Reading Digest, July #15
Hey there, my fantastic readers! I hope you’re ready for another thrilling edition of my daily reading digest. If you’re new here, buckle up and get ready for a wild ride through the captivating world of online content. And if you’re a regular, thank you for your continued support — it means the world to me!
Today’s digest is a true smorgasbord of fascinating topics, ranging from Russia’s interception of U.S. strategic bombers in the Arctic to the passing of the legendary comedian Bob Newhart. We’ll explore the latest developments in AI, including the SPIQA dataset for multimodal question answering on scientific papers, reliable and efficient concept erasure of text-to-image diffusion models, and patch-level training for large language models.
But that’s not all — we’ve got some juicy pieces on the world of tech and business, including how Apple’s India gamble paid off, the AI content backlash, and the death of SaaS. We’ll also take a closer look at the Writers Guild’s victory over AI, the art of not sharing, and how to negotiate a seed investment.
For the curious minds out there, we’ll dive into the world of romantic consumerism and how it’s killing modern relationships, the dangerous metaphors in AI, and the real reason American developers are desperate for remote work. We’ll also explore the unspeakable experiences of volunteering at a Gaza hospital and the flaws in AI that we can prove.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, my friends. From OpenAI’s new project “Strawberry” to the interface layer where design commoditizes tech, this digest has something for everyone. We’ll even take a closer look at how to create an AI style guide, the origin story of Vim, and the objects that shaped Steve Jobs’ life.
So, grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and join me on this thrilling journey through the world of online content. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and reactions in the comments below!
Happy reading, my incredible friends!
Russia says its fighter jets intercepted 2 U.S. strategic bombers in the Arctic
The article discusses an incident where Russia scrambled fighter jets to intercept two U.S. military long-range bomber aircraft that approached the Russian border over the Barents Sea in the Arctic. It also provides context on Russia’s increased military operations in the Arctic Circle and tensions between Russia and the U.S. over military activities in international waters.
World leaders react to Biden’s exit from the 2024 US presidential race | CNN
The article discusses the announcement by US President Joe Biden that he is exiting the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee. It covers the reactions and messages of gratitude from various world leaders, including US allies and adversaries, regarding Biden’s decision.
SPIQA: A Dataset for Multimodal Question Answering on Scientific Papers
The paper introduces SPIQA (Scientific Paper Image Question Answering), the first large-scale QA dataset designed to interpret complex figures and tables within the context of scientific research articles across various domains of computer science. The dataset contains 270K questions that require reasoning over figures, tables, and textual content. The paper also proposes three tasks to evaluate the capabilities of multimodal large language models (MLLMs) in understanding scientific papers: direct QA with figures and tables, direct QA with full paper, and Chain-of-Thought (CoT) QA. Additionally, the authors introduce LLMLogScore (L3Score), a novel metric for evaluating free-form QA responses based on the confidence of large language models. Extensive experiments are conducted on the SPIQA dataset using 12 prominent foundational models, and the results highlight the potential for developing specialized systems for scientific QA in the future.
Strategizing Your Preparation for Machine Learning Interviews
The article discusses strategies for preparing for Machine Learning (ML) interviews, including understanding the different types of ML roles, decoding job descriptions, and tailoring preparation based on the specific role and company. It covers the four main types of ML interview rounds and provides guidance on how to approach preparation for each.
Reliable and Efficient Concept Erasure of Text-to-Image Diffusion Models
The article presents a novel approach called Reliable and Efficient Concept Erasure (RECE) for erasing specific concepts from Text-to-Image (T2I) diffusion models. The key points are:
- RECE efficiently modifies the model’s cross-attention projection matrices in 3 seconds without requiring additional fine-tuning.
- RECE derives new embeddings that can represent the target concepts within the unlearned model, and iteratively erases these embeddings to achieve thorough concept erasure.
- RECE introduces a regularization term to minimize the impact on the model’s generation ability for unrelated concepts.
- RECE outperforms previous methods in terms of erasure effectiveness, efficiency, and robustness against red-teaming attacks.
