The hottest Substack posts right now

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Run Large Language Model On Your Own Computer

The Beep • 19 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Data science Programming Hardware Software
  1. You can run large language models, like Llama2, on your own computer using a tool called Ollama. This allows you to use powerful AI without needing super high-tech hardware.
  2. Setting up Ollama is simple. You just need to download it and run a couple of commands in your terminal to get started.
  3. Once it's running, you can interact with the model like you would with any chatbot. This means you can type prompts and get responses directly from your own machine.

Intel Demonstrates High-Speed 3nm Silicon

More Than Moore • 186 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Engineering
  1. Intel showcased high-speed 3nm silicon technology at ISSCC 2024, revealing their advancements in SERDES connectivity.
  2. SERDES links, like PCIe, have evolved over the years and can now achieve faster transfer rates through encoding advancements like PAM-4 and PAM-6.
  3. Presenting impressive silicon like the Bixby Creek chip demonstrates Intel's commitment to developing power-efficient high-speed connections and prepares IP blocks for customer use in new process nodes.

Exclusive details: inside the FTX data room

Jon’s Newsletter • 139 implied HN points • 13 Nov 22
🔮 Crypto Regulations Bankruptcy Market Analysis Investments Blockchain
  1. FTX faced a major financial crisis just before filing for bankruptcy, with a huge gap between its liabilities and liquid assets. This raised red flags for potential investors.
  2. Sam Bankman-Fried was in a rush to raise $6-10 billion and had to quickly set up a data room to attract investors, but the information provided only raised more questions.
  3. As communication with investors broke down, Sam became increasingly difficult to reach, indicating a deteriorating situation leading up to the bankruptcy filing.

Not All Layers Are Equal

Gonzo ML • 63 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Data science Neural Networks Computational Theory AI Research Machine Learning
  1. Not every layer in a neural network is equally important. Some layers play a bigger role in getting the right results, while others have less impact.
  2. Studying how information travels through different layers can reveal interesting patterns. It turns out layers often work together to make sense of data, rather than just acting alone.
  3. Using methods like mechanistic interpretability can help us understand neural networks better. By looking closely at what's happening inside the model, we can learn which parts are doing what.

Deep Dive into DuPont

The Polymerist • 182 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
💼 Business Innovation Chemicals Financial Performance Corporate strategy Mergers & Acquisitions
  1. DuPont started as a company selling explosives before pivoting to synthetic polymer chemistry in the 1920s, leading to significant innovations like Nylon and Teflon.
  2. Chemours was spun off from DuPont due to the controversy around environmental issues related to Teflon, resulting in significant legal liabilities.
  3. Despite its reputation as a specialty chemicals company, DuPont's financial reports show challenges in generating high profits, possibly due to a focus on commoditized products and significant settlements.
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How do you go so fast?

Sunday Letters • 119 implied HN points • 17 Jan 23
💼 Business Team Dynamics Productivity Management Leadership Innovation
  1. In bigger companies, things can slow down because there are many people involved and a lot of requirements. It's easy to get used to this slow pace, but it's important to push for speed when working on new projects.
  2. People often mistake being busy with actually making progress. Sitting in meetings and creating documents doesn’t always mean you are building something valuable for users.
  3. Moving quickly can be challenging because you have to adapt and learn while you go. It requires a different mindset and the willingness to take risks while focusing on what matters most.

The Atomized Empire

Based Meditations • 39 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Social Interaction Tech Addiction Digital Culture Internet Algorithms
  1. The Atomized Empire metaphorically represents how technology has enslaved us, influencing behavior through digital means.
  2. Technology, like a modern Trojan Horse, has stealthily infiltrated our lives, controlling us through addictive algorithms and impacting human culture.
  3. Our increasing addiction and reliance on technology is leading to loneliness, social disconnection, and a detachment from the real world, hindering deep human connections and meaningful interactions.

Freddie Mac House Price Index Declined in May; Up 2.2% Year-over-year

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
💰 Finance Investment Data Analysis Economic Indicators Market Trends Real Estate
  1. The Freddie Mac House Price Index dropped by 0.23% in May but is still up 2.2% compared to last year. This shows that while prices are currently declining, there has been some growth over the past year.
  2. Florida and Texas are experiencing significant price declines, with 17 out of the 30 cities with the biggest drops located in these states. This trend indicates that real estate markets in these areas are facing challenges.
  3. Overall, 31 states and Washington D.C. have seen house prices fall since their peak. With inventory increasing and low sales, housing price growth may slow down even more in the future.

