Afrigather Plus: TikTok is having its day in court docket
That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what is going on on on the earth of expertise.
Why we’d like an AI security hotline
—Kevin Frazier is an assistant professor at St. Thomas College Faculty of Legislation and senior analysis fellow within the Constitutional Research Program on the College of Texas at Austin.
Previously couple of years, regulators have been caught off guard many times as tech corporations compete to launch ever extra superior AI fashions. Because it stands, it appears there’s little anybody can do to delay or stop the discharge of a mannequin that poses extreme dangers.
Present measures to mitigate AI dangers aren’t sufficient to guard us, so we’d like new approaches. One could possibly be a form of AI security hotline tasked with knowledgeable volunteers. Learn extra about how the hotline may work.
African farmers are utilizing non-public satellite tv for pc knowledge to enhance crop yields
In lots of creating international locations, farming is impaired by lack of knowledge. For hundreds of years, farmers relied on native intelligence rooted in expertise and hope.
Now, farmers in Africa are turning to expertise to keep away from cycles of heavy crop losses that might spell monetary catastrophe. They’re partnering with EOS Knowledge Analytics, a California-based supplier of satellite tv for pc imagery and knowledge for precision farming, which permits them to trace the place or when particular spots wanted consideration on varied farms—and even to anticipate climate warnings. Learn the total story.
—Orji Sunday
This piece is from the newest print concern of MIT Know-how Evaluate, which is celebrating 125 years of the journal! Should you don’t already, subscribe now to get 25% off future copies as soon as they land.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you at this time’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 TikTok is heading to court docket at this time
An appeals court docket will hear whether or not the app must be banned within the US. (The Verge)
+ The app is preventing the potential ban, which might kick in early subsequent 12 months. (NYT $)
+ The miserable reality behind US makes an attempt to ban TikTok. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
2 China has made a chipmaking gear breakthrough
A brand new machine ought to reduce its reliance on suppliers sanctioned by the US. (Bloomberg $)
+ What’s subsequent in chips. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
3 OpenAI’s latest AI fashions could possibly be used to create bioweapons
The corporate itself has given its newest releases its highest security warning to this point. (FT $)
+ In idea, it may support consultants with reproducing a organic menace. (Vox)
+ To keep away from AI doom, be taught from nuclear security. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
4 Large Tech’s carbon footprint is probably going manner larger than they are saying
Like, 662% larger. (The Guardian)
+ Google, Amazon and the issue with Large Tech’s local weather claims. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
5 Donald Trump is launching a brand new crypto enterprise
He’s set to launch it throughout a livestream at this time. (NYT $)
6 SpaceX’s non-public house mission has touched down security on Earth
The primary industrial mission was a giant success—and opened the doorways for future non-government tasks. (BBC)
+ The crew reached a better altitude than any human has traveled in 50 years. (CNN)
7 We have to cease constructing within the ocean
It’s severely affecting the way in which marine life navigates. (The Atlantic $)
8 We’re nonetheless studying about the advantages of breast milk
Its antimicrobial properties may assist to deal with most cancers and different circumstances. (Economist $)
+ Startups are racing to breed breast milk within the lab. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
9 What the way forward for meals holds
From robotic cooks to more healthy potatoes. (WSJ $)
+ Robotic-packed meals are coming to the frozen-food aisle. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
10 Meet Silicon Valley’s critically pampered pets 🐕
Pet tech does not come low cost. (The Info $)
Quote of the day
“Welcome again to planet Earth.”
—The host of the stay SpaceX broadcast monitoring the return of the corporate’s Polaris Daybreak crew greets their homecoming after 5 days in orbit, the Washington Publish reviews.
The large story
The way forward for open supply remains to be very a lot in flux
August 2023
When Xerox donated a brand new laser printer to MIT in 1980, the corporate couldn’t have identified that the machine would ignite a revolution.
Whereas the early a long time of software program growth usually ran on a tradition of open entry, this new printer ran on inaccessible proprietary software program, a lot to the horror of Richard M. Stallman, then a 27-year-old programmer on the college.
A couple of years later, Stallman launched GNU, an working system designed to be a free various to one of many dominant working techniques on the time: Unix. The free-software motion was born, with a easy premise: for the great of the world, all code must be open.
Forty years later, tech corporations are making billions on proprietary software program, and far of the expertise round us is inscrutable. However whereas Stallman’s motion could appear like a failed experiment, the free and open-source software program motion will not be solely alive and properly; it has grow to be a keystone of the tech trade. Learn the total story.
—Rebecca Ackermann
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ The Resort California solo collection continues, this time with a really intense recorder version (thanks Niall!)
+ Avocados must be extinct!? Say it ain’t so!
+ This fast and simple peach cobbler recipe seems to be like an absolute deal with.
+ Nothing however love for Moo Deng the tiny viral child hippo. 🦛
