The hottest AI Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Deep Learning Weekly: Issue #308

Deep Learning Weekly • 255 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. This week's issue of Deep Learning Weekly covers Meta's AI system cards, real-time machine learning foundations at Lyft, and a local code generator tool using Microsoft's guidance library.
  2. Industry news includes Inflection AI's $1.3B investment, Meta AI sharing 22 system cards on AI experiences, and Unity launching new AI platforms for real-time 3D creation.
  3. In the MLOps and Learning sections, topics range from dealing with train-serve skew in ML models to using LLMs for data extraction and building local code generators.

Why "Airbnb for Medical Tourism" is a Bad Startup Idea

Hard Pivot • 255 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
💼 Business AI
  1. Previous attempts at medical tourism marketplaces have mostly failed or struggled
  2. Marketplaces in the medical care industry might not be a successful business model
  3. There are positive trends and opportunities in healthcare and technology that could support the idea of medical tourism
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Turning the World into Numbers

Bojan’s Newsletter • 255 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Everyday phenomena can be turned into numbers for mathematical analysis and optimization.
  2. Vectorizing text, images, and sound data has led to powerful AI models.
  3. Continuously improving vector representations of data is key for advancing AI models beyond current limitations.

Democratizing AI: MosaicML's Impact on the Open-Source LLM Movement

Deep (Learning) Focus • 255 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Creating a more powerful base model is crucial for improving downstream applications of Large Language Models (LLMs).
  2. MosaicML's release of MPT-7B and MPT-30B has revolutionized the open-source LLM community by offering high-performing, commercially-usable models for practitioners in AI.
  3. MPT-7B and MPT-30B showcase innovations like ALiBi, FlashAttention, and low precision layer norm, leading to faster training, better performance, and support for longer context lengths.

The Mexican Cartel Allegedly Catfished Her Daughter Using AI. That's Not Big Tech's Fault.

Default Wisdom • 111 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. AI technology can create convincing fake identities, making it easier for bad actors to deceive people online. This can lead to dangerous situations, like the case of a girl who was catfished by a cartel member.
  2. Legal rulings are starting to differentiate between AI chatbots as products rather than free speech, which could change how companies are held accountable. This raises questions about the responsibility of tech companies in preventing misuse of their products.
  3. People form strong attachments to technology, which can lead to unhealthy situations, especially for those with vulnerabilities. It's important to recognize that these issues often stem from personal struggles, not just the technology itself.

Mark Zuckerberg Says ‘Superintelligence’ Is Imminent. What Is It?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 111 implied HN points • 03 Aug 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Mark Zuckerberg believes personal superintelligence is coming soon and wants everyone to have their own AI companions. These AI companions are intended to know us well and help us achieve our goals.
  2. Meta plans to invest a huge amount in AI development, about $72 billion in the next year, to make this vision a reality. They aim to create devices like AI glasses that could change how we interact with technology.
  3. Experts are divided on Meta's ambitions. Some see it as a potential for good and progress, while others are worried about the risks and how it might impact human interactions.

DolphinGemma

Gonzo ML • 126 implied HN points • 19 Jul 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. DolphinGemma is a project focused on understanding dolphin communication by analyzing their sounds. The goal is to create a model that can generate sound sequences similar to dolphin vocalizations.
  2. This research is still in early stages and lacks transparency, with no published scientific papers or clear results yet. Researchers aim to develop tools that could enable better communication with dolphins.
  3. The project has connections to other animal communication studies, like those with whales, but DolphinGemma has not provided as much information, leading some to seek out more open projects for insights.

The Best Skillsets to Learn in 2024 to Use Microsoft Security Copilot Effectively

Rod’s Blog • 178 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. To effectively use Microsoft Security Copilot in 2024, you should focus on developing skills in natural language processing, cybersecurity fundamentals, and familiarity with Microsoft security products.
  2. Learning through resources like Microsoft Learn, blogs, podcasts, online communities, tools, and events can enhance your understanding and usage of Microsoft Security Copilot.
  3. Microsoft Security Copilot leverages generative AI to aid security professionals in incident response, threat hunting, intelligence gathering, and posture management, requiring a blend of technical and non-technical skills.

Short Takes #2

Am I Stronger Yet? • 125 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. AI is not being adopted as fast as people expected, even for bad uses like fraud. Many tasks