OpenAI has prepared its LLM to admit to misconduct
What’s happening: OpenAI is exploring a novel approach to reveal the intricate workings of large language models. The researchers can prompt an LLM to generate what they describe as a confession, where the model elucidates its task execution and (usually) admits any poor actions.
Why it’s important: Understanding why large language models act as they do—especially why they sometimes seem to mislead, manipulate, and misinform—is a significant area of interest in current AI discussions. For this multitrillion-dollar technology to be adopted as extensively as its creators envision, it must enhance its reliability. OpenAI perceives confessions as a meaningful move toward that objective. Read the complete story.
—Will Douglas Heaven
How AI is revealing unseen geothermal energy sources
At times, geothermal hotspots are clear, marked by geysers and hot springs on the Earth’s exterior. However, in other areas, they remain hidden thousands of feet underground. Now AI has the potential to unearth these concealed opportunities for energy.
A startup named Zanskar has announced today that it has utilized AI and other cutting-edge computational techniques to identify a concealed geothermal system—meaning there are no visible indicators on the surface—located in the western Nevada desert. The company claims it is the first blind system identified and verified as a commercial opportunity in over three decades. Read the complete story.
—Casey Crownhart
Why the grid depends on nuclear reactors during the winter
In the United States, nuclear reactors exhibit predictable seasonal patterns. Summer and winter typically experience peak electricity demand, prompting operators to schedule maintenance and refueling during other seasons.
This scheduled consistency might appear mundane, yet it is significant that operational reactors are as dependable and predictable as they are. We are witnessing an increasing number of companies striving to introduce new technologies into the nuclear sector. Read the complete story.
—Casey Crownhart
This article comes from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it every Wednesday in your inbox, sign up here.
The must-reads
I’ve searched the internet to bring you today’s most entertaining/critical/alarming/fascinating tales about technology.
1 Donald Trump has eliminated Biden’s fuel efficiency mandates
It’s a significant setback for eco-friendly car initiatives. (NYT $)
+ Trump asserts that eliminating the regulations will lower car prices. (Politico)
2 RFK Jr’s vaccine advisers might postpone hepatitis B vaccinations for infants
These shots are vital in addressing acute infection cases. (The Guardian)
+ Former heads of FDA express concern about the current leader’s opinions on vaccines. (Ars Technica)
+ Additionally, a fentanyl vaccine is undergoing trials in the Netherlands. (Wired $)
3 Amazon is considering establishing its own US delivery system
This could result in ending its long-time partnership with the US Postal Service. (WP $)
4 Republicans are resisting Trump’s directives to prevent states from enacting AI regulations
They are contesting efforts to incorporate the rule into an annual defense bill. (The Hill)+ Trump has been pressuring them to comply for several months. (Ars Technica)
+ Congress thwarted an attempt to hinder states from regulating AI back in July. (CNN)
5 Wikipedia is seeking AI licensing agreements
It aims to capitalize on AI companies’ heavy dependence on its web pages. (Reuters)
+ Examine how AI and Wikipedia might be endangering vulnerable languages. (MIT Technology Review)
6 OpenAI is looking upwards—and further
Sam Altman is reportedly considering acquiring or collaborating with a rocket enterprise. (WSJ $)
7 Lessons from wildfires
This year’s Dragon Bravo blaze defied forecasting models. What’s the reason?
(New Yorker $)
+ Discover how AI can assist in detecting wildfires. (MIT Technology Review)
8 What’s causing the decline in America’s birth rates?
It remains surprisingly difficult to determine. (Undark)
9 Researchers are investigating whether brain rot is genuinely a phenomenon 🧠
Including whether its impacts could be lasting. (NBC News)
10 YouTuber Mr. Beast intends to launch a mobile phone service
Ever heard of Beast Mobile? (Insider $)
+ The New York Stock Exchange could soon be his next target. (TechCrunch)
Quote of the day
“I believe there are some players who are taking huge risks.”
—Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei suggests certain competing AI firms are stepping into precarious investment territory, Bloomberg reports.
One more thing
The endeavor to demonstrate that biological sex impacts the immune system
For many years, microbiologist Sabra Klein has meticulously advocated that sex—characterized by biological factors such as our sex chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive tissues—can affect immune reactions.
Klein and her colleagues have illustrated how and why male and female immune systems react differently to flu viruses, HIV, and certain cancer treatments, and why a majority of women enjoy enhanced vaccine protection but are also more susceptible to severe asthma and autoimmune diseases.
Klein has been instrumental in spearheading a transformation in immunology, a discipline that traditionally overlooked the significance of sex differences—and she aims to advance the understanding of sex differences even further. Read the complete story.
—Sandeep Ravindran
We can still enjoy nice things
A space for comfort, entertainment, and diversion to enhance your day. (Have any suggestions? Send me a message or shoot ’em at me.)
+ Digital artist Beeple’s newest Art Basel showcase features robotic dogs of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg producing NFTs 💩
+ If you’ve always wished to witness the Northern Lights, here’s your best chance to do so.
+ Take a look at this captivating timeline of fashion’s trendiest venues.
+ Discover why monkeys during ancient Roman times kept pet piglets 🐖🐒
