Even the most tech savvy among us have a hard time wrapping their heads around Bitcoin. It's a hot topic and a frequent point of discussion among investors, entrepreneurs and stock traders, so you should want to know all about it.

For starters, here's an overly simplified explanation of Bitcoin: It's a digital currency (there are more than 800 now) that isn't controlled by a central authority such as a government or bank. It's created by "miners," who use computers and specialized hardware to process transactions, secure the currency's network and collect bitcoins in exchange. Supporters say it allows for more secure transactions over the internet. That's in part due to blockchain, a technology that records cryptocurrency transactions chronologically in a public digital ledger.

Bitcoin is only eight and a half years old, but it’s the oldest and most highly valued cryptocurrency out there. In such a short time, it’s had a rocky and controversial history, but it’s also attracted a fair share of high-profile supporters. Click through to read 11 bits about Bitcoin that will make you at least sound like you know what you're talking about next time it inevitably comes up.

1. The birth of Bitcoin

The origins of bitcoin trace back to 2008, when its creator, who went by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, published a proof of concept for Bitcoin. The proof was then published to a cryptocurrency mailing list in 2009. Nakamoto left the project in 2010 and disappeared, but other developers picked up the work. Bitcoin's birthday is Jan. 3, when Nakamoto mined the first 50 units of the currency.

2. An elusive creator

The true identity of Bitcoin's creator has never been confirmed. Newsweek claimed to have found Bitcoin's creator in 2014, identifying Temple City, Calif., resident Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto. He has vigorously denied it. In 2015, an Australian entrepreneur named Craig Wright said he was Bitcoin's creator, but he couldn't produce the evidence to support his claim. Whoever Nakamoto is, that person is very rich, as the creator is estimated to have mined a million bitcoins in the currency’s early days.

3. Very expensive pizza

The first transaction involving bitcoin was reported on May 22, 2010, when a programmer identified as Laszlo Hanyecz said he "successfully traded 10,000 bitcoins for pizza." As of Nov. 28, 2017, 10,000 bitcoins are worth about $99 million.

4. You can spend bitcoins

While it may not seem like it, people continue to use bitcoins to buy stuff. The largest businesses to accept the cryptocurrency include Overstock.com, Expedia, Newegg and Dish.

5. Federal Bureau of Bitcoin

At one point, the U.S. government was one of the largest holders of bitcoin. In 2013, after the FBI shut down Silk Road, a darknet site where people could buy drugs and other illicit goods and services, it took over bitcoin wallets controlled by the site, one of which held 144,000 bitcoins. Investors have been making a killing by bidding on government-seized bitcoins.

6. A mountain-sized setback

In early 2014, Bitcoin suffered a devastating loss after the alleged hacking of Mt. Gox, a Japanese exchange. About $460 million of the currency (in 2014 value) was stolen. It was the largest loss of bitcoins ever and raised concerns about how secure the currency was.

7. The billionaires' takes

Warren Buffett, perhaps the most famous investor in the world, was not so keen on Bitcoin one of the only times he addressed the currency. "Stay away from it. It's a mirage, basically," he told CNBC. "The idea that it has some huge intrinsic value is a joke in my view."

Fellow billionaire investor Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, had even stronger words about Bitcoin: “You can’t have a business where people are going to invent a currency out of thin air. It won’t end well … someone is going to get killed and then the government is going to come down on it.”

But not all billionaires are against Bitcoin. Mark Cuban has said its value is inflated, but he recently invested in a venture capital fund that backs cryptocurrency. Richard Branson, however, has spoken more optimistically about it.

8. Super wealthy twins and a smart teen

Other notable investors in Bitcoin include Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (the Harvard-educated twins who sued Mark Zuckerberg claiming that Facebook was based on an idea they'd had). They bought $11 million worth of Bitcoin in 2013, an amount said to be about 1 percent of all bitcoins in circulation at that time. When Bitcoin's value reached more than $11,000 in early December, the twins were declared the first Bitcoin billionaires. The Winklevoss twins have been petitioning the SEC to create a bitcoin exchange traded fund. The agency rejected the idea earlier this year.

Another is investor and entrepreneur Erik Finman, who invested $1,000 into Bitcoin when he was 14 years old and is now a millionaire.

9. Celebrities want in

Celebrities have also expressed enthusiasm for the cryptocurrency. Actor and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow advises Abra, a Bitcoin wallet, and Ashton Kutcher, Nas and Floyd Mayweather have all invested in Bitcoin startups.

