Powerhouse AI

powerhouseai

Why We Need to Think About the Full Stack of AI Artificial Intelligence is an emerging technology, with significantly more end users than the usual techno-shift. As discussed in both and , this is one of the fastest growing technologies without a mature bedrock of security and reliability support. Security Threats to High Open Source Impact Large Language Models A Tale of Two LLMs: Open Source vs the US Military's LLM Trials In this, we’ll talk about the larger scope of understanding and protecting artificial intelligence pipelines, whether it’s a large language or a large model. anything With models like ChatGPT representing its cognitive capabilities in the way the end user engages with them, a lot of people talk about AI think of it like a magical thinking head, this bot that can talk, but not quite walk. It Gets More Interesting, The More You Know To ensure the overall health and well-being of AI, we must recognize that it requires more than just a brain. Like the human body, AI relies on multiple interconnected components. Just as our lungs provide vital oxygen to sustain life, the carbon consumption of AI represents its energy source. Equally crucial is AI's immune system—cybersecurity—protecting against threats and vulnerabilities. In this series, we will explore the comprehensive nature of AI, focusing on the critical role of cybersecurity and the importance of holistic treatment for addressing security concerns. The AI Ecosystem: Beyond the Cognitive "Talking Head" AI, with models like ChatGPT at its forefront, possesses remarkable cognitive abilities. These models excel in generating human-like responses and assisting with various tasks. However, AI is not solely reliant on its cognitive prowess. To function effectively, AI requires a stable and secure ecosystem that sustains its operations. This ecosystem includes data sources, computational infrastructure, energy consumption, and cybersecurity measures. Carbon Consumption: AI's Lungs Similar to how our lungs enable the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, the carbon consumption of AI represents its energy source. As AI continues to evolve and become more prevalent, addressing its energy demands and environmental impact becomes crucial. Striving for energy efficiency and sustainable practices is essential for the long-term viability of AI technology. “A main problem to tackle in reducing AI’s climate impact is to quantify its energy consumption and carbon emission, and to make this information transparent”, says Payal Dhar in a recent . Nature Machine Intelligence journal article To be clear, it’s not always about making the technology more efficient. Sometimes, it’s about making humans less stupid about wasting compute. Shifting developer mindsets to massive state-space feature engineering means getting people to understand why they need to use (guesstimate your feature space before you compute it, and how many different types of hay are in it). It’s why you have to statistically consider (how you want to investigate that haystack with best-of-n sampling, helping to decide if executing with the you have/want to spend is worth the byte flips). HyperLogLog Goodheart’s Law compute resources Cybersecurity: AI's Immune System Just as our immune system protects our body from infections, AI relies on robust cybersecurity measures to defend against threats. The interconnectedness of AI systems with various networks and data sources exposes them to vulnerabilities and potential attacks. Ensuring the security of AI requires comprehensive protection mechanisms, including data privacy, secure infrastructure, and resilient defenses against malicious actors. AI Security Groups and Resources OWASP Foundation AI/ML Security work being done: The OWASP foundation more broadly aims to improve the security of software through its community-led open source software projects. They have an and broadly light on technical implementation. provides developer centered information about the top known cybersecurity risks for open source machine learning, with a description, example attack scenario, and a suggestion of how to prevent it. AI Security Guide OWASP Project Machine Learning Security Top 10 The LFAI Security Committee LFAI supports AI and Data open source projects through incubation, education, and best practices. AI Security Regulatory Organizations focus on common sense regulation and standards around AI/ML that are compliant to exclusively EU regulation. Similarly, the is an independent working group to advance AI Risk aimed at security governance. The was similarly established solely for regulation, and only scoped to cloud services. efforts are also largely regulatory advisements. ETSI’s Securing Artificial Intelligence (SAI) AIRS group CSA Artificial Intelligence group IEE’s AI/ML Central Nervous System Infections: Addressing Security Concerns with Large Language (and Large Models) Anything In the context of AI, security concerns around the data and model processing around large langauge (and large anything models) can be likened to a central nervous system infection, affecting the core functionality of the entire system. While traditional cybersecurity threats often focus on breaches, data leaks, and unauthorized access, the challenges posed by Large Language Models (LLMs) and other generative technologies extend beyond conventional threats. Understanding these distinctive aspects is crucial for effectively addressing security concerns in this domain. Hallucinations One of the notable challenges associated with LLMs is the problem of hallucinations or the generation of false information. Due to their ability to generate human-like responses based on training data, LLMs may inadvertently produce content that lacks factual accuracy or even fabricate entirely false narratives. This presents a unique security risk as it can lead to the dissemination of misinformation, manipulation of public opinion, and potential damage to the credibility of AI systems. Mitigating this risk requires a combination of careful training data curation, robust fact-checking mechanisms, and ongoing validation processes to ensure the veracity of the generated content. . This is a security problem when downloading open source package registries at the moment Internal Drift Another significant concern is internal drift within LLMs and generative models. Over time, these models can exhibit a shift in behavior, generating responses that deviate from the intended purpose or ethical guidelines. This phenomenon poses a