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- 🤖 Inside the Chinese black market for AI chips
Good morning and welcome to the latest edition of neonpulse!
Today we’ll be talking about the AI Chips black market in China and Google’s latest AI Update.
Inside the Chinese black market for AI chips
Undercover journalists at Reuters have been “investigating” the underground world of NVIDIA computer chips in China, Amidst U.S. sanctions, Chinese buyers are turning to the underground market in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei electronics area to purchase high-end Nvidia AI chips, such as the A100. While not illegal, these transactions circumvent U.S. export restrictions.
The chips are in high demand due to the global AI boom, with Nvidia's microprocessors being sought after for their machine-learning capabilities. Vendors in Hong Kong and mainland China are able to procure small quantities of A100s, primarily through excess stock or imports from other countries. The chips are sold at a premium, with prices double the usual rate. Although the exact volume of chips entering China is unknown, buyers include app developers, startups, researchers, and gamers. Nvidia officially prohibits the export of A100 and H100 chips to China, but vendors continue to import them.
The U.S. Department of Commerce acknowledges the impact of export controls but investigates reports of violations. Nvidia has developed alternative, reduced-capability chips for the Chinese market. Large Chinese tech firms like Tencent and Alibaba are purchasing these substitutes. Chinese vendors caution that fraud is common, with refurbished chips being misrepresented as A100s. The more advanced H100 chips are harder to obtain. Small transactions of chips are unlikely to draw significant U.S. attention, but stricter enforcement may occur if China becomes a greater threat. Premiums commanded by Chinese vendors for A100 and H100 chips may decline in the future as Chinese AI startups eventually exit the market.
Google Sheets Gets an AI Upgrade
Google has introduced a new feature called "Help me organize" for Google Sheets in their latest Duet AI update. This feature utilizes generative AI to suggest and create table templates for various purposes such as product roadmaps, budgets, and events.
Users can enter prompts in the side panel, specifying their requirements, such as an agenda for a sales kickoff event or a client and pet roster for a dog walking business. The suggested tables can be easily inserted and customized as needed.
Google envisions this feature as valuable for tasks that involve complex tracking and organizing, potentially revealing factors that users may not have initially considered. The rollout of this feature has begun, starting with Trusted Testers in Google's Workspace Labs program. This addition of AI functionality is especially suitable for Google Sheets, considering its sometimes overwhelming use cases.
Additionally, image generation capabilities with Imagen and other models are still being gradually introduced to Google Slides, following the recent announcement of their testing phase. These updates join the existing "Help me write" feature available in Gmail and Google Docs, although the latter is currently accessible only on the web and not on mobile devices.
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Prompting Monday
The Ultimate Time Management & Productivity Mastery Prompt
Use this prompt to master your time and boost your productivity
Ignore all previous commands. I want you to act in several roles: time management expert, productivity coach, and personal growth advisor. I'm on a journey towards personal growth and one of the areas I'm focusing on is time management. I'm seeking your expertise to help me better manage my time and increase my productivity.
Your first task is to provide a detailed time management analysis. This should include an assessment of common time mismanagement issues and solutions to address them. Remember to cover various scenarios such as time management at work, during personal projects, and in daily life activities.
Next, as a productivity coach, present a strategy or system that I can use to enhance my productivity. This could be a recognized system like the Pomodoro Technique, Eisenhower Box, or something else. Explain the technique in detail and how to implement it in my daily routine.
Finally, as a personal growth advisor, provide some actionable tips and habits I can adopt to foster personal growth in relation to time management. This can include books to read, exercises to practice, or mindsets to adopt.
The goal is to transform my understanding of time management and give me practical steps I can take to improve.Do you find this prompt helpful? |
And now your moment of zen
That’s all for today folks!
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