The Pack

thepack

Authors: (1) Renato P. dos Santos, CIAGE – Centre for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Cognition and Education. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Materials And Methods Results and Analyses Prompts and generated texts Conceptualizing chemical reactions Deepening on understanding of chemical reactions Question about combustion Question about a graph of gases turning into water over time Question about the difference between atoms, molecules, and moles Deepening on the concept of mole Question about changing of state Question about an animated representation of water molecules undergoing phase changes Question about plasma, a state of matter Question about chemical bondings Question about illustration of chemical bonds Question about the essence of the type of chemical bonding Further analysis Conclusions Limitations of the study and possible future studies Author Contributions, Conflicts of interest, Acknowledgements, and References Conclusions In our study evaluating the proficiency of four AI language models—ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Bard, and Claude—in elucidating chemistry concepts, ChatGPT stood out, decisively surpassing Bing Chat's performance. Bard and Claude trailed closely, with all three showcasing a more in- depth, precise, and nuanced understanding, underscoring ChatGPT's adeptness at contextual comprehension. Our findings highlight the robustness of GenAIbots like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Bard, and Claude as agents-to-think-with in Chemistry education. These AI models seem suitable to offer interactivity, customisation, and multidisciplinary knowledge and promote critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. They facilitate dynamic conversations and tailored content in Chemistry and potentially other domains. Engaging with GenAIbots might enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, fostering collaborative discussions and projects in group settings and deepening understanding of the topics. By integrating GenAIbots into Chemistry education, we're aligning with the principles of Papert's Constructionism. This theory posits that learning is most effective when students actively construct knowledge by creating tangible representations in meaningful contexts. This approach encourages students to engage deeply, fostering their problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative skills. This paper is under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv

ChatGPT Leads the Pack: AI Language Models Elevating Chemistry Education

So you want to be an Engineering Manager? Well, buckle up and get ready for the ride because it's going to be a wild one. As an Engineering Manager, your role is much more than just overseeing projects and managing resources. You're responsible for leading a team of engineers to success while fostering a positive work culture. But don't worry, we're here to guide you through it all with some fun examples and tips. Day-to-day work Let's start with your day-to-day work. You'll be juggling a variety of tasks, from setting project timelines to communicating with stakeholders. You'll also be responsible for providing guidance and mentorship to your team members. And let's not forget the endless meetings you'll be attending. But don't worry, you'll be a pro in no time. Communication To be an effective Engineering Manager, communication is key. You need to be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. That means explaining technical concepts in a way that anyone can understand. You also need to be a great listener, taking feedback from your team members and stakeholders to make informed decisions. And if you're ever in doubt, always ask questions. Don't be afraid to admit when you don't know something, and never assume that you know the best solution without doing your research first. Team Culture Another crucial aspect of being a great Engineering Manager is fostering a positive team culture. You want your team to be motivated and inspired to do their best work. That means recognizing and celebrating their achievements, but also providing constructive feedback when necessary. And don't forget to have some fun along the way. Plan team building activities or host a happy hour to bring your team together. Micromanaging Now, let's talk about what not to do as an Engineering Manager. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is micromanaging your team. You hired your engineers for their technical expertise, so trust them to do their job. Let them take ownership of their projects and give them the freedom to explore different solutions. It's also important to avoid playing favorites or creating cliques. You want to build a culture of inclusivity and fairness, so treat everyone on your team equally. Lifestyle Being an Engineering Manager is not just a job, it's a lifestyle. You'll be constantly learning and adapting to new challenges, technologies, and processes. That's why it's essential to stay up to date with the latest trends and best practices in the industry. Attend conferences, read industry blogs, and network with other engineering managers to gain new insights and stay on top of your game. Work Environment It's also important to create a safe and supportive work environment where your team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas. Encourage collaboration and teamwork, and foster a culture of innovation where your team can experiment with new ideas without fear of failure. That way, you'll create an environment where everyone is invested in the success of the team, not just their individual projects. Balancing the Needs Another key aspect of being a successful Engineering Manager is balancing the needs of the business with the needs of your team. You'll need to manage budgets, timelines, and resources while ensuring that your team members are happy and motivated. It's a delicate balancing act, but with effective communication and a strategic mindset, you can make it work. Work-life balance And let's not forget about the importance of self-care. As an Engineering Manager, you'll be constantly under pressure to deliver results and meet deadlines. That's why it's essential to take breaks, practice mindfulness, and prioritize your mental health. Encourage your team members to do the same and create a supportive work culture that values work-life balance. Flexible and Adaptable As an Engineering Manager, your day-to-day work can be highly varied, depending on the needs of your team and the projects you're working on. You might spend one day reviewing code and the next day in meetings with stakeholders, while the next day is spent coaching and mentoring team members. It's important to be flexible and adaptable in this role, and to be able to switch gears quickly as needed. Constructive Feedback One key aspect of being an effective Engineering Manager is to provide your team members with clear and specific feedback. This feedback should be timely, actionable, and focused on helping team members to grow and develop their skills. You should also be open to receiving feedback from your team members, as this can help you to identify areas where you can improve your own leadership skills. Delegation Another important skill for an Engineering Manager is the ability to delegate effectively. This means trusting your team members to take on responsibilities and make decisions, while providing guidance and support as needed. Delegating tasks can be difficult for some managers, but it's essential for managing workload and ensuring that team members have opportunities to grow and develop their skills. To sum it up Being an Engineering Manager is a challenging but rewarding role. You'll be juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities, but with effective communication, positive team culture, and trust in your team members, you can guide them to success. And remember, never stop learning and growing as a leader. Your team will thank you for it. So, are you ready to take on the challenge? Let's go! Finally, it's important to remember that being an effective Engineering Manager is not just about technical skills or expertise. Soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence are just as important in this role. You'll need to be able to build relationships with team members and stakeholders, navigate difficult conversations, and manage conflicts effectively. In conclusion, being an Engineering Manager can be a challenging but highly rewarding role. By staying up to date with industry trends, building a positive team culture, providing specific and actionable feedback, delegating effectively, and developing your soft skills, you can lead your team to success and make a positive impact on your organization.

Leading the Pack: The Exciting Role of an Engineering Manager and How to Excel in It

Proof-of-stake is coming of age. As we look back on 2020, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in the success of proof-of-stake (PoS) networks, with triple the representation among the top ten crypto projects compared to a year ago, of the total market cap. accounting for around 15% Source: https://twitter.com/CryptoDiffer/status/1351485553137623042 With dominance continuing to grow and a flurry of development activity underway, the PoS crypto sector is set up for a breakout year. But what exactly is proof-of-stake, and who are the runners and riders to look out for in 2021? What Is Proof-of-Stake? Proof-of-stake (PoS) provides an alternative to the computational power proof-of-work (PoW) of Bitcoin. consensus algorithm PoS uses an election process for validators of the next block based on randomization, the number of tokens staked, and the staking age. Instead of generating rewards proportional to the energy spent, they are in proportion to the token ownership stake. Just like with PoW, when PoS is required, attackers need to obtain 51% dominance to carry out an attack. Although difficult to acquire enough of a reputable token, it would not be in the interests of a staker with 51% to attack the network in which they hold a majority share. If the value of the token falls, so does the value of their holdings, meaning that even if a stake owner reaches a majority, they are incentivized to maintain a secure network. Variations on the specific type of PoS mechanism are deployed by different networks. Here’s how four of the leaders handle it. 1. Polkadot (DOT) Polkadot is , coordinated by its layer 0 relay chain, that can process transactions on several chains in parallel, known as “parachains.” Parachains derive their security from that of the entire network, significantly improving scalability and interoperability, eliminating the bottlenecks of legacy networks. a sharded multichain network Polkadot uses NPoS (nominated proof-of-stake) as , designed with the roles of validators and nominators, to maximize chain security. Stakers interested in maintaining the network can run a validator node. Other DOT stakers can participate as nominators, backing up to 16 validators as trusted candidates. Validators produce new blocks, validate parachain blocks, and guarantee finality. Nominators can choose to back specific validators with their stake. its election mechanism The system pays out validation rewards equally to all validators regardless of their stake, with staking rewards then distributed pro-rata to all stakers after the validator payment is deducted. This incentivizes the nomination of lower-staked Validators to create an equally-staked validator set. Polkadot is currently , and most secure PoS platform, offering estimated rewards of 13.87% per year with over $10 billion in staked value. It has a market cap of over $15 billion, and 59.27% of eligible tokens staked. DOT on major exchanges like Kraken and Binance or using a Ledger Nano via Polkadot-JS. the leading, highest value can be staked 2. Cardano (ADA) Cardano is the first blockchain platform and developed through evidence-based methods, providing verifiable security, scalability, and sustainability to decentralized applications and systems. founded on peer-reviewed research Cardano’s Ouroboros proof-of-stake protocol allows ADA holders to earn rewards by either to a stake pool run by another party, or by running their own stake pool and pledging some or all of their stake to it. delegating their stake The amount of stake delegated to a given stake pool is the primary way Ouroboros chooses who should add the next block to the blockchain and receive a monetary reward for doing so. The higher the stake delegated to a stake pool, the more likely it is to make the next block, with the reward earned shared proportionally between everyone who delegated to that stake pool. Cardano holds the of staked value, with over $7 billion and a market cap of over $10 billion. It offers estimated annual rewards of 4.29%, with 70.23% of all eligible tokens being staked. ADA can be staked on major exchanges like Bitfinex and Binance, as well as the Ledger Nano and Trezor Model T hardware products via Yoroi or AdaLite wallets. second-highest amount 3. Ethereum 2.0 (ETH) refers to a set of phased interconnected upgrades that will make Ethereum more scalable, more secure, and more sustainable. The Beacon Chain brought staking to the network in December 2020 (phase 0). Phases 1 and 2 will also need to be deployed to enable staking for the entire network and fully transition from PoW to PoS, currently estimated for 2022. Ethereum 2.0 With Ethereum 2.0, the PoS consensus mechanism to stake 32 ETH to run a validator node on the network, which they are also responsible for building and maintaining. Each time a block is set to be proposed, random committees of validator nodes will be selected from the entire pool of validators to attest the block in a provably secure way. will require validators Given the high barriers to entry in terms of infrastructure, expertise, cost, and risk, many may choose to stake via staking providers like Binance or potential staking pools instead. Either way, it should be noted that once ETH is staked, there is no going back to the original chain. Therefore, despite attractive yields, stakers must balance the risk that staked ETH will be locked up and illiquid for an indefinite period, currently estimated at 18 months. Ethereum’s staked value is , with a market cap of over $135 billion, and only 1.87% of eligible tokens staked. Estimated staking rewards are currently at 10.13% per year. just over $2.5 billion 4. Tezos (XTZ) Tezos is an open-source platform for assets and applications that can evolve by upgrading itself. Stakeholders govern changes to the core protocol, including upgrades to the amendment process itself. With Tezos Liquid proof-of-stake, in consensus and be rewarded by the protocol for contributing to the security and stability of the network through a process known as “baking.” Each block is “baked” by a random stakeholder and endorsed by 32 other random stakeholders. any stakeholder can participate Bakers validate all transactions and add them to the blockchain to earn XTZ for securing the network. XTZ holders who do not wish to participate in consensus directly have the option to delegate their baking rights to bakers on their behalf, and receive rewards proportional to their stake minus a fee in return. Tezos of over $1.9 billion at the time of writing, with a market cap of $2.2 billion, and 78.8% of eligible tokens staked. With estimated yearly rewards of 5.37%, XTZ can be staked on major exchanges like Coinbase, as well as Ledger Nano hardware wallets directly in Ledger Live, and the Trezor Model T via the SimpleStaking wallet. has secured a staked value The Fastest Horse in the Race PoS provides a great way to earn passive income in the crypto space, but it's not just about the level of staking returns. There is no doubt that the Ethereum network benefits from the Lindy effect here. It’s the largest and most established network on a path to PoS, with the greatest number of developers and projects building on top of its blockchain. Its relatively slow transition to PoS with long staking lockups and a higher barrier to entry may hold it back, however, and despite its overall size, the value locked in staked tokens is only around 25% of those on the leading platform at present. Of course, there are benefits to taking things slow, certainly in terms of security and the sheer amount of value now running through the network. However, as it could still take years to fully deploy Ethereum 2.0, the potential scalability bottleneck may prove too damaging to usability. Polkadot is offering a solution to that, allowing projects to remain on existing chains while developing Parachains to connect to its network and benefit from higher levels of scalability and interoperability. It certainly seems to be attracting a lot of interest, quickly rising to the top of the PoS rankings at four times the amount of staked value compared to Ethereum, delivering the most secure solution in the pack with over $10 billion worth of tokens staked. So, does the most amount of value accrue to the most interoperable and scalable chain or the one with the largest network effect? Time will tell. For 2021 at least, momentum is key, and as things stand Polkadot looks like the fastest horse in the race.

