Plus, Trump says he has found a group to buy TikTok.
The Downloadis our weekly newsletterthat gives you a daily dose on what’s happening in the worlds of technology. Meet Jim O’Neill. The longevity enthusiast is now RFK Jr.’s Right-Hand Man
When Jim O’Neill’s nomination to be the second in charge at the US Department of Health and Human Services was announced, longevity enthusiasts were thrilled.
O’Neill, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s right-hand man is expected to have authority over health agencies that oversee drug regulation and fund biomedical research. O’Neill may steer the agencies into controversial new directions, even though he doesn’t subscribe Kennedy’s most controversial beliefs.
O’Neill has a good reputation in the tight-knit and well-funded longevity community. Speaking with over 20 people in the longevity field who are familiar with O’Neill, they all share a genuine optimism regarding his leadership. Read about his beliefs and our story.
— Jessica Hamzelou
Inside OpenAI’s Empire with Karen Hao.
AI Journalist Karen Hao’s recently released book, Empire of AI : Dreams and Nightmares of Sam Altman’s OpenAI.tells the story of OpenAI’s rise to prominence and its far-reaching impacts all over the globe.
Hao will be joined by Niall Firth, our executive editor, in a Roundtable discussion that is exclusive to subscribers. They will discuss the AI arms race and what it means for us all. Register here to join us today at 9am ET!
Special Giveaway: Attendees can receive a free book by Hao. Details are available on the registration form.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
Donald Trump claims he has found buyers for TikTok.
Will China agree to sell them? This is the real obstacle. (FT $)
+ The deadline for the final decision is September 17. The Trump administration has become even more secretive.
Staff have been instructed to avoid a paper trail at all costs. (WP$)
3 Canada has rescinded plans to tax US tech firms
This is the price of reopening trade negotiations with America. (Axios, )
+ The surveillance maker Hikvision was ordered to cease operations within Canada. The tax was due to take effect today. NPR
Four fake AI videos detailing Diddy’s trial are all over YouTube
These slop clips were watched millions of time. The Guardian (19459035)
This patient’s Neuralink implant is given a boost by generative AI. MIT Technology Review
Meta wants to train their AI on photos that you haven’t uploaded yet
While it hasn’t done so yet, in the future it may. (The Verge )
+ They’ve started asking for permission. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s focus is narrowing
TechCrunch
(NOW$)
+ This is a bad news for communities who have become dependent on it. WP($)
8 Fine-tuning LLMs so that they behave well makes them more prone to say no
You get either’safe or helpful’. It seems like asking for both simultaneously is too much. (404 Media)
+ The benchmark used Reddit’s AITA to test the amount of AI models that fool us. MIT Technology Review
Your next home may be made of superwood
This engineered material is stronger and bulletproof than steel. (WSJ$)
+ The quest to engineer climate saving “super trees.” Or worse?
A lot to think about (The Atlantic, $)
+ Meet designer of gender-neutral Emoji. MIT Technology Review
Today’s Quote
I feel a visceral emotion right now, like someone has broken into our house and stolen something.
–Mark Chen is OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer. He reacts to Meta poaching OpenAI’s top talent for its AI lab. Wired reported.
Just one more thing
The strange limbo millions of IVF eggs are inMillions embryos created by IVF are frozen in time and stored in cryopreservation tank around the world. The number of IVF embryos is increasing due to technological advances, IVF’s growing popularity, and its improved success rates.
An embryo is a small ball of cells. It is a living tissue unlike other types. Many people believe that this gives embryos a special moral standing, which requires special protection.
But no one is able to agree on exactly what this status is. While these embryos remain in suspended animation, legislators, clinicians, and embryologists must wrestle with the question of what to do with them. What do these eggs mean to us? Who should be accountable for them? Read the whole story.
— Jessica Hamzelou
You can still enjoy nice things
An area for comfort, entertainment and distraction that will brighten your day. (Do you have any ideas? Drop a line (or (or skeet them at me).
+ Do we have a song for the summer?
+ Improving your grip will not only make you stronger but it could also help you live longer.
What’s in Bruce Springsteen’s vault? Let’s peer inside.
How to find the good even in the bad even when it seems impossible.