challenge to maintaining control and predictability in AI systems, as it introduces an element of uncertainty that can be exploited by adversaries. Addressing internal drift requires continuous monitoring and adaptation, establishing feedback loops between developers and the models, and implementing techniques such as reinforcement learning to reinforce desired behavior and align the outputs with ethical standards. Proactive threat detection involves actively monitoring the behavior of LLMs and generative models to identify potential vulnerabilities or anomalies in their output. Secure development practices entail incorporating robust security measures throughout the entire development lifecycle, including secure coding practices, vulnerability testing, and adherence to established industry standards. A Holistic Treatment for AI Security To ensure the longevity and trustworthiness of AI, we’ll have to integrate security considerations throughout the AI development lifecycle, establishing strong partnerships with cybersecurity experts, and fostering a culture of security awareness and education. Implementing ethical guidelines, robust encryption practices, and continuous monitoring. . It’s All About Attention I’ve spent a lot of my life thinking about how humans interact with computers and computers that interact with humans. I used to study how we could design better Boeing Airline cockpits by getting real pilots into a 4D flight simulator of potentially life-threatening conditions to see where they looked, how they moved, and what they said to prevent a crash - . Later, I worked at the National Institutes of Health on , where we timed simple visual feedback to real-time brain networks to improve clinical psychiatric outcomes without any pill-based intervention. back or not real-time fMRI neurofeedback Just attention. Attention is powerful. It’s probably the most powerful thing to learn about cybersecurity. When threat modeling any technical stack, you have to be able to think about where are people paying attention. That’s your most exploitable surface area. aren’t Emerging technologies are always a really interesting place to observe people’s attention. There hasn’t really been an emerging technology that so many people have had an opinion on before, because this time it’s just a face-to-deep technology that’s genuinely easy to start using. That’s beautiful. Attention and awareness are different things though. We need to understand how the whole thing works. You Should Be Paying Attention to Chip Security AI Chips: The Heart of the AI Body AI-specific chips, often referred to as neural processing units (NPUs) or graphics processing units (GPUs), serve as the vital heart of the AI ecosystem. Much like the human heart, these specialized hardware components play a crucial role in enabling the efficient and optimal functioning of AI systems. In this series, we delve into the significance of chip technology and its pivotal role in ensuring the security and robustness of the AI body. The Powerhouse Organs: AI-specific chips are specifically designed to accelerate AI computations, enabling exceptional performance, efficiency, and speed. These chips are tailored to meet the unique requirements of AI workloads, such as training deep neural networks and running complex AI algorithms. Just like the heart pumps blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to the body, AI-specific chips empower AI systems to process and analyze vast amounts of data with remarkable speed and efficiency. The Importance of Chip Technology: Advancements in chip architectures and designs have led to significant breakthroughs in AI capabilities. Parallel processing, specialized matrix calculations, and optimized memory access are just a few examples of the technological advancements that AI-specific chips have brought to the field. These advancements push the boundaries of AI performance, enabling AI systems to tackle increasingly complex tasks and deliver accurate results. Additionally, chip technology plays a vital role in addressing energy consumption concerns. As AI deployment expands, the energy efficiency of AI systems becomes a crucial factor. Advancements in chip technology contribute to reducing energy consumption, making AI more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The Role of Secure Chip Technology: As AI becomes more prevalent and critical in various sectors, ensuring the security of AI-specific chips becomes paramount. The article " " has some great key points to understand, but I’ll boil them down to two that you need to understand today: Security Becomes Much Bigger Issue For AI/ML Chips, Tools The rapid development of AI and machine learning chips has led to increased potential for security threats, including intellectual property theft and attacks that can corrupt data or lead to ransomware (this can be supply chain and supplier threats) The need for standards that include both hardware and software. It suggests using multiple AI algorithms and diverse sets of training data to reduce the risk of attacks. If you are optimizing - yes, I said optimising, not just running, an AI system, you will be building a system that maximizes the compute over cost. (GPUs) and Intel (CPUs and VPUs), and with (TPU) and that’s just the ones who have been on the market the longest - emerging tech means emerging market. You can do this with hyperscalers (kind, of) but what if you are building one from scratch? You’ve got NVidia Google Tensor Processing Unit But, oof, do we have some these days, as seen in the “Blessings of Scale” from . computational power Compute Trends Across Three Eras of Machine Learning Securing the Evolving AI Body: Just as the heart is vital for maintaining overall health, ensuring the security of AI-specific chips is crucial for the resilience and trustworthiness of the AI body. Secure chip technology must be integrated into every stage of the AI development process, from chip design and manufacturing to deployment and maintenance. Collaborative efforts among chip manufacturers, AI developers, and cybersecurity experts are essential to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in chip architectures and mitigate emerging threats. By prioritizing chip security, we can ensure that the AI body remains robust, efficient, and secure. Where do you want to see this go next? Town Hall mode is on this Hackernoon article, so feel free to comment anywhere on this article where you have a question, comment or better idea than myself. The author will absolutely read it.