Proof-of-Stake Is Coming of Age, and Polkadot is Leading the Pack

I'm speaking with LAN, the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of BIT Exchange. Today, we delve into their personal blockchain journey and explore the strategic decisions behind introducing new trading markets and innovating and adapting to stay ahead in the rapidly changing crypto space. Please tell us about yourself and what you do at BIT Exchange I’m the Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer at BIT and have previously worked at Bitmain and Matrixport. I joined Bitmain in 2018. When Bitmain launched Matrixport in 2019, I joined Matrixport as part of the founding team. I served as the product leader of the trading department, where I helped design the first structured digital currency product for dual-currency wealth management. Matrixport initiated BIT in November 2019 and launched it in August 2020. As a co-founder of BIT, I now lead its strategic direction, encompassing business growth, product development, and operations. Can you explain the decision-making process that led BIT Exchange to introduce new trading markets? BIT Exchange is constantly exploring opportunities to expand our offerings and provide diverse investment options for our users. Our decision to introduce new trading markets, such as the one for EigenLayer Points (ELP), comes from our commitment to pioneering innovation in the crypto space and ensuring broader access to the growing crypto economy for both retail and institutional investors. The crypto market evolves fast, from ICO to IEO, to IDO. People fight for whitelists, staking opportunities, and early minting opportunities in inscription space. As a centralized exchange, we need to start building infrastructure for the next asset issuance trend. Just like how exchanges built launchpads in 2020, we need to build the infrastructure for Pre-market listing now, which we believe will see increased demand. How do you assess the interest from both retail and institutional investors? Interest from Retail and Institutional often goes hand in hand. Retail looks at institutional portfolios, and institutional looks at on-chain wallet numbers as a benchmark for retail popularity. We've observed significant interest from both retail and institutional investors in emerging protocols like EigenLayer. Retail investors are drawn to the potential for earning rewards by participating in new projects early on, while institutional players are increasingly recognizing the value of diversifying their portfolios with exposure to new and cutting-edge DeFi applications. Can you describe BIT Exchange's approach to identifying and launching new trading markets? What criteria do you use to determine which markets to enter? BIT Exchange adopts a proactive approach to identifying and launching new trading markets. We closely monitor market trends, engage with our user community to understand their preferences, and collaborate with leading projects to bring exciting opportunities to our platform. Our criteria for entering new markets are multifaceted, focusing on factors such as project innovation, market demand, user engagement, and regulatory compliance. We prioritize projects with strong fundamentals and the potential to drive meaningful value for our users. Are you bullish on EigenLayer? If so, why? We are indeed bullish on EigenLayer due to its groundbreaking approach to re-staking and enhancing network security within the Ethereum ecosystem. EigenLayer's ability to attract over $12 billion in total value locked demonstrates its traction and future potential for reshaping the DeFi landscape. Can you describe the decisions that led BIT to launch the EigenLayer Points (ELP) market? The decision to launch the EigenLayer Points (ELP) market aligns with our mission to provide early access to promising projects for our user base. By offering trading for ELP ahead of the token generation event, we enable our users to participate in the EigenLayer ecosystem early on. There are many pre-listing opportunities however we also need to identify trusted partners who are selling these points. It is a long due diligence process to investigate which are the popular points that are reliable and who would like to sell in the pre-market. Could you explain the significance of launching the EigenLayer Points market on BIT Exchange? What opportunities does this provide for early adopters? Opening the EigenLayer Points market on BIT Exchange is a big step forward. We're the first exchange to do it, showing we're leading the pack in making new crypto opportunities available to more people. This provides them with a head start in engaging with a promising protocol and potentially benefiting from its growth. What are some operational challenges involved in being the first centralized exchange to offer a new product like EigenLayer Points? Being the first centralized exchange to offer a product like EigenLayer Points comes with operational challenges such as ensuring reliable security measures and sufficient liquidity, keeping trading fees at competitive levels, and educating users about the new market. However, we are committed to overcoming these challenges to provide a seamless trading experience for our users. With the upcoming EigenLayer airdrop being highly anticipated, how is BIT preparing to support its users through this event? As the EigenLayer airdrop approaches, BIT Exchange is actively preparing to support our users through this event by providing relevant information, facilitating trading, and ensuring the smooth distribution of airdropped tokens to eligible holders. It is mostly bookkeeping work, when the token is airdropped, we need to understand the airdrop rules, and conversion rate. The token would be in the Exchange wallet and then distributed to users’ accounts according to their points portfolio. Can you discuss any recent upgrades or innovations in BIT’s trading platform that have been particularly impactful? Recently, BIT Exchange has made significant upgrades to our trading platform, particularly in the BRC-20 sector. We've empowered our users with the ability to drive new BRC-20 listings through organic community in-app votes, building a more inclusive and community-driven environment. Are there any industry trends or technologies that BIT is particularly focused on to stay ahead of the competition? We're also focused on staying ahead of the competition by embracing more crypto-native features such as staking. Back in Feb 2024, we began offering staking services for projects like Merlin Chain, for example, enabling our users to participate in that particular airdrop while earning rewards and contributing to the growth of the Merlin ecosystem. Looking ahead, what new types of tokens is BIT Exchange considering? Looking ahead, BIT Exchange is considering listing new types of tokens with a strong focus on our community-led approach. We listen to our users and give them a say in what gets listed on our platform. This way, we ensure that we're offering assets that truly resonate with our community's interests. I'm speaking with LAN, the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of BIT Exchange. Today, we delve into their personal blockchain journey and explore the strategic decisions behind introducing new trading markets and innovating and adapting to stay ahead in the rapidly changing crypto space. Please tell us about yourself and what you do at BIT Exchange Please tell us about yourself and what you do at BIT Exchange I’m the Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer at BIT and have previously worked at Bitmain and Matrixport. I joined Bitmain in 2018. When Bitmain launched Matrixport in 2019, I joined Matrixport as part of the founding team. I served as the product leader of the trading department, where I helped design the first structured digital currency product for dual-currency wealth management. Matrixport initiated BIT in November 2019 and launched it in August 2020. As a co-founder of BIT, I now lead its strategic direction, encompassing business growth, product development, and operations. Can you explain the decision-making process that led BIT Exchange to introduce new trading markets? Can you explain the decision-making process that led BIT Exchange to introduce new trading markets? BIT Exchange is constantly exploring opportunities to expand our offerings and provide diverse investment options for our users. Our decision to introduce new trading markets, such as the one for EigenLayer Points (ELP), comes from our commitment to pioneering innovation in the crypto space and ensuring broader access to the growing crypto economy for both retail and institutional investors. The crypto market evolves fast, from ICO to IEO, to IDO. People fight for whitelists, staking opportunities, and early minting opportunities in inscription space. As a centralized exchange, we need to start building infrastructure for the next asset issuance trend. Just like how exchanges built launchpads in 2020, we need to build the infrastructure for Pre-market listing now, which we believe will see increased demand. How do you assess the interest from both retail and institutional investors? How do you assess the interest from both retail and institutional investors? Interest from Retail and Institutional often goes hand in hand. Retail looks at institutional portfolios, and institutional looks at on-chain wallet numbers as a benchmark for retail popularity. We've observed significant interest from both retail and institutional investors in emerging protocols like EigenLayer. Retail investors are drawn to the potential for earning rewards by participating in new projects early on, while institutional players are increasingly recognizing the value of diversifying their portfolios with exposure to new and cutting-edge DeFi applications. Can you describe BIT Exchange's approach to identifying and launching new trading markets? What criteria do you use to determine which markets to enter? Can you describe BIT Exchange's approach to identifying and launching new trading markets? What criteria do you use to determine which markets to enter? BIT Exchange adopts a proactive approach to identifying and launching new trading markets. We closely monitor market trends, engage with our user community to understand their preferences, and collaborate with leading projects to bring exciting opportunities to our platform. Our criteria for entering new markets are multifaceted, focusing on factors such as project innovation, market demand, user engagement, and regulatory compliance. We prioritize projects with strong fundamentals and the potential to drive meaningful value for our users. Are you bullish on EigenLayer? If so, why? Are you bullish on EigenLayer? If so, why? We are indeed bullish on EigenLayer due to its groundbreaking approach to re-staking and enhancing network security within the Ethereum ecosystem. EigenLayer's ability to attract over $12 billion in total value locked demonstrates its traction and future potential for reshaping the DeFi landscape. Can you describe the decisions that led BIT to launch the EigenLayer Points (ELP) market? Can you describe the decisions that led BIT to launch the EigenLayer Points (ELP) market? The decision to launch the EigenLayer Points (ELP) market aligns with our mission to provide early access to promising projects for our user base. By offering trading for ELP ahead of the token generation event, we enable our users to participate in the EigenLayer ecosystem early on. There are many pre-listing opportunities however we also need to identify trusted partners who are selling these points. It is a long due diligence process to investigate which are the popular points that are reliable and who would like to sell in the pre-market. Could you explain the significance of launching the EigenLayer Points market on BIT Exchange? What opportunities does this provide for early adopters? Could you explain the significance of launching the EigenLayer Points market on BIT Exchange? What opportunities does this provide for early adopters? Opening the EigenLayer Points market on BIT Exchange is a big step forward. We're the first exchange to do it, showing we're leading the pack in making new crypto opportunities available to more people. This provides them with a head start in engaging with a promising protocol and potentially benefiting from its growth. What are some operational challenges involved in being the first centralized exchange to offer a new product like EigenLayer Points? What are some operational challenges involved in being the first centralized exchange to offer a new product like EigenLayer Points? Being the first centralized exchange to offer a product like EigenLayer Points comes with operational challenges such as ensuring reliable security measures and sufficient liquidity, keeping trading fees at competitive levels, and educating users about the new market. However, we are committed to overcoming these challenges to provide a seamless trading experience for our users. With the upcoming EigenLayer airdrop being highly anticipated, how is BIT preparing to support its users through this event? With the upcoming EigenLayer airdrop being highly anticipated, how is BIT preparing to support its users through this event? As the EigenLayer airdrop approaches, BIT Exchange is actively preparing to support our users through this event by providing relevant information, facilitating trading, and ensuring the smooth distribution of airdropped tokens to eligible holders. It is mostly bookkeeping work, when the token is airdropped, we need to understand the airdrop rules, and conversion rate. The token would be in the Exchange wallet and then distributed to users’ accounts according to their points portfolio. Can you discuss any recent upgrades or innovations in BIT’s trading platform that have been particularly impactful? Can you discuss any recent upgrades or innovations in BIT’s trading platform that have been particularly impactful? Recently, BIT Exchange has made significant upgrades to our trading platform, particularly in the BRC-20 sector. We've empowered our users with the ability to drive new BRC-20 listings through organic community in-app votes, building a more inclusive and community-driven environment. Are there any industry trends or technologies that BIT is particularly focused on to stay ahead of the competition? Are there any industry trends or technologies that BIT is particularly focused on to stay ahead of the competition? We're also focused on staying ahead of the competition by embracing more crypto-native features such as staking. Back in Feb 2024, we began offering staking services for projects like Merlin Chain, for example, enabling our users to participate in that particular airdrop while earning rewards and contributing to the growth of the Merlin ecosystem. Looking ahead, what new types of tokens is BIT Exchange considering? Looking ahead, what new types of tokens is BIT Exchange considering? Looking ahead, BIT Exchange is considering listing new types of tokens with a strong focus on our community-led approach. We listen to our users and give them a say in what gets listed on our platform. This way, we ensure that we're offering assets that truly resonate with our community's interests.

Innovation and Accessibility to New Trading Markets

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the business travel industry has shown remarkable resilience, experiencing reasonable growth. In 2022, the global business travel market generated a substantial $901.51 billion in revenue and is projected to reach an impressive $2,518.61 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 10.82%. Regional features fuel this growth. Here are the most promising trends to watch in the Middle East and India: bleisure, a growing focus on sustainability, and the adoption of innovative technologies Demand for Face-to-Face Meetings Drives Growth A recent report predicts business travel spending will surge to $1.8 trillion by 2027, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This resurgence signifies a fundamental shift: Companies are rediscovering the irreplaceable value of in-person interaction for building trust, fostering creativity, and closing deals. This trend is stimulated by rapid expansion into emerging Asian and African markets, where building strong relationships is crucial. For instance, India's business travel spending is set to reach $38 billion this year, with a projected full recovery to pre-2019 levels by 2025. Another driver is economic growth in the MENA countries. This region's airlines are strategically increasing connectivity and opening new routes. Notably, KSA's new airline, Riyadh Air, represents a significant investment in connecting the area with UAE and India, thanks to the country's booming construction sector. Tumodo's internal data shows a surge in business travel, with a significant increase in corporate travel during Q4 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. October and November saw record activity, further solidifying the return of face-to-face interactions as a cornerstone of business success. Bleisure Travel is Booming Bleisure travel, the trend of combining business and leisure activities, is rising globally after the COVID-19 pandemic, with India being one of the leading four destinations. The growth is primarily driven by a younger workforce (under 35) seeking enriching experiences. Looking deeper, IT companies are leading the pack, with 25% of employees extending business trips, followed by finance and manufacturing. Similarly, Tumodo’s internal study showed that over 30% of business travelers attending the Qatar Web Summit extended their stay for sightseeing. Similar trends were observed in Dubai and Riyadh, with nearly half of conference attendees opting for a leisure extension. Consequently, weekend-ending business trips are prime opportunities for bleisure travel that boost employee satisfaction at a minimal cost for employers, offering a win-win situation. Sustainability Focus The sustainability movement is gaining momentum, and we can expect businesses to increasingly prioritize eco-friendly travel options like carbon-offsetting flights through airline programs, eco-friendly hotels known for their energy-saving measures, and local sourcing initiatives. Integrating green transportation options will also be a game-changer for the industry. For example, travel technology platforms can use data to recommend flights with lower emissions and highlight eco-friendly alternatives like high-speed rail or electric vehicles. This will empower travelers to make conscious choices and incentivize airlines to invest in sustainable solutions. While Tumodo’s data predict a potential rise in airline prices (3-7%) in the MENA and Indian regions due to sustainability and fuel price issues, these costs might even out in the long run as airlines adopt more fuel-efficient technologies. Ultimately, prioritizing sustainable travel benefits both businesses, by reducing their environmental footprint, and travelers, who can enjoy a guilt-free travel experience. Rise of Tech in Business Travel The business travel landscape is undergoing a digital revolution, with technology transforming every aspect of corporate trips, from booking flights and hotels to streamlining expenses and enhancing the travel experience. Data science and AI-powered platforms like Tumodo enable businesses to optimize travel budgets by 35% on average. Venue-sourcing platforms streamline location scouting for meetings and events, saving time and resources, while virtual and augmented reality foster innovation in training and site visits, reducing travel costs and increasing accessibility. This tech boom is fueled by large-scale infrastructure projects in the Middle East, such as smart cities and advanced transportation networks. It will create new opportunities for Indian companies in construction, engineering, and related sectors, driving a surge in business travel for project participation. The future of business travel in the MENA and Indian regions is bright.  Travel companies that adapt their offerings to cater to the evolving needs of business travelers, such as bleisure packages and sustainable travel options, will be well-positioned to thrive in this dynamic market. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the business travel industry has shown remarkable resilience, experiencing reasonable growth. In 2022, the global business travel market generated a substantial $901.51 billion in revenue and is projected to reach an impressive $2,518.61 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 10.82%. Regional features fuel this growth. Here are the most promising trends to watch in the Middle East and India: bleisure, a growing focus on sustainability, and the adoption of innovative technologies generated generated Demand for Face-to-Face Meetings Drives Growth Demand for Face-to-Face Meetings Drives Growth A recent report predicts business travel spending will surge to $1.8 trillion by 2027, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This resurgence signifies a fundamental shift: Companies are rediscovering the irreplaceable value of in-person interaction for building trust, fostering creativity, and closing deals. predicts predicts This trend is stimulated by rapid expansion into emerging Asian and African markets, where building strong relationships is crucial. For instance, India's business travel spending is set to reach $38 billion this year, with a projected full recovery to pre-2019 levels by 2025. Another driver is economic growth in the MENA countries. This region's airlines are strategically increasing connectivity and opening new routes. Notably, KSA's new airline, Riyadh Air, represents a significant investment in connecting the area with UAE and India, thanks to the country's booming construction sector. reach reach Tumodo's internal data shows a surge in business travel, with a significant increase in corporate travel during Q4 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. October and November saw record activity, further solidifying the return of face-to-face interactions as a cornerstone of business success. Bleisure Travel is Booming Bleisure Travel is Booming Bleisure travel, the trend of combining business and leisure activities, is rising globally after the COVID-19 pandemic, with India being one of the leading four destinations. The growth is primarily driven by a younger workforce (under 35) seeking enriching experiences. Looking deeper, IT companies are leading the pack, with 25% of employees extending business trips, followed by finance and manufacturing. being being Similarly, Tumodo’s internal study showed that over 30% of business travelers attending the Qatar Web Summit extended their stay for sightseeing. Similar trends were observed in Dubai and Riyadh, with nearly half of conference attendees opting for a leisure extension. Consequently, weekend-ending business trips are prime opportunities for bleisure travel that boost employee satisfaction at a minimal cost for employers, offering a win-win situation. boost boost Sustainability Focus Sustainability Focus The sustainability movement is gaining momentum, and we can expect businesses to increasingly prioritize eco-friendly travel options like carbon-offsetting flights through airline programs, eco-friendly hotels known for their energy-saving measures, and local sourcing initiatives. options options Integrating green transportation options will also be a game-changer for the industry. For example, travel technology platforms can use data to recommend flights with lower emissions and highlight eco-friendly alternatives like high-speed rail or electric vehicles. This will empower travelers to make conscious choices and incentivize airlines to invest in sustainable solutions. While Tumodo’s data predict a potential rise in airline prices (3-7%) in the MENA and Indian regions due to sustainability and fuel price issues, these costs might even out in the long run as airlines adopt more fuel-efficient technologies. Ultimately, prioritizing sustainable travel benefits both businesses, by reducing their environmental footprint, and travelers, who can enjoy a guilt-free travel experience. Rise of Tech in Business Travel Rise of Tech in Business Travel The business travel landscape is undergoing a digital revolution, with technology transforming every aspect of corporate trips, from booking flights and hotels to streamlining expenses and enhancing the travel experience. Data science and AI-powered platforms like Tumodo enable businesses to optimize travel budgets by 35% on average. Venue-sourcing platforms streamline location scouting for meetings and events, saving time and resources, while virtual and augmented reality foster innovation in training and site visits, reducing travel costs and increasing accessibility. This tech boom is fueled by large-scale infrastructure projects in the Middle East, such as smart cities and advanced transportation networks. It will create new opportunities for Indian companies in construction, engineering, and related sectors, driving a surge in business travel for project participation. The future of business travel in the MENA and Indian regions is bright.  Travel companies that adapt their offerings to cater to the evolving needs of business travelers, such as bleisure packages and sustainable travel options, will be well-positioned to thrive in this dynamic market.

