World number one Luke Humphries continued his bid for back-to-back World Championship titles after easing through to the last 16. While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE KICKS ON! Luke Humphries comfortably books his spot in the Last 16 with a 4-0 whitewash victory over Nick Kenny, averaging 98.59! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/XAADalXD4Q — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. HEROIC HETA HITS THE NINE! 🔥 UNBELIEVABLE SCENES! 🤯 Damon Heta lands the second nine-darter of the tournament to raise the roof at Alexandra Palace! #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/DW6rhvFqez — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. PRICE WINS A THRILLER! That might just be the game of the tournament so far! 💥 Gerwyn Price manages to break the Rockstars throw in the final leg of the game, and beats Joe Cullen 4-3 and books his place in the Last 16! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/VnjnJxP0T0 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.Global stock index falls, bond yields rise ahead of rate decisionsATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Senate Republicans recommended on Friday that the state write laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in high school and college sports, setting the stage for action in the 2025 legislative session. The vote by a committee that was studying the issue is hardly a surprise. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026 — announced almost identical goals at the panel's first meeting in August . It’s an issue that’s already been addressed in Georgia. Legislators in 2022 empowered the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The association, which regulates sports and activities for all public schools and some private schools, then banned transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity. Jones and others argue that doesn't go far enough and that lawmakers themselves need to act. It's a sign Republicans believe there is more political gain in fears about transgender women playing women’s sports or using women’s bathrooms. At least 26 mostly Republican states have passed laws or rules to restrict transgender girls from participating high school sports and, in some cases, transgender women from college sports , according to the Movement Advancement Project, a gay rights group. In Georgia, additional action appears more likely now after House Speaker Jon Burns and Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have voiced support for further legislation. Jeff Graham, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Georgia Equality, said his group is playing defense, concerned about the possibility of other bills that could further restrict gender-affirming care or ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We’re expecting that it’ll be at least what we saw in 2023 and 2024, with the number of bills and more than likely laws,” Graham told reporters Friday. But Burns, from Newington, has said he's not interested in other bills dealing with transgender people besides those dealing with girls' and women's sports. Republican State Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming, who led the Senate study committee, said Friday that he, too, is not interested in a broader bill regulating bathroom usage, although his committee recommended that schools that host sporting events require athletes to use locker rooms based on their assigned sex at birth. Dolezal said senators would seek to write legislation that regulated public schools and colleges, as well as private institutions that compete against public schools and colleges. The committee also recommends that people be able to sue or file grievances if schools break the rules, and that state money be withheld from schools that break the rules. Supporters of more action have focused on the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-meter freestyle . The NCAA has since revised its policy on transgender women’s participation, saying it will follow the rules of respective athletics federations. World Aquatics, the swimming governing body, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. That means Thomas wouldn’t be allowed to swim in NCAA events today. “My basic contention that this is a solution in search of a problem remains,” Graham said. He said he fears that many people who oppose laws that seek to restrict transgender people will be afraid to testify and lobby at the Georgia Capitol, citing assault charges against a man accused of shaking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building in Washington, D.C. Dolezal repeatedly tried to turn down the emotional temperature of the issue on Friday. “I think that there’s a group of people that wants to be respected and I think that they deserve respect,” Dolezal told reporters. “But I also think that you can be respectful, but also recognize that in the sporting arena, fairness and competition is important.”
