The Obtain: meet the longevity obsessives, and the way China’s regulating AI

That is as we speak’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on the planet of expertise.

Longevity fanatics need to create their very own unbiased state. They’re eyeing Rhode Island.

—Jessica Hamzelou

Earlier this month, I traveled to Montenegro for a gathering of longevity fanatics, individuals considering extending human life by numerous biotechnology approaches. All of the attendees had been tremendous pleasant, and the sense of optimism was palpable. They’re all assured we’ll be capable to discover a option to gradual or reverse growing older—and so they have a daring plan to hurry up progress.

Round 780 of those individuals have created a “pop-up metropolis” that hopes to avoid the standard strategy of medical trials. They need to create an unbiased state the place like-minded innovators can work collectively in an all-new jurisdiction that provides them free rein to self-experiment with unproven medication. Welcome to Zuzalu. Learn the total story.

China isn’t ready to set down guidelines on generative AI

Again in April, the Chinese language web regulator revealed a draft regulation on generative AI. The doc doesn’t name out any particular firm, however the best way it’s worded makes it clear that it was impressed by the incessant launch of large-language-model chatbots in China and the US.

The draft regulation is a mix of smart restrictions on AI dangers and a continuation of China’s sturdy authorities custom of aggressive intervention within the tech business. However whereas most of the clauses within the draft regulation are ideas that AI critics are advocating for within the West, it additionally incorporates guidelines that different nations would probably balk at. Learn the total story.

—Zeyi Yang

Zeyi’s story is from China Report, his weekly publication providing you with the within observe on what’s happening in China. Join to obtain it in your inbox each Tuesday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to search out you as we speak’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.

1 Elizabeth Holmes has began her 11-year jail sentence
It’s a outstanding fall from grace for the entrepreneur, who was convicted of defrauding Theranos’ buyers. (The Guardian) 
+ Her fellow prisoners are nonplussed by her arrival, although. (WSJ $)
+ Holmes and her enterprise accomplice need to pay $452 million in restitution. (NYT $)

2 Nvidia has develop into the primary trillion greenback chipmaker
Because of the AI growth. (FT $)
+ Fellow chipmaker Intel is feeling the stress. (WSJ $)
+ These easy design guidelines may flip the chip business on its head. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)

three Researchers are nervous that ChatGPT can’t cease hallucinating
Making up solutions to easy queries is extra of a function than a bug. (WP $)
+ Chatbots might be helpful for individuals with autism seeking to follow interactions. (Wired $)
+ A lawyer is in hassle after utilizing ChatGPT to quote non-existent instances. (Ars Technica)

four Twitter is experimenting with crowdsourced reality checks
Which appears… dangerous, to say the least. (The Verge)

5 Pandemic simulations can by no means totally put together us
A variety of them aren’t adequately difficult, for one. (The Atlantic $)
+ One key aspect to stop future pandemics? A lot of cash. (Slate $)
+ AI may assist with the subsequent pandemic—however not with this one. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)

6 An consuming dysfunction helpline has disabled its chatbot
The bot, which was designed to interchange human volunteers, doled out dangerous weight-loss recommendation. (Motherboard)

7 Surveilled staff are feeling the stress
Arbitrary metrics don’t paint the total image of how laborious somebody’s working. (The Guardian)

eight The significantly sophisticated actuality of meals supply apps
It’s just about unimaginable for atypical clients to work out the place their cash goes. (WP $)

9 The menopause is an untapped useful resource for understanding growing older
The issue, as ever, is getting funding for analysis into girls’s well being. (Wired $)
+ The controversy over whether or not growing older is a illness rages on. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)

10 Who will get to colonize the moon? 🌒
A moon exercise registry may very well be one option to discover out. (Slate $)
+ The US is brushing up on its area diplomacy guidelines. (WP $)
+ Future area meals may very well be created from astronaut breath. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)

Quote of the day

“We really feel quite a bit just like the filling sandwiched in the midst of a biscuit.”

—Ryan, a software program startup founder primarily based in Shenzhen, China, tells Reuters concerning the frustration he and different entrepreneurs really feel on the limitations dealing with Chinese language firms hoping to broaden into the US attributable to commerce restrictions.

The massive story 

What if growing older weren’t inevitable, however a curable illness?

August 2019

Since historic instances, growing older has been considered as merely inevitable, unstoppable, nature’s means. “Pure causes” have lengthy been blamed for deaths among the many previous, even when they died of a acknowledged pathological situation. 

The medical author Galen argued again within the second century AD that growing older is a pure course of. His view, the acceptance that one can die merely of previous age, has dominated ever since.

However a rising variety of scientists are questioning our fundamental conception of growing older. What when you may problem your loss of life—and even forestall it altogether? And what would change if we labeled growing older itself because the illness? Learn the total story.

—David Adam

We are able to nonetheless have good issues

A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre instances. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)

+ I’ve obtained some beef with the order, however this rundown of Stevie Nicks’ most interesting songs is nice enjoyable (thanks Stefan!)
+ Who doesn’t love a superb coming of age film?
+ Why flies aren’t all the time the dangerous guys we make them out to be. 🪰
+ Dire information from the UK: ice cream sellers are livid due to what they are saying is a downgrade within the high quality of chocolate flakes.
+ The hipster is lifeless: lengthy dwell the hipster.

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