The hottest Technology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Spotlight: Adrien Michaud – Rocket Lab Space Ambassador

Space Ambition • 319 implied HN points • 03 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Space Tech Engineering Startups Aerospace Innovation
  1. Space tech isn't just for engineers; there are many paths into the industry. You can find roles in areas like HR or business development even if you don’t have a traditional aerospace background.
  2. The future of space tech may resemble civil aviation or the car industry, with either a few big players or many smaller companies. This means a lot of new ideas and technologies may emerge, but they also need solid ways to make money.
  3. Watching inspiring films like Apollo 13 can ignite passion for space and problem-solving. Many people find their calling early and choose careers that let them work on real-world challenges in space tech.

A look at the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) 3.0

Resilient Cyber • 219 implied HN points • 31 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Vulnerability Management Data Analysis Risk Assessment Software Development
  1. EPSS 3.0 helps security teams focus on the vulnerabilities that are most likely to be exploited soon. This makes managing vulnerabilities easier and more efficient.
  2. Many organizations struggle to fix all their vulnerabilities and often end up wasting time on those that are rarely exploited. EPSS aims to change that by identifying threats more accurately.
  3. The new version of EPSS shows a big improvement in predicting which vulnerabilities are at risk. This means companies can spend less time on unimportant issues and focus on what really matters.

The Customer Is Always Right (but not always human)

How the Hell • 49 implied HN points • 17 Sep 25
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning APIs Payments Business Models
  1. AI agents are getting much better at long, uninterrupted work and will learn to budget their thinking and compute, which will push costly or complex tasks from cheap subscriptions to pay-per-use models.
  2. Agents will pay for external resources like compute, data, web access, and licenses, and websites and services will likely charge tiny fees to serve those automated clients.
  3. A new market will appear to sell services to agents—everything from automated testing, voices, and compliance checks to agent banks and even shady offerings like credential markets.

The Rise of Amazon's Trainium 2

Mule’s Musings • 288 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductors AI Infrastructure Cloud Computing
  1. Amazon is significantly increasing its investments in technology infrastructure, particularly for AI services, showing a strong commitment to compete in the generative AI space.
  2. The success of Amazon's new custom silicon, Trainium 2, could be larger than expected as demand from AI applications grows rapidly.
  3. Trainium 2 represents Amazon's serious entry into the market for training AI models, positioning it as a competitor against established players like Nvidia.

Embracing weirdness: What it means to use AI as a (writing) tool

One Useful Thing • 887 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Writing Applications Innovation
  1. AI is weird and different from traditional software, so we need to embrace its uniqueness to fully understand its capabilities.
  2. AI can do much more than just act as a thesaurus or grammar checker; it has the potential to help in creative idea generation and simulate individual readers for market feedback.
  3. To unlock the true value of AI, we should experiment with unconventional uses of AI tools while being mindful of ethical concerns and technical limitations.
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Metadirection

Covidian Æsthetics • 28 implied HN points • 11 Nov 25
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Digital Culture Computational Theory
  1. Metadirection is all about keeping awareness of interactions with AI as a type of performance, rather than seeing the AI as a real person. This helps users navigate the conversation without getting lost in it.
  2. Users can use specific techniques like 'framing' and 'distancing' to maintain a balance between being engaged and aware. This prevents confusion between the AI's outputs and personal thoughts.
  3. Staying flexible and open to possibility is key. Techniques like 'swerving' allow the user to introduce new ideas, keeping the dialogue dynamic and ensuring the user stays in control of the interaction.

A misleading open letter about sci-fi AI dangers ignores the real risks

AI Snake Oil • 1171 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Ethics Security Policy Risk
  1. Misinformation, labor impact, and safety are key AI risks raised in an open letter.
  2. Speculative risks like malicious disinformation campaigns overlook real harm caused by over-reliance on AI tools.
  3. Addressing near-term security risks from AI integration into real-world applications is crucial, and the containment mindset may not be effective.

LLM Links, 1/17

In My Tribe • 212 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Productivity Automation Regulation
  1. Intelligence can help us break down regulatory barriers and improve cooperation. A higher baseline of intelligence might push us to recognize and fix our bad decisions more easily.
  2. The adoption of AI will be slow because organizations and systems take time to change. Even with advanced AI, many people might not notice its presence right away.
  3. Bill Gates believes AI will take over routine tasks, leaving creative work for humans. However, there’s a chance that AI could also become creative, challenging the idea that humans are solely responsible for creativity.

