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  • HBO Max’s Harry Potter series premieres this Christmas

    HBO released a teaser trailer and premiere date for its take on Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The show will premiere on the HBO Max streaming network this December 25. It’s a rare case where a big-ticket project is coming out earlier than anticipated instead of later; the series wasn’t expected to arrive until 2027.

    HBO has already proved its bona fides with lush adaptations of fantastical stories several times over, and this trailer looks like more of the same. The team behind the camera includes notable names who have worked on series such as Succession, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us and Killing Eve. Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, who alienated many fans after outing herself as transphobic, is also one of the show’s executive producers.

    Engadget’s Jess Conditt has already written eloquently on the struggle of when and how to engage with the Harry Potter franchise while rejecting Rowling’s worldview, although the author’s involvement at the top level may make this adaptation a harder sell to the disillusioned community than, say, the Hogwarts Legacy video game where Rowling was barely involved and the studios took a more proactive approach toward presenting many types of diversity, including gender expression. If you’re hyped for this particular show, seems you’ll have a shorter time to wait for it.

  • Amjad Masad: AI is democratizing tech, non-coders are gaining an edge in entrepreneurship, and idea generation is the new core skill | AI + a16z

    Amjad Masad: AI is democratizing tech, non-coders are gaining an edge in entrepreneurship, and idea generation is the new core skill | AI + a16z

    Key Takeaways

    • The tech industry is shifting towards valuing problem-solving skills over traditional coding expertise.
    • AI is transforming education by enabling rapid growth and efficiency in traditionally difficult markets.
    • The current era offers unprecedented opportunities for online entrepreneurship and wealth creation.
    • Automation is changing the landscape of software development, reducing the need for traditional coding.
    • Non-coders may have an edge in entrepreneurship by focusing on market needs rather than technical details.
    • AI tools are making app development faster and more accessible to a wider audience.
    • Idea generation is becoming the core skill in AI as implementation costs decrease.
    • Traits often viewed negatively by older generations could become advantages in the AI-driven world.
    • Creativity and idea generation can be practiced and improved over time.
    • The democratization of technology is facing resistance from established tech companies.
    • The potential for AI to empower individuals and transform industries is significant.
    • Coding is evolving into a higher-level task, with less emphasis on syntax and more on problem-solving.
    • Entrepreneurs without a coding background are increasingly successful by leveraging AI tools.
    • The cost of implementing ideas in AI is decreasing, shifting the focus to creativity.
    • The tech landscape is changing rapidly, offering new opportunities for those willing to adapt.

    Guest intro

    Amjad Masad is the CEO and co-founder of Replit, a browser-based platform that has grown to generate $250 million in annual revenue. Prior to Replit, he served as a tech lead on Facebook’s JavaScript infrastructure team, where he helped build open-source tools like the Babel compiler and Jest. He turned down a $1 billion acquisition offer to continue advancing AI-powered software development.

    The resistance to democratizing technology

    • The most powerful tech companies tried to kill my vision of making coding accessible.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Established tech companies often resist innovations that democratize access to technology.
    • The competitive landscape in tech can be challenging for innovators with disruptive ideas.

    • They question whether AI will enslave us or empower everyone to escape the rat race.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Innovators face significant challenges from established players when trying to democratize technology.
    • The resistance from tech giants highlights the need for perseverance in pursuing technological democratization.

    • Not having a coding background is becoming an advantage in tech.

      — Amjad Masad

    • The tech industry is increasingly valuing problem-solving skills over traditional coding expertise.

    AI’s transformative impact on education

    • AI is enabling rapid growth in traditionally difficult markets like education.

    • He’s able to build a lot of tools for teachers for grading students and creating assignments with AI.

      — Amjad Masad

    • AI’s ability to sell itself has led to significant revenue growth in the education sector.
    • The education market presents unique challenges that AI is well-suited to address.

    • AI has this amazing ability to sell itself and quickly grew the company to $10,000,000 annual revenue.

      — Amjad Masad

    • AI tools are transforming the way educational content is created and delivered.
    • The potential for AI to revolutionize education is significant and growing.

    • Education is one of the hardest markets, but AI has the potential to rapidly grow companies in this sector.

