Links for 2023-02-09
“A new study shows how large language models like GPT-3 can learn a new task from just a few examples, without the need for any new training data…The researchers’ theoretical results show that these massive neural network models are capable of containing smaller, simpler linear models buried inside them. The large model could then implement a simple learning algorithm to train this smaller, linear model to complete a new task, using only information already contained within the larger model. Its parameters remain fixed.” https://news.mit.edu/2023/large-language-models-in-context-learning-0207
“BioGPT-Large was just released by Microsoft 🤩 Trained from scratch on biomedical text, it's the current leader on the PubMedQA benchmark at 81% accuracy (human performance = 78%).” https://twitter.com/katieelink/status/1622635429202898944
“I Tried Microsoft’s New AI-Powered Bing. Search Will Never Be the Same.” [Wall Street Journal] https://archive.is/DU4k7
Alphabet shares fall sharply after Google’s AI chatbot debut stumbles: “Experts pointed out that Bard had made a factual error in the first video demo(opens a new window) of the product online.” [Financial Times] https://archive.is/CHsh0
Making DNA: The Quest for Synthetic Life - Cells with synthetic genomes could build almost anything. Managing biosecurity risks is another story. https://cell.substack.com/p/dna
“It seemed absolutely crazy. The idea that an Iowa housewife, equipped with the cutting-edge medical tool known as Google Images, would make a medical discovery about a pro athlete who sees doctors and athletic trainers as part of her job?” https://www.propublica.org/article/muscular-dystrophy-patient-olympic-medalist-same-genetic-mutation
Because the borders of an empire can’t be more than one month of travel away from the capital, Earth will keep the moon colony but Mars will become independent. https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/transportation-tech-shaped-empires
Cargo airships could be big: A capital-intensive, high-risk way to revolutionize global commerce https://www.elidourado.com/p/cargo-airships
Winner take all science https://dynomight.net/wta-science/
“Even the most alarmist commentators and conspiracy-mongers underestimated the depth and effectiveness of British covert activity.” [published in 2017] https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/when-a-foreign-government-interfered-in-a-us-electionto-reelect-fdr-214634/
A De-Extinction Company Is Trying to Resurrect the Dodo [MIT Technology Review] https://archive.is/57RLD
H5N1 Bird Flu Prediction Market https://manifold.markets/group/h5n1-bird-flu