On Thursday, Microsoft shares jumped 2%, bringing the tech giant’s market valuation to $2.903 trillion.
For Apple, the success is not so remarkable, on the contrary. While Microsoft was in the heyday of Thursday’s success, Apple’s market cap fell to $2.871 trillion as the stock dropped 0.9%. This decline is the first time since 2021 that the iPhone maker’s value is lower than Microsoft’s.
Microsoft’s joy at dethroning Apple from the top spot didn’t last long, however. As early as yesterday afternoon, Apple managed to reclaim its crown and a reversal occurred in which Microsoft’s valuation dropped again to $2.849 trillion.
The stock jump came shortly after Microsoft reported that its revenue rose 7 percent to $52.9 billion in the third quarter, beating analysts’ expectations, the company’s financial report showed. According to the report, the gains were mainly due to the Redmond, Washington-based company’s drive to integrate artificial intelligence technology into its cloud computing business.
The battle for the crown between the two tech giants continues, but which is the better?
Despite being the first U.S. company to achieve a $3 trillion market value in 2022, Apple has faced challenges due to declining iPhone sales, a significant contributor to its profits. This downturn has led to a drop in the company’s stock price, falling below the historic $3 trillion milestone. Despite entering the competitive AI market, Apple has not experienced the same stock surges driven by AI-related developments, contrasting with the success observed in companies like Microsoft.
Several major tech players, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, have strategically boosted their stock values by unveiling plans to develop AI-powered chatbots or incorporating AI technology into their products and operations, as reported by the Motley Fool. According to findings from the stock research platform Wall Street Zen, companies that disclosed AI initiatives witnessed an average stock price increase of 4.6%, while those that did not mention AI only saw a 2.4% uptick.
]]>“Climate change is a real and pressing issue that we must find new ways to address as quickly and efficiently as possible, including through today’s most advanced AI technologies,” said Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow and Vice President, Accelerated Discovery at IBM.
IBM continues to develop its strategy for artificial intelligence models that are trained on geospatial information such as satellite imagery and provide the capability to address climate change.
Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow and Vice President, Accelerated Discovery at IBM added “AI foundation models utilizing geospatial data can be a game-changer because they allow us to better understand, prepare and address the many climate-related events effecting the health of our planet in a manner and speed never before seen. We are hopeful these technologies can help accelerate the rate at which we derive and apply solutions for a safer and healthier planet for future generations”.
Unlike traditional AI models tailored to specialist tasks, knowledge-based geospatial models – spanning satellite and weather data – create knowledge representations from petabytes and exabytes of climate-related data that can facilitate accelerated and streamlined discovery of environmental insights and solutions.
” This research underscores the vital role of AI in tackling global issues, emphasizing the urgency of continued exploration and innovation. By harnessing the power of AI, we are not merely addressing challenges; we are proactively shaping solutions for a sustainable future. In a world confronted by unprecedented challenges, MBZUAI stands at the forefront of pioneering research in AI, recognizing the transformative power it holds”, said professor Tim Baldwin, MBZUAI Acting Provost.
These models can also be refined and applied across multiple domains defining or revealing climate change, from flood detection to fire scarring.
Beyond their initial commitment to build and deploy a geospatial foundation model, IBM and NASA have also announced work on a new, separate AI foundation model for weather and climate. By applying AI technology from IBM, the model aims to improve the accuracy, speed and affordability of weather forecasting and other climate applications.
Sample applications of the model not only include forecasting, but also super-resolution downscaling, identifying conditions conducive to wildfires, and predicting meteorological phenomena. IBM researchers will work alongside NASA domain experts to train and validate the model.
]]>Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella said today that Altman, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and other former OpenAI employees will lead a “new advanced artificial intelligence research team” at the company.
“We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success,” Nadella said on X, formerly Twitter.
Satya Nadella also said Microsoft looks forward to working with OpenAI’s new leadership team, including interim CEO Emmett Shearer.
