The Download: OpenAI’s defense contract, and making food from microbes
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OpenAI’s new defense contract completes its military focus
In early 2024, OpenAI’s rules for how its artificial intelligence models could be used by the armed forces were very clear: No one was allowed to use them for “weapons development” or “military and warfare.”
Over the course of this year, OpenAI has gradually relaxed these restrictions, and now OpenAI has announced that its technology will be deployed directly on the battlefield.
The company is working with Anduril Defense Technologies, a maker of artificial intelligence drones, radar systems and missiles, to help U.S. and allied forces defend against drone attacks. Read our story to learn how and why this transformation unfolded.
——James O’Donnell
Would you eat dried microbes? The company hopes so.
what’s new: A company best known for absorbing industrial waste is turning its attention to food. LanzaTech, a rising star in the fuels and chemicals industry, is joining a growing number of companies producing microbial foods as alternatives to plant and animal products.
Why it’s important: Currently, the global food system emits about 25% to 35% of human greenhouse gas emissions, most of which comes from the livestock industry. Alternative food sources can help feed the world while reducing climate pollution. Read the full story.
—Kathy Cronhardt
Read more about the potential positive impacts The climate impact of alternative meatscheck out the latest issue of The Spark, our weekly climate and energy newsletter. Sign up Get it in your inbox every Wednesday.
Google DeepMind’s new AI model is the best yet in weather forecasting
Google DeepMind has unveiled an artificial intelligence model that can predict weather better than the best current systems.
The new model, called GenCast, is the second artificial intelligence weather model Google has launched in the past few months. In July, it released details of NeuralGCM, a model that combines artificial intelligence with physics-based methods such as those used in existing prediction tools. The performance of this model is similar to traditional methods, but uses less computing power.
GenCast is different because it relies solely on artificial intelligence methods. It works a bit like ChatGPT, but instead of predicting the next most likely word in a sentence, it generates the next most likely weather condition. Although the results are impressive, this does not mean the end of traditional meteorology as a field. Read the full story.
——Scott J. Mulligan
A must read
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most interesting/important/scary/fascinating tech stories.
1 Donald Trump names a billionaire astronaut to lead NASA
Jarrad Isaacman has been in space twice and was the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk. (cbs news)
+ Not surprisingly, he is also a close associate of Elon Musk. (fast company $)
+ Will this appointment make Musk more willing to obey NASA? (economist $)
2 The price of a single Bitcoin has exceeded $100,000
This is a remarkable milestone for a cryptocurrency known for its volatility. (Now $)
+ The industry faithfully hopes that Donald Trump will pass crypto-friendly laws. (The Guardian)
+ Congratulations, investors. What happens next? (financial times $)
3 Humane hasn’t given up on AI pins
Although sales will be small, the company hopes to embed the device into your phone and car. (edge)+ This pin is featured in our first-ever Artificial Intelligence Hype Index. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Amazon delivery speeds are slower in low-income zip codes
Even though Washington residents pay for the same Prime plan as their wealthier neighbors. (wet powder $)
+ A lawsuit claims Amazon covered up the real cause of the delays. (technical art)
5 Law Enforcement Disrupts Two Major Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Networks
Criminals use criminal networks to convert huge amounts of cash into cryptocurrencies. (wired $)
+ Cryptocurrency scams are rampant in Dubai. (Bloomberg $)
6 What’s wrong with the world’s largest offshore wind power company?
Ørsted was riding the clean energy wave, until that wasn’t the case. (financial times $)
+ The UK has failed miserably at harnessing wind energy properly. (Bloomberg $)
+ What’s next for offshore wind? (MIT Technology Review)
7 OnlyFans quietly launched in China
Although pornography is still illegal in the country. (CNN)
+ Chinese gamers are using the Steam wallpaper app to get pornographic content past censorship. (MIT Technology Review)
8 We are about to solve one of the great mysteries of the universe
Its largest galaxies may have been formed by “cosmic collisions.” (The Guardian)
+ A galaxy that once looked like a sombrero…not anymore. (CNN)
9 This winged drone can jump
Make it look a lot like a robot bird. (IEEE Spectrum)
+ What’s next for drones. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Why would X be devastated by a woman’s PhD thesis?
All of you, go outside and touch some grass. (Walkers)
Quotation of the day
“We never doubted. We never wavered. We never stopped building.
——Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com exchange, celebrates the global valuation of a single Bitcoin coin soaring to $100,000. postal on X.
big story
What is the future for people born today?
August 2024
Happy birthday, baby.
You were born in an era of intelligent machines. They have been caring for you almost from the moment you were conceived. They let your parents listen to your tiny heartbeat, track your pregnancy on apps, and post your sonograms on social media. You’ve known about algorithms since before you were born.
Your arrival coincides with the magazine’s 125th anniversary. With a little luck and the right genes, you might see the next 125 years. How will you and the next generation of machines grow together? We asked a dozen experts to imagine your future. read their prophecies.
——Carla Plato
we can still have good things
A comfortable, fun, distracting place to brighten up your day. (Any ideas? Leave me a message or tweet me.)
+ If you want the best pizza in the world, you should go jersey city (obviously)
+ Want to give something you previously owned this Christmas? Make sure you do these Necessary checks.
+ Science can tell us how to fight bullying.
+ Uh——Honey Fraud is on the rise! 
2024-12-05 13:10:00