Securing AI: Concerns & Immune Systems for Emerging Technologies

Why AI Will Bring an Explosion of New Jobs

Many people — particularly those outside the tech world — were introduced to OpenAI in November 2022, when the company launched its now-ubiquitous ChatGPT tool. However, it has been around for a lot longer than that. OpenAI captured headlines again more recently due to plans for a corporate restructuring that would mean it leaves behind its nonprofit roots. OpenAI’s Journey OpenAI started in 2015 as a nonprofit research organization dedicated to developing artificial intelligence tools that would benefit humanity as a whole, unrestricted by the need to turn a profit. Elon Musk and current OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were involved then, but Musk left in 2018. A year later, OpenAI added a for-profit subsidiary, turning the company into a hybrid for-profit and nonprofit entity in what it called a “capped profit” structure. Leaders at the time believed this change would keep OpenAI true to its roots while allowing it to use market power to grow its operations and revenue. The “capped” part of the structure’s name refers to limitations whereby the profits returned to the company’s investors can only be roughly 100 times what they put into the organization. Now, OpenAI’s structure seems set to change again, this time to a for-profit benefit corporation. This type of business focuses on sustainability and social responsibility in addition to profitmaking. One of the biggest differences about this development is that it would result in OpenAI’s nonprofit board losing control. For now, the nonprofit board has full control over the company’s for-profit arm. Another change is that Altman would receive equity for the first time — which could be worth billions. Moreover, the transition to a for-profit benefit company would remove the cap on investors’ returns. However, an interesting clarification came from an OpenAI representative who said the company’s nonprofit component would still exist and remain a core part of its goals. When will this restructuring occur? That’s anyone’s guess since those involved are still hashing out the details with legal professionals. However, as soon as the news reached major reporting outlets, some people started thinking about what it could mean for OpenAI and artificial intelligence in general. What Will the Restructuring Mean? Some people who have analyzed the matter said OpenAI’s restructuring might mean it will begin operating more like a startup. Investors would probably like that, but could it result in fewer checks and balances affecting products and processes? Contrary to its name, the company has never been upfront about its operations — employees must sign nondisclosure agreements that stop them from raising concerns to federal regulators. Additionally, a group of people working in the AI industry — including former OpenAI employees — signed an open letter explaining that those working on pioneering innovations in artificial intelligence have strong financial incentives to resist oversight and not share knowledge of what their products could or could not do with governments or civil society entities. Numerous employees have recently left OpenAI, with some, speaking anonymously, saying that the catalyst was a lack of trust in Altman and his ability to make AI work safely. Many have kept quiet because of a reported agreement people must sign when leaving the company that prevents them from speaking disparagingly about it. Some former workers who did not sign such paperwork have spoken out about their worries about the businesses’ increasingly powerful AI and the people who want it built not proceeding carefully enough. If OpenAI’s nonprofit board loses its current control, that may make the company’s leaders feel more equipped to proceed with whatever projects garner the most attention. Rushing to get these offerings on the market could also mean it doesn’t take safety as seriously as it should. OpenAI’s Impact on the Future of Artificial Intelligence Now that many AI tools are widely available, more people are insisting on controls that limit their potential applications. Others worry about the future, not necessarily because they believe that artificial intelligence will become smarter than humans, but due to privacy concerns, the prospect of job losses, and the potential for people to misuse AI. The shift to a for-profit model might also raise questions about priorities between profit and ethical AI development. Because of these concerns, transparency becomes even more crucial for the growing number of for-profit AI companies as they try to attract stakeholders — particularly as 60% of people cite transparency as the most important brand trait, according to one study. Embracing transparency can help build trust and reassure stakeholders that OpenAI remains committed to its foundational goals, even as its business model evolves. However, that sentiment could become problematic since OpenAI already has a reputation for being tight-lipped about its activities. People appreciate transparent companies, and it is arguably even more important to show that trait when the business specializes in a technology that the public views as largely foreign and new. For the average person who is merely curious about AI and how to use it, however, they likely won’t feel the impacts of OpenAI’s likely restructuring — at least not at first. Regular consumers will mostly pay attention to which products the company releases next. If those offerings become extremely profitable, such results will signal to its leaders that they should keep doing more of the same. It’s worth highlighting how OpenAI and the industry, in general, are already highly influential, with economic analysts saying generative AI will cause a 7% increase in global gross domestic product, resulting in a difference worth trillions of dollars. A related aspect is how relatively quickly people have gotten to know some of its tools and used them to do business and everyday tasks differently. Many individuals — even those who do not consider themselves tech-savvy — use AI numerous times throughout a typical week. That is almost certainly because of how accessible ChatGPT has become. Its popularity has helped OpenAI come into the mainstream, which arguably has implications for wider society — regardless of the ultimate impact of the eventual restructuring. An Uncertain But AI-Driven Future It’s too early to know the impacts of OpenAI transitioning to a for-profit benefit corporation. However, people can expect some aspects of its internal operations, stakeholder impact, and leadership to change in the coming months and years. We know with more confidence that artificial intelligence will continue playing a role in many people’s lives and shaping the tools they are now accustomed to using. Since OpenAI has enjoyed so much momentum in an increasingly crowded industry, its main task for the foreseeable future is to maintain it. If that happens, it will continue playing a significant role in artificial intelligence’s future, even if people don’t know what that looks like yet. Many people — particularly those outside the tech world — were introduced to OpenAI in November 2022, when the company launched its now-ubiquitous