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

✨😈 Is AI really a 'deal with the devil?'

731 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Science fiction Dystopia Progress Ethics
  1. Science fiction often shows us two sides: one where technology helps us thrive and another where it brings doom. It's important to focus on the positive potential of technology, like AI, rather than just the fears.
  2. Many stories about artificial intelligence lean toward the negative, showing it as a threat to humanity. This comes from a long history of tales warning us about the dangers of seeking forbidden knowledge.
  3. The idea of trading something valuable for knowledge is age-old, like in the story of Faust. This shows that while there are risks in technology, curiosity and progress can lead to great benefits if approached wisely.

✨ While tech CEOs talk up AGI imminence, real-world AI use cases emerge

639 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Software Development Data science Emerging technologies
  1. In a few years, we might see AI agents start working alongside humans, which could really change how companies function.
  2. Tech leaders believe that powerful AI could lead to huge advances in science and medicine, speeding up progress significantly.
  3. While there is excitement about AI's potential, it's also important to manage the risks to make sure it benefits everyone.

🌞☁️ Pro-growthers are having a moment. But so are degrowthers

548 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Ideologies Tech Policy Energy Policy Innovation
  1. There is a growing movement called 'Up Wing' that focuses on progress and abundance. This movement includes people from both sides of the political spectrum who want to see technological advancements.
  2. Factors like AI, nuclear energy acceptance, and competition with China are helping this movement gain strength. These elements create a push for new tech and policies that encourage innovation.
  3. However, there are still strong opposing views known as 'Down Wing', which challenge the focus on growth and progress. This resistance shows that not everyone agrees on how to approach the future.

🌌 Why 'Interstellar' is an Up Wing masterpiece

1005 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Film analysis Science fiction Technological progress
  1. Interstellar is viewed as a film that promotes progress and innovation despite its dystopian themes. It highlights the importance of exploration and striving for a better future.
  2. The film criticizes the current societal tendency to ignore science and technological advancement. It suggests that humanity has stopped aiming for great achievements and become too focused on immediate survival.
  3. Interstellar serves as an inspiration for future innovators and encourages a societal courage to face challenges. It reminds us that our greatest accomplishments are still ahead of us, not behind.

🌾 Can we feed the future?

456 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Agriculture Sustainability Technology Global Issues Nutrition
  1. Farmers have made great progress in feeding a growing population, moving from three billion to eight billion people over the last 60 years. This was thanks to better technology and more farmland.
  2. Even with this success, experts worry that factors like climate change, crop diseases, and lack of investment in farming tech could hurt future food production. There's a lot at stake for the world's food supply.
  3. To continue improving food production, we need to embrace technology and find ways to share it better, especially in less developed areas. Innovations can help us meet the needs of a future population that could exceed nine billion.
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💊💉 The future of weight loss drugs: A Quick Q&A with … analyst (and superforecaster) Greg Justice

548 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals Healthcare access Regulations Affordability
  1. GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are changing how obesity is treated. They might also help with other health issues, making them seem like wonder drugs.
  2. While these drugs are becoming more popular, there are challenges in getting them to the people who need them, mainly about their costs and healthcare regulations.
  3. It looks like prices for GLP-1s may drop slightly due to competition, but significant price control changes are not expected anytime soon.

⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #28

1005 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Space Data Communication
  1. New chips using fiber optics can transfer data way faster, which may cut down AI training times and save energy. This could really speed up tech advancements.
  2. Businesses are finding out that human skills are still important when using AI tools. People are getting new jobs related to organizing data so AIs can work better.
  3. SpaceX is becoming super important for US defense technology. Its innovations may give the US an advantage over rivals like China in military capabilities.

✨ Life in an AI utopia: A Quick Q&A with futurist and philosopher Nick Bostrom

731 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Futurism Philosophy Ethics Innovation
  1. It's often easier for people to imagine a bad future, like in movies, than a good one. This can affect how cultures think about their future.
  2. When thinking about a perfect world, many people share similar ideas, like having peace and cleanliness. But if everything goes perfectly, we might miss out on challenges that give our lives meaning.
  3. The future of artificial intelligence could be really bright or really dark. We need to prepare for both possibilities because we are entering a new era with big changes ahead.