NEW YORK (AP) — With the end of 2024 around the corner, you might be reflecting on financial goals for 2025. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate for Credit Karma. “Entering a new year doesn’t erase all our financial challenges from the prior year,” Alev said. “But it can really help to bring a fresh-start mentality to how you’re managing your finances.” If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Here are some tips from experts: Change your relationship with money Think about how you currently deal with finances — what’s good, what’s bad, and what can improve. “Let this be the year you change your relationship with money,” said Ashley Lapato, personal finance educator for YNAB, a budgeting app. If you feel like money is a chore, that there’s shame surrounding the topic of money, or like you were born being “bad at money,” it’s time to change that mentality, Lapato said. RELATED COVERAGE How to avoid financial stress during the holiday season Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy week The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees To adjust your approach, Lapato recommends viewing money goals as an opportunity to imagine your desired lifestyle in the future. She recommends asking questions like, “What do my 30s look like? What do my 40s look like?” and using money as a means to get there. Liz Young Thomas, head of SoFi Investment Strategy, added that it’s key you forgive yourself for past mistakes in order to move into the new year with motivation. Know your “why” When setting your financial resolutions for 2025, it’s important to establish the “why” of each, said Matt Watson, CEO of Origin, a financial tracking app. “If you can attach the financial goal to a bigger life goal, it’s much more motivating and more likely you’ll continue on that path,” Watson said. Whether you’re saving to buy a house, pay off credit card debt or take a summer vacation, being clear about the goal can keep you motivated. Watson also recommends using a tool to help you keep track of your finances, such as an app, spreadsheet, or website. Budget, budget, budget “After three years of inflation, your pay increases are likely still playing catch up to your monthly expenses, leaving you wondering where all the money is going,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. “Make that monthly budget for 2025 and resolve to track your spending against it throughout the year.” McBride said that you may need to make adjustments during the year as certain expenses increase, which would require cutting back in other areas. “Calibrate your spending with your income, and any month you spend less than budgeted, transfer the difference into your savings account, ideally a high-yield savings account,” he said. Pay down outstanding debt “Interest rates aren’t likely to come down very fast, so you’re still going to have to put in the hard work of paying down debt, especially high-cost credit card debt, and do so with urgency,” McBride said. Start by taking stock of how much debt you have now relative to the beginning of the year. Hopefully you’ve made steady progress on paying it down, but, if you’ve gone in the other direction, McBride encourages making a game plan. That includes looking into 0% balance transfer offers. Take control of your credit card interest rate “You have more power over credit card interest rates than you think you do,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. “Wielding that power is one of the best moves you can make in 2025.” A 0% balance transfer credit card is “a good weapon” in the fight against high card APRs, or annual percentage rates, he said. A low-interest personal loan is an option as well. You may simply be able to pick up the phone and ask for a lower interest rate. LendingTree found that a majority of people who did that in 2024 were successful, and the average reduction was more than 6 points. Set realistic, practical goals When planning for your financial resolutions, it’s important to consider how you’re going to make your goals sustainable for your lifestyle, said Credit Karma’s Alev. “It really is a marathon, not a sprint,” Alev said. Alev recommends setting realistic, practical goals to make it easier to stick with them. For example, instead of planning to save thousands of dollars by the end of the year, start by saving $20 a paycheck. Even when your plans are achievable, there are times you’ll get derailed. Maybe it’s an unexpected medical bill or an extraordinary life event. When these situations happen, Alev recommends trying not to feel defeated and working to get back on track without feeling guilty. Don’t ‘flamingo’ or bury your head in the sand “You can’t manage what you can’t see, so set a New Year’s resolution to check your credit score monthly in 2025,” said Rikard Bandebo, chief economist at VantageScore. “Be sure to pay more than the minimum on your credit accounts, as that’s one of the best ways to boost your credit score.” Bandebo also advises student loan borrowers to make all payments on time, as servicers will begin to report late payments starting in January, and missed payments will affect borrowers’ credit scores. Automate savings, where possible Automated changes, like increasing workplace 401(k) plan contributions, setting up direct deposits from paychecks into dedicated savings accounts, and arranging for monthly transfers into an IRA and/or 529 college savings accounts all add up quickly, McBride said. Slow down Your financial goals can encompass more than just managing your money better — they can also be about keeping your money safe from scams . A golden rule to protect yourself from scams is to “slow down,” said Johan Gerber, vice president of security solutions at Mastercard. “You have to slow down and talk to other people if you’re not sure (whether or not) it’s scam,” said Gerber, who recommends building an accountability system with family to keep yourself and your loved ones secure. Scammers use urgency to make people fall for their tricks, so taking your time to make any financial decision can keep you from losing money. Focus on financial wellness Your financial goals don’t always have to be rooted in a dollar amount — they can also be about well-being. Finances are deeply connected with our mental health, and, to take care of our money, we also need to take care of ourselves. “I think that now more than any other year, your financial wellness should be a resolution,” said Alejandra Rojas, personal finance expert and founder of The Money Mindset Hub, a mentoring platform for women entrepreneurs. “Your mental health with money should be a resolution.” To focus on your financial wellness, you can set one or two goals focusing on your relationship with money. For example, you could find ways to address and resolve financial trauma, or you could set a goal to talk more openly with loved ones about money, Rojas said. —— The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.
