Welcome to Discover Daily , by Perplexity , your AI-curated digest of breakthroughs in tech , science and culture . I'm Alex . Today , we'll look at the discovery of massive gold hydrogen reserves which could have significant implications for clean energy production . But first let's look at what else is happening across the tech landscape , from product teasers to AI breakthroughs .
Let's start with some exciting news from Apple . Ceo Tim Cook has just dropped a hint about a new product launch . This week . In a brief video message shared on , x Cook stated there's something in the air . This message has set the tech world abuzz with speculation .
The phrase there's something in the air is particularly significant as it echoes Apple's tagline from the original MacBook Air launch back in 2008 . This has led many to believe that we're about to see the unveiling of new MacBook Air models featuring Apple's latest M4 chip .
If the rumors are true , what can we expect from this new MacBook Air models featuring Apple's latest M4 chip ? If the rumors are true , what can we expect from this new MacBook Air ? Reports suggest the M4 chip could bring a 25% boost in multi-core CPU performance compared to its predecessor .
We're also looking at an enhanced 16-core neural engine , which would significantly improve the device's AI and machine learning capabilities . Other potential upgrades include a 12-megapixel center stage camera for better video calls , support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 , and a base configuration starting with 16 gigabytes of RAM .
These improvements aim to position the new MacBook Air as a powerful and efficient device for both everyday users and professionals working with AI-related tasks . Apple's approach to this announcement marks a shift from their traditional product launch strategy . Instead of a grand event , they've opted for a more subtle , modern approach using social media .
This aligns with Apple's recent move away from rigid annual product release cycles , adapting to the slower pace of technological advancements . While the MacBook Air with M4 chip seems the most likely candidate for this announcement , we should keep in mind that Apple has other Air products in the pipeline .
These include a new iPad Air expected in the coming months and even rumors of an iPhone 17 Air for later in the year . Moving on to our second story , chinese startup DeepSeek has made waves with its claim of a theoretical 545% cost-profit margin for its AI models . This figure is based on calculations involving their V3 and R1 inference systems .
Let's break down these numbers . Deepseq's calculation is based on a 24-hour run of its V3 and R1 inference models , with an average node occupancy of 226.75 . They estimated a daily operational cost of just over $87,000 for leasing NVIDIA H800 GPUs , against a potential revenue of $562,000 if all process tokens were billed at R1 model rates .
But this 545% figure is purely theoretical and doesn't reflect actual earnings . Real-world factors significantly reduce revenue , including free services , discounted rates and varying usage patterns . Despite these limitations , deepseek's disclosure provides valuable insights into the economics of AI inference services .
Deepseek's aggressive pricing strategy plays a key role in its market positioning . The company offers significantly lower rates compared to Western competitors like OpenAI or Anthropic .
Openai or Anthropic , for instance , their Premium R1 model is priced at $0.14 per million input tokens for cash hits and $0.55 per million for cash misses , with output tokens costing $2.00 and $0.19 per million .
But several factors impact actual revenue , including lower pricing for the V3 model , free access to web and app services , off-peak discounts and varying usage patterns . As a result , the actual profit margin of the DeepSeek R1 model is estimated to be closer to 85% . It's still impressive , but far from DeepSeek's theoretical percentage .
The 545% cost-profit margin has sparked debate within the tech community . Critics argue that the term profit margin is misleading as it implies realized earnings rather than a theoretical calculation . A more accurate description would be gross margin or contribution margin . The controversy highlights the need for standardized reporting metrics in the rapidly evolving AI industry .
It underscores the importance of clear communication when presenting financial data to the public and investors . This debate may lead to increased scrutiny of AI companies' financial claims and push for more transparent and consistent reporting practices across the sector . Deepseek's claims have had significant impacts on the AI industry .
Ai-related stocks experience volatility , with Nvidia losing nearly 17% of its value and over $588 billion in market capitalization . The company's low development costs of $5 to $6 million have challenged assumptions about necessary investments in AI infrastructure . Now let's dive into our main story of the day .
Scientists have unveiled a map revealing vast reserves of natural hydrogen , dubbed gold hydrogen , buried beneath 30 US states . This discovery challenges previous assumptions about geologic hydrogen availability and opens new possibilities for clean energy exploration .
The primary mechanism for large-scale natural H2 generation is a process called serpentinization of exhumed mantle material . This occurs when water interacts with certain rock types in the Earth's crust . Geological formations known as rift inversion origins have been identified as potential hotspots for natural H2 generation .
These are geological formations created by the folding of rift basins .
They offer several advantages over traditional rift environments for hydrogen production , including colder temperatures that provide optimal conditions for serpentinization and H2 production , the presence of suitable reservoirs and seals necessary for economic hydrogen accumulations and the formation of an orogenic hydrogen system analogous to petroleum systems .
Research suggests that rift inversion origins could produce up to 20 times more hydrogen annually compared to rifting environments . This makes them valuable targets for future exploration and development . The discovery presents a significant opportunity for clean energy production .
Unlike other forms of hydrogen production , gold hydrogen requires no energy input for extraction , making it potentially one of the cleanest and most cost-effective energy sources available . The US Geological Survey has released an interactive map showcasing potential locations for naturally occurring hydrogen gas reserves across the contiguous United States .
This innovative tool identifies regions where hydrogen may exist in large extractable quantities . Key findings from the map include highly prospective areas encompassing large portions of Michigan , eastern Kentucky , southern North Dakota and parts of Kansas , colorado , wyoming , iowa and Oklahoma .
Additional promising regions have been identified along the California coast and eastern seaboard . The USGS map is based on three critical geological factors suitable hydrogen sources , porous reservoir rocks and natural seals to trap the gas .
This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights for prioritizing future research and exploration efforts in regions with the highest likelihood of success . Before we conclude , a brief note on our own evolution at Perplexity . Our new deep research feature , launched earlier this month , now analyses hundreds of sources in minutes .
Think of it as deploying a personal research team through our web and mobile platforms . Through our web and mobile platforms , this cutting-edge tool combines autonomous reasoning with rapid processing to deliver exhaustive reports on specialized topics .
Deep research excels at expert-level tasks across various domains , from finance and marketing to product research , and is available on our desktop and mobile apps . That's it for today . Thanks for listening and thank you for your fan mail . We read and work to incorporate every bit of feedback we get , so thank you .
This is Alex , reminding you that every change begins with a simple question why Stay curious ?