The article also covers the ongoing US-China technology rivalry, with Huawei's new 5G chip raising concerns about the company circumventing sanctions. Other topics include the potential of exascale computing, the rise of 'deinfluencing', and the challenges of maintaining free open-source software. The article concludes with a section on comfort and fun, featuring unique stories and suggestions for relaxation.
Key takeaways:
- Neuroscientists have been able to read minds for decades using fMRI scanners and more recently, generative AI tools. However, this form of "mind reading" is limited and cannot infer thoughts and feelings.
- Google DeepMind's new AI model, GraphCast, can predict extreme weather events up to 10 days in advance, more accurately and faster than current methods.
- Huawei, despite being blocked from sourcing 5G chips or working with chip factories outside of China since 2020, shocked the world by selling a new flagship phone with a new 5G chip.
- A massive vulnerability in the open-source tool Log4J, which is widely used to record activity inside various types of software, has put billions of machines at risk.