Despite the wild success of ChatGPT and other large language models, the artificial neural networks (ANNs) that underpin these systems might be on the wrong track. For one, ANNs are “super power-hungry,” said Cornelia Fermüller, a computer scientist at the University of Maryland. “And the other issue is [their] lack of transparency.” Such systems are…
Tesla’s new Supercharger strategy allows the company to make money off its competitors’ customers by collecting charging fees from them. (Pricing varies by region, time of day, and whether an EV was made by Tesla, but it generally costs between $10 and $30 to charge up a car.) And if more carmakers follow Ford and…
Like everyone else who got to test Apple’s new Vision Pro after its unveiling at the Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, this week, I couldn’t wait to experience it. But when an Apple technician at the ad hoc test facility used an optical device to check out my prescription lenses, I knew that there might…
I’d be surprised if Andreessen’s highly educated audience actually believes the lump of labor fallacy, but he goes ahead and dismantles it anyway, introducing—as if it were new to his readers—the concept of productivity growth. He argues that when technology makes companies more productive, they pass the savings on to their customers in the form…
Adobe Creative Cloud Express – which enables you to design everything from social media posts to fliers – has received a major update in a beta version that chiefly integrates Adobe Firefly Generative AI. The desktop and mobile app is designed for users of all skill levels, and is now more versatile than ever, with…
Ripping down an existing structure means wasting all the energy that went into the creation of its materials. The destruction itself also requires energy, and the waste materials must be moved to landfills. Add that to the energy and emissions required to make, transport, and assemble materials for a brand-new building, and it’s easy to…
Did you hear about the Air Force AI drone that went rogue and attacked its operators inside a simulation? The cautionary tale was told by Colonel Tucker Hamilton, chief of AI test and operations at the US Air Force, during a speech at an aerospace and defense event in London late last month. It apparently involved taking…
In the field of computer science, there is perhaps no more fundamental task than to sort. Bubble, heap, merge—take your pick. The methods for reordering data inside a computer have been theorized to death, served as practice exercises for millions of novices, and been optimized for decades by expert developers. Type a sort() function in…
One of the most surprising use cases for Apple’s new Vision Pro VR/AR headset, which it unveiled at its WWDC 2023 event is that it can take spatial 3D photos and videos using its two forward-facing cameras, for immersive playback on its 23 million-pixel display. We don’t have the detailed spec to indicate the kind…
After years of anticipation and contributions from thousands of people, Apple Vision Pro made its debut yesterday, promising immersion in apps, games, movies, and the workplace. With more than 20 cameras, sensors, and microphones, two processing chips, and even an external battery you carry in your pocket, it’s packed full of world-class tech, but missing an…