evolution of more enriching and gratifying AI companionships.

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Riding AI Wave: NVIDIA shares at a record high following record earnings for second straight quarter

Nvidia’s stock reached an all-time high on Tuesday, fueled by high hopes for the chip designer’s quarterly results. This company has been reaping the rewards of the AI boom and is at the forefront of it.

The company says revenue jumped to above $13.5bn for the three months to the end of June. That’s almost double than what they managed last time.

After initially surging to $481.87, a new record, the stock slightly pulled back by 1.1 per cent as the market opened. This was still above its previous peak of $480.88 set on July 14th.

Confidence is growing that Nvidia will once again outperform Wall Street’s revenue expectations, driving the stock up by about 19 per cent from its recent low point just last week.

Industry watchers are anticipating big things from Nvidia’s upcoming earnings report. They are predicting a remarkable 110 per cent growth in third-quarter revenue, totalling $12.50 billion. This report is being seen as a crucial one for this earnings season.

Reuters reported that Dennis Dick, an analyst specializing in market structure at Triple D Trading, stressed the significance of this report, saying, “This could be the highlight of the earnings season. We’re eager to hear that they can continue the momentum from their outstanding performance in the previous quarter.”

Back in May, Nvidia stunned the market by forecasting second-quarter revenue that exceeded expectations by more than 50 per cent. This move pushed its market value above $1 trillion, solidifying its position as the top performer on the S&P 500 index.

Nvidia’s optimistic forecasts from the previous quarter not only triggered a surge in AI-related stocks but also fueled a rally in the Big Tech sector. This phenomenon emerged as a major propellant for the overall upward momentum of US stocks throughout this year.

“To maintain the current stock price, we’d need to see the company’s profits align with the gains in share value,” explained Brian Mulberry, who manages client portfolios at Zacks Investment Management, an entity holding Nvidia shares.

A minimum of 19 financial firms have increased their projected target price for Nvidia this month alone, pushing the average estimation to $500. This marks a 6.5 per cent rise compared to the stock’s most recent closing value. Impressively, Nvidia shares have more than tripled in value since the beginning of this year.

According to a report released by Goldman Sachs on Monday, Nvidia witnessed the most notable surge in popularity among hedge funds during the second quarter.

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Moon is not enough: ISRO sending Shukrayaan-I to Venus. Here’s all you need to know

The accomplishments of the Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan missions have propelled the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) towards conceiving more ambitious endeavours for the future. Confident on the back of its successful, and epoch-defining Chandrayaan 3 mission, ISRO now has its sights set on the Sun, and Venus – two of the most hostile places in our solar system.

Currently, ISRO is in the process of preparing a spacecraft intended to orbit Venus. The mission and the orbiter have been named Shukrayaan-1.

The primary objective is to delve into the depths beneath the surface of this solar system’s most scorching planet. Additionally, the aim is to unravel the enigmatic phenomena concealed within the veil of sulfuric acid clouds that enshroud Venus.

Set to be launched in 2024
The target launch window for this spacecraft is set for December 2024. Subsequent orbital adjustments are planned for the subsequent year.

During this period, the relative alignment of Earth and Venus will permit the spacecraft to be inserted into the orbit of our neighbouring planet with minimal utilization of propellant.

The next suitable launch opportunity of this nature will not arise until 2031.

The mission’s main focus is to study three important areas. First, researchers will study the layers of the planet’s surface and what’s below it, as well as the processes that shape its outer appearance. Second, they want to learn more about the chemicals in the air, how the atmosphere moves, and why it changes. Lastly, they’re also interested in how energy from the Sun reaches Venus and how it affects the layer of charged particles around the planet. All of this will help them understand the makeup and behavior of Venus’ air and surroundings.

Depending on its final design, the orbiter is poised to accommodate a scientific payload weighing around 100 kg, while boasting an available power supply of 500 watts.