Patch-Level Training for Large Language Models
The paper introduces a novel training approach called “patch-level training” for large language models (LLMs) to improve their training efficiency. The key idea is to reduce the sequence length by compressing multiple tokens into a single “patch”, and then train the model to predict the next patch. This allows the model to process the majority of the training data at a significantly reduced computational cost. After the patch-level training, the model continues token-level training on the remaining data to align with the inference mode. Experiments on various model sizes (370M-2.7B parameters) show that this approach can reduce the overall training costs by 50% without compromising model performance.
Bob Newhart, Dean of the Deadpan Delivery, Dies at 94
The article is a biography of the late comedian Bob Newhart, known for his droll, deadpan humor and acclaimed CBS sitcoms “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart”. It covers his life, career, and legacy as one of the greatest comedians in history.
Experience: I’m an 81-year-old crash‑test dummy
The article is about a woman who has volunteered for the Casualties Union charity for over 40 years, playing the role of a pretend casualty in emergency service training exercises.
How Apple’s India gamble paid off
The article discusses Apple’s push into the Indian market, including the opening of its first flagship stores in India and the resulting growth in Apple’s sales in the country.
I Gave Myself a Month to Make One New Friend. How Hard Could That Be?
The article explores the author’s struggle to make new friends as an adult, and the broader societal trend of declining friendships among Americans. It discusses the challenges of forming new friendships as an adult, the author’s attempts to make a new friend within a one-month timeframe, and the insights gained from this experience.
How the Writers Guild sunk AI’s ship
The article discusses the aftermath of the 148-day Writers Guild of America strike, focusing on the implications for the AI industry and the broader labor movement. It examines how the studios’ attempts to use AI to replace writers backfired, leading to a resurgence of union power and a blow to the AI industry’s hype-driven narrative.
The AI Content Backlash is Beginning
The article discusses the rise of AI-generated content on the internet and the growing backlash against it from platforms, creators, and users. It explores the implications for web publishers, authors, and the quality of digital information.
Earners vs Owners
The article discusses the covert war waged against the young in America, with a focus on the income tax system that favors Owners (those who derive most of their income from investments and assets) over Earners (those who earn a paycheck). It highlights the complexities and loopholes in the tax code that allow Owners to pay significantly less in taxes compared to Earners, and proposes various reforms to make the tax system more equitable.
Romantic Consumerism is Killing Modern Relationships
The article discusses how the internet has transformed the way people think about and find love, leading to a culture of “romantic consumerism” characterized by less committed relationships, a dating world that is more complex and ambiguous, and the tendency to treat relationships as disposable commodities.
J.D. Vance Never Was and Never Will Be the Voice of Appalachia
The article discusses the ongoing debate and misconceptions surrounding the portrayal of Appalachia and “hillbillies” in popular culture, particularly in relation to the book and film adaptation of “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance. It highlights the frustration of Appalachian writers and residents who feel their stories and experiences are misrepresented or overlooked, and the tendency of both conservatives and liberals to use the region as a political talking point rather than engage in meaningful understanding and solutions.
Outfits & Interiors. And turning a year older.
The article reflects on the author’s 28th birthday and their journey from a 12-year-old dreaming of adulthood to the present day. It explores the author’s feelings of still identifying with their younger self and the societal pressures of being in their late twenties.
Can Fashion Criticism Keep Up With Fashion Weeks’Fast Pace? Part.1
The article discusses the approach of the Italian independent magazine Rivista Studio to fashion criticism, particularly in the context of the recent Gucci show and the changing landscape of the fashion industry.
Generative AI: get ready to multiply your Technical Debt
The article discusses the importance of software maintenance costs and the potential impact of using Generative AI (GenAI) in software development. It highlights the fact that maintenance costs are typically much higher than development costs, and that unchecked and uncontrolled use of GenAI could lead to a significant increase in maintenance costs, potentially undermining the cost savings that GenAI might provide in the development phase.
Generative AI: get ready to multiply your Technical Debt
The article discusses the potential risks and challenges of using Generative AI (GenAI) in software development, particularly the impact on software maintenance costs. It emphasizes the importance of maintenance costs being higher than development costs, and how uncontrolled use of GenAI can lead to a significant increase in technical debt and maintenance expenses.
The Art of Not Sharing
The article discusses the psychological, social, and emotional consequences of the constant sharing of personal information on social media, and proposes journaling as a way to reclaim privacy and authenticity in self-expression.
How Do You Negotiate A Seed Investment?
