Faster, Please!

Faster, Please! explores the nexus of technological innovation, economic growth, and societal progress, focusing on the optimistic outlook towards future advancements. It examines the role of technology, policy, and culture in addressing challenges like AI development, energy sustainability, global fertility rates, and economic productivity to foster a pro-progress future.

Technological Innovation Economic Growth Societal Progress Artificial Intelligence Sustainability Global Fertility Rates Productivity and Automation Science Fiction and Future Forecasting Policy and Regulation Humanoid Robots Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals Energy Revolution

The hottest Substack posts of Faster, Please!

And their main takeaways

🧪⚛🧬 Broken promises: CHIPS Act funding for science research falls short

822 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Research Economics Policy AI Health
  1. Despite promises made in the CHIPS and Science Act, Congress significantly underfunded key agencies and programs for scientific research, hindering progress in fields like artificial intelligence.
  2. Investment in basic scientific research, often a public good with long-term benefits beyond immediate financial gains, is essential for innovation and societal advancement.
  3. Government-funded R&D has historically played a crucial role in business sector productivity growth, supporting the argument for increased federal spending on research and development.

🎦🌌 Dystopian Hollywood vs. a tech-optimist, Up Wing future

731 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Film Technology Society Future Entertainment
  1. Popular sci-fi often portrays new technology harming humanity instead of helping, reflecting societal concerns and fears.
  2. Science fiction has shifted from optimistic visions of the future to dystopian and pessimistic outlooks, impacting our ability to strive for a better future.
  3. Movies and entertainment choices can reflect our core values and beliefs, influencing the success of different types of films in varying markets.

🤖 AI and the economy: scenarios for a world with artificial general intelligence

456 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Economy Future Automation Labor
  1. Artificial General Intelligence is a concept that doesn't exist yet and may never be achieved, but some experts believe it's coming soon.
  2. AI is viewed as a tool to enhance human capabilities and create new opportunities rather than a threat to job security.
  3. The impact of AI on the economy will depend on whether there is a limit to the complexity of tasks humans can perform.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

🤔⤴ What's so conservative about conservative futurism?

913 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conservatism Futurism
  1. The concept of 'conservative futurism' combines traditional conservative values with a focus on progress and optimism for the future.
  2. Key aspects of this ideology include upholding classical liberal values, enabling social mobility, trusting free markets and limited government, and prioritizing individual freedom and economic liberty.
  3. Some conservatives criticize this approach, preferring a return to a past without modern technological advancements or global changes.

🌎⏩ How fast can the global economy grow?

822 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
💼 Business Economic Growth Artificial Intelligence Global Economy Science fiction
  1. The concept of the Singularity involves rapid technological advancements leading to an unimaginable surge in economic growth.
  2. The idea of exponential economic growth can be challenging to comprehend, similar to how residents of a two-dimensional world might struggle to imagine a three-dimensional object.
  3. Exploring historical precedents can offer insights into more feasible scenarios for economic growth.

🚀🌑 America finally returns to the Moon

1005 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🔬 Science Clean Energy AI Robotics Health
  1. America's return to the Moon was achieved by a private company, Intuitive Machines, marking a significant milestone since Apollo 17 in 1972.
  2. Despite landing challenges, NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative with private companies like Intuitive Machines shows promise for the future of lunar missions.
  3. The possibility of NASA partnering with private companies for lunar missions can lead to cost-effective space travel and accelerated technological advancements similar to those depicted in sci-fi series like For All Mankind.

⏩🔬 Good news: We know how to accelerate the US economy

1188 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business Economics Policy AI Health Clean Energy
  1. Increasing public money for R&D can boost business productivity and private sector investment.
  2. Historically, technological innovation and public R&D have played a significant role in driving economic growth.
  3. There is a correlation between higher public investments in nondefense R&D and long-term increases in total factor productivity (TFP) in the business sector.

👴👵🤖 Humanity’s Great Fight for the Future: Demographics vs. AI

1370 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Demographics Economy Future scenarios Automation
  1. There may be a tug-of-war between AI-led productivity gains and the budget impacts of retirees and falling population growth.
  2. The analysis examines key megatrends like technology, demographics, fiscal deficits, globalization, and energy transitions.
  3. Two scenarios are presented: One where aging population and retirees limit growth, and another where productivity surges through AI-led automation.

