Apple's Vision Pro, AI Learns Language, Dow's Big Rebound

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Centrist Chronicle
February 05, 2024

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Today marks the U.S. launch of Apple's Vision Pro headset, the tech giant's inaugural major product unveiling since the introduction of the Apple Watch in April 2015. Priced from $3,500, the headset supports over 1 million apps and games, featuring content from Disney+, PGA Tour Vision, and productivity tools from Microsoft 365.

The device, branded as a "spatial computing" tool, sets itself apart from the competition by offering users the ability to toggle between immersive virtual reality and augmented reality experiences, as well as providing transparency to view the headset's front environment. It is outfitted with 14 cameras, a lidar sensor for depth mapping, six microphones, and a facial scanning illuminator, among other advanced features. Despite its high price, the headset is projected to bring in $1.4 billion in revenue for the current year, which is a small portion of the nearly $400 billion revenue Apple projects for the fiscal year 2024.

Competing companies like Meta have welcomed Apple's entry into the market, hoping it will boost consumer interest in their more affordable products. Additionally, tech giants Google and Samsung are rumored to be developing their headsets, aiming for a release by 2025.


A machine learning model has successfully identified words like 'crib' and 'ball' after analyzing head-mounted camera footage capturing a small portion of a baby's daily experiences.

This breakthrough indicates that artificial intelligence could shed light on the process of human learning, according to Wai Keen Vong, one of the study's authors and a researcher specializing in AI at New York University. The significance of this discovery lies in its contrast with other language-learning models, such as ChatGPT, which are trained on vast amounts of data, a scenario that doesn't mirror the limited real-world experiences of a newborn. Vong notes, "At birth, we're not exposed to the entirety of the internet."

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On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a rebound, recovering from a significant downturn following the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates while hinting that a reduction in March might not occur.

The Dow, comprising 30 stocks, increased by 369.54 points, or 0.97%, ending the day at 38,519.84. This marked a new record high for the index, erasing the losses it suffered the previous day. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 rose by 1.25%, reaching 4,906.19, and the Nasdaq Composite saw a 1.3% increase, closing at 15,361.64.