Business Travel Trends to Watch in 2024

As an early adopter and a crypto enthusiast, I've been closely following the rise of AI Crypto Coins. The year 2024 has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for us. Ever since OpenAI's ChatGPT was released in late 2022, AI has become all the hype. This mania has since perpetuated to AI crypto coins, with prices surging across the board. Top AI Crypto Coins by Market Cap The top AI crypto coin by market cap is Internet Computer (DFINITY), at $8.28 billion as of April 08, 2024. This is followed by the NEAR Protocol (NEAR), with a market cap of $4.44 billion. Bittensor (TAO) is third, with a market of $3.81 billion. Bittensor, a decentralized machine learning protocol powered by the TAO token, remained the largest AI crypto coin throughout January and February 2024. Movers and Shakers However, outside of the top 5, there were significant changes. Autonolas (OLAS), which started 2024 in sixth place with a market cap of $0.30 billion, dropped to 24th as of April 8, at 172.30 million. Nosana (NOS) did really well in getting higher in the rankings. At the beginning of 2024, it was in ninth place. But by the end of February, it moved up to seventh place. Its market cap, which is how much the company is worth, went up a lot, too. It went from being worth $0.05 billion to $0.51 billion, which is an increase of $0.46 billion in February. But now, it's dropped again to 16th place, and its market cap is $257.21 million. 2024's Biggest Gainers The largest gainer amongst crypto AI coins in 2024 was Nosana, with a price increase of 987.9%, rising from $0.56 to $6.01 within two months. This was followed by DeepFakeAI (FAKEAI), which saw an increase of 628.6%, from $0.0008 to $0.0069. Synesis One (SNS) came in third, rising 595.4%, increasing its price from $0.016 at the start of the year to $0.108 by the end of February. The Impact of OpenAI's Sora The announcement of OpenAI's Sora text-to-video model saw an average price increase of 151.0% amongst AI crypto coins. DeepFakeAI benefited the most from OpenAI's latest product, having managed to reverse its downtrend of -31.4% on February 17, to 628.6% on February 29. Leaders in Market Cap Growth In terms of increase in market cap, Bittensor led the pack, having added $2.22 billion in valuation. It was followed by Render, which increased by $1.20 billion. SingularityNET (AGIX) came in third, with its market cap rising by $0.51 billion since the start of 2024 to $0.93 billion. Looking Ahead: The Future of AI and Crypto As we move forward, the AI-Crypto narrative continues to evolve. The convergence of AI and blockchain technologies is creating new opportunities and challenges. But one thing is certain: the future of AI and Crypto is bright, and I am excited to be part of this journey. Sources: Coingecko, Bitcoininsider, and Bitcoinethereumnews. As an early adopter and a crypto enthusiast, I've been closely following the rise of AI Crypto Coins . The year 2024 has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for us. Ever since OpenAI's ChatGPT was released in late 2022, AI has become all the hype. This mania has since perpetuated to AI crypto coins, with prices surging across the board. AI Crypto Coins Top AI Crypto Coins by Market Cap The top AI crypto coin by market cap is Internet Computer (DFINITY), at $8.28 billion as of April 08, 2024. This is followed by the NEAR Protocol (NEAR), with a market cap of $4.44 billion . Bittensor (TAO) is third, with a market of $3.81 billion . Bittensor, a decentralized machine learning protocol powered by the TAO token, remained the largest AI crypto coin throughout January and February 2024. $8.28 billion $4.44 billion $3.81 billion Movers and Shakers However, outside of the top 5, there were significant changes. Autonolas (OLAS), which started 2024 in sixth place with a market cap of $0.30 billion , dropped to 24th as of April 8, at 172.30 million . Nosana (NOS) did really well in getting higher in the rankings. At the beginning of 2024, it was in ninth place. But by the end of February, it moved up to seventh place. Its market cap, which is how much the company is worth, went up a lot, too. It went from being worth $0.05 billion to $0.51 billion, which is an increase of $0.46 billion in February. But now, it's dropped again to 16th place, and its market cap is $257.21 million. $0.30 billion 172.30 million 2024's Biggest Gainers The largest gainer amongst crypto AI coins in 2024 was Nosana, with a price increase of 987.9%, rising from $0.56 to $6.01 within two months. This was followed by DeepFakeAI (FAKEAI) , which saw an increase of 628.6%, from $0.0008 to $0.0069 . Synesis One (SNS) came in third, rising 595.4%, increasing its price from $0.016 at the start of the year to $0.108 by the end of February. $0.56 $6.01 (FAKEAI) $0.0008 $0.0069 $0.016 $0.108 The Impact of OpenAI's Sora The announcement of OpenAI's Sora text-to-video model saw an average price increase of 151.0% amongst AI crypto coins. DeepFakeAI benefited the most from OpenAI's latest product, having managed to reverse its downtrend of -31.4% on February 17, to 628.6% on February 29. OpenAI's Sora text-to-video model Leaders in Market Cap Growth In terms of increase in market cap, Bittensor led the pack, having added $2.22 billion in valuation. It was followed by Render, which increased by $1.20 billion . SingularityNET (AGIX) came in third, with its market cap rising by $0.51 billion since the start of 2024 to $0.93 billion . $2.22 billion $1.20 billion $0.51 billion $0.93 billion Looking Ahead: The Future of AI and Crypto As we move forward, the AI-Crypto narrative continues to evolve. The convergence of AI and blockchain technologies is creating new opportunities and challenges. But one thing is certain: the future of AI and Crypto is bright, and I am excited to be part of this journey. Sources: Coingecko, Bitcoininsider, and Bitcoinethereumnews. Sources: Coingecko , Bitcoininsider , and Bitcoinethereumnews . Sources: Coingecko Bitcoininsider Bitcoinethereumnews

Forget Elon Musk, AI Crypto is the REAL Money Maker

In the , getting to know the playing field involves more than just figuring out the market size or spotting the next big thing. Knowing who you're up against is just as crucial. This insight can show you what makes your startup stand out and whether it has what it takes to lead the pack. business world So, how do you get the scoop on your competition? Here are some smart ways and helpful tools to dig up the dirt on your industry peers. SimilarWeb . This tool provides insights on website metrics like traffic volume, sources, and bounce rates, among others. While not flawless, SimilarWeb's trends and estimates often hit close to the mark, making it a go-to for initial research. By analyzing traffic visits, I can gauge potential sales, understand a company's main operating regions through traffic sources, uncover more competitors, and learn about their customer acquisition strategies. a great tool that shows you information about websites is SimilarWeb Crunchbase offers a wealth of information on companies, from their funding rounds to key personnel. Even with its free version, Crunchbase is a treasure trove for preliminary company research. Crunchbase Googling Simple online searches can yield surprising results. Typing in the company name followed by specific metrics might bring up useful data, though it's wise to approach these figures with skepticism. LinkedIn Insights Many professionals take pride in their work achievements, sometimes sharing valuable data right on their profiles. While not a consistent source, you might stumble upon significant insights when researching employees from target companies. LinkedIn Facebook Ads Library Platforms like the offer transparency into a company's active ad campaigns, revealing their marketing strategies and messaging. This window into a company's advertising efforts can provide critical insights. Facebook Ads Library Google Ad Transparency tools allow you to explore current and past ad campaigns for any given company, offering a glimpse into their marketing evolution, albeit with some patience required due to slow loading times. ads transparency Google Keyword Analysis Understanding what potential customers are searching for can shed light on a competitor's market presence and which terms are driving traffic to their sites. Tools such as , , , and are invaluable for this type of research. UberSuggest AnswerThePublic Ahrefs SEMRush Customer Feedback Product reviews on , and other platforms can offer unfiltered feedback on a competitor's offerings, providing a direct line to customer sentiment. social media ( or ), , Facebook Google Reddit TrustPilot Comprehensive Reports Lastly, Annual Reports from industry and public companies can give an in-depth look at financial health and strategic direction. These documents are key for benchmarking and trend analysis. 📚 Essential Resources General Startup Funding and Trends: Techcrunch CB Insights Connecting the Dots in Fintech Inside Axios ) AngelList FemWealth Africa-focused: TechCabal Disrupt Africa The Big Deal TechCrunch Tech Safari Startup List Africa Asia-Focused: Inc42 Mint The Ken E27 Tech in Asia Australia Focused: Cut Through Ventures SmartCompany Overnight Successes By leveraging these tools and strategies, you can conduct a thorough competitive analysis, equipping your business with the knowledge to navigate and excel in your market. or to connect. If you found this useful, you may also like to read . PS: Follow me on Twitter LinkedIn “Remember, We Live in the Age of Beta Versions: How to Anticipate Trends and Launch an Online Product”

The Spy Mission: A Guide for Analyzing Your Competitors

PS: This story was written in my indigenous language, Pidgin English, a variant of English. I hope you enjoy it. -All misfortune ends up as stories eventually For the longest time, I wanted to run. When you read this, I hope you understand why I did what I did. And you won’t curse me, too. When I was young, I fell in love with various kinds of food. I hated wastage, so I ate whatever I came across, full or not. They called me a glutton and many unflattering names, but my thick hide remained unruffled. Different foods meant the world to me until I found spaghetti. It’s not what you think, no. It’s beguiling and strips you of common sense. The first time I became addicted to spaghetti, the world tilted on its axis. I was floating. Let’s start at the very day my world came unraveled. “Every time carbohydrate. You go dey chop like baby pig, yet e no dey show for your body. Pankere wọ gown.” Mama said when she walked up to me, a laundry basket under her arms with rolls of fat. “Sorry, mama,” I said, slowing down my food. The apartment is tiny and meant to be stuffy, but Mama makes it work somehow. “My pikin, eat o. But eat a balanced diet, eh? I no wan make you get kwashiorkor. E no look good for body. Na so so head and belle remain. You need fat, even if na small. I go buy milk for you when I come back from the market. That milk, wetin dem dey call am again?” Her memory was sometimes glitchy, and I always came to her aid. “Na Complan.” “Ehn ehn, Complan. Na, im be that. You need am make you add flesh for your body.” But what is a twelve-year-old supposed to know about such? Mama goes to do the laundry, and I sit in front of the television, stomach rumbling. “Open the door, person dey knock,” Mama said from the backyard. Her ears are sharper than the talons of a predator on most days. “Nnena, how are you?” A woman in Mama’s size sizes me up, tying her wrapper correctly. “Fine, ma.” I was courteous even though I’d never seen her before. “Your mama no dey?” She asked, trying to peek inside the house. I hold the door firmly, dissuading her from such an act. “She dey backyard,” I responded, not budging an inch. Mama has told me many times not to let strangers in. No matter how they seem. “Okay, I just say make I greet. Before I forget, you fit to give her this? Tell am say na the new product wey come out.” She handed me a sealed product, and my eyes widened when I spotted the name. It was spaghetti. “Who be that?” Mama comes into the room, drying her hands on her wrapper. “I no know o. She just dropped this thing.” I pointed, and Mama’s eyes relaxed. “Ah, na Mama Nedu na. You no know her? She dey sell spaghetti. She say she go drop by.” I heave a breath of relief, staring at the pack of spaghetti, daring me to move forward. I cooked it the next day. Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe it. It finished a little too fast, and I stared disappointed at my empty plate, licked until it shone like the back of Nnamdi’s head. We all laughed when he came to school with a shaved head, and I never forgot ever since. I cooked it again. I was spending the cash I’d been saving for the festivities of Christmas. It finished—all 3,450 naira of it. The withdrawal symptoms started innocently enough when I hallucinated a plate of spaghetti. I reached for it, but it wasn’t there anymore. I hiss at the eba, not knowing what to do. I ate rice that night. And my life changed forever. I could feel a bubbling sensation in my stomach, as though my entrails were being pulled out of my body, acid searing through my stomach’s lining. “Jesus, wetin? Talk to me! My pikin ooo, make una help me o.” Mama rushed me into her arms, cradling my head with such fondness. I could feel my ribs digging into me. “Wetin happen?” Papa Njedika was the first to answer the call, his wife a few feet behind him. “She just begin to convulse. Her body temperature just dey rise. I no know wetin to do. My God oo, make una come o.” And Mama slips into hysteria again. “Make we carry her go hospital; we go figure out the bills later.” Mama nods, letting Papa Njedika remove me from her grasp. I could see the agony create lines on her face. But I was unconscious. Outside my body, watching me. And fear wears me like a sweater. I was dead. ~~ Being dead didn’t feel terrible, until I touched a lone thread. A thread of white and red was before me, and the non-corporeal world filled up my vision. The chairs were in their first form; a tree stood where all the chairs were, and I found myself standing in a forest. Dense. Silent. Alive. The trees encompass the world, stretching forth into eternity. Whichever way I turned, a forest greeted me. The two threads were on the ground, and I knew I couldn’t touch more than one. It was a choice. I was making a choice. I picked the red. Cliché, but it worked. I was carried into the air as though I weighed less than a feather, and I kept rising until I was above the clouds. And the world was before me. I moved, wondering what would happen if I fell from such a stupendous height. Was there a way to die a second death? I didn’t want to find out. My eyesight had no barriers; I could see the entire world simultaneously. “Child of the Stars, what are you doing here?” I heard a voice from the world, and my eyes almost rolled to the back of my head. “I think I died,” I say, turning 360 to see if I could catch a glimpse of the speaker—no such luck. “Yes, but this isn’t your path to follow. Why did you choose this path?” The voice asked again. I’d already gotten over my fear, and I was feeling irritated instead. “Is there meant to be a tutorial or something? Because I didn’t receive one.” The voice chuckled—light and all-encompassing. “Okay, Child of the Stars. Look no further. Remember who you are.” The voice said with a tone of finality and faded out of existence. Curious. After waiting for a few minutes, I got bored and began to touch the trees around me. They felt like they had a soul, as though the world stole their individuality. “What are you trying to tell me?” I whisper, cradling its bark. A purring sound reverberated around me as though waking the world from its slumber. One by one, the trees made groaning sounds, moving as one. “What’s going on?” I screamed, and they turned to me suddenly. “Child of the Stars, you’ve awoken us from our slumber. We have seen what humans have done, and we rise. No longer playthings, no longer useless. Thank you for waking the Soul of the World. Goodbye, we won’t see you again.” The world faded to black, and I opened my eyes groggily, staring at my mother's worried face. “What happened?” I asked, the mother of all headaches deciding to visit me. “My pikin don wake!” Mama screams, hugging me. Papa Njedika and his wife run into the room, looking at me with worry creasing their foreheads. The hospital waiting room seemed to be full of people. People I didn’t even know. “You’re fine now,” Mama said, but I wondered. Three days after I got home, missiles were launched into China and the US, even though there was a non-aggression pact between the World Powers. “The missiles moved like they had a mind of their own.” The president of the US made that statement, looking stupid on live television. But when Switzerland launched a missile, the world began to listen. A neutral country was calling for war. It was darker than people thought. I needed to get back to the non-corporeal world; I needed to right my wrongs. So, I ate spaghetti until I almost passed out. Nothing. I starved myself for days on end, my body worse than it was before. Nothing still. My body was refusing to die. When I dreamt, I saw the Soul of the World standing before me, eyes filled with malice. It was no longer a giant mass of trees; it was a human with eyes as deep as the universe. No, not a figure of speech. The universe was its eyeballs. “Why do you worry, Child of the Stars? They deserve it.” It says, looking down on me with contempt. “But, I’m part of the world too.” I reasoned, but the look it leveled me with was enough to incinerate. “And?” There was no remorse in its voice. “Stop, please,” I beg. “Why should I? You still use plates: books, wood. You take from us and give nothing in return. No homage, no love. You’re human, too. Born in this age, how can you be anything else? Goodbye. We won’t meet again.” “No. We will.” I stared at the Soul of the World, pleading. It smiled briefly and disappeared. “What have I done?” I asked, feeling the weight settle over my soul. “I don’t know, what have you done?” I heard a cheery voice, the same one from before. “How do I fix this?” I scream at the void, my voice not getting past two feet in front of me. “You can’t. This was your purpose all along. I like the bit with spaghetti, though I found it funny. But now, you must wake. Even stars have to face what it means to fall.” The world shattered, and I woke up with tears in my eyes. My mother was beside me, looking older than I’d ever seen her. She had grey hair. “Mama?” I asked, turning around to be sure I was in the right place. Everything looked so unfamiliar. Mama woke up with a start. She saw me and fainted. People rushed into the room, and they ran out when they saw me awake. “What’s happening?” I didn’t know whether to cry or be worried. Papa Njedika was the only person brave enough to talk to me. He approached me and hesitated but placed his hand on my shoulder. “We’re the last of Nigeria. And this is 2025. The Third World War.” It was my turn to faint. But I didn’t. I’d slept for ten years. And the world had ended. All because of spaghetti.