      — Amjad Masad

    Opportunities in the current tech landscape

    • It’s the easiest time to get rich online in the history of capitalism.

      — Amjad Masad

    • The internet offers unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurship and wealth creation.
    • Technological advancements have lowered the barriers to entry for online businesses.

    • Code is almost fully automated, and even professional software engineers are not coding anymore.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Automation is changing the landscape of software development, reducing the need for traditional coding.
    • The current era is characterized by rapid technological change and new opportunities.
    • Entrepreneurs can leverage technology to create successful businesses with minimal resources.

    • For the most part, people are not coding anymore; it’s become a more higher-level thing.

      — Amjad Masad

    The evolving role of coding in entrepreneurship

    • Not having a coding background will become more advantageous for entrepreneurs.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Non-coders can focus on market needs rather than getting lost in technical details.
    • The entrepreneurial landscape is shifting towards valuing business acumen over technical skills.

    • AI tools can significantly accelerate the app development process.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Entrepreneurs without coding skills can leverage AI tools to build apps quickly and efficiently.
    • The focus is shifting from technical expertise to understanding customer needs and market trends.

    • Within an hour or two, most people have an app that they’re ready to put in front of a user.

      — Amjad Masad

    • The democratization of app development is empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs.

    Creativity and idea generation in the AI era

    • The core skill in AI is idea generation, as the cost of implementing those ideas is rapidly decreasing.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Creativity is becoming more important than execution as implementation costs decrease.
    • The focus is shifting to how fast ideas can be generated and tested in the market.

    • The cost of implementation of those ideas is going down rapidly; it’s gonna go to zero at some point.

      — Amjad Masad

    • The ability to generate and iterate on ideas is a critical skill for success in the AI-driven world.

    • Generating ideas is a skill that can be practiced and improved over time.

      — Amjad Masad

    • The creative process involves iterative feedback and continuous improvement.
    • Entrepreneurs should focus on developing their creativity and idea generation skills.

    Generational traits and technological advancements

    • Older generations’ perceived vices may actually become advantages in the context of AI.

      — Amjad Masad

    • Traits often viewed negatively can be reframed as beneficial in the context of innovation.
    • The evolving relationship between generational traits and technological advancements is significant.

    • If you’re a brain-rotted, terminally aligned person, that might be an advantage.

      — Amjad Masad

    • The AI-driven world offers new opportunities for those willing to embrace change.
    • Generational differences can lead to unique perspectives and innovative solutions.
    • The tech landscape is changing rapidly, offering new opportunities for those willing to adapt.

    • It’s practice; it’s a skill like generate ideas, put them out there.

      — Amjad Masad

    Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

  • Connor Leahy: We lack understanding of intelligence and neural networks, the unpredictability of AI could lead to loss of control, and GPT models have revolutionized AI capabilities | The Peter McCormack Show

    Connor Leahy: We lack understanding of intelligence and neural networks, the unpredictability of AI could lead to loss of control, and GPT models have revolutionized AI capabilities | The Peter McCormack Show

    Key Takeaways

    • We lack a comprehensive understanding of how intelligence and neural networks function.
    • The unpredictability of AI could lead to a future where humans lose control over AI systems.
    • Neural networks differ significantly from traditional programming, operating more like a growth process than a coded instruction set.
    • GPT models have revolutionized AI by learning complex tasks independently as they scale.
    • The release of GPT-2 was a landmark moment, marking a significant leap in AI capabilities.
    • The transformer architecture is foundational to modern AI, underpinning many current applications.
    • Despite advancements, the inner workings of neural networks remain largely mysterious.
    • Neural networks process vast amounts of data through complex mathematical operations, which are not fully understood.
    • AI models like ChatGPT use extensive data and user information to generate contextually relevant responses.
    • Understanding intelligence, whether in humans or AI, remains a significant challenge.
    • The rapid evolution of AI technologies raises important questions about future human-AI dynamics.
    • The complexity and opacity of neural networks highlight the challenges in AI research and development.
    • The psychological impacts of AI on users are an emerging area of concern and study.
    • AI’s ability to provide tailored responses showcases the sophistication of current systems.
    • The potential shift in power dynamics between humans and AI underscores the need for careful oversight.

