That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a every day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of expertise.
Inside OpenAI’s large play for science
—Will Douglas Heaven
Within the three years since ChatGPT’s explosive debut, OpenAI’s expertise has upended a outstanding vary of on a regular basis actions at dwelling, at work, and in colleges.
Now OpenAI is making an specific play for scientists. In October, the agency introduced that it had launched an entire new workforce, referred to as OpenAI for Science, devoted to exploring how its massive language fashions might assist scientists and tweaking its instruments to assist them.
So why now? How does a push into science match with OpenAI’s wider mission? And what precisely is the agency hoping to realize? I put these inquiries to Kevin Weil, a vp at OpenAI who leads the brand new OpenAI for Science workforce, in an unique interview. Learn the complete story.
Why chatbots are beginning to test your age
How do tech corporations test if their customers are youngsters?
This query has taken on new urgency lately due to rising concern concerning the risks that may come up when youngsters discuss to AI chatbots. For years Large Tech requested for birthdays (that one might make up) to keep away from violating baby privateness legal guidelines, however they weren’t required to average content material accordingly.
Now, two developments during the last week present how shortly issues are altering within the US and the way this subject is turning into a brand new battleground, even amongst mother and father and child-safety advocates. Learn the complete story.
—James O’Donnell
This story initially appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly publication on AI. To get tales like this in your inbox first, join right here.
TR10: Industrial area stations
People have lengthy dreamed of residing among the many stars, and for 20 years a whole lot of us have achieved so aboard the Worldwide House Station (ISS). However a brand new period is about to start during which non-public corporations function orbital outposts—with the promise of a lot better entry to area than earlier than.
The ISS is getting old and is anticipated to be introduced down from orbit into the ocean in 2031. To interchange it, NASA has awarded greater than $500 million to a number of corporations to develop non-public area stations, whereas others have constructed variations on their very own. Learn why we made them one in every of our 10 Breakthrough Applied sciences this yr, and try the remainder of the record.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you immediately’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 Tech employees are pressuring their bosses to sentence ICE
The most important corporations and their leaders have remained largely silent to this point. (Axios)
+ A whole lot of workers have signed an anti-ICE letter. (NYT $)
+ Previously politically-neutral on-line areas have grow to be battlegrounds. (WP $)
2 The US Division of Transport plans to make use of AI to write down new security guidelines
Please don’t do that. (ProPublica)
+ Failure to catch any errors might result in civilian deaths. (Ars Technica)
3 The FBI is investigating Minnesota Sign chats monitoring federal brokers
However free speech advocates declare the knowledge is legally obtained. (NBC Information)
+ A decide has ordered a briefing on whether or not Minnesota is being illegally punished. (Wired $)
4 TikTok customers declare they’re unable to ship “Epstein” in direct messages
However the firm says it doesn’t know why. (NPR)
+ Customers are additionally experiencing issue importing anti-ICE movies. (CNN)
+ TikTok’s first weekend underneath US possession hasn’t gone properly. (The Verge)
+ Gavin Newsom needs to probe whether or not TikTok is censoring Trump-critical content material. (Politico)
5 Grok shouldn’t be protected for kids or teenagers
That’s the discovering of a brand new report digging into the chatbot’s security measures. (TechCrunch)
+ The EU is investigating whether or not it disseminates unlawful content material, too. (Reuters)
6 The US is on the verge of shedding its measles-free standing
Following a yr of intensive outbreaks. (Undark)
+ Measles is surging within the US. Wastewater monitoring might assist. (MIT Know-how Overview)
7 Georgia has grow to be the most recent US state to contemplate banning knowledge facilities
Becoming a member of Maryland and Oklahoma’s stance. (The Guardian)
+ Knowledge facilities are wonderful. Everybody hates them. (MIT Know-how Overview)
8 The way forward for Saudi Arabia’s futuristic metropolis is in peril
The Line was supposed to accommodate 9 million individuals. As an alternative, it might grow to be a knowledge heart hub. (FT $)
+ We received an unique first have a look at it again in 2022. (MIT Know-how Overview)
9 The place do Earth’s lighter components go? 
New analysis suggests they is perhaps hiding deep inside its core. (Knowable Journal)
10 AI-generated influencers are getting more and more surreal
That includes digital conjoined twins, and triple-breasted ladies. (404 Media)
+ Why ‘nudifying’ tech is getting steadily extra harmful. (Wired $)
Quote of the day
“Humanity is about to be handed nearly unimaginable energy, and it’s deeply unclear whether or not our social, political, and technological programs possess the maturity to wield it.”
—Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei sounds the alarm about what he sees as the approaching risks of AI superintelligence in a brand new 38-page essay, Axios experiences.
Yet another factor
Why one developer received’t stop preventing to attach the US’s grids
Michael Skelly hasn’t realized to take no for a solution. For a lot of the final 15 years, the power entrepreneur has labored to develop long-haul transmission strains to hold wind energy throughout the Nice Plains, Midwest, and Southwest. However to this point, he has little to point out for the trouble.
Skelly has lengthy argued that constructing such strains and linking collectively the nation’s grids would speed up the shift from coal- and natural-gas-fueled energy vegetation to the renewables wanted to chop the air pollution driving local weather change. However his earlier enterprise shut down in 2019, after halting two of its initiatives and promoting off pursuits in three extra.
Skelly contends he was early, not incorrect. And he has a degree: markets and policymakers are more and more coming round to his perspective. Learn the complete story.
—James Temple
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Cats on the quilt of the New Yorker! Want I say extra?
+ Right here’s the right way to know once you really love somebody.
+ This orphaned child seal is simply too cute.
+ I all the time had a sneaky suspicion that Depeche Mode and the Remedy make for good bedfellows.
