Making Sense of AI

2024 Year in Review and 2025 Predictions. Also, Drones, Agents, and Mass Surveillance.

This episode we look back on AI stories from 2024 and look forward to 2025.

AI Agents, Social Unrest Due to AI, and Elon Promotes The Two Year Severance

This week we talk about AI Agents and how they'll help you be more efficient at work, for a time.  We also discuss the hard reality of mass unemployment with no prospects of employment and the potential unrest that could come from it.  Also, Elon promotes a two year severance for federal workers to retrain.  Lastly, we discuss the dark side of AI companions.    Microsoft Announces AI Agents [https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/microsoft-to-roll-out-new-autonomous-ai-agents-next-month-fending-off-challenge-from-salesforce/ar-AA1sDVhx?ocid=winp2fptaskbar&cvid=72476b2d5b424b8d8cb6f34c4d303bf8&ei=19] Article on Programming Jobs Drying Up [https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-degrees-job-berkeley-professor-ai-ubi-2024-10] 25% of Code Produced at Google is by AI [https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2024/11/01/ai-code-and-the-future-of-software-engineers/] AI Companion Suicide [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/technology/characterai-lawsuit-teen-suicide.html]

AI Goes Nuclear, Port Workers Strike Over Automation, and Should We Be Concerned About OpenAI?

This week we discuss the port worker strike over automation.  AI and Data Centers are reviving the nuclear industry.  Lastly, should we have concerns over what's going on at OpenAI?  NYT Article on Port Worker Strike [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/business/economy/port-strike.html] Every Blog Explanation on o1 from OpenAI [https://every.to/chain-of-thought/posnopenai-s-o1-model-explained?metered_paywall=1] Futurism Article on o1 Initiating Conversations [https://futurism.com/openai-chatgpt-initiating-conversations] NYT Article on Reopening of Three Mile Island [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/climate/three-mile-island-reopening.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb&ngrp=mnp&pvid=BBEC6ECB-1FF5-4C3B-8B15-8EA0035313E2] BlackRock and Microsoft Form Coalition for Energy and Data Centers [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/17/microsoft-blackrock-form-gaiip-to-invest-in-ai-data-centers-energy.html] Atlantic Article on Microsoft's Hypocrisy [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/09/microsoft-ai-oil-contracts/679804/] Verge Article on Hollywood Supporting AI Safety Bill [https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24253439/california-sb-1047-newsom-hollywood-sag-aftra-ai-safety] Wall Street Journal on OpenAI Hemorrhaging Leadership [https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open-ai-division-for-profit-da26c24b] Reuters Article on OpenAI's Restructuring [https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-remove-non-profit-control-give-sam-altman-equity-sources-say-2024-09-25/] Sam Altman's Blog [https://ia.samaltman.com/]

China's AI Paradox, OpenAI and Project Strawberry, and Oprah Brings AI to Primetime

This week we discuss China's struggling economy and how the very investments China is making in AI and technology threaten to put more folks out of work, leading to civil unrest.  Also, should we believe the hype around OpenAI's next big release, Project Strawberry?  Maybe.  Lastly, Oprah brings AI to primetime TV.   NYTs Article on China's Struggling Economy [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/03/business/china-economy-consumption.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb&ngrp=mxp&pvid=5B928207-B160-41AD-826F-292D3B93BC53] Reuter's Podcast on China's Economy [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chinas-rotten-tail-kids/id1746360591?i=1000666917094] Reuters Article on OpenAI's Project Strawberry [https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-working-new-reasoning-technology-under-code-name-strawberry-2024-07-12/]

AI Agents, Kids and Screens, and Has AI Hit a Wall?

This week we review the temperature around AI.  Has AI development stalled or is the next big leap right around the corner?  Also, AI Agents are coming by the billions and may be the tool AI gives us that changes work and life.  And, we look at the correlation between screen time and the behavior of children.    UBI Study [https://www.openresearchlab.org/findings] CBS Piece on Kids and Screens [https://www.cbsnews.com/video/new-study-sheds-light-on-possible-downsides-of-young-kids-using-tablets/] From ABC: 12 Year Old Murders 8 Year Old Over Iphone [https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/12-year-girl-accused-smothering-8-year-cousin-112129326?cid=social_twitter_abcn] NYT Article on Algorithms Used in Domestic Violence Cases [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/18/technology/spain-domestic-violence-viogen-algorithm.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb] by Adam Satariano and Roser Toll Pifarre The Atlantic - We Need to Control AI Agents Now [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/07/ai-agents-safety-risks/678864/?utm_campaign=atlantic-intelligence&utm_content=20240719&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Atlantic+Intelligence] by Jonathan Zittrain