Spaghetti 

**BERLIN, Germany, March 27th, 2024/Chainwire/--**On March 13th, 2024, Casino.Guide for Canadian game-of-chance enthusiasts. That is a selection of gaming hubs licensed by international regulators, whose games get tested by third-party independent randomness verification agencies like iTech Labs, GLI, and eCOGRA. published its selection of the Internet’s highest-quality gambling platforms The number one spot on this list gets reserved for Stake.com, what many consider the world’s most famous crypto casino, licensed by Curacao Gaming. It is a remote casino/sportsbook that works with various sports franchises, like English Premiership side Everton FC, the UFC, and the Alfa Romeo F1 racing team. Stake has also made the news cycle in recent years for its , who is a massive online gambling aficionado. affiliation with Canadian musical superstar Drake Casino.Guide followed up Stake.com with Lucky Days, Cloudbet, InstaSpin, and BC.Game, completing its top five rankings with these five sites. All four of these, like Stake, operate from Curacao, accepting virtual currencies as viable payment methods while offering welcome bonuses for new users. BC.Game is also a notable interactive gaming brand that many online gamblers have gotten familiar with thanks to its affiliation/sponsorship with the Cloud9 eSports team, which has squads that compete in various video games like Counter Strike Global Offensive, League of Legends, Rocket League, Halo Infinite, StarCraft, and Overwatch. BC.Game is also the official betting partner of the Argentinian national football team. Stake is the wagering partner of the UFC. And it is of its former middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya. a long-time sponsor About Stake It comes as little surprise that Casino.Guide places Stake.com as . It debuted in 2017 and quickly established itself as a credible gaming brand. It gets operated by Medium Rare N.V., a company run by Ed Craven, the face of the Stake brand. the number one Canadian online casino In August 2022, Stake.com entered the United States through a social casino offshoot, and the company’s staff manages its operations from offices in Cyprus, Australia, and Serbia. The site itself gets renowned for its vast collection of games, advanced sportsbook page, and wide range of accepted cryptos. How Casino.Guide Rates Online Casino Sites. Casino.Guide claims that it is the go-to place for objective reviews and ratings, listing the most trustworthy gaming sites for Canadian players. It also supplies info on the latest casino streamer trends and everything anyone would want to know about crypto gambling. The site staff evaluates casinos based on their registration promos, game selections, payment options, payout timeframes, and the competence of their customer service staff. Casino.Guide specialists diligently seek to analyze these main areas and others to conclude if a specific website meets their quality control standards. If it does, they rank it accordingly, stacking it up with other crypto-centric competitors that allow Canadians to join their user pools. A Casino.Guide rating between 95% and 100% means that a platform comes highly recommended. A 94% to 90% rating gets reserved for recommended brands. An 89% to 85% rating is for passable websites, and those that fall under the 85% rating get labeled as casinos in need of improvement. There is also a Best-in-Class group, the crème de la crème of online gaming operators for Canadian remote casino lovers. Casino.Guide’s Team The Casino.Guide website got established in 2020, founded by a group of iGaming experts that total over three decades of online gambling sector experience. The pack gets headlined by Vienne Garcia, a resident of Malta, Europe’s prime iGaming hotspot. Garcia has spent much time in British Columbia, so she knows about what Canadians desire concerning gaming, and she looks to put her decade’s worth of experience to good use to cater to their needs. Christian Webber is the in-house mobile gaming expert at Casino.Guide. He looks to keep up to date with the latest developments on the smartphone gambling side of things. Christian lives in Germany and has spent almost ten years working , Austria’s land-based machine gambling juggernaut. Peter Schmidt is the final part of the Casino.Guide puzzle, supplying his unmatched knowledge of all things related to casino play over the Web. He is the chief site analyst, primarily focusing on reviewed gaming platforms. as a software tester for Novomatic Contact Teamlead Outreach Kush Sharma impulsQ GmbH ks@impulsq.de This story was distributed as a release by Chainwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here.

Casino.Guide Posts Its List Of The Best Canadian Online Casinos For March 2024

Casino.Guide মার্চ 2024 এর জন্য সেরা কানাডিয়ান অনলাইন ক্যাসিনোগুলির তালিকা পোস্ট করে

Casino.Guide veröffentlicht seine Liste der besten kanadischen Online-Casinos für März 2024

Casino.Guide publica su lista de los mejores casinos en línea canadienses para marzo de 2024

Casino.Guide publie sa liste des meilleurs casinos en ligne canadiens pour mars 2024

Casino.Guide ने मार्च 2024 के लिए सर्वश्रेष्ठ कनाडाई ऑनलाइन कैसीनो की अपनी सूची पोस्ट की

Casino.Guide が 2024 年 3 月のカナダのベストオンラインカジノのリストを掲載

Casino.Guide가 2024년 3월 최고의 캐나다 온라인 카지노 목록을 게시했습니다.

Casino.Guide publica sua lista dos melhores cassinos online canadenses para março de 2024

Casino.Guide опубликовал список лучших канадских онлайн-казино на март 2024 года

Casino.Guide Mart 2024 İçin En İyi Kanada Çevrimiçi Casinolarının Listesini Yayınladı

Casino.Guide đăng danh sách các sòng bạc trực tuyến tốt nhất ở Canada vào tháng 3 năm 2024

Casino.Guide 发布 2024 年 3 月加拿大最佳在线赌场名单

Crypto Market Update 3/14 Greetings, crypto comrades! Buckle up because the crypto-verse is wilder than a toddler hopped up on pixie sticks. just smashed its all-time high, soaring past $73,000 like it was defying gravity. Talk about a confidence boost for the whole market – it's like a giant green party, with everyone feeling the FOMO! Bitcoin Bitcoin's Bonanza: A Bullish Stampede Remember that whole "Bitcoin dip" thing? Forget about it! This digital gold just went on a shopping spree, grabbing a new all-time high and dragging the entire market along for the ride. We're talking about a market cap of a mind-blowing $1.45 trillion, and Bitcoin is holding onto its dominance like a dog with a bone (around 50% market share, for that keeping score). This is a classic case of "winners get more winnings" in action, and it's got everyone feeling bullish! Beyond Bitcoin: The Altcoin All-Stars But Bitcoin isn't the only one at the party. Ethereum's finally back above $4,000, Binance Coin (BNB) is showing off with a 7% jump that's got it sniffing at $600, and altcoins like Avalanche (AVAX) and Toncoin (TON) are leading the pack with double-digit gains. It's like a crypto orchestra playing a symphony of green candles! According to CoinGecko, the total market cap is sitting pretty at a whopping $2.9 trillion, which basically means there's more money sloshing around in crypto than ever before. It's a party, people, and everyone's invited! Regulation Tango: A Balancing Act While the market's busy celebrating, the world of crypto regulations is putting on a fascinating dance. The EU just waltzed in with the world's first AI law, which basically wants to keep things innovative but safe (think self-driving cars that don't mow down pedestrians). It's a good sign – regulations might not be the most fun at the party, but they can help keep things from turning into a total mosh pit. Speaking of keeping things clean, the crypto bad guys are getting heat, too. The founder of that shady crypto mixing service, Bitcoin Fog? Yeah, he's facing jail time for money laundering. This is a reminder that crypto isn't just about Lambos and moon landings – there are still some shady characters lurking around. But hey, at least they're getting caught! Traditional Finance Takes a Dip in the Crypto Pool Remember your grandpa always telling you to diversify your investments? Well, even the big boys in traditional finance are starting to see the light. A recent pilot project on this thing called the Canton Network blockchain saw Wall Street whales like Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon sticking their toes in the water. They did over 350 fake transactions, which might not sound exciting, but it shows they're curious about what this whole blockchain thing is all about. Maybe crypto and traditional finance can finally become BFFs? XRP Makes a Move: A David vs. Goliath Battle Brewing? Now, let's talk about XRP, the token that decided to steal the show with a crazy 11.5% surge. What's going on here? Well, it seems like the big investors (whales, in crypto speak) are getting friendly with XRP, and a bunch of it is leaving crypto exchanges. This could mean a few things: maybe they're looking for new opportunities, or maybe they're worried Bitcoin's a bit overheated and want to spread their bets. Plus, XRP's looking good technically, which means it might be ready to challenge Bitcoin for the heavyweight title. Buckle up, because this fight could get interesting! The Future of Crypto: Innovation, Collaboration, and (Hopefully) Less Drama The bottom line? Crypto is booming! Bitcoin's record run is a sign of unwavering optimism, and the advancements in regulation, technology, and even collaboration between old-school finance and the new kids on the block paint a bright future for this wild world. Just remember, crypto is still a rollercoaster – exciting, sometimes scary, but always full of surprises. Stay tuned, crypto enthusiasts, because this revolution is just getting started!

Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin Breaks Records, XRP Makes a Power Play, and Regs Get Real!

So far, most of my playing with Generative AI has been on the prompt side, with no real look at the various settings you can tweak in your calls. As I'm still very new to this, I'm trying my best to take things slowly. But every time I open and see the settings on the right, I keep nagging myself to take a deeper look. Google AI Studio You can also see the various settings options in the default code Studio spits out: const generationConfig = {
	temperature: 0.9,
	topK: 1,
	topP: 1,
	maxOutputTokens: 2048,
};

const safetySettings = [
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HARASSMENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HATE_SPEECH,	threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_SEXUALLY_EXPLICIT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_DANGEROUS_CONTENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
]; I thought today I'd take a look at , as I had a rough idea of what it implied. Temperature, at a high level, refers to how 'varied' a particular generated response can be. As an example, if I were to say, "I like ____", then you could make a list of what the next word would be, rated by how likely it is: temperature very Cats (VERY LIKELY) Star Wars (LIKELY) Books (LIKELY) Vegetables (UNLIKELY) At the highest temperature value, there will be a of variety. At the lowest level, no variety. Now, from what I know, that does mean that every response will be the same. Just very similar. This post, , does a great job explaining temperature (and other settings). lot not "Creatively Deterministic: What are Temperature and Top_P in Generative AI?" While it's relatively easy in AI Studio to adjust the temperature setting you see above, what I really wanted was a tool to help me see multiple results at once. So, I built one. :) Temperature Testing Tool My tool begins with a simple prompt: This is pretty vanilla HTML, so I won't share the code here (I've got a link to everything down below). Upon hitting the button, that's where the magic begins. Here's the JavaScript: // Testing ranges for temperature
const tempRanges = [0, 0.3, 0.6, 1];

// How many times to test per temp.
const perTemp = 2;

let $status, $results;

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', init, false);
async function init() {
	document.querySelector('#submitBtn').addEventListener('click', handleSubmit, false);
	$status = document.querySelector('#status i');
	$results = document.querySelector('#results');
} I begin with some variable declarations and a listener for . The first two variable sections are the crucial ones. Temperature values go from 0 (focus on only the highest probable response) to 1 (be more creative), and I decided to test four values in that range. DOMContentLoaded For each range in the array of temperatures, I do two tests. My thinking was that two results would be enough to see the variance in one particular temperature value. Carrying on... async function handleSubmit(e) {
	e.preventDefault();
	$results.innerHTML = '';

	let prompt = document.querySelector('#prompt').value.trim();
	if(prompt === '') return;

	/*
	We are going to loop perTemp times for each tempRange. In order to not
	get stopped by Gemini for too many requests, and to provide feedback to the user, 
	I'll report after each tempRange
	*/
	for(temp of tempRanges) {
		$status.innerText = `Getting results for temperature ${temp}.`;
		let promises = [];
		for(let i=0; i<perTemp; i++) {
			promises.push(getResult(prompt, temp));
		}

		let results = await Promise.all(promises);
		let html = `<h2>Temperature ${temp}</h2>`;
		for(let i=0; i < results.length; i++) {
			html += `
<p>
Result #${i+1}:<br/>
${results[i]}
</p>`;
		}
		$results.innerHTML += html;
		console.log(results);
	}

