SXSW: What was launched in artificial intelligence at the US innovation fair

SXSW 2024: what was launched in artificial intelligence at the US innovation fair

Event that brings together technology, entertainment, business and arts, takes place in the city of Austin, Texas (USA), between March 8th and 16th

Anna Gabriela Costa / Terra

SXSW 2024 in Austin highlights innovations in AI, gaming and healthcare

The 38th edition of South by Southwest (SXSW), an event that brings together technology, entertainment, business and arts, takes place in the city of Austin, Texas (USA), between March 8 and 16, 2024.

As it could not be otherwise, artificial intelligence has been one of the main themes of the meeting, which brings together several leaders in the technology and marketing sector.

AI continues to progress, with new applications emerging across all sectors, transforming business and everyday life.

At the event, the main technologies that will govern 2024 were discussed, also based on a report from the MIT Technology Review, which highlighted 10 innovations for this year. Check out the main ones:

Chiplets
Chiplets are smaller chips specialized in a specific task, made to operate together with multiple units that will form the “traditional chip” as we know it — these “pieces” work like Lego, allowing the manufacturer to scale the power of a processor by adding more or less chiplets.

First gene editing treatment
The gene-editing tool CRISPR has gained its first regulatory approval to treat sickle cell disease, marking a turning point in the treatment of genetic diseases. Today, there are already some types of gene therapy available for the treatment of specific diseases. However, none of them directly involve the CRISPR method, as is the case with Casgevy. Here, CRISPR is used ex vivo, that is, stem cells are removed from the patient’s bone marrow, genetically edited and, later, reintroduced. Considering sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia, both diseases are caused by the gene called BCL11A, which affects the production of hemoglobin — the proteins in red blood cells used to transport oxygen through the circulatory system. Then, CRISPR is used to cut out this problematic gene, making the individual’s own cells able to produce functional hemoglobins. Read more here.

Apple Vision Pro
Equipped with two screens with more pixels than a 4K TV for each eye and an advanced spatial audio system, the Vision Pro will offer more immersion with differences such as Environments and original Apple TV+ programs in 3D such as Encounter Dinosaurs. Apple Vision Pro is the ultimate entertainment device. Users can turn any place into the best seat in the house, enjoy concerts and personal adventures with Apple Immersive Video, interact with realistic prehistoric creatures in Encounter Dinosaurs, and even land on the surface of the moon using Environments. It’s unlike anything users have seen so far, and we can’t wait for them to experience it for themselves,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

Geothermal systems
The U.S. Energy Information Administration defines geothermal energy as coming from heat produced continuously inside the Earth. Thus, geothermal heat is used to take baths, to heat buildings and to generate electricity. Underground geothermal reservoirs can even be used in other heating and cooling applications. It is the difference between the temperature at the Earth’s core and the surface that drives a continuous conduction of thermal energy from the center to the outside of the planet. This type of energy can be used at low or high temperatures. In the first case, water naturally heated by the Earth is used directly for heating in houses, buildings or to provide heat in industrial processes. In the other mode, geothermal wells are drilled into reservoirs of hot water or steam near the surface. The extracted steam or hot water is used to generate electricity in geothermal plants. Read more here.

Heat Pumps
Researchers at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, have developed a new type of heat pump capable of reducing the carbon footprint during the biogas production process. It is estimated that this technique will be able to reduce pollutant emissions by more than 36%. According to scientists, this discovery could help in the decarbonization of electrical grids, allowing isolated communities to produce their own energy that they consume locally, without depending on distribution networks or other polluting systems to generate electricity. Read more here.

Twitter Killers
Applications and platforms that emerge as alternatives to Twitter, attracting audiences and advertisers unhappy with the changes implemented on the platform.