European Union Economy Is Dying: VW to Invest $200 Billion In EVs Of China And America

"BERLIN -- Volkswagen AG is planning a spending spree of close to $200 billion over the next five years to fix its struggling business in China and try to hoist the German car maker out of its niche as an also-ran in the U.S.

The German auto maker said Tuesday it would target 68% of that investment, or about $131 billion, on the development of electric vehicles and new digital technology, with a particular focus on expansion in China and the U.S. That compares with about 56% in the previous investment plan.

The move is the first major strategy announcement by Chief Executive Oliver Blume since he took the reins at VW in September after the board ousted his predecessor, Herbert Diess. With the company's new five-year investment plan, Mr. Blume is now starting a spending war with rival auto makers as he tries to claw back market share in China and make the company's U.S. business relevant after decades of failed attempts to build significant market share.

The big spending by Volkswagen -- totaling 180 billion euros, equivalent to $193.2 billion -- comes as governments around the world shell out subsidies to encourage companies to invest in technologies that speed up the transition away from greenhouse-gas emitting fossil fuels. VW is relatively flush with cash after reaping billions in proceeds from the listing of sports-car maker Porsche AG last year.

The Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) unleashed more than $300 billion in government spending aimed to encourage so-called clean tech investments, and has sparked a race between the U.S., Europe and other economies to attract green corporate investments.

VW said on Monday that it would build its first battery plant outside Europe in Canada. That announcement followed a decision this month to invest $2 billion to build a new factory in South Carolina to build Scout brand all-electric trucks and SUVs.

"We have set clear and ambitious targets and took necessary decisions to streamline processes," Mr. Blume said.

After several failed attempts to boost VW's market share in the U.S., Mr. Blume is building on his predecessor's strategy of stepping up investment in EV development, which will benefit from the IRA's incentives.

VW executives have been lobbying EU officials to bolster European subsidies to match President Biden's moves to attract investment. The German car maker has been wrangling with Eastern European governments for months in a bid to squeeze more state aid out of them for building a planned battery factory in the region. It still has made no decisions about the plant.

In China, VW's single largest market, sales fell 41% in January and accounted for 33% of its worldwide sales. VW has lost market share to Tesla Inc. and local Chinese manufacturers such as BYD Co. Recently, BYD began advertising on television in Germany, with images of its electric cars cruising European roads." [1]

1. VW to Invest $200 Billion In China, EVs --- Auto maker has lost market share in country to Tesla and local manufacturers
Boston, William.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 15 Mar 2023: B.1.

„OpenAI“ pristato atnaujintą virusinio „Chatbot“ versiją

„Įmonė, kurianti virusinį pokalbių robotą ChatGPT, antradienį pristatė naują dirbtinio intelekto technologijos versiją, sakydama, kad ji yra galingesnė ir nuspėjama, nei ankstesnės versijos, galinti analizuoti vaizdus ir tvarkyti daug didesnius teksto blokus.

 

     „Microsoft Corp.“ milijardais dolerių remiamo, startuolio „OpenAI“ pranešimas yra naujausias generuojančių dirbtinio intelekto pranešimų virtinėje, įmonėms bandant žengti į priekį lenktynėse, kuriant ir naudojant šurmuliuojančią naują technologiją.

 

     Daugelis reguliavimo institucijų, mokslininkų ir aktyvistų paragino technologijų įmones būti atsargesnėms, kuriant įrankius, kurie dar nebuvo visiškai išbandyti. Generacinė AI technologija – ypatinga, nes ji gali generuoti originalius vaizdus, tekstą ir kitą turinį iš paprastų kalbos raginimų – kartais pateikia atsakymus, kurie atrodo nenuoseklūs ir kuriuose yra išgalvotų faktų arba rasistinių ir seksistinių pareiškimų.

 

     Antradienio dienoraščio įraše „OpenAI“ pristatė galingesnę „ChatGPT“ technologijos versiją, vadinamą GPT-4. Atnaujintas pokalbių robotas yra „kūrybiškesnis ir labiau bendradarbiaujantis“, nei ankstesnės versijos, kai reikia kurti dainas ar rašyti scenarijus, rašoma tinklaraštyje.

