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Gemini's Flash Thinking, Tech Tools, Perseverance and more

Also, China'll plant its flag on the Moon soon.

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Charbel Zeaiter
January 24, 2025

Happy Friday!

What a week. Politics, tech, politics, tech. Samsung is owning the AI game when it comes to smartphones (apologies Siri, so much potential … sigh). Balenciaga is creating rifts in the design world; incredible marketing regardless of their (very deliberate) aesthetic cringe.

As always, so much in today’s newsletter.

Have a wonderful weekend 🙏🏽

Yours in Wonder,
Charbel
Founder of Velvet Onion, Faster Zebra and more to come …

Today’s Highlights

  • AI: Google DeepMind's Brain Burst: Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking

  • Design: Tech Tools: More Than Just Buttons - They're Empathy Machines

  • Science & Tech: Lunar Innovation: China's Flag Gets Electromagnetic Swagger

  • Founding: Falling 7 Times, Rising Up 8 Times: What Steve Jobs Had To Say

  • Product: Domain-Specific AI Models: A New Era in Enterprise AI

  • Today’s AI image: What’s that Red Spot on the Moon?

  • Quote for the day: The World God Gave Us

AI

Google DeepMind's Brain Burst: Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking

Google DeepMind has just launched Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, an experimental AI model that’s setting fresh benchmarks in reasoning and multimodal capabilities.

This free beta release is already making waves, claiming the top spot on the LM Arena leaderboard and redefining what AI can achieve.

All You Need To Know

  • Crushing Benchmarks: Gemini 2.0 scored an impressive 73.3% on AIME (math) and 74.2% on GPQA Diamond (science), showcasing a significant leap in performance over earlier iterations.

  • Massive Context Window: With a 1M token capacity, the model can process five times more text than OpenAI’s current offerings.

  • Built-In Code Execution: The model doesn’t just generate ideas—it can execute code directly, streamlining tasks for developers and researchers alike.

  • Transparent Reasoning: Gemini 2.0 explicitly lays out its thought process, reducing contradictions and delivering more reliable outputs—a major upgrade in AI trustworthiness.

  • Free (For Now): While OpenAI charges $200/month for its top-tier reasoning model, Gemini 2.0 is available for free during its beta phase, albeit with usage limits.

Why It Matters

Google isn’t just keeping pace—it’s leading the pack. With Gemini 2.0, DeepMind has surpassed its own experimental models, claiming the No. 1 spot on the leaderboard.

The combination of superior reasoning skills, an enormous context window, and cost-free access during beta means users can tap into unprecedented AI capabilities without spending a dime.

Whether you’re crunching numbers, diving into research, or coding up a storm, Gemini 2.0 is shaping up to be a powerful ally.

Also in AI

Design

Tech Tools: More Than Just Buttons - They're Empathy Machines

There’s a deeper connection between the tools we use and the empathy they foster. Beyond productivity, tools can shape how we collaborate, understand, and exist together.

All You Need To Know

  • Great tools help make you admire the brilliance of others and their unique talents.

  • The best tools don’t replace human creativity; they supercharge it, turning teamwork into a symphony rather than a solo act.

  • Tools hold collaborations together, helping us bond and better understand one another.

  • Communities like those around Clojure prove that tools can be more than just utilities—they’re badges of identity, values, and shared passions.

  • Crafting diverse, thoughtful tools isn’t just good design—it’s how we shape not only what we create but how we connect and collaborate.

Why is this a big deal?

This isn’t just about gadgets or software. It’s about how tools influence the way we interact and grow as individuals and communities.

Tools are more than instruments; they’re reflections of shared values and opportunities for empathy.

By designing tools that nurture connection and creativity, we’re shaping better ways of being…together.

Also in Design

Science & Tech

Lunar Innovation: China's Flag Gets Electromagnetic Swagger

China is set to make history by planting a flag on the Moon that appears to "flap"—a quirky feat given the airless lunar surface.

