The Download: the secret lives of AI characters, and commercializing space

That is at this time’s version of The Download, our weekday publication that gives a each day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of know-how.

These AI Minecraft characters did weirdly human stuff all on their very own

Left to their very own gadgets, a military of AI characters didn’t simply survive — they thrived. They developed in-game jobs, shared memes, voted on tax reforms and even unfold a faith.

The experiment performed out on the open-world gaming platform Minecraft, the place as much as 1000 software program brokers at a time used giant language fashions to work together with each other. Given only a nudge by textual content prompting, they developed a outstanding vary of character traits, preferences and specialist roles, with no additional inputs from their human creators.

The work, from AI startup Altera, is a part of a broader subject that wishes to make use of simulated brokers to mannequin how human teams would react to new financial insurance policies or different interventions. And its creators see it as an early step in the direction of large-scale “AI civilizations” that may coexist and work alongside us in digital areas. Read the full story.

—Niall Firth

To study extra concerning the intersection of AI and gaming, why not take a look at:

+ How generative AI may reinvent what it means to play. AI-powered NPCs that don’t want a script may make video games—and different worlds—deeply immersive. Read the full story.

+ What impression will AI have on online game improvement? It may make working situations extra bearable—or it may simply put folks out of labor. Read the full story.

+ What occurred when MIT Expertise Evaluate’s employees turned our colleague Niall into an AI-powered nonplayer character—and why he hated his digital incarnation so much.

MIT Expertise Evaluate Narrated: The nice business takeover of low Earth orbit

Do you know that NASA intends to destroy the Worldwide House Station by round 2030? As soon as it’s gone, personal firms will possible swoop in with their very own replacements. Prepare for the good business takeover of low Earth orbit.

That is our newest story to be become a MIT Expertise Evaluate Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing every week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Simply navigate to MIT Expertise Evaluate Narrated on both platform, and observe us to get all our new content material because it’s launched.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to seek out you at this time’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.

1 OpenAI has suspended entry to its Sora video software
After a bunch of artists leaked entry to it in protest. (TechCrunch)
+ OpenAI responded to say they have been below no obligation to make use of its software. (WP $)
+ 4 methods to guard your artwork from AI. (MIT Technology Review)

2 A researcher created a database of 1 million public Bluesky posts
Although Bluesky itself doesn’t use AI skilled on its consumer content material. (404 Media)
+ A brand new public database lists all of the methods AI may go incorrect. (MIT Technology Review)

3 China is on a Silicon Valley hiring offensive
Chinese language companies are ready to triple engineers’ salaries to lure them in. (WSJ $)

4 What occurs when autonomous weapons make life-or-death choices
The notion of algorithms making choices over who lives or dies is chilling. (Undark Magazine)
+ Contained in the messy ethics of creating conflict with machines. (MIT Technology Review)

5 How Elon Musk is making an attempt to make xAI a bona fide OpenAI competitor 
It’s up in opposition to some fairly stiff competitors. (WSJ $)
+ The agency is more likely to double its present valuation to the tune of $50 billion. (FT $)
+ How OpenAI stress-tests its giant language fashions. (MIT Technology Review)

6 These therapies can carry sufferers again from the brink of loss of life
So when ought to they be deployed—and who ought to get them? (New Scientist $)
+ Contained in the billion-dollar assembly for the mega-rich who need to reside perpetually. (MIT Technology Review)

7 How this gigantic laser achieved a nuclear fusion milestone
The staff behind it already has a brand new objective in its sights, too. (Nature)
+ When the race for fusion floor to a halt. (MIT Technology Review)

8 These two influencers are locked in a authorized battle
However can you actually legally shield an aesthetic that’s in every single place? (The Verge)

9 LinkedIn’s viral posts are principally written by AI
That explains quite a bit. (Wired $)

10 This lollipop system permits you to ‘style’ 9 digital flavors
Willy Wonka eat your coronary heart out. (Ars Technica)

Quote of the day

“We’re not your free bug testers, PR puppets, coaching knowledge, validation tokens.”

—A gaggle of artists decry OpenAI’s remedy of creators in an open letter accompanying a leaked model of the corporate Sora generative AI video software, Variety reviews.

The massive story

Why we are able to now not afford to disregard the case for local weather adaptation

August 2022

Again within the Nineties, anybody suggesting that we’d have to adapt to local weather change whereas additionally slicing emissions was met with suspicion. Most local weather change researchers felt adaptation research would distract from the very important work of conserving air pollution out of the environment to start with.

Regardless of this hostile atmosphere, a handful of specialists have been already sowing the seeds for a brand new subject of analysis referred to as “local weather change adaptation”: research and coverage on how the world may put together for and adapt to the brand new disasters and risks introduced forth on a warming planet. Immediately, their analysis is extra necessary than ever. Read the full story. 

—Madeline Ostrander

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 tweet ’em at me.)

+ Japanese leaf art is really a powerful feat (thanks Stephen!)
+ Can our Los Angeles readers let me know if this Cyberpunk exhibition on the Academy Museum is as superb because it seems?
+ The 12 months’s best music books function nice Christmas current inspiration.
+ In the event you hate how Sam Altman takes notes, right here’s the right way to do it the right way.

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