This Week’s Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through January 11)

Google Is Forming a New Team to Build AI That Can Simulate the Physical World Kyle Wiggers | TechCrunch

"'We believe scaling [AI training] on video and multimodal data is on the critical path to artificial general intelligence,' reads one of the job descriptions. Artificial general intelligence, or AGI, generally refers to AI that can accomplish any task a human can. 'World models will power numerous domains, such as visual reasoning and simulation, planning for embodied agents, and real-time interactive entertainment.'"

Nvidia Announces $3,000 Personal AI Supercomputer Called Digits Kylie Robison | The Verge

"The desktop-sized system can handle AI models with up to 200 billion parameters. ...For even more demanding applications, two Project Digits systems can be linked together to handle models with up to 405 billion parameters (Meta’s best model, Llama 3.1, has 405 billion parameters). The GB10 chip delivers up to 1 petaflop of AI performance—meaning it can perform 1 quadrillion AI calculations per second—at FP4 precision (which helps make the calculations faster by making approximations)."

AI Could Create 78 Million More Jobs Than It Eliminates by 2030—Report Benj Edwards | Ars Technica

"On Wednesday, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released its Future of Jobs Report 2025, with CNN immediately highlighting the finding that 40 percent of companies plan workforce reductions due to AI automation. But the report's broader analysis paints a far more nuanced picture than CNN's headline suggests: It finds that AI could create 170 million new jobs globally while eliminating 92 million positions, resulting in a net increase of 78 million jobs by 2030."

This Robovac Has an Arm—and Legs, Too Jennifer Pattison Tuohy | The Verge

"Dreame says its arm can pick up sneakers as large as men’s size 42 (a size 9 in the US) and take them to a designated spot in your home. The concept could apply to small toys and other items, and you’ll be able to designate specific areas for the robot to take certain items, such as toys to the playroom and shoes to the front door."

A Virtual Cell Is a 'Holy Grail' of Science. It's Getting Closer. Matteo Wong | The Atlantic

"Scientists are now designing computer programs that may unlock the ability to simulate human cells, giving researchers the ability to predict the effect of a drug, mutation, virus, or any other change in the body, and in turn making physical experiments more targeted and likelier to succeed."

Predicting the 'Digital Superpowers' We Could Have by 2030 Louis Rosenberg | Big Think

"Computer scientist Louis B. Rosenberg predicts that context-aware AI agents will bring 'digital superpowers' into our daily experiences by 2030. The convergence of AI and body-worn devices, like AI-powered glasses, will likely enable these new abilities. Rosenberg outlines his predictions for the future of technologies like AI, augmented reality, and conversational computing across three phases."

The Ocean Teems With Networks of Interconnected Bacteria Veronique Greenwood | Quanta

"The Prochlorococcus [bacteria] population may be more connected than anyone could have imagined. They may be holding conversations across wide distances, not only filling the ocean with envelopes of information and nutrients, but also linking what we thought were their private, inner spaces with the interiors of other cells."

These Newly Identified Cells Could Change the Face of Plastic Surgery Max G. Levy | Wired

"The cells appear to simultaneously provide structure (like cartilage) and natural squishiness (like fat). They appear in many mammals, including humans, and the unique structure they provide gives reconstructive surgeons a clearer understanding of what materials make up our faces. Plikus believes this new tissue discovery sets the stage for better cartilage transplants—and so better plastic surgery."

Transforming the Moon Into Humanity's First Space Hub Saurav Shroff | Wired

"This year will mark a turning point in humanity's relationship with the moon, as we begin to lay the foundations for a permanent presence on its surface, paving the way for our natural satellite to become an industrial hub—one that will lead us to Mars and beyond."