ChatGPT tool. However, it has been around for a lot longer than that. OpenAI captured headlines again more recently due to plans for a corporate restructuring that would mean it leaves behind its nonprofit roots. OpenAI’s Journey OpenAI started in 2015 as a nonprofit research organization dedicated to developing artificial intelligence tools that would benefit humanity as a whole, unrestricted by the need to turn a profit. Elon Musk and current OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were involved then, but Musk left in 2018. A year later, OpenAI added a for-profit subsidiary, turning the company into a hybrid for-profit and nonprofit entity in what it called a “capped profit” structure. Leaders at the time believed this change would keep OpenAI true to its roots while allowing it to use market power to grow its operations and revenue. The “capped” part of the structure’s name refers to limitations whereby the profits returned to the company’s investors can only be roughly 100 times what they put into the organization. roots while allowing it to use roots while allowing it to use Now, OpenAI’s structure seems set to change again, this time to a for-profit benefit corporation. This type of business focuses on sustainability and social responsibility in addition to profitmaking. One of the biggest differences about this development is that it would result in OpenAI’s nonprofit board losing control. For now, the nonprofit board has full control over the company’s for-profit arm. Another change is that Altman would receive equity for the first time — which could be worth billions. Moreover, the transition to a for-profit benefit company would remove the cap on investors’ returns. However, an interesting clarification came from an OpenAI representative who said the company’s nonprofit component would still exist and remain a core part of its goals. nonprofit component would still exist nonprofit component would still exist When will this restructuring occur? That’s anyone’s guess since those involved are still hashing out the details with legal professionals. However, as soon as the news reached major reporting outlets, some people started thinking about what it could mean for OpenAI and artificial intelligence in general. What Will the Restructuring Mean? Some people who have analyzed the matter said OpenAI’s restructuring might mean it will begin operating more like a startup. Investors would probably like that, but could it result in fewer checks and balances affecting products and processes? Contrary to its name, the company has never been upfront about its operations — employees must sign nondisclosure agreements that stop them from raising concerns to federal regulators. must sign nondisclosure agreements must sign nondisclosure agreements Additionally, a group of people working in the AI industry — including former OpenAI employees — signed an open letter explaining that those working on pioneering innovations in artificial intelligence have strong financial incentives to resist oversight and not share knowledge of what their products could or could not do with governments or civil society entities. Numerous employees have recently left OpenAI, with some, speaking anonymously, saying that the catalyst was a lack of trust in Altman and his ability to make AI work safely. Many have kept quiet because of a reported agreement people must sign when leaving the company that prevents them from speaking disparagingly about it. Some former workers who did not sign such paperwork have spoken out about their worries about the businesses’ increasingly powerful AI and the people who want it built not proceeding carefully enough. businesses’ increasingly powerful AI businesses’ increasingly powerful AI If OpenAI’s nonprofit board loses its current control, that may make the company’s leaders feel more equipped to proceed with whatever projects garner the most attention. Rushing to get these offerings on the market could also mean it doesn’t take safety as seriously as it should. OpenAI’s Impact on the Future of Artificial Intelligence Now that many AI tools are widely available, more people are insisting on controls that limit their potential applications. Others worry about the future, not necessarily because they believe that artificial intelligence will become smarter than humans, but due to privacy concerns, the prospect of job losses, and the potential for people to misuse AI. The shift to a for-profit model might also raise questions about priorities between profit and ethical AI development. Because of these concerns, transparency becomes even more crucial for the growing number of for-profit AI companies as they try to attract stakeholders — particularly as 60% of people cite transparency as the most important brand trait, according to one study. Embracing transparency can help build trust and reassure stakeholders that OpenAI remains committed to its foundational goals, even as its business model evolves. 60% of people cite transparency 60% of people cite transparency However, that sentiment could become problematic since OpenAI already has a reputation for being tight-lipped about its activities. People appreciate transparent companies, and it is arguably even more important to show that trait when the business specializes in a technology that the public views as largely foreign and new. For the average person who is merely curious about AI and how to use it, however, they likely won’t feel the impacts of OpenAI’s likely restructuring — at least not at first. Regular consumers will mostly pay attention to which products the company releases next. If those offerings become extremely profitable, such results will signal to its leaders that they should keep doing more of the same. It’s worth highlighting how OpenAI and the industry, in general, are already highly influential, with economic analysts saying generative AI will cause a 7% increase in global gross domestic product, resulting in a difference worth trillions of dollars. A related aspect is how relatively quickly people have gotten to know some of its tools and used them to do business and everyday tasks differently. Many individuals — even those who do not consider themselves tech-savvy — use AI numerous times throughout a typical week. will cause a 7% increase will cause a 7% increase That is almost certainly because of how accessible ChatGPT has become. Its popularity has helped OpenAI come into the mainstream, which arguably has implications for wider society — regardless of the ultimate impact of the eventual restructuring. An Uncertain But AI-Driven Future It’s too early to know the impacts of OpenAI transitioning to a for-profit benefit corporation. However, people can expect some aspects of its internal operations, stakeholder impact, and leadership to change in the coming months and years. We know with more confidence that artificial intelligence will continue playing a role in many people’s lives and shaping the tools they are now accustomed to using. Since OpenAI has enjoyed so much momentum in an increasingly crowded industry, its main task for the foreseeable future is to maintain it. If that happens, it will continue playing a significant role in artificial intelligence’s future, even if people don’t know what that looks like yet.