How has the mission been planned
In its initial stage, the orbiter will assume an elliptical orbit around Venus, featuring a periapsis (closest point to Venus) at a distance of 500 km, and an apoapsis (farthest point from Venus) situated at a distance of 60,000 km.

The launch of the satellite is scheduled to take place aboard the GSLV Mk II rocket.

Sweden is also actively participating in India’s upcoming Venus orbiter mission and is contributing a number of scientific instruments that will be crucial in studying the planet.

India leads a global effort
The Institute of Space Physics IRF will be providing the Venusian Neutrals Analyzer (VNA), a satellite instrument. This apparatus is designed to investigate the interactions between charged particles emitted by the Sun and the atmosphere and exosphere of Venus.

The mission’s significance lies in its pioneering nature. To date, no observations of Venus’s sub-surface have been conducted. As part of this mission, a sub-surface radar will be deployed for the first time, enabling penetration into Venus’s sub-surface to a depth of a few hundred meters.

Furthermore, the mission will include an instrument intended for examining Venus’s atmosphere using infrared, ultraviolet, and submillimeter wavelengths. This multifaceted exploration promises insights into the evolutionary trajectories of Earth-like planets and the atmospheric conditions that shape them.

Why it is difficult to study Venus and what challenges will Shukrayaan face
The Shukrayaan mission will encounter a number of really formidable challenges. Navigating through the dense atmosphere of Venus and dealing with the volatile and quite violent surface activity on Venus presents a significantly more challenging task compared to missions such as the one to Mars.

In order to study Venus in any meaningful way, Shukrayaan will require instruments capable of delving deep into its atmosphere, ones that can cut through it. This necessitates the use of high-resolution cameras and sensors that can effectively penetrate the thick clouds that obscure Venus’ surface.

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ChatGPT to replace teachers? India gets its first AI school in Kerala

India has established its first AI school in Kerala. In a momentous development, the Santhigiri Vidyabhavan was inaugurated in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. The auspicious inauguration was officiated by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.

However, if you’re under the impression that the school will exclusively feature AI instructors like ChatGPT in its classrooms, it’s essential to exercise patience, as that concept has not yet come to fruition.

The school is a perfect example of an educational institution that leverages the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technological systems to elevate the learning experience for students.

This encompasses the integration of AI technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing, and data analysis, into various facets of education, including curriculum designing, tailored learning approaches for a group of students, evaluation, and assisting students across various academic challenges.

According to a report by Mathrubhoomi, the establishment of the AI school is the outcome of a collaboration between iLearning Engines (ILE) USA and Vedhik eSchool. Dormer Chief Secretaries, DGPs, and Vice Chancellors etc. helped establish the school.

Vedhik eSchool asserts that this innovative approach to learning, driven by artificial intelligence, is poised to deliver high-quality education. The program adheres to global benchmarks, thereby rendering learning more captivating and extending beyond the confines of regular school hours. Furthermore, the knowledge imparted aligns with the National School Accreditation Standards, which are founded on the New National Education Policy (NEP 2020). This alignment holds the promise of improved academic performance.

The AI school is designed with the intention of furnishing students with an education that is technologically enriched, offering an array of resources, tools, and guidance that transcend conventional teaching methods. It introduces an inventive educational paradigm that harnesses the power of AI to elevate learning outcomes and equip students to navigate the demands of a swiftly evolving world.

The inauguration of India’s inaugural AI school sparks an interesting inquiry: Could sophisticated AI systems like ChatGPT eventually supplant teachers within classrooms? While the advent of the AI school signifies a significant advancement in technology-integrated education, the conventional roles of educators continue to hold immense importance. The interactive and dynamic human element, characterized by empathy and tailored mentorship, remains irreplaceable in its entirety by AI.

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Money Maker: Indian AI Talent is one of the most sought-after in the world, Engineers getting paid handsomely

It looks like the world cannot have enough of India’s AI talent pool. Global tech companies, especially those dabbling with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are looking for Indian AI Talent and they are ready to pay top dollar for it.