The company remains committed to its partnership with the artificial intelligence startup, in which it has reportedly invested $13 billion. The company has invested $13 billion in the AI company.
Following a report by The Information on Sunday stating that Altman would not be returning to OpenAI despite executives’ attempts to persuade him, Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and board director at OpenAI, informed the employees on Sunday night. The Information disclosed that Altman’s decision was confirmed after a weekend of negotiations with the board of directors, company leaders, and investors.
Altman shared on X that his termination was a “strange experience” akin to “reading your own eulogy while you’re still alive.” He added that if he were to express his thoughts candidly, the OpenAI board should pursue him for the complete value of his shares.
In contrast to tech founders like Mark Zuckerberg, Altman lacked equity in OpenAI, making him susceptible to termination at any time, as reported by the news site Semafor earlier this year.
On Sunday, Altman posted an image on X featuring himself wearing an OpenAI guest badge, noting that it would be the “first and last time” he ever wore one of those badges.
Upon learning of Altman’s dismissal, three senior researchers also submitted their resignations to OpenAI.
]]>C++ has long been a staple language in game development. It is a high-level language that offers great control over system resources. This control allows developers to optimize their games for performance, making C++ an excellent choice for resource-intensive games.
In addition, C++ is platform independent, which means that C++ games can run on any operating system without having to make significant changes.
C++ plays an important role in today’s game development ecosystem. C++ is used in the source code of many major game engines, such as Unreal and Unity, allowing developers to create more productive games.
Why is C++ so good for game development?
Game development is resource intensive and requires the programming language to have certain features. The C++ programming language is considered suitable for game development because it has some basic features that are key to this field.
Books about topics spanning the tech world are more than exciting. And especially suitable for people who are just entering the tech field – from programmers to managers and leaders.
To get a closer look at the essence of a programming language and get more familiar with it, there’s hardly a better way to do it than by reading books written by professionals in the field. And today we have chosen to present to you the Top 8 Best C++ Books for Beginners
The C++ Programming Language (4th Edition) By Bjarne Stroustrup
The interesting thing about this book is that it is written by the well-known Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++. Its content is so impressive that it can be of use to programmers of any level. This is the fourth edition of the book. It contains extensive details about C++ and exercises to practice. This book helps programmers to learn many things about C++ such as basic concepts of C++, containers, libraries, OOPS and many more. The author has also contributed to the world of programming with some other books written on C++.
C++ Primer (5th Edition)
This book is the 5th edition of C++ Primer, written by Stanley B. Lipman, a computer scientist and author and also known as a professional who worked with Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Laboratories during the early stages of C++ development.
The book begins with an introduction to the C++ standard library. It enables the programmer to write useful programs without mastering every aspect of the C++ language. The book consists of many examples with demonstrations.
It is ideal for beginners who have a marked interest in learning the basic concepts and techniques of C++. With the help of the examples provided in this book, one can learn the best programming styles and program design techniques.
C++ Pocket Reference 1st Edition Accelerated C++
This is an introductory book that contains a practical approach to problem solving using C++, was written by Andrew Koenig. This book covers a broader scope of C++ programming than is usually found in introductory books.
In addition to the features of the language, throughout its pages you will find real-world problems and solutions explained. The language and standard library are covered, and learning the standard libraries helps from the start.
C++ All-in-One For Dummies 3rd Edition
This handbook ranks among the favorites of professionals who claim it contains the best C++ guide for C++ programmers. John Paul Mueller, a well-known authority in the software industry, wrote this book. What do you learn in this book?
To learn working with objects and classes.
To learn advanced coding skills using various C++ concepts.
To discover how lambda expressions are useful to make code more concise and readable.
To produce code faster and better than ever.
C++ Pocket Reference
Written by Kyle Loudon, the book serves as a supplemental reference for C++ programmers. It helps programmers quickly reference the usage and syntax of unfamiliar and rarely used aspects of the language.