How to read a stock chart

Concepts of Finance 🧠 • 119 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
💰 Finance Stock Market Equities Investing Financial Analysis Market Trends
  1. Stock charts show how a company's stock performs over time. You can see if the price is going up, down, or staying the same.
  2. Important parts of a stock chart are the price, high/low for the day, and market cap. These help you understand how the stock is doing right now and in the past.
  3. You can set different timeframes to see how a stock has performed over days or even a year. This helps you get a better picture of its trends.

Coalitions are everywhere

Optimally Irrational • 62 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Coalitions Game Theory Social Psychology Evolutionary Theory Human behavior
  1. Coalitions are important in human life. We often need to work together for defense, support, and to achieve bigger goals than we could alone.
  2. People really care about their social groups and belonging. Feeling excluded from a group can make us anxious or upset.
  3. Our reputation matters a lot in coalitions. How others see us can affect our ability to make friends or succeed in groups.

Building Codiga: Joining an Accelerator

Tech Ramblings • 59 implied HN points • 17 Aug 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Accelerators Funding Startups Investment
  1. Joining an accelerator can help you learn quickly and meet important people, but be ready to give up some ownership of your company. It's like a startup driving school to avoid crashing and get valuable lessons.
  2. While many resources are now available online for free, accelerators can still provide connections and credibility, especially for new entrepreneurs. Just remember, the support usually ends when the program does.
  3. Getting rejected from an accelerator isn’t the end; it doesn’t mean your idea is bad. Keep trying and consider other ways to grow your business—like bootstrapping or finding partners.

The Smallest Bank in Tennessee Grew Fast With BaaS. Why It May Give The Entire Industry A Hangover.

Fintech Business Weekly • 267 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
💰 Finance Banking Fintech Regulation Partnerships Deposits
  1. The smallest bank in Tennessee saw significant growth by leveraging BaaS partnerships, but this rapid expansion may raise concerns about the bank's ability to manage increased complexity.
  2. The Herrington family behind Lineage Bank has a history of running banks, facing challenges and controversies in their previous ventures.
  3. Synapse, a key BaaS partner of Lineage Bank, has faced regulatory scrutiny and may be pressuring Lineage to approve more programs, highlighting risks in complex financial partnerships.

Movers, Shakers, & Money Makers #4

Human Capitalist • 19 implied HN points • 01 Apr 24
💼 Business Startups Employment Management Innovation Investing
  1. There are 10 noteworthy job changes each week that highlight shifts in the business world. These changes often show where companies are heading and who is taking on important roles.
  2. Some of the job moves involve leaders from well-known companies. Their experiences and skills may bring fresh ideas to their new roles, impacting industry trends.
  3. Monitoring job changes can provide insights into potential investment opportunities and emerging talent in various sectors, especially in tech and finance.

Mapping Problems

David Friedman’s Substack • 215 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Morality Law Ethics
  1. Many problems arise when trying to map continuous variables to binary responses.
  2. Arbitrary lines are often drawn to simplify complex issues, which may not always reflect reality.
  3. In legal and moral systems, certainty plays a significant role in determining guilt and punishment.

Career advice: Learn how to debug

Wednesday Wisdom • 85 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Technical Skills Career Advice Software Development Problem Solving
  1. Learning to debug helps you solve your own problems, giving you control over your work and allowing you to be more effective.
  2. Debugging teaches you valuable lessons and knowledge that you can apply in future situations, making you more confident as you grow in your career.
  3. When you debug before asking for help, you can ask clearer questions and provide better information, which makes it easier for others to assist you.

Codiga: How it Ended

Tech Ramblings • 39 implied HN points • 24 Nov 23
💼 Business Personal Growth Product Development Acquisitions Entrepreneurship Startups
  1. The author reflects on building Codiga, a small company that developed a code analysis product. Initially, they turned down an acquisition offer but later realized it was a good opportunity for both themselves and their team.
  2. Obsession and hard work are key traits for entrepreneurs. Being passionate about your product helps create something unique and successful.
  3. The journey of building a company can come with personal sacrifices. The author learned the importance of maintaining relationships and handling criticism, and ultimately feels proud of their accomplishments.

