#12 Deeptech Analysed - Unmanned Observation Balloons: The Spy Tech of the Future? & Microsoft vs. Google: The AI War for Technological Dominance
What's happening this week? 13th February - 19th February
In this week edition…
(1) Unmanned Observation Balloons: Contemporary Concerns of Spy Technology
(2) The AI WAR: Microsoft vs. Google
Unmanned Observation Balloons: The Spy Tech of the Future?
By Gael Amouyal, Deeptech Expert
What is going on?
The recent detection of an unmanned balloon flying over the territorial airspace of the United States and Canada has sparked concern among security agencies in both nations. The UAV, believed to be of Chinese origin, was equipped with advanced surveillance technologies that posed a significant threat to the privacy and security of the two nations. In response to the situation, the United States Air Force initiated an active defense operation, utilizing precision-guided munitions to effectively neutralize this unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
But what exactly is an observation balloon, or spy balloon? An observation balloon is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle that has a rich history dating back to the late 18th century. Initially, these balloons were used for scientific purposes such as mapping and weather observation. However, as technology has advanced, they have evolved into sophisticated tools used for military and surveillance purposes.
What does it mean?
So, how do these observation balloons fly? These balloons are usually filled with lighter-than-air gases such as hydrogen or helium, which provide lift to the balloon and allow it to rise into the atmosphere. The altitude of the balloon can be controlled by adjusting the amount of gas inside the balloon, and its movement can be directed by adjusting the orientation of the balloon. Some observation balloons are also equipped with motors, which allow them to be controlled remotely and fly in a specific direction.
Scientific research balloons are utilized to gather data on atmospheric conditions and collect samples of the atmosphere for analysis. Military observation balloons, on the other hand, are deployed for the purpose of gathering intelligence on enemy positions and monitoring troop movements. Meanwhile, surveillance balloons serve to keep an eye on people and vehicle movements and gather intelligence on different activities.
Their utilization in military reconnaissance can be traced back to the American Revolution, where the French aeronaut, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, employed a hot air balloon to survey the battlefield. Over the years, observation balloons have continued to play a significant role in military reconnaissance, especially during World War I.
Why does it matter
💸For markets: Soaring to new heights, the growing financial market for observation balloons?
The market for observation balloons is growing rapidly, driven by the increasing demand for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for scientific, military, and surveillance purposes. The recent detection of a Chinese spy balloon flying over the territorial airspace of the United States and Canada highlights the growing demand for sophisticated UAVs for surveillance purposes. According to a recent report, the global market for observation balloons is expected to reach $1.6 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of over 6% from 2021 to 2026. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for UAVs for scientific research, military reconnaissance, and surveillance purposes.
Leading companies in the market include Raven Aerostar, Lockheed Martin, and Aerostar International. These companies are known for their expertise and innovation in the observation balloon market, and they are well-positioned to continue to grow and thrive in this rapidly evolving field.
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏻For society: A Call for Regulation and Monitoring.
The recent detection of a spy balloon has brought the potential impacts of observation balloons into the spotlight.
Observation balloons, such as the suspected Chinese spy balloon, can be equipped with advanced surveillance technologies, which can be used to gather intelligence on enemy positions, monitor troop movements, and even compromise privacy and civil liberties.
Additionally, the use of observation balloons, especially for scientific research, can have an impact on the environment, as they release particles into the atmosphere that can contribute to global warming.
These balloons, whether used for scientific research, military reconnaissance, or surveillance, have the potential to greatly impact populations and society as a whole. it is crucial that their use is regulated and monitored to ensure they are not causing harm or posing a threat to national security and privacy. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers posed by observation balloons and the importance of establishing clear guidelines for their use.
🔮What’s next?
The future of observation balloons looks promising, The increasing demand for UAVs for scientific research and military reconnaissance will drive the growth of the market for observation balloons. In addition, advances in technology are expected to lead to the development of new and improved observation balloons that are capable of gathering more data and flying higher and longer.
In conclusion, observation balloons are an important tool for a variety of purposes. The market for observation balloons is growing rapidly however they have the potential to impact populations in a variety of ways, it is why regulations and guidelines should be made.
Microsoft vs. Google: The AI War for Technological Dominance
By Eden Djanashvili, Deeptech Expert
What is going on?