How EVs can store energy for homes and power gridsChennai: On International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women , political party leaders on Monday expressed concern about crimes against women and children and called for govt action to create a safer environment. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said he repeatedly highlighted the lack of safety for women in the DMK regime. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who went where and for how much IPL 2025: Complete list of players of each franchise He said women were afraid to even walk on roads. "There is still no remedy," he said, urging the state govt to take decisive action to prevent violence against women , recognising that women's progress is equivalent to social progress. "Let us pledge to create a safe atmosphere for women to live without fear." DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi pointed out that violence against women was increasing at all levels of society, from homes to public spaces. "Women, like men, have built all the levels of social stratification with their knowledge and hard work," she posted on X. TVK leader Vijay expressed distress over reports of violence against women and children in a state that promotes women's empowerment. He urged the state to establish a dedicated web portal for reporting sexual crimes against women and children, as recommended by Madras high court. DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakant encouraged women to be courageous, confident, honest, and dignified in facing challenges and achieving success.
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Ethereum’s recent performance has lagged behind competitors such as Bitcoin, Solana, and Sui. While Ethereum’s value rose by 88% over the last 18 months, Solana and Sui experienced dramatic increases of 1,040% and 448%, respectively. According to Matt Hougan, the chief investment officer of Bitwise, Ethereum found itself caught between Bitcoin’s significant institutional interest and Solana’s growing appeal among retail investors. With the potential re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, there is speculation that a more crypto-friendly administration could stimulate the Ethereum ecosystem. Trump’s family has already initiated a decentralized finance (DeFi) project on the blockchain. Experts anticipate positive regulatory changes, including an overhaul of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the introduction of an Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF). One of the major challenges Ethereum has faced is the regulatory pressure on projects within its ecosystem, such as Uniswap and Consensys. This regulatory scrutiny has led to a movement towards “financial nihilism,” where market participants focus on speculative assets like memecoins. Nevertheless, proponents of Ethereum argue that its blockchain network and associated layer-2 systems remain critical for the future of decentralized finance. Trump’s administration is expected to appoint pro-crypto officials to regulatory positions, which could lead to a more favorable environment for crypto projects. Paul Atkins, a crypto-friendly businessman, has been nominated by Trump to lead the SEC. This could result in more regulatory support for DeFi projects. Under the Trump administration, the SEC might undergo a significant change in its approach, with a shift towards recognizing crypto assets as property. This regulatory realignment could also involve closer cooperation between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The “Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act” (FIT21) aims to establish a federal framework for crypto regulation and reduce the SEC’s influence over digital assets. This legislation may become less critical with the anticipated changes in the regulatory landscape. In light of these developments, Ethereum could benefit from being classified as a commodity under the CFTC’s oversight, which has a reputation for lighter regulatory measures. Furthermore, the prospect of Ether staking yields being integrated into ETFs could attract institutional investors. The yield, currently at approximately 3.1%, could increase with growing Ethereum network activity and potential changes in the SEC’s stance on ETFs. This scenario could enhance Ethereum’s appeal in an environment where the Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates further by 2025. In summary, the Ethereum ecosystem may experience revitalization under a Trump administration, which could bring regulatory clarity, increase institutional interest, and strengthen the overall position of Ethereum and its applications in the crypto market.China Focus: World’s largest ice-and-snow theme park opens on Winter Solstice in China’s ‘city of ice’
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Discover the KEC (Kaichain) Listing on XTA 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence “dictatorship” is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world’s richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk’s filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI’s CEO. Musk also sought to be CEO and in an email outlined a plan where he would “unequivocally have initial control of the company” but said that would be temporary. He grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI,” said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don’t want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you’ve shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman’s desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk’s early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI’s board in early 2018. Musk didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration.Remember Y2K? It was 1999 and many were sure civilization was about to end