10. Support from a big financial institution

In August 2017, Fidelity Investments became a rare standout among financial institutions in embracing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The company allows its clients to use the Fidelity website to view their bitcoin holdings held through digital wallet provider Coinbase. "This is an experiment in the spirit of learning what these crypto assets are like and how our customers may want to interact with them," Hadley Stern, senior vice president and managing director at Fidelity Labs, told Reuters.

11. A hard fork

On Aug. 1, 2017, Bitcoin experienced what's being called a "hard fork" as a result of a few issues, including the limited number of transactions that can be processed per second. Essentially, the cryptocurrency split into two, with Bitcoin Cash debuting. Here's how Rob Marvin of PCMag explains the situation: "The Bitcoin fork speaks to a fundamental ideological rift over what's more important: preserving the decentralized nature and independent control of the Bitcoin network, or accelerating transaction speeds to make the cryptocurrency more viable for mainstream ecommerce and payments." Bitcoin Cash allows larger blocks of currency and more transactions per second.

12. Jaw-dropping

At the end of November 2017, Bitcoin's value reached toward $10,000 per unit. There are some 16.7 million Bitcoin units in circulation, and the cryptocurrency's market capitalization ($167,156,585,840 as of Nov. 28, 2017) is actually higher than that of Disney, McDonald's or IBM, and it is slightly above that of GE.

13. Publicly traded

As of early December, there is another way to invest in Bitcoin without possessing some of the digital currency. On Dec. 10, 2017, Bitcoin futures -- "financial contracts obligating the buyer to purchase an asset or the seller to sell an asset," according to Investopedia -- became available on Cboe, a Chicago exchange. What this means for the future of Bitcoin is uncertain, but some argue it will help stabilize the cryptocurrency's wild price fluctuations.

14. The hidden cost of Bitcoin

The process to create bitcoin, called mining, is an energy intensive process, with many of the miners using specialized equipment for the process. This computing power has added a burden to energy systems around the globe, and in some countries, such as China, those systems still are powered by coal.

PowerCompare, a U.K.-based energy comparison tariff service, estimates that Bitcoin mining consumes more electricity than 159 countries, including Ireland and most countries in Africa.

Power consumption for all cryptocurrencies is on track to use more electricity in 2018 than the whole of Argentina, according to Bloomberg.

Source : https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/299425

In this video, Entrepreneur Network partner Kate Volman breaks down how you can get started with video. It's not news that video content is the future, and you've probably already thought about diving in. But, the thought of getting on screen, or investing in a fancy camera, or even just devoting the necessary time toward video and away from your daily routine can be daunting.

It doesn't have to be. Volman wants to help you take baby steps so you can be comfortable as you start working with a new form of media.

Click play to learn more about starting your video content.

Source : https://www.entrepreneur.com/video/307549

In this video, Entrepreneur Network partner Salma Jafri breaks down three tips you can use to make your YouTube page look more professional. You want fans, viewers and potential endorsers to view your page as a destination and be impressed by your content, but that won't happen if you skip steps.

For example, what does your "Home" tab content display? It's most likely blank if you haven't taken the time to make a playlist (Jafri recommends at least three to five playlists, though you can have as many as 10), then add it to your home page.

This simple step can be the difference between having a YouTube page that looks blank and one that looks full.

Source : https://www.entrepreneur.com/video/307626

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new technological frontier over which companies and countries are vying for control. According to a recent report from McKinsey, Alphabet invested roughly $30 billion in developing AI technologies. Baidu, which is the Chinese equivalent of Alphabet, invested $20 billion in AI last year.

Companies aren't the only ones investing time, money and energy into advancing AI technology -- a recent article in The New Yorker reported that the Chinese government has been pursuing AI technology aggressively in an attempt to control a future cornerstone innovation.

Considering that some of the largest entities in the world are focused on advancing AI tech, it is all but certain that 2018 will see significant advancements in the space. The following are ten AI trends to look out for this year.

1. AI will become a political talking point.

While AI may help create jobs, it will also cause some individuals to lose work. For example, Goldman Sachs expects self-driving vehicles will cause 25,000 truckers to lose their jobs each month, as reported by CNBC.

Likewise, if large warehouses can operate with just a few dozen people, many of the 1 million pickers and packers currently working in U.S. warehouses could be out of a job.

During the 2016 election, President Trump focused on globalization and immigration as causes of American job-loss, but during the 2018 midterm elections, the narrative could be about automation and artificial intelligence, as more working-class Americans struggle to adjust to the new landscape.

2. Logistics will become increasingly efficient.

We are entering a world in which it will be possible to run a 20,000-square-foot distribution center with a skeleton crew. Companies like Kiva Systems -- now Amazon Robotics -- use a combination of artificial intelligence and advanced robotics to provide big box retailers with unprecedented logistics solutions.

