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Microsoft unveils Majorana 1, the world’s first quantum processor powered by topological qubits

Also: Google Unveils AI Co-Scientist for Research Innovation

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AI KATANA
February 20, 2025

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Today’s edition brings major breakthroughs in quantum computing, AI-driven scientific discovery, and biotech innovation. Microsoft has unveiled Majorana 1, the world’s first quantum processor using topological qubits, paving the way for scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computing. Google introduced an AI co-scientist designed to generate and refine scientific hypotheses, already showing promising results in biomedical research. Meanwhile, Meta announced LlamaCon, its first generative AI developer conference, as it ramps up investment to stay ahead in the AI race. In biotech, NVIDIA and Arc launched Evo 2, the largest publicly available AI model for genomics, set to revolutionize drug discovery and genetic research. On the hardware front, Humane’s AI Pin has officially been discontinued following HP’s $116M acquisition of its assets, signaling challenges for AI-powered wearables. We also cover Google’s new AI career tool designed to help job seekers find their ideal roles and a massive funding round for Lambda, an Nvidia-backed AI cloud startup, highlighting the rapid growth of AI infrastructure.

Sliced just for you:

  • 🔬 Microsoft unveils Majorana 1, the world’s first topological qubit quantum processor

  • 🧠 Google Unveils AI Co-Scientist for Research Innovation

  • 🎤 Meta announces LlamaCon, its first generative AI dev conference

  • 🧬 Arc and NVIDIA Launch Evo-2, a Massive Biological AI Model

  • 📴 Humane’s AI Pin is dead, as HP buys startup’s assets for $116M

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Microsoft has unveiled Majorana 1, the world’s first quantum processor powered by topological qubits, marking a breakthrough in scalable quantum computing. This innovation is built on a new class of materials called topoconductors, which enable topological superconductivity—a state of matter previously only theoretical. Majorana 1’s design incorporates a Topological Core, allowing it to scale to a million qubits on a single chip. The processor leverages Majorana Zero Modes (MZMs) to protect quantum information, significantly improving error correction. Unlike traditional quantum computing methods that require complex analog control, Majorana 1 employs measurement-based quantum computing, simplifying error correction through digital pulses. Microsoft’s roadmap includes developing a fault-tolerant quantum computer, supported by its collaboration with DARPA’s US2QC program, with the goal of delivering practical quantum applications within years, not decades. This advancement promises to accelerate solutions in fields like materials science, chemistry, and sustainable technology, potentially transforming industries reliant on computational power beyond classical computing capabilities.

🧠 Google Unveils AI Co-Scientist for Research Innovation

Google has introduced AI co-scientist, a multi-agent system powered by Gemini 2.0 designed to accelerate scientific discovery by generating novel hypotheses and research proposals. This AI-driven collaborator integrates specialized agents that mirror the scientific method, iteratively refining hypotheses through automated feedback, ranking tournaments, and self-improvement mechanisms. The system has demonstrated its effectiveness across biomedical applications, including drug repurposing for acute myeloid leukemia, identifying novel treatment targets for liver fibrosis, and elucidating antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. Validated through real-world laboratory experiments, AI co-scientist has shown a strong correlation between its self-evaluation metrics and expert assessments, outperforming other AI models and even unassisted human researchers in generating impactful scientific insights. Google is making the system available to research organizations through a Trusted Tester Program, aiming to responsibly explore AI’s role in accelerating scientific progress and cross-disciplinary innovation.

🎤 Meta announces LlamaCon, its first generative AI dev conference

Meta has announced LlamaCon, its first developer conference dedicated to generative AI, scheduled for April 29. The event will focus on advancements in Meta’s open-source AI ecosystem, particularly its Llama family of models. This comes as Meta faces growing competition, notably from DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm reportedly developing models that could outperform the next iteration of Llama. In response, Meta is investing up to $80 billion in AI-related projects, including hiring and building new data centers. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has hinted at upcoming Llama models with improved reasoning, multimodal capabilities, and agentic functions, positioning them as potential leaders in the AI space. However, Meta is also grappling with legal and regulatory challenges, including lawsuits over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted materials and European privacy concerns that have delayed some model launches. The announcement of LlamaCon signals Meta’s push to strengthen its AI ecosystem and maintain its position in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape.

NVIDIA has launched Evo 2, a groundbreaking AI model for biomolecular sciences, now accessible via the BioNeMo platform. Built in collaboration with the Arc Institute and Stanford University, Evo 2 is the largest publicly available AI model for genomic data, trained on nearly 9 trillion nucleotides. It is designed to predict protein structures, identify novel molecules for healthcare and industrial applications, and assess the impact of genetic mutations. The model is available as an NVIDIA NIM microservice, allowing developers to fine-tune it with proprietary datasets. Evo 2 leverages NVIDIA DGX Cloud and 2,000 H100 GPUs for high-performance computation, significantly accelerating genomic research. Its applications extend beyond healthcare to agriculture and materials science, with potential breakthroughs in drug discovery, disease prediction, climate-resilient crops, and biofuel engineering. The model demonstrated 90% accuracy in predicting the functional impact of BRCA1 gene mutations linked to breast cancer. Evo 2 represents a major step in AI-driven biology, enabling scientists to conduct large-scale research faster and more efficiently.

Humane has officially discontinued its AI Pin following HP’s acquisition of the startup’s assets for $116 million. The AI-powered wearable, once positioned as a smartphone alternative, failed to gain traction due to poor user reception, high return rates, and safety concerns related to its charging case. As a result, Humane is immediately halting sales, and existing devices will cease functioning on February 28, 2025. HP plans to integrate Humane’s engineering team into a new division, HP IQ, focused on AI-driven innovation across its product ecosystem. The acquisition also includes Humane’s CosmOS AI operating system, which could power AI-enhanced features in HP’s future personal computers, printers, and other devices. Humane had initially sought a much higher valuation for a sale, but its declining market position forced a lower deal. This acquisition highlights the challenges faced by AI-focused hardware startups and HP’s ambition to expand its presence in AI-powered consumer technology.

🛠️ AI tools updates

Google has launched Career Dreamer, an AI-powered career exploration tool designed to help job seekers identify suitable roles based on their skills, experience, and interests. Available for free in the U.S. via Google Labs, Career Dreamer functions as a digital career coach, guiding users through career transitions and new job opportunities. The tool generates a personalized Career Identity Statement and suggests tailored career paths, offering insights into necessary skills, certifications, and education for specific roles. It integrates with Google’s Gemini AI to assist with resume and cover letter creation. With a clean and user-friendly interface, Career Dreamer aims to simplify job searching and career planning, making it more accessible and efficient. Google’s initiative highlights the potential of AI in career development, helping individuals navigate an evolving job market with greater clarity and confidence.

💵 Venture Capital updates

Lambda, a cloud startup specializing in AI infrastructure, has secured $480 million in Series D funding led by Andra Capital and SGW, with participation from ARK Invest and Nvidia. The company, which provides access to GPUs for AI development, has now raised over $800 million, with its valuation surpassing $2.4 billion. The surge in funding highlights the growing demand for neocloud startups—firms offering specialized cloud services for AI workloads—whose funding skyrocketed by 270% in 2024, reaching $3.7 billion across 50 deals. Lambda’s expansion aligns with the increasing need for high-performance computing resources, particularly as Nvidia’s GPUs remain critical for AI training and development. Other notable neocloud players, such as CoreWeave and Crusoe, have also raised significant capital, signaling an intensified investment race in AI cloud infrastructure. Lambda’s latest funding round underscores the sector’s rapid growth and the industry’s reliance on cloud-based AI compute solutions.

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