	$status.innerText = ``;
	
}

async function getResult(prompt, temperature) {
	console.log(`Calling getResult with prompt ${prompt} and ${temperature}`);
	let body = {
		prompt, 
		temperature
	};
	let req = await fetch('/api', { method: 'POST', body: JSON.stringify(body)});
	return await req.json();
} In this code, I loop over the range of temperatures and then make my two sample calls. When done, I render it out to the screen. The last function simply passes my prompt and temperature to the backend API. I'll share a screenshot, but it's a wall of text. This is only a small portion: long The backend is a lightweight Node.js server that basically handles outputting my HTML and responding to the request by the client-side JavaScript. Let's take a look at that, specifically the portion handling the Google Gemini call: POST import { GoogleGenerativeAI, HarmCategory, HarmBlockThreshold } from '@google/generative-ai';

const MODEL_NAME = "gemini-pro";
const API_KEY = process.env.GOOGLE_AI_KEY;

const genAI = new GoogleGenerativeAI(API_KEY);
const model = genAI.getGenerativeModel({ model: MODEL_NAME });

async function callGemini(text, temperature) {

	const generationConfig = {
		temperature,
		topK: 1,
		topP: 1,
		maxOutputTokens: 2048,
	};

	const safetySettings = [
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HARASSMENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HATE_SPEECH,	threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_SEXUALLY_EXPLICIT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
		{ category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_DANGEROUS_CONTENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE, },
	];

	const parts = [
    	{text},
  	];

	const result = await model.generateContent({
		contents: [{ role: "user", parts }],
		generationConfig,
		safetySettings,
	});

	const response = result.response.candidates[0].content.parts[0].text;
	
	return response;
} This is pretty much the exact code spit out by Studio but wrapped into a function where the prompt and temperature can be passed in. This function has error handling, and that absolutely bit me in the butt. I'm going to be taking a look at those errors, and how to handle them, in a future blog post. no So what did I find? Results Here are the results of using the prompt: "Tell me a story about cats." First, temperature 0. Result 1 Once upon a time, in a quaint little town nestled amidst rolling hills, there lived a mischievous cat named Mittens. Mittens was known throughout the neighborhood for her playful antics and her insatiable curiosity. One sunny afternoon, as Mittens was basking in the warmth of the sunbeam that streamed through the window, she noticed a peculiar sound coming from the kitchen. Intrigued, she hopped off the window sill and tiptoed towards the source of the noise. Upon entering the kitchen, Mittens discovered a group of kittens huddled around a bowl of milk. Their tiny paws were eagerly reaching for the sweet liquid, and their eyes sparkled with delight. Mittens, being the adventurous cat she was, couldn't resist joining in on the fun. With a playful leap, Mittens landed gracefully in the midst of the kittens. She purred loudly, her tail swishing back and forth as she rubbed against their soft fur. The kittens, initially startled by the sudden intrusion, soon warmed up to Mittens' friendly presence. Together, they formed a circle around the bowl of milk, their whiskers twitching as they lapped up the delicious treat. Mittens, being the eldest and most experienced cat, took it upon herself to teach the kittens proper table manners. She showed them how to take turns and how to avoid spilling the milk. As the kittens learned and grew, they developed a deep bond with Mittens. They looked up to her as their mentor and protector. Mittens, in turn, cherished her role as the leader of the pack. She spent her days playing with the kittens, teaching them valuable life lessons and keeping them safe from harm. Word of Mittens' extraordinary kindness and wisdom spread throughout the town. People would often bring their cats to her, seeking her advice and guidance. Mittens welcomed each and every cat with open paws, offering them comfort, support, and a sense of belonging. And so, Mittens became known as the "Guardian Cat" of the town. She was loved and respected by all, both humans and cats alike. Her legacy lived on for generations, inspiring countless cats to follow in her paw prints and spread joy and kindness wherever they went. Result 2 Once upon a time, in a quaint little town nestled amidst rolling hills, there lived a mischievous cat named Mittens. Mittens was known throughout the neighborhood for her playful antics and her insatiable curiosity. One sunny afternoon, as Mittens was basking in the warmth of the sunbeam that streamed through the window, she noticed a peculiar sound coming from the kitchen. Intrigued, she hopped off the window sill and tiptoed towards the source of the noise. Upon entering the kitchen, Mittens discovered a group of kittens huddled around a bowl of milk. Their tiny paws were eagerly lapping up the delicious liquid, their whiskers quivering with delight. Mittens, unable to resist the temptation, joined the kittens and began to partake in the feast. As they drank, Mittens couldn't help but notice that one of the kittens was smaller and weaker than the others. It struggled to keep up with its siblings, and its eyes held a look of longing. Mittens, being the compassionate cat that she was, decided to help the little kitten. With a gentle nudge, Mittens pushed the other kittens aside and made room for the weaker one. She then curled her tail around the kitten, providing it with warmth and comfort. The little kitten, grateful for Mittens' kindness, nuzzled against her fur and began to purr softly. As the kittens continued to drink their milk, Mittens couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. She had not only satisfied her own hunger but had also brought joy and comfort to a fellow creature. From that day forward, Mittens became known as the neighborhood's guardian angel. She would often be seen playing with the kittens, teaching them how to climb trees and chase butterflies. She would also bring them food and shelter when they were in need. The kittens, in turn, adored Mittens and would follow her everywhere she went. They would purr and rub against her legs, showing their affection and gratitude. And so, Mittens lived a long and happy life, surrounded by the love and companionship of her feline friends. She taught the town's residents the importance of kindness and compassion, and her legacy lived on long after she was gone. Notice that both start off the same and then diverge. To save on space, I'll skip to temperature 1 next. Result 1 Once upon a time, in a bustling city called Willow Brook, there lived a calico cat named Mittens. Mittens had a reputation for being a fearless explorer, always curious and eager for adventure. One day, Mittens embarked on her biggest expedition yet. She had heard rumors of a secret garden hidden deep within the city park, and she was determined to find it. When nightfall came, Mittens began her adventure, carefully sneaking out of her home and into the park. The park was silent, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moon. As she tiptoed through the winding paths, a faint scent of flowers carried by the wind caught her attention. Mittens followed the scent until she stumbled upon a large tree. Its branches were laden with bountiful blooms, and a gentle breeze sent petals raining down on her. Suddenly, a soft voice whispered, "Welcome, little traveler." Mittens looked around, her eyes widening in astonishment. Sitting on a branch was a beautiful cat; its fur shimmered like the night sky. "I am Esmerelda," the cat said, "and you are Mittens, the brave calico." Mittens was amazed. She had heard stories about Esmerelda, a magical cat said to hold the secret to unlocking the hidden garden. "Yes, Mittens," Esmerelda continued, "you have found the Enchanted Garden. But to enter, you must pass three challenges." Without hesitation, Mittens agreed. Her first challenge was to find a golden key hidden within the roots of an oak tree. With her sharp claws and determined spirit, Mittens discovered the key, its surface glowing brightly. Next, Esmerelda asked Mittens to gather dewdrops from the heart of a moonflower blossom. As Mittens gracefully leaped and climbed the tall stems, she carefully collected the sparkling dew in a tiny seashell. Finally, Mittens' last challenge was to sing a song that would make the trees sway and the flowers bloom. As Mittens lifted her voice, her melodious' tune enchanted the garden, which sprang to life with vibrant colors and dazzling lights. Esmeralda smiled, "Well done, little traveler. You have passed the challenges." With a gentle paw, Esmerelda touched the large oak tree, causing it to slowly open like a door, revealing an awe-inspiring paradise. Inside the Enchanted Garden, Mittens found lush meadows, sparkling fountains, and exotic creatures playing among the trees. It was a place of wonder and joy as if every storybook she had ever heard had come true. Mittens spent the entire night exploring the magical realm, amazed by its beauty. As dawn broke, she turned to Esmerelda and said, " Thank you for sharing this incredible place with me. Esmerelda purred softly. "You are welcome, Mittens. As long as you believe in magic, the garden will always be here for you to explore." From that day forward, Mittens became the guardian of the Enchanted Garden, a place where she could always find solace, friendship, and a sense of belonging among the natural beauty of Willow Brook. And so, the legend of the brave calico and the Enchanting Garden lived on, brought to life of the belief in magic and the wonders that can be found when one dares to explore beyond the ordinary. Result 2 Once upon a time, in a small and charming town called Willow Creek, nestled amidst rolling hills and blooming meadows, there lived two extraordinary cats. One was a sleek and graceful Siamese named Luna, whose shimmering white fur and piercing blue eyes radiated elegance and mystique. Her every movement exuded nimbleness, gliding through the streets of Willow Creek with an air of regal composure. Meet the second cat, a tabby by the name of Max, a playful and mischievous soul adorned with a coat of orange and black stripes. His sparkling green eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint; ears always perked, ever alert to the adventures that awaited him. His playful antics had become a legend among the townspeople, who were often greeted by his friendly antics and joyful meows. The companionship between Luna and Max was a sight to behold. They were inseparable, roaming the cobblestone streets together, their playful pursuits leading them to alleyways and secret paths known only to them. Their friendship was a true testament to the unwavering spirit and unbreakable bond between cats. During the day, they would bask lazily in the warm sunlight that bathed the town square, absorbing the melody of children playing and the laughter of friends sharing stories. At night, under the velvet sky adorned with shimmering stars, they would chase elusive fireflies and embark on daring expeditions, exploring the town's hidden nooks and crannies, their soft paw steps barely disturbing the tranquil silence. Many a local came to rely on the presence of Luna and Max, knowing that their playful chases and affectionate purrs brought an unexplainable joy and warmth to the heart. The elderly, feeling isolated, found solace in their presence, witnessing a simple yet profound beauty in their interactions. Children were captivated by their antics, watching in delight as they climbed trees or chased each other through the flowerbeds. One day, a traveling circus arrived in Willow Creek, filled with fanfare and vibrant colors. Luna and Max, captivated by the excitement, couldn't resist exploring the wonders this circus held. As they ventured into the largest tent, they were greeted with the mesmerising spectacle of trained cats, performing incredible feats of agility and balance. Inspired by their newfound passion, Luna and Max made a daring decision - they ran away to join the circus! They honed their skills tirelessly, practicing their balancing acts and performing stunning leaps. Their dedication and unwavering friendship caught the attention of the ringmaster, who recognized their talent and potential. Finally, the moment arrived when Luna and Max took center stage, their hearts pounding with excitement and anticipation. The audience, holding their breath in anticipation, witnessed an extraordinary performance, a mesmerizing ballet of agility and grace. Luna's elegant poise and Max's playful energy combined to create a symphony of motion that left the spectators awe-inspired. News of Luna and Max's incredible talents spread like wildfire, and they became stars of the circus, sharing their joy and laughter with audiences of all ages. Their unwavering friendship remained the heart of their performances, a symbol of the magical bond between cats that touched the hearts of all who witnessed their amazing journey. And so, Luna and Max, once ordinary cats roaming the streets of Willow Creek, found their destined path in the spotlight of the circus ring, leaving behind a legacy of a friendship that defied the ordinary and inspired the extraordinary in others. As you can tell, even if you only skimmed it, these are much more varied. I found having all these variations on screen at once, from the same prompt, a easy way to help me understand the impact of temperature. If you want to try this yourself, you can grab the bits here: real https://github.com/cfjedimaster/ai-testingzone/tree/main/temp_tester Download the code, the required bits, and set an environment variable for your Google API key. Run the script ( ) and it will open up a web server on port 3000. Lastly, just open that up with your browser. npm i node script.js As always, let me know what you think. I've got some ideas for other tools like this as a way of learning generative AI! Also published . here

Testing Generative AI Temperature Settings with Some Cat Stories

I've been in the blockchain industry for over ten years now, and in that period, I have never ceased to be amazed by how much the industry has evolved right before my eyes. It feels almost like watching your child grow up. Since the advent of in 2009, the industry has come a long way. It has attracted both retail and institutional investors in its journey to global acceptance all over the world today. There is a notable appeal for digital assets as an instrument of investment. Bitcoin Several niche markets have been vital to the growth of the Industry. And each has contributed unique value propositions to the overall industry. For example, the Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) market has found a way to shine the spotlight on creators. The sector has helped creatives monetize their works, and it allows the tokenization of real-world assets on the blockchain. Today, it is a multi-billion-dollar market. Another instance is the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) markets that have provided the world with an alternative means of carrying out financial transactions and using financial instruments like borrowing without waiting on intermediaries like banks or brokerages. These emerging sectors have experienced immense growth within the crypto industry, and they have contributed in no small part to the overall success of the blockchain. However, no matter the level of success achieved at the moment, since blockchain and cryptocurrency are still nascent technologies, it would be unwise to cap the potential of innovation in these technologies. There are several projects already at the forefront of development in the industry. A lot more would come up as the industry evolves. Some of the sectors where these projects are leading the pack include Metaverse, DeFi, Layer-2, Artificial Intelligence (AI), etc. In this article, we'll delve into these remarkable niches and how they continue to improve the creative potential of the blockchain industry. Play-to-Earn (P2E) Metaverse A promising sector that has driven and continues to drive mainstream adoption of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies is the Play-to-Earn Metaverse. The adoption of cryptocurrencies has been slow due to various factors. For one, there has been limited access to knowledge due to the technical nature of most of the industry. There is also the issue of regulatory challenges facing the industry that have prevented or made investors unsure of coming into the space. However, a very impressive number of people engage actively in video and mobile gaming. In 2021, over 3 billion people played games actively and directly, resulting in the gaming industry hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue, with an expected revenue of around $533 billion in 2027. By incorporating P2E features into this gigantic industry, Web3 gaming is serving as an easy route for these people to enter the blockchain world. Proof of this is the play-to-earn games market size, which was at $32.9 billion in 2022 and is estimated to reach $88.6 billion by 2028—a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.93% in that period. generating valued In the last couple of years, the blockchain industry has experienced impressive levels of growth, and a major part of that has been the growth of Web3 gaming. Different factors have driven this growth, but a large part of it can allude to the rise in the prominence of NFTs and the P2E model of gaming. This gaming model offers players the ability to earn in-game assets that can be owned or sold in an open marketplace as NFTs. This has empowered gamers to build valuable digital identities backed by real-world worth in the game's native token. Some of the top P2E Metaverse projects include The Sandbox, Decentraland, Gala, Illuvium, Axie Infinity, and futuristic NFT-oriented Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) like Sidus Heroes and Creo Engine are spearheading this revolution. Creo is a next-level Web3 gaming ecosystem that connects gamers and developers in a one-size-fits-all Web3 gaming hub with its powerful blockchain technology. It aims to be the foundation of all Web3 gaming systems, providing game developers with a robust and secure platform to build upon. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) The launch of Bitcoin in 2009 saw the explosion of a robust industry from its underlying technology. This industry saw the development of different niches where blockchain solutions were developed for different use cases. One such niche is DeFi. This niche was created as an alternative means of carrying out financial transactions from traditional financial services. DeFi is powered by Decentralized Applications (dApps) and consists of smart contacts and apps built on Ethereum, where a majority of the ecosystem's Total Value Locked (TVL) is concentrated. A core tenet of Bitcoin is decentralization, and DeFi embodies this ideology. Over the years, the sector has expanded on this ideology and has grown into a subcategory where many mainstream financial services have been built and offered to the masses. DeFi has pushed for a world where these services are controlled by individuals (Peer-to-Peer) instead of central entities. This niche has proven valuable, as evidenced during the peak DeFi season in 2021, when the ecosystem had a Total Value Locked (TVL) of over $179 billion. That figure is $69.60 billion. currently While the sector may have begun with lending, today, it has many use cases and is giving users access to financial services like investing, trading, saving, and even market-making. Platforms like Uniswap, Curve, and Balancer with their Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs), Aave and Compound with their lending and borrowing protocols, Lido with its staking, Yearn Finance and Libera with their yield platforms are some of the projects at the forefront of the DeFi ecosystem. Layer-2 The Ethereum blockchain is a popular blockchain for various applications, especially in DeFi. This has held regardless of different market conditions and legal challenges. Two things that have, however, hindered the blockchain's scalability have been its speed and high gas fees. Layer-2 solutions are a sprawling blockchain niche addressing these issues by providing faster and more affordable transactions while maintaining security. These newer blockchains and DeFi platforms are processing transactions in milliseconds, with a perfect example being SparqNet, a platform capable of handling up to 400,000 Transactions Per Second (TPS), ensuring smooth integration with existing ecosystems by domiciling on the Avalanche network. The layer-2 niche has explosive growth potential, as by its $22 billion market capitalization and a 24-hour trading volume of $1.9 billion at the time of writing. In addition to instant transactions, layer-2 platforms, especially on the Ethereum blockchain, also provide zero gas transactions. An example of this is LightLink, a blockchain that lets decentralized applications and enterprises offer users instant, gasless transactions. evidenced Artificial Intelligence (AI) AI emerged as the most popular technology trend in 2023. Because these technologies are so disruptive, it isn't particularly surprising to see that the AI trend seamlessly transcended into the blockchain industry, with technology like ChatGPT gaining widespread attention. Today, the AI market cap is and for an industry that came into prominence last year, the potential to grow even bigger is quite obvious. , $11.5 billion Tech giants like Microsoft and Google are actively investing significant resources in the sector and are coming up with products like ChatGPT and Google Bard that have revolutionized our lives. Many AI crypto projects are leveraging this technology to enhance industry-wide efficiency. AI crypto tokens are cryptocurrencies that power AI blockchain projects like AI-powered image generation, portfolio management, etc. Users need these tokens to use these platforms, and they might also have governance rights on the platform. Some examples of top AI projects include The Graph, Injective, Fetch.ai, Humanity Protocol, etc. Conclusion The niches mentioned in this article are only a glimpse into the thriving ecosystems of the blockchain industry. Each niche is a testament to human ingenuity, and they contribute to building a more innovative and accessible future. One thing, though, is certain: the blockchain revolution is still in its nascent stages, and the possibilities are as limitless as our imagination.