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The incoming Trump administration’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. , has a history of scathing criticisms against the president-elect, including comparing him to Hitler and branding his supporters “belligerent idiots” and “outright Nazis.” The remarks, many of which were made on Kennedy’s “Ring of Fire” radio show in 2016, were uncovered by CNN . They mark the latest issue surrounding the Trump transition process, after Attorney General pick Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration , amid allegations of past sexual misconduct. During one broadcast, Kennedy read approvingly from an article that claimed the Trump coalition was made of a group of genuine Nazis bouyed by “a much larger group of opportunists and spineless fellow travelers whose primary function is to turn a blind eye to things.” “And, you know, he’s not like Hitler,” Kennedy added, arguing, “Hitler had like a plan, you know, Hitler was interested in policy ... I don’t think Trump has any of that. He’s like non compos mentis. He’ll get in there and who knows what will happen.” Elsewhere, Kennedy claimed that Trump was exploiting fear to gain political power during a time of national anxiety, comparing the Republican to dictators like Hitler and Mussolini, as well as Father Coughlin , a pro-Nazi U.S. radio host from the 1930s who commanded a large following. “And you can see that every statement that Donald Trump makes is fear-based,” Kennedy said in December of 2016, according to the report. “Every statement he makes. You know, we have to be fear of the Muslims. We have to be fear of the Black people, and particularly the big Black guy Obama, who’s destroying this country, who’s making everybody miserable.” In other comments, Kennedy, a longtime environmental lawyer, claimed Trump’s EPA leader was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and accused Trump of pursuing a “pollution-based prosperity” that took aim at landmark environmental laws and climate accords like the Paris Agreement. “Like many Americans, I allowed myself to believe the mainstream media’s distorted, dystopian portrait of President Trump,” Kennedy said in a statement. “I no longer hold this belief and now regret having made those statements.” Kennedy isn’t the only member of the Trump inner circle who previously criticized the president-elect. JD Vance, prior to being chosen as Trump’s vice-president, called his fellow Republican a “cynical a**hole,” a “moral disaster,” a “total fraud,” an “idiot,” and suggested he might be “America’s Hitler.” Vance later explained that he was “wrong about the guy” and said he voted for Trump in 2020. “I was certainly skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016, but President Trump was a great president, and he changed my mind,” Vance said in July, explaining the shift. “I bought into the media’s lies and distortions.” In private messages in early 2020, Vance reportedly still thought Trump “thoroughly failed to deliver on his economic populism,” according to The Washington Post . Former Florida senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump has chosen to nominate for Secretary of State , also has a history of making barbed comments about Trump. He frequently branded his 2016 GOP rival an untrustworthy “con man” during the presidential primary campaign that year.
The Tehran Conference: a lingering wound on Iranian sovereigntyGoogle recently announced a new computing chip called Willow. But this chip isn’t just a new chip or a small upgrade to an older one. It’s an absolute game-changer. Google says Willow can do in seconds what classical supercomputers would need thousands of years to finish. Let that sink in for a moment. The ramifications of this breakthrough are almost too vast to comprehend. But in today’s Market 360, I’m going to try to break it down for you. Because if you haven’t heard about quantum computing already, you soon will... Now, I’ll be honest, when I first alerted my Growth Investor subscribers to quantum computing back in late April, I thought this theme would take a few years to play out. Turns out, I was wrong. Two of the picks I suggested have already shot up around 400% since early May – with the bulk of those gains coming in just the past two months! (In fact, one of those stocks “inched” up another 20% last Friday.) But as I’ll explain in a moment, the quantum computing party isn’t over yet, so investors would be wise to get up to speed – now. A Quantum Crash Course Now, before we go any further, let’s back up and explain quantum computing. When British mathematician Alan Turing imagined a world where machines could “think,” he didn’t stop there. The father of modern computing went so far as to lay the foundation for artificial Intelligence by suggesting building a program to simulate the mind of a child. That way, you could teach it. If you’ve spent some time interacting with a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT, then this should resonate. Now, I want you to think about a maze for a moment. A classic computer will run a simulation by choosing a path. It will start all over again when it hits a dead end in the maze. It will repeat this process again and again until it finds the solution. What’s more, if you can teach the computer how to reason like a person, then it could take a more efficient approach. Theoretically, it could automatically weed out the obvious dead ends, for example, and optimize the simulations even further. But here’s where things get really interesting, so stick with me here. What if you could test ALL paths of the maze simultaneously , giving you the correct answer in just a fraction of the time? Then you’d really have something on your hands, right? A few decades ago, this notion was just theoretical. The idea that matter can exist in multiple states at once only existed in the more or less theoretical realm of quantum mechanics. Here’s how my InvestorPlace colleague Global Macro Specialist Eric Fry puts it: That’s what quantum computing is all about. The