As we have reported, OpenAI is working with Apple to make Siri work better…which Siri sorely needs. Reports have come out saying that Apple has been negotiating with OpenAI for a year. Now, 9to5mac.com reports that Microsoft is concerned about this partnership and how it might affect their own deal with OpenAI. Apparently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met recently with Microsoft CEO Nadella to discuss their reservations about the Apple deal. As Microsoft’s deal for a cut of OpenAI profits…which they got after investing $13 billion in the startup…means they will make money on an Apple-OpenAI deal, the downside for Microsoft is that Apple’s AI capabilities will directly compete with Microsoft’s. Hey, I thought in capitalism, competition was supposed to be good! 

Amazon has gotten Federal Aviation Administration permission to fly delivery drones beyond the visual sight line. According to engadget.com, this will allow the online giant to fly further and expand delivery drone service. Amazon says this will allow them to get deliveries to customers more quickly and with a larger selection of items. The breakthrough for flying beyond the ground based operators or spotters’ line of sight comes from Amazon’s new “onboard detect-and-avoid technology.” Amazon has discontinued drone shipments around Lockeford, California, but is expanding around College Station, Texas….and has now added deliveries to the West Valley area in the Phoenix metro.  

In an amazing discovery, researchers from the National Energy Technology Laboratory have found that wastewater produced by fracking wells found in the Marcellus Shale area in Pennsylvania may hold enough lithium to cover 38-40% of the current domestic consumption! Arstechnica.com says that right now, the US relies on imports from Argentina, Chile, and China to fully handle its lithium needs. Lithium, of course, is a crucial element for lithium-ion batteries like those used in electronic devices and especially in electric vehicles. A key will be the economic feasibility of extracting lithium from wastewater at the scale needed. Another issue is that the wastewater would still be highly toxic…with salts, metals, and radioactive elements. 

Doctors in Shanghai, China have apparently successfully cured a 59 year old patient’s type 2 diabetes. Bgr.com reports that they used stem cells from the patients blood to ‘kickstart’ the pancreas into producing its own insulin. The patient was taken off insulin at 11 weeks, and they later reduced oral drugs. The pancreas continues to produce. The patient is still free of insulin now for 33 months! Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a similar stem cell treatment from a Chicago-based company for type 1 diabetes. It may be a while before this sees mainstream medicine, so Apple and Samsung are full speed ahead on incorporating blood sugar measurements via their watches. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.