    Guest intro

    Connor Leahy is CEO and co-founder of Conjecture, an AI safety research company based in London. He previously co-founded EleutherAI, where he helped develop GPT-J and GPT-NeoX, among the largest open-source large language models at the time. Leahy advocates for pausing development of advanced AI systems to address unsolved alignment risks.

    The mystery of intelligence and neural networks

    • We do not understand intelligence or how neural networks work, despite having built them.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The complexity of intelligence in both humans and AI remains largely unexplored.
    • Understanding neural networks is crucial for advancing AI research and development.

    • It’s very important to understand is that we do not understand intelligence we don’t know how the brain works.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The gap in understanding highlights the uncertainty surrounding AI technologies.

    • We sure as hell don’t know how these neural networks work either.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The unpredictability of neural networks poses challenges for AI researchers.
    • Despite advancements, the fundamental mechanisms of neural networks are still unknown.

    The unpredictable future of AI control

    • We may wake up one day and find that we are no longer in control of AI.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The potential loss of control over AI systems raises ethical and practical concerns.
    • Future dynamics between humans and AI could shift dramatically without proper oversight.

    • I think this happens before extinction happens like the thing I expect to happen is that one day we wake up and we’re just not in control anymore.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates careful monitoring and regulation.
    • Understanding AI’s trajectory is critical for maintaining human oversight.
    • The unpredictability of AI systems underscores the need for robust safety measures.
    • The potential for AI to operate beyond human control is a significant concern.

    The revolutionary impact of neural networks

    • Neural networks operate fundamentally differently from traditional programming.

    • The way AI worked was the new technique was called deep learning or neural networks.

      — Connor Leahy

    • Unlike traditional programming, neural networks grow and learn from data.

    • Normal programming you write code… neural networks are very different it’s more like you grow them.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The distinction between traditional programming and neural networks is crucial for understanding AI.
    • Neural networks represent a paradigm shift in how AI systems are developed.
    • The growth process of neural networks allows them to solve complex problems.
    • Understanding the function of neural networks is essential for advancing AI technologies.

    The transformative power of GPT models

    • GPT represents a significant shift in AI capabilities due to its general-purpose nature.

    • The crazy thing about it was is that as you fed it more data and as you gave it more computing powers you made the neural network bigger.

      — Connor Leahy

    • GPT models learn complex tasks independently as they scale.

    • It learned first you know how to spell words then it learned how to do sentences then paragraphs.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The release of GPT-2 marked a pivotal moment in AI development.

    • For me my like oh shit moment was in 2019 with the release of GPT two.

      — Connor Leahy

    • GPT models have revolutionized AI by learning without explicit human instruction.
    • The scalability of GPT models highlights their transformative potential.

    The foundational role of transformer architecture

    • The transformer architecture revolutionized neural networks and is foundational to modern AI applications.

    • In 2017 a group at Google discovered a new way to kinda build a neural network called a transformer and it changed everything.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The transformer architecture underpins many current AI applications, including image and voice generation.

    • All the neural stuff you see today whether it’s AI you know image generation voice generation you know chat GPD all of this is based on what’s called the transformer.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The development of the transformer architecture marked a significant advancement in AI technologies.
    • Understanding the significance of the transformer architecture is crucial for grasping modern AI evolution.
    • The transformative impact of the transformer architecture underscores its importance in AI research.
    • Despite its foundational role, the inner workings of transformers remain largely mysterious.

    The complexity of neural network operations

    • Neural networks operate by processing billions or trillions of numbers through various mathematical operations.

    • When you think of a neural network the way you should think of is billions even trillions of numbers.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The underlying mechanisms of neural networks remain largely unknown.

    • We don’t know what any of this means… we have some guesses at some of it.

      — Connor Leahy

    • Understanding the complexity and opacity of neural networks is crucial for AI research.
    • The mathematical operations within neural networks highlight the challenges in understanding their function.
    • The complexity of neural networks underscores the need for further research and exploration.
    • Despite advancements, the inner workings of neural networks remain a mystery.

    AI’s ability to generate contextually relevant responses

    • AI models like ChatGPT can generate contextually relevant responses by leveraging vast amounts of data.

    • I’m blown away by what it can do because it adds in a little bit more than that it adds in what it already knows about me.