CIAM Market Size

ciamweekly • 62 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
💼 Business Cybersecurity Revenue Models SaaS Financial Analysis Market Size
  1. The CIAM market is growing fast, with estimates ranging from $12.5B in 2024 to $43.6B in 2034. This shows a big interest in managing customer identities.
  2. CIAM is different from IAM, focusing on customers instead of employees. This market is not as big as data storage or CRM but has its own importance.
  3. Companies in this market can earn a lot, but revenue is unevenly spread. Some big firms like Auth0 and Ping pull in significant revenue, while smaller startups are also emerging.

Fundamentals: compound interest explained

Concepts of Finance 🧠 • 119 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
💰 Finance Investing Savings Personal Finance Banking
  1. Compound interest lets you earn interest on both your original savings and the interest you've already earned. It's like a snowball getting bigger as it rolls down a hill.
  2. The longer you keep money in a compound interest account, the more you'll earn. This means that starting early can lead to much bigger savings over time.
  3. You can find compound interest rates from banks, credit unions, or online calculators. Knowing these rates can help you make better decisions about saving and investing.

Google's 3 Pillars for Building Resilient and Scalable Systems [Systems Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 12 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Automation Scalability Resilience Systems Design
  1. Scalability is crucial for systems to handle increased loads like more users without losing performance.
  2. Resilient systems can handle various challenges like constant user actions and security threats.
  3. Automation and loose coupling are key pillars for enhancing the scalability and resilience of systems.

Asking versus telling

Sunday Letters • 179 implied HN points • 14 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Team Dynamics Software Development Communication Problem Solving
  1. It's important to ask questions instead of just telling people they're wrong. This helps avoid defensiveness and opens up communication.
  2. When you ask questions, be genuine and curious about the other person's perspective. It’s not just about getting your point across.
  3. Understanding someone’s reasoning and context can help change their mind. Telling them they're wrong often just makes them defensive.

🤘ACDC (not that one)

Gonzo ML • 63 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Automation Data Analysis Neural Networks Machine Learning
  1. The paper introduces a method called ACDC that automates the process of finding important circuits in neural networks. This can help us better understand how these networks work.
  2. Researchers follow a three-step workflow to study model behavior, and ACDC fully automates the last step which helps identify connections that matter for a specific task.
  3. While ACDC shows promise, it isn't perfect. It may miss some important connections and needs adjustments for different tasks to improve its accuracy.

AI Observability, Orchestration, Consolidation

Gradient Flow • 179 implied HN points • 26 May 22
🕹 Technology Computer Vision Data Management Data Engineering Machine Learning AI
  1. Companies are likely to use at most two platforms for managing the entire machine learning pipeline: one for exploration and another for deployment and operations.
  2. Prefect 2.0 is a popular framework for data and workflow orchestration, emphasizing 'code as workflows' to address data engineering challenges.
  3. The survey on workflow orchestration tools revealed a growing interest in these systems, with startups raising over $450 million in funding for orchestration solutions.

5 cool AI things this week

Sex and the State • 4 implied HN points • 17 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Energy Use Artificial Intelligence Industry Trends Data Centers AI safety AI Policy
  1. AI and data centers raise real energy and water concerns: electricity demand is the bigger issue, water worries are emotionally charged, and cooling or water-use choices can change the impact.
  2. A patchwork of state regulations is making it harder for smaller AI companies to compete and could stifle useful innovation, while policymakers often focus on narrow problems like deepfakes instead of bigger issues like energy and grid planning.
  3. Nobody really knows how AI will transform the world, so there’s a lot of uncertainty, and near-term risks from malicious humans using AI deserve more attention than hypothetical superintelligent scenarios.

Quitting & Returning To Work (Guest Post by Tom Grundy)

Boundless by Paul Millerd • 89 implied HN points • 26 Oct 24
💼 Business Mental health Workplace culture Career development Entrepreneurship Work-life balance
  1. Sometimes, taking a break from work can help you recharge and find clarity. It allows you to step back and see what you really want in life.
  2. Returning to the same job after a break doesn't mean you're going backwards. It can give you a fresh perspective and a healthier relationship with work.
  3. Your mindset about work is powerful. Changing how you look at your job can lead to more happiness and satisfaction, even without changing your role.