⏩💳 How faster growth can offset America's debt problem. Really.

913 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economic Policy Debt Management Fiscal Responsibility Political strategy Government spending
  1. Faster economic growth can help reduce America's huge debt. If the economy grows by 3-5% each year, it can balance out the debt problems.
  2. Reforming big entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare is essential. Doing so can both lower future spending and make these programs work better.
  3. While some people are skeptical about economic growth solving debt issues, it shouldn't be completely dismissed. A stronger economy can really aid in cutting down debt over time.

🚀 What did they take from us, exactly?

731 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Innovation Regulation Progress Digital Economics
  1. Innovation has faced many challenges due to strict regulations and negative attitudes towards progress. This has slowed down our technological advancements and kept us from realizing exciting future possibilities.
  2. There were two major periods of optimism in history that drove technology forward—after World War II and during the digital revolution. During these times, people felt hopeful and invested in new ideas and inventions.
  3. To bring back that spirit of progress, we need to focus on supporting innovation and overcoming barriers that limit potential. It's important to keep believing in a better, more advanced future.

✨🎄 Some AGI optimism: an early Xmas present

639 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Data science Software Development Tech Innovation
  1. OpenAI has released a new AI model called o3, which is designed to improve skills in math, science, and programming. This could help advance research in various scientific fields.
  2. The o3 model performs much better than the previous model, o1, and other AI systems on important tests. This shows significant progress in AI performance.
  3. There's a feeling of optimism about AGI technology as these advancements might bring us closer to achieving more intelligent and capable AI systems.

🏫 A DARPA for education

1370 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education & Policy Government reform Political Commentary Public Policy Economic Policy
  1. The U.S. Department of Education may need significant changes, focusing more on innovation and effective solutions rather than just maintaining the status quo. A proposed model inspired by DARPA could help create practical educational tools and practices.
  2. Shifting key functions of the Department of Education, like student aid and education research, to other agencies could improve efficiency. This would allow states to have more control over their education systems and tailor solutions to their specific needs.
  3. Using advancements in technology, especially artificial intelligence, could revolutionize education. A dedicated research organization for education could lead to important developments that enhance learning and address gaps created by recent challenges, like the pandemic.

📉 Well, they ran the numbers on degrowth — and it's not good

1279 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Degrowth Ecology Consumption
  1. Degrowth means living better with less stuff, focusing more on well-being than just economic growth. It suggests we should intentionally reduce production and consumption to fit within our planet's limits.
  2. However, following the degrowth idea doesn't guarantee a perfect, eco-friendly world. It might not look like a dreamy utopia where nature and humanity perfectly blend together.
  3. Research shows that reducing consumption to meet basic needs is challenging and requires significant changes in how we live. Simply downsizing isn't easy and can have complex implications.

💊💉 Will the anti-obesity wonder drugs work wonders for the US economy?

1553 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare Economic Impact Pharmaceuticals Obesity Chronic diseases
  1. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could change the way we treat obesity and have a huge positive impact on health. They work by helping individuals lose weight and may also lower the risk of serious diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's.
  2. These medications could boost the US economy significantly. Estimates suggest that by improving health and productivity, they might help increase the GDP by about 0.5 to 1 percent in rich countries.
  3. The overall benefits of health innovations, including GLP-1 drugs, aren't fully captured in traditional economic measures. They can lead to a better quality of life and longer life expectancy, which is valuable beyond just the numbers.

🆙 A pro-progress Trump agenda: what's realistic?

1279 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Trump administration AI Regulation Economic Policy
  1. Establishing a Moon base could offer valuable resources and opportunities for economic development. It can also strengthen national security by ensuring access to those resources.
  2. We should let AI develop without heavy regulations so it can flourish like the internet did. Striking a balance between monitoring safety and allowing growth is key.
  3. A focused national policy on AI is important to prevent mixed regulations across states, promoting American leadership in this rapidly evolving field.