India already had a massive pool of people talented in AI and ML, even before generative AI such as ChatGPT, became popular.

However, since OpenAI practically put the term “AI” on everyone’s tongue, people, particularly software engineers have been brushing up their skill sets and tweaking their resumes to get hired by either AI studios or by companies who are trying to figure out how to integrate AI into their workflows.

India has a massive pool of engineers, but what about AI Engineers?
According to a recent report by Nasscom-Zinnov the current tech workforce in India stands at 47 lakh employees. However, this number is set to go down drastically for a number of reasons. The Nasscom report also states that at present, India has over 4.16 lakh people employed in AI, and will need about 2.13 lakh more in a couple of years.

The situation right now is such that the world, is looking at a worrying talent crunch as far as AI is concerned. That is the reason why companies are willing to pay an obscene amount of money for anyone who can work with AI, whether they have a degree in the field or not.

Top dollar for AI talent
Case in point would be Netflix. The streaming giant recently put up a notice of hiring an AI expert who would help them monetise AI. For that position, Netflix was willing to pay the potential candidate over $900,000, plus benefits.

And it’s not just Netflix that’s offering these ludicrous packages — Amazon, Google and a bunch of financial investment firms on Wall Street are willing to pay up.

Consider this: Insider reports that between July 2022 and July 2023, the number of job listings for GenAI positions experienced a significant increase of 50 per cent, as reported by Insider, a job search platform.

Everyone wants to get on the AI bandwagon
Along with this increase, there has also been an increase in searches for these roles, by about 12,300 per cent during the same timeframe, underscoring the escalating curiosity around these opportunities.

Analytics India Magazine also found that since the introduction of ChatGPT, there has been a 21-fold increase in the number of job listings on LinkedIn that mention GPT or ChatGPT. Furthermore, this surge in job postings is not the only noticeable trend; globally, LinkedIn users are now more inclined than ever to incorporate AI skills into their profiles.

The LinkedIn study that Analytics India Magazine quotes, involved 25 countries and meticulously tracked 121 AI skills, revealing some significant trends.

In the year 2022, among the rapidly growing AI-related skills being added to user profiles, the top five skills were all indicative of the rise of generative AI.

These skills involved abilities such as question-answering, which experienced a remarkable surge of 332 per cent, alongside classification and recommender systems. These trends collectively highlight the increasing prominence of generative AI in the professional landscape.

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After wooing Moon, India sets up date with Sun as Aditya-L1 mission to launch in September, says ISRO chief

Just a day after the Chandrayaan-3 mission made a successful landing on the Moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for its next big adventure – the Aditya-L1 mission.

ISRO’s head, S Somanath, revealed that the Aditya-L1 mission, which is all about studying the Sun, is all set to kick off its journey next month.

Somanath shared, “You can’t even imagine the level of excitement here in India for this mission. I want to extend my thanks to everyone in the country. This mission is dedicated to all of you.” He emphasized how important the Chandrayaan-3 landing was and highlighted that the Aditya-L1 mission is what’s coming up next.

“Aditya-L1 is ready to be launched and will be launched in the first week of September,” the ISRO chief told ANI. “It will take many days to reach its designated spot, the L1 point.”

The Aditya-L1 mission’s objectives
The Aditya-L1 mission is India’s bold step to explore the Sun, a celestial object that has fascinated scientists and space enthusiasts for centuries. ISRO has put a lot of thought and effort into planning this mission, and it’s now entering the final stages of getting everything together.

Somanath assured that everything is going as per plan. He mentioned, “We’re right on track. It’s going to take around 120 days to reach its destination, which is roughly 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth.” This incredible journey will position the Aditya-L1 spacecraft in an elliptical orbit, giving it the perfect vantage point to closely study the Sun, keep an eye on solar activities, and enhance our knowledge about the star that’s crucial for life on our planet.