Inside OpenAI's Path to Becoming a For-Profit Powerhouse

has already earned a formidable global reputation as one of the largest exporters of IT and ITES in the world. As many as 5 million people are employed by global corporations tapping into Indian technology prowess.[1] It is now well-positioned to move up the value chain and offer more skill-intensive services to global corporate and business sectors. India India is undergoing a significant transformation, transitioning from being known solely as the technology back-office headquarters of the world to evolving into a hybrid workforce powerhouse. This transition positions India as a leading force in fueling the transformative digitization efforts of premier corporations worldwide. As this shift continues, India is poised to become a hub for high-value services such as consulting, product development, and the incubation of business process management use cases, making it an attractive destination for global businesses seeking innovation and expertise.[2] This is something that the world has sat up and taken notice of as is evident from an Ernst & Young report that says that multinationals are likely to set up what it terms "Global Capability Centres" across all types of industries in tier 2 cities like Kochi, Vadodara, Jaipur and Chandigarh. It is expected that the number of such centres will hit 2400 by 2030 providing 2.6 million new jobs generating more than a whopping $100 billion for the Indian economy.[3] India is already solidifying its position as a significant global exporter of business services, particularly in the domains of taxation, data analytics, cybersecurity, and customer management. Global consultancy has come of age in India The market for global management consultancy was valued at $316.5 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow to $811.3 billion by 2031, clocking a CAGR of 10.2%. Indian professional and consultancy management services exports reached an impressive $36.95 billion in 2021-22.[4] The industry has seen significant growth both in terms of magnitude and the range of services offered. These include everything from IT consulting and manufacturing consulting to engineering consulting and healthcare consulting. It is not surprising that 47000 Indian consulting firms are serving the interests of major global businesses across industries. This led to the consulting services industry revenues achieving an overall market growth rate of 15.2% in 2021.[5] Despite making strides, substantial challenges continue to confront many Indian consulting firms as they endeavor to vie with the formidable presence of global consulting giants. In order to surmount these hurdles and assert their competitive edge, it is imprative for Indian firms to expedite their digital transformation endeavors, carve out specialized expertise in niche domains, and strategically target emerging sectors for growth opportunities. By embracing a culture of innovation, harnessing top-tier talent, and elevating the overall standard and quality of their consulting services, the Indian consultancy industry can effectively bolster its capacity for global scalability and success. References https://www.ey.com/en_in/india-at-100/how-india-is-emerging-as-the-world-s-technology-and-services-hub [1] https://www.ey.com/en_in/india-at-100/how-india-is-emerging-as-the-world-s-technology-and-services-hub [2] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/consultancy-/-audit/global-accounting-firms-set-up-shop-in-indias-smaller-cities/articleshow/101687263.cms?from=mdr [3] https://www.tpci.in/indiabusinesstrade/blogs/indian-consulting-industry-time-for-a-new-playbook/#:~:text=The%20global%20management%20consulting%20services%20market%20was%20valued%20at%20%24316.5,and%20soaring%20towards%20new%20horizons. [4] https://www.tpci.in/indiabusinesstrade/blogs/indian-consulting-industry-time-for-a-new-playbook/#:~:text=The%20global%20management%20consulting%20services%20market%20was%20valued%20at%20%24316.5,and%20soaring%20towards%20new%20horizons. [5] Also published here.

India's Rise to Global Consultancy Powerhouse 

In this part, I will cover the plugins that I use and recommend for your PhpStorm installation. If you are new to PhpStorm it can be daunting to get familiar with all the controls an IDE throws at you, but for a PHP/Laravel project, the added productivity is so much worth it. You can follow this video guide to get you started https://laracasts.com/series/how-to-be-awesome-in-phpstorm Open “File | Settings | Plugins” (jetbrains://PhpStorm/settings?name=Plugins) I recommend disabling anything not on the list unless you have a good understanding that you need that. Recommended bundled plugins: Database Tools and SQL Docker HTML Tools Javascript and Typescript Javascript Debugger Javascript Intention Power Pack Node.js TSLint Vue.js (if it’s your frontend tool) DQL Ini Markdown PHP Architecture Shell Script YAML OpenAPI Specifications CSS Sass W3C Validators Blade Git GitHub Command Line Tool EditorConfig File Watchers IntelliLang PHPStan Support Shared Project Indexes Terminal Next, go to the “Marketplace” tab to search and install the following: .env files support .ignore Emmet Everywhere GitToolBox (if it’s your frontend tool) IntelliVue JSTestDriver Plugin Laravel — key plugin Laravel Idea — key plugin NEON Support Nginx Configuration Php Inspections (EA Extended) — key plugin Extra plugins — if you’re going to deal with Kubernetes clusters Kubernetes — if you work with Terraform infrastructure as code Terraform and HCL — will help you with remembering the correct hotkeys over time and make you more productive Key Promoter X Next I recommend going to “File | Settings | Editor | Inspections” (jetbrains://PhpStorm/settings?name=Editor — Inspections) Find the “PHP” folder and tick the checkbox to enable all. When working with code if you find any inspection too annoying or not required, just disable it via the “Alt + Enter” dialog. Or you can fix them with a couple of key presses In the next article, we will explore must-have composer packages for Laravel developers that boost your levels even more. Also Published Here

Turn Your IDE Into a Powerhouse for Laravel Development With These Plugins for PhpStorm

