The Verge: “In decades past, humans have used charisma destructively for control an profit, forming cults that turn abusive and financially exploitative. Now, AI systems could be used to do the same thing at a larger and more personalized scale. “It’s a cult-making machine, even if the cult is just you and it,” Stein said.”
FT: “Scientists in the US have for the first time used artificial intelligence to create viruses unknown in nature, a milestone in synthetic biology that promises advances in healthcare but also raises important biosafety and biosecurity concerns. Stanford University researchers developed a generative AI programme called Evo 2 that writes new genomes — the genetic instructions for life encoded in DNA. They used it to design and make 16 synthetic phages, small viruses that infect bacteria. Phages are sometimes used instead of antibiotic drugs to kill bacteria causing disease.”
WSJ: “Although GPS satellites are U.S.-owned military hardware, the reference frame relies on an international patchwork of aging radio-telescopes staring at quasars, laser-ranging stations and physical ground markers anchored to shifting tectonic plates. If that network were designated critical infrastructure, it would mean funding and protecting those ground nodes and data pipelines—many of which survive on academic grants. “When” and “where” weren’t given to us by nature. To keep from getting lost, humans must engineer and maintain both frames of reference.”
Arjun Vaidya: “How many Indian platforms are sitting on a customer relationship they can monetise another way? Everyone is chasing new users. The bigger unlock might be the second business you already have permission to sell.”
