JUNE 20248TOP STORIESAMAZON TO INCENTIVIZE GEN-AI STARTUPS BY OFFERING ACCESS TO AWS'S COMPUTING FACILITIESINDIAN ARMY UNVEILS STATE-OF-THE-ART MONITORING TECHNOLOGYAmazon is making a significant investment in artificial intelligence startups by allocating $230 million in Amazon Web Services (AWS) credits. This initiative aims to attract early-stage generative AI startups by offering them free access to AWS's computing power, AI models, and infrastructure, provided they develop their companies on AWS.This new investment is part of Amazon's broader strategy to support startups, adding to the $1 billion in cloud credits it already offers annually. The focus on generative AI startups is intended to help these companies quickly iterate and scale their operations, according to Matt Wood, Vice President of AI Products at AWS.Cloud providers, including Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, commonly offer credits to entice enterprises to use their services, as cloud costs can become substantial as companies scale. This practice is aimed at securing long-term clients by supporting them from their nascent stages.Earlier this year, Amazon expanded its cloud credits to include the use of AI models from providers such as Anthropic, Meta, Mistral AI, and Cohere, enhancing the appeal of its AI platform and aiming to increase its market share.The demand for AI has driven up the usage of cloud services, contributing to the growth of cloud providers like AWS. In the first quarter of this year, AWS's revenue rose by 17 percent to $9.42 billion, surpassing analyst expectations. However, the investments by tech giants in AI startups have also attracted regulatory scrutiny over antitrust concerns.In related news, Howard Wright, who managed startup relationships as the global head of Startups at AWS, recently left the company. Amazon has not commented on his departure. The Indian Army has launched a tech-based innovation called 'Vidyut Rakshak', an integrated generator monitoring, protection, and control system developed by the Army Design Bureau (ADB). This system was officially launched by the Army's Vice Chief, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi. The launch highlights the Army's commitment to leveraging technology for transformative changes, especially during the 'Year of Tech Absorption', as noted by Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande.Vidyut Rakshak is an Internet of Things (IoT)-)-enabled system designed to monitor, protect, and control generators. The IoT network allows interrelated devices to connect and exchange data with other IoT devices and the cloud. This innovation is versatile and can be applied to all generators used by the Indian Army, regardless of their type, make rating, or age. The system not only monitors generator parameters but also predicts and prevents faults. Additionally, it automates manual operations through a user-friendly interface, thereby saving manpower.During the launch event, the first production units of Vidyut Rakshak were rolled out. Lt Gen Dwivedi demonstrated the system's capabilities by remotely switching on generators located in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, and monitoring their parameters remotely. He praised the ADB's efforts in tech absorption.This development follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during Aero India 2023 between the Indian Army and the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at IIT Delhi for the production of such innovations.
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