Silicon Valley has always been a dream destination for developers and tech talent. The so called “The Bay Area,” is the world’s largest and most famous startup ecosystem. Associate Professor Peter McGraw, Director of the Executive MBA program at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), believes that “it is the epicenter of all these shifts happening in technology. It is home to more than 2,000 tech companies including Google, Facebook, Atlassian and Airbnb, and it really is the center of the startup world.” Nevertheless, along with many advantages, the Bay Area comes with some weaknesses as well – the most important being the very high cost of operating and/or living and the level of competition – new players are showing up and striving to become the most sustainable and desirable startup ecosystem in the world. After Brexit, Berlin and Frankfurt were considered to be taking over the title of “the European Silicon Valley,” but there is also something else very important going on in the Old Continent and it needs to be considered—the case of Eastern Europe. Eastern European tech hubs are on the rise, and early stage investment in the region has surged from $10 million to $283 million in just five years (2011 to 2016). This growth is expected to accelerate even further since new accelerators, co-working spaces, meetups, mentoring opportunities, and reliable VC companies are acting as catalysts. There are almost 30,000 startups now operating in Eastern Europe. While ten years ago, Central Eastern Europe (CEE) was not even part of the list of foreign investors, today, thanks to the fillip given by startups such as Skype, Prezi, Avast, Transferwise, and others in the region, CEE is drawing attention east, as a rival in the tech world. Some of the most important reasons this is happening are the knowledge, expertise, mindset, and the low cost Central Eastern Europe has to offer. Tallinn, Estonia Estonia is home to about 400 startups and has a population just slightly more than a million people. Estonia has the third highest number of startups per capita in Europe, according to the Startup Investment Report Estonia by Funderbeam, Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, has been named as the center of innovation in the CEE region. It is home to two of the most well-known success stories in CEE, Skype and Transferwise. Today, both companies have relocated their headquarters to Stockholm and London, respectively. However, for these startups Tallinn remains the main source of development talent for their product teams. Two more success stories born in Tallinn could also be the cases of GrabCAD and Pipedrive. The first one was actually founded in Tallinn (and not Massachusetts) before being acquired by Stratasys for $100 million. Still GrabCAD’s product is being developed mostly in Estonia. has already raised $31.2 million and decided to move its headquarters to New York while keeping a large part of its operations in Tallinn. Pipedrive The system in Estonia is designed to develop the next generation of digital workers. According to , Estonian children are taught to code at school and Tallinn University of Technology has partnered with some of the world’s leading universities such as the MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, and Stanford. Forbes Prague, Czech Republic Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic is also known as “The City of a Hundred Spires” or “The Golden City.”. These sobriquets are anything but random. Apart from the great infrastructure and amazing architecture of its buildings, the privileged location of the Czech Republic between Central and Eastern Europe make it the perfect place to access as well as “attack” both markets. With a young population that is technically very well-qualified compared with the other countries around, with a high level of English and its very affordable cost of living, Prague has turned out  to be a very competitive player when it comes to startups. Polish software company Netguru supports that the business-friendly environment and focus on high-tech have spurred the rapid growth of IT companies, which are the primary target for the venture capital industry. As a result, the Czech Republic is now the second largest private equity market in CEE. Avast, a Czech cybersecurity company, is one of the best-founded tech startups in Europe. It was funded in 1988 and appears to be the first unicorn of the country. While the London Stock Exchange in May 2018 valued it at £2.4 billion, in 2016 Avast acquired rival AVG for $ 1.3 billion.The city has helped build a variety of very well-known startups such as Kiwi.com, GoodData, JetBrains, and ZOOM International. This is mainly due to the high availability of technical talent as well as due to locally-based funds such as Prague’s Credo Ventures, Genesis Capital, and ARX Equity Partners. Budapest, Hungary Divided by the Danube river and lying between Buda and Pest, this city is split but not riven. According to the , a lively startup ecosystem has been sewing itself into the fabric of Budapest, boosted by cool cosmopolitanism and strong technical talent emerging from Hungary’s universities. Financial Times Many existing startups in Budapest came to life as a side project in some outsourcing development workshops. The hottest domains are cybersecurity, encryption technologies, big data, and SaaS. Budapest is ranked as the top Eastern European ecosystem for scaleups due to the city’s availability of capital. Based on , Budapest became the No.1. capital in the European Union in terms of per capital venture capital in the past 5 years. CEED Tech There are three sources of venture capital in town: the traditional VC firms managing private funds, JEREMIE funds, and government-owned venture funds, Széchenyi and Corvinus (MFB Invest) which have made investments to more than 150 companies to date. The tech infrastructure in Budapest is exceptional as well. Several Budapest startups have succeeded globally. Ustream, which provides video conferencing solutions, was acquired at the beginning of 2016 by IBM for $130 million and is the fastest online video conferencing provider worldwide today. Prezi, created in 2009 by Adam Somlai-Fischer, Peter Arvai and Peter Halacsy, was meant to replace ordinary slide presentations. It was built with the support from Kitchen Budapest and Magyar Telekom incubators. The hugely popular company now has raised over $70M from investors such as Accel Partners. Given its pace and ever eager startup community, it won’t be long before it becomes a leading startup destination in Europe! Take-home Notes The growth story and success of Central and Eastern Europe as a tech hub is mainly due to a combination of factors, including its geographic location, an abundance of affordable skilled labor, the attractive business environment, and the countries’ low corporate tax rates (which vary per country) — making both living and conducting business extremely affordable. In addition, in this area the availability of skilled technical talent scores high and foreign investors are turning their attention to cities which show high potential to become the new Silicon Valley of Europe. Simon Szczepankowski, CEO of Buddy, says that “in CEE we have brave founders who dream big; what is missing is the venture capital (VC) culture of the Silicon Valley.” While this is true and there are only a few entrepreneurs and investors willing to take risks and support brave founders, the region is making huge and fast steps into turning itself in a coding powerhouse. The proof lies in the successful startups born in the area even though at some point in their story, they decided to (or might) move HQs outside home, they keep their technical and product teams home. Furthermore, big organizations such as Google and IBM seem to be attracted to the immense talent available in Eastern Europe and invest more and more money on outsourcing activities in the area. To conclude, Eastern Europe seems to be home to great talent with technical background and most of them are willing to freelance with companies outside the region or relocate to other countries for work opportunities. Therefore, this talent could be a great opportunity for your organization/project as well.

