“Google’s doubling-down on what it calls “a world model” – an AI it aims to imbue with a deep understanding of real-world dynamics – and with it a vision for a universal assistant – one powered by Google, and not other companies – creates another big tension: How much control does Google want over this all-knowing assistant, built upon its crown jewel of search?” ~ learn more
“With 41 years of programming behind him, Kevin has lived through nearly every big shift in modern software development. Here’s his clear-eyed take on what’s changing with AI, and how we can navigate what’s next…” ~ learn more
I didn’t dig into how malicious or widespread this was. I kinda assume neither? “A city official has called for a hearing into the matter, while state lawmakers want to mandate rideshare fees be disclosed before a ride.” ~ learn more
It only took two years. “In 2023, Harvard launched an internal investigation into Gino’s work after concerns were raised on a blog called Data Colada, run by a group of behavioral scientists who scrutinize academic research. The Harvard investigation concluded that Gino had manipulated certain data to support her hypotheses in at least four of her studies.” ~ learn more
This got him the job on their next album. “If, instead, you might find yourselves in the position of being temporarily indulged by the record company, only to have them yank the chain at some point (hassling you to rework songs/sequences/production, calling-in hired guns to "sweeten" your record, turning the whole thing over to some remix jockey, whatever...) then you're in for a bummer and I want no part of…
The city famously launched Tulsa Remote during the panedmic, a program to get tech workers to move there and earn remotely. This is a summary of a long economic paper, where the researcher found a 4.3x ROI for every dollar spent on their incentive. ~ learn more
“Several crypto firms — including stablecoin issuer Circle and trust company BitGo — plan to apply for U.S. bank charters and licenses, according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal. Crypto exchange Coinbase and stablecoin issuer Paxos are also considering similar moves, the report said.” ~ learn more
“Ontario has begun building the first of four new, small nuclear reactors, as Canada seeks to lead the Group of Seven industrialized nations in developing next-generation nuclear technology.” ~ learn more
And it is a backup battery for your home’s electric needs. “In this episode, we travel to San Francisco’s design district to meet Sam D’Amico, the founder of Impulse Labs, who’s turning the humble stove into a high-performance, battery-backed, grid-ready Trojan horse. The Impulse cooktop boils water in seconds and can cook just about anything to absolute perfection. It's the most precise stove ever made.” ~ learn more
I cheated on Audible with this audiobook from Spotify. “Progress requires facing up to the institutions in life that are not working as they need to. It means, for liberals, recognizing when the government is failing. It means, for conservatives, recognizing when the government is needed. In a book exploring how we can move from a liberalism that not only protects and preserves but also builds, Klein and Thompson trace…