idea is simple: Solve hard problems much faster than regular computers. Here’s why this matters... Throw Moore’s Law Out the Window For years, quantum computers were stuck in labs at universities and government agencies. They’re big, complex, expensive – and need to be kept in freezing-cold conditions. Oh yeah, and the more qubits are used, the more mistakes they make. That’s where advances in quantum chip technology, like Willow, are reducing the error rate. And thanks to a single piece of technology called an ion trapper, the quantum computer is set to break out of the lab... and into profit-making corporate America. I’ll spare you the technical details, but an ion trapper basically uses electrically charged atoms to store and manipulate qubits. (A qubit, by the way, is the quantum version of the classic binary bit.) Source: CBInsights The result? Smaller, simpler quantum computers. Machines that work at room temperature. Machines you can use almost anywhere. Machines that are (relatively) affordable. In other words, the first ever commercially viable quantum computer is on the horizon. The implications here are hard to understate. While classical computers have made tremendous gains over the decades, with quantum computing we’re talking about a complete paradigm shift . You can throw Moore’s Law – which states that the number of transistors on a microchip (and, in turn, computing power) doubles approximately every two years – out the window. Why does this matter? It’s simple. Faster computers mean big breakthroughs. With quantum computers... We’re going to start solving problems we don’t even know we have. Quantum Computing Is Next... Here’s What’s Now I’m bringing this up because, as we all know, artificial intelligence has been dominating the market. This is understandable, of course, since AI is quite literally changing the world as we know it. And right before our eyes, companies like NVIDIA Corporation ( NVDA ), which makes the chips necessary for companies looking to implement generative AI, are making money hand over fist, enriching investors in the process. We’ve certainly benefited from the rise of AI in my Growth Investor service . For example, we are currently sitting on a gain of 3,200% in NVIDIA! Gains like this can be truly life-changing. But I am here to tell you today that you should always keep an eye out for the next technological revolution on the horizon. Because by the time the mainstream public hears about it, the “easy” money will have already been made. The folks at NVIDIA know this, which is why they’re already working on quantum computing, too. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. While quantum computing stocks can make for good speculative investments (as my Growth Investor members have discovered over the past few months), we have a long way to go before the NVIDIA or Apple, Inc. ( AAPL ) of that world reveals itself. Before we get to AI’s quantum computing-powered stage, businesses and people have to truly learn to work with LLMs... and seek alternative methods to push AI further. This is where the future pace of development will depend on both human- and -machine ingenuity. The winners here will be the AI Appliers , the companies smart enough to apply imperfect AI technologies to an equally imperfect world. These are the firms that recognize AI’s limitations and create innovative solutions to overcome them. I expect this third stage of the AI Revolution will begin in 2025 – and my InvestorPlace colleagues Luke Lango and Eric Fry agree. It’s why we decided to team up and create a new portfolio of seven stocks that we believe will lead this next stage of AI development. These AI Appliers are... We also believe these firms will help investors prepare financially for a world increasingly dominated by computers that are smarter than the average person (though still far from perfect). To learn more about our AI Appliers portfolio and how to access it, watch our broadcast here . Sincerely, Louis Navellier Editor, Market 360 The Editor hereby discloses that as of the date of this email, the Editor, directly or indirectly, owns the following securities that are the subject of the commentary, analysis, opinions, advice, or recommendations in, or which are otherwise mentioned in, the essay set forth below: NVIDIA Corporation ( NVDA )Siemens Energy AG ( LON:0SEA – Get Free Report ) was down 1.6% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as GBX 50.04 ($0.63) and last traded at GBX 50.25 ($0.63). Approximately 94,849 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 93% from the average daily volume of 1,387,233 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 51.08 ($0.64). Siemens Energy Price Performance The business’s fifty day moving average is GBX 44 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 30.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 38.20, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.60. About Siemens Energy ( Get Free Report ) Siemens Energy AG operates as an energy technology company worldwide. It operates through Gas Services, Grid Technologies, Transformation of Industry, and Siemens Gamesa segments. The company provides gas and steam turbines, generators, and heat pumps, as well as performance enhancement, maintenance, customer training, and professional consulting services for central and distributed power generation; and high voltage direct current transmission systems, offshore windfarm grid connections, transformers, flexible alternating current transmission systems, high voltage substations, air and gas-insulated switchgears, digital grid solutions and components, and storage solutions. 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Anticipatory action systems and index insurance are two promising options to help countries deal with climate disasters, Tufts University professor Erin Coughlan de Perez writes in an LA Times column.10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025