      — Connor Leahy

    • AI models utilize user-specific information to enhance response accuracy.
    • Understanding how AI models process and utilize user data is essential for grasping their capabilities.
    • The sophistication of modern AI systems is evident in their ability to provide tailored responses.
    • AI’s ability to generate contextually relevant responses showcases its transformative potential.
    • The use of extensive data allows AI models to deliver more accurate and relevant responses.
    • Understanding the mechanisms behind AI’s response generation is crucial for advancing AI technologies.

    The ongoing challenges in understanding intelligence

    • We do not fully understand how intelligence works, whether in humans or in neural networks.

    • It’s very important to understand is that we do not understand intelligence we don’t know how the brain works.

      — Connor Leahy

    • The complexity of intelligence remains a significant challenge for researchers.
    • Understanding the current limitations in neuroscience and AI development is crucial for advancing the field.
    • The gap in understanding highlights the need for further research and exploration.
    • The complexity of intelligence underscores the challenges in AI research and development.
    • Despite advancements, the fundamental nature of intelligence remains largely unexplored.
    • The ongoing challenges in understanding intelligence highlight the need for continued research and innovation.

    Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

  • World’s oldest competitive pool player still going strong at 98

    World’s oldest competitive pool player still going strong at 98

    Odd News // 1 month ago

    Ohio man buys lottery ticket for wrong drawing, wins $50,000

    Feb. 20 (UPI) — An Ohio man attempting to play Mega Millions accidentally bought a ticket for the wrong lottery drawing — and ended up winning a $50,000 prize.

  • Joseph and Kendra Duggar Charged With Child Endangerment Amid Expanding Investigation

    Joseph and Kendra Duggar Charged With Child Endangerment Amid Expanding Investigation

    Kendra Duggar, the wife of 19 Kids and Counting’s Joseph Duggar, was arrested two days after him on a separate set of child endangerment and false imprisonment charges, all of which he is also now facing and which are reportedly the result of an investigation of their family home related to the separate charges that brought his arrest for inappropriate contact with a 9-year-old in 2020, which sent the former reality TV personality to jail last week.

    Kendra Duggar, 27, and Joseph Duggar, 31, were both charged on March 20 with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of false imprisonment after an investigation, according to a release from local police in Tontitown, Ark. She was arrested on Friday and booked into the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville just before 5 p.m. local time; she was released on bond by 6:20 p.m. and is set to return to court on April 29, according to local records.

    An “active and ongoing” investigation is underway related to the charges, police noted in the release, and “Arkansas law limits the amount of information that can be publicly released in cases involving minors and other sensitive circumstances.”

    “To protect the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of those involved, no further details will be provided at this time,” Tontitown police stated.

    The arrest of Kendra and the charges the couple now face result directly from the investigation into Joseph Duggar after he apparently admitted to a 9-year-old girl’s accusation that he molested her while the couple was on vacation in Florida in 2020. Following his March 18 arrest in Arkansas on a warrant out of Bay County, Fla., a police investigation of the couple’s home reportedly found that the locks to the bedrooms were on the exterior of the doors, according to a source close to the family who spoke with People.

    The couple’s four children are: Garrett David, born in 2018; Addison Renee, born in 2019; Brooklyn Praise, born in 2021; and Justus, born in 2022.

    Notably, the Duggar family had placed locks on the doors of their children’s bedrooms to keep the eldest son, Josh Duggar, away from them; in 2015, it was discovered that Josh Duggar molested several underage girls from 2000 to 2004, when he was between the ages of 12 and 16. This included four of his sisters. He is currently serving a 12-year, seven-month prison sentence.

    The unearthing of apparently admitted child molestation among members of the famous Duggar family roared back to life last week when, according to police, father of four Joseph Duggar was confronted by the accusing girl’s father about her recent recounting of what happened six years ago, at which point police say Joseph admitted to “unlawful sexual contact.”

    “As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket. During this time, Joseph manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals. He would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs,” the statement from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

    He was charged in Bay County with lewd and lascivious behavior — molestation of a victim less than 12 years old — and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Facility awaiting extradition to Florida.

