Fire resistant houses, and the suppression of Big Tech AI

This is today’s download., Our weekly newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s happening in the world of technology.

The desire to build houses that are resistant to wildfires

With every devastating wildfire in the US West, officials think of new methods or regulations that could save homes or lives the next time.

As California’s hills continue to experience human development and the state experiences frequent seasonal fires, finding new ways to survive is especially important.

Most of these methods are low-cost and low-tech, but no less than real innovation. In fact, the most difficult part to deal with may not be material engineering, but social change. Read the full story.

– Susie Cagle

Susie’s story is from our upcoming issue of Education. You can only register if you are not already registered 69 dollars per year– Special low prices to mark Earth Week.

Generative AI risks concentrating the power of Big Tech. Here’s how to stop

If regulators don’t act now, generative AI will further focus Big Tech’s power. That’s the central argument of a new report from research firm AI Now. To understand why, consider that the current AI boom depends on two things: massive amounts of data and enough computing power to process it.

Right now, Big Tech has a problem with AI, and the business is booming. But what separates this technological advance from its predecessors is that we have a better understanding of all the terrible ways AI can go wrong. And supervisors everywhere pay close attention. Read the full story.

– Melissa Heikkila

Melissa Her story is from The Algorithm, her weekly AI newsletter. sign up To receive it in your inbox every Monday.

It should be read

I’ve scoured the internet for the most entertaining/important/scary/amazing stories about technology today.

1 AI-generated image has won a major photography award
The organizers accused the creator of misleading them with the extent to which he used AI. (BBC)
+ An AI-generated Drake song is taking the internet by storm. (motherboard)
+ Giant AI models are yesterday’s news, says Sam Altman. (wired $)
+ Elon Musk is threatening to release a new AI he calls ‘TruthGPT’. (quartz)

2 SpaceX will try to launch its Starship rocket again on Thursday.
A broken valve forced him to postpone his planned launch yesterday. (Reuters)+ Some SpaceX launches have been more successful than others. (now $)
+ If successful, the flight could usher in a new era of space travel. (Economist $)

3 ICE employees misused personal records
The staff reportedly obtained confidential information to carry out personal vendettas. (Wired $)

4 What does it take to build a successful Twitter alternative?
A project backed by Jack Dorsey wants to know. (The Verge)
+ Mastodon user numbers are dwindling. (the guard)
+ But few people also want to join Twitter. (in $)

5 The performing arts industry’s live streams are declining.
This is especially bad news for fans who can’t travel. (NYT$)

6 China is throwing its weight behind EVs.
It’s bad news for Tesla. (WSJ$)
+ VW is also struggling to compete with China’s indigenous manufacturers.. (Bloomberg $)
+ Which country is at the bottom of the global EV race? (Economist $)
+ How did China dominate the world of electric cars? (MIT Technology Review)

7 Tidal energy is not a large part of the world’s energy mix.
But the potential is undoubtedly growing. (darkness)

8 What is the future of human reproduction?
From artificial wombs to three-parent families. (New York Dollar)
+ The idea of ​​using the “three-parent baby” method for infertility has yet to gain traction. (MIT Technology Review)

9 Why We Can’t Look Away From TikTok’s Rebel Feed
It’s angsty content at its best. (the guard)
+ A porcelain test doesn’t need to be real to get views. (MIT Technology Review)

10 Influencers Revealing the Inner Workings of the Internet
But their audience doesn’t seem to care. (Atlantic $)

Quote of the day

“Not a day goes by that you don’t use an item that wouldn’t be available if it wasn’t part of Japan.”

—Ulrike Schaede, professor of Japanese business at the University of California, explains how important Japan’s manufacturing industry is to Bloomberg.

The big story

Why we can no longer ignore the issue of climate adaptation.

August 2022

In the year In the 1990s, anyone who suggested we should adapt to climate change by cutting emissions was met with skepticism. Most climate change researchers felt that adaptation studies would distract from the important work of removing pollutants from the atmosphere in the first place.

Despite this hostile environment, a few experts are sowing the seeds for a new field of research called “climate change adaptation”: the study and policy of how the world can prepare for and adapt to the new risks and dangers posed by a warming planet. Today, their research is more important than ever. Read the full story.

A place of comfort, relaxation and distraction in these strange times. (Do you have an idea? Drop me a line Or Tweet at me.)

+ Kabosu, the Shiba Inu dog known as the face of the Doge meme, recently turned 17!
+ I love how Tom and Jerry keep it fresh after all these years.
+ This kinetic sculpture in Batumi, Georgia is amazing.
+ If only all cats were as relaxed as Hokuleia’s floating cat.
+ I love the sound of the world’s dearest mango.