4 Blockchain Niches Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation

In a shocking turn of events, the cybersecurity community has been rocked by what is now being dubbed the "Mother of all Breaches" (MOAB) – the largest data breach in history. With a staggering , amounting to an astonishing , exposed to the public, the breach has raised significant concerns about the security of online platforms and the potential risks users now face. 26 billion records 12 terabytes of data In this article, we delve into the details of the breach, the platforms affected, and the potential dangers, and provide recommendations for users to protect themselves. The Scale of the Breach Discovered by cybersecurity researcher Bob Dyachenko and the team at , the massive database was found on an unsecured server, highlighting the sheer scale of the breach. Estimated at 12 terabytes, the exposed data includes sensitive information from a myriad of online platforms, with Chinese giants Tencent and Weibo being the hardest hit. Cybernews Platforms and Data Compromised The impacts a wide range of platforms, with Tencent's QQ and Weibo leading the pack with 1.5 billion and 504 million compromised records, respectively. breach The exposed database includes data encompassing email addresses, phone numbers, images, and user accounts extracted from prominent social platforms like MySpace (360 million files), Twitter (281 million records), Deezer (258 million), LinkedIn (251 million), Adobe (153 million), Canva (143 million), VK (101 million), Telegram (40 million), as well as LinkedIn, Adobe services, Gmail, and Canva. Furthermore, government entities in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, Germany, and the Philippines have also fallen victim to data compromise. Potential Dangers and Repercussions The exposed data poses serious threats to users, including the risk of identity theft, targeted cyberattacks, and credential stuffing. With personal details such as names, email addresses, and phone numbers now in the hands of malicious actors, users are urged to remain vigilant against potential fraudulent activities. In 2019, an unsecured database created by Verifications.io led to the leakage of nearly a billion records, marking one of the largest and most detrimental breaches at that time. However, the scale of data exposed in that incident falls short compared to the massive amount leaked by QQ alone in the current scenario. Recommendations for Users In response to this unprecedented breach, users are advised to take immediate action to protect themselves: Change passwords: Update passwords for all affected platforms and refrain from using the same password across multiple accounts. Enable two-factor authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts wherever possible. Be cautious of phishing attempts: Stay vigilant against phishing emails and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Monitor accounts: Regularly check accounts for unusual activity and report any suspicious occurrences immediately. The Road Ahead As investigations into the breach continue, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in our digital world. Individuals and organizations alike must prioritize cybersecurity measures to mitigate risks associated with large-scale data breaches. Conclusion The "Mother of all Breaches" underscores the evolving nature of the cybersecurity landscape. By adopting proactive security measures and remaining vigilant, users can contribute to minimizing the risks associated with large-scale data breaches. However, it's crucial to stay informed and verify the authenticity of information to prevent the spread of misinformation in an era where fake news can abound. Dedicated individuals have developed a tool to ascertain whether your data has been compromised. Users can utilize this service to search for email addresses and phone numbers, accessing Cybernews' personal data leak checker for added security. Food for Thought This news has been covered by The New York Post, Forbes, Daily Mail, and other top media outlets. However, imagine that it's fake and misinformation. How can you verify that it's all genuine and a fact? Do you think this vast volume of leaked data can become cyber weaponry in the hands of criminals? I'm just giving you food for thought. Additionally, it prompts us to consider the potential weaponization of leaked data by cybercriminals, sparking reflection on the broader implications of such breaches in the digital age. Do you think this vast volume of leaked data can become cyber weaponry in the hands of criminals? I'm just giving you food for thought.

Inside the "Mother of all Breaches" Shaking the Cybersecurity World

Obviously, no job family is going to disappear overnight; change takes time. But looking ahead helps orient everyone’s energy and steer careers away from the doom and gloom of job decline. Reading AI job impact reports can give you vertigo: 85 million jobs will be displaced globally due to AI ( ) Oliver Wyman Forum There are predictions that software developers ?! might be extinct by 2040 : “In the next five years, 83 million jobs will be lost and 69 million are projected to be created” World Economic Forum 40% of the global workforce - 1.4 billion people - will need to reskill. ( ) IBM study As a product manager, I ask the question of whether there’s a future for my career in the post-AI world. naturally These numbers sound bad enough to throw in the towel and say “Well, I’ll just give up I guess, look the other way, and see what happens”. But is that: can my whole claim disruptive trends are visible far in advance if you’re looking the right way and can sift through some noise, getting to a level of operational expertise in any emerging tech is relatively simple. There are jobs that will probably, within the next several years, be displaced almost completely (my one bet is on frontline customer support), and then there are jobs that will go through a boom cycle. For those, the traditional market won’t be able to provide enough supply, and we will see similar qualifications rebranding as we did with coding boot camps over the last 10-15 years. Most of us in tech will likely land somewhere in the middle: even if the changes come quickly, we have the choice and the luxury of iterating towards new skills (and opportunities) rather than needing a complete pivot. Designers, Devs, and PMs: AI Will Kill Some & Create Some By 2027 ( ): World Economic Forum Demand for designers will increase some; Depending on the type of developer, the jobs might see up to a 25% increase (blockchain developers being one of the leaders of the pack!) Roughly ~10% of PM jobs are going to die, and roughly ~10% will be added, so net zero. Product management is actually . But the experience of an AI PM vs. a random PM is not fungible, so the key advantage is to be as close to the growing tech (whether it’s AI or other) as possible. one of the top AI talent demands Macro Trends That Will Influence Our Individual Experience: Engel’s Pause & Solow’s Paradox It will take more than just job opportunities that will determine we experience progress, our own relevance, and careers of the next decade or two; it will be influenced by macro trends too. how The Mid-Term Impact Might Be Just Bad in General, but Hopefully, We’ll Live to See the Turnaround: Engels’ Pause Engels’ Pause describes the British industrial revolution in the early 1800s when working-class wages stagnated while GDP grew quickly. There are several theories, the bottom line being that the owners and investors of the booming businesses pocketed the gains and kept wages relatively flat. If it sounds familiar - argues that advanced economies are now in a new, “post-1980 Computer Revolution” Engels' Pause. Carl Benedikt Frey He explains that early labor-replacing technologies tend to decrease wages; once more sophisticated labor-augmenting technologies show up, wages and demand for talent tend to increase: "If technology replaces labor in existing tasks, wages and the share of national income accruing to labor may fall. If, in contrast, technological change is augmenting labor, it will make workers more productive in existing tasks or create entirely new labor-intensive activities, thereby increasing the demand for labor. (…) The growing capital share of income meant that the gains from technological progress were very unequally distributed: corporate profits were captured by industrialists, who reinvested them in factories and machines.” This is an optimistic sign! And aligned with what the enterprises expect: 87% of executives surveyed believe employees are more likely to be augmented than replaced by generative AI. IBM From : OWF “As some experts look at how employeesʹ current tasks will be affected by generative AI and automation, they divide the work into three types: transactional, relational, and expertise-related. Much of our transactional work will be substituted by a combination of robotic process automation, machine learning, and generative AI, while work requiring deep expertise or human collaboration will increasingly be augmented.” Waiting for the Immediate Signs of AI Revolution Might Be a Snoozefest: Solow’s Paradox and the Productivity J-Curve Solow’s Paradox and talk about a similar phenomenon: that as we (we, as in economies, companies, CEOs, and investors) pour money into a “groundbreaking” technology, the effects of it don’t seem to show up for a while: Erik Brynjolffsen’s Productivity J-Curve A similar question was raised in 1987, when economist Robert Solow observed a disconnect between the burgeoning computer age and the anticipated productivity gains — an observation now known as “Solow’s paradox.” Businesses and governments poured money into IT infrastructure, yet the expected leap in productivity was conspicuously absent. This paradox left many wondering if the problem lay not with the capacity of the technology but rather with the manner of its implementation. ( ) OWF Erik Brynjolffsen explains why that might be happening: General purpose technologies enable and require significant complementary investments, including co-invention of new processes, products, business models and human capital. These complementary investments are often intangible and poorly measured in the national accounts, even when they create valuable assets for the firm. He , and why it took a while for the electric motors’ revolutionary effects to materialize: the first generation of factory managers took out the steam engine - out of a factory that was and organized around the limitations of the steam engine - and plopped the electric engine in its place. gives an example of the steam engine being replaced with electric motors specifically built for It wasn’t until the new wave of managers redesigned the systems and workflows for the affordances of the electric engine that the expected innovation and productivity could be seen. Nobody Should Count on Employers to be the Drivers of Effective Re-Skilling One might say “OK, so if AI is so important, and there is not enough talent out there to hire, then surely the companies will invest money to train people.” And sure, they will; there are plenty of statistics that confirm that. But there’s already a significant and growing mismatch between what (and how quickly) companies are able to provide and what people need for their jobs - let alone what employees will need to be competitive in the job market vs. just slightly better at their existing, narrowly defined jobs. From : OWF Ok, So What’s the Recipe for Staying Afloat Here? On an individual level, there’s a discouraging disconnect between: The vague promises of what AI is supposed to be able to do, or how it be revolutionizing our work, versus what the existing products can do in practice right now; should between what the demand for AI talent is looking for, and where the supply market is (i.e., where we, the employees, are) today. But both of these trends are moving pieces; the key is to be one of the pieces moving along, not staying behind. The antidote is to use something, build something, and learn something (which I cover in my next post) until, inevitably, each of us starts to notice the applications and opportunities that actually bring progress: PS. If you liked this post - you might like my future takes at , where I write pragmatic takes on disruptive tech & its opportunities, with a sprinkle of deep dives into data and market insights. hypegeist.substack.com Also published here

Product Managers, Designers, and Devs: What Does Their Future Look Like in a World Filled With AI?

প্রোডাক্ট ম্যানেজার, ডিজাইনার এবং ডেভস: এআই দিয়ে ভরা বিশ্বে তাদের ভবিষ্যত কেমন দেখায়?

Produktmanager, Designer und Entwickler: Wie sieht ihre Zukunft in einer Welt voller KI aus?

Gerentes de producto, diseñadores y desarrolladores: ¿cómo será su futuro en un mundo lleno de inteligencia artificial?

Chefs de produit, concepteurs et développeurs : à quoi ressemble leur avenir dans un monde rempli d'IA ?

उत्पाद प्रबंधक, डिज़ाइनर और डेवलपर: AI से भरी दुनिया में उनका भविष्य कैसा दिखता है?

プロダクト マネージャー、デザイナー、開発者: AI で満たされた世界における彼らの未来はどのようなものになるでしょうか?

제품 관리자, 디자이너, 개발자: AI로 가득 찬 세상에서 그들의 미래는 어떤 모습일까요?

Gerentes de produto, designers e desenvolvedores: como será o futuro deles em um mundo repleto de IA?

Менеджеры по продуктам, дизайнеры и разработчики: как выглядит их будущее в мире, наполненном искусственным интеллектом?

Ürün Yöneticileri, Tasarımcılar ve Geliştiriciler: Yapay Zekayla Dolu Bir Dünyada Gelecekleri Nasıl Görünüyor?

Giám đốc sản phẩm, nhà thiết kế và nhà phát triển: Tương lai của họ sẽ như thế nào trong một thế giới tràn ngập AI?

