Plus, 23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection in advance of a possible sale
The Downloadis our weekly newsletterthat gives you a daily dose on what’s happening in the worlds of technology.
Why giving AI agents total control would be a big mistake
–Margaret Mitchell and Avijit Ghosh work for Hugging Face an open source AI company.
The tech industry is buzzing with AI agents. These new systems, unlike chatbots, can navigate multiple applications and execute complex tasks like scheduling meetings or online shopping in response to simple commands. As agents become more capable a critical question arises: To what extent are we willing and able to give up control?
This promise is compelling. Who doesn’t need help with tedious tasks or those that take up too much time? This vision of AI agents comes with significant risks, which might be overlooked in a rush to greater autonomy. Our research suggests that the development of AI agents could be on a precipice of a serious mistake. Read the complete story. OpenAI released its first research on how using ChatGPT impacts people’s emotional well-being
OpenAI reports that over 400 million people are using ChatGPT each week. But how does it affect us when we interact with it? Does it make us feel more or less alone? OpenAI, in partnership with MIT Media Lab, set out to explore these questions in a new pair of studies. They found that, while only a small group of users are emotionally engaged with ChatGPT there are some interesting differences between men and women’s responses to the chatbot. They also found that those who “bonded” and trusted ChatGPT were more likely to be lonely and rely more on it than other participants.
Chatbots that use large language models to power them are a new technology and difficult to study. This research is a first step in gaining a better understanding of the impact ChatGPT has on us. It could also help AI platforms to enable safer and healthier interactions. Read the complete story.
–Rhiannon Williams
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
Genetic testing company 23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection.
After months of uncertainty about its future. (CNN)
+ Tens millions of people’s DNA data could soon be in the hands of a new owner. WSJ ($)
+ What you need to know about deleting your 23andMe information. MIT Technology Review
2. Europe wants to reduce its reliance on US cloud giants.
This is easier said than done. (Wired $)
3 Anduril is looking at opening a drone plant in the UK
Europe will be investing heavily in defense, and Anduril wants to get in. (Bloomberg $)
+ A major drone contract was recently signed by the company with the UK government. Insider ($)
+ A demo of the AI system that powers Anduril’s war vision was shown. MIT Technology Review
A sheep in the UK has been infected with bird flu
This is the first time the virus has infected a sheep. (FT $)
+ However, the UK has yet to report any human transmission. How the US is preparing to deal with a possible bird flu pandemic. MIT Technology Review
A tiny town in Alps is a hotspot for ALS
This suggests that its causes could be more genetic than environmental. (The Atlantic$)
+ The disease that took their voices is motor neuron disease. AI is bringing their voices back. MIT Technology Review
The Blue Ghost lunar lander from Firefly Aerospace has completed its mission.
It captured some pretty amazing footage along the way. (NYT $)
+ Europe finally takes commercial rockets seriously. MIT Technology Review
8 How the US can save billions in wasted energy
Multi-pane, ultra-tough windows could be the solution. (WSJ $)
8 We need new ways of measuring pain
Scientists are searching for objective biological markers to eliminate guesswork. (WP $)
+ We can measure the level of pain by analyzing brain waves. MIT Technology Review
What falling in love with AI could look like.
Whether loving machines are training grounds for future relationships or the future itself is unclear. (New Yorker $)
+ AI relationship revolution has already begun. MIT Technology Review
Could you walk in a line for hundreds or miles? YouTube’s new favorite challenge isn’t as difficult as it is inconvenient. (The Guardian )
Today’s Quote
Blockbuster has collapsed. It’s time to rise for Netflix.”
–Kian Sadeghi pitches their company, DNA testing firm Nucleus Genomics as a replacement for the 23andMe service in apost on X. This town’s mining fight reveals the contentious road to a cleaner tomorrow
January 2024.
June last year Talon, an exploration mining company, submitted to Minnesota state regulators a proposal for beginning to dig up as much as a 725,000 metric ton of raw ore each year.
Talon wants to distance itself from mining’s dirty history, presenting its plan as an environmentally friendly, clean model of modern mineral extraction. The site is said to be a part of a greener US future by producing nickel for batteries for electric cars, trucks and other vehicles. It also claims to have low emissions and minimal environmental impact.
As the company quickly learned, locals are not in favor of major mining operations near their communities. Read the complete story. Read the full story.
