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The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has unveiled a powerful quantum processor, Zuchongzhi 3.0, which is reportedly 1 quadrillion times faster than today’s best supercomputers. Compared to its predecessor, Zuchongzhi 3.0 features more transmon qubits, utilizing 105 to the previous 66. These are designed to minimize noise sensitivity, making them essential for achieving quantum supremacy. The quantum processor has a parallel single-qubit gate fidelity of 99.90% and a two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.62%. This enables it to maintain the superposition state of qubits, thus allowing for more complex computations. On the quantum computing random circuit sampling (RCS) benchmark test, Zuchongzhi 3.0 completed tasks within seconds, whereas Google’s Sycamore chip took significantly longer. Despite advancements in classical algorithms, Zuchongzhi 3.0 demonstrates the potential for quantum processors to address real-world problems and contribute to a transformative era of computing. Several engineering innovations, including improved fabrication techniques, resulted in optimized qubit designs for the Zuchongzhi 3.0 processor. The qubits of the processor are defined using tantalum and aluminum, bonded via an indium bump flip-chip process, which reduces contamination and enhances accuracy. Zuchongzhi 3.0 contributes to overcoming challenges related to quantum error correction and gate fidelity by achieving higher fidelity in qubit operations. The development of such advanced quantum processors could revolutionize sectors including cryptography, drug discovery, and optimization problems. Despite the promising advancements, challenges still persist including issues of scalability, coherence times, and integration with existing technologies. Hashtags: #QuantumComputing #Zuchongzhi3 #USTC #QuantumSupremacy #NextGenComputing ...

A caller named Blake from a physical security company in Nebraska with around 100 employees called into Dave Ramsey’s podcast to discuss issues with employee raises. The company currently provides a 2% cost-of-living raise each year, along with possible merit increases of up to 3%. This merit system has created confusion and frustration among employees. Employees often perceive anything less than a 3% merit raise as an indication that they are underperforming. In response, Ramsey revealed his company does not offer cost-of-living raises but adjusts compensation based on market value. His team regularly reviews salary ranges for various job roles in their region, making adjustment decisions accordingly, and this information is shared with employees. Ramsey also advised against using specific percentage increases for merit raises to avoid comparison issues between employees. Ramsey and his team now conduct annual reviews to avoid missing giving raises, even though he was not in support of such reviews in the past. Regular performance discussions with employees are also held so that there are no surprises during the review period. If an employee isn’t performing well, Ramsey stated that retaining them isn’t of interest, thus monetary raise isn’t a consideration. The key issue arose with a group of 25 to 30 employees, which Ramsey highlighted as a commonality in business tension points. Hashtags: #EmployeeRaises #CompensationSystem #MarketValueCompensation #PerformanceReviews #BusinessAdvice ...

The NVIDIA RAG blueprint is a reference solution for a foundational Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline in the field of Generative AI. This blueprint allows users to ask questions and receive responses based off of their enterprise data corpus. The blueprint includes various components like NVIDIA NIM Microservices, Response Generation models, Retriever Models, RAG Orchestrator server, Milvus Vector Database accelerated with NVIDIA cuVS, and Ingestion. Developers may opt to either use the supplied Docker Compose scripts to deploy the microservices on a single node or launch the blueprint directly in an NVIDIA AI Workbench developer environment. ...

According to Major General Vladyslav Klochkov, Russia is currently field-testing a new, lethal drone, the MS001, powered by Nvidia’s Jetson Orin AI. This drone, described as an autonomous combat platform, utilizes the AI to independently identify targets and adjust its trajectory, bypassing most existing air defense systems. The MS001 is reportedly working in coordinated groups for maximum impact, persisting even amidst Ukraine’s best anti-drone efforts. Klochkov emphasizes the need for accelerating the development of Ukraine’s own drone capabilities in response. ...

Cloudflare, the Internet security and performance provider, reported the largest attack yet, coming in at 7.3 terabits per second (Tbps) on Friday. Equivalent to 37.4 terabytes of junk traffic, the assault lasted a mere 45 seconds, roughly the same as streaming 9,300 full-length HD films or 7,500 hours of HD content in under a minute. The target, identified only as a Cloudflare client, was “carpet bombed” with into approximately 22,000 different ports of a solitary IP address, with 34,500 ports targeted in total. ...

The text is requesting for a page reload due to an error encountered during the loading process. It also mentions the value they attach to every piece of feedback from users. They prompt the users to check out available qualifiers in their documentation, emphasizing their commitment to user input. The text seems to be a standard error and feedback message from a web interface or app. Whenever there is any glitch or trouble in loading, users are advised to reload the page. Additionally, it guarantees that each feedback from users is read and taken seriously, with the commitment to improve service provision. ...

Spanish startup Multiverse Computing has secured a €189 million (approximately $215 million) Series B funding round, based on its cutting-edge “CompactifAI” technology. As a compression technology inspired by quantum computing, CompactifAI can reduce the size of Language Learning Models (LLMs) by up to 95% without affecting performance. The company offers compressed versions of various LLMs, citing faster operation and lower inference costs for their models compared to uncompressed ones. Multiverse’s models can be accessed via Amazon Web Services, deployed on site, and even be used on PCs and other smaller devices. ...

French stocks posted their worst performance in decades in 2024, particularly underscored when compared to the U.S market. The CAC 40, which tracks the 40 largest French companies on the Paris stock exchange, has experienced sluggish long-term growth with a slight gain of 18% since 2000. The index is heavily concentrated in key sectors like luxury goods and financial services, making it susceptible to sector-specific downturns. Persistent investor concerns revolve around political instability, continued high inflation, and diminishing foreign investment. Also, the higher borrowing costs in France compared to other EU nations add to the pressure on companies that rely on debt for growth and operations. ...

Wildfires, particularly in the western US, have been becoming more severe over the past few years due to climate change. Hot and dry conditions create an ideal environment for wildfires, which have proven to be destructive both to property and human health. The University of Colorado, which has been researching this issue said there is a clear connection between the rise in temperature and the increase in wildfires. The heat dries out the vegetation, making it easier to catch fire and burn. In addition to this, warmer winters result in more pests surviving through the season, which further damages the vegetation making it prone to fires. ...

The US national debt has been growing since the 1980s and the bill is finally coming due. With the national debt currently sitting at $36 trillion, financial experts warn that the US is borrowing too much money. Critics blame political dysfunction and lack of agreement on measures to address the large annual fiscal deficits. Despite warnings of high unemployment, the US economy has remained robust. However, the downgrade of the US credit rating by Moody’s from “stable” to “negative” is a clear indication of the looming debt crisis. This has already led to higher US rates, which could worsen the fiscal problem if not addressed. ...