This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
A startup claims it broke through a bottleneck that’s holding back LLMs
AI startup Subquadratic came out of stealth last month with a huge claim: it had solved a mathematical bottleneck that had held back large language models for almost a decade.
The purported breakthrough comes from slashing the number of computations transformers need to carry out to generate answers. The result is a faster and cheaper LLM that uses far less energy than any other model on the market.
Many experts remained skeptical—but Subquadratic has started to share the receipts. They suggest that their approach might be worth paying attention to.
Here’s how the system works—and why some researchers still aren’t convinced.
—Will Douglas Heaven
Brain-computer interface trials are taking off
—Jessica Hamzelou
This week, I covered the story of Casey Harrell—a man with ALS who is “the first power user” of a brain implant. The device has enabled him to maintain an income, reconnect with friends and family, and read to his daughter. He told me that it’s “nothing short of revolutionary.”
Over the past couple of years, the number of BCI trial volunteers has soared. This year, China became the first country to approve a BCI for medical use. Advances in technology are allowing engineers to provide more features than ever. BCI research is properly taking off.
Find out how the technology is edging from the lab towards the market.
This story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Amazon workers who backed data center limits may face termination
The engineers say they’re under investigation by the company. (NYT $)
+ And could face discipline, including potential termination. (The Verge)
+They had testified at meetings about pausing data centers. (CNBC)
+ They’ve filed a joint complaint to Seattle’s Office for Civil Rights. (Wired $)
2 A new fossil discovery has rewritten 150 years of evolutionary theory
It suggests early land vertebrates skipped the tadpole stage. (New Scientist $)
+ And raises questions about how vertebrates adapted to land. (404 Media)
+ Sponges may have been the first animals. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Bernie Sanders plans to give the public direct ownership of AI firms
He’s unveiled new legislation to create an AI sovereign wealth fund. (AP News)
+ It would be funded through a one-time tax on AI companies’ stock. (Quartz)
+ And make annual payments directly to Americans. (Washington Post $)
4 Investors in China secretly acquired stakes in SpaceX before its IPO
One had ties to Chinese military contractors. (ProPublica)
+ The US fears China has got one of ASML’s top machines. (Reuters $)
5 Researchers have figured out Russia’s nuclear-powered missile
They call it “a terrible idea”—but not an impossible one. (NPR)
+ NASA is building a nuclear reactor-powered spacecraft. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Longevity medicine faces a do-or-die moment in a landmark trial
It will test whether cellular aging can be safely reversed in humans. (Axios)
+ The next step is “chemical reprogramming.” (MIT Technology Review)
7 Studies suggest AI may already be deskilling professionals
Over-reliance appears to weaken doctors’ and engineers’ abilities. (Nature)
8 Tech workers who maxed out their AI use are now trying to minimize it
Spiralling costs mean “tokenminning” has replaced “tokenmaxxing.” (NYT $)
9 Scientists say the human genome’s structure may confound AI models
Which would constrain AI-based models of biology and disease. (Quanta)
10 A new robotic self-driving toilet brings the bathroom to you
The Xiaoban also cleans up and empties itself all on its own. (The Verge)
Quote of the day
“They hated me. They were doing everything they could to knock me down. And look at them now.”
—Donald Trump mocks Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos in a conversation with Elon Musk that’s recounted in a new book, Wired reports.
One More Thing
Technology can help us feed the world, if we look beyond profit
The pandemic exposed the weak spots in our interconnected food system. They’re the result of decades’ worth of technological advances, from globe-spanning shipping to refrigeration networks. But technology is not inherently opposed to sustainable and resilient food systems.
Powerful technologies like genetic modification can create stronger local agriculture and a healthier food system—but they normally aren’t. The challenge is ensuring they serve food security and human well-being, rather than simply maximizing profits.
Dive into our food system’s problems and the solutions that technology can provide.
—Fabio Parasecoli
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)
+ This intriguing video tracks the covert reality of Japan’s shinobi.
+ Dive into this admirably obsessive archive covering over 100 different ways to tie your shoes.
+ One of the world’s largest digital collections of plants and fungi is now available for free to everyone.
+ A grand orchestra has beautifully covered Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” at Abbey Road Studios.