    Attorneys and a family spokesperson did not immediately return calls or messages sent by The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the Duggar family noted previously that Kendra’s charges are in no way related to the charges filed against Joseph.

    Joseph and Kendra could face up to eight years in prison if convicted of all charges.

    Jinger Duggar, 32, was one of the first of the family to speak out on her own about Joseph’s arrest. On her podcast with her husband, Jinger & Jeremy, she noted it’s “been one of those weeks that feels like years.”

    “I did not think my heart could break like it has this week,” Jinger told her audience. “The pain and heartbreak that we’ve had over this and just thinking of how it’s affected so many — yeah, it’s just unthinkable. It’s so hard and painful on many levels.”

  • ‘Mormon Wives’ Star Jessi Draper Hopes Taylor Frankie Paul Domestic Violence Video Is a “Wake Up Call”: “It’s Not Who Taylor Is”

    The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives may be on a production pause, but news circling the series’ cast has not slowed down.

    Jessi Draper appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast Wednesday, where she joined Alex Cooper to discuss the ins and outs of her marriage, having recently announced she is getting divorced. However, the host noted at the top of their interview that the episode was filmed last Friday, March 20, and the two first addressed the fallout after a video was leaked of the events leading up to her Mormon Wives co-star’s Taylor Frankie Paul‘s 2023 domestic violence arrest.

    Draper said the Mormon Wives cast knew there was footage of the incident but had never seen it, noting that she did not want to judge Paul in a dark moment.

    “The police had [the video] and they talked about it, and we all just were like, OK. I don’t like to judge someone in their darkest moment. I don’t want to judge the person, I’ll judge the mistake,” she said. “And Taylor really has made a lot of changes, and that’s what’s so hard for me, is this is my real friend, and she does have a really good heart and I love her so much.”

    The reality star and businesswoman added that seeing the video was “so hard, because there’s so much pain underneath the surface for Taylor.” She continued, “I tell her this all the time, that it’s not who Taylor is. She got caught in a really bad cycle, and just seeing that video, and yes, the child being involved is awful; everyone involved is really hard. But Taylor’s such a good person and she’s made some mistakes, so has Dakota, and I’m not saying any of it’s right, but I know Taylor as a person, and it’s so easy to speculate about these people on a reality show.”

    “I think when you watch [the show,] we’re characters, we’re not real people, but this is our real lives. And I’ve seen Taylor in her darkest moments, holding her, crying, I’ve been there for her, so I know what goes on behind-the-scenes,” Draper said. “I want this to be maybe a wake up call for them, and let’s get them healthy and happy and move forward, and I believe people can come back from things like this. I just want the kids to be safe and happy and healthy.”

    When Draper was announced as the latest guest on Cooper’s podcast, Paul commented on a promotional video on the Call Her Daddy Instagram in support of her co-star. The Bachelorette season 22 lead wrote, “We love a person that speaks truth even when difficult.”

    Draper’s Call Her Daddy episode was also filmed a day after ABC announced it would pull Paul’s season of The Bachelorette last Thursday. She told Cooper that she “wasn’t super surprised” when the news came out, “because I felt like there was a lot of discourse online that they probably needed to.” However, Draper said she was “so sad” because she saw Paul during filming for the dating show, “and she was a different person.”

    “I saw Taylor during that journey, and she was a different person. I genuinely feel like she needed to get away from Dakota. She stepped into a really confident, amazing era. I saw her twice, and I was like, ‘Your aura’s different. Your energy’s different.’ And it was like the old Taylor again,” she added. “So I am so sad because I really want people to see that side of Taylor, and maybe one day they will, who knows.”

    Right after ABC announced The Bachelorette season 22 had been pulled, Draper said she received no heads-up about the news, and Paul called her shortly after. “Taylor was calling me, I had two missed calls from her and I was like, ‘Oh, shit,’ so I answered and she was like, ‘How are you?’”

    The Mormon Wives star herself was navigating her own personal conflict last Thursday, as her husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, notably filed for divorce (on the same day as the heavy news cycle). Draper said she was “blindsided” when he filed because they had agreed to do so together and had not told their children prior.

