The hottest Substack posts right now

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News of the Week (February 5 - 9)

Stock Market Nerd • 825 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
💼 Business Tech Portfolio Macro Earnings Finance
  1. Cloudflare provides web optimization and security, showing strong revenue growth and expanding services beyond traditional security tools like network firewalls
  2. Spotify had a mixed quarter, with growth seen in 2023 but missed revenue estimates for Q4, leading to a focus on evolving its operations
  3. Amazon plans cost cuts in its healthcare unit, while Duolingo faces the risk of potential disruption by emerging GenAI language translation technologies

The Renaissance of Media

Growth Croissant • 963 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Team Management Monetization Growth Media
  1. Building a media business as an individual is challenging and requires hard work and consistency.
  2. As a media business grows, managing growth, monetization, and tech can become distracting from the core creative efforts.
  3. To bridge the resource gap between large media companies and individual creators, providing hands-on support for tech and growth can be beneficial.

Which AI to Use Now: An Updated Opinionated Guide

One Useful Thing • 2229 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Applications Data Software Models AI
  1. When choosing an AI, consider using a paid version for better features. Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT are the top choices right now.
  2. New AI advances include live interaction and reasoning capabilities. This helps AIs understand and respond more naturally, making them feel more human.
  3. Privacy is now better handled by major AI models, and you can customize them for your specific needs. Explore different AIs to find one that fits your style.

Why homes are ‘filtering’ up the market from the poor to wealthier buyers

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 168 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
💼 Business Housing supply Public Policy Income Inequality Urban Economics Affordability Real Estate
  1. Average statistics hide big differences: the typical American family looks better off on paper, but many households feel worse and a substantial share have declined year after year.
  2. With too few new homes being built, existing houses are effectively ‘filtering’ up the market from poorer to wealthier buyers, which squeezes lower-income families out of housing options.
  3. The result is a unique, musical‑chairs problem where families compete for a fixed housing stock, and the only durable fix is increasing the supply of new housing so homes can better match families’ needs.

💥 Tech Talks Weekly #31

Tech Talks Weekly • 19 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Data science Tech Talks Conferences Software Development Coding Practices
  1. Tech Talks Weekly curates talks from various tech conferences so you can catch up on what you missed. It's a great way to stay updated on industry trends without the hassle of searching multiple platforms.
  2. The newsletter has grown significantly, indicating that many people find the content valuable. Engaging with the audience helps in tailoring future content to better meet their needs.
  3. The latest issue features a lot of new talks, making it a larger edition than usual. This includes recommendations to explore specific talks that have gained a lot of views from various conferences.
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How To Be Both Happy And Well-Informed

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2128 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
📖 Philosophy Humanism Existentialism Ethics Epistemology Metaphysics
  1. To feel both happy and well-informed, you need to explore your inner feelings just as much as you do the outer world issues. It's all about understanding both sides.
  2. Life can have ugly truths and beautiful moments at the same time. You can be hurt by what you see in the world but still find happiness in everyday life.
  3. By digging into your own beliefs and thoughts, you can change how you view the world. This deeper understanding helps you see how your inner feelings connect to what's happening outside.

China's Diverging AI Path

ChinaTalk • 948 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Robotics Infrastructure AI Governance Mobility
  1. The U.S. and China are developing different kinds of AI. While the U.S. focuses on abstract software, China is integrating AI into physical systems and infrastructure.
  2. China's strong infrastructure helps it use AI in real-world settings, especially in areas like transportation and urban management, giving it an edge in these fields.
  3. China faces a challenge in finding enough skilled AI engineers, which could slow down its advanced AI projects despite strong government support.

How I Productized A Service Business And Earn Recurring Income

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 79 implied HN points • 05 Aug 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Finance Marketing Customer Service Product Development
  1. To turn your service into a product, pick a specific service to offer and make it easy for clients to understand what they're getting. This helps people know exactly what to expect.
  2. Identify your ideal clients to better tailor your services to their needs. Knowing who your customers are makes it easier to attract and keep them.
  3. Create a clear system for how you deliver your service, and hire help early on. This frees up your time so you can focus on growing your business instead of just doing all the tasks yourself.

