AI is rapidly catching up to human intelligence and getting cheaper. Latest data revealed

“The cost of AI is falling at a rapid pace, while AI models are catching up with human skills at an ever-increasing rate. OpenAI researchers, the creators of ChatGPT, have just released some surprising statistics.

OpenAI, a company led by Sam Altman, is one of the main beneficiaries of the rapid development of AI

According to the latest OpenAI report, the cost of using a given level of AI capabilities is falling rapidly – ​​every 12 months it drops… about 10-fold.

 The researchers claim that lower prices lead to much greater use. Suffice it to say that OpenAI AI is used by half a billion people worldwide, including 3 million developers.

How fast is AI developing and getting cheaper?

The effect of “cheaper AI” was observed in the example of the change in the cost of a token between GPT-4 in early 2023 and GPT-4o in mid-2024. “The price per token during this period fell by about 150 times” – OpenAI experts write.

At the same time, researchers from the company led by Sam Altman indicate that the amount of time needed to improve an artificial intelligence model is constantly decreasing. In other words, AI models are catching up with human intelligence at an increasingly rapid pace.

"The typical time it takes a computer to beat humans in a given comparative test has dropped from 20 years after the test was introduced to five years," we read in the OpenAI report.

But this data is also outdated, because it refers to statistics from last year. Today, this indicator is already less than two years.

And that's not the end. "We see no reason why this progress should stop in the near future," the creators of ChatGPT emphasize.

Europe is backward in AI

For now, it is mainly the Americans and the Chinese who benefit from this boom. On the Old Continent, the development of AI is clearly lagging behind.

According to the latest Eurostat statistics for 2024, only 13.5 percent of European companies use AI technology.

This figure stands in stark contrast to the EU Digital Decade’s goal of achieving a 75% AI adoption rate among enterprises by 2030.

At a deeper level, there is a huge gap between larger organizations, which are showing higher adoption rates (41%), and small and medium-sized businesses, which are lagging behind (11%).

“Currently, AI adoption in the public sector lags behind the private sector. A European Commission study found that complex public procurement procedures and concerns about bias in AI-based decision-making are significant barriers to wider AI adoption in European public institutions,” OpenAI points out in its report. It notes that addressing these issues and encouraging wider AI adoption would deliver “more effective and efficient public services, saving taxpayers money and freeing up resources for increased investment in key areas".”

Europa ieško alternatyvos Musko palydovams

 „Paryžius – Eva Berneke keliavo susitikti su Europos pareigūnais, kai Elonas Muskas savo socialinės žiniasklaidos svetainėje X paskelbė, kad „visa Ukrainos fronto linija sugrius“, jei jis ten išjungs palydovinio interneto paslaugą „Starlink“.

 

 „Tai bus mums labai teigiama“, – sakė Berneke, danų inžinierė, „Eutelsat“, mažesnio „Starlink“ konkurento Europoje, generalinė direktorė.

 

 Musko žodžiai sukrėtė Europos saugumo sistemą. Europos vyriausybės jau nerimavo dėl Trumpo administracijos paniekos tradiciniams JAV sąjungininkams, spaudimo Ukrainai ir siekio suartėti su Rusija. Didžioji žemyno dalis siekia sumažinti savo priklausomybę nuo JAV, įskaitant gyvsidabrio tipo Muską.

 

 Musko „SpaceX“ priklausantis, „Starlink“ yra nepakeičiamas Ukrainos kariams, kurie savo terminalais pasitiki ryšiui, dronų valdymui ir artilerijos koordinavimui.

 

 Europos institucijos dabar nori, kad „Eutelsat“ per savo palydovinio interneto paslaugą „OneWeb“ kuo greičiau pateiktų atsarginę „Starlink“ kopiją Ukrainoje.

 

 Kyla daug abejonių. „OneWeb nėra tinkama Starlink alternatyva jokiu būdu ar forma“, – sakė konsultacijų įmonės „Analysys Mason“ palydovų pramonės ekspertas Christopheris Baughas. „Daugelio palydovų paleidimas neįvyksta per naktį.”

 

 Eutelsat nori padidinti pajėgumus. Kyla klausimas, kaip greitai ir kas apmokės sąskaitą. Darbas bendrovės naudai yra geopolitinis pokytis po to, kai prezidentas Trumpas grįžo į Baltuosius rūmus.

 

 Berneke sakė, kad pirmą kartą pokyčius pastebėjo vasario viduryje, kai viceprezidentas JD Vance'as skundėsi Europos vadinamosiomis „demokratijomis“ saugumo konferencijoje Miunchene.