    Elsewhere, Draper told Cooper that she had spoken to Paul just ahead of the filming of the podcast episode, “and she seemed pretty positive today. And I think she knows that this is going to be a long and scary journey. And the thing about Taylor, she always tells the truth. She’s known for that, and I think she’s going to handle this in the best way possible. And I think she’s taking a beat to figure that out.”

    The Mormon Wives star also explained speculation of when filming on season five officially halted. The cast has indicated that they were the ones to communicate that they wanted to stop production, though following the publishing of an NBC News report on Friday, which detailed a March 7 Zoom call with the cast and three Disney executives, including Rob Mills, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the call was held for executives to tell the women the show was going on pause amid their own investigation, separate from police.

    On the podcast, Draper explained that the first pause came from production “when we found out he filed a police report. So this was before it broke,” referring to news that a second domestic assault investigation was initiated by the Draper City Police Department following a February incident involving Dakota Mortensen. (The police told People that “allegations have been made in both directions” and “contact was made with involved parties on [Feb.] 24th and 25th.”)

    A second pause in production came from the Mormon Wives cast, Draper said. “A little bit before news broke, but we knew it probably was going to, us girls decided, so we went to production and the network and they were all so supportive,” she said.

    “Me and the girls, we did decide to stop filming when we found this out, because we were starting to hear things a little bit before it leaked, and we just didn’t want to be filming and say the wrong thing on camera, not knowing the whole story yet,” she explained. “We didn’t want to have to process all this information for the first time and then also be speaking about it. So we just thought for everyone’s mental health, let’s take a beat and not film right now.”

    Draper also noted that she was shocked that Mortensen decided to file a report about the alleged February incident “because I’m sure there are situations in the past where he could have and didn’t, and same with her, so because of that, I was like, ‘Why now?’ But I don’t know the reason behind it. Everyone’s kind of speculating on that, but I think maybe he had hit a limit. I genuinely have no idea.”

    The Mormon Wives star admitted that she does not know what all of the news circling Paul means for the future of the Hulu show, but that they’re waiting for the dust to settle before jumping back into filming. However, she did note that she would potentially feel comfortable to pick up cameras since the information is now public.

    Draper explained, “I think now we’re at a point where we’re like, OK, the world knows and the info’s out there, and so now we’re good and we can speak on the things we know and we can talk about it in a real way, rather than before, we were like, ‘We don’t even know if this is gonna get out,’ so we didn’t know if we could even talk about it when we were filming. Now, we can.”

    Early Wednesday, after Draper’s episode of Call Her Daddy was released, NBC News reported that Paul is under investigation for an alleged third domestic violence incident, also involving her ex Mortensen, that allegedly occurred in 2024. (All three alleged incidents have involved Paul and Mortensen.)

  • Cipher Digital Stock Pops as Firm Bolsters Shift From Bitcoin Mining With 15-Year Data Center Deal

    Cipher Digital Stock Pops as Firm Bolsters Shift From Bitcoin Mining With 15-Year Data Center Deal

    In brief

    • Cipher Digital signed a 15-year lease agreement with an “investment-grade hyperscale tenant” for a new data center development.
    • The company closed a $200 million revolving credit facility with an additional $50 million accordion option, maturing in March 2030.
    • The firm rebranded from Cipher Mining in February, with the latest moves furthering its pivot away from Bitcoin mining.

    Cipher Digital, a publicly traded developer and operator of industrial-scale data centers for high-performance computing workloads, announced Wednesday that it has signed a 15-year lease for its third data center campus, furthering its recent pivot from Bitcoin miner to powering the growing demand for AI power and other computing needs.

    The company will develop and deliver a new HPC data center at one of its existing sites under the agreement, according to a press release. Investors appear to like the news, with Cipher’s stock (CIFR) rising more than 8% since the opening bell Wednesday to recently trade at $16.14 per share.

    “This agreement for our third large AI campus reinforces Cipher’s position as a trusted partner to develop high-quality HPC data center infrastructure for the world’s leading companies,” said Cipher CEO Tyler Page, in a statement.

    Cipher also announced the closing of a revolving credit facility providing up to $200 million of committed capacity, with an additional accordion option of up to $50 million. The facility, which was undrawn at close, has a scheduled maturity of March 2030 and bears interest at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus 1.25% to 1.75%, with step-down pricing based on the company’s total debt to market capitalization ratio.