The article discusses the key considerations and best practices for negotiating seed stage investments, which are different from later stage investing. It covers five main points: understanding what seed funding is, avoiding common mistakes, pricing the seed funding round, structuring the seed funding, and understanding the return expectations of seed investors.
GPT-3.5 Turbo FINALLY Has A Successor
The article discusses the recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) and their impact on the pricing and accessibility of AI-powered applications. It focuses on the release of GPT-4o Mini by OpenAI, which significantly reduces the cost of using LLMs compared to previous models.
The End of Influencers
The article discusses the rise of influencers and micro-influencers on social media platforms, and how this has led to a focus on engagement farming and gaming the algorithm rather than on quality content. It highlights the issues of social media becoming a popularity contest, with users more concerned about increasing their follower count and reach than actually connecting with their audience.
Dangerous metaphors in AI
The article discusses the use of metaphors in technology, particularly in the context of AI and data. It highlights the importance of being cautious about the metaphors we use, as they can shape our perceptions, set expectations, and guide our actions. The article also explores the limits of metaphors and how they can introduce biases and prevent us from fully understanding the underlying concepts.
Crypto Is Dead.
The article discusses the author’s experiences and perspectives on the current state of the cryptocurrency industry, including the highs, lows, and controversies that have unfolded over the years. It explores the challenges of rebuilding trust and regaining mass appeal in the wake of high-profile scandals and scams.
The Death of SaaS
The article discusses the evolution of software development, from the early days of in-house built software to the rise of SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solutions, and the potential impact of AI on the future of software development.
We Volunteered at a Gaza Hospital. What We Saw Was Unspeakable.
The article describes the experiences of two American surgeons, Mark Perlmutter and Feroze Sidhwa, who volunteered to provide medical care in the Gaza Strip during the 2022 conflict between Israel and Palestine. It details the horrific conditions they encountered at the Gaza European Hospital, including overcrowding, lack of resources, and the devastating injuries suffered by children. The article highlights the challenges faced by Palestinian healthcare workers and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
OpenAI’s New Project “Strawberry”: What is it about?
The article discusses OpenAI’s “Strawberry” project, which aims to enhance AI’s reasoning capabilities and tackle the challenge of complex multi-step reasoning in artificial intelligence.
Cobra Theory in Action: How We Fucked the Internet
The article discusses the concept of the “Cobra Effect” and how it has manifested in various domains, particularly in the context of the internet and technology. It explores how well-intentioned solutions can often backfire and lead to unintended consequences due to perverse incentives.
I assure you, an AI didn’t write a terrible “George Carlin” routine
The article discusses the phenomenon of AI hype and how it can be perpetuated by both proponents and critics of AI technology. It examines several examples, such as the George Carlin comedy special created by an AI, the Theranos scandal, and the “self-driving” cars operated by remote human drivers. The article argues that AI hype often involves hiding human labor behind the veneer of automation, a pattern that has repeated throughout history.
4 Questions to Ask Before Swapping Human Labor for AI
The article discusses the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in businesses and the key considerations for when and where it makes sense to use AI to replace human labor.
The Real Reason American Developers Are Desperate for Remote Work
The article discusses why US-based software developers are desperate to work remotely instead of commuting to an office, even for 3 days a week. It examines the high cost of living in places like San Mateo, California, and how remote work can significantly improve the financial situation of developers.
AI art has no anti-cooption immune system
The article discusses the importance of ugliness, transgressiveness, and shock in counterculture and how they represent an attempt to keep the world out of one’s demimonde, especially from enthusiastic marketers who want to co-opt and commodify it. It explores how the rise of AI art and generative systems threatens to strip away the personality and authenticity of creative work, making it feel “soulless” and indistinguishable from corporate design.
AI Is Deeply Flawed, And We Can Prove It.
The article discusses recent research that undermines the narrative of AI becoming superhumanly intelligent and replacing human jobs. It highlights the fragility of AI’s superiority and its serious weaknesses, as demonstrated by the ability of “adversarial bots” to exploit flaws in advanced AI systems like KataGo, which had beaten the world’s best Go player.
How to Create an AI Style Guide: Write With ChatGPT in Your Own Voice
The article discusses how the author used ChatGPT to train it to write in their own voice and style. The author followed a 3-step process from a guide in the “Write With AI” Substack publication, which involved:
- Identifying the author’s most popular published pieces using Google Analytics.
