That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a day by day dose of what’s happening on the earth of expertise.
Motor neuron ailments took their voices. AI is bringing them again.
Jules Rodriguez misplaced his voice in October of final 12 months. His speech had been deteriorating since a prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2020, however a tracheostomy to assist him breathe dealt the ultimate blow.
Rodriguez and his spouse, Maria Fernandez, who reside in Miami, thought they’d by no means hear his voice once more. Then they re-created it utilizing AI. After feeding previous recordings of Rodriguez’s voice right into a device educated on voices from movie, tv, radio, and podcasts, the couple had been in a position to generate a voice clone—a means for Jules to speak in his “previous voice.”
Rodriguez is one among over a thousand individuals with speech difficulties who’ve cloned their voices utilizing free software program from ElevenLabs. The AI voice clones aren’t good. However they characterize an enormous enchancment on earlier communication applied sciences and are already enhancing the lives of individuals with motor neuron ailments. Learn the total story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
The AI relationship revolution is already right here
AI is in every single place, and it’s beginning to alter {our relationships} in new and sudden methods—relationships with our spouses, children, colleagues, mates, and even ourselves. Though the expertise stays unpredictable and typically baffling, people from all internationally and from all walks of life are discovering it helpful, supportive, and comforting, too.
Individuals are utilizing massive language fashions to hunt validation, mediate marital arguments, and assist navigate interactions with their group. They’re utilizing it for assist in parenting, for self-care, and even to fall in love. Within the coming many years, many extra people will be a part of them. And that is solely the start. What occurs subsequent is as much as us. Learn the total story.
—Rhiannon Williams
This subscriber-only story is the subsequent version of our print journal, which is all about relationships. Subscribe now to get a replica when it lands on February 26!
What a significant battery hearth means for the way forward for power storage
A number of weeks in the past, a fireplace broke out on the Moss Touchdown Energy Plant in California, the world’s largest assortment of batteries on the grid. Though the flames had been extinguished in just a few days, the metaphorical smoke remains to be clearing. Residents have reported well being points, and pollution have been discovered within the water and floor close by. A lawsuit has been filed.
Within the wake of high-profile fires like Moss Touchdown, there are comprehensible considerations about battery security. On the similar time, as extra wind, solar energy, and different variable electrical energy sources come on-line, massive power storage installations will likely be much more essential for the grid.
Learn our story to atone for what occurred on this hearth, what the lingering considerations are, and what comes subsequent for the power storage trade.
—Casey Crownhart
This story is from The Spark, our weekly e-newsletter explaining the tech fixing the local weather disaster. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at this time’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 Inside Elon Musk’s AI coup
If you happen to suppose authorities run by AI sounds dystopian, you’d be proper. (New Yorker $)
+ Can AI assist DOGE slash authorities budgets? It’s advanced. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
+ Musk says DOGE is being clear. That couldn’t be farther from the reality. (Gizmodo)
2 OpenAI is loosening restrictions on what its bots can say
It’s nudging the stability away from security, and in direction of ‘mental freedom’. (The Verge)
+ Musk’s legal professionals say he’ll withdraw his $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI if it drops plans to turn into a for-profit firm. (Reuters $)
3 Relationship apps go away individuals at midnight over harmful customers
Match Group appears to do shockingly little in response to stories of rape. (The Guardian)
4 Apple is reportedly exploring humanoid robots
However it’s nonetheless very early days, so I wouldn’t prefer to wager on something coming to fruition simply but. (TechCrunch)
+ Right here’s what’s subsequent for robots. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
5 Effectivity is the brand new frontier for AI
DeepSeek claims to have constructed a mannequin for $6 million. One other workforce says they’ve performed it for simply $6. (The Economist $)
+ China’s EV firms are racing so as to add DeepSeek’s AI to their vehicles. (Enterprise Insider $)
+ China’s smartphone makers are speeding to undertake it too. (South China Morning Put up $)
6 Apple simply launched an enormous well being examine
It’ll analyze how information from its gadgets can monitor, handle and predict adjustments in customers’ well being. (CNBC)
7 Contained in the radically unambitious return of Pebble smartwatches 
It’s kinda telling that constructing gadgets that may final for years is so uncommon. (Quick Firm $)
8 Syria simply hosted its first worldwide tech convention in 50 years
Hope abounds because the nation begins to rebuild after a 13-year-old civil struggle. (Remainder of World)
9 The man who threw away $775 million in Bitcoin desires to purchase the rubbish dump
He’s by no means going to surrender, is he. (Quartz $)
10 Google goes to get AI to guess how previous you might be for age verification
I worry it’d take one take a look at my tastes and add on just a few many years. (The Verge)
Quote of the day
“The AI summaries of questions on Ask are horrible. Can we return to answering the questions individuals really requested?”
—Google staff bemoan the usage of AI to compile their numerous questions right into a single one throughout all-staff conferences, The Guardian stories.
The large story
No matter occurred to DNA computing?
October 2021
For greater than 5 many years, engineers have shrunk silicon-based mostly transistors again and again, creating progressively smaller, sooner, and extra energy-efficient computer systems within the course of. However the lengthy technological successful streak—and the miniaturization that has enabled it —can’t final ceaselessly.
What might this successor expertise be? There was no scarcity of different computing approaches proposed over the past 50 years. Listed here are 5 of the extra memorable ones. Examine 5 of essentially the most memorable ones.
—Lakshmi Chandrasekaran
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Bought any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Monty is such an excellent boy that he’s been topped greatest canine in America.
+ A shortcut recipe for hen rice? I’m going to need to attempt it out.
+ If you happen to’ve received a good neck and shoulders, a fast hit of reduction is simply ten minutes away.
+ To make lasting adjustments to your life, motivation has to come back from inside.
