Techmeme
May 18, 2024, 9:45 PM

Top News

Sam Altman / @sama:
Sam Altman says he is embarrassed that there was a provision about potential equity cancellation in exit docs, and OpenAI never took back anyone's vested equity  —  in regards to recent stuff about how openai handles equity: we have never clawed back anyone's vested equity, nor will we do that if people do not sign a separation agreement (or don't agree to a non-disparagement agreement). vested equity is vested equity, full stop. there was
Greg Brockman / @gdb:
Sam Altman and Greg Brockman respond to Jan Leike, say they've raised awareness of the risks and opportunities of AGI, will keep doing safety research, and more  —  We're really grateful to Jan for everything he's done for OpenAI, and we know he'll continue to contribute to the mission from outside. In light of the questions his departure has raised, we wanted to explain a bit about how we think about our overall strategy. First, we have
Steven Levy / Wired:
Despite some skeptics claiming that AI is an industry-wide delusion, last week's demos from OpenAI and Google show that the rate of AI progress is not slowing  —  Some pundits suggest generative AI stopped getting smarter.  The explosive demos from OpenAI and Google that started the week show there's plenty more disruption to come.
Cassandra Willyard / MIT Technology Review:
Researchers are working on sophisticated robots that use AI to converse and play games with people suffering from cognitive disorders like dementia  —  Researchers are using AI and technological advancements to create companion robots … Last week, I scoured the internet in search of a robotic dog.
Ben Cohen / Wall Street Journal:
A profile of Shoichiro Irimajiri, one of Japan's most admired business leaders who, as a Sega executive, saved Nvidia in the 1990s with a $5M investment  —  It's a $2 trillion company today.  It wouldn't exist without someone known as Irimajiri-san.  —  Before it was one of the world's …
Nitish Pahwa / Slate:
How bots monopolizing DeviantArt's promotional and revenue apparatuses and the platform's unwillingness to address the issue are driving artists to abandon it  —  Once a vibrant platform for artists, DeviantArt is now buckling under the weight of bots and greed—and spurning the creative community that made it great.
Lisa Feldman Barrett / Wall Street Journal:
Training AI on stereotypical facial expressions is bound to mislead because scientific evidence indicates that there are no universal expressions of emotion  —  Training algorithms on stereotypical facial expressions is bound to mislead.  —  Imagine that you are interviewing for a job.
Yuichi Shiga / Nikkei Asia:
Honda plans to invest ~$12.8B in software over the decade up to the FY ending March 2031, as it prepares to join the rapid shift to EVs in markets like China  —  EV models get priority as Japanese automakers struggle in Chinese market  —  Honda plans to introduce new models in China faster than in its other markets.
William Gallagher / AppleInsider:
Kuo: iPhone 16 Pro Max will get a higher energy density battery and a stainless steel battery case that helps Apple comply with EU rules about replaceability  —  Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will get a new battery that has a greater energy density than before …
New York Times:
Despite banning TikTok on government devices, Taiwan isn't considering a US-style ban, saying the app is just one battle in a war against China's disinformation  —  The island democracy was early to ban TikTok on government phones, and the ruling party refuses to use it.  But a U.S.-style ban is not under consideration.

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More News

Astha Rajvanshi / TIME:
Pranshu Verma / Washington Post:
Brendan O'Boyle / Reuters:
Politico:

Earlier Picks

Leah Nylen / Bloomberg:
Kate Irwin / PCMag:
Will Knight / Wired:
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch: