Introduction

Keeping up with innovation is crucial, both in everyday life and in business. With the “40Inspo” column, we select five technological innovations that, although not directly related to our core business, show how progress is closer than you might think. From Amazon introducing a virtual assistant in the USA to facilitate shopping, to the use of AI on the beaches of Rimini to find missing children, this is a roundup to read wherever you are.

AI to the Rescue: Lost Children on the Beach

Imagine being at the beach, in a moment of pure relaxation, when you suddenly realize your child is missing. A nightmare no parent wants to experience, but unfortunately, it happens. For the first time since the foundation of Publiphono, a service active since 1968 to find lost children on the beaches of Riccione, artificial intelligence is being used to communicate perfectly in the native language of the families of the missing or found people.

Thanks to AI integration, not only is it possible to communicate in over 150 different languages, but you can also choose from over a thousand different voices, deciding each time whether to use a more reassuring or alarmed tone, depending on the severity of the cases. In short, thanks to AI, we can all feel safer on the beach today.

Data Centers in Space: A Sustainable Future

Speaking of extraordinary innovations, have you ever thought that our data centers could find a home in space? Yes, you heard that right! Europe is seriously considering this option to reduce CO2 emissions associated with cooling servers.

By leveraging the low temperatures of space for natural cooling, space-based data centers could contribute to a drastic reduction in emissions. An idea from Ascend (Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero emission and Data sovereignty), whose feasibility study was commissioned in 2023 to Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture of Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%).

On June 27, Thales Alenia Space announced the promising results of the study, indicating that space-based data centers could indeed contribute to a significant reduction in emissions generated by digital data processing and storage.
The modular space infrastructures would be assembled in orbit thanks to the robotic technologies of the European Commission’s Eross Iod program, with a first demonstration expected by 2026.

The results of the ASCEND study confirm that the implementation of data centers in space could transform the European digital landscape by offering a greener and more autonomous solution for data storage and processing. We are proud to contribute to an initiative that supports Europe’s carbon neutrality goals and strengthens Europe’s technological sovereignty. Said Christophe Valorge, Chief Technical Officer of Thales Alenia Space.

Today, Google Translate Also Speaks Dialects

Google has launched a unique initiative: the new update now includes 110 global dialects, including five Italian ones: Friulian, Ligurian, Sicilian, Venetian, and Lombard!
Imagine how this can revolutionize the preservation of local languages; a feature that not only helps keep linguistic traditions alive but also facilitates communication between different generations and communities.

A big step forward in valuing local cultural identity in the context of an increasingly globalized world. What will be the first word you try to translate? For us, it’s simple: “Vacation”!

Rufus: Amazon’s New AI Assistant

After several months of testing, Amazon announced on the eve of Amazon Prime Day the full launch of its new AI assistant, Rufus, for all U.S. users of the Amazon Shopping app.
The new tool is accessible via an orange and blue icon in the app’s navigation bar and can answer product questions, make comparisons, and provide order updates.
What it can do:

• General Amazon product searches: with generic questions, users receive information guiding them towards a purchase. E.g.: What should I consider when buying headphones?
• Search based on activity, purpose, event: Rufus suggests product categories. E.g.: What do I need for skiing?
• Product comparisons: users can ask questions to understand the differences between two or more products and better direct their search. E.g: What is the difference between a mirrorless and a DSLR camera?
• Recommendations: users ask the assistant for the best solution for a certain context, and Rufus will return a series of results. E.g.: What is the best gift for a 9-year-old child?
• Questions about specific products: gathering information about a specific product being viewed, the assistant will use available data (reviews, questions, and answers from other customers, etc.) to help the user. E.g.: Can this jacket be machine-washed?

No hints yet on when Rufus will arrive on the Italian app. We are eagerly waiting!

OpenAI Strawberry: Open AI’s Very… Human AI

Following recent news about business strategies and board changes, OpenAI is reportedly working on a revolutionary new general artificial intelligence model, “Strawberry,” potentially capable of autonomously scouring the Internet to “plan ahead” for more complex activities, as well as executing reasoning equal to, if not superior to, human levels in math and science.

According to some rumors, Strawberry is an evolution of Q, a top-secret OpenAI project that was much talked about a few months ago. Several sources reported seeing what were, according to OpenAI collaborators, demonstrations of Q at the beginning of the year, capable of answering difficult scientific and mathematical questions beyond the reach of models currently available on the market.
Doing homework will certainly no longer be a problem…