California Home Sales Down Year-over-year for 4th Straight Month

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 20 Aug 25
💰 Finance Housing Inventory Market Trends Real Estate Economic Indicators
  1. California home sales have dropped for the fourth month in a row, going down by 4.1% compared to last year. This shows a clear slowdown in the housing market.
  2. The median home price in California also fell for the third month straight, reaching a low of $884,050. This drop is unusual for this time of year and suggests that fewer people are buying homes.
  3. Active listings of homes for sale are at a 69-month high, increasing by 37.7% from a year ago. However, the rate of new listings is slowing down, which could indicate a shift in the market.

Vertical Integration of Platforms and Product Prominence in Online Hotel Booking

Platform Papers • 79 implied HN points • 12 Jan 23
💼 Business Regulations Digital economy Platforms Recommendations
  1. Digital platforms can influence consumer choices by steering them towards certain products and suppliers. This can raise concerns about biased recommendations and the impact on consumer interests.
  2. Regulations like the European Digital Markets Act aim to restrict the power of large online platforms, particularly concerning practices like self-preferencing.
  3. Studies suggest that vertically integrated meta-search platforms may prioritize affiliated sales channels, potentially affecting search quality and competition. Empirical analyses highlight the need for better data to understand these dynamics.

A massive untapped electric vehicle market no one is talking about

Intercalation Station • 119 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
💼 Business Charging Infrastructure Electric Vehicles Government Policies
  1. India has a huge untapped electric vehicle market that is growing rapidly
  2. The focus in India is on 2 and 3-wheeler electric vehicles due to affordability and infrastructure
  3. Challenges in the Indian EV market include high import duties, lack of charging infrastructure, and unique solutions like battery swapping

GRANTED: The case for closing open offices and opening our minds

Granted • 99 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
💼 Business Leadership Productivity Psychology Podcasts
  1. It's important to balance caring about others' opinions and being true to your values, without conforming.
  2. Open offices have negative impacts like increased sick days and lower cognitive performance; access to private spaces is crucial for health and productivity.
  3. Consider the future of intelligence and survival; exploring deep-held beliefs and opening minds can lead to growth and progress.

The Great Reset: From Startups to What's Next

European Straits • 60 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
💼 Business Economics Innovation Global Markets Entrepreneurship Finance Startups
  1. Europe has struggled to create big tech companies like those in the US and China. It's due to issues like culture differences and less investment, which make it harder for companies to grow big.
  2. The US has certain advantages, such as a large market and easier access to funding, that help companies succeed. In Europe, money tends to be concentrated with a few wealthy families, making startups struggle.
  3. Even if startups seem to be fading, there's still a chance for new tech and ideas to emerge, especially with things like AI. Companies are likely to focus on efficiency rather than just rapid growth.

LLM Links, 2/15

In My Tribe • 182 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Language Models Software Robots
  1. Bill Gates supports building general-purpose humanoid robots capable of multiple tasks, modeling them after people.
  2. Mark McNeilly predicts that AI will seduce humans rather than destroy us, leading to a decline in human interaction.
  3. There is potential to use large language models for tasks like contract reviews in legal and financial sectors, but resistance to fully relying on AI in certain professions may persist.

Subprime, bank runs, and the Global Financial Crisis

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 210 implied HN points • 26 Dec 23
💰 Finance Regulation Financial Markets Economics Policy Housing Crisis
  1. The private securitization market dominated housing finance from 2004 to 2007 before collapsing.
  2. The Great Recession didn't follow the expected pattern in Atlanta, with unique housing price changes.
  3. The Global Financial Crisis was self-imposed due to a retraction in money and credit, not the predicted factors.

What's a half-trillion between friends?

Alex's Personal Blog • 65 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Infrastructure Investment Technology Policy
  1. There is a big investment in AI happening, totaling $500 billion, which will help the U.S. stay ahead in technology. This money will be used to build infrastructure and create jobs.
  2. SoftBank's financial status is unclear, but it is involved in this major investment deal. The real challenge is making sure they can actually fund their part of the investment.
  3. While OpenAI is leading the project, there are other AI companies like Anthropic and Mistral that are doing well and can compete for market share. The AI market seems to have room for multiple big players.

Replacing SaaS

Abe • 47 implied HN points • 29 Mar 25
💼 Business Sales Operations Technology Software Marketing
  1. Building software in-house can give companies a competitive edge since popular SaaS tools are often not tailored to specific needs. Developing custom solutions can lead to better efficiency and unique advantages in the market.
  2. The cost of creating in-house software has significantly decreased, making it easier for businesses to shift from relying on SaaS to building their own tools. This allows companies to focus on features that truly matter to them.
  3. More businesses should assess their current software expenses against potential in-house solutions. Companies that wish to stay competitive should consider building unique tools that enhance their operations, especially if they’re earning over $5 million annually.