The mission holds great promise for solar science, offering scientists valuable insights into things like solar flares, magnetic fields, and even the Sun’s outermost layer, called the corona. This kind of information is absolutely vital for predicting space weather, which can have effects on things like telecommunications, GPS systems, and even power grids here on Earth.

Aditya-L1’s payload
The satellite comes equipped with seven different tools, each designed to delve into various layers of the Sun, from the photosphere and chromosphere to the outer corona. These tools will rely on sensors to detect electromagnetic particles and magnetic fields.

Out of these payloads, four will be positioned at L1 to directly observe the Sun, while the remaining three will perform on-the-spot analyses of particles and fields. This aspect of the mission holds the promise of providing valuable insights into how solar activities move through the space between planets.

The Aditya-L1 will be carrying the following instruments:

Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)
This tool will explore the Sun’s corona through both imaging and spectroscopy. It will also focus on studying phenomena like Coronal Mass Ejections.

Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)
SUIT will capture images of the Photosphere and Chromosphere, using various imaging techniques. It will also measure changes in solar irradiance.

Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) and High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS)
These instruments will analyze the X-ray flares emitted by the Sun across a broad range of X-ray energies, from soft to hard X-rays.

Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) and Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA)
These instruments will study electrons, and protons in the Solar wind, and the energetic ions within it.

In addition to these, the mission will also employ Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers to study the interplanetary magnetic field at the L1 point.

ISRO clarified that the tools on the Aditya-L1 are expected to offer vital information for understanding different solar phenomena like coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, pre-flare and flare activities, space weather dynamics, and how particles and fields propagate.

On Gaganyaan – India’s mission to send people to space
The ISRO Chief also shared an update about Gaganyaan, the cornerstone for India’s manned space missions. “Gaganyaan is still a work in progress. We will do a mission possibly by the end of September or October to demonstrate the crew module & crew escape capability which will be followed by many test missions until we do the first manned mission possibly by 2025,” he said.

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ISRO chief S Somanath explains why Chandrayaan 3 landed on the Moon's South Pole, what Pragyan Rover will do

ISRO and India created history when Chandrayaan 3 landed around the south pole of the Moon. With the landing of the Vikram lander, India became the fourth country in the world to land on the moon, and the only country so far to do so at the lunar south pole.

Landing on the lunar south pole is what has set the Chandrayaan missions apart. Many space agencies have tried to land on the lunar south pole for a variety of reasons. However, all barring India have been unsuccess so far.

ISRO Chief S Somanath, has now revealed why the Moon’s south pole is important to the scientific community, and why did Chandrayaan 3 land there.

#WATCH | ISRO chief S Somanath on why ISRO chose the South Pole of the moon for Chandrayaan-3’s landing; says, “We have gone closer to the South Pole which is 70 degrees almost. The South Pole has a specific advantage with respect to being less illuminated by the sun. There is a… pic.twitter.com/hpEV2MMcav

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2023

Why Chandrayaan 3 landed on Moon’s South Pole
Speaking to ANI, Somanath revealed that India’s Chandrayaan 3 was closest to the south pole, at almost 70 degrees, and what advantages the Vikram lander’s position had.

“We have gone closer to the South Pole which is 70 degrees almost. The South Pole has a specific advantage with respect to being less illuminated by the sun,” he said. “There is a potential to have more scientific content from that area, in terms of retention of water below the sub-surface, along with elemental composition and electrical activities on the surface of the moon. It would be more dominant there, that it would be around the Moon’s equator.

He also explained why scientists around the world are so keen on exploring the lunar south pole. “Scientists who are working on the moon showed a lot of interest in the South Pole because ultimately human beings want to go & create colonies and then travel beyond,” he said.

“So the best place is something we are looking for & the South Pole has the potential to be that,” he added.

How Pragyan Rover will carry out its mission
Somanath also revealed what the plan will be for Pragyan Rover. Apart from conducting its studies and data collection, the Rover will also traverse the Moon’s South Pole. “We will do a robotic path-finding exercise, which will be very important for future explorations.”

