The newsletter also discusses the slow development of augmentative and alternative communication apps for the iPad, despite its potential to revolutionize accessibility. Other stories include the rise of AI-generated art, the challenges artists face promoting themselves online, and the impact of the switch from analog to digital. The newsletter ends with a section dedicated to fun and comforting stories, such as the release of a pigeon detained as a spy and the 50th anniversary of Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark".
Key takeaways:
- A team of researchers at New York University has been studying how AI can learn like a baby, using a smaller dataset of sights and sounds experienced by a single child learning to talk. This could lead to better AI models.
- Japan has approved a new self-amplifying mRNA vaccine for covid, which could potentially induce a more durable immune response. The company has also filed for approval in Europe and is working on a similar vaccine for flu.
- Universal Music Group has removed its artists' music from TikTok, claiming the platform is not compensating musicians appropriately. This has led to backlash from fans and artists.
- The iPad, which was initially seen as a revolutionary tool for accessibility, has not lived up to expectations. There are only a handful of communication apps available for non-speakers, each retailing for $200 to $300, and development has been slow.