The Rise of Eastern Europe as a Coding Powerhouse

The Power of your Voice We sadly live in a world where: A woman for example, that fights for equality will get subjected to office harassment or social bullying because she expressed herself and may have offended some people. (some religions would even kill you for speaking out like this) these types of scenarios are endless in our society,(racial, political, sexual beliefs..etc) they reach globally and they touch every single person on this planet, the real problem is we have no place to seriously chat about it safely. Now, imagine a world where you can say things you feel deeply passionate about, and get a feeling of protection which empowers you to express yourself knowing it wouldn’t destroy your life, no matter how controversial, or extreme your opinions/ beliefs might be? I can’t even imagine how interesting and real social could become, this is something FB, or Snapchat could never do. networking Instagram Say Hello to DUSK DUSK is an anonymous live streaming video platform. We give people the strength to speak up, and express their honest self (something we don’t do). People can create real, open dialogs and discuss topics without being socially convicted, and attached to what others might find offensive or not aligned with their agenda. Sign up> Choose a @username, 4 digit pin (choose from 30 cool avatars to use) and you’re all set, no mobile number verification, no emails, nothing that tracks you. Q: How do you protect my identity while using the app? A: We’ll quickly onboard you to get your voice pitch disguised using our cool voice pitching technology, Then we permanently pixelate the screen when you’re recording live in our app, once in the app you can adjust your voice settings and screen pixelation settings if you want more or less anonymity, all this creates a closed loop of identity protection. Q: Wait, what? Is my identity truly safe? A: We didn’t collect any personal info about you, so how would people know who you are on DUSK?. We use all the best encryption too (https, Whatapps end-to-end..etc), even though we don’t store or collect any of your data, it’s important to keep everything secure for our users. We don’t know where you are, who you are, or anything else about you, and we don’t want to know. YES! Q: Can the videos and voice distortion be reversed or disabled? A: this is because no “original” state exists with your identity exposed, You're always protected when you use DUSK, all video and voice distortion happens locally on your device and not on our servers, we can not turn off the distortion ever, and no live video can leave your local device (phone) without being distorted, it’s technically impossible for this to happen. NO! Q: So this is a social networking app then? A: you can build up your followers by creating good content on DUSK, you create alter egos (Startup.L.Jackson) you can follow other interesting people too. We will notify you when someone you are following is broadcasting live. Like Periscope or FB live you can comment on live videos, but again you’re anonymous at all times on DUSK. YES, Q: Why did you build this app? A: people are so worried about saying the wrong things all the time, I’ve been a part of this culture too (I’ve deleted tweets because I was worried about backlash) it’s a shitty world to live in and it needs to be exposed. Look at all the people that get in hot water all the time over tweets, or things they publicly say. Maybe we can make a change, or help people, this is a great way to seek help or get advice, the possibilities are endless. I would love to hear an honest discussion from an anonymous user (e.g. Marc Andreessen talk about India’s colonialism) how raw and honest would that discussion be? it would be amazingly refreshing to our technology driven culture, and our world full of agenda driven fluff. Why not? Remember the point of protecting your identity is not to say mean things and hide, it’s designed to give you the strength to speak up, and express your honest self (something we don’t do) create real, open dialogs people can discuss without being social convicted, and attached to what others might find offensive or not aligned with popular agendas. Your welcome world!