 

     Bendrovė pradeda naudoti technologiją nuo antradienio, bendradarbiaudama duomenimis, už prieigą prie kurių moka kai kurios bendrovės, įskaitant „Morgan Stanley“ ir „Duolingo Inc.“. Ji taip pat bus siūloma „ChatGPT Plus“ abonentams, kurie moka 20 dolerių per mėnesį už greitesnę ir prieinamesnę paslaugą. Ji dar nepasiekiama tiems, kurie naudojasi nemokama paslauga.

 

     Antradienį vykusiame internetiniame pristatyme OpenAI pademonstravo, kaip įrankį galima naudoti, norint, pavyzdžiui, paaiškinti neaiškius mokesčių kodus arba apibendrinti straipsnius į sakinius, kurių kiekviena raidė prasideda Q.

 

     „OpenAI“ teigė, kad dabar gali geriau analizuoti vaizdus, ​​kad gautų informaciją. Pavyzdžiui, vartotojai gali jį naudoti norėdami nuskaityti ingredientų paveikslėlį ir gauti galimų patiekalų bei receptų, kuriuos būtų galima pagaminti iš ingredientų, pasiūlymų. Galimybė analizuoti vaizdus dar nebuvo plačiai pritaikyta, sakė atstovė.

 

     GPT-4 daro mažiau klaidų, nei jo pirmtakas GPT 3.5, bet vis tiek geriausiai veikia, kai naudojamas kartu su žmonėmis, kurie gali patikrinti jo darbą, pristatyme sakė OpenAI prezidentas ir vienas iš įkūrėjų Gregas Brockmanas.

 

     „Tai nėra tobula, bet nesate tobuli ir jūs, o kartu su jumis tai yra šis stiprinimo įrankis, leidžiantis tiesiog pasiekti naujų aukštumų“, – sakė jis.

 

     Kai OpenAI standartizuotuose egzaminuose, įskaitant LSAT ir Uniform Bar Exam, naudojo naujausią technologijos versiją, ji pasirodė daug geriau, nei dauguma žmonių ir geriau, nei ankstesnė versija. Bendrovės duomenimis, ji vis dar sunkiai kovojo su anglų kalbos ir literatūros testais.

 

     „Microsoft“ integravo dirbtinį intelektą į savo „Bing“ paieškos variklį ir šią savaitę planuojama apibūdinti, kaip ji ketina pritaikyti ją populiariausiai programinei įrangai, įskaitant „Word“, „Excel“ ir „PowerPoint“.

 

1. OpenAI Rolls Out Updated Version Of Viral Chatbot
Seetharaman, Deepa.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 15 Mar 2023: B.4.

OpenAI Rolls Out Updated Version Of Viral Chatbot

"The company behind the viral chatbot ChatGPT launched a new version of its artificial-intelligence technology on Tuesday, saying it was more powerful and predictable than previous versions and capable of analyzing images and handling much larger blocks of text.

The announcement from OpenAI, a startup backed by billions of dollars from Microsoft Corp., is the latest in a string of generative AI announcements as companies try to get ahead in the race to build and use the buzzy new technology.

Many regulators, scholars and activists have urged tech companies to exercise more caution in developing the tools which haven't yet been fully tested. Generative AI technology -- special because it can generate original images, text and other content from basic language prompts -- sometimes produces responses that seem unhinged and contain made-up facts or racist and sexist statements.

In a blog post on Tuesday, OpenAI introduced a more powerful version of the technology behind ChatGPT called GPT-4. The updated chatbot is "more creative and collaborative" than previous versions when it comes to tasks like composing songs or writing screenplays, the blog said.

The company is rolling out the technology starting Tuesday through data-sharing partnerships, which companies including Morgan Stanley and Duolingo Inc. are paying to access. It will also be offered to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, who pay $20 a month for faster and more available service. It' isn't yet available to those who use the free service.

In an online presentation Tuesday, OpenAI demonstrated how the tool could be used to do things like explain obscure tax codes or summarize articles into sentences with every letter beginning with Q.

OpenAI said it can now better analyze images for information. For example, users can use it to scan a picture of ingredients and then get suggestions of potential dishes and recipes that could be made from the ingredients. The ability to analyze images hasn't yet been widely rolled out, a spokeswoman said.

GPT-4 makes fewer mistakes than its predecessor, GPT 3.5 but still works best when used in tandem with people who can check its work, said OpenAI President and co-founder Greg Brockman at the presentation.

"It's not perfect but neither are you, and together it's this amplifying tool that lets you just reach new heights," he said.

When OpenAI used the latest version of the technology on standardized exams, including the LSAT and Uniform Bar Exam, it did much better than most people and better than the previous version. It still struggled with English language and literature tests, according to company data.