 

 Netrukus Trumpas ir Vance'as Ukrainos prezidentui Volodymyrui Zelenskiui surengė Ovaliajame kabinete priekaištus dėl Pasaulinio karo kurstymo, o Vašingtonas laikinai nutraukė Ukrainos karinę pagalbą ir dalijimąsi žvalgybos duomenimis. „Starlink“ nesustabdė savo paslaugų Ukrainoje, tačiau europiečiai buvo susirūpinę.

 

 „Jei „SpaceX“ pasirodys esąs nepatikimas tiekėjas, būsime priversti ieškoti kitų tiekėjų“, – kovo pradžioje X rašė Lenkijos užsienio reikalų ministras Radekas Sikorskis.

 

 Musko atsakymas šokiravo europiečius: "Būk tylus, mažas žmogau. Jūs mokate mažą dalį kainos. Ir nėra "Starlink" pakaitalo."

 

 Berneke sakė, kad po to jos telefonas susprogo. Panikuoti Europos pareigūnai norėjo sužinoti, ką „Eutelsat“ gali pristatyti Ukrainoje ir kaip greitai. Berneke rado 5000 OneWeb terminalų, kurie per kelias savaites galėtų patekti į Ukrainą. Dar 5000 galėtų būti išsiųsti per metus. Eutelsat dabar laukia žalios Europos Sąjungos šviesos.

 

 Šiuo metu Ukrainoje yra apie 1000 „OneWeb“ terminalų. Jie yra didesni, nei Starlink ploni indai ir yra brangesni, pradedant nuo 3200 dolerių, palyginti su mažiau nei 400 dolerių už Starlink vartotojo terminalus.

 

 Kad iš tikrųjų galėtų konkuruoti, „Eutelsat“, greičiausiai, prireiks milijardų dolerių finansavimo iš trijų didžiausių akcininkų: Prancūzijos ir Didžiosios Britanijos vyriausybių bei konglomerato, kurį kontroliuoja Indijos milijardierius Sunil Bharti Mittal.

 

 Konkurencija įkaista. „Amazon“ ruošia palydovinį tinklą „Project Kuiper“, o Kinija pradeda savo. „Eutelsat“ yra „vienintelis ne JAV ir ne Kinijos žvaigždynas, kuris bus ten“, - sakė Berneke. Naujame geopolitiniame kontekste „tai tapo stipresniu pardavimo tašku“, – sakė ji.

 

 Susirūpinimas dėl Musko patikimumo netgi sukėlė pavojų „Starlink“ siekiui laimėti Italijos vyriausybės sutartį dėl saugaus ryšio. Italijos dešiniojo sparno ministrė pirmininkė Giorgia Meloni, Musko draugė, palaikanti šiltus santykius su D. Trumpo administracija, buvo linkusi į Starlink. Tačiau Europos atsakas prieš Muską atidėjo sprendimo priėmimą. Roma teigia, kad nagrinėja „Starlink“ kartu su alternatyvomis, įskaitant „Eutelsat“.

 

 Europos vyriausybės įkūrė „Eutelsat“ 1977 m., siekdamos sukurti ir paleisti palydovus nepriklausomai nuo JAV. Jos pagrindinė veikla buvo palydovų valdymas 22 000 mylių virš Žemės, judančių sinchroniškai su jos sukimusi, kurių kiekvieno signalas nuolatos sklinda į fiksuotą teritoriją.

 

 2021 m. „Eutelsat“ įsigijo 24% „OneWeb“ – britų bendrovės, turinčios palydovų tinklą, kuris keliavo daug arčiau Žemės, kaip „Starlink“ – akcijų.

 

 Žemos orbitos tinklų kūrimas kainuoja daugiau, nes visame pasaulyje reikia daug daugiau palydovų. Jų pranašumas yra tas, kad signalams reikia daug mažiau laiko, todėl galima bendrauti beveik realiuoju laiku.

 

 2022 metais Rusijos tankams riedant link Kijevo, užsidarė dešimtys tūkstančių Eutelsat terminalų, sujungtų su Europą aptarnaujančiu geostacionariu palydovu. Rusijos įsilaužėliai įkėlė kenkėjiškų programų.

 

 Ukrainos valdžia skubiai ieškojo pakaitalų. Ministras paprašė Musko pagalbos įraše „Twitter“, kaip tada buvo vadinamas X. "Dabar "Starlink" paslauga veikia Ukrainoje. Daugiau terminalų pakeliui", - atsakė Muskas.

 

 „Po velnių“, – pagalvojo Bernekė, pamačiusi Starlink siuntų greitį. „Starlink“ netrukus tapo gelbėjimosi ratu Ukrainai, nes Rusija bombardavo šalies telekomunikacijų ir kitą infrastruktūrą.“ [1]

 

Karinis palydovų naudojimas tampa itin svarbus, todėl šie palydovai tampa lengvu taikiniu. Daugumoje pavojingų įvykių visi mūsų civiliniai kosmoso ryšiai taip pat tiesiogine prasme nupuls ant žemės. Tiek Berneke, tiek Muskas kasa žemėje kapą savo palydovams, bandydami užsidirbti šiek tiek pinigų iš šios karinės veiklos.