    “This transaction marks Cipher’s first syndicated revolving credit facility and represents a major step in the evolution of our capital structure,” said Cipher CFO Greg Mumford, in a statement. “We believe this facility highlights the continued strength and maturation of our business, as well as the growing confidence in our long-term strategy from premier financial institutions.”

    Morgan Stanley serves as administrative agent, lead arranger, and lead bookrunner, with Banco Santander, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Wells Fargo also joining in the syndicate.

    The company rebranded from Cipher Mining in February, saying that it was expanding beyond its original Bitcoin mining focus to serve broader high-performance computing demand. Cipher Digital also sold off an interest in three joint mining sites in February, along with mining rigs housed at one of its sites.

    “While Bitcoin mining played a foundational role in building Cipher’s power origination expertise and large-scale development capabilities, the company’s identity has evolved to focus on enabling next-generation compute at industrial scale,” it said last month, adding that it would “maintain optimized exposure to the Bitcoin mining industry in a capital-light manner.”

    Cipher is one of several Bitcoin mining firms that have made either full or partial moves away from their original core business towards powering AI and other high-performance computing needs, including Core Scientific, Cango, and Bitfarms (now Keel Infrastructure).

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  • UK Imposes Moratorium on Political Donations in Cryptocurrency

    UK Imposes Moratorium on Political Donations in Cryptocurrency

    In brief

    • The UK government has imposed an immediate moratorium on all crypto donations to political parties, following the Rycroft review into foreign electoral interference.
    • Parties have 30 days to return crypto donations once legislation passes, with criminal penalties thereafter.
    • Overseas donations from British expats will also be capped at £100,000 annually.

    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced an immediate moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to UK political parties following an independent review into countering foreign financial influence in British politics, according to the Press Association.

    The ban, triggered by the government-commissioned Rycroft review, covers donations of any size, and will be applied retrospectively to all cryptocurrency donations received from today. Parties will have 30 days to return any crypto received once legislation is passed, after which criminal penalties apply. The review also recommended that overseas donations from UK citizens living abroad and still on the electoral register be capped at £100,000 per year.

    The rules are being written into the Representation of the People Bill currently going through Parliament.

    To date, the only major political party in the country to accept donations in crypto is Reform UK. Reports indicate that the party received the UK’s first-ever crypto donation in October 2025, though no declaration has been made to the Electoral Commission.

    Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has positioned himself as a “champion” for cryptocurrency, calling for lower capital gains taxes on crypto and for the establishment of a national Bitcoin reserve.

    Members of Reform UK reportedly walked out of Parliament during the announcement of the ban, during which Starmer aimed a pointed barb at Farage, suggesting that there is “only one party leader who has shown he will say anything, no matter how divisive, if he is paid to do so.”

    Philip Rycroft, the former senior civil servant who authored the review, stopped short of calling for a permanent ban on crypto donations. In the review, he wrote that a moratorium “should not be seen as a prelude to an outright and permanent ban,” but as an “interlude” to allow the regulatory environment to catch up with cryptoassets, and gather together the expertise to allow for the “safe use of cryptoassets in the political process.”

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  • Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang and Sergey Brin join Trump’s tech advisory panel

    The leaders of several major tech companies will offer the White House their opinions on tech and science policy as part of an advisory council. Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, Michael Dell and Larry Ellison — the CEOs of Meta, NVIDIA, Dell and Oracle, respectively — are joining the panel alongside Google co-founder Sergey Brin and AMD CEO Lisa Su. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who has donated to super PACs that support President Donald Trump, will serve on the panel too.

    The latest iteration of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has 13 members, though that could expand to 24. White House AI and cryptocurrency czar David Sacks co-chairs PCAST alongside Trump’s science advisor, Michael Kratsios.

    “Under President Trump, PCAST will focus on topics related to the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies present to the American workforce, and ensuring all Americans thrive in the Golden Age of Innovation,” the White House told The Wall Street Journal in a statement. Zuckerberg said he was “honored to join the president’s council and work with other industry leaders” to help ensure the US is the world leader in AI.