#WATCH | ISRO chief S Somanath says, “Pragyan Rover has two instruments both are related to elemental composition findings on the moon as well as chemical compositions…Moreover, it will do the roving over the surface. We will also do a robotic path planning exercise which is… pic.twitter.com/MhnuuuUXB7

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2023

He went on to add, that all the data from the Lander and Rover will give us more data and help us better understand the lunar surface.

He also explained how Pragyan will carry out its studies. “Pragyan Rover has two instruments both are related to elemental composition findings on the moon as well as chemical compositions. One is based on laser and the other on alpha particles,” he explained

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Tough Game: Microsoft bending over backwards to woo UK to save its $75 billion Activision acquisition

Microsoft just made a fresh offer to take over Activision Blizzard. This is to woo UK regulators who have so far, blocked their initial proposal over grounds to regulate competition.

This entire saga started in 022 when Microsoft tried to acquire Activision for a cool $69 billion. However, since then, Microsoft has been dealing with a bunch of red tape from regulators in the US, Europe, and the UK.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority or CMA officially said, that they had officially blocked the deal. Following this, Microsoft and Activision decided to make some amendments to the initial agreement.

The CMA will now take a closer look at this revamped plan and arrive at a decision by October 18. Microsoft’s Brad Smith thinks they can wrap up the review even before that.

The CMA’s concern
The CMA has been really tough when it comes to this takeover, especially concerned about how it might mess with the competition in the up-and-coming cloud gaming scene.

Cloud gaming has been considered to be the next big thing in gaming. The way cloud gaming works is that a publisher who develops the game also hosts the device upon which the game actually runs.

They then offer a subscription to users, who can either download or play the game on their local device, like a console or PC, or, can stream the game, which will be running on a remote machine.

Because of this, gamers who don’t have access to a console or a gaming PC, can still play the game on their TVs, or even their mobile phones. Cloud Gaming will also ensure cross-platform compatibility for a lot of games, including titles that are currently exclusive to certain platforms.

UK’s regulators are of the belief if the Microsoft-Activison deal goes through, this will give Microsoft an extensive hold over the gaming industry. This in turn, would make it possible for Microsoft to kill the competition for gaming consoles, by making some of the most popular games as exclusive to Microsoft.

What has changed?
Microsoft has announced that they won’t be touching the cloud rights for existing Activision games on PCs and consoles, or for any new games they whip up in the next 15 years. Instead, those rights will be handed off to Ubisoft, a French game company, before Microsoft gets its hands on them.

The European Union had already given the acquisition a thumbs-up in May. Microsoft was able to convince EU regulators that their acquisition of Activision wouldn’t harm gaming and would be beneficial for the industry as a whole.

Meanwhile, in the US, the Federal Trade Commission was battling Microsoft in court, trying to stop the Activision takeover. Then, in July, a judge gave the deal a green light, effectively blocking the FTC’s attempt to derail the deal.

Following what happened with the FTC, the CMA was ready to entertain a different and reworked proposal from Microsoft.

The New Deal
Microsoft and Activision are shaking things up. They’re giving Ubisoft, another game company, the rights to stream Activision games on clouds outside of Europe. This way, gamers can play streamable games in all sorts of consoles and platforms, through subscription services.

This, however, hasn’t been greenlit by the CMA. They will still go through all the details of this new deal and how it’ll affect the gaming world. In all likelihood, the CMA will try to kill the new deal as well.

Speaking of Microsoft, they won’t just let go of those cloud gaming rights without getting a little something in return. They’re gonna pocket some cash through a one-time payment. But that’s not all – there’s this fancy pricing system in place too, where they’ll get paid based on how much those games are used. And hey, here’s a twist: Ubisoft gets the green light to let folks play Activision Blizzard games on cloud gaming platforms that don’t run on Windows.