 

1.  World News: Europe Seeks Alternative to Musk Satellites. Stancati, Margherita; Dalton, Matthew;Bergengruen, Vera.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 14 Apr 2025: A9.

Europe Seeks Alternative to Musk Satellites

"PARIS -- Eva Berneke was traveling to meet European officials when Elon Musk posted on his social-media site X that "Ukraine's entire front line would collapse" if he turned off his satellite internet service Starlink there.

"This is going to be extremely positive," thought Berneke, a Danish engineer who is the chief executive of Eutelsat, Europe's smaller rival to Starlink.

Musk's words sent shudders through Europe's security establishment. European governments were already nervous about the Trump administration's tone of disdain for traditional U.S. allies, pressure on Ukraine and pursuit of a rapprochement with Russia. Much of the continent is looking to reduce its reliance on the U.S., including the mercurial Musk.

Owned by Musk's SpaceX, Starlink is indispensable for Ukrainian soldiers, who rely on its terminals for communication, drone control and artillery coordination.

European authorities now want Eutelsat to provide a backup to Starlink in Ukraine as quickly as possible, via its satellite-internet service OneWeb.

Doubts abound. "OneWeb is not a suitable alternative to Starlink in any way, shape or form," said Christopher Baugh, a satellite-industry expert at consulting firm Analysys Mason. "Launching many satellites doesn't happen overnight."

Eutelsat wants to increase capacity. The question is how fast -- and who will foot the bill. Working in the company's favor is the geopolitical shift since President Trump returned to the White House.

Berneke said she first noticed the change in mid-February after Vice President JD Vance lambasted Europe's so called “democracies” at a security conference in Munich.

Soon after, Trump and Vance gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a dressing-down in the Oval Office, and Washington temporarily cut off Ukraine's military aid and intelligence-sharing. Starlink didn't freeze its services in Ukraine -- but Europeans were anxious.

"If SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers," Poland's foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, wrote on X in early March.

Musk's response shocked Europeans: "Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink."

Berneke said her phone blew up after that. Panicked European officials wanted to know what Eutelsat could deliver in Ukraine, and how fast. Berneke found 5,000 OneWeb terminals that could go to Ukraine within weeks. Another 5,000 could be sent within a year. Eutelsat is now waiting for a green light from the European Union.

There are currently around 1,000 OneWeb terminals in Ukraine. They are bulkier than Starlink's slim dishes, and costlier, starting at $3,200, compared with less than $400 for Starlink's user terminals.

To truly compete, Eutelsat is likely to need billions of dollars in funding from its three biggest shareholders: the French and British governments and a conglomerate controlled by Indian billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal.

Competition is heating up. Amazon is preparing a satellite network called Project Kuiper, and China is launching its own. Eutelsat is "the only non-U.S., non-Chinese constellation that's going to be out there," said Berneke. In the new geopolitical context, "that's become a stronger selling point," she said.

Worries about Musk's reliability have even jeopardized Starlink's bid to win an Italian government contract to provide secure communications. Italy's right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a friend of Musk's who has warm relations with the Trump administration, was leaning toward Starlink. But the European backlash against Musk has delayed a decision. Rome says it is examining Starlink alongside alternatives including Eutelsat.

European governments founded Eutelsat in 1977 with the goal of developing and launching satellites independently from the U.S. Its main business was operating satellites 22,000 miles above the Earth, moving in sync with its rotation, each beaming continuously to a fixed territory.

In 2021, Eutelsat bought a 24% stake in OneWeb, a British company with a network of satellites that traveled much closer to Earth, like Starlink's.

Low-orbit networks cost more to build because far more satellites are needed for worldwide coverage. Their advantage is that signals need much less time, allowing for near real-time communication.

As Russian tanks rolled toward Kyiv in 2022, tens of thousands of Eutelsat terminals connected to a geostationary satellite serving Europe shut down. Russian hackers had uploaded malware.

Ukrainian authorities urgently hunted for replacements. A minister asked Musk for help in a post on Twitter, as X was then called. "Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route," Musk replied.

"Damn," Berneke thought when she saw the speed of Starlink's deliveries. Starlink soon became a lifeline for Ukraine as Russia bombed the country's telecommunications and other infrastructure.” [1]

Military usage of satellites becoming crucial, makes those satellites an easy target. In most dangerous events all our civil space communications will go down literally too. Both Berneke and Musk are digging grave for their satellites while trying to make a little money from these military activities.

1.  World News: Europe Seeks Alternative to Musk Satellites. Stancati, Margherita; Dalton, Matthew;Bergengruen, Vera.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 14 Apr 2025: A9.