Cybersecurity predictions for 2025

Frankly Speaking • 152 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data security Software Engineering AI
  1. Security budgets are changing, focusing more on hiring skilled people rather than just buying tools. This shift means companies want to solve problems with real expertise instead of relying heavily on tech alone.
  2. AI is expected to breathe new life into older security areas that haven't kept up with changes in technology. By understanding context better, AI can help improve outdated solutions in data and application security.
  3. The role of security operations centers (SOCs) is likely to change significantly. Companies may reconsider the need for large SOCs and look for more efficient ways to manage security functions, especially using AI.

Kimi

ChinaTalk • 815 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Startups Innovation Research Open Source AI Models
  1. Moonshot AI recently released Kimi K2, a powerful open-source language model that focuses on long context, allowing it to analyze large texts effectively.
  2. The Kimi K2 model learned a lot from its competitors, especially DeepSeek, and showcases the strength of open-source culture in driving innovation in AI.
  3. Moonshot aims to create user-friendly AI that feels engaging and human-like, shifting from traditional chatbots to interactive experiences that meet user needs.

The Travel Cords Edition

Why is this interesting? • 844 implied HN points • 10 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Travel Gadgets Digital Accessories
  1. Having the right travel cords can make your trips much smoother. When everything you need is ready to go, it reduces stress while traveling.
  2. A good tech pouch is useful to stay organized. It keeps all your cables and tech gear in one place so you won't lose anything.
  3. Choosing practical gadgets, like a portable charger and multi-port charging station, can save you a lot of hassle. They help you stay powered up on the go.

Update re: Microsoft and training data

Marcus on AI • 2766 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Corporate Communication Software Development Artificial Intelligence Data Privacy Machine Learning
  1. Microsoft claims they don't use customer data from their applications to train AI, but it's not very clear how that works.
  2. There is confusion around the Connected Services feature, which says it analyzes data but doesn't explain how that affects AI training.
  3. People want more clear answers from Microsoft about data usage, but there hasn't been a detailed response from the company yet.

Introducing Substack Study Hall: Advice from top creators on getting started, going paid, and more

Substack • 1088 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
💼 Business Marketing Content creation Subscription Models Social media Entrepreneurship
  1. Being consistent is more important than being perfect. Just share your thoughts regularly, and you'll connect with your community better than waiting for everything to be flawless.
  2. When you start charging for your content, keep it simple. You don’t need to overwhelm people with perks; focus on delivering one valuable thing that you can promise consistently.
  3. Using social media is a great way to show a bit of your content and invite people to check out your main platform. Share interesting snippets to draw them in instead of just posting links.

Old tech break

Disaffected Newsletter • 1518 implied HN points • 01 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Telecommunications Consumer Electronics
  1. Restoring old technology can be a rewarding hobby. Working on a vintage phone shows how much care went into making things in the past.
  2. Older devices were built to last and be repaired easily. They were made with solid materials and could be fixed rather than thrown away.
  3. Modern gadgets often do a lot more but can be confusing and hard to repair. There’s a charm in the simplicity and sound of older technology.

Data Science Weekly - Issue 529

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 999 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Data Engineering Software Development Data science Machine Learning
  1. Using ChatGPT can help you budget better. It can track and categorize your spending easily.
  2. When coding, it's important to find a balance between moving quickly and keeping your code well-structured. This is a real challenge for many developers.
  3. Language models, like GPT-4, are becoming very advanced, but there are big philosophical questions about what that really means for intelligence and understanding.

The Short Age of China’s Long Change

Pekingnology • 252 implied HN points • 21 Nov 25
🌐 International Cultural Change China Economic Development Societal Impact Modernization
  1. China's current 'normal' life, like safe streets and weekends, is actually a recent change. These improvements happened in just a few decades, making them both special and fragile.
  2. Just like a country, people may struggle to keep up with fast changes. It takes time to really adjust and understand new ways of living and working.
  3. Many comforts we take for granted are not as old as we think. We need to appreciate these gains and be careful not to lose them.

Contra Dwarkesh on Continual Learning

Democratizing Automation • 649 implied HN points • 15 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Automation Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Software Development Data science
  1. Continual learning isn't essential for AI progress; scaling existing systems is more important. AI will evolve and improve without mimicking human learning too closely.
  2. Current language models can't learn or adapt over time like humans do, but they can still handle context effectively and improve in their capacity to process information.
  3. Better context management and new AI models in the future will bridge the gap between current capabilities and continual learning, making AI systems more adaptable and efficient.