This unique endeavour, part of the Chang’e 7 mission scheduled for late 2026, combines public outreach with cutting-edge science, promising to capture imaginations worldwide.

Highlights

  • A Flag That Waves Without Wind: Designed by Hunan schoolkids, this flag uses electromagnetic wizardry to flap on the Moon, atmosphere or not.

  • Inspiring Future Space Buffs: Aiming to ignite curiosity in young minds, the project doubles as a showcase of China’s tech prowess.

  • Destination: Shackleton Crater: Chang’e 7 will touch down near the Moon’s south pole, hunting for elusive water ice in eternally dark craters.

  • Science-Packed Payload: With gadgets from six countries, a rover, and a lunar observatory, this mission is a global team effort to crack lunar mysteries.

  • China’s Cosmic To-Do List: Beyond the flapping flag, China’s space agenda includes asteroid sampling with Tianwen-2 and launching Xuntian, a cutting-edge telescope, in 2026.

Why This Matters

China’s "flapping flag" isn’t just a novelty—it’s a symbol of innovation and ambition.

While the waving motion is largely for show, it highlights the importance of public engagement in space exploration.

Beyond the flag, the mission’s focus on water ice at the Moon’s poles could pave the way for sustainable lunar exploration.

In a year packed with space milestones, this bold display will likely capture imaginations, stir up memes, and reinforce China’s position in the global space race.

Also in Science & Tech

Founding

Falling 7 Times, Rising Up 8 Times: What Steve Jobs Had To Say

Steve Jobs was once asked what distinguishes successful entrepreneurs from those who fail. His answer? It’s not just about having a great idea—far from it.

Jobs shared that many aspiring entrepreneurs come to him without a clear vision, and his advice is blunt: “Get a job as a busboy” until you find something you're truly passionate about.

After all, starting a business requires more than just a good idea; it demands a relentless drive.

The Power of Perseverance

For Jobs, perseverance is the secret sauce to success.

He believes that half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones is simply the ability to keep going when things get tough.

Building a business is grueling—it’s an 18-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week grind, especially in the early days. Jobs is candid about the toll it takes, especially for those with families.

It’s not for the faint of heart, and without passion, you’re bound to burn out.

Passion

Ultimately, Jobs concludes that to succeed, you need more than just an idea or a problem to solve—you need passion.

If you’re not deeply committed to what you’re building, you won’t have the perseverance to push through the inevitable struggles. That’s half the battle right there.

So, if you're thinking of starting a business, ask yourself: Do you have the passion to stick with it through thick and thin?

Because without it, you’re probably not going to make it.

Also in Founding

Product

Domain-Specific AI Models: A New Era in Enterprise AI

In 2025, expect a boom in AI models fine-tuned for specific industries, addressing unique challenges and complex needs that broad models can't handle.

These models will be integral to sectors like agriculture, aerospace, and molecular biology.

Proprietary Data as a Game-Changer

The key to these models’ success is access to private, high-quality data.

By leveraging confidential industry reports and operational data, these models achieve unmatched accuracy and deep contextual understanding.

AI That Learns from Real-World Interactions

Domain-specific models will evolve by incorporating real-time feedback from customer interactions, field data, and performance metrics, improving precision and adaptability as they go.

Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap

Generalized AI might offer a decent answer, but specialized models are the ones that deliver game-changing results, from precision medicine to supply chain optimization, driving industries forward.

The Future of AI is Tailored

The future of AI is no longer one-size-fits-all. In 2025, businesses will create custom models specific to their operations, from customer support to internal processes, making enterprise AI more relevant than ever.

Today’s AI Image

What’s that Red Spot on the Moon?

Quote of the Day

The World God Gave Us

"You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming."

Pablo Neruda

What we’re working on

Velvet Onion & Friends

The new Velvet Onion & Friends will be launched soon. It’s our latest evolution, helping companies build products. It’s more than services.

Faster Zebra

February 2025 - the product and venture school journey begins. Whitepaper launching in January.

🧞Your wish is my command

Charbel

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