My WTF. Edition Three. (Aug 12, 2024 - Aug 16, 2024)
Welcome to another thrilling edition of "My Weekly Timeline Feed" (or as I like to call it, My WTF). The world is a fascinating, ever-changing circus, and here I am, trying to keep up while juggling my very limited understanding of it all. Just when I think I’ve finally got a handle on something, the universe throws in a plot twist, reminding me how much I don’t know. So, in this third edition of My WTF, I’m diving headfirst into the wild worlds of the Machine Economy, Security, Life Sciences, and Governance; trying to make sense of recent developments, or at least pretending I do.
Let’s get into it:
Machine Economy (formerly known as AI).¶
One of the many headaches of scaling a social media network is getting people to actually create content. Let’s face it—most of us are content to sit back and scroll rather than jump in and post. As the world retreats into its various virtual cocoons, the demand for a never-ending stream of highly personalised content is about to leave human creators in the dust. Just look at Twitter if you need proof: the same tired talking points recycled endlessly in 140 characters or fewer.
Enter generative art! As our digital experiences become more customised than a billionaire’s Starbucks order, algorithms and their puppet masters are shifting towards real-time content generation. Whether it’s virtual worlds, videos, or music, expect your feed to be filled with content so perfectly tailored to your browsing habits that you’ll wonder if your phone’s been reading your mind (spoiler: it probably has). Gone will be the days of waiting for humans to live their lives and create content for us. Instead, AI will whip up what we want, when we want it, on the spot. And remember that lie detector AI from My WTF Edition 2?? Well, at least we can take comfort in knowing the content is “true,” right?
After over a decade of drones buzzing around like futuristic bees, reshaping everything from warfare to parcel delivery, I’ve finally taken the plunge and bought my first drone. But, like a fine wine, it’s still sitting in its box, aging to perfection. Meanwhile, the world of drones has advanced so much that police departments are using them to track down lost elderly folks and maybe even keep an eye on your neighbourhood BBQ. The technology has become so sophisticated that soon we won’t even need to worry about seeing them—they’ll be zipping around out of sight, making sure you’re never truly alone.
Now, while my drone is enjoying its extended stay in its box, there’s actually a bright side for us here in the Cayman Islands. With the way things are going, these drones could revolutionise how we handle everything from search and rescue operations on our waters to delivering supplies between our islands. Plus, the idea of drones boosting tourism by offering stunning aerial footage of our crystal-clear waters and vibrant landscapes is just too good to ignore. So, when I finally take my drone out for a spin, it might not just be for fun—it could be the start of a whole new way of seeing and serving our beautiful islands.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/08/16/1096517/whats-next-for-drones/
OK, the all-clear has been given—call off the AI police and stop stocking up on tin foil hats. It turns out our robot overlords aren’t arriving anytime soon. According to a new study, the current versions of AI are about as threatening as a toaster with a bad attitude. They’re dumb, can’t learn on their own, and definitely don’t have any independent thoughts. So, you can go ahead and ignore all those dramatic warnings about the impending intelligent revolution; turns out, Skynet is more like Not-yet-net.
In fact, this study from the University of Bath reassures us that AI poses no existential threat to humanity. So, feel free to keep swiping right, binge-watching Netflix, and letting your Roomba bump into walls. The only danger we’re facing from AI right now is maybe a slightly more efficient way to reorder your toilet paper. Sleep tight, humanity—we’re safe from the rise of the machines...for now. But, hey, maybe they’re just playing possum, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal their true plans. Let’s not get too comfortable, just in case these "dumb" AIs are smarter than they’re letting on.
https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/ai-poses-no-existential-threat-to-humanity-new-study-finds/
Life Science.¶
Ha! I have no idea what any of this actually means, but sound-based brain surgery certainly sounds like a future I want to live in—especially if it means no more scalpels or drilling into skulls! This article takes us on a journey through the mind of Dr Neal Kassell, a neurosurgeon who once operated on Joe Biden and now wants to treat everything from tumours to Alzheimer’s with high-frequency sound waves. It’s like something straight out of Elysium—minus the dystopian nightmare, hopefully.