Phoenix Puts UAE On Bitcoin Mining Map

Miner Weekly • 39 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🔮 Crypto Bitcoin Mining IPO Hardware Infrastructure Regulation
  1. Phoenix, a UAE-based bitcoin mining company, raised $370 million in an IPO on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange, highlighting growing interest in bitcoin mining in the region.
  2. Phoenix appears to focus more on hardware distribution rather than proprietary mining, indicating potential plans for diversification in the future.
  3. Key highlights of Phoenix's business include a sizeable team, impressive hashrate capacity, and a revenue stream primarily reliant on hardware sales.

The Long Game 171: Fatigue, Unfair Advantage, Vertical vs. General AI, Sales Learnings

The Long Game by Mehdi Yacoubi • 2 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Sales Research Business strategy Productivity Startups
  1. Being physically tired from real work or regular exercise quiets overthinking and forces action, so most people would actually feel and perform better with more controlled physical fatigue.
  2. Identify the unfair advantages you already have — such as time, connections, money, or skills — and use them relentlessly instead of pretending everyone starts on an even playing field.
  3. General coding or program‑synthesis AI is becoming a powerful horizontal tool that can automate many tasks, but domain‑specific work still matters for enterprise data access, compliance, integration, and closing the last 5–10% of value.

Why Is Africa Poor?

Journal of Free Black Thought • 59 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
💼 Business Corruption Trade Entrepreneurship Economic Policy Poverty
  1. Economic freedom is crucial for Africa's growth. When people can easily start businesses and trade, they can improve their lives and communities.
  2. Many African countries face heavy regulations that make it hard to start businesses. This creates barriers and leads to corruption, which makes economic freedom worse.
  3. Better trade connections and fewer rules can help Africa prosper. Countries like Mauritius show that when barriers are removed, economies can thrive and people can become wealthier.

5 famous company pivots.

Jon’s Newsletter • 159 implied HN points • 18 Sep 22
💼 Business Startups Acquisitions Market Trends Entrepreneurship Company strategy
  1. Instagram started as a check-in app but became popular for sharing photos. This change led Facebook to buy it for $1 billion.
  2. YouTube began as a dating site where users uploaded videos about their ideal partners. It quickly turned into a video-sharing platform, and Google bought it for $1.65 billion.
  3. Slack's founders shifted from making online games to developing a communication tool. This pivot resulted in a $27.7 billion acquisition by Salesforce.

The Reading Unlock

SatPost by Trung Phan • 254 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
💼 Business Investing Entrepreneurship Startups Economic Trends Market Analysis
  1. Entrepreneurs like Joe Coulombe, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk were inspired by reading single articles to start successful ventures.
  2. Reading diverse and random content can help build a unique insight stack when combined with other skills.
  3. Reading and continuous learning are crucial for developing insights that lead to successful ventures or investments.

How do equity analysts write a report?

Klement on Investing • 6 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
💰 Finance Behavioral Finance Regional Markets Risk Factors Equity Research Valuation Methods Financial Modeling Market Analysis
  1. Analysts focus on a few key drivers of company performance and change those priorities as the macro environment changes. For example, during inflation they paid more attention to supply-chain disruptions and rising costs.
  2. Valuation methods vary by region and shape what analysts look at: multiples (especially P/E) dominate in North America and Asia while DCFs are more common elsewhere, and multiples push analysts to stress customers, pricing and margins while DCFs push them to stress macro risk and investment activity.
  3. Relying on a single valuation method creates biased attention and mispricing — analysts using multiples tend to overreact to firm-level drivers and underreact to macro factors — so blending multiple valuation approaches gives a more balanced view and can reveal investment opportunities.

The Secure Software Self-Attestation Saga Continues

Resilient Cyber • 79 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Open Source Supply Chain Government Policy Software Development
  1. The U.S. government is focusing on improving software security and has set deadlines for software suppliers to prove they follow secure practices. Agencies now have more time to collect necessary confirmations from their software producers.
  2. Software suppliers are responsible for the security of all parts of their software, including third-party components. They need to understand where these components come from and how safe they are.
  3. Free software provided by vendors is not required to meet security standards set by the government. This creates challenges since free software can still have vulnerabilities that might put agencies at risk.