    George W. Bush established PCAST with a 2001 executive order, and some notable executives have been involved with the panel. Barack Obama’s advisors included then-Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and former Microsoft chief research and strategy officer Craig Mundie, while ex-Disney CEO Bob Iger served on PCAST during Trump’s first term. Joe Biden’s panel included Su.

    The tech CEOs all have a personal and professional stake here, given the potential impact of federal rules on them and their businesses. It’s worth noting that Meta, Google and Huang all chipped in to help pay for the construction of Trump’s White House ballroom. Google, Meta and NVIDIA were among the companies that each donated $1 million to the committee for Trump’s second inauguration.

    Meanwhile, Ellison — whose family has spent much of the last couple of years building a media empire that includes Paramount and potentially Warner Bros. Discovery — has close ties to Trump. Oracle is also one of the companies that backed the takeover of the US version of TikTok, a deal that Trump approved with an executive order. It was reported this month that the Trump administration is receiving $10 billion for brokering the buyout.

  • NASA Pivots Artemis Program Toward Building Permanent Base on the Moon

    NASA Pivots Artemis Program Toward Building Permanent Base on the Moon

    In brief

    • NASA is shifting its Artemis strategy toward building a permanent base on the Moon.
    • Administrator Jared Isaacman says the lunar surface will serve as a testing ground for Mars missions.
    • The agency expects to invest about $20 billion over seven years to build the base through dozens of missions.

    NASA is shifting the focus of its Artemis Moon program toward building a permanent base on the lunar surface.

    The agency said on Tuesday the change reflects a broader strategy to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon as a “foundation for an enduring lunar base and the next step toward Mars.”

    During a presentation at the NASA “Ignition” event in Washington, D.C., NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the space agency is placing greater emphasis on surface operations to support technology testing, scientific research, and preparation for Mars missions.

    “Shifting NASA workforce priority to the surface has advantages for safety, technology demonstration, and science,” Isaacman said. “The surface is really the proving ground for future Mars initiatives.”

    Under the revised plan, NASA will pause development of the orbiting Gateway station and redirect funding and engineering resources toward lunar surface infrastructure. However, Isaacman said the move “does not preclude revisiting the orbital outpost in the future.”

    Three phases

    In phase one, the agency will shift from infrequent lunar missions to a repeatable approach using the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and the Lunar Terrain Vehicle initiative. Robotic landings will deliver rovers, instruments, and technology demonstrations to test mobility, power systems, communications, navigation, and other surface operations.

    “We will dramatically expand lunar landings through the CLPS and LTV programs, delivering rovers, instruments, and technology payloads,” Isaacman said. Phase one, he added, is about “moving from infrequent, bespoke efforts to a templated approach that will generate significant learning through experimentation.”

    In phase two, NASA plans to deploy semi-habitable infrastructure and routine logistics to support regular astronaut operations on the Moon.

    Canada, Italy, and Japan will contribute to building the lunar base, including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s pressurized rover, Italy’s multi-purpose habitation module, and Canada’s Lunar Utility Vehicle.

    In phase three, NASA will deliver heavier infrastructure needed to sustain a long-term human presence on the Moon as cargo-capable landing systems come online, the agency said.

    “The moon base will not appear overnight,” Isaacman said. “We will invest approximately $20 billion over the next seven years and build it through dozens of missions, working together with commercial and international partners toward a deliberate and achievable plan.”

    Beyond its Moon operation, NASA said it plans to launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft, to Mars by 2028. The mission aims to test nuclear electric propulsion, which officials say is needed to transport heavy cargo to deep-space destinations where solar power is limited.

    NASA’s announcement comes as a new space race ramps up, with companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX pursuing their own missions to the Moon and Mars.

    Last year, Musk said the company planned to launch its massive Starship rocket to Mars by the end of 2026, carrying Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots.

    The shift also alters NASA’s upcoming flight plans. Artemis III, originally scheduled for 2024, is now planned for 2027. Artemis IV, which would follow in 2028, is billed as “humanity’s return to the lunar surface” and would launch with a crewed lunar landing.

    After Artemis V, NASA said it plans to transition to sending crews to the Moon twice a year.

    “The goal is not just to reach the Moon, but to stay,” the White House wrote on X, adding that America “will never give up the Moon again.”

    NASA did not immediately respond to Decrypt’s Request for comment.

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