Robinhood Co-Founder Launches Space-Based Solar Power Startup Called Aetherflux - 1

Photo by Braňo on Unsplash

Robinhood Co-Founder Launches Space-Based Solar Power Startup Called Aetherflux

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Baiju Bhatt launched this Wednesday his new startup Aetherflux
  • The company’s mission is to “commercialize space solar power,” with a revolutionary approach
  • The billionaire was inspired by Isaac Asimov’s short story “Reason”

Robinhood’s co-founder Baiju Bhatt announced this Wednesday that he is launching a new startup called Aetherflux. The company’s mission is to “commercialize space solar power.”

According to the article shared on Medium , Bhatt wants to develop innovative and revolutionary space-based solar technology to reach even remote places with a sustainable approach.

“Our mission is to commercialize space solar power. If we succeed, we unlock a renewable energy source for humanity that can be delivered virtually anywhere,” wrote the billionaire entrepreneur.

Bhatt shared his personal journey in building the investing platform Robinhood, where he served as CEO until 2020. He also mentioned that he stepped away from the startup in March to focus on his new project.

The “audacious” idea to build this company comes from literature. Bhatt explained that he was inspired by Isaac Asimov’s short story “Reason” written in 1941. However, Aetherflux will go for a modern approach applying different techniques to the ones already developed.

“We’re building a constellation of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit, working together to transmit power to many small ground stations,” explained Bhatt. “Instead of transmitting power through microwaves, we’ll use infrared lasers, allowing for higher power output and smaller footprints on Earth. This isn’t your grandfather’s space solar power concept.”

Bhatt expressed his optimism regarding the current space technologies and energy developments and how it’s now cheaper and more advanced, allowing his idea to have more viability. He also noted that with the AI boom, this project could be a potential solution for the growing energy needs. The entrepreneur also shared a link with open positions for those who want to join the project.

According to Forbes , Bhatt’s net worth is around $1.7 billion, and, as reported by TechCrunch , he has invested millions of his own capital in building Aetherflux.

Zoom Will Allow Your AI Avatar To Communicate With Your Team - 2

Image from Freepik

Zoom Will Allow Your AI Avatar To Communicate With Your Team

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Zoom introduced AI Companion 2.0 to enhance task management and organization.
  • Users can create custom avatars for sending video messages to teams.
  • Avatars will use AI to mimic users’ appearance and voice in videos.

Zoom announced on Wednesday the launch of AI Companion 2.0, an upgraded version of its AI personal assistant aimed at helping users manage tasks and stay organized. The new version is designed to facilitate productivity and improve efficiency.

In line with its broader AI initiatives, Zoom will soon introduce a feature that allows users to create a digital avatar of themselves for sending brief messages to their teams, as reported by The Verge . To create this digital representation, users must record an initial video, which Zoom’s AI will use to generate an avatar that resembles both their appearance and voice.

Once set up, users can type out messages for their AI avatar to deliver, facilitating communication through Zoom’s Clips feature for sending quick video updates to colleagues, as noted by The Verge.

Smita Hashim, Zoom’s chief product officer, explained that these custom avatars are designed to enable “asynchronous” communication among colleagues, making interactions “faster and more productive,” as reported by TechCrunch

She emphasized that “avatars save users precious time and effort recording clips, and enable them to scale video creation,” as reported by TechCrunch.

Zoom is also mindful of the potential risks associated with deepfakes. These avatars are being introduced at a time when deepfakes are becoming more common, making it harder to tell what is true and what is disinformation, as recently reported by the Insikt research group.

In a press briefing, Hashim noted that the company is approaching this issue with caution by implementing advanced authentication methods, watermarking technology, and stringent usage policies, as reported by The Verge.

However, it remains unclear how Zoom will specifically prevent malicious use of its tool for generating deceptive videos.

A mock-up provided by the company displays a visible watermark in the upper-right corner of videos featuring custom avatars. Still, TechCrunch points out that such watermarks can easily be removed using screen-recording software.