Today's edition of The Download is the weekday newsletter that gives you a daily dose from the world of technology.
ChatGPT will not destroy education
ChatGPT was dropped by OpenAI in November 2022. The chatbot was widely criticized for being a free essay-writing and test-taking tool, making it easy to cheat.
Schools quickly blocked OpenAI's website from their computers, and several universities issued statements warning students against cheating with the chatbot.
It was understandable to feel panic at first. ChatGPT is able to answer questions and create slick, structured text on nearly any topic, including Shakespearean string theory. Three months later, things look a lot brighter. The complete story is available here.
–Will Douglas Heaven
Will's article is in our forthcoming Education print issue. Subscribe to MIT Technology Review for as low as $80 per year, if you don't have it already.
The future of mining for renewable energie could be in these deep-sea potatoes
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about deep-sea mining. Some advocates believe that certain areas on the ocean floor could provide the key to some of the metals needed to make batteries and other technology essential for combating climate change.
However, commercial efforts are a matter of increasing controversy. There is much uncertainty over how they will affect ecosystems and there is also a lot political at play.
The UN group that was formed last week to resolve all of this has just completed its meetings. This summer, there may be key actions regarding deep-sea mines. Casey Crownhart, our climate reporter, explains why the small lumps of potato size called polymetallic nosdules that are found on the seabed may help solve the shortage in essential metals needed to make more EV battery packs. The full story is available here.
Casey's story comes from The Spark, her weekly energy and climate newsletter. Get it delivered to your inbox every Wednesday by signing up
The must-read
I've combed the internet to find you today's most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Chatgpt created a scandal for sexual harassment
You can even cite sources for scenarios that have never occurred. (WP $)
+ Google search will now feature AI. (WSJ $)
+ US VC firms fund China's chatbots. (The Information $).
+ Why AI fears are so focused on the wrong things. (Vox)
+ ChatGPT's inside story from the people who built it. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Donald Trump's supporters now are content creators
Everybody at the protest against his arrest was live streaming and filming. (The Verge)
3 Meet the Dutch student who is fighting against exam monitoring software
Robin Pocornie asserts that the face detection software discriminates towards Black users. (Wired $)
+ London police are resisting facial recognition technology. (The Guardian)
+ This is how our face became uncontrollable. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Police bust an international criminal password market
It sold stolen identities of 2 million victims. (The Guardian)
+ How to find out if your credentials have been compromised. (The Verge)
5 The US overlooks the electric rickshaw
They are widely used in Asia and more agile than cars. (The Atlantic $).
6 India will not regulate AI
It is taking a different approach to US and European policymakers. (Gizmodo)
+ The EU wants you to regulate your favorite AI tools. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Lessons YouTube's toxic masculinity teaches young men
It echo chamber perpetuates and amplifies the hateful teachings by Andrew Tate. (FT $)
8 8. It is possible that animal testing might be in the future
Organoids are closer than chemicals to mimic how they could affect people. (Inverse)
+ Are rats with human brain cell still rats? (MIT Technology Review)
9 How one player cracked roulette
Many attempted to cheat the game by using microcomputers. Others did not need them. (Bloomberg $)
+ How mobile money has fueled Kenya's addiction to sports betting. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Ukrainian refugees are undergoing healing in the metaverse
The virtual support group meets in Kyiv. (Motherboard)
Quote for the Day
"We could easily move to a 4-day week."
Bloomberg reports that Christopher Pissarides (a Nobel Prize-winning labor economist) is optimistic about chatbots' potential to reduce the work load of humans.
The big story
How scientists hope to make you feel young again
[TAG0]
October 2022
It was just over 15 years ago that scientists from Kyoto University made an amazing discovery.
After adding four proteins to skin cells and waiting for two weeks, some cells experienced an amazing transformation. They became young again. These stem cells were almost identical to those found in an embryo days old, and they are just beginning their journey.
After more than a decade spent studying and tweaking cell reprogramming, many biotech companies and research laboratories now believe they have hints that this process could lead to a new, unprecedented technology for age reverse. Read the complete story.
–Antonio Regalado
You can still enjoy nice things
This is a place to find comfort, joy and distraction during these crazy times. (Have any suggestions? Drop me a note or send me a tweet. )
+ These sightseeing recommendations are a great place to start if you're thinking of a trip to the UK in 2014.
+ A fascinating take on Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night: His hatred of the Eiffel Tower.
+ Can you pirate a river? !
+ An excellent guide to making peace with Canada Geese.
+ Snails are slow-moving but surprisingly daring travelers.
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By: Rhiannon Williams
Title: The Download: ChatGPT in schools, and deep sea mining
Sourced From: www.technologyreview.com/2023/04/06/1071074/download-chatgpt-in-schools-deep-sea-mining/
Published Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2023 12:10:00 +0000
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