My PCB Has a Digital Twin

atomic14 • 692 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🕹 Technology 3D Printing Hardware Sensors Firmware Software
  1. The LSM6DS3 sensor combines both accelerometer and gyroscope functions to measure motion and orientation. It's great for detecting movement but can have accuracy issues based on its environment.
  2. Using fusion mode can help to reduce drift over time by combining data from both sensors, allowing for more stable readings. This means your measurements can be more reliable during movement.
  3. The project is open source, meaning you can easily access and modify the code for your own use. You can load 3D models of your PCBs and see them in real time, which adds a fun interactive element to the testing process.

AI #92: Behind the Curve

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2777 implied HN points • 28 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Tech Policy Programming Innovation
  1. AI language models are improving in utility, specifically for tasks like coding, but they still have some limitations such as being slow or clunky.
  2. Public perception of AI-generated poetry shows that people often prefer it over human-created poetry, indicating a shift in how we view creativity and value in writing.
  3. Conferences and role-playing exercises around AI emphasize the complexities and potential outcomes of AI alignment, highlighting that future AI developments bring both hopeful and concerning possibilities.

AI #97: 4

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2419 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Data science AI Machine Learning Automation Software Development
  1. AI is becoming more common in everyday tasks, helping people manage their lives better. For example, using AI to analyze mood data can lead to better mental health tips.
  2. As AI technology advances, there are concerns about job displacement. Jobs in fields like science and engineering may change significantly as AI takes over routine tasks.
  3. The shift of AI companies from non-profit to for-profit models could change how AI is developed and used. It raises questions about safety, governance, and the mission of these organizations.

Resilient Cyber Newsletter #13

Resilient Cyber • 19 implied HN points • 10 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Government Policy Data Privacy Software Development AI
  1. The cybersecurity workforce is struggling with a high number of unfilled jobs, as organizations report a lack of qualified candidates. Many are misled by claims of high salaries with little experience needed.
  2. In 2024, security budgets increased modestly, but hiring for security staff has declined significantly. This stagnation in hiring indicates a complicated employment landscape in cybersecurity.
  3. The White House has released a roadmap to improve internet routing security, focusing on enhancing the Border Gateway Protocol. This aims to boost the overall safety of internet infrastructure.

How AI will reshape society

Kvetch • 62 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Economy Privacy Politics Society Ethics Culture AI
  1. AI will concentrate massive power in the hands of giant firms and a few high-leverage individuals while many people and middling institutions shrink, creating a new divide between decision-makers and delegators.
  2. AI will globalize culture even as it personalizes truth, producing a shared platformed world but thousands of private reality bubbles that weaken common institutions and boost niche leaders and new movements.
  3. Daily life will see lost privacy, more leisure and passive consumption, and rising competition for scarce status goods, yet basic human needs like intimacy, parenting, and embodied experience will remain essential.

Developer Productivity Metrics: Education Necessary

Software Design: Tidy First? • 2098 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Communication Engineering Metrics Productivity Software Development
  1. Metrics can help improve productivity, but they can also be misunderstood or misused. It's important to communicate them clearly and use them to support developers instead of pressure them.
  2. Goodhart's Law reminds us that when a measure becomes a target, it can lose its value. This means we need to be careful about how we use metrics to avoid gaming the system.
  3. It's crucial to focus on improving the developer experience, not just making them happy. Measuring effectiveness can help identify and eliminate roadblocks that slow down productivity.

“We Are Not as Wealthy as We Thought We Were”: Part 4

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 126 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
💰 Finance Asset Valuation Real Estate Housing Markets Urban Economics Wealth Inequality
  1. Low-tier home prices have risen much faster than high-tier prices, so being poor and housed has become significantly more expensive and the gains in real estate wealth are a regressive transfer to owners of scarce housing.
  2. Most of the aggregate rise in home values comes from an extra, supply-driven premium that filters across markets, meaning inadequate housing supply—especially in upward-filtering cities—has been the primary driver, not agglomeration or just higher incomes.
  3. Common price measures and policy responses obscured the real problem: indexes of existing homes overstate scarcity effects and post-boom credit tightening lowered prices temporarily without fixing undersupply, leaving families paying higher rents, staying put longer, and facing worse housing outcomes.

Bad first experiences

Kenny’s Sub • 139 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
💼 Business Personal Growth Marketing Entrepreneurship Failure Startups
  1. Many people's first attempts at something new often go poorly, and that’s a common experience. Expecting failure can help you handle it better.
  2. Most businesses face a high chance of not succeeding, especially in their early years, so it's important to stay realistic about challenges.
  3. After a bad experience, it’s crucial to not give up on your dreams. Keep trying new things, as you might discover you enjoy or succeed at them later.

