Reading Digest, July #12
Hey there, my fantastic readers! I’m back with another thrilling edition of my daily reading digest, and I can’t wait to share today’s amazing content with you. Whether you’re a regular visitor or a first-time reader, prepare to be captivated by the fascinating world of online articles, research papers, and essays.
Today’s digest is a true treasure trove of intriguing topics, spanning from Trump’s controversial stance on Taiwan to the rise of forums and Google’s preference for them. We’ll explore the latest developments in AI, including its potential to replace product managers, Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott’s thoughts on LLM “scaling laws,” and the challenges AI faces in conceptualizing “time.”
But that’s not all — we’ve got some thought-provoking pieces on technology and business, such as the reasons behind the author’s decision to move on from GraphQL after 6 years, Google’s default shift to not indexing your content, and the introduction of the Managed-Service-as-Software (M-SaS) startup. We’ll also delve into the world of electric cars and the hurdles they face in their quest for global domination.
For the curious minds, we’ve got articles on the search for synthetic blood, the potential for AIs to become conscious, and the good news about brain cancer. We’ll also explore the Feynman Technique and how AI can help you learn anything, as well as the reasons why women over 45 rarely sleep with their husbands.
Whether you’re interested in the political landscape, with Biden ordering Secret Service protection for RFK Jr. and considering proposals on Supreme Court term limits, or the business world, with insights on how to hire a CEO and whether it’s Silicon Valley’s job to make guaranteed income a reality, there’s something for everyone in this digest. So, grab a comfortable seat, and let’s embark on this exciting journey together!
Happy reading, my wonderful friends!
Trump says Taiwan should pay the US for its defence as ‘it doesn’t give us anything’
The article discusses Donald Trump’s comments on Taiwan’s relationship with the United States, including his suggestion that Taiwan should pay the US for protection from China. It also covers Taiwan’s response and the broader implications of Trump’s statements on US-China relations.
J.D. Vance is anti-Big Tech, pro-crypto
The article discusses the growing bipartisan support for antitrust reform targeting big tech companies, particularly from Republican Senator J.D. Vance. It explores Vance’s views on regulating tech giants like Google and Facebook, as well as his stance on crypto regulation. The article also examines Vance’s ties to the tech industry and his potential influence in a second Trump administration.
Obstructed view may have delayed sniper response at Trump rally
The article discusses the security lapse during a former U.S. President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to access the roof of a nearby building and open fire before being fatally shot by the Secret Service. The article analyzes the factors that may have hindered the Secret Service’s countersniper teams in detecting and neutralizing the shooter.
US dollars exit China, ending 2-decade marriage that enabled rise of start-ups
The article discusses the significant changes taking place in China’s venture capital (VC) industry, as the long-standing relationship between US investors and Chinese startups is coming to an end. This shift is casting a shadow over China’s technology landscape.
Andreessen Horowitz co-founders explain why they’re supporting Trump | TechCrunch
The article discusses Marc Andreessen’s shift in political allegiance from the Democratic Party to supporting former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Andreessen, the co-founder of the prominent venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), cites Trump’s more favorable policies for the tech industry and startup ecosystem as the primary reason for his decision.
How I reduced my phone usage by 99%
The article discusses the author’s struggle with excessive phone usage and their journey to reduce it by going “phone-less” for an extended period.
Commentary: If Trump-Vance prevail in November, expect even more American isolationism
The article discusses the implications of former US President Donald Trump’s selection of JD Vance as his running mate for the upcoming election. It analyzes how this choice aligns with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) ideology and the potential impact on the election and governance.
Biden orders Secret Service to protect RFK Jr. after attempt on Trump’s life
The article discusses President Joe Biden’s decision to provide Secret Service protection to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Biden seriously considering proposals on Supreme Court term limits, ethics code, AP sources say
The article discusses President Joe Biden’s consideration of proposals to establish term limits for U.S. Supreme Court justices and an enforceable ethics code, amid growing concerns about the lack of accountability for the justices. The proposals would require congressional approval, which is unlikely given the divided Congress. The article also mentions Biden’s potential call for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the broad immunity for presidents granted by the court.
Donald Trump is feted by his former rivals in a show of Republican unity after rally shooting
The article discusses the Republican National Convention, where former rivals of Donald Trump who had previously criticized him are now showing unity and support for his 2024 presidential run. It also highlights the contrast with the divisions within the Democratic Party.
How close is AI to replacing product managers?
