Pocket-sized AI models usher in a new era of computing
Will Knight | Wired
“When ChatGPT was released in November 2023, the model behind it was so huge that it could only be accessed via the cloud. Today, I'm running an AI program with similar capabilities on my Macbook Air, and it's not even warm. The shrinking shows how rapidly researchers are refining AI models to make them leaner and more efficient. It also shows that scaling up isn't the only way to make machines significantly smarter.”
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Google promises a better search experience, but now it's telling you to put glue on your pizza
Kylie Robison | The Verge
“This is just one of many mistakes made by Google in a new feature it rolled out widely this month that also claims that former U.S. President James Madison graduated from the University of Wisconsin not once but 21 times, that dogs have played in the NBA, NFL and NHL, and that Batman is a police officer….Google isn't promising that it's perfect — it puts a “Generative AI is experimental” label at the bottom of the AI's answers — but it's clear that these tools aren't ready to provide accurate information at scale.
Gene therapy repairs intervertebral discs and reduces back pain
Michael Irving | New Atlas
“When evaluated over a 12-week period, the injured mice that received the gene therapy showed many improvements compared to the injured mice that were injected with saline. We found that the disc tissue was producing more proteins that strengthen the tissue and help it retain moisture. This allowed the disc to plump up and act like a cushion again, improving the spine's range of motion, weight-bearing and flexibility. Although we couldn't ask the mice exactly how much pain they were in, behavioral tests suggested that symptoms were reduced.”
When it comes to self-driving cars, Waymo plays chess and Tesla plays checkers.
Timothy B. Lee | Ars Technica
“Many Tesla fans [limitations like remote operators and avoiding freeways] “I see it as a sign that Waymo is heading for a technological dead end. … But I predict that as Tesla begins its transition to self-driving, it will realize that safety requires a Waymo-style gradual rollout. That is, Tesla hasn't found a different, better way to bring self-driving technology to market. Waymo is just too far ahead and is working on challenges that Tesla hasn't even begun to think about. Waymo is playing chess, while Tesla is still playing checkers.”
Warp drive breakthrough Star Trek
Paul Sutter | Wired
“A team of physicists has discovered that it's actually possible to build a physical warp drive without breaking any of the known laws of physics. However, warp-driven ships can't travel faster than the speed of light, so they won't get to any interesting places right away. But this research marks an important advance in our understanding of gravity.”
Digital Media
Media companies are making big mistakes with AI
Jessica Lessin | The Atlantic
“For as long as I've been reporting on internet companies, I've watched news industry leaders try to bend their businesses to the will of Apple, Google, Meta and the like. Chasing tech distribution and cash, news companies make deals to ride the next digital wave. They concede to platforms that want to take away all the viewers (and trust) that great journalism garners, without doing the complex and expensive work of journalism itself. And it never works out as planned.”
ChatGPT Explained
Sheena Vasani | The Verge
“Some writers have proclaimed ChatGPT's debut on November 30, 2022 to be the beginning of a new chapter in history akin to the Enlightenment or the Industrial Revolution. Meanwhile, others are skeptical, thinking this is just another over-hyped technology, like blockchain or the metaverse. It remains to be seen what history will call ChatGPT, but there's one thing I know for sure: no one has kept quiet about it since. … That's why we decided to put together this explanation to cut through all the BS together. Are you ready? Let's get started.”
OpenAI should have gone way beyond Scarlett Johansson
Ross Andersen | The Atlantic
“Now that we can actually talk to computers, we should come up with a whole new way of doing it. Let's hope someone, inside or outside OpenAI, can tell us what that might look like. The weirder the better. It might not be modeled on existing human relationships. It might be something completely different.”
Nvidia's business is strong. Here are some factors that could slow it down:
Asa Fitch | The Wall Street Journal
“NVIDIA is on a roll, delivering another blockbuster quarter of revenue and profit, even as threats emerge that threaten to weaken the company's position at the center of the AI boom. Rivals and major customers are seeking to produce chips that can close the gap on NVIDIA's products. Meanwhile, the AI market, which has proven tricky for some startups, is shifting in ways that could make NVIDIA chips less popular.”
Image credit: Jason Leung/Unsplash
