Top stories today:

1. Llama 3 may launch next week with 2 small versions
2. Sam Altman joins Forbes list with $1B net worth
3. Total solar eclipse crossed above 32M people in U.S.
4. Global crypto VC +32% QoQ to $2.5B in Q1
5. Bridge rounds were 45% of Series A deals in Q4 2023

0. Data and calendar

1. Llama 3 may launch next week with 2 small versions

Llama 2 was briefly considered the best open-source LLM, but that no longer is the case, ranking #35 in LMSYS's Chatbot Arena Leaderboard:

• Small models won't be multimoldal.

• Summer: when Llama 3's largest version is expected.

  • GPT-4 level quality is Meta's goal.

• July 2022: Llama 2 was released.

2. Sam Altman joins Forbes list with $1B net worth, mostly in startups, no OpenAI equity

Read more: Forbes.

4. Total solar eclipse crossed above 32M people in U.S.

Watch the live experience below

5. Global crypto VC +32% QoQ to $2.5B in Q1, still below $2.6B in Q1 2023

6. Bridge rounds were 45% of Series A deals in Q4 2023, highest in decade

7. Global PC shipments +1.5% YoY to 59.8M in Q1, with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple leading

8. Google catches up with Apple by launching Find My Device network in U.S., Canada

• Works offline by leveraging Bluetooth, similar to Apple devices.

• Works even with no battery on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro by leveraging “specialized Pixel hardware.”

9. Interesting videos, posts, and memes

10. Other headlines

AI

• South Korea will invest $7B by 2027 in AI.

• Stable LM 2 launches 12B parameter model.

• Demis Hassabis says tough to catch up with OpenAI's Sora: sources.

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Tech

• Starlink being delivered to Russia via black market: deep dive.

• TikTok staff face U.S. tax bills on restricted shares.

• Microsoft confident Windows on Arm could beat Apple.

• Elon: impulse to speak out leads to “self-inflected wounds.”

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Tech & law

• TikTok ban bill backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

• GM's Cruise to resume testing robotaxi service in Phoenix.

• Tesla settles with Apple engineer's family over alleged Autopilot crash.

Biotech

• Health tech startups raise $2.7B in Q1, lowest in 5 years.

• Rejuve.ai says 3 consumer health brands to accept its token.

• mTOR inhibitors viewed as safer option for conservative investors: Reason.

Business

• Jamie Dimon: rates could head to “8% or even higher” due to inflation.

• Former Fed official Bullard: 3 rate cuts in 2024 “base case.”

• Blackstone close to buying skin-care company L’Occitane.

Crypto

• Mango Markets “code is law” exploit trial: jury selected on Mon.

• Tensor token launched by NFT marketplace on Solana.

• Haun Ventures buying secondary stakes in Chainalysis at $2.5B.

U.S. politics

• Trump: abortion should be decided by each state.

• Biden to discuss 1st U.S. high-speed rail with Japan's PM this week.

• Trump's bid to delay NY criminal trial rejected by appellate judge.

• Trump prosecutor asks Supreme Court to reject immunity bid.

World

• Hamas rejects Israeli ceasefire proposal that includes prisoner release.

• Rafah operation has certain date: Netanyahu.

• China sends delegation to North Korea for Russia, nuclear talks.

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