The term "technical debt" is bad, and we should feel bad

Bad Software Advice • 82 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development Technical Debt Project management Systems Architecture Engineering Practices
  1. The term 'technical debt' can confuse people and isn't very helpful. It makes it sound like a mistake when it’s often just how things change over time.
  2. Technical projects often struggle for attention because they're not seen as urgent or important compared to other tasks. This makes fixing issues harder.
  3. Instead of thinking about technical problems as debts to be paid back, we should see them as regular maintenance needed to keep things working well and up-to-date.

I spent another 6 hours understanding the design principles of Snowflake. Here's what I found

VuTrinh. • 79 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Data Engineering Cloud Computing Software Architecture Database Systems Data Analytics
  1. Snowflake separates storage and compute, allowing for flexible scaling and improved performance. This means that data storage can grow separately from computing power, making it easier to manage resources.
  2. Data can be stored in a cloud-based format that supports both structured and semi-structured data. This flexibility allows users to easily handle various data types without needing to define a strict schema.
  3. Snowflake implements unique optimization techniques, like data skipping and a push-based query execution model, which enhance performance and efficiency when processing large amounts of data.

Links for 2024-01-10

Axis of Ordinary • 98 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Science Genetics Politics
  1. Researchers are working on a global project for a general robotic brain.
  2. Genetics play a significant role in educational attainment according to recent studies.
  3. American isolationism could lead to disruptions in international trade and more serious global issues.

The Ultimate Resource Guide for Active Inference AI | 2024 Q1

Spatial Web AI by Denise Holt • 98 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Research Innovation Education Social media
  1. Active Inference AI is an emerging paradigm shift that mimics biological intelligence, offering a new framework for explainable and human-governed AI.
  2. The Ultimate Resource Guide for Active Inference AI | 2024 Q1 provides a comprehensive repository of research papers, educational materials, videos, interviews, and top people to follow in the field.
  3. The future of AI is moving towards shared, distributed, and multi-scale intelligence, rooted in biological mechanics, enabling a new era of explainable and collaborative AI without the need for massive amounts of data.

LLMs and World Models, Part 2

AI: A Guide for Thinking Humans • 196 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Neural Networks Data science Computing
  1. LLMs (like OthelloGPT) may have learned to represent the rules and state of simple games, which suggests they can create some kind of world model. This was tested by analyzing how they predict moves in the game Othello.
  2. While some researchers believe these models are impressive, others think they are not as advanced as human thinking. Instead of forming clear models, LLMs might just use many small rules or heuristics to make decisions.
  3. The evidence for LLMs having complex, abstract world models is still debated. There are hints of this in controlled settings, but they might just be using collections of rules that don't easily adapt to new situations.

Chapter Bundles of Options

Software Design: Tidy First? • 198 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Software Design Development Engineering Options
  1. Creating options in software development is essential, especially when there's uncertainty. Keeping options open increases the value of the project.
  2. Investing time in software design is important for better cohesion and less coupling. This helps the system work more efficiently together.
  3. The more you avoid tight connections between parts of the software, the more flexibility you will have. This flexibility is crucial for future changes or improvements.

There are different types of security organizations, and that's ok

Frankly Speaking • 203 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Software Risk management Industry Trends
  1. There are many kinds of security organizations, and it's important to recognize that they each manage risks differently. This means not all tools will work for every organization.
  2. The cybersecurity industry has too many tools, which can create confusion and ineffective security management. Instead of just buying tools, companies should focus on building talent and critical thinking skills.
  3. Different businesses face different security risks, so their security needs should vary too. Tools should be tailored to meet these specific needs rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution.

Israel: An In-Depth Look at Its Thriving Space Tech Ecosystem

Space Ambition • 219 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Space Tech Startups Innovation Investments Research
  1. Israel has a strong space tech startup scene with over 6,000 active startups. This impressive number shows how innovative and entrepreneurial the country is.
  2. The Israeli space community includes various organizations like the Israel Space Agency and numerous private companies working together on exciting space projects, boosting collaboration and development.
  3. Israel's history of challenges has driven its focus on innovation, helping it become a leader in space technology despite being a small nation with limited resources.

