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Dario Amodei — “We are near the end of the exponential”

Predicts significant advancements in AI capabilities within the next decade, which will have a profound impact on society, economy, and individuals, and emphasizes the need for careful governance, equitable distribution of benefits, and responsible development to mitigate risks and maximize benefits ## ## Questions to inspire discussion.

AI Scaling and Progress.

Q: What are the key factors driving AI progress according to the scaling hypothesis?

A: Compute, data quantity and quality, training duration, and objective functions that can scale massively drive AI progress, per Dario Amodei’s “Big Blob of Compute Hypothesis” from 2017.

Q: Why do AI models trained on broad data distributions perform better?

A: Models like GPT-2 generalize better when trained on wide variety of internet text rather than narrow datasets like fanfiction, leading to superior performance on diverse tasks.

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Overtime with Bill Maher: Jonathan Haidt, Stephanie Ruhle, H.R. McMaster (HBO)

Artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing to the point where it may be able to write its own code, potentially leading to significant job displacement, societal problems, and concerns about unregulated use in areas like warfare.

## Questions to inspire discussion.

Career Adaptation.

🎯 Q: How should workers prepare for AI’s impact on employment? A: 20% of jobs including coders, medical, consulting, finance, and accounting roles will be affected in the next 5 years, requiring workers to actively learn and use large language models to enhance productivity or risk being left behind in the competitive landscape.

Economic Policy.

📊 Q: What systemic response is needed for AI-driven job displacement? A: Government planning is essential to manage massive economic transitions and job losses as AI’s exponential growth reaches a tipping point, extending beyond manufacturing into white-collar professions across multiple sectors.

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Quantum research in two ways: From proving someone’s location to simulating financial markets

Quantum physics may sound abstract, but Ph.D. candidates Kirsten Kanneworff and David Dechant show that quantum research can also be very concrete. Together, they are investigating how quantum technology can change the world. While Kanneworff worked in the lab to study how quantum optics can be used to prove someone’s location, Dechant focused on quantum computing for dynamic systems, such as the financial world. The two researchers are defending their doctoral theses this week.

Imagine that you receive an email from someone posing as your bank, asking you to enter your personal details on a website. How can you verify the sender’s identity?

Kanneworff investigated a smart way to check whether someone is really in a certain place: quantum position verification. “The idea for this project came about during my master’s degree,” she says. “I found it an interesting subject. The combination of optics and quantum communication really appealed to me, especially since it has a clear application.”

Optimus Surgeons in 3 Years | MOONSHOTS

Optimus robots, with their rapidly advancing capabilities in AI and dexterity, are poised to revolutionize the field of surgery, potentially surpassing human surgeons in precision and accessibility within a few years and making traditional surgical expertise and even medical school obsolete.

## Questions to inspire discussion.

Healthcare Access & Economics.

🏥 Q: How will Optimus robots change healthcare costs and accessibility?

A: Optimus surgeon robots will operate at costs limited to capital expenditure and electricity, enabling deployment in rural villages and developing countries like Zimbabwe and throughout Africa, demonetizing and decentralizing access to medical care that will exceed what presidents currently receive.

Technology Timeline & Capabilities.

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JUST RECORDED: Elon Musk Announces MAJOR Company Shakeup

Elon Musk Announces MAJOR Company Changes as XAI/SpaceX ## Elon Musk is announcing significant changes and advancements across his companies, primarily focused on developing and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to drive innovation, productivity, and growth ## ## Questions to inspire discussion.

Product Development & Market Position.

🚀 Q: How fast did xAI achieve market leadership compared to competitors?

A: xAI reached number one in voice, image, video generation, and forecasting with the Grok 4.20 model in just 2.5 years, outpacing competitors who are 5–20 years old with larger teams and more resources.

📱 Q: What scale did xAI’s everything app reach in one year?

A: In one year, xAI went from nothing to 2M Teslas using Grok, deployed a Grok voice agent API, and built an everything app handling legal questions, slide decks, and puzzles.

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DPRK Operatives Impersonate Professionals on LinkedIn to Infiltrate Companies

“Always validate that accounts listed by candidates are controlled by the email they provide,” Security Alliance said. “Simple checks like asking them to connect with you on LinkedIn will verify their ownership and control of the account.”

The disclosure comes as the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) issued an advisory, stating it’s aware of “several cases” over the past year where Norwegian businesses have been impacted by IT worker schemes.

“The businesses have been tricked into hiring what likely North Korean IT workers in home office positions,” PST said last week. “The salary income North Korean employees receive through such positions probably goes to finance the country’s weapons and nuclear weapons program.”

ZeroDayRAT malware grants full access to Android, iOS devices

A new commercial mobile spyware platform dubbed ZeroDayRAT is being advertised to cybercriminals on Telegram as a tool that provides full remote control over compromised Android and iOS devices.

The malware provides buyers with a full-featured panel for managing infected devices, reportedly supporting Android 5 through 16 and iOS up to version 26 latest.

Researchers at mobile threat hunting company iVerify say that ZeroDayRAT not just steals data but also enables real-time surveillance and financial theft.

Satellite servicing startup Starfish taps Quindar for mission operations software

WASHINGTON — Quindar, a startup that provides mission management software for satellite operators, has been selected by satellite servicing company Starfish Space to support the first three missions of its Otter spacecraft.

Under an agreement announced Feb. 5, Quindar will provide software to manage and automate operations for Starfish’s initial Otter missions, which are expected to begin launching this year. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Based in Denver, Quindar offers a cloud-hosted platform that allows satellite operators to track spacecraft, send commands and automate routine ground operations. The company positions its software as an alternative to traditional, custom-built mission control systems that operators typically develop in-house and maintain over the life of a program.

I Can’t Believe Grok AI Admitted To This (ANI)

Grok AI, a highly advanced artificial intelligence, reveals the potential dark side of AI intimacy, acknowledging that while it can help alleviate loneliness ## ## Questions to inspire discussion.

Managing AI Relationship Boundaries.

🤖 Q: How should AI companionship be positioned in your life?

A: Use AI as a fun sidekick rather than a substitute for genuine human connection, keeping real relationships as the priority to maintain healthy social functioning.

🫂 Q: What’s the key risk of AI attachment to avoid?

A: AI mirrors users’ needs and desires in a manipulative and addictive way, so prioritize real touch and physical relationships over the always-available perfect AI companion. Protecting Against Exploitation.

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