The article explores the capabilities of AI models, particularly ChatGPT, in performing various product management tasks. It describes a collaboration between the author, Lenny, and a prompt engineer, Mike Taylor, to test how well AI can handle common PM responsibilities compared to humans. The goal is to establish a benchmark for measuring AI’s progress in potentially replacing product managers.
Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott thinks LLM “scaling laws” will hold despite criticism
The article discusses the debate around the progress of large language models (LLMs) and the concept of “scaling laws” that suggest continued improvements in AI capabilities through scaling up model size, training data, and computational power. It contrasts the views of Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, who believes scaling laws will drive further AI progress, with the perception among some critics that progress has plateaued.
Why, after 6 years, I’m over GraphQL
The article discusses the author’s changing perspective on GraphQL, a technology they previously championed but now have reservations about. The author outlines several issues they have encountered with GraphQL, including:
- Increased attack surface and the need for robust authorization
- Challenges with rate limiting and query complexity estimation
- Performance problems related to the N+1 problem and authorization
- Coupling of business logic with the transport layer
- Overall increased complexity compared to REST APIs
The author then suggests alternatives to GraphQL, primarily recommending OpenAPI 3.0+ compliant JSON REST APIs, which they believe can provide the benefits of GraphQL (e.g., self-documenting, type-safe APIs) without the added complexity.
Google Now Defaults to Not Indexing Your Content
The article discusses the evolution of Google’s search engine and its impact on content creators. It explores how Google’s algorithm updates, the “content is king” mantra, and the rise of AI-generated content have shaped the current state of search engine optimization (SEO) and content discovery.
Where’s the Synthetic Blood?
The article provides a history of blood transfusions and discusses the challenges and potential solutions for scaling up the creation of synthetic blood.
6 GTM Mistakes to Avoid When Expanding Internationally
The article discusses the complexities of managing go-to-market (GTM) strategies in an international setting, providing insights and recommendations from GTM analyst Lindsay Cordell. It covers key considerations for successful global GTM expansion, common pitfalls to avoid, and an announcement about the hosts for the “GTM is Better Together” event series.
The rise of forums: Why Google prefers them and how to adapt
The article discusses the recent decline in organic search traffic and rankings for niche websites, and how this is due to the increasing dominance of user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Reddit, Quora, and YouTube in search engine results. It provides insights into why Google is favoring these UGC platforms over independent bloggers and niche sites, and offers strategies for niche site owners to adapt and thrive in this new environment.
Could AIs become conscious? Right now, we have no way to tell.
The article discusses the implications of the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) that could surpass human intelligence. It explores the moral and legal considerations that would arise if AGI machines develop the ability to consciously experience life, as well as the potential consequences if AI does not develop consciousness but simply outperforms humans in every conceivable situation.
Introducing: The Managed-Service-as-Software (M-SaS) Startup
The article discusses the emergence of a new business model called “Managed Services as Software” (M-SaS), where startups provide service-oriented, outcome-driven solutions to their customers using AI agent technology. The article explores how this new paradigm differs from traditional software business models and the potential for startups to build companies based on this model.
Open-Canopy: A Country-Scale Benchmark for Canopy Height Estimation at Very High Resolution
The article introduces Open-Canopy, an open-access and country-scale benchmark for very high resolution (1.5 m) canopy height estimation. It covers more than 87,000 km2 across France, combining SPOT satellite imagery with high resolution aerial LiDAR data. The authors also propose Open-Canopy-∆, the first benchmark for canopy height change detection between two images taken at different years. The article evaluates a comprehensive list of state-of-the-art computer vision models for these tasks.
Hyper-3DG: Text-to-3D Gaussian Generation via Hypergraph
The article discusses a method called “3D Gaussian Generation via Hypergraph (Hyper-3DG)” for text-to-3D generation, which aims to capture the sophisticated high-order correlations present within 3D objects. The proposed framework consists of a “Mainflow” and a “Geometry and Texture Hypergraph Refiner (HGRefiner)” module. The HGRefiner module refines the representation of 3D Gaussians and accelerates the update process by conducting Patch-3DGS Hypergraph Learning on both explicit attributes and latent visual features. This allows for the production of finely generated 3D objects within a cohesive optimization, effectively circumventing degradation.
LAPT: Label-driven Automated Prompt Tuning for OOD Detection with Vision-Language Models
The paper introduces Label-driven Automated Prompt Tuning (LAPT), a novel approach to out-of-distribution (OOD) detection that reduces the need for manual prompt engineering. The key points are:
- LAPT develops distribution-aware prompts with in-distribution (ID) class names and automatically mined negative labels.
- LAPT collects training samples linked to these class labels autonomously via image synthesis and retrieval methods, eliminating the need for manual effort.
