The Download: autocorrect’s surprising origins, and how to pre-bunk electoral misinformation
May 28, 2024 - technologyreview.com
The newsletter discusses various topics in the technology world, including the history of Chinese character input on QWERTY keyboards, the issues with GPT-4o's Chinese token-training data, and the training of the successor to GPT-4 by OpenAI. It also covers China's efforts to bolster its national semiconductor fund, the high costs of building nuclear plants, the potential of laser systems against military drones, and the use of generative AI in Klarna's marketing campaigns.
Other topics include the problem with EV charging in the US, the limitations of betting in the US, the trend of parents using Facetune on their children's photos, and the failed attempt to create a movie version of The Sims. The newsletter ends with a feature on the movement to revive the early internet's individualistic and human touch in website design using HTML.
Key takeaways:
The quest to type Chinese on a QWERTY keyboard led to the creation of autocomplete.
GPT-4o’s Chinese token-training data is polluted by spam and porn websites, which could lead to poor performance and misuse.
OpenAI has started training the successor to GPT-4, just weeks after revealing an updated version, GPT-4o.
There is a movement among programmers to revive the use of HTML for building websites, celebrating the human touch in digital experiences.
