This is like Uncharted IRL! + AI of the week and the reason to go after difficult things

This week we cover
1️⃣ a story worthy of Uncharted,
2️⃣ the latest and greatest in AI, and
3️⃣ a cheat code for picking the path.

Thing 1 - Emeralds and Empires: Unveiling the Billion-Dollar Shipwreck

Hidden for over 300 years, a treasure trove worth a staggering $17 billion is about to be unearthed from the Colombian seabed. The San José, a Spanish galleon that sank in a fiery clash in 1708, is being prepped for recovery by Colombian authorities.

200 tons of silver and emeralds glistening alongside 11 million gold coins - enough to make Scrooge McDuck faint. Carrying a king's ransom in gold, silver, emeralds, and even porcelain it's a historical jackpot, considered the most valuable shipwreck ever discovered.

The San José was also a symbol of Spanish might during the age of exploration. But in 1708, during a battle with the British, the galleon met its fiery end. The legend of its lost treasure lingered for centuries, sparking legal disputes over who owns this piece of history.

Fast forward to 2015, and thanks to robotic explorers, the San José was rediscovered. With every artifact brought to light, we get closer to understanding the lives lost, the battles fought, and the wealth that once fueled empires.

(source 1, source 2)

Thing 2 - AI of the week

NVIDIA took the cake with all the stuff they went over this week.
Microsoft isn't that far behind with their business moves.

• The CEO of Stability AI, Emad Mostaque, left the company to pursue decentralized AI
• Microsoft and NVIDIA announced major integrations to accelerate generative AI for enterprises
• NVIDIA introduced the Blackwell platform, featuring the new Blackwell GPU. It's designed to build and run AI models up to trillion parameters!
• NVIDIA announced Project GR00T, new initiative to create a general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robot learning.
• Mercedes-Benz entered a commercial agreement with Apptronik to deploy the Apollo humanoid robot in its manufacturing facilities
• Stability AI released Stable Video 3D based on Stable Video Diffusion. It creates high-quality and consistent 3D generations from a single image.
• Microsoft agreed to pay Inflection AI $650 million for licensing its AI software and has hired most of their staff.
• Ubisoft is working on AI-based video game NPCs (non-playable characters) that you'll be able to talk with using your words

Thing 3 - Obstacle as the path

Difficult books make you smarter.

Difficult trainings make you stronger.

Difficult experiences make you wiser.

Difficult investments make you wealthier.

Difficult conversations make you sharper.

Difficult goals make you grow faster.

In doubt, choose the more difficult path.

- Orange Book

This has a good base in neuroscience.

Challenging situations stimulate your brain to release neurotransmitters like dopamine, which are associated with motivation and reward.

Overcoming difficulties triggers the production of proteins that support the growth of new synapses, enhancing communication between neurons. As a result, you become more resilient, adaptable, and capable of handling complex tasks

Also works for startups:

If there were two features we could add to our software, both equally valuable in proportion to their difficulty, we'd always take the harder one.  Not just because it was more valuable, but because it was harder.We delighted in forcing bigger, slower competitors to follow us over difficult ground. Like guerillas, startups prefer the difficult terrain of the mountains, where the troops of the central government can't follow.

- Paul Graham

You know what to do next 😉

Cheers, Zvonimir