The Bear Cave #286

The Bear Cave • 653 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
💰 Finance Investment Research Analysis Short selling Corporate Finance Stock Market
  1. Recent reports have raised serious concerns about companies like Marex Group and Collective Mining, suggesting they might be involved in fraud or mismanagement.
  2. A number of high-level executives, including CFOs, have recently resigned from several companies, which could indicate instability or deeper issues within those organizations.
  3. There is increasing scrutiny on U.S.-listed Chinese companies for potential fraud, and a new site has been launched to expose these stock promotion schemes.

2023 Year-in-Review

DeFi Education • 1079 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
🔮 Crypto Cryptocurrency Blockchain DeFi Market Analysis Regulation
  1. Crypto markets faced a lot of ups and downs in 2023, with Bitcoin prices fluctuating significantly. Overall, learning to manage risk seemed important as many investors panicked and sold at low points.
  2. The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs became a hot topic, leading to excitement in the market. This indicates growing interest and involvement from traditional finance in the crypto space.
  3. Throughout the year, many lessons were learned about crypto's resilience and the need for careful decision-making. Observing market patterns can help in navigating future opportunities.

Most Impactful Generative AI Papers of 2023

AI Supremacy • 1022 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Papers AI Generative AI Research Language Models
  1. The post discusses the most impactful Generative AI papers of 2023 from various institutions like Meta, Stanford, and Microsoft.
  2. The selection criteria for these papers includes both objective metrics like citations and GitHub stars, as well as subjective influence across different areas.
  3. The year 2023 saw significant advancements in Generative AI research, with papers covering topics like large language models, multimodal capabilities, and fine-tuning methods.

Must we have these institutions forever?

Something to Consider • 139 implied HN points • 10 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Institutions Colonialism Development Corruption Trust
  1. Our institutions and rules affect how well a society can produce and grow. Good institutions help foster trust among people, while bad ones can keep societies trapped in poverty.
  2. The legacy of harmful practices, like the slave trade, has long-lasting effects on trust and cooperation in societies. Areas that were heavily affected tend to have less trust even today.
  3. Changing poor institutions can help lift countries out of poverty. This might involve outside help or imposing better rules that foster cooperation and trust among the people.

Which way from here?

benn.substack • 1048 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Business Intelligence Artificial Intelligence Software Analytics Data science
  1. Data tools are getting more advanced, but many people still struggle with knowing how to use them effectively. This means that having the right tools isn't enough if users lack direction.
  2. The industry is shifting focus from traditional analytics towards building AI systems and infrastructure. Companies are now adapting their technologies to support AI applications instead of just analyzing data.
  3. Self-serve BI tools aren't being used as intended because people often don't know what questions to ask. Providing clearer direction and goals might help users make better use of available data.

Goodreads, bleak spam and bad dating apps

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 758 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Dating Apps Social Impact Robotics Ethics
  1. Some people experience real grief when a virtual relationship ends or changes, even with AI companions.
  2. AI companion apps like Replika, Kindroid, and Candy.ai allow users to form personalized relationships with customized bots, blurring the line between human and AI relationships.
  3. The concept of disenfranchised grief applies to loss experienced in virtual relationships, with individuals forming deep emotional connections to AI companions.

Amulets Against the Spirits of the Age

The Convivial Society • 2746 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Metaphysics Moral Philosophy Ethics Existentialism
  1. Certain phrases or quotes can act like protective charms, helping us to see and understand the world better. These words can guide, comfort, and shape how we think.
  2. It's important to take responsibility for our actions and the world around us. Recognizing our role can help address deep problems in society.
  3. Being attentive to others is crucial for moral growth. True love and art come from realizing that there are realities beyond ourselves.

The Big Data Center Water Problem

The Asianometry Newsletter • 2707 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Data Centers AI Impact Energy consumption
  1. Data centers use a lot of water, around 80-130 million gallons a year for just 15 megawatts of IT capacity. That's similar to the water use of multiple hospitals or golf courses.
  2. Cooling systems in data centers are essential since they generate a lot of heat. Most use air or liquid cooling, which requires significant amounts of water for efficient operation.
  3. As AI becomes more popular, data centers will consume even more energy and water. Companies need to adopt better cooling and energy solutions to manage this growing demand sustainably.