That is at present’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a day by day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of expertise.
What’s subsequent for good glasses
For each technological gadget that turns into a family identify, there are dozens that by no means catch on. This 12 months marks a full decade since Google confirmed it was stopping manufacturing of Google Glass, and for a very long time it appeared as if mixed-reality merchandise would stay the protect of fanatics reasonably than informal customers.
Quick-forward 10 years, and good glasses are on the verge of turning into—whisper it—cool. Sleeker designs are definitely making this new technology of glasses extra interesting. However extra importantly, good glasses are lastly on the verge of turning into helpful, and it’s clear that Massive Tech is betting that augmented specs would be the subsequent massive shopper system class. Right here’s what to anticipate from good glasses in 2025 and past.
—Rhiannon Williams
This story is a part of MIT Know-how Assessment’s What’s Subsequent sequence, which seems to be throughout industries, tendencies, and applied sciences to present you a primary take a look at the longer term. You’ll be able to learn the remainder of them right here.
4 Chinese language AI startups to observe past DeepSeek
The meteoric rise of DeepSeek—the Chinese language AI startup now difficult international giants—has surprised observers and put the highlight on China’s AI sector. Since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022, the nation’s tech ecosystem has been in relentless pursuit of homegrown alternate options, giving rise to a wave of startups and billion-dollar bets.
Right this moment, the race is dominated by tech titans like Alibaba and ByteDance, alongside well-funded rivals backed by heavyweight traders. However two years into China’s generative AI growth we’re seeing a shift: Smaller innovators must carve out their very own niches or danger lacking out. What started as a dash has develop into a high-stakes marathon—China’s AI ambitions have by no means been larger. Now we have recognized these 4 Chinese language AI firms as those to observe.
—Caiwei Chen
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at present’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 The US Postal Service has stopped accepting parcels from China
And plunged the ecommerce business into utter chaos. (Wired $)
+ Trump’s China tariffs are coming for Amazon, too. (Insider $)
2 Elon Musk has weaponized X in his struggle on authorities spending
The billionaire is conducting polls asking customers which company he ought to intestine subsequent. (NYT $)
+ Musk’s staffers reportedly entered NOAA headquarters yesterday. (The Guardian)
+ DOGE now seems to have entry to Treasury fee programs. (Quick Firm $)
+ But it surely does seem as if Trump blocked Musk from hiring a noncitizen. (The Atlantic $)
3 Google has quietly dropped its promise to not use its AI to construct weapons
Simply weeks after rival OpenAI additionally reversed its anti-weapons growth stance. (CNN)
+ OpenAI’s new protection contract completes its navy pivot. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
4 The metaverse’s future isn’t wanting so rosy
Meta’s CTO has conceded that this 12 months is vital to its success or failure. (Insider $)
5 OpenAI is trying to court docket Hollywood’s filmmakers
However its Sora video device has been met with a frosty reception. (Bloomberg $)
+ Methods to use Sora, OpenAI’s video producing device. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
6 These drones are launching drones to assault different drones
Ukraine is constant to provide revolutionary battlefield applied sciences. (Ars Technica)
+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone protection. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
7 Methods to make synthetic blood 
We’re working out of the actual stuff. Is pretend blood a viable various? (New Yorker $)
8 College students have labored out easy methods to hack colleges’ ‘telephone prisons’
Lecturers ought to know that good youngsters will at all times discover a workaround. (NY Magazine $)
9 Social media can’t provide you with validation
So cease looking for it there. (Vox)
10 Web slang is uncontrolled
Skibidi, gigachad, or deeve, anybody? (WSJ $)
Quote of the day
“Whereas we encourage folks to make use of AI programs throughout their function to assist them work quicker and extra successfully, please don’t use AI assistants through the software course of.”
—AI firm Anthropic urges folks making use of to work there to not use chatbots and different instruments through the course of, the Monetary Occasions experiences.
The massive story
The race to save lots of our on-line lives from a digital darkish age
August 2024
There’s a photograph of my daughter that I like. She is sitting, smiling, in our outdated again backyard, chubby fingers grabbing on the cool grass. It was taken on a digital digicam in 2013, when she was nearly one, however now lives on Google Pictures.
However what if, in the future, Google ceased to perform? What if I misplaced my treasured photographs without end? For a lot of archivists, alarm bells are ringing. Internationally, they’re scraping up defunct web sites or at-risk information collections to save lots of as a lot of our digital lives as attainable. Others are engaged on methods to retailer that information in codecs that may final a whole lot, even perhaps 1000’s, of years.
The endeavor raises complicated questions. What’s necessary to us? How and why will we determine what to maintain—and what will we let go? And the way will future generations make sense of what we’re in a position to save? Learn the total story.
—Niall Firth
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Letsa go—Nintendo has added 49 Tremendous Mario World tracks to its music app!
+ Congratulations are to ensure that New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki, which is now legally acknowledged as an individual. 
+ I’ve bought one thing in frequent with these Hollywood greats finally: they by no means received an Oscar, both.
+ Do you favor music or silence in your yoga class?