🗽 The America we have, the America we could have

1279 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Public Policy Technological Impact Future Vision Social Trends
  1. Many Americans are supporting new technologies, especially in clean energy and biotechnology. This shows a growing hope for a better future.
  2. Better policies in the past could have made America more successful and advanced by now. Focusing on technology could lead to a wealthier and healthier society.
  3. People are imagining a future where life is longer and filled with more possibilities, like space travel and advanced learning methods. There's excitement about where technology can take us.

✨🤖 Age of AI, meet the Robot Revolution

731 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Robotics Automation Innovation Future Trends
  1. AI robots are becoming much more common and can do many tasks themselves, like moving and sorting packages. This technology is quickly transforming how we work in places like warehouses.
  2. By 2035, there might be about 1.3 billion AI robots in use. This will grow to around 4 billion by 2050, showing a huge increase in robot presence in daily life.
  3. The combination of AI and robots is expected to change many aspects of our lives and job environments in the near future, making them an important part of our technological landscape.

🤖🚘 Even as GM retreats, self-driving cars continue to advance

639 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Automation Transportation Automotive Innovation
  1. Self-driving cars are still making progress, even as some big companies like GM pull back on their investments in this technology.
  2. Predictions about self-driving cars have often been overly optimistic, and the industry hasn't yet transformed the way many expected.
  3. As GM moves away from robotaxis, other companies like Waymo and Zoox are still pushing forward with their driverless vehicles.

✨ 📈 The AI Paradox: When will artificial intelligence boost US economic growth?

913 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
💼 Business Economics Artificial Intelligence Productivity Innovation Growth
  1. Alan Greenspan raised questions about why technological advances in the 1990s didn't seem to improve productivity statistics. He suggested that it might take time for new technologies to show their full effects.
  2. Greenspan believed that traditional methods of measuring productivity might not capture the real progress happening, especially with services. This mismeasurement could lead to bad decisions on economic policies.
  3. The role of artificial intelligence in boosting productivity is still uncertain. There's hope that AI can help workers produce more, but it's unclear when we will see these benefits reflected in economic growth.

⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #26

822 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Robotics Military Tech Genetics Space
  1. A robotics startup called Physical Intelligence is worth over $2 billion for creating AI-controlled robots that can do complex tasks like folding clothes. They use advanced technology that makes robots smarter and more capable.
  2. Trump is working with a startup called Anduril to improve the US military by adopting new technologies and cutting unnecessary costs. This shows a shift towards more innovative approaches in defense.
  3. Scientists have made tomatoes sweeter and bigger using a method called CRISPR. This could lead to tastier fruits in stores and lower production costs for things like tomato paste.

🧠 Supporting America's smartest kids: A Quick Q&A with … political scientist Charles Murray

731 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education & Policy Standardized Testing Cognitive ability
  1. It's important for America to support and educate its academically gifted kids, especially in STEM fields. These kids can make big contributions to technology and the economy.
  2. Standardized tests are helpful for identifying talented students in mathematics and science. These tests can show who has the right abilities to succeed in tough STEM programs.
  3. Education should challenge gifted students to help them grow. They need to learn the value of hard work and humility alongside their academic strengths.

✨ Central planning in the Age of AI: A Quick Q&A with … economist and regulation expert Lynne Kiesling

1005 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economics Regulation Policy AI Impact
  1. Central planning has often failed in the past, but some people still find it appealing. It suggests that government control can better manage resources compared to free markets.
  2. Knowledge and data are different. Personal experience and understanding shape our knowledge, while data is just numbers generated from actions, like purchases.
  3. Markets are important because they turn personal knowledge into useful data. Through buying and selling, individual choices help coordinate production and drive innovation.

🐝⚛ Bees 1, Mark Zuckerberg's nuclear plans 0

913 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Nuclear Energy Biodiversity Regulatory Challenges Energy Policy
  1. A rare bee species stopped Mark Zuckerberg's plan for a nuclear-powered AI data center. The discovery created many environmental and regulatory issues.
  2. This situation is similar to a past case where a tiny fish halted a big dam project. It shows the tension between environmental protections and large infrastructure plans.
  3. There's a growing discussion about the future of nuclear energy in the U.S. as we face challenges in expanding clean energy.