Warehouses of the future will look nothing like they do today -- rather than being designed to accommodate human packers, they will be built for highly capable robots that can work 24/7 and don't require lighting to see what they are doing.

Kiva Systems, which was purchased by Amazon for $775 million in 2012, creates learning robots that can efficiently find and transport items in Amazon's warehouses. The technology is already being used today and is expected to play an increasingly prominent role in the company's quest for faster, less expensive deliveries.

3. Mainstream auto manufacturers will launch self-driving cars.

Tesla was one of the first auto makers to launch a self-driving vehicle. In their effort to keep pace with Tesla, traditional automakers like Audi are poised to release their own self-driving cars in 2018.

The Audi A8 will feature self-driving technology capable of safely shuttling humans without driver input. Cadillac and Volvo are also developing advanced self-driving technology, which will become increasingly visible in 2018.

4. DARPA will develop advanced robo-warriors in plain sight.

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has pioneered a number of technological breakthroughs that have impacted our daily lives. The organization, which is responsible for developing new technologies to be used by the American military, was instrumental in developing the internet and GPS navigation -- they are no stranger to innovation.

Today, DARPA is working with Boston Dynamics to develop a series of robots designed for "disaster relief," though the technology could be used in a combat role as well. The Atlas robot, which received internet fame for performing backflips, is one of the AI-powered technologies in development.

5. Machine learning will aid knowledge workers.

While some are rightfully concerned that AI will put people out of work, AI technology also has the ability to aid employees, especially those in knowledge work.

Today, tools like Gong, Chorus and Jog are able to record calls made by sales and customer service representatives. "This technology can coach customer-facing service workers to speak more effectively, thanks to machine-learning algorithms. Expect AI to increasingly support white-collar workers in 2018 and beyond," explains Carrie Christensen, Operations VP of Mint Solar.

6. Content will be created using AI.

Brands like USA Today, CBS and Hearst are already using AI technology to generate content. For example, Wibbitz offers a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that allows publishers to turn written content into video content through AI video production.

Publishers used to spend hours, if not days, creating content for their websites or for social media. Tools like Wibbitz are now helping publishers create compelling videos in minutes.

Similar to Wibbitz, the Associated Press is using a tool called Wordsmith, created by Automated Insights, to apply natural-language generation in order to create news stories based on earnings data. In 2018, readers can expect to see more media companies adopt natural-language and video-generation technologies.

7. Peer-to-peer networks will create transparency.

Machine learning is a form of artificial intelligence, and companies like Facebook are already using statistical modeling to help machines make informed decisions about what content to show you next. In order for the models to work properly, they require massive amounts of data and significant computing power.

With the rise of peer-to-peer networks -- like the ones used by cryptocurrencies -- even small organizations will have the ability to run advanced AI programs by harnessing the collective power of networked personal computers.

Presearch is one company that aims to use peer-to-peer networking and artificial intelligence to bring transparency to the world of search engines. Google controls nearly 80 percent of the search market, yet few people fully understand how Google determines what content is shown to a particular consumer.

Presearch plans to use cryptocurrency to incentivize participants to lend them the computing power of their personal computers. In return, the company promises to build a more transparent search engine platform. The startup has already raised $5 million in funding, and it is likely that they -- and other organizations -- will use AI and peer-to-peer networking to challenge large organizations.

8. Consumers will become accustomed to talking with technology.

It's estimated that over 20 million Amazon smart speakers were sold last year, and if you add sales of other smart devices like Google Home and Apple Airpod, you realize that tens of millions of Americans are getting used to interacting with technology through voice commands.

In 2018, consumers will become even more comfortable with voice-based interfaces, as smart assistants become integrated into computers, smartphones and even televisions.

As someone who finally caved in and purchased an Amazon Echo, I can tell you first-hand that these devices are going to get even more useful as the technology advances.

9. Demand for data scientists will surpass demand for engineers.

According to IBM, demand for data scientists will increase to 2.7 million by 2020.

Why? Machine-learning AI uses probability to determine what the proper answer or decision is for any given problem. With more data provided to machine-learning platforms, the platforms will become better at making predictions.

As companies of all sizes strive to collect and effectively analyze data, there will inevitably be an increased need for talented data scientists capable of handling large data sets to aid AI platforms.
10. AI will fight challenging diseases.

"We are entering a time where a peer-to-peer network of computers could have the capability of solving some of the world's most challenging health problems by collecting and analyzing human molecular data," explains Ben Hortman, CEO of Bet Capital LLC. Now, what if those computers were powered by chips smaller than the head of a pin with secure, built-in AI and cryptocurrency technology? What sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, is now a reality thanks to Nano Vision.
The technology was inspired by two tech trends -- blockchain and AI. Users are rewarded for participating in the program through a special Nano cryptocurrency, while machine-learning technology seeks to identify and analyze illnesses to enable new drugs, treatments and cures at a fraction of the time and cost.