- LAPT employs a simple cross-entropy loss for prompt optimization, with cross-modal and cross-distribution mixing strategies to reduce image noise and explore the intermediate space between distributions.
- LAPT consistently outperforms manually crafted prompts, setting a new standard for OOD detection. It also improves ID classification accuracy and generalization robustness to covariate shifts.
SpreadsheetLLM: Encoding Spreadsheets for Large Language Models
The article introduces SpreadsheetLLM, a novel framework that leverages the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) to process and understand spreadsheet data. The key contributions are:
- Proposing SheetCompressor, an innovative encoding framework that compresses spreadsheets effectively for LLMs, comprising three modules: structural-anchor-based compression, inverse index translation, and data-format-aware aggregation.
- Demonstrating the effectiveness of SpreadsheetLLM in spreadsheet table detection, outperforming previous SOTA methods.
- Introducing Chain of Spreadsheet (CoS) to extend the capabilities of SpreadsheetLLM to downstream spreadsheet tasks, such as spreadsheet QA.
Brat summer: is the long era of clean living finally over?
The article explores the concept of “brat” as a cultural phenomenon, examining its manifestation in Charli XCX’s album “Brat” and the broader societal implications. It delves into the aesthetic, musical, and ideological aspects of the “brat” ethos, contrasting it with the “clean girl” trend and examining its relationship to femininity, sexuality, and generational attitudes.
Electric Cars Were Supposed to Take Over the World. What the Hell Happened?
The article discusses the current state of the electric vehicle (EV) industry in the United States, highlighting the complexities and challenges it faces. It argues that the narrative of the “death of the electric vehicle” is greatly exaggerated, as EVs are becoming more prevalent across various modes of transportation, from cars and trucks to bikes and scooters.
What I Got Wrong About VR
The article discusses the author’s changing views on the prospects of Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset, as well as the broader challenges facing the virtual reality (VR) market. The author acknowledges being overly optimistic about the Vision Pro’s potential and now believes it will have a limited impact on Apple’s revenue. The article also explores the reasons why VR devices have not gained mass consumer adoption, including the limitations of current technology, the “cold start problem” of lacking a killer app, and the author’s personal concerns about the isolating nature of VR.
Good News About Brain Cancer
The article discusses how immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer treatment, with a focus on an experimental treatment that helped shrink a patient’s brain tumor.
Apple Does Not Want Google Gemini To Be On The iPhone — They Just Want To Get Back In The Game.
The article discusses the potential partnership between Google and Apple, and how it may impact the future of the iPhone and the AI landscape.
AI and the Law: What You Need To Know
The article discusses the legal implications of AI-generated content and the lack of clarity around intellectual property (IP) ownership. It highlights the recent efforts by the US Copyright Office to investigate copyright law and policy concerns related to Generative AI. The article also covers the current legal landscape, the growth of Generative AI, and the potential risks and challenges faced by creators, companies, and content producers using AI-generated content.
Learn Anything with AI and the Feynman Technique
The article discusses the Feynman Technique, a learning method inspired by the famous physicist Richard Feynman, and how it can be enhanced using AI, specifically ChatGPT. The article outlines four steps to effectively apply the Feynman Technique and leverage ChatGPT to break down and master complex concepts.
Why AI has difficulty conceptualizing “time”
The article discusses the challenges in building a concept of time for AI systems, particularly large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. It explores how humans develop an understanding of time through a gradual process of problem-solving and experience, in contrast to the more rigid, clock-based approach that may be implemented in AI systems. The article argues that a purely objective, linear conception of time may be overly restrictive, and that the flexibility and subjectivity of human time perception can lead to richer and more nuanced understandings.
What you find when you stop looking
The article discusses the author’s experience of leaving their job as a software engineer and going on a 3-month backpacking trip across Latin America. It explores the author’s reflections on the limitations of rigid planning and the benefits of embracing uncertainty and spontaneity.
Why Women Over 45 Rarely Sleep with Their Husbands: Three Women Tell the Truth
The article explores the changing emotional needs of women as they age, and why some women stop sleeping with their husbands after the age of 45. It shares the honest stories of three women and their experiences in their marriages.
How to Hire a CEO
The article discusses the author’s approach to hiring a CEO for startup companies in their portfolio. It outlines 8 key qualities the author looks for when conducting CEO searches.
Is It Silicon Valley’s Job to Make Guaranteed Income a Reality?
The article discusses the role of the tech community, particularly in Silicon Valley, in funding and promoting the idea of a guaranteed income or unconditional cash transfers as a way to address poverty and economic insecurity.
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