What I Read This Week
A16Z's 2024 State of Crypto report is out; Google makes leadership changes to compete with ChatGPT; Decentraland is launching a new desktop client.
From Into The Metaverse
Caught My Attention…
A16Z’s The 2024 State of Crypto report highlights the significant growth in the crypto space, with all-time highs in usage and activity, major infrastructure improvements, and crypto becoming a key political issue ahead of the U.S. election. The report covers how stablecoins have found product-market fit, advancements in blockchain infrastructure, and the rise of DeFi. It also introduces a new "Builder Energy" dashboard, offering insights into where crypto developers are focusing their efforts. The report emphasizes crypto’s evolving role in global finance, technology, and even its potential impact on AI development.
Google is undergoing significant internal changes to compete with ChatGPT and advance its AI capabilities. Demis Hassabis, head of Google’s AI research, now oversees the entire Gemini product, integrating both research and user-facing development to speed up improvements and avoid past mistakes. This reorganization aligns AI research and product development, similar to moves made at Meta. Meanwhile, Nick Fox, a long-time Google executive, has taken over leadership of Search, Ads, and other core products. His promotion reflects the growing pressure on Google to innovate in Search, as AI reshapes the landscape. Hassabis is also seen as a potential future CEO.
Decentraland is launching a new desktop client on October 22, 2024, marking a significant update with improved performance, social interactions, and engagement features like Badges and Daily Quests. Alongside this, Decentraland is releasing White Paper 2.0, which reflects the platform's growth since its 2017 white paper. The updated document highlights Decentraland's decentralization ethos, empowering users with digital ownership and outlining a roadmap for future innovations, including enhanced social experiences, creator tools, marketplace improvements, and multi-platform expansion driven by its active community.
Other Reading…
This AI Pioneer Thinks AI Is Dumber Than a Cat (Wall Street Journal)
AI’s real dollar cost. Don't let current AI spending confuse you (Exponential View)
Stablecoins Are Eating The World (The Pomp Letter)
The Second $100B AI Company. The Case for Consumer AI (Digital Native)
Proximity to Power, The Horizon of Augmented Reality, & More Cycles for Creativity (Implications)
Apple might release a $2,000 Vision headset next year (Tech Crunch)
Roblox forges a marketer-friendly path with third-party partnerships (Marketing Dive)
Ten Spooky and Fun Ways to Get Into the Halloween Spirit on Roblox (Roblox)
How Roblox is Transforming Recruiting with Immersive 3D Experiences (Roblox)
On X & Linkedin…
Podcasts…
Jensen Huang on the BG2 podcast with better than ever insights on the future of AI and its potential to revolutionize everything.
Follow Yon on Linkedin.