🎭✨ Ben Affleck’s wise words on AI

731 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Economics Innovation Automation Employment
  1. New technology, like AI, can help reduce costs. This can make it easier for more people to access entertainment and creative content.
  2. There's a common fear that robots will take over jobs, but it's important to understand how technology can create new opportunities instead.
  3. Adapting to new technologies can lead to a demand for different skills. Learning and evolving with technology is key to staying relevant in the job market.

⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #24

822 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Healthcare Economy Technology Environment
  1. Immigrants have helped revive industries in areas like Dalton, Georgia. This shows how immigration can boost local economies and create job opportunities.
  2. New gene-editing technologies like CRISPR are making crops and livestock better at surviving climate change. This could help ensure our food supply stays strong despite changing weather.
  3. Robots in nursing homes are improving care quality and staff retention. They take over routine tasks, allowing human workers to focus more on giving personal care.

⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #29

365 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Organizational Design Innovation Workplace culture
  1. OpenAI has introduced a new AI called o3, which is really good at solving math and science problems. It even did better than its previous version in many tasks.
  2. Companies will start changing how they work by using AI more in their structure. This can help teams work better together and boost productivity in the workplace.
  3. AI is becoming an important part of how organizations will operate in the future. Successful companies will mix human skills with AI to improve their processes and create more value.

🌎 My Q&A with Francis Fukuyama on technological change and liberal democracy. Some sci-fi, too!

822 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Technology Policy Democracy Regulation Transhumanism
  1. The impact of technology on society has both positive and negative effects. While the internet has helped people access information and organize for their rights, it has also created a lot of misinformation and chaos.
  2. Government regulation of AI and new technologies is complex and challenging. It's important to have experts in the field, but the existing systems might make it hard to adapt quickly enough.
  3. Science fiction can help us think about the future and its potential dangers. While many stories focus on dystopia, they also provide us with important lessons about the risks and benefits of new technologies.

⤴✊ The techno-optimism of a 1970s Black Power activist and poet

456 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Activism Poetry History Society
  1. Nikki Giovanni was a prominent poet and activist known for her strong views on race and social justice. She wrote about significant issues such as politics and love with a unique voice.
  2. Her work was influenced by the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, making her a key figure in the Black Arts Movement. This helped her gain recognition as the 'Poet of the Black Revolution.'
  3. Giovanni's perspective encouraged a sense of optimism and hope in the 1970s, contrasting with some of today's social justice narratives which may feel more negative.

⚡✨🕸️ The computational power of complex societies: A Quick Q&A with … physicist and computer scientist David Wolpert

1188 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
🔬 Science Computational Theory Energy Systems Information processing
  1. Societies grow in size and complexity when they get better at using energy and processing information. More energy and better information help societies do more things and support more people.
  2. Job specialization plays a key role in a society's complexity. When people focus on different jobs and communicate well, it allows for innovation and better organization.
  3. Viewing societies as computers can help us understand how they evolve over time. It highlights how energy use and information processing are closely linked in driving societal growth.

⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #27

456 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Robotics Nuclear Energy Innovation R&D
  1. AI is changing research and development by making it faster and cheaper. It helps in designing products quickly and may even improve their performance significantly.
  2. Neuralink is working on a new study that allows people to control robotic arms using only their thoughts. This could really help those who have disabilities.
  3. A startup called Kairos Power is building safer nuclear reactors that use molten salt instead of water. This new technology aims to provide clean energy by 2030.

🚀 Missions to Mars: A Quick Q&A with … space analyst Peter Hague

456 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🔬 Science Space Exploration Astrophysics Robotics Human factors Colonization
  1. Building a base on Mars is the top priority, as it helps reduce reliance on supplies from Earth. Even though it won't be completely self-sustaining at first, a solid base can support more people and activities.
  2. Many challenges of space travel, like cosmic radiation and machinery reliability, can be managed by sending more mass into space. Adding extra weight can often solve significant issues that seem daunting at first.
  3. Having enough supplies and materials is key to making Mars colonization easier. The more resources we have, the better we can tackle various tasks and ensure a successful mission.