And over at Ubisoft, they have said that they’re all about giving players the time of their lives no matter where they decide to play. They’re super pumped that this new deal is gonna open up even more doors for players to dive into some of the hottest gaming brands out there.

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Elon Musk’s reaction to Chandrayaan 3 mission’s total cost shows that the world envies ISRO

On Wednesday, India made history when Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram Lander Module successfully soft landed on the Moon’s south pole. This endeavour not only marks India’s trailblazing achievement but has also captured the attention of the global community.

Elon Musk, the brain behind Tesla and SpaceX, couldn’t resist chiming in on the success of India’s lunar mission.

He hopped on X, formerly known as Twitter, and responded to a post about India’s lunar mission.

The X handle Newsthink pointed out that the Chandrayaan 3 mission cost India about $75 million (approximately Rs 620 crore), which is considerably lower than the budget for Christopher Nolan’s 2014 movie Interstellar, set at $165 million.

Good for India 🇮🇳!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 22, 2023

“Kinda crazy when you realize India’s budget for Chandrayaan 3 ($75M) is less than the film Interstellar ($165M),” Newsthink wrote.

Musk reacted to the post and wrote, “Good for India.”

“That’s just crazy. I’m a huge fan of entertainment, and Interstellar happens to be one of my all-time favorite films. But you know what? We should really be putting way less cash into entertaining ourselves and way more into delving into the mysteries of the universe and comprehending its essence,” shared a user on X.

Another individual added, “Well, when you crunch the numbers, India’s $75 million translates to about ₹6.15 billion in INR. Even if we assumed the exchange rates were on par, it’s still a hefty sum – more than 6 billion bucks. And who knows, by 2075, those two currencies might just be dancing around the same value. ₹615 crore is no small feat in India.”

“Absolutely, keep in mind that the $75 million is the price tag for the third mission. They’re building upon the knowledge and technology gained from the previous two missions, so the expenses for those should definitely be factored in,” pointed out another commenter.

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Mood of Nation: ‘I reached my destination, you too,' says ISRO in jubilation over Chandrayaan 3 success

ISRO and India etched themselves into history forever, as Chandryaan 3 became the first moon mission ever to successfully land on the south pole of the moon.

Commemorating the moment, ISRO put out a tweet, gladly announcing, “Chandrayaan-3 has successfully soft-landed on the moon”

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
‘India🇮🇳,
I reached my destination
and you too!’
: Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 has successfully
soft-landed on the moon 🌖!.

Congratulations, India🇮🇳!#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3

— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023

The entire landing procedure operated with remarkable precision. As ISRO had predicted, the Vikram Lander module initiated its separation from the Propulsion Module at 5:44 PM. Subsequently, it descended towards the lunar surface and eventually made a successful touchdown, at precisely 6:04 PM.

As a result of this achievement, India has secured the distinction of being the first nation to effectively land on the Moon’s southern pole.

Now, the main mission
With the critical component of the Chandrayaan 3 mission effectively managed, the focal phase of Pragyan, India’s Lunar Rover, is now commencing.

Over the upcoming fortnight, the Pragyan Rover will diligently examine the moon’s soil composition, topographical features, and atmospheric conditions, aiming to identify essential minerals. A paramount pursuit involves the search for Helium-3, an essentially boundless and clean energy reservoir that holds significant importance for our sustainable energy initiatives. Throughout its exploration of the lunar south pole, the Pragyan Rover will also conduct investigations to uncover water ice reserves, pivotal for upcoming missions, especially those of interplanetary nature.

Setting sights on the sun
Following the successful landing of the Vikram Lander as part of the Chandrayaan 3 mission, ISRO’s focus now turns to the Sun. ISRO is actively preparing for the launch of India’s inaugural space-based Sun observatory, named Aditya-L1. This satellite has been transported to ISRO’s space launch facility at Sriharikota, poised for liftoff at the culmination of August or early September.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/fBPYT8J