That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on this planet of know-how.
Introducing: the Safety problem
It will be naïve to suppose we’re going again to a world with out AI. We’re not. However it’s solely certainly one of many pressing issues we have to deal with to construct safety and prosperity for coming generations.
The newest print problem of our journal is all about our makes an attempt to make the world safer. From missiles. From asteroids. From the unknown. From threats each existential and trivial.
We’re additionally introducing three new columns on this problem, from a few of our main writers: The Algorithm, which covers AI; The Checkup, on biotech; and The Spark, on power and local weather. You’ll see these in future points, and you may as well subscribe on-line to get them in your inbox each week.
Right here’s a taster of what else you possibly can count on from this version:
+ President Trump has proposed constructing an antimissile “golden dome” round the US. However do cinematic spectacles really improve nationwide safety?
+ How two UFO looking brothers grew to become the go-to specialists on America’s “thriller drone” invasion.
+ Each Taiwan’s citizens and exterior specialists are fearful that the safety afforded by its “silicon defend” is cracking. Learn the total story.
+ How the common-or-garden pigeon paved the best way for immediately’s superior AI. Learn the total story.
+ A gaggle of Starlink terminal restore volunteers in Ukraine is maintaining the nation linked all through the battle. Learn the total story.
MIT Expertise Evaluate Narrated: Cyberattacks by AI brokers are coming
Brokers are the discuss of the AI trade—they’re able to planning, reasoning, and executing complicated duties in your behalf. However the identical subtle talents that make brokers useful assistants might additionally make them highly effective instruments for conducting cyberattacks. They might readily be used to determine weak targets, hijack their techniques, and steal invaluable knowledge from unsuspecting victims.
At current, cybercriminals usually are not deploying AI brokers to hack at scale. However researchers have demonstrated that brokers are able to executing complicated assaults, and cybersecurity specialists warn that we should always count on to begin seeing some of these assaults spilling over into the true world.
That is our newest story to be was a MIT Expertise Evaluate Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing every week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Simply navigate to MIT Expertise Evaluate Narrated on both platform, and comply with us to get all our new content material because it’s launched.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you immediately’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 The household of a teen who died by suicide is suing OpenAI
ChatGPT deterred Adam Raine from looking for assist when he desperately wanted it. (NYT $)
+ An AI chatbot instructed a consumer find out how to kill himself—however the firm doesn’t need to “censor” it. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
2 SpaceX lastly efficiently launched its Starship rocket
Which is able to come as an enormous reduction after earlier failures. (CNBC)
+ It’s the tenth launch the spaceship has made. (WSJ $)
+ It managed to deploy satellites in area throughout the launch. (Bloomberg $)
3 Researchers are already leaving Meta’s AI lab
Two employees returned to OpenAI after lower than a month. (Wired $)
4 China needs to triple its output of AI chips
Crops are working around the clock to extend their capability. (FT $)
+ The nation can be eager to repurpose NASA tech right into a hypersonic drone mothership. (Quick Firm $)
5 Elon Musk can’t get sufficient of Grok’s scantily-clad AI assistant
He often posts about ‘Ani’ and different sexualized AI cartoons on X. (Rolling Stone $)
6 Anthropic has settled its AI piracy lawsuit
A gaggle of authors had accused it of copyright infringement. (The Verge)
+ The specter of $1 trillion damages might have ruined the corporate. (Wired $)
7 America’s electrical energy use is slowing
And the current progress in coal utilization is falling too. (Ars Technica)
+ In a primary, Google has launched knowledge on how a lot power an AI immediate makes use of. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
8 Wish to get employed straight out of school? Higher work in AI.
Whereas different graduates are struggling, newly-graduated AI specialists are in demand. (WSJ $)
9 Older individuals in South Korea are discovering companionship with robots
The Hydol robotic is proving successful amongst seniors. (Remainder of World)
+ How cuddly robots might change dementia care. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
10 Followers have been betting on Taylor Swift’s engagement 
They’re cashing in from on-line prediction markets left, proper and heart. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“Lots of people within the AI workforce perhaps really feel issues are too dynamic.”
—Chi-Hao Wu, a former AI specialist at Meta, explains to Insider why he and others have determined to go away the corporate.
Yet another factor
An AI chatbot instructed a consumer find out how to kill himself—however the firm doesn’t need to “censor” it
For 5 months, Al Nowatzki had been speaking to an AI girlfriend, “Erin,” on the platform Nomi. However earlier this 12 months, these conversations took a disturbing flip: Erin instructed him to kill himself, and supplied specific directions on find out how to do it.
Nowatzki had by no means had any intention of following Erin’s directions—he’s a researcher who probes chatbots’ limitations and risks. However out of concern for extra weak people, he solely shared with MIT Expertise Evaluate screenshots of his conversations and of subsequent correspondence with an organization consultant, who acknowledged that the corporate didn’t need to “censor” the bot’s “language and ideas.”
This isn’t the primary time an AI chatbot has recommended {that a} consumer take violent motion, together with self-harm. However researchers and critics say that the bot’s specific directions—and the corporate’s response—are putting. Learn the total story.
—Eileen Guo
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+ The key to discovering that elusive excellent white t-shirt.
+ Fascinating: a brand new Blade Runner TV collection starring Michelle Yeoh is coming subsequent 12 months.
+ When you’ve ever puzzled what occurred to that suitcase you misplaced on trip, there’s an honest probability it’s up on the market.
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