That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on this planet of expertise.
Meta’s newest AI mannequin is free for all
The information: Meta goes all in on open-source AI. The corporate has unveiled LLaMA 2, its first massive language mannequin that’s out there for anybody to make use of—without spending a dime. It’s additionally releasing a model of the AI mannequin that individuals can construct into ChatGPT-style chatbots.
Why it issues: The concept is that by releasing the mannequin into the wild and letting builders and corporations tinker with it, Meta will be taught vital classes about the right way to make its fashions safer, much less biased, and extra environment friendly.
However… Many caveats nonetheless stay. Meta isn’t releasing details about the info set that it used to coach LLaMA 2, and it nonetheless spews offensive, dangerous, and in any other case problematic language, identical to rival fashions. Meta additionally can not assure that it didn’t embody copyrighted works or private information, in accordance with an organization analysis paper shared solely with MIT Know-how Assessment. Learn the complete story.
—Melissa Heikkilä
Recognizing Chinese language state media social accounts continues to be a problem
It’s no secret that Chinese language state-owned media are energetic on Western social platforms. However typically they take a covert strategy and distance themselves from China, maybe to succeed in extra unsuspecting audiences.
Such operations have been discovered to focus on Chinese language- and English-speaking customers up to now. Now, a examine revealed final week has found one other community of Twitter accounts that appears to be obscuring its China ties—and this time, it’s made up of Spanish-language information accounts concentrating on Latin America. Learn the complete story.
—Zeyi Yang
This story is from China Report, Zeyi’s weekly e-newsletter overlaying tech in China. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Tuesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you immediately’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 ChatGPT might develop into a sophisticated facial recognition machine
However OpenAI desires to keep away from that final result in any respect prices. (NYT $)
+ China is anxious AI might develop into a “runaway horse.” (Reuters)
+ Methods to cease AI from recognizing your face in selfies. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
2 North Carolina is policing on-line abortion discussions
In idea, customers might be prevented from posting and studying about abortion entry. (Wired $)
3 Requires AI firms to recompense authors are rising louder
Margaret Atwood is among the many high-profile names to affix the cost. (WSJ $)
+ Microsoft has began charging $30 a month for its generative AI. (FT $)
+ OpenAI’s starvation for information is coming again to chew it. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
4 The US has blacklisted extra abroad adware firms
In a bid to discourage traders from sinking money into seemingly-dodgy firms. (WP $)
+ US lawmakers are cracking down on surveillance overreach. (Wired $)
+ Snapchat has been accused of selling Saudi Arabia’s royals. (The Guardian)
5 Temperatures are hovering in Loss of life Valley
And it’s wanting more and more possible it’ll break its all-time report. (LA Occasions $)
+ Vacationers are getting in on the act, too. (BBC)
6 The Pentagon doesn’t need you to trace its planes 
It’s had sufficient of civilians maintaining a tally of mysterious plane. (The Intercept)
7 Lemon8 is flopping 
ByteDance’s different social media platform’s largest drawback? It’s bland. (Remainder of World)
+ New apps want to interrupt out of the social doom cycle. (The Atlantic $)
8 Who makes use of WeightWatchers within the age of Ozempic?
Loyal WeightWatchers really feel betrayed by the corporate’s determination to embrace weight-loss medicines. (Bloomberg $)
+ Weight-loss injections have taken over the web. However what does this imply for folks IRL? (MIT Know-how Assessment)
9 Methods to inform in case your child monitor is weak to hacking
A brand new label will assist shoppers within the US to determine. (Vox)
+ Electrical automobiles are at excessive threat, too. (Slate $)
10 Your telephone quantity isn’t lifeless but
For many individuals, it’s a reminder of the place they’ve come from. (The Atlantic $)
Quote of the day
“I’m frightened about common intelligence!”
—Actor Danny Trejo tells CNBC he’s bought larger issues than the rise of AI throughout an interview concerning the Hollywood strikes.
The large story
Minneapolis police used faux social media profiles to surveil Black folks
The Minneapolis Police Division violated civil rights regulation by way of a sample of racist policing practices, in accordance with a damning report by the Minnesota Division of Human Rights.
The report discovered that officers cease, search, arrest, and use pressure in opposition to folks of shade at a a lot increased charge than white folks, and covertly surveilled Black folks not suspected of any crimes through social media.
The findings are in line with MIT Know-how Assessment’s investigation of Minnesota regulation enforcement businesses, which has revealed an intensive surveillance community that focused activists within the aftermath of the homicide of George Floyd. Learn the complete story.
—Tate Ryan-Mosley and Sam Richards
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre occasions. (Obtained any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Fascinating—Paul McCartney has a brand new podcast.
+ This ‘doomsday fish’ rising from the deep is fairly unnerving. 
+ I want I used to be sufficiently small to learn from this teeny tiny LEGO waterpark.
+ H.G Wells was a person of many abilities, together with extremely prescient future gazing.
+ That is enjoyable: what birdwatching in the Backyard of Earthly Delights can educate us.