This book contains a variety of important information about C++, such as information about C++ types and type conversions, C++ command syntax and preprocessor directives, pointers, arrays, expressions, strings, and more. Also explained in this book are C++ concepts such as namespaces and scopes.
A Tour of C++ (C++ In-Depth Series) 1st Edition
Another brilliant masterpiece by Bjarne Stroustrup. In this book, programmers will find a complete reference to the basic concepts of C++ and practical coding. This enables programmers to better understand what modern C++ is all about. This short book can be called a self-contained guide.
The book covers many features of the C++ language, basic components of the standard library, key examples, and coding examples. This book provides a high level of guidance for programmers to understand a meaningful overview of the language.
A Complete Guide to Programming in C++
Ula Kirch-Prinz and her book became a bestseller among beginners. In the contents of the book, the components of the C++ language are developed in a better way. It gives guidelines on how to document functions and also shows the difference between pointers and arrays. It teaches about the basics, basic types, variables and constants.
Programmers also learn how to use functions and classes and input and output with streams. It provides knowledge about operators for basic types, control flow, character constants and macros, arithmetic type conversion, and functions of the standard String class.
Beginning C++ Through Game Programming
The 3rd Edition of this book, written by Michael Dawson, takes the programmers on a journey of game programming. An amateur programmer having no previous experience in game development can also learn new skills and concepts with the help of simple language and step-by-step instructions provided in this book.
The programmers can learn the following things with the help of this book:
Stay curious, because tomorrow we will present you a list of C++ books for advanced professionals.
In the meantime, feel free to share your opinions on the programming books you’ve read so far. Write to us at e[email protected].
]]>When our goal is high paying software engineering jobs, we hardly think of Germany, France or the Netherlands. The first names and areas that spring to mind are Silicon Valley, San Francisco and New York. The fact is that the US is probably where an IT talent can make a lot of money. The average salary for software engineers in the US is $110,140 compared to $52,275 in Germany.
Yes, that’s a difference we can’t ignore. But let’s jump to conclusions and rush to conclusions about IT pay in Europe because nothing is as it seems. When we take a look at the top earning companies in Europe, you’ll notice that they are the ones paying much more than those overall figures you saw above.
If we want to grow in the most lucrative sector in technology, we need to consider a number of factors. Location is obviously among the most important. For example, the highest salaries in Western Europe are in the Netherlands.
The size of the company, its funding and the location of its headquarters are also important. Here are also the highest paid types of tech companies in Europe, according to We Are Developers.
FinTech
FinTech covers everything related to money online. This includes mobile banking, payment processing services, post-payment, wallet management, trading platforms and even cryptocurrencies. Major European companies in this field are N26, Solaris, SumUp, Klarna, Wise, Wirecard. The highest annual salary for a senior engineer is 605,000 euros.
FAANG
We all know that the FAANG companies (Meta, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) in the US offer very competitive salary packages. In Europe, it’s no different. According to We Are Developers, FAANG companies tend to offer a higher base salary, but less in terms of equity and bonuses. The highest pay package is €255,000.
Cloud Software
At the risk of sounding mercantile, there’s a lot of money in the cloud space. Plus, the big players are legacy companies like IBM and Oracle. Bay Area international cloud companies pay the highest salaries. Companies like HashiCorp and Databricks. The highest reported remuneration package is €335,000.
Travel sector
It may surprise many to learn that software engineers in the travel sector have the highest earnings in Europe. It actually makes sense when you consider the business model and how big companies like booking.com, Trivago and Skyscanner are. They pay their developers well. According to Techpays, the highest remuneration package is €455,000.
Companies Unicorns
These are the companies that reach billion dollar status, pay their senior developers well. Uber is a notable name in this category. In the last few years, there are also several European companies that have become unicorns: Zalando, Bolt, Hopin, Personio, Vinted and Gorillas. According to Techpays, the highest remuneration package is 374,000 euros.
The Alexa division will undergo a restructuring that will result in job cuts. The move is part of Amazon’s strategy to streamline operations and focus on key growth areas. Although no specific details on the number of cuts have been revealed, it is understood that they will affect a significant portion of the workforce.
