Without a doubt, 2024 can certainly be described as an eventful year. Immense strides have been made in sustainability, medicine, and business, driven by cutting-edge technology that once existed only in our imaginations. These innovations not only redefined industries but also reshaped how we live, work, and interact globally. As we enter the latter half of December, we take a moment to reflect on these ambitious steps forward, highlighting the most notable trending apps and topics that captured our attention and laid the groundwork for an exciting upcoming year.

Trending Topics

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind since Chat GPT’s inception in 2022. The advancement of this technology and its potential ramifications have cast a glaring light on issues such as ethical AI systems, copyright infringement, plagiarism, workforce displacement, and privacy concerns. The criticism of AI has also been coupled with glowing praise, as it has significantly increased the efficiency, pace, and scope of businesses that incorporate it into their operations.

Whether AI takes the form of Large Language Models (LLMs) that craft text with remarkable precision or Large World Models (LWMs) capable of creating virtual environments in seconds, AI has the potential to forever shape how humans interact with the digital world. As these systems evolve, humanity’s reliance on AI will only grow, redefining industries, revolutionizing communication, and transforming the very fabric of everyday life. Here are some articles from Santa Cruz Works that dive into some of the AI highlights from 2024!

• June 2024: How AI is Transforming Businesses and Impacting Workers (Malina Long)

• June 2024: 5 Awesome AI Tools to Check Out (Malina Long)

• October 2024: New AI-driven Multimedia Lab Bridges Art and Technology (Malina Long)

• November 2024: Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold Wins Nobel Prize (Serena Ramirez)

• November 2024: Physical Intelligence: AI Robots Revolutionize Household Chores (Serena Ramirez)

• December 2024: World Labs’ AI Creates 3D Worlds from Static Images (Serena Ramirez)

Sustainable Solutions

Sustainability has been the name of the game, especially in the wake of a climate crisis that threatens the planet’s ecosystems, economies, and the well-being of future generations. While Santa Cruz is an excellent example of a community pioneering new sustainable solutions, this trend can be mapped to countless businesses worldwide. As major polluters, large corporations and companies have a responsibility to adopt greener practices, whether through renewable energy initiatives or waste reduction efforts. Many companies we have reported on have taken it upon themselves to join the fight against climate change and environmental waste, contributing to a global culture of civic responsibility. Here are some of the shining sustainability stars we spotlighted this year!

• March 2024: Cruz Foam Earns Prestigious Recognition on TIME’s List of America’s Top GreenTech Companies 2024 (Matthew Swinnerton)

• May 2024: How to Have Hard Conversations About Sustainability When People Would Rather Talk About Anything Else (Malina Long)

• October 2024: Blue Innovation Day 2024!

• October 2024: Pirta to Participate in Amazon’s Sustainability Accelerator (Serena Ramirez)

• October 2024: 3CE Introduces New Bioenergy Opportunities Program (Serena Ramirez)

• October 2024: Kickoff Celebration: CMSF’s NOAA Grant and Creating Coastal Resiliency (Serena Ramirez)

Trending Apps

Chat GPT

ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022. It’s based on a large language model called GPT-4.0. While definitive user numbers are not publicly available, ChatGPT is estimated to have 300+ million weekly users, with over 1 billion user messages sent daily, making it one of the fastest-growing applications in history.

The Santa Cruz Works team highlighted ChatGPT as one of the leading apps in their article, Will These Popular Tools of 2023 Survive in 2024? (authored by Malina Long). Clearly, the answer is a resounding yes, as the app shows no signs of slowing down and is poised to continue its growth trajectory well into 2025!

Perplexity AI

Perplexity is a search engine similar to Chat GPT but distinct in significant ways. Unlike Chat GPT, Perplexity generates answers to your prompts based on real-time sources. Not only are these sources up-to-date, but they are also extracted from trusted news outlets, including reliable blogs, academic papers, and scholarly articles.

Perplexity has recently hit 100 million queries a week, a testament to its rising star status. In June 2024, the company’s valuation was set at $3 billion. It miraculously tripled in four months, reaching $9 billion as of November 2024. Read more about it here!

Meta Threads

Launched in July of 2023, Threads reached 100 million users (growing faster than even Chat GPT) within its first week, driven by Instagram integration and the allure of a new platform dedicated to text and discussion similar to X (formerly Twitter). Threads recently reached 275 million users, a testament to its rising star status. The potential of Threads was also discussed in Will These Popular Tools of 2023 Survive in 2024? Time will undoubtedly tell, though the answer points to yes come 2025!

Bluesky

Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform that offers users greater control over their experience by allowing them to choose unique algorithms for custom feeds. Unlike X, Bluesky promotes “anti-toxicity” features to reduce harassment and misinformation, setting it apart as a more user-centric alternative. Bluesky is growing in the wake of X’s decline, reaching 25 million users in December 2024. Read more about the young app here. Let’s see if this newfound popularity continues into the new year!