Good Morning! Microsoft has recently announced the integration of Python into Excel, providing developers with a powerful tool for data analysis and visualization. Researchers have also developed DECIMER, an innovative platform that utilizes artificial neural networks to convert chemical structural formulae into a machine-readable format. IBM is introducing watsonx Code Assistant for Z, a generative AI tool designed to convert old COBOL code to Java.

— Forrest Knight & Meghanadh Vasireddy

Microsoft Excel Integrates Python for Enhanced Data Analysis

Microsoft has announced the integration of Python, a popular programming language, into Excel, providing developers with a new tool for data analysis and visualization. The public preview of this feature is now available for Microsoft 365 Insiders in the Beta Channel.

Key Features

• Python integration is built into Excel's connectors and Power Query, so no additional software or add-ons are required.

• A new PY function allows Python data to be exposed within the grid of an Excel spreadsheet.

• Popular Python libraries like pandas, statsmodels, and Matplotlib will be available in Excel through a partnership with Anaconda, an enterprise Python repository.

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The AI-Powered Translator Revolutionizing Chemical Knowledge Sharing

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking platform that utilizes artificial neural networks to convert chemical structural formulae into a machine-readable format. This innovative tool, known as DECIMER, aims to make scientific information more accessible and sustainable for the global scientific community.

How DECIMER Works: DECIMER allows users to upload scientific articles containing chemical structural formulae simply by dragging and dropping the files. The AI tool then immediately begins translating the formulae into a format that can be easily read and processed by machines.

Sustainable Knowledge Sharing: The team behind DECIMER, led by Dr. Christoph Steinbeck, hopes to eventually machine-read all chemical literature dating back to the 1950s and convert it into open databases. As the coordinator of the National Research Data Infrastructure for Chemistry in Germany, Steinbeck is dedicated to preserving existing knowledge and making it readily available to researchers worldwide.

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IBM's Generative AI Tool Converts COBOL to Java

IBM is introducing a new generative AI tool called watsonx Code Assistant for Z, which aims to convert old COBOL code to Java. The tool is set to be available in Q4 2023 and is designed to speed up the translation of COBOL to Java on IBM's Z mainframes.

There are billions of lines of COBOL code that are potential candidates for modernization, with a report last year estimating the total figure at 775-850 billion lines. The generative AI features in watsonx Code Assistant for Z are intended to help developers assess and determine the code most in need of modernization, allowing them to update large applications more quickly and focus on critical tasks.

IBM's tooling for the modernization process starts with its Application Discovery and Delivery Intelligence (ADDI) inventory and analysis tool. Other steps include refactoring business services in COBOL, transforming the code to Java, and validating the resulting outcome with the aid of automated testing. The resulting Java code emitted by watsonx Code Assistant for Z will be object-oriented but will still interoperate with the rest of the COBOL application, as well as with key services such as CICS, IMS, DB2, and other z/OS runtimes.

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Bitcoin Developers Push Back Against Craig Wright's Claim to Billions of Dollars in Bitcoin

A group of Bitcoin developers is pushing back against a lawsuit brought by Craig Wright's crypto company, Tulip Trading, claiming ownership of a large amount of Bitcoin. Wright alleges that the stash was stolen in a hack, losing him and his company billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin. However, the developers allege that Tulip and Wright never owned the coins and that the evidence of ownership provided is "fabricated". They claim that the company has "fabricated" documents to prove ownership of the tokens and fraudulently gain control over the funds. This legal battle is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how it will be resolved.

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Youtube Spotlight

The End of Data Analysts?!? (ChatGPT's Code Interpreter)

Luke Barousse explores the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT’s Code Interpreter plugin for data analysis. While the plugin can provide advanced problem-solving and insights in a matter of seconds, there are concerns that it may replace data analyst jobs. Luke tests the plugin on various data sets, finding that it can perform exploratory data analysis, provide summary statistics, and generate visualizations. However, there are limitations in terms of accuracy and data access. Security issues also pose a significant concern for implementing the tool in professional settings.

• ChatGPT’s Code Interpreter plugin offers advanced problem-solving and data analysis capabilities.

• It can quickly analyze data sets, provide insights, and generate visualizations.

• The plugin has limitations in terms of accuracy and data access.

• Security concerns are a major drawback for implementing the tool in professional settings.

More Notes

1. Meta’s Threads begins rolling out on the web

2. Microsoft kills Kinect again

3. Netflix begins testing video games on TVs

4. Microsoft gives ground on streaming in bid to remove UK block on Activision deal

5. Amazon is seeing some employees quit instead of moving to a new state as part of relocation mandate

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