In addition to this, the cloud gaming division will also make cuts. That division, focused on cloud gaming services, has faced challenges competing with industry giants like Google and Microsoft. The layoffs indicate a reassessment of Amazon’s approach to the cloud gaming market and a reallocation of resources to other initiatives.
These developments are further evidence of Amazon adapting to changing market dynamics and prioritizing areas with the greatest growth potential. With its latest actions, the company aims to better position itself in the highly competitive technology industry.
While layoffs can be troubling for employees, they can also have their upside. The layoffs signal the company’s efforts to optimize its resources and align its workforce with its strategic goals.
Amazon is expected to make further adjustments to its organizational structure and initiatives.
]]>In a blog post, Netflix’s VP of games Mike Verdoux describes this as a “limited beta test” for a “small number of members.” Not all subscribers will be able to take advantage of the new service right away. Despite the small launch, this step marks an important milestone for Netflix’s development in gaming.
By bringing gaming to TVs and web browsers via cloud streaming, subscribers will be able to play Netflix titles in many more places, and it also means Netflix can start competing for gaming time on TVs and PCs.
The games currently available are Oxenfree (created by Night School Studio, which Netflix already owns) and the new title Molehew’s Mining Adventure.
For those of you who have Android the controller will be accessible through the Netflix app. On iOS, you will need to download a dedicated controller app beforehand. If you can access the games on the internet, you can play them with a mouse and keyboard.
]]>Meta and Microsoft share the idea of democratizing AI and its benefits. Microsoft offers developers a choice of the types of models to build on, with open and boundary models supported.
Azure customers can fine-tune and deploy the 7B, 13B, and 70B-parameter Llama 2 models easily and more safely on Azure, the platform for the most widely adopted frontier and open models. In addition, Llama will be optimized to run locally on Windows. Windows developers will be able to use Llama by targeting the DirectML execution provider through the ONNX Runtime, allowing a seamless workflow as they bring generative AI experiences to their applications.
]]>To share details about Microsoft Fabric and answer all questions from the Bulgarian audience, Magi Naumova – the founder of Azure Analytics User Group, invites experts and MVPs (Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals) to Ask Me Anything-type meetings. The first meeting from the series is titled “Microsoft Fabric – Is the hype real?”, and will take place on July 11th at 5:00 PM Bulgarian time.
“Microsoft Fabric outlines several important trends in the field of data analysis, such as the SaaS-inating the DataWarehouse, having OneDrive for enterprise data called OneLake, and storing data in open source format rather than a proprietary format. Using CoPilot & AI for report building, code development, or data processing automation becoming a part of the future in our field,” says Magi Naumova, the founder of Azure Analytics User Group and SQL&BI User Group in Bulgaria, MVP, and well recognized expert in the field.
“Microsoft Fabric promises major changes in this already rapidly evolving field. That’s why I invited my MVP colleagues with whom we organized Ask Me Anything meeting in Norway and it turned into a great event with large attendance from the community. The next step is to make an online meeting for the Bulgarian technology community. The Ask Me Anything format is unique, as the meeting turns into a discussion between us about Microsoft Fabric, sharing different opinions and experiences, as well as answering questions from participants. It’s quite different from watching a technical video presentation, and much more useful”, she added.
The main goal of the group is to be a community place for sharing and gathering experience in the field of Data Engineering & Data Analytics in Azure Cloud and Azure Data Platform. The user group’s events attract knowledgeable people who enjoy sharing knowledge and those who would like to hear from leading experts in the field or their colleagues.
The group’s meeting “Microsoft Fabric – Is the hype real?” will take place on July 11th at 5:00 PM Bulgarian time. Magi’s guests will be the founders of Microsoft Data Platform User Group in Norway and well-known experts in the field, Cathrine Wilhelmsen and Johan Ludvig Brattås.
The event is online, free of charge, with prior registration here.
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