Today's edition of The Download is the weekday newsletter that gives you a daily dose from the world of technology.
Chinese tech giant Baidu has just released its answer for ChatGPT
Robin Li, Baidu’s cofounder, was yesterday the CEO of the company. He spoke on the Beijing stage to present the new large-language model Ernie Bot.
He demonstrated pre-recorded examples that the chatbot could do, such as writing copy for marketing and solving math problems.
Chinese people have been looking for an alternative to ChatGPT. Both OpenAI and China's government have banned Chinese citizens from using the chatbot. Ernie Bot's release felt somewhat rushed and Li repeated his belief that the system was still in its infancy. The full story is available here.
–Zeyi Yang
To learn more about the impact of AI on the written word, visit
+ GPT-4 has a better performance than ChatGPT, but OpenAI will not say why. The full story is available here.
+ How AI can write our laws. The full story is available here. + Get an exclusive look at how ChatGPT was created, as told by those who made it.
Tech is here. It aims to probe your memories and read your thoughts.
Recent years have seen neurotechnologies go from being used in research laboratories to practical applications. Some devices have been used by schools to track brain activity in order to determine if children are paying attention. Others are used by police to determine if someone is guilty or not. Employers also use them to keep workers awake, productive, and alert.
These technologies have the incredible promise of providing us with new insight into our minds. Our brain data is valuable and could prove to be dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands. Our senior biotech reporter Jessica Hamzelou had an interesting call with Nita Farahany at Duke University. She's a futurist, legal ethicist, and has written a book advocating for new rules to safeguard our cognitive liberty. The full story is available here.
Jessica's story comes from The Checkup, her weekly newsletter that gives you all the information on biotech. Get it delivered to your inbox every Thursday 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 Baidu’s Ernie chatbot doesn't look very impressive
China's internet censorship may be a reason. (NYT $)
+ Shares of the company plunged after its poor unveiling. (The Guardian)
+ Why large language models are acting in strange and unpredictable ways. (Quanta)
+ ChatGPT is fueling a battle for search that is larger than Google or Microsoft. (MIT Technology Review).
2 China is likely not to support any TikTok forced sale
The US-China standoff is not ending. (The Information $).
+ How TikTok became an international political hot potato. (WP $)
3 We may be one step closer in confirming the origins of covid
New analysis suggests that 2019 may have been the year of the virus being transmitted to raccoons. (The Atlantic $).
4 Inside Elon Musk’s war room
Twitter is still looking for ways to save money. (FT $)
5 Meta's AI tool for predicting millions of protein structures can be used by the new AI tool
It could theoretically speed up drug discovery. (WSJ $+) Biotech labs use AI inspired by DALLE to create new drugs. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Silicon Valley Bank made an empire by pandering to VCs
Some are still trying to make sense of what happened. (Motherboard)
+ The tech industry's first financial crisis is caused by the bank's collapse. (Insider $)
7 The tech crash that has reverberated around the globe
Its impact can be felt far beyond Silicon Valley. (Rest of World).
8 LinkedIn crawls with spies
State-backed elites are connecting with unsuspecting victims. (Wired $)
+ The 1,000 Chinese SpaceX engineers that never existed. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Scientists created a 'living computer"
It is powered by thousands of brain cells taken from mice. (New Scientist $).
10 What Spotify’s TikTok-esque makeover for artists
It probably doesn't translate into more money. (The Guardian)
+ Can AI-generated music be any good? It all depends on who you ask. (Wired $)
Quote for the Day
"Let's talk about something different. Let's switch the topic."
The Wall Street Journal reports that Gipi Talk, a ChatGPT-style chatbot created by engineers in China refuses to answer whether Xi Jinping has been a good leader.
The big story
These scientists are trying to prolong the lives of pet dogs and their owners
August 2022
Matt Kaeberlein might be described as a dog lover. Dobby, his German shepherd, is 14 years old. Dobby would be around 98 years in dog years.
Kaeberlein co-directs the Dog Aging Project. This ambitious research project tracks the aging process for tens to thousands of companion dogs in the US. Kaeberlein is one of few scientists who are on a mission of helping companion dogs live longer and healthier lives.
Dogs are only the beginning. This research may one day lead to human longevity. Check out the complete story.
–Jessica Hamzelou
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. )
+ To love your neighbor and all that is within it.
+ Happy St Patrick's Day This is a classic, and it comes from some of Ireland’s most talented sons.
+ What should you read next? This website will be of great assistance to you.
+ Uber meets Succession meets industry? I'm in.
+ A cookbook powered by AI is helping to reduce food waste and to inspire healthy recipes.
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By: Rhiannon Williams
Title: The Download: China’s version of ChatGPT, and protecting our brain data
Sourced From: www.technologyreview.com/2023/03/17/1070008/download-china-version-chatgpt-protecting-brain-data/
Published Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:53:49 +0000
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