Microsoft has integrated AI into its Bing search engine and this week is scheduled to outline how it is going to bring it to its most-popular software including Word, Excel and PowerPoint." [1]

1. OpenAI Rolls Out Updated Version Of Viral Chatbot
Seetharaman, Deepa.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 15 Mar 2023: B.4.

The fascism of the Lithuanian government manifests itself not only in the monuments to the fascist Smetona, but also in attempts to start starvation of the Third World

Abuse of refugees from the Third World at the borders of Lithuania is another example of such a policy of the rulers of Lithuania. The fascism of the Lithuanian government is now facing resistance.

 

     "I. Udovickis, who lost the flow of Belarusian fertilizers due to sanctions, has recently started spreading information that the ground is being cleared in the European Commission (EC) in order to lift sanctions on Belarusian fertilizers.

 

     He shared an EC working document which states that mineral fertilizers play an important role in ensuring food security and that their rising prices will affect food availability, also highlighting that Russia and Belarus are the biggest exporters of potash fertilizers on which the European Union is heavily dependent.

 

     The document does not directly mention the lifting of sanctions, but I. Udovickis explains on Facebook that the theses of this document are mandatory, and this will become the basis for the preparation of EC regulations.

 

     "The EC is now preparing a regulation that will lift sanctions on Belarusian fertilizers, primarily potash. It is proposed to lift sanctions on "Belaruskalij", "Slavkalij", the production of these companies, their managers and shareholders", he writes.

 

     I. Udovickis explains that the initiators of the removal of sanctions are Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Portugal.

 

     It is said that the process of drafting the regulation is directly supervised by the office of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

 

     I. Udovickis also shared on Facebook the interview of Rikard Jozwiak, the correspondent of "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty" in Brussels, to the Belarusian service of this radio.

 

     Earlier, Delfi wrote that R. Jozwiak said in this interview that Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and France support sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilizers.

 

     According to the journalist's sources, Europe is listening to the poor but politically influential countries of the Southern Hemisphere on this issue, which say that a shortage of potash fertilizers would lead to the risk of starvation.

 

     Source: published by the EC itself

 

     Rumors floating out of Brussels about discussions about the possible easing or even elimination of sanctions seem to be true.

 

     Delfi, a politician who is well acquainted with the situation, said that Portugal is the most in favor of removing sanctions on Belarusian fertilizers.

 

     However, he emphasized that Portugal is not a problem for us, because the biggest problem is the EC itself.

 

     "EC is pushing hard. Want to look for reservations, exceptions and the like. They generally associate sanctions against Russia with "Belaruskalij", as if if we don't make a reservation for "Belaruskalij" company, then we don't approve additional sanctions against Russia, they are trying to play like that", the interviewer described the situation.

 

     Lopata: The pressure is definitely on

 

     The representative of the Liberal Movement in the Seimas, R. Lopata, Delfi said that it is no secret that fierce diplomatic battles are taking place over fertilizers.

 

     "Some EU countries are really advocating for the lifting of sanctions on certain types of fertilizers that are related to Belarus and Russia, because only there the largest part of them is extracted. That fight is going on, yes, it is true," said the member of parliament.

 

     According to him, we are not alone in the fight for the preservation of sanctions against Belarus, we have a coalition of countries that support us, but there is pressure from some countries, and this is not a secret.

 

     According to him, the motives of the countries advocating the abolition of sanctions are formal, it is explained that sanctions for some types of fertilizers can cause and are already causing the risk of famine.

 

     "But you have to keep in mind that there are very strong lobby groups associated with fertilizers. This is a profitable business," emphasized R. Lopata.

 

     Kasčiūnas: lobbyism has not disappeared anywhere

 

     Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the chairman of the National Security and Defense Committee of the Seimas, also does not hide that there are initiatives in Europe to cancel the sanctions applied to fertilizers, and the countries in favor of this cite economic reasons.

 

     "Fertilizers are an extremely important driver of certain economic sectors, we see a certain attitude of fatigue emerging, the economy starts to take over from time to time," the conservative admitted.

 

     In addition to the economic motive, according to the head of NSGK, there is a strong lobbying of the Belarusian state company "Belaruskalij", which, according to the politician, has not disappeared anywhere.

 

     "It is not only in European countries, but also in EU institutions," L. Kasčiūnas emphasized."