- Providing ChatGPT with the full text of these pieces and instructing it to analyze the author’s writing style.
- Synthesizing ChatGPT’s analyses into a comprehensive style guide that could be used to generate new content in the author’s distinctive voice.
Photoshop for text
The article discusses the emerging capabilities in text editing, which are becoming as advanced as image editing tools. It highlights how text manipulation is becoming more sophisticated, allowing users to paraphrase, summarize, and transform text in various ways, similar to how image editing tools like Photoshop allow for manipulation of visual content. The article suggests that these new text editing capabilities will unlock new creative potential, just as image editing tools have done.
Language models can explain neurons in language models
The article discusses the use of GPT-4 to automatically generate explanations for the behavior of neurons in large language models and to score those explanations. The authors release a dataset of these explanations and scores for every neuron in GPT-2. The goal is to improve the interpretability of language models and uncover additional information by looking inside the model.
Prism: mapping interpretable concepts and features in a latent space of language | thesephist.com
The article explores a scalable, automated way to directly probe embedding vectors representing sentences in a small language model and “map out” what human-interpretable attributes are represented by specific directions in the model’s latent space. It discusses the key ideas, methodology, results and applications, caveats and limitations, and future work of this research.
Assisting in Writing Wikipedia-like Articles From Scratch with Large Language Models
The article studies how to apply large language models to write grounded and organized long-form articles from scratch, with comparable breadth and depth to Wikipedia pages. This underexplored problem poses new challenges at the pre-writing stage, including how to research the topic and prepare an outline prior to writing. The authors propose STORM, a writing system for the Synthesis of Topic Outlines through Retrieval and Multi-perspective Question Asking. STORM models the pre-writing stage by (1) discovering diverse perspectives in researching the given topic, (2) simulating conversations where writers carrying different perspectives pose questions to a topic expert grounded on trusted Internet sources, and (3) curating the collected information to create an outline.
Notational intelligence | thesephist.com
The article explores the importance of notation in augmenting human intelligence and creativity. It discusses:
- The diversity of notations across various domains like mathematics, music, dance, and programming
- How good notation can shape our thinking and enable us to work with more complex abstractions
- Defining intelligence as the ability to generalize and compress information
- The potential for developing more dynamic and interactive notations using software
- Guidelines for designing effective new notations
- Future directions in improving notation to enhance human intellect
Where Vim Came From
The article provides an in-depth history and analysis of the Vim text editor, tracing its origins back to the early days of Unix and the development of the line editor ed. It explores how Vim evolved from thevitext editor, which was created by Bill Joy at UC Berkeley, and how Bram Moolenaar later developed Vim as an open-source “Vi Imitation” for the Amiga platform. The article highlights Vim’s widespread adoption and success, as well as the collaborative and incremental approach that has shaped its development over the decades.
The Interface Layer: Where Design Commoditizes Tech
The article discusses the concept of the “Interface Layer” — a shift in the economy led by designers rather than tech titans, where the focus is on simplification and aggregation of services through superior user experiences. It explores how companies in the Interface Layer can disrupt industries by owning the front-end experience and integrating multiple services, potentially commoditizing the underlying service providers.
Objects of Our Life | Steve Jobs Archive
The article discusses Steve Jobs’ presentation at the 1983 International Design Conference in Aspen, where he spoke about the future of computers and the importance of design in shaping the user experience.
Every’s Master Plan
The article discusses the evolution and growth of the creator-run business Every, founded by Dan Shipper. It covers the following key points:
- Every is exploring a new model for a business that has writing and creative work at its core, and builds software and other products as an outgrowth of that.
- The business has seen rapid growth in revenue, users, and creative output, driven by factors like the team, AI tools, and Shipper’s own transformation as a writer.
- Shipper shares the key decisions that have contributed to Every’s success, including launching the Lex AI writing app, embracing AI and writing as his core identity, and bringing on new talent.
- The article outlines Every’s master plan to build a business around writing, content, and software products, funded by subscription revenue and higher-ticket offerings.
- Shipper emphasizes the importance of honesty and authenticity in driving innovation, rather than trying to fit into old models of what a business should look like.
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