产品经理、设计师和开发人员：在充满人工智能的世界中，他们的未来是什么样子？

Let's learn about via these 70 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Statistics /Learn Repo 1. The State of Vue 2022: What Has Changed In The Last 12 Months Check the latest statistics on the usage of Vue and learn why this framework is growing in popularity. 2. Over 60% of Writers Already Use AI in Their Writing Workflow Hackernoon polled readers on whether they would use AI tools for their writing/copywriting workflow. Nearly 70% are open to the idea. 3. How to Install RStudio on the WSL System If you are using Windows and don’t want to use the RStudio client on the Windows side, this method will work perfectly. 4. Kannada-MNIST:A new handwritten digits dataset in ML town TLDR: 5. How Many Days of Your Life Have You Spent in an Uber? I've spent 12 days in Ubers over the last 3 years. Read this to find your own lifetime Uber stats. 6. AB Testing For Digital Products An overview of AB testing during the design of digital products like UX, digital marketing advertisements and software development. 7. What LinkedIn Tells Us About Developer Population in the World There are tons of articles about the number of developers in the world. But most of them either lack good methodology or simply borrow statistics from other resources. 8. Calculate Required Rate of Return With the Fama-French Three-Factor Model Investors are always evaluating the amount of risk they are willing to take for a certain expected return. Intuitively, the best investment maximizes the return 9. How to Predict News: Message Sequence Analysis & Digital Intuition We can be warned about upcoming events predominantly occurring under similar circumstances. 10. Granger Causality: Principle of Cause and Effect Explained ... in a world full of data, we can understand the impact with clever methods. Meet Granger causality. 11. How to Use Approximate Leave-one-out Cross-validation to Build Better Models How to use Approximate leave-one-out cross-validation for hyperparameter optimization and outlier detection for logistic regression and ridge regression 12. How to Implement Gaussian Blurs A Gaussian blur is applied by convolving the image with a Gaussian function. We’ll take the Gaussian function and we’ll generate an n x m matrix. 13. Everything you need to know about YCombinator S19 startups It is not a secret to anyone that YCombinator is the most successful accelerator in the world. They have made well over 2,538 investments. 14. Why AI is a Fear-Driven Discipline People are scared of AI. According to Genpact research: 15. Top 5 Tech Startup Trends in 2020 According to Statista, the global startup economy generates nearly $3 trillion. Startups have always been the driving force behind the world market, bringing new ideas, and transforming familiar business systems. Unfortunately, the economic crisis associated with Covid-19 has not spared this area. 16. The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book [Review] I first ordered The Hundred-Page Machine Learning book back in May and am only just now finishing it up. In COVID-time, that was about 10 years ago. As you might have inferred, this book is NOT a quick read. What it lacks in easy reading, it makes up for in efficiency. This book swallows up the heavyweight mathematics textbooks and spits out a slim product no thicker than the width of my smartphone. From page one all the way to page 136, Andriy Burkov, the author, does not waste a single word in distilling the most practical concepts in machine learning. You read that right. It is MORE than 100 pages! Sounds like the book has some bias. Get it? Now get ready for my hundred-page book review. Just kidding. 17. What if Street Crime Statistics Matched Those of Cybercrime? If street crime statistics matched those of cybercrime, our world would resemble the Wild West. 18. Statistics Cheat Sheet: A Beginner's Guide to Probability and Random Events A beginner’s guide to Probability and Random Events. Understand the key statistics concepts and areas to focus on to ace your next data science interview. 19. Key 2022 Statistics in the No-Code/Low-Code Market We explore a low-code/no-code market poised for exponential growth in the coming years. 20. Size Does Matter: Global Control Group for a Bank Learn how to approach data-driven measurement properly. See what unexpected results we got in a bank and get insights for your own data analytics journey. 21. How Popular is Right-Wing Content on Facebook? Facebook has been criticized in the past because many believe they are allowing right-wing content to run rampant on the site. 22. Outlier Detection with Chi Square This is a simple method for outlier detection, the procedure basically is a Quantile of weibull distribution of the chi square test in python. 23. 3 Interesting NFT Statistics: How NFTs are Being Adopted Globally NFT ownership has increased throughout the globe, with Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia leading the pack. 24. Correlation vs. Causation: Why Correlation Does Not Imply Causation The terms correlation and causation are quite often confused, however, they are not synonyms and this article specifies the main reasons why. 25. How to Create A  Funnel Chart In R Funnel Chart in R, A funnel chart is mainly used for demonstrates the flow of users through a business or sales process. 26. The Intuition Behind the “LIME” Concept in AI & ML A preambular article describing the fundamental principles & intuition behind the “LIME” concept in Artificial Intelligence & Machine learning. 27. Hinge Loss - A Steadfast Loss Evaluation Function for the SVM Classification Models in AI & ML Researchers use an algebraic acme called “Losses” in order to optimise the machine learning space defined by a specific use case. 28. Digital Workspaces: Hacking the Future of Work A look at how to engage in the future of work through digital workspaces 29. [Infographic] The State of Conversational AI in 2020 Conversational AI was always poised to take off in 2020. In fact, Gartner predicted that 80% of businesses would implement some sort of conversational interface by the end of this year. With the emergence of COVID-19 came compounded growth for the category - and I wanted to capture just how far we’ve come. So for the conversationally curious out there, I created this infographic that offers a clear depiction of where conversational AI stands at this very moment in time. 30. Beyond A/B Testing — Switchbacks and Synthetic Control Group Experimentation designing in the marketplace without AB-Testing using Synthetic Control Groups and Switchbacks. 31. Variance Inflation Factor - A Pertinent Statistical Metric for the Discernment of Multicollinearity 32. E-Commerce as the Cake, Not the Cherry on the Cake E-Commerce has spiraled due to the pandemic environment, leading to irreversibly enhanced online shopping. 33. The Concept Behind "Mean Target Encoding" in AI & ML An introductory article describing the concept & intuition behind “Mean Target Encoding” in AI&ML, its pros, cons and implementation with a real-time example. 34. Console #17: Japanese Pizza Toast and Turtles 01/12/2019 35. Top 7 Most Used Web Frameworks Among Developers Worldwide 2021 [Statistics] Top 7 Most Used Web Frameworks Among Developers Worldwide 2021 [Statistics] 36. A Single Speed Test is Fun — Hundreds of Them, May Actually be More Accurate Releasing the first internal build of the NordVPN apps that included NordLynx – our brand new protocol built on the backbone of WireGuard® – was an exciting moment for the team. Everyone started posting their speed test results on Slack and discussing the variance. While most of the time NordLynx outperformed other protocols, there were some cases with slightly worse speed results. 37. Why I Spent Years Writing a Children’s Book on Data Science I wrote a children's book on data science to inform others who have a hard time understanding data science and machine learning concepts, especially kids! 38. Applying Statistical Analysis to Intraday Forex Trading Using SQL Statistical Analysis, Intraday Forex Trading, Using SQL 39. Variance is More Than Just A Statistician's Buzzword Explaining real world applications and the philosophy of statistical variance through finance, investing, and gambling. 40. CLIP: An Innovative Aqueduct Between Computer Vision and NLP A rudimentary article describing the concept behind the "CLIP" algorithm in deep learning, its approach, implementation, scope & limitations. 41. 👨‍🔬️ Top 10 Data Scientist Skills to Develop to Get Yourself Hired List of Top 10 Data Scientist skills that guaranteed employment. As well as a selection of helpful resources to master these skills 42. How a Data Scientist Sees a Deck of Cards The Data Scientist Creativity Paradox 43. 12 Best Pre-Installed R Datasets Commonly Used for Statistical Analysis R programming is mostly used in statistical analysis and ML.
This article looks at the Best Pre-Installed R Datasets Commonly Used for Statistical Analysis. 44. Radial Basis Functions: Types, Advantages, and Use Cases An introductory article explaining the basic intuition, mathematical idea & scope of radial basis function in the development of predictive machine learning. 45. Use the 80/20 Rule with Moderation The 80/20 rule, a.k.a. Pareto principle, has been perpetuated along the lines: "80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes." Different cases where the rule emerges have been studied, in the last century, by great personalities such as Vilfredo Pareto (land ownership in Italy), George Kingsley Zipf (word frequency in Languages), and Joseph M. Juran (quality management in industries). Working as a Data Scientist, I have seen enough of the 80/20 rule being invoked in business meetings followed by a round of applause 👏👏👏. Also, I have read numerous LinkedIn posts alike. Most times, it is just a reckless stretch of the rule. But what is the danger here, if any? After all, profits matter more than mathematical and statistical rigor. 46. TikTok's Engagement Rate is an Average of 5.96% in 2022 Boost your social media strategies for 2022 by knowing the most important up-and-coming TikTok marketing trends and engagement stats. 47. How to Use Psychological Tricks to Bring Numbers to Life It’s easy to visualize placing 10 chairs in a room, but it’s difficult to visualize 1,000 chairs. In order to acquire an accurate frame-of-reference, most of us would need to start by sketching out a diagram. Understanding this and applying it to business, the last thing you want is for your customer to have to hunt down a pen, paper and calculator in order to understand your numerically-based product features - don’t assign homework. Captivate customer attention by applying these clever ways to convert numbers into things people care about. 48. Use Up-Sampling and Weights to Address Imbalance Data Problem Have you worked on machine learning classification problem in the real world? If so, you probably have some experience with imbalance data problem. Imbalance data means the classes we want to predict are disproportional. Classes that make up a large proportion of the data are called majority classes. Those that make up a smaller portion are minority classes. For example, we want to use machine learning models to capture credit card fraud, and fraudulent activities happens approximately 0.1% out of millions of transactions. The majority of regular transactions will impede the machine learning algorithm to identify patterns for the fraudulent activities. 49. Why Algorithmic Fairness is Elusive In 2016, Google photos classified a picture of two African-Americans as “gorillas.” Two years later, Google had yet to do more than remove the word “gorillas” from its database of classifications. In 2016, it was shown that Amazon was disproportionately offering one-day shipping to European-American consumers. In Florida, algorithms used to recommend detention and parole decisions on the basis of risk of recidivism were shown to have a higher error rate among African-Americans, such that African-Americans were more likely to be incorrectly recommended for detention who would not go on to re-offend. When translating out of a language with gender-neutral pronouns, and into languages with gendered pronouns, Google’s word2vec neural network injects gender stereotypes into translations, such that pronouns become “he” when in conjunction with “doctor” (or “boss,” “financier,” etc.) but become “she” when translated in conjunction with “nurse” (or “homemaker,” or “nanny,” etc.). 50. How to Retrieve Player Stats from the NHL's undocumented REST API It's that time of year again. Summer is coming to an end, Autumn is around the corner, and the NHL season is about to begin. 51. The Importance of Hypothesis Testing Hypothesis tests are significant for evaluating answers to questions concerning samples of data. 52. Detecting Changes in COVID-19 Cases with Bayesian Models Bayesian change point model to estimate the date that the number of new COVID-19 cases starts to flatten in different countries. 53. 3 Data Distributions for Counts in Layman’s Terms Counts are everywhere, so no matter your background, these data distributions will come in handy. 54. How I Broke Into Data Science A software engineer’s journey into data science at Yelp and Uber 55. Who even reads HackerNoon? You, obviously. And millions of people from around the world. What audience are you advertising to? Who are you writing for? Learn more about our readers here. 56. Numbers Don't Lie But They Are Easily Misinterpreted All The Time therefore a working compromise between these 2 extremes should be found on a case-by-case basis 57. Model Calibration in Machine Learning: An Important but Inconspicuous Concept A prelusive article comprehending the concept behind model calibration, its importance and usage in machine learning model development. 58. The Notions behind “Model-Based” and “Instance-Based” Learning in AI & ML A prelude article elucidating the fundamental principles and differences between “Model-based” & “Instance-based” learning in the branches of Artificial Intelligence & Machine learning. 59. Random: Meaning in Everyday Life and in Science “That’s so random!” Common phrase used to express something is unexpected or without a pattern. Does random mean something different in science? 60. 40% Americans Do Not Know What Affects Their Credit Score Your customers’ credit score is one of the most important numbers of their financial lives. This three-digit number is the most used credit scoring model by lenders for evaluating a borrower's creditworthiness or the likelihood that they’ll repay the money. 61. Making Sense of Bitcoin's Volatility Clustering and How To Take Advantage of it In 2019, Bitcoin's (BTC) volatility was erratic. On one day alone, the price of bitcoin changed by over 40%. However, for most days, the change in price hovers around 1%-2%. The purpose of this article is to investigate the nature of BTC's volatility and see what kind of strategies are suited best to take advantage of it. 62. [Dev Update] Hacker Noon + Google Analytics = Happy Authors Austin here, your friendly neighborhood software engineer from Hacker Noon, with some exciting news! We are pleased as punch to announce that contributing writers can now see pageviews and total time reading for all stories published with Hacker Noon since we began in 2016.  How cool is that? Previously our stats page was only accessible for recent story performance. 63. A Programmer's Guide to Crack 'Twice the Work, Half the Time' Code Modern methods of software measurement do not provide a strong base for continuous improvement. This article tries to fill this gap. 64. Statistics Show AI Adoption and Investment has Risen Rapidly in the Past 2 Years The concept of artificial intelligence as a non-human intelligence originated in the 1950s, but no one then could have imagined what success AI would achieve in the 2020s. In just 70 years, we have had bots that can learn, solve complex computational problems, write related texts, generate images and music, and analyze tons of information in seconds. 65. Breaking Down Secretary Problem What did you think of when you had a crush on someone? Did you fantasize about marriage with him/her? When you were in some serious relationship, did you plan marriage with your partner? How did the relationship turn out? Some relationships turn into a marriage, and some don’t. Hearing stories of many friends, I see extremely few people being in a relationship (and later marrying) with only one person whole over their life. 66. Key Application Performance Metrics From the Viewpoint of a Statistician-Turned-Developer You've just released your new app into the wild, live in production. Success! Now what? Your job is done, right? Wrong. Now that you've deployed your code, it's time to monitor it, collect data, and analyze your metrics. 67. #CorrelateThis - The Neural Activity of Mice Indicates Cryptocurrency Price Fluctuations In his research, Gvido reported the discovery of neurons that showed a neural correlation to the price fluctuations of the main cryptocurrencies! 68. These Are The Secret Weapons of Fake News Modern fake news has evolved into a complex organism, carefully designed to hide its deceptive mechanisms from any potential victim. But although the fake news field has grown into every possible digital channel, the truth is that at its core, in order to be effective, it still relies on exploiting our most basic human characteristics. 69. Simple Tips For A Successful Application Performance Monitoring You finally went live, congratulations! Now what? 70. Quantifying Variability: Variance, Standard Deviation, and Coefficient of Variation There are many ways to quantify variability, however, here we will focus on the most common ones: variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. In the field of statistics, we typically use different formulas when working with population data and sample data. Thank you for checking out the 70 most read stories about Statistics on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

