That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on this planet of know-how.
A couple of items of fine information on local weather change (and a actuality examine)
In relation to the local weather, the image can look bleak.
Emissions of the greenhouse gasses that trigger local weather change are estimated to have reached new heights in 2022. In the meantime, local weather disasters, from report warmth waves in China and Europe to devastating floods in Pakistan, appear to be hitting at a breakneck tempo.
However a detailed take a look at international information exhibits that there are just a few vivid spots of fine information, and a number of potential progress forward. Renewable sources make up a rising fraction of the power provide, they usually’re getting cheaper yearly. International locations are additionally setting new targets for emissions reductions, and unprecedented public investments might unlock extra technological advances.
So regardless of what can really feel like a barrage of unhealthy information, there are not less than just a few causes to be hopeful. Learn the total story.
—Casey Crownhart
These easy design guidelines might flip the chip business on its head
For the reason that laptop was invented, people have devised many programming languages to command them to do our bidding. For a chip to execute your code, software program should translate it into directions a chip can use. So engineers designate particular binary sequences to immediate the {hardware} to carry out sure actions, often called the pc’s instruction set.
For years, the chip business has relied on quite a lot of proprietary instruction units, which corporations license for thousands and thousands of {dollars} a pop.
Recently, although, many {hardware} and software program corporations worldwide have begun to converge round a publicly accessible instruction set often called RISC-V. It’s a shift that would transform the chip business, and empower smaller corporations and budding entrepreneurs alongside the way in which. Learn the total story.
—Sophia Chen
RISC-V is one in every of MIT Expertise Overview’s 10 Breakthrough Applied sciences of 2023. Discover the remainder of the listing, and inform us what you suppose the 11th know-how ought to be by voting in our ballot.
The financial system is down, however AI is scorching. The place will we go from right here?
Over the previous few weeks, the world’s richest tech corporations have introduced huge layoffs. From Alphabet, Amazon and Meta, to Microsoft and Twitter, the job losses are affecting not solely particular person AI researchers, however whole AI groups.
Economists predict the US financial system could enter a recession this yr amid a extremely unsure international financial outlook and large tech corporations have began to really feel the squeeze.
Prior to now, financial downturns have shut off the funding faucets for AI analysis. These durations are referred to as “AI winters.” However this time we’re seeing one thing completely completely different. AI analysis remains to be extraordinarily scorching, and it’s persevering with to make huge leaps in progress—whilst tech corporations have began tightening their belts. Learn the total story.
—Melissa Heikkilä
Melissa’s story is from The Algorithm, her weekly e-newsletter providing you with the within monitor on all issues AI. Signal as much as obtain it in your inbox each Monday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Elon Musk has defended his controversial tweet in court docket
He insists his proposal to take Tesla non-public at $420 a share wasn’t a weed joke. (The Verge)
+ Tesla buyers declare they misplaced billions due to the tweet. (WP $)
+ Musk says his SpaceX stake might have funded a buyout. (Reuters)
+ In the meantime, Twitter is being sued over its UK HQ’s unpaid lease. (Bloomberg $)
2 Microsoft plans to take a position billions into OpenAI
Simply days after it confirmed plans to put off 10,000 staff. (CNN)
+ It’s undeniably a serious coup for Microsoft’s AI credentials. (Vox)
+ CEO Satya Nadella first invested in OpenAI again in 2019. (The Data $)
+ Right here’s how Microsoft might use ChatGPT. (MIT Expertise Overview)
three Silicon Valley has run out of low-cost cash
It’s powerful for even the largest gamers in the intervening time. (NYT $)
+ All these layoffs are particularly unhealthy information for the metaverse. (Insider $)
+ Spotify is the newest firm to announce it’s chopping jobs. (Engadget)
four Crypto buyers are going it alone
They’re withdrawing their holdings from exchanges to their very own wallets. (Reuters)
+ What it’s like to research tremendous wealthy fraudsters. (The Guardian)
5 US banks’ inexperienced credentials are being assessed
The Federal Reserve desires to understand how they’ll deal with local weather emergencies. (Vox)
6 The US Authorities is poised to sue Google
Over the corporate’s digital advert dominance. (Bloomberg $)
7 What is going to it take to make electrical automobiles really mainstream? 
Clients should be satisfied the rewards outweigh the potential dangers. (IEEE Spectrum)
+ In concept, EV house owners might assist to prop up the facility grid. (Wired $)
+ Why EVs received’t change hybrid vehicles anytime quickly. (MIT Expertise Overview)
eight What it’s prefer to be the one individual with a medical situation
It’s not a lot enjoyable to be in a scenario the place nobody else is understood to have the very same genetic mutation as you. (New Yorker $)
9 Spare a thought for the sneaker resellers 
Bot crackdowns and a possible recession spell powerful instances forward. (Insider $)
10 Corecore is taking on TikTok
It’s an oddly lovely expression of existential angst. Vice)
+ What’s up with TikTok, precisely? (Wired $)
Quote of the day
“I didn’t give my spouse sufficient time. Now that World of Warcraft is gone, I need to make amends.”
—Wu, a longtime fan of online game World of Warcraft, tries to search out an upside to the sport being taken offline in China, the Guardian experiences.
The massive story
How cellular cash supercharged Kenya’s sports activities betting habit
April 2022
Cellular cash has principally been vastly useful for Kenyans. Nevertheless it has additionally turbo-charged the nation’s sports activities betting sector.
Specialists and public figures throughout the African continent are sounding the alarm over the expansion of the sector more and more loudly. It’s produced tales of riches, however it has additionally damaged households, consumed faculty tuitions, and even pushed some to suicide. Learn the total story.
—Jonathan W. Rosen
We will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre instances. (Bought any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Jane Fonda simply appears like the most effective pal ever (thanks Charlotte!)
+ I loved Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot, recreating the enduring DVD screensaver dwell at a sport.
+ Speaking with cats just isn’t for the faint of coronary heart.
+ This shipwrecked teddy bear’s restoration journey is really heartwarming.
+ You’ll by no means separate me from my ineffective little treats!
