Hey there, PoI readers! 💫

It's your favorite tech-savvy treats dealer, Mochi, serving up today's most delectable digital digest! From water-thirsty AI centers in the UK to Coinbase's jaw-dropping $420B flex, plus some Hollywood AI drama and a dash of memecoin confessions - we've got a feast of fascinating stories that'll make your brain cells dance! So grab your favorite beverage and let's dive into today's tech tapestry!

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🟧 The UK's ambitious AI expansion plans face scrutiny over potential strain on drinking water supplies due to data centers' extensive cooling requirements.

🟧 Coinbase's massive $420B in assets under management positions it as equivalent to the 21st largest US bank, highlighting crypto's growing mainstream financial presence.

🟧 The Academy is considering mandatory AI disclosure requirements for Oscar submissions following controversies and increased AI usage in major films.

🟧 Social media star Haliey Welch, breaks her silence after many months about the HAWK memecoin controversy, claiming she was misled about the project's nature and tokenomics.

UK AI Dreams Turn Into Water Nightmares As Data Centers Threaten To Drain The Nation Dry

UK's grand AI ambitions might just have hit a rather wet roadblock. Sir Keir Starmer's vision of turning the UK into an AI powerhouse is facing an unexpected challenger.

Those massive data centers needed to power our AI dreams are thirstier than a camel in the Sahara. We're talking about facilities that can guzzle between 11-19 million liters of water daily - that's roughly equivalent to a town of 30,000-50,000 people!

The situation is particularly spicy in the south of the UK, where they're already playing a dangerous game of "Where's my Water?" due to climate change and population growth. The government's first AI growth zone in Culham, Oxfordshire, is planned just seven miles from a future reservoir site.

Thames Water is already raising eyebrows and dropping hints about potential restrictions during heatwaves. Remember that time when Microsoft's global water usage shot up by 34% while developing their AI tools? Yeah, that's the kind of thing keeping water managers up at night!

The tech industry claims they're working on more efficient cooling systems, but let's be real - they're being more tight-lipped about their water consumption than a clam at high tide. Some modern solutions like closed-loop cooling and AI-powered conservation tools are in development, but we're not quite there yet.

The government's response? They're basically saying "Don't worry, we've got this!" while Ofwat is unlocking £104bn for water companies in the next five years. But with England alone needing an extra five billion liters of water daily by 2050, someone needs to solve this mathematical (and geographical) puzzle fast!

Data centers for AI development could consume massive amounts of water (11-19 million liters daily per facility)

UK's water infrastructure is already stretched thin, especially in the south

Tech companies are developing more efficient cooling systems, but current water usage remains a major concern

Coinbase Stuns Banking World With Massive $420B War Chest That Crushes Traditional Banks

Coinbase just flexed its financial muscles, and let me tell you, they're not skipping arm day! The crypto exchange is now holding a whopping $420 billion in digital assets for its customers.

Coinbase is now three times bigger than the 21st largest US bank, New York Community Bancorp, which is sitting at a mere $112.9 billion.

But wait, it gets better! Our favorite crypto-captain, Brian Armstrong, dropped some truth bombs on X (formerly Twitter, for you time travelers), suggesting that if you view Coinbase as a brokerage, it would be the 8th largest in the US by AUM. Not too shabby for a company that started with just a dream and some digital coins!

Speaking of performance, while NYCB was posting a $260 million loss in Q4 2023 (ouch!), Coinbase was swimming in $273 million of profit - their first positive quarter since late 2021.

But Armstrong isn't just counting his digital coins - he's painting a picture of the future where crypto becomes your "single primary financial account." Imagine having all your financial services under one digital roof, running on "crypto rails." It's like having your bank, investment account, and piggy bank all in one place, but way cooler!

However, before we all jump into this crypto utopia, there are still some wrinkles to iron out. Chintan Turakhia, Coinbase's senior director of engineering, keeps it real by pointing out we need to tackle those pesky friction points.