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One of the largest Transport & Logistics(T&L) markets in the GCC, Saudi Arabia has a logistics market size of $55 billion with UAE following close behind at $30 billion. Due to the massive initiatives taken by the government towards economic diversification (transition from energy-based industries to commercial sectors), the logistics market has been growing exponentially in the region.

According to a report issued by Al-Masah, the global logistics market is expected to generate $15.5 trillion in revenues by 2024, with the Middle East & North Africa(MENA) fast emerging as the hub of the logistics industry.

Factors Driving Logistics Growth in Saudi Arabia – KEN RESEARCH

Factors such rapid globalization & increasing trade volumes have led to a predicted figure of 92.1 billon tons in terms of trade volume by 2024. E-commerce is expected to double from $95 billion in 2013 to $200 billion by in 2020 in the MENA region. B2C is expected to contribute to 30% of the total value with G2B at 25% and B2B at e-commerce at 20%.

The UAE, Egypt & Saudi Arabia with a predicted 30% top-line annual growth are expected to be the fasted growing e-commerce markets globally in the next few years.

 

Digitally – Enabled Logistics In Saudi Arabia

 

 

 

The transition from the offline to online trucking industry has been fast spreading globally. In the Middle East, the logistics industry was transformed with the launch of Trukkin – A cloud-based B2B trucking platform. Trukkin opened new doors by offering quick access to suppliers, on-demand services, and reduced operational overhead due to the transparency and improved operational efficiency, the platform offered. Using a customer app on both iOS and Android platforms and multi-lingual support, Trukkin paved the way for a digitally-enabled logistic market.

Following suite, a number of digital Transport & Logistics(T&L) startups had begun to rise to capitalize on the growing e-commerce market and the need for improved operational efficiency in the T&L industry.

Truxapp, another digitally-enabled trucking, and logistics provider has recently projected aa revenue figure of $1 billion by 2020 with 40% of revenue expected from GCC alone. Truxapp has been working since 2015 with over 350,000 trucks and 200 corporate clients. It is quickly establishing itself has a market leader in the road and freight sector.

 

“Digital savvy and connected consumers expect faster, accurate deliveries and an optimal user experience which can make or break brand loyalty. These are some of the factors that will put a strain on companies reliant on logistics and transportation if they fail to rapidly adapt to changing market dynamics and meet customer expectations” – Naseer Ahmed, CEO, Truxapp

 

TruKKer, another trailblazer in this space, has recently closed $14million in seed funding from institutional funds like Saudi-based Riyad Taqnia fund (RTF), Averroes Ventures, Arzan VC & 500 startups. After witnessing a 2000% growth in its first year of operations, TruKKer is now planning for large-scale expansion.

“The trucking industry has remained traditional for a very long time, relying on brokers to connect trucking companies and shippers, an uneven process, which is ready for technology-based transformation…..TruKKer has successfully reduced transportation rates by 20 – 30% on many instances based on higher asset utilization of its member trucks” – Gaurav Biswas, Founder & CEO

 

 

A new era of digitally-enabled logistics is rising in Saudi and surrounding regions to solve the inefficiencies of the current industry and to bridge the gap between truck owners & drivers with an industry needed digitally organized transportation company.

 

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Bitcoin and other digital currencies are in a tailspin. For the second day in a row, the market is showing substantial declines, with most cryptocurrencies falling 20 to 40% over the past 24 hours.

 

As of 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, the top 10 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple, have seen their collective market share drop $134 billion in the past month. But take a slight step back and things aren’t quite as terrible as they appear.

That’s a staggering number (though not as shocking as the $100 billion in one-day losses the market posted yesterday). What has prevented the drop from being more catastrophic is the fact that six of the top 10 currencies are actually still in the black compared to a month ago.

 

In fact, if you remove Bitcoin’s $155 billion one-month drops in market capital from the equation, the sector is showing slight gains (thanks largely to Ethereum and Ripple, though both cryptocurrencies are still falling steadily from their highs). When Bitcoin’s losses are not factored into the back-of-envelope math, the total market cap for the remaining currencies in the top 10 is $21 billion higher than it was on Dec. 17, 2017.

 

How big a drag does that make Bitcoin? To put it in perspective, the one-month market cap drop in that cryptocurrency alone is greater than the total market cap of Mastercard, Boeing, and McDonald’s, according to data from PwC.

 

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