LLM Links, 1/16

In My Tribe • 212 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Education Robotics LLMs
  1. A school in Arizona is using AI as the only teachers for a new educational model. This approach aims to tailor lessons to students' needs and allow more time for personal interests.
  2. Robots still struggle with tasks that are easy for humans, like picking up objects. This shows that achieving true artificial general intelligence is still a long way off.
  3. Using chatbots like ChatGPT can help with everyday problems, like homework. By asking the right questions, you can get creative suggestions that you might not think of on your own.

A quick introduction to Reinforcement Learning [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 159 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Machine Learning AI Computing Education
  1. Reinforcement Learning is a big part of Machine Learning, focused on maximizing rewards for models.
  2. Setting up Reinforcement Learning involves components like RL agents, suitable for teaching AI to play games and develop various skills.
  3. Reinforcement Learning is valuable because it can show unexpected system vulnerabilities by behaving differently from humans.

Charts on Venture Capital, some VC robotics articles, and startup failure advice

Robots & Startups • 39 implied HN points • 29 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Venture Capital Robotics Startups Autonomous Vehicles AI
  1. There are more startups in the US than VCs can support, leading to increased competition for funding and a rise in startup failures.
  2. Investors are showing increased interest and making significant investments in robotics startups, especially those focused on AI and autonomy.
  3. Success rates for founders improve with past experience, highlighting the importance of learning from failure in the startup world.

Numlock Sunday: Zeyi Yang on BYD

Numlock News • 78 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Electric Vehicles Shipping Manufacturing
  1. BYD, a Chinese electric car manufacturer, has entered the shipping industry by building RORO vessels to transport their vehicles globally.
  2. In 2023, BYD shipped 240,000 vehicles overseas, a significant increase from the previous years and a clear indication of their growth in the market.
  3. RORO vessels have been uncommon due to the effects of the 2008 recession, with most vehicle manufacturers owning their fleets, making BYD's move notable.

VR Agent

Have You Played? • 98 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology VR Gaming Entertainment Virtual reality
  1. VR Agent is an attendant-free arcade VR game where players shoot enemies and dodge using a VR headset attached to a toy gun.
  2. Despite its unique hardware design, VR Agent provides a comfortable and natural VR experience with new control mechanisms.
  3. VR arcade experiences like VR Agent and Ultra Moto VR showcase the potential for immersive, convenient, and attendant-free gaming, paving the way for the future of arcade entertainment.

Beware: The Christmas Voicemail

Who is Robert Malone • 19 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Scams AI Cybersecurity Voice Cloning
  1. AI voice cloning technology is now easy to access and can create fake voice calls quickly. This makes it simpler for scammers to trick people using voices they recognize.
  2. Scammers are using these advanced techniques to impersonate loved ones or trusted figures, often in urgent situations, to steal money. It's important to check if a call is real before sending money.
  3. To protect yourself, use a code word with family, keep your voice private online, and be skeptical about urgent money requests. Education about these risks is crucial, especially for older people.

No Data Plan

Technically Optimistic • 79 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology State Legislation AI Regulation Social media
  1. States are taking action to regulate tech companies and protect user privacy in the absence of federal legislation.
  2. Various states like California, Maine, Maryland, and New York are actively shaping legislation to address online surveillance and data privacy concerns.
  3. While state actions are a start, there is a growing need for federal oversight and regulation to establish consistent data privacy protections nationwide.

Will AI transform law?

AI Snake Oil • 648 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Legal Predictions Research Evaluation
  1. The idea of AI replacing lawyers is plausible but not well-supported by current evidence.
  2. Applications of AI in law can be categorized into information processing, creativity/judgment tasks, and predicting the future.
  3. Evaluation of AI in law needs to advance beyond static benchmarks to real-world deployment scenarios.

DePIN and DeREN: Toward a Better Classification of Decentralized Infrastructure Networks

Unsyndicated by Mason Nystrom • 137 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Marketplaces Hardware
  1. Decentralized infrastructure networks can be categorized into DePINs and DeRENs based on their unique properties.
  2. DePINs use non-fungible resources deployed in specific locations, while DeRENs use fungible resources that are location-independent.
  3. Successful networks in both categories unlock new demand or expand the market in unique ways, not just compete on price.

Can anyone slow Nvidia down?