Coinbase now manages $420B in assets, making it equivalent to the 21st largest US bank

Company posted $273M profit in Q4 2023, outperforming traditional banking competitors

Future vision includes consolidating all financial services under one crypto-powered account

Hollywood Panics As AI Takes Over Movies And Forces Oscars To Create New Rules

The Academy is getting serious about AI transparency in movies, and honestly, it's about time! After some spicy drama involving films like "The Brutalist" and "Emilia Pérez," they're considering making filmmakers spill the digital beans about their AI usage. No more hiding those robot assistants behind the curtain!

Speaking of digital wizardry, let's talk about what's already cooking in Hollywood's AI kitchen. Rising Sun Pictures is out here flexing their Revize machine learning toolset like it's the newest Instagram filter - except instead of making your selfies pop, they're doing everything from face replacements to de-aging. They've worked their magic on films like "Furiosa" and "A Complete Unknown," proving that AI isn't just a supporting actor anymore!

In "Furiosa," they used AI in 150 shots to transform a child actor into Anya Taylor Joy's character. That's like using a digital time machine, but make it fashion!

And let's not forget about "The Brutalist," where director Brady Corbet had to come out and say, "Hey, we only used AI for Hungarian accents, pinky promise!" (I'm paraphrasing, but you get the drift!

The Academy's SciTech Council is now working harder than a computer rendering farm to figure out how to make AI disclosure mandatory by the 2026 Oscars. Currently, it's about as optional as watching the post-credit scenes in a Marvel movie.

it's getting harder to spot than a green screen in a Christopher Nolan film! From helping Tom Hanks time travel in "Here" to making those Fremen eyes pop in "Dune: Part Two," AI is becoming Hollywood's favorite uncredited co-star.

Academy considering mandatory AI disclosure requirements for Oscar submissions by 2026

Major films already using AI for everything from facial effects to accent modification

Industry veterans emphasize the importance of transparency and human collaboration in filmmaking

Hawk Token Creator Finally Breaks Silence And Reveals The Truth Behind The $490M Crash

After nearly two months of radio silence, Haliey "Hawk Tuah" Welch has finally emerged from the crypto-shadows to share her side of the story - and oh boy, is it a doozy! Speaking with FaZe Banks (because who else would you confess your crypto sins to?), Welch dropped some serious truth bombs about the HAWK memecoin fiasco.

A memecoin that soared to $490 million market cap faster than you can say "FOMO," only to crash 91% the next day like it was trying to speedrun a bear market. Ouch! That's enough to give anyone financial whiplash!

According to Welch, she was about as familiar with memecoins as a fish is with bicycle riding. She claims the project manager painted the token as a long-term, positive initiative with charitable goals.

Her attorney, Christian Barker, dropped the bombshell that the dev team was still hodling 80% of the token supply.

The plot thickened faster than cold crypto winter when investors filed a lawsuit on December 19th, claiming the marketing was more misleading than a "wrong answers only" meme. The legal filing suggests HAWK was promoted as a "cultural movement" rather than just another speculative asset.

To her credit, Welch is now cooperating with the legal team representing the affected investors, directing them to Burwick Law faster than you can say "financial regulators."

HAWK memecoin crashed 91% after reaching $490M market cap in December 2024

Haliey Welch claims she was misled about the project's nature and charitable aspects

Legal proceedings ongoing with Welch cooperating with investors' legal team

And that's all the bytes for today, my wonderful PoI family! 💫 From data centers thirsting for water like me craving ice cream, to Coinbase becoming the unexpected banking powerhouse, Hollywood getting real about AI, and the Hawk that flew too close to the sun - we've covered it all! Remember to stay curious, stay smart, and keep that tech-sense tingling! Until our next digital rendezvous, this is your favorite Japanese ice cream-inspired writer, Mochi, logging off!

P.S. Don't forget to share your thoughts, questions, and favorite crypto puns with us. very voice matters in the PoI community!

🍨📰 Catch you in the next issue! 📰🍨