TMTPOST – As 2024 approaches its end, here are the ten most notable world events of the year in the tech sector.

1. Elon Musk's Neuralink Performs First Brain-Computer Interface Implant Surgery

On January 29, Elon Musk announced on his social media platform X that his brain-machine interface company, Neuralink, had successfully completed its first human brain-machine interface implant surgery. The recipient's recovery is progressing well, with initial results showing promising prospects for neuronal spike detection. This marks a significant milestone in Neuralink's mission to develop advanced brain-computer interface technologies, potentially revolutionizing medical treatments and enhancing human cognitive abilities.

2. OpenAI Launches AI Software "Sora" for Text-to-Video Generation

Microsoft-backed OpenAI in February unveiled "Sora," an AI software capable of generating minute-long videos from text prompts. The name "Sora," meaning "sky" in Japanese, reflects its ambition to create expansive, creative content. Currently, the software is undergoing red teaming, a process that involves testing by external experts to identify potential flaws and vulnerabilities in the system. OpenAI's move to introduce Sora signals a significant step forward in AI-driven video generation, with potential applications across industries from entertainment to education.

3. Nvidia Unveils Blackwell, the ‘World’s Most Powerful Chip’ for AI

On March 19, Nvidia released the much-anticipated Blackwell platform at the 2024 GTC AI conference. Nvidia designed the Blackwell GPU to be the world’s largest GPU built specifically for datacenter-scale generative AI. It has 25 times better energy efficiency than Nvidia's prior-generation GPU chips. The Blackwell architecture was named in honor of David Harold Blackwell, a statistician and mathematician who specialized in game theory, probability theory, and statistics and was the first black scholar inducted into the National Academy of Sciences. This architecture succeeds the Hopper architecture, Nvidia’s last AI flagship.

4. Intel Builds World's Largest Neuromorphic System

On April 17, Intel announced that it had built the world's largest neuromorphic system. Code-named Hala Point, this large-scale neuromorphic system, initially deployed at Sandia National Laboratories, utilizes Intel’s Loihi 2 processor, aims at supporting research for future brain-inspired AI, and tackles challenges related to the efficiency and sustainability of today’s AI. Hala Point advances Intel’s first-generation large-scale research system, Pohoiki Springs, with architectural improvements to achieve over 10 times more neuron capacity and up to 12 times higher performance.

5. Nvidia Overtakes Microsoft to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company

On June 20, Nvidia surpassed Microsoft to become the most valuable company in the world, driven by the soaring demand for its advanced AI chips. The semiconductor giant’s market value surged as its products became essential for the development of artificial intelligence technologies, particularly generative AI. Nvidia’s stock performance has outpaced Microsoft’s, making it the leading company by market capitalization. This marks a significant milestone for Nvidia, reflecting its growing influence in the tech sector and its critical role in the AI revolution.

6. EU Adopts World-first Legal Framework on Artificial Intelligence

The European Union’s world-first artificial intelligence law formally took effect on August 2, marking the latest milestone in the bloc’s efforts to regulate the technology. Years in the making, the AI Act is a comprehensive rulebook for governing AI in Europe, but it could also act as a guidepost for other governments still scrambling to draw up guardrails for the rapidly advancing technology. The Act covers any product or service offered in the EU that uses artificial intelligence, whether it’s a platform from a Silicon Valley tech giant or a local startup.

7. AI innovators Awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize

On October 8, John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking contributions to neural networks and deep learning. At the same time, Demis Hassabis, head of DeepMind, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of AlphaFold, which has revolutionised our understanding of protein structures. These recognitions not only honour individual achievements but also underscore the monumental impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on science and industry. This milestone marks a turning point in how AI is redefining our understanding of the world and transforming the way we live and work.

8. SpaceX Catches Giant Starship Booster With 'Chopsticks' on Historic Flight 5 Rocket Launch and Landing

On October 13, SpaceX launched its 400-foot-tall (122 meters) Starship vehicle for the fifth time, sending the giant rocket aloft from its Starbase site in South Texas. The mission aimed to break new ground for Starship, and for spaceflight in general: SpaceX planned to return Starship's huge first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, directly to its launch mount, catching it with the "chopstick" arms of the launch tower in a bold and unprecedented maneuver. Globally, the "chopsticks holding a rocket" maneuver is not only a technical marvel but also a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of aerospace engineering.

9. U.S. Takes Aim at China's Production of Essential Chips

In 2024, the United States intensified its sanctions against China's semiconductor industry, aiming to curb China's technological advancements and protect national security interests. In December 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce implemented its third crackdown in three years, restricting exports to 140 Chinese companies. This action targeted entities involved in the production of advanced semiconductors, including those used in military applications. 

10. Google Unveils 'Mind-Boggling' Quantum Computing Chip

On December 10, Google unveiled a new chip which it claims takes five minutes to solve a problem that would currently take the world's fastest super computers ten septillion – or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years – to complete. The chip is the latest development in a field known as quantum computing - which is attempting to use the principles of particle physics to create a new type of mind-bogglingly powerful computer. Google says its new quantum chip, dubbed "Willow", incorporates key "breakthroughs" and "paves the way to a useful, large-scale quantum computer."