Alex's Personal Blog • 230 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Computers Gaming Social media Business
  1. Nvidia's new 50-series GPUs are impressive and expected to boost their popularity among gamers. Many people are excited but it's unclear when they'll be widely available at the announced price.
  2. Nvidia is launching Project Digits, a personal AI supercomputer, priced around $3,000. This makes powerful AI more accessible for developers at home or small businesses.
  3. Meta is changing its policies under new leadership, focusing on less fact-checking and more political content. This shift is seen as catering to a Republican audience, which might affect how news is shared and perceived.

2024 Interconnects year in review

Democratizing Automation • 229 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Policy Open Source Modeling Evaluation
  1. In 2024, AI continued to be the hottest topic, with major changes expected from OpenAI's new model. This shift will affect how AI is developed and used in the future.
  2. Writing regularly helped to clarify key AI ideas and track their importance. The focus areas included reinforcement learning, open-source AI, and new model releases.
  3. The landscape of open-source AI is changing, with fewer players and increased restrictions, which could impact its growth and collaboration opportunities.

Saturday morning open tabs

Scott's Substack • 78 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Tech news Virtual reality Data science
  1. The post discusses the experience of switching phone carriers and the challenges faced, emphasizing the impact of not having a phone for a few days.
  2. The post touches on upcoming summer plans including workshops in Madrid, Scotland, and potential travel to Vietnam, highlighting the diversity of travel experiences planned.
  3. The author explores the new Apple Vision Pro product, contemplating its potential usage for work, entertainment, and travel, showcasing a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

Ergodic Development

Software Design: Tidy First? • 883 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Team Collaboration Risk management Innovation
  1. Ergodicity reminds us to treat systems that continue as is differently from those that fail when changed.
  2. Strategies like reducing irreversibility and having skin in the game can help transform failing systems into sustaining ones.
  3. Load redistribution and encouraging collaboration can make development more survivable and sustainable.

Decoding Developer Productivity

Wisdom over Waves • 79 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Productivity Measurement Value Creativity
  1. Estimating software development work and productivity is tricky due to the unknowns and constant changes in the software development process.
  2. The desire to measure developer productivity stems from the human need for clarity in transactions, like buying software products, despite the complexities and uncertainties involved in software development.
  3. It's time to change the perception of software developers as mere code generators and start recognizing them as creative problem-solvers who bring unique value to the development process.

Axie Classic Dev Update - March 2024

The Lunacian • 598 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Web3 Tokens Community
  1. Guilds are being introduced to Axie Classic, creating a sense of community and allowing players to support each other, share tips, and celebrate successes.
  2. The Guild Update includes features like the Guild Axie Vault for sharing Axies and learning new strategies, as well as a Guild Treasury for sharing rewards and making the game more rewarding.
  3. The game is focusing on attracting web3 and Ronin gamers, establishing guilds to cater to different player types and implementing balancing efforts to enhance gameplay experiences.

The end is Gemi-nigh

Cloud Irregular • 591 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Google Generative AI
  1. Google's rollout of AI technology like Gemini shows a lack of internal coherence, leading to confusion among users.
  2. Despite controversies and criticisms, Google has a culture of acknowledging issues and striving to improve, driven by fear of tarnishing its brand.
  3. Public embarrassment often pushes Google to take action and refine its products, demonstrating a reactive and risk-averse approach.

Data at Depth Newsletter 6: Thankful, Creating Like Crazy, GPT-4/StreamLit Dashboards

Data at Depth • 79 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Data Creation Artificial Intelligence
  1. The author's Substack newsletter is rapidly growing, and they are very active in creating content to keep up with the growth.
  2. The newsletter includes the author's personal journey with data, highlighting successes on platforms like Medium and Substack.
  3. Readers can access the full newsletter and archives with a 7-day free trial subscription.

The Sequence AI of the Week #777: Thinking Fast, Thinking Cheap: Thinking Fast, Thinking Cheap: The Nemotron 3 Blueprint

TheSequence • 14 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Deep Learning NLP Hardware Compute Infrastructure Research
  1. NVIDIA launched the Nemotron 3 family (Nano, Super, and Ultra), establishing a new baseline for open-weight AI and moving into the reasoning-model race.
  2. The models use a hybrid Mamba-Transformer Mixture-of-Experts design, and Nemotron 3 Nano achieves a new state-of-the-art for the 30B parameter class, showing strong efficiency and performance.
  3. This release signals a shift away from brute-force dense Transformers toward more architecture-efficient, cost-effective models that matter for enterprises and researchers.