The ’90s aesthetic may be trending right now, but one thing that’s never coming back is dial-up internet. We’ve come a long way from the once seemingly ubiquitous devices that connected us at home: Remember getting kicked offline when a family member picked up the phone to make a call? And of course, how could you forget the nostalgia of the family-room desktop computer, the Palm Pilot, and the Wii Fit? Ah, simpler times.

With buzzwords like AI and VR dominating tech conversations in 2024, it can be hard to tell which innovations will actually stick.

Tech Brew spoke with a handful of experts about the devices and applications they think will change the way we live and work at home in the near future. From AI-powered smart homes to higher-quality wi-fi, here’s a look at what they said.

Keep reading here.—KG

The NYSE is best known as the world’s largest stock exchange and a global financial hub, yet it’s so much more. It serves as a nexus where visionaries from around the globe converge to shape a promising tomorrow.

Within the iconic walls of this instantly recognizable Wall Street landmark, CEOs, founders, and influential figures gather to ignite innovation and drive the change that will define our future.

This spirit was vividly evident as the NYSE proudly embraced GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) and GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV), marking their inaugural trading day as independent entities, each committed to forging a more sustainable path forward.

Hear that bell ringing? The future is here.

On a recent afternoon in DC, I shielded my eyes in front of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, gazing up alongside attendees wearing badges for the Data Center World conference that was happening just inside. During the lunch hour, however, the main attraction was being hoisted into place by a crane: a micro-scale nuclear reactor.

Weighing in at 22 tons and standing 48 feet tall, there’s nothing micro about the unit, billed by its creator, Last Energy, as a prototype for a system that could eventually help meet the world’s growing need for clean energy to power data centers.

“With the advent of AI and what we’re seeing in the power-demand increases, data centers are going to become a huge, power-hungry customer for the grid,” John Chaplin, VP of commercial at Last Energy, told me as we looked on. “Nuclear is a unique solution.”

Keep reading here.—KG

Coworking is a weekly segment where we spotlight Tech Brew readers who work with emerging technologies. We’re sunsetting Coworking at the end of May, so click here if you’d like a chance to be featured before then!

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in tech?

My favorite introduction was by a father telling his son, “Tara works with inventors!” That framing captures the magic of tinkering with an idea, and the partnerships I strive to build with bold founders building new businesses. More specifically, as a venture capitalist, I support early-stage startups with advice, capital, and resources. Day to day, I wear many hats, including investor, manager, researcher, board director, and advisor.

What’s the most compelling tech project you’ve worked on, and why?

Our portfolio includes many teams building at the intersection of AI and industry applications. For example, Netradyne increases fleet safety with computer vision; PolyAI transformed the founders’ PhD work at Cambridge into customer-led voice assistants; Glyphic superpowers sales teams with generative AI; and Nexusflow’s technology was pioneered at the UC Berkeley AI Research Lab. Playing a small part in helping them succeed is incredibly rewarding.

Keep reading here.