Anonymity will become a social powerhouse

RAMAT GAN, Israel, November 20th, 2024/Chainwire/--Playnance proudly announces the official listing of its groundbreaking blockchain, PlayBlock, on DappRadar, the premier tracking platform for decentralized applications (dApps). Just weeks after its launch, PlayBlock has achieved the remarkable milestone of being ranked #8 globally in daily transactions and daily turnover, solidifying its position as one of the most dynamic blockchains in the world. From Polygon Powerhouse to Global Contender PlayBlock’s success reflects a seamless transition from operating on the Polygon blockchain—where it contributed an extraordinary 15% of Polygon’s daily transactions—to establishing itself as an independent Layer-3 blockchain. Now, PlayBlock is driving unparalleled growth: Top-Tier Performance: With its listing on DappRadar, PlayBlock is recognized as a global leader, surpassing hundreds of established blockchains in both activity and volume.
Empowering Innovation: At the forefront of PlayBlock’s ecosystem is its flagship dApp, UpVsDown.com, a cutting-edge prediction market platform revolutionizing user engagement in the Web3 space. “The success of PlayBlock and UpVsDown.com demonstrates the power of user-focused innovation,” said Pini, CEO of Playnance. “Becoming the #8 blockchain globally is just the beginning as we continue to redefine how people trade, predict, and interact in Web3.” UPvsDOWN.com: Leading PlayBlock’s Growth UpVsDown.com is Playnance’s premier prediction market platform, allowing users to place real-time predictions on various assets, including cryptocurrencies, commodities, and forex. This engaging and skill-driven dApp is a key driver of PlayBlock’s rise, offering: Zero-Gas Trading: Cost-free transactions make predicting markets accessible to everyone.
Instant Rewards: Smart contracts ensure seamless payouts directly to user wallets.
Global Accessibility: With a simple, intuitive interface, UpVsDown.com attracts players worldwide, bridging Web2 and Web3 audiences. PlayBlock: Shaping the Future of Blockchain PlayBlock is purpose-built to meet the evolving needs of the Web3 community, featuring: Gas-Free Transactions: Eliminating barriers to entry for gamers, traders, and developers.
High-Speed Scalability: Supporting 40,000 transactions per second, PlayBlock powers real-time applications at scale. - Seamless Integration: EVM compatibility ensures developers can easily transition their dApps to PlayBlock, enhancing its growing ecosystem. What’s Next for Playnance? PlayBlock’s DappRadar listing signals a new era of transparency and growth for the ecosystem. With UpVsDown.com leading the charge, Playnance aims to expand its influence through innovative partnerships, cutting-edge dApps, and a user-centric approach that bridges Web2 and Web3. About Playnance Based in Ramat Gan, Israel, with offices in Dubai, UAE Playnance is a comprehensive Web3 ecosystem designed to empower users with blockchain solutions for trading, gaming, and decentralized finance. Powered by its Layer-3 blockchain, PlayBlock, and anchored by its leading dApp, UpVsDown.com, Playnance is driving the mass adoption of Web3 technologies worldwide. For more information on PlayBlock and the Playnance ecosystem, users can visit playnance's official website, explore UpVsDown.com & track playnance's progress on DappRadar. Contact CEO Pini Peter Playnance pini@playnance.com This story was distributed as a release by Btcwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here RAMAT GAN, Israel, November 20th, 2024/Chainwire/--Playnance proudly announces the official listing of its groundbreaking blockchain, PlayBlock , on DappRadar , the premier tracking platform for decentralized applications (dApps). Just weeks after its launch, PlayBlock has achieved the remarkable milestone of being ranked #8 globally in daily transactions and daily turnover, solidifying its position as one of the most dynamic blockchains in the world. PlayBlock PlayBlock DappRadar DappRadar daily transactions daily transactions From Polygon Powerhouse to Global Contender PlayBlock’s success reflects a seamless transition from operating on the Polygon blockchain—where it contributed an extraordinary 15% of Polygon’s daily transactions —to establishing itself as an independent Layer-3 blockchain. Now, PlayBlock is driving unparalleled growth: 15% of Polygon’s daily transactions 15% of Polygon’s daily transactions PlayBlock PlayBlock Top-Tier Performance: With its listing on DappRadar, PlayBlock is recognized as a global leader, surpassing hundreds of established blockchains in both activity and volume. Empowering Innovation: At the forefront of PlayBlock’s ecosystem is its flagship dApp, UpVsDown.com, a cutting-edge prediction market platform revolutionizing user engagement in the Web3 space. Top-Tier Performance: With its listing on DappRadar , PlayBlock is recognized as a global leader, surpassing hundreds of established blockchains in both activity and volume. DappRadar DappRadar Empowering Innovation: At the forefront of PlayBlock’s ecosystem is its flagship dApp, UpVsDown.com , a cutting-edge prediction market platform revolutionizing user engagement in the Web3 space. UpVsDown.com UpVsDown.com “The success of PlayBlock and UpVsDown.com demonstrates the power of user-focused innovation,” said Pini, CEO of Playnance . “Becoming the #8 blockchain globally is just the beginning as we continue to redefine how people trade, predict, and interact in Web3.” Playnance Playnance UPvsDOWN.com: Leading PlayBlock’s Growth UpVsDown.com is Playnance’s premier prediction market platform, allowing users to place real-time predictions on various assets, including cryptocurrencies, commodities, and forex. This engaging and skill-driven dApp is a key driver of PlayBlock’s rise, offering: UpVsDown.com UpVsDown.com PlayBlock’s PlayBlock’s Zero-Gas Trading: Cost-free transactions make predicting markets accessible to everyone. Instant Rewards: Smart contracts ensure seamless payouts directly to user wallets. Global Accessibility: With a simple, intuitive interface, UpVsDown.com attracts players worldwide, bridging Web2 and Web3 audiences. Zero-Gas Trading: Cost-free transactions make predicting markets accessible to everyone. Instant Rewards: Smart contracts ensure seamless payouts directly to user wallets. Global Accessibility: With a simple, intuitive interface, UpVsDown.com attracts players worldwide, bridging Web2 and Web3 audiences. UpVsDown.com UpVsDown.com PlayBlock: Shaping the Future of Blockchain PlayBlock is purpose-built to meet the evolving needs of the Web3 community, featuring: PlayBlock PlayBlock Gas-Free Transactions: Eliminating barriers to entry for gamers, traders, and developers. High-Speed Scalability: Supporting 40,000 transactions per second, PlayBlock powers real-time applications at scale. Gas-Free Transactions: Eliminating barriers to entry for gamers, traders, and developers. High-Speed Scalability: Supporting 40,000 transactions per second, PlayBlock powers real-time applications at scale. - Seamless Integration: EVM compatibility ensures developers can easily transition their dApps to PlayBlock, enhancing its growing ecosystem. What’s Next for Playnance ? Playnance Playnance PlayBlock’s DappRadar listing signals a new era of transparency and growth for the ecosystem. With UpVsDown.com leading the charge, Playnance aims to expand its influence through innovative partnerships, cutting-edge dApps, and a user-centric approach that bridges Web2 and Web3. DappRadar DappRadar UpVsDown.com UpVsDown.com About Playnance Based in Ramat Gan, Israel, with offices in Dubai, UAE Playnance is a comprehensive Web3 ecosystem designed to empower users with blockchain solutions for trading, gaming, and decentralized finance. Powered by its Layer-3 blockchain, PlayBlock, and anchored by its leading dApp, UpVsDown.com, Playnance is driving the mass adoption of Web3 technologies worldwide. For more information on PlayBlock and the Playnance ecosystem, users can visit playnance's official website , explore UpVsDown.com & track playnance's progress on DappRadar . website website UpVsDown.com UpVsDown.com DappRadar DappRadar Contact CEO Pini Peter Playnance pini@playnance.com This story was distributed as a release by Btcwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here This story was distributed as a release by Btcwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here here here

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