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- 🚀 NASA's Sky Spy Retires, AI Needs a Babysitter, and Ram Trucks Hit the Brakes
🚀 NASA's Sky Spy Retires, AI Needs a Babysitter, and Ram Trucks Hit the Brakes
Also: Travis Scott's Parisian misadventure, Disney's $5 billion European vacation, and Intel's tech wizardry. Plus, Gmail's unexpected siesta and China's EV takeover. Your weekend news fix is served! 🎭🏰💻
Jeroen Seghers
August 10, 2024 • Reading Time: 7 minutes
Rise and shine!
It's Saturday, August 10th, and we're serving up a hot plate of headlines faster than you can say "NEOWISE." Today's menu features a space mission's grand finale, AI's growing pains, and a truck that's driving off into the sunset. Plus, we've got a side of global drama that'll make your morning coffee seem bland.
First time reading? Join thousands of readers who prefer their news stirred, not shaken. Hop on board here and let's get this show on the road!
What's Happening
SPACE
What's going on: NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft, the little mission that could, officially ended its 15-year run on July 31. Originally launched in 2009 for a quick seven-month gig, this overachiever stuck around to become a superstar in near-Earth object detection. It made over 1.45 million measurements and spotted more than 44,000 solar system objects, including 3,000 that were a bit too close for comfort.
What it means: NEOWISE's retirement leaves a temporary gap in our planetary defense squad until the new kid on the block, NEO Surveyor, launches in 2027. But before we say goodbye, let's pour one out for NEOWISE's greatest hit: Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3), which gave us all something to look at besides our sourdough starters in the summer of 2020. As NEOWISE prepares for its grand finale – a fiery reentry later this year – scientists are celebrating its contributions and crossing their fingers for the next generation of space watchdogs.
TECH
What's going on: Artificial Intelligence is having its main character moment, but like any rising star, it needs some ground rules. While AI is offering game-changing opportunities across various sectors, its unchecked use is raising eyebrows over privacy breaches, copyright dramas, and ethical quandaries.
What it means: Getting AI governance right is like herding very smart cats – it needs a diverse crew of policymakers, tech wizards, and ethics gurus to come together. A solid AI policy isn't just corporate buzzwords; it's about building trust and making sure we're using this powerful tool responsibly. As AI continues to flex its muscles, initiatives like India's Coalition for Responsible Evolution on AI (CoRE-AI) are trying to set some ground rules. The challenge? Keeping the innovation train running while making sure it doesn't go off the rails.
BUSINESS
What's going on: Stellantis is putting the Ram 1500 Classic out to pasture, and with it, up to 2,450 jobs at its Warren, Michigan plant. Starting October 8, the automaker is saying goodbye to the truck that's been rolling off the assembly line since 2009.
What it means: This move is part of Stellantis' belt-tightening strategy as North American sales hit a speed bump. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union, repping about 3,700 workers at the plant, isn't thrilled about the lack of a replacement model. While Stellantis is offering a severance package that includes transition help and benefits, they're also revving up for the electric future with the Ram 1500 REV. It's a bittersweet shift for the Classic, marking the end of an era and highlighting the auto industry's electric evolution.
Quick hits
🎬 Warner Bros. Discovery unplugged the Cartoon Network website, pushing viewers to Max. Streaming wars, am I right?
🏀 Travis Scott had a run-in with Paris law enforcement after an Olympic game. Blame it on the paparazzi.
🏰 Disney's dropping $5 billion on UK and European productions. Mickey's going international, folks.
💻 Intel's teasing some seriously souped-up CPUs and GPUs. Tech nerds, rejoice!
🚀 Rocket Lab's Archimedes engine passed its first hot fire test. One small step for rockets, one giant leap for reusability.
📧 Gmail and Google Drive took an unscheduled vacay, leaving UK users in digital limbo. No cyberattack, just a tech hiccup.
🚗 China's EV revolution is real – they're now outselling gas guzzlers. The future is electric, and it's Made in China.
👗 Esprit, the 90s fashion icon, is closing up shop in Europe. British investors snagged the name, but not the stores.
💄 E.l.f. Beauty's killing it with a 50% sales boost, but Wall Street's playing hard to get. Makeup's a tough crowd.
🇪🇺 The EU slapped Chinese EVs with a 38% tariff. Beijing's not happy, but Brussels isn't backing down.
💻 Iran's upping its cyber game for the U.S. election. Watch out for those sneaky social media accounts.
💰 Poland's PM is on a $25 billion treasure hunt, courtesy of the previous government. Talk about a political heist.
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Talk soon,
The Brief Team