70 Stories To Learn About Statistics

For brands that are willing to be a little daring, humour can be a powerful way to get noticed. Funny marketing can not only make your content relatable but also help you tackle difficult topics in a creative way. What’s more, if your startup is , humour can help you boldly connect with audiences who want a change. challenging the status quo Does humour actually make marketing effective or drive sales? It’s difficult to say. But what I can say is that some of the biggest and e-commerce successes of recent years used humour to stand out. Let’s take a look! startup 1. Dollar Shave Club’s CEO uses his improv skills to take on a corporate giant Dollar Shave Club (DSC) is a men’s grooming brand that started with a simple idea: sell high-quality razors at a fair price. Founded in 2011, DSC quickly became known for its direct-to-consumer business model and honest, funny marketing. DSC doesn’t glamourise the process of shaving as mainstream razor brands do. Instead, it acknowledges it as a chore, using sharp wit and deadpan humour to discuss everyday grooming challenges. DSC has always gone against the grain with its marketing. When preparing its first major ad campaign back in 2012, DSC wanted to contrast the market leader Gillette, which was known for its  sexy ads full of muscley men. The result was a jokey YouTube ad in which DSC mocked complicated, expensive razors. CEO Michael Dubin, who had eight years of improv experience, became the face of the brand by starring in the video himself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI&embedable=true The ad positioned DSC as a fun, down-to-earth brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously:  the opposite of corporate Gillette with its idealistic vision of men. The video quickly went viral, and within hours, DSC’s website crashed from the sudden influx of traffic. The ad ultimately kickstarted serious growth for the company, and to date, it has gained over 28 million views. Humour made DSC likable, and the brand has retained its affable style. The company’s recent “We Got You” campaign is a classic example of how DSC cheerfully tackles real-life grooming challenges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNVB2XrkjZ8&embedable=true Unsurprisingly, DSC’s prices have gone up in recent years (it’s more like a “10-dollar shave club” now). But the company still puts out edgy content with its trademark style, retaining the relatable positioning that customers love. Especially on Twitter: DSC’s YouTube channel continues the down-to-earth humour by covering topics most brands wouldn’t go near: Michael Dubin, who stepped down as CEO in 2020, was clearly a driving force behind DSC’s down-to-earth humor. As part of DSC’s charitable endeavors, he even to raise awareness for colon cancer. live-tweeted his own colonoscopy Much of DSC’s staggering success is likely down to the way it pioneered the direct-to-customer business model. But there’s no denying that its funny marketing strategy connected with consumers in a way that most challenger brands dream of. 2. BarkBox hires comedians to carry out a marketing strategy based around entertainment It’s well-known that dog owners love to spoil their canine chums. Not surprisingly, there are over a dozen well-established companies selling cutesy dog toys and treats. So, what separates BarkBox from the pack? Besides their subscription-based product offering, it’s their hilarious content, which is often written from a dog’s point of view. Be it BarkBox’s website or YouTube, their copy resonates with the lives of dog people and their struggles. Their observations are so relatable you can’t keep yourself from saying, “that’s just like me and my dog!” One of their most viral ads—Dog Mom Rap—has 550k views on YouTube so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCITCn7A3Mc&embedable=true Throughout the song, Barkbox captures the everyday experiences of dogs and their owners with its comical lyrics: “Casually strollin’ with a turd in my hand, Wondering where the hell’s the closest trash can?” As the comments show, dog owners love how true to life the song is. Is this observational comedy style responsible for Barkbox winning over so far? Nobody knows—but we do know that nobody else makes promotional videos as fun as this: 2.3 million active subscribers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTe8TF2WO7c&embedable=true Barkbox has cultivated its fun approach by hiring dog-loving comedians to assist with content creation. “From the beginning, we’ve operated under the philosophy that for people to be interested in our message or products, our strategy must focus on entertainment overselling,” . This strategy is clear in every Barkbox campaign. explains Barkbox Head of Content Stacie Grissom Take the NFL Super Bowl, for example. It’s an important day for advertising, where many brands launch and converge on social media to poke fun at each other. BarkBox tapped into this with comical tweets written from a dog’s perspective. iconic Super Bowl ads Here’s our favorite tweet from the day: Of course, using humour is sometimes a trial-and-error method. And BarkBox digs this, embracing the reality that it has to take risks sometimes. “There’s a healthy tension between what your audience reacts to and what you think is funny,” , former supervising producer at BarkBox. “You won’t know your boundaries until you push them, and we want to produce content that we believe in.” says Katie Kirnan But is all this humour paying off for Barkbox? It’s hard to say—but something’s definitely working for them. The company has gained millions of social media followers and has grown year-on-year since 2011, with revenue . Success like that is nothing to be sniffed at! forecasted to reach $500m 3. Squatty Potty uses a pooping unicorn to sell toilet products Let’s be honest: we all have less-than-great pooping experiences sometimes. offers a remedy to this with its toilet stool (pun intended, we guess). By getting the user into optimal pooping position, the stool relieves constipation and makes the entire experience easier. Squatty Potty The company’s story began when its CEO’s mother, Judy Edwards, was dealing with ongoing toilet troubles. Her doctor recommended a little-known solution: poop in a squatting position. After positioning her feet on some books, Edwards found instant relief from her chronic constipation. Her son, designer Bobby Edwards, saw the business opportunity and immediately began designing a prototype stool. This family idea would grow into a fully-fledged business with a gross value of more than $1 million in its very first year. The big push, however, happened when the company partnered with advertising agency to create a video.  And Squatty Potty did something that no one had ever seen a toilet brand do. Harmon Brothers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbYWhdLO43Q&embedable=true How often do you see a unicorn demonstrating a better way to poop? Or dispensing ice cream out of its butt with tongue-in-cheek commentary from a charming prince? But this bizarreness is what made the ad into a . It enabled Squatty Potty to bump up its sales to $15 million by the end of 2015, just four years after its inception. viral video “Our first Squatty Potty campaign forged new territory in advertising,” . “We were trying something that had not been done before, and we knew it was a bold risk. That decision paid off, so much so that it’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t seen our ads.” says Bobby Edwards, CEO of Squatty Potty Using humour when you’re discussing a subject such as health is a risky game. And that’s why the Edwards family and their investors were against the pooping unicorn idea initially. But following its success, they’ve continued their brand of comical-yet-informative content. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPLbyk7c-KM&t=1s&embedable=true “It’s not OK to talk about poop, but it’s OK to talk about ice cream,” said Bill Edwards, father of Bobby Edwards. That’s why the prince in the ad says, “This is where your ice cream comes from. Unicorns are good at pooping, but you know who sucks at pooping? You do.” One of the most viral ads in marketing history, the video has garnered a whopping 40 million hits to date. Its success was so stunning that the company reached $19 million in sales by the end of 2016, and the Harmon Brothers won the 2016 Webby Award. Toilet humour or not, Squatty Potty kickstarted serious growth with its funny marketing. Today, it has more than 270k followers on Facebook and 50k subscribers on YouTube. Talk about making a big splash with content! 4. DeadHappy brings new life to a boring and complex industry DeadHappy is the UK’s first pay-as-you-go digital life insurance company. It offers a variety of flexible and cheap life insurance policies that it boldly calls “deathwishes.” Their idea is simple: Encourage people to plan for their death. Without making it too serious. “Humour is one of the most powerful ways of dealing with difficult topics. We use it deliberately to break into those conversations, and that’s something people get,” said Phil Zeidler, co-founder and CEO of DeadHappy. Having raised a total of , the company recently launched its new marketing campaign, Please Die Responsibly. It features two comical characters, Mic and Tel, whose fun conversations educate viewers on planning for the inevitable. $14.5 million in funding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAW1hWbXN-A&embedable=true And it’s with these fun characters that DeadHappy started promoting its brand. The first viral video introduces Mic and Tel chit-chatting about life insurance. Its laid-back, fun approach has been so successful that the video has gained 236k views on YouTube so far. “Our customers and followers have gone nuts for Mick and Tel!” said Phil Zeidler. “They allow us to talk about life and death in a way not seen before—poignant and hopefully very funny.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMFmGROCrdw&embedable=true DeadHappy’s humour isn’t just in its videos, though. It skillfully continues its fun, conversational copywriting style on its website: ...its social media: … and even its blog: Life insurance is a dull topic to discuss. What’s more, the process of getting it is complex, and customers often struggle to find the policies they want. DeadHappy is trying to change this by offering customers what they want rather than what the industry wants for them. And it does it by making the process of buying life insurance easy and fun. The company’s light-hearted marketing has been well received, and it saw after its recent investment. If things keep going this way, DeadHappy will—ironically—have a long life ahead of it. triple-digit growth in just 12 months 5. SURREAL uses humour to get noticed in a niche full of bland marketing SURREAL is a UK cereal startup that offers a healthy, high-protein alternative to sugary cereals. Since its launch in 2022, the company has been causing a stir with its irreverent billboard ads and playful social media campaigns. Cereal isn’t exactly known as an innovative space—and perhaps that’s why the brand’s creative marketing is getting attention. Check out these billboards where SURREAL takes a playful dig at other leading cereal brands. (For any international readers, these posters are cheekily referencing Frosties—which is known for its mascot, Tony the Tiger— and Coco pops, two popular UK cereals.) SURREAL is certainly not the only healthy cereal in the market. However, it’s the first to adopt a playful marketing style that uses humour as a core part of its positioning. And according to its founders, fun was a key ingredient of its marketing strategy from the get-go. “When we looked at the cereal category, there was a clear divide,” said Co-founder Kit Gammel in an interview with Performance Marketing World. “So you had fun, really sugar-filled cereals doing really playful, personality-like marketing. And then you had all the healthy cereals, which were incredibly bland. We thought that the only ownable territory was going after that fun, playful moment but doing it with a healthy product.” Gammel also notes that there was a logistical need to take this disruptive approach. “We’re never gonna have the budget of the big guys,” he explains. “So we obsess over the power of message over the volume of spend.” Not limiting its marketing to billboards, SURREAL has also built up a solid online presence alongside other content. Bizarrely for a cereal brand, the company has  amassed tons of followers on Linkedin thanks to its posts: brands that are rocking social media with visual What’s more, the company continues pouring on the fun in its interactions with followers. SURREAL’s comments on its posts are golden: SURREAL has developed its humorous approach by working with Onwards, a London-based brand and design agency. "Onwards’ combination of strategic thinking and creative vision blew us away,” explains SURREAL co-founder Jac Chetland. “They helped us translate our initial idea into a brand with real substance and creative standout, and we couldn’t be happier”. Will SURREAL’s disruptive approach help it take on the major cereal brands? Only time will tell. But having won the Just Started award in the 2023 Startups 100 list, it’s certainly getting recognition—and a generous helping of laughter from its followers. Key takeaways on using funny marketing 1. Humour can help you get noticed Pooping. Death. These are topics that most marketers would approach with caution—which is why it’s so impactful when a brand takes a bolder approach. And even if your business focuses on a “safe” topic, humor can still help you zig where everyone else zags. 2 ..but it isn’t suitable for every company. Humour involves taking risks, and there are times when it can be inappropriate for the brand. It’s best used when you’re trying to position yourself for a specific audience who you know will appreciate it. Above all, be aware that humour is polarising, and while it draws some people to your brand, it may push others away. Brands that use humour effectively accept this from the start. “We recognize that we’re not going to be a brand for everyone, and that’s fine,” says Phil Zeidler of DeadHappy. 3. Don’t sacrifice your style just for laughs Making jokes is a lot of fun, so it’s easy to get carried away.  But remember that .  Alexis Nelson, social media manager for BarkBox, explains how important it is to check yourself: your messaging should always stay relevant to your brand and its tone “It’s important to find brand conversations where it would make sense for your brand to interject...So many times when we’re live-tweeting as a team, there are things we want to say as humans who value comedy that we hold back on because we think to ourselves, ‘Why would dogs care about this?’” 4. Be consistent in your humour The companies that stand out with humour do it tastefully and consistently across their different touchpoints. So whether you believe in outrageous comedy like Squatty Potty or down-to-earth humor like SURREAL, pick your style and own that tone! 5. Don’t assume that humour is responsible for a brand’s success It’s easy to look at companies like Dollar Shave Club and Squatty Potty and jump to the conclusion that funny marketing is what drove their growth. But remember, these companies also had great products that were genuinely original or disruptive. Humour is not by any means a proven money-maker. Like any other marketing tool, it’s effective when it’s part of a carefully calculated advertising strategy - and when it has a great product behind it. Thanks for reading! While writing this blog, I found some other companies making bold moves in their marketing. Read about them here: 3 startups with anti-brands that defy convention

5 Startups Using Funny Marketing to Stand Out 

83 Stories To Learn About Proof Of Stake

In the ever-evolving landscape of cryptocurrencies, Script Network ($SCPT) emerges as a disruptive force poised to redefine decentralized entertainment. As we delve into the horizon, our focus turns to a comparative analysis of three noteworthy projects—$RNDR, $THETA, and $GALA—each boasting unique features. However, Script Network's holistic approach positions it as a potential frontrunner in the altcoin race, with 2024 potentially being its breakthrough year. crypto The Render Network ($RNDR): Decentralized Rendering's Visionary Leap At the intersection of blockchain and creative industries, $RNDR, the Render Token, envisions decentralized rendering services transforming how 3D content creators leverage computing power. Yet, challenges loom, particularly scalability concerns and the need for widespread adoption of decentralized rendering technologies. Theta Network ($THETA): Blockchain's Video Revolution Heralded as the "YouTube on the Blockchain," Theta Network aims to revolutionize video streaming by building a decentralized content delivery network (CDN). Despite notable traction and partnerships, Theta's success hinges on the widespread adoption of decentralized video streaming. Gala ($GALA): Gaming's Decentralized Future In blockchain gaming, $GALA takes center stage, decentralizing the gaming ecosystem and empowering players and developers. However, stiff competition in the gaming token space poses challenges to its quest for widespread adoption. Script Network (SCPT): Decentralized Entertainment's Holistic Ecosystem Now, turning our attention to Script Network (SCPT), it introduces a comprehensive ecosystem with Script TV at its core. This watch-to-earn live TV platform reshapes how content is consumed and revolutionizes video advertising in the crypto industry. Script Network stands out with its watch-to-earn functionality, decentralized advertising, gamified rewards, and a fully decentralized video storage solution. Unlike its counterparts, Script Network doesn't focus solely on one aspect of the crypto space; it presents a holistic approach to decentralized entertainment. Why Script Network Could Lead the Pack Script Network's potential to surpass $RNDR, $THETA, and $GALA lies in its diversified approach. It offers a seamless ecosystem spanning watch-to-earn, decentralized advertising, gamified rewards, and video storage solutions. This diversity in revenue streams enhances Script Network's foundation, showcasing a robust model for sustainable growth. With over 150,000 lines of code in its video delivery network, global studio partnerships, and tier-1 licensed ads, Script Network has gained significant traction in the market. Seizing the Moment: Script Network Launch on KuCoin and MEXC As Script Network prepares for its launch on KuCoin and MEXC on December 20, 2023, the crypto community anticipates new heights for the project. This strategic move is expected to boost liquidity and expand Script Network's reach to a broader audience. Investors seeking to position themselves at the forefront of decentralized entertainment and advertising are encouraged to explore the potential within Script Network. Conclusion: A Transformative Force in Crypto In conclusion, Script Network is not just another altcoin; it's a transformative force amalgamating various facets of the crypto space into a seamless ecosystem. Trends indicate that its holistic approach could propel it to surpass $RNDR, $THETA, and $GALA, establishing itself as a frontrunner in the crypto arena. The impending launch on KuCoin and MEXC marks a pivotal moment; don't miss your chance to be part of the Script Network revolution. For more information on Script Network, visit: - Website: https://www.script.tv - Twitter: https://twitter.com/script_network - Telegram: https://t.me/scriptnetworkann

Stories, News & Mentions about THEPACK

Thepack’s Stories on HackerNoon