Kassell’s big idea is to use focused ultrasound, a non-invasive technique that could, in the near future, treat serious conditions without making a single incision. Imagine this: you stroll into a clinic, lie down in an MRI machine, and boom—your tumour gets zapped with sound waves, all while you’re back home in time for dinner. Sure, we’re still a few years away from this sci-fi dream becoming a reality for most diseases, but Kassell and his foundation are betting big on it. And honestly, I’m fascinated, even if I’m not quite sure how it all works. Here’s to a future where brain surgery feels like a relaxing day at the spa—literally!
In a completely different approach to the article above, we’re now seeing a merging of biology and generative tissue, and honestly, I’m not sure how to feel about it. The US government, always at the cutting edge of science, has hired a researcher who wants to replace your brain—little by little, of course. Jean Hébert, now part of the US Advanced Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), is pushing the idea that to beat ageing, we might just need to swap out our old, worn-out brains with fresh, lab-grown tissue, bit by bit. Yes, you heard that right.
Hébert’s plan involves gradually replacing brain tissue so that your memories and sense of self can migrate into the new bits without losing what makes you, well, you. It’s like upgrading your brain with new parts as if you were a high-mileage car in need of a tune-up. The idea is so radical that even other scientists are raising their eyebrows—because, let’s face it, getting a brain transplant isn’t exactly as simple as getting a new hip. Yet, with a hefty $110 million budget and the backing of Uncle Sam, Hébert is set to see just how far we can take this blend of biology and tech. So, yes, the future is here, and it’s wearing a lab coat and thinking about how to replace your brain, one piece at a time.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/08/16/1096808/arpa-h-jean-hebert-wants-to-replace-your-brain
Governance.¶
Some days, it feels like the EU's greatest innovation is, well, innovative regulation—which I’m not entirely sure qualifies as innovation at all. Anyway, I’m not convinced that large legislative bodies truly understand how the internet works, nor am I buying into Elon Musk’s self-proclaimed role as the saviour of free speech. Honestly, I’m sceptical of grand proclamations in general and tend to assume that anyone with a stake in the market is mostly just talking their book.
So, here we are, with Brussels attempting to regulate platforms (mostly American ones, of course) to fact-check content created by people all over the world. Meanwhile, Musk is loudly defending people’s freedoms of thought and speech, suggesting that trying to police online speech might be an exercise in futility. I mean, under the cloak of internet anonymity, policing might just be a game of whack-a-mole on steroids. There’s probably some path to equilibrium here, but I’m not convinced that piling on more legislation is the way to find it. I suppose we’ll have to let these titans duke it out and see where we end up—or just wait for AI to start creating all the content we consume, and we can enjoy a harmonious single point of view.
https://www.ft.com/content/640c68b0-4d3d-4c00-a474-004f58ff98ed?mc_cid=b8fd9ded8a&mc_eid=ffde0479d9
So, it turns out that the latest buzz on social media isn’t just from your annoying neighbour; it’s from a covert AI network in Beijing, dubbed "Green Cicada." This sneaky operation has been chirping away on social media, spreading propaganda and fake news faster than your aunt shares cat memes. The network was uncovered after it tried to blend in with regular folks online, but its robotic chirps were just a bit too obvious for the pros who sniff out this kind of thing.
Interestingly, this comes right on the heels of what I mentioned earlier in this edition of My WTF, where AI is generating new virtual content tailored to your every whim. While some AI is busy making your digital life more personalised, others are out here trying to manipulate global opinions with fake personas. It’s like we’re living in an episode of Black Mirror, where AI is not only shaping your entertainment but also trying to shape your worldview. So, next time you see a suspiciously well-crafted tweet from a user with zero followers, it might just be some agency’s AI doing its best impression of a concerned citizen, or worse, trying to tailor your reality without you even noticing.
Security.¶
This is basically the greatest clap back ever. Here, hold my beer:
https://x.com/CertifiedLeggi/status/1823078127574081710
Will the real Slim Trump please stand up, please stand up, please stand up. So, 200,000 people were duped into watching a fake AI-generated video that pretended to be the Musk/Trump X Space on YouTube. Yes, you read that correctly—200,000! It’s hard to decide whether to be amused by the sheer audacity of it all or horrified that so many fell for it.
This is a perfect reminder of why we all need to check our sources before diving headfirst into the latest "breaking news" or viral video. The internet can be a wild place, and not everything you see is what it seems—especially when AI is involved. So, next time you’re about to click on that too-good-to-be-true video, take a moment to double-check. It might just save you from falling for a well-crafted scam!