↩ Flashback Friday: A Quick Q&A on nuclear energy risk with ... economist Matthew Neidell

456 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🔬 Science Energy Policy AI Health Space
  1. The Fukushima nuclear meltdown in 2011 led to Japan shutting down nuclear reactors, resulting in unforeseen consequences like higher energy prices, reduced consumption, and increased mortality during cold temperatures.
  2. Following the shutdown, research by economist Matthew Neidell showed how Japan's shift to fossil fuels after the Fukushima incident led to higher bills, reduced energy use, and ultimately increased mortality in cold weather due to lack of climate control.
  3. The debate on nuclear energy often focuses on visible risks like accidents, while downplaying the benefits and comparative safety of nuclear power when weighed against other energy sources like coal or gas.

😃⤴ Is a future-optimist Vibe Shift happening?

731 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Optimism Technology Society Progress Innovation
  1. The concept of vibe shift from pessimism to optimism can be seen in societal attitudes towards progress, innovation, and disruptive technologies.
  2. Up Wing thinking focuses on embracing risk, emphasizing technology's role in progress, and supporting entrepreneurial capitalism to drive positive change.
  3. There is growing evidence of an emerging future-optimist vibe shift, especially in social media content, attitudes towards technologies like nuclear energy, and the performance of the stock market.

💡 My Quick Q&A with … data scientist Hannah Ritchie on building a sustainable planet

1919 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Technology Plastics Climate change Optimism
  1. The technologies needed for a sustainable planet are already available, they just need to be deployed at scale.
  2. Most of the crucial technologies like solar, wind, and batteries are already there, but some sectors still require more work.
  3. We are just at the beginning of deploying sustainable technologies, and there is room for significant progress in bending the curve down further.

🤖👷‍♂️ Beyond disruption: AI, expertise, and the future of middle-class workers

822 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Jobs Artificial Intelligence Automation
  1. Tech progress involves creative destruction - some jobs are lost, but new ones are created, especially in AI-related fields.
  2. Advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping the workforce as companies invest in AI systems and technologies.
  3. The impact of AI on the job market is a big question for the future - will it lead to widespread technological unemployment or follow historical patterns of job creation and loss?

💉💊🧬 From AI to Ozempic: How health innovation can strengthen the US economy

639 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Economic Impact
  1. Health innovations like AI-powered drug discovery and new weight-loss drugs (like Ozempic) can significantly improve health outcomes and lead to longer, better lives.
  2. The economic impact of health innovations can be substantial, positively affecting the economy by increasing labor force participation, reducing absenteeism, and improving overall health leading to potential GDP growth.
  3. Poor health not only affects individuals but also has broader economic implications such as lowering labor force participation, increasing absenteeism, and reducing potential labor force growth due to early death from disease.

💥💥 Two takes on America’s emerging (maybe) productivity boom

822 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💰 Finance Economics AI Policy Clean Energy
  1. There are signs of a significant economic transformation with productivity growth outpacing historical averages.
  2. The American economy may be experiencing a new productivity boom, setting it apart from other advanced economies.
  3. The recent productivity upshift is likely a response to a tight hiring environment, prompting firms to boost efficiency and automation.

🤖⚡ Does AI use too much energy? A Quick Q&A with … policy analyst James Broughel

822 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Energy Policy Renewables Tech industry
  1. Critics think AI consumes a significant amount of energy, comparable to whole countries.
  2. There's a risk of AI's energy consumption becoming a political issue, akin to past debates around cryptocurrency.
  3. Leading tech companies are working to use renewable energy sources to power AI, reducing potential worries about its energy usage.

🚀👨‍🚀 It's the 10th anniversary of one of the most Up Wing stories ever told

548 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Science fiction Books Films Space Technology
  1. The 10th anniversary of 'The Martian' highlights the power of problem-solving and self-sufficiency in driving progress and celebrating human ingenuity.
  2. The 'Star Trek' franchise embodies a pro-progress, risk-embracing philosophy and has made a significant cultural impact, paving the way for technological advancements and careers.
  3. Science fiction stories like 'The Martian' and 'Star Trek' exemplify Up Wing thinking, focusing on individual initiative, resourcefulness, and a positive attitude towards progress.