🛰 The story of the US Space Force: A Quick Q&A with … defense policy analyst Todd Harrison

548 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Defense Space Military Policy International
  1. The US Space Force is essential because the number of satellites in space is rapidly increasing, and protecting them is crucial for both national security and economic reasons.
  2. The Space Force not only tracks and defends military satellites but also faces various forms of attacks, especially cyber threats, requiring strategies to counter these non-kinetic challenges.
  3. Future roles of the Space Force may include protecting commercial space interests, similar to how the Navy protects maritime commerce, as space becomes increasingly important for global trade and security.

🌀 It's actually a huge failure that we can't control hurricanes

1005 implied HN points • 09 Oct 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Hurricanes Geoengineering Climate change Environmental Science
  1. Scientists have tried to control hurricanes before, but it didn't work out because we didn't understand how hurricanes really behave.
  2. There are new ideas being tested to weaken storms, like cooling ocean waters and using cloud seeding, but these methods are still in development.
  3. People are often skeptical about geoengineering methods because of past failures and concerns for safety, so open discussions are important to build trust.

⚛ Atomic Amazon: The American nuclear revival takes another step forward

913 implied HN points • 16 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Energy Nuclear AI Environment Innovation
  1. Nuclear energy has remained a stable part of America's energy mix for decades, but the vision of it being the main power source faded after the 1970s. People once imagined a future where almost everything was powered by nuclear energy.
  2. Amazon is investing in new nuclear technology called small modular reactors. This move is aimed at meeting its growing energy needs, especially for its cloud services and to support its goal of being carbon neutral.
  3. The revival of nuclear energy could mean a shift in the way we think about power sources. Companies like Amazon are taking steps to explore innovative solutions to energy challenges.

🗽🧠 Pro-immigration policy and mutual brain gain: A Quick Q&A with … economist Gaurav Khanna

365 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Economics Policy Labor Globalization
  1. Immigration benefits workers in both the US and India. It leads to better job opportunities and innovation in both countries.
  2. Indian students often pursue IT skills to try for jobs in the US. Even those who don't make it can help grow India's own tech sector.
  3. The US gains when foreign students study there, even if they return home. Their presence supports local schools and boosts the economy.

⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #25

548 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Energy Policy Technology Policy Research Funding Infrastructure
  1. AI is creating a big boom in US construction, especially for data centers. Spending on these centers has grown a lot since the launch of ChatGPT.
  2. The US government has plans to triple its nuclear power by 2050. This is to keep up with the demand for clean energy as AI and industries grow.
  3. There is a push for a new research initiative to support advanced science fields like quantum computing. This aims to keep the US ahead in technology against competitive countries.

🚫 AI, job licensing, and upward mobility: A Quick Q&A with … economist Vincent Geloso

274 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation Economics Technology impact
  1. Income mobility issues in the U.S. are mostly caused by regulations, not just technology or automation. More rules can make it harder for people to change jobs and improve their lives.
  2. Access to jobs has become tougher due to increasing occupational licensing. This means people in low- and middle-income jobs face more barriers to enter their professions.
  3. Markets play a big role in income mobility, sometimes even more than social networks. Open markets help more people succeed, while strict regulations can hold them back.

⚡ What will power the future US economy?

731 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Energy Policy Economic Policy Environmental Policy
  1. Encouraging clean energy is important for the future economy. A good way to support this is through a carbon tax and removing unnecessary regulations.
  2. There's a proposal to end some subsidies for alternative fuels, while introducing a carbon tax that would go up over time. This could help make cleaner energy more competitive.
  3. It's tough to predict the best mix of energy sources years into the future. Relying on experts to decide specific energy goals may not be the best approach.

✨ Daron Acemoglu: too much faith in government, too little in markets (and AI)

731 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economic Policy Labor Market Technology impact Education reform Government intervention
  1. Daron Acemoglu identified three major challenges for the American economy: aging population, artificial intelligence, and deglobalization. These issues can disrupt the job market and create labor shortages.
  2. Investing in worker skills and adaptability is crucial to meet these challenges. This includes better training and support for all workers, not just focusing on traditional manufacturing jobs.
  3. Acemoglu suggests that the government should promote technologies that help workers rather than just automate jobs. This involves creating new federal programs to enhance worker productivity and prepare for future labor needs.