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At the Microsoft Excel World Championship, selfies and a ‘hype’ tunnel, plus Anthropic plans to release a ‘two-way’ voice mode for Claude and IMDb's founder steps down
Jan 22, 2025
Dive into the quirky world of the Microsoft Excel World Championship, where competitors glow in a hype tunnel and strut in humorous costumes. Revel in Anthropic’s exciting news about a new ‘two-way’ voice mode for their chatbot, Claude, enhancing user interactions. Also, witness a major shift in the tech landscape as the founder of IMDb steps down after an impressive 35-year tenure, paving the way for new leadership.
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Quick takeaways
- The Microsoft Excel World Championship highlighted a growing excitement for competitive spreadsheet challenges, attracting a large audience and promising future prize increases.
- Anthropic's plans to enhance its chatbot Claude with new voice and memory features reflect the company's need to adapt to soaring demand amidst financial challenges.
Deep dives
Exciting Growth in Competitive Events
A recent event showcased the growth of competitive spreadsheet challenges, attracting approximately 400 attendees and being live-streamed on ESPN3. The winner, a financial consultant from Toronto, earned a $5,000 prize along with a championship belt for their spreadsheet skills. Participants expressed a unique level of enthusiasm for Excel, highlighting the dedication of contestants compared to traditional platforms like Google Sheets. The event's success is promising, with aspirations for prize money to eventually reach $1 million as the community gains more support.
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