On Monday 6th February, Google announced its experimental conversational AI service called “Bard”. According to Google’s CEO, Bard is expected to replace the iconic Google Search bar. Its goal is to generate replies to user’s search queries and simplify them in a conversational way. In parallel, Microsoft ChatGPT has become the fastest growing app ever reaching 100 million users in less than two months (read more about ChatGPT in our previous article). During Bard presentation a huge mistake was done: the AI Chatbot gave an innacurate answer to one of the questions. A mistake that cost Google 100 billion dollars in the market value.
What does it mean?
Bard AI claimed that James Webb was the first telescope that took a picture of an exoplanet while ChatGPT claimed it was the Hubble Space Telescope. However, based on NASA records, the first pictures of an exoplanet were taken by the European Southern Observatory. So, who is correct? The logic demands us to believe in NASA records even thought ChatGPT were providing information 10 years before NASA. So, what was wrong here? Google damage was done during the official presentation of Bard making it look an innefficient tool. Google started the AI Battle with a big pressure from Microsoft. We wonder: is AI Bard a rushed product?
Why does it matter?
💸For markets: Google and Microsoft HEATS UP! What about the others?
While Alphabet lost $100 billion in market value last week, Microsoft saw its shares rose up around 3%. Currently, the global search market is around US$200 billion. Microsoft’s Bing search engine only account for less than 5% market share compared to more than 90% market share for Google. There could be severe financial impact for Google if ChatGPT disrupt the traditional search market.
This episode lights on the high-stake nature of the AI war between the two tech giants. Google and Microsoft have made it pretty clear to achieve AI Supremacy. Even though Bard mistake was a tough AI start, ChatGPT isn’t fool proof either. The latter, has come under the scanner for giving out inaccurate and, at times, inappropriate answers to users’ queries.
As shown by Bard’s recent episode, AI space is full of risks but also new opportunities to seize. Other major players in the tech sector such as Meta, Amazon and Apple haven’t yet manifest themselves on their AI plans. It will be interesting to see what will come in the next months.
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏻For society: we all hate fake news…isn’t it?
Imagine lying to a 9-year old kid because of the wrong answers given by Bard or ChaGPT. How damaging is that? AI platforms have real consequences behind fake news. But, are those really fake news? Could it be subjective and biased information?
Bard utilizes LaMDA, a state-of-the-art AI system developed by Google that generates human-like text responses to a wide range of questions. LaMDA stands for Language Model for Dialogue Applications. The system is trained on massive amounts of text data, allowing it to generate contextually relevant and coherent responses which makes the tool valuable for applications such as chatbots, voice assistants and event content creation.
While ChatGPT utilises GPT-3 (Generative Pretrained Transformer 3) which is a state-of-the-art language processing AI model developed by OpenAI. It is capable of generating human-like text and has a wide range of applications, including language translation, language modelling, and generating text for applications such as chatbots. The model was trained using text databases from the internet including 570GB of data obtained from books, webtexts, Wikipedia, articles and other pieces of writing on the internet.
The launch of Bard was meant to address the growing challenge posed by OpenAI's ChatGPT, but instead has left the tech giant vulnerable to falling behind its competitor. In parallel, ChatGPT isn’t able to provide answers to questions about recent events (after 2021).
🔮What’s next?
Artificial intelligence has been in use for years, but it is currently going through a stage of increased interest, driven by developments across the likes of Google, Meta, Microsoft and just about every big name in tech.
Ethical concerns are a critical concern. Because the system is trained largely using words from the internet, it can pick up on the internet’s biases, stereotypes and general opinions. That means you’ll occasionally find jokes or stereotypes about certain groups or political figures depending on what you ask it.
Equally, the models love of internet forums and articles also gives it access to fake news and conspiracy theories. These can feed into the model’s knowledge, sprinkling in facts or opinions that aren’t exactly full of truth.
A warning is coming up as requests on how to manipulate someone or build dangerous weapons should be further investigated. Also, in schools these tools can be used as the new “cheating sheet”.
Even though AI is gaining much interest lately, it is also bringing with it a bag full of social threats (creativity, concentration, cheating behaviour…) and ethical issues. However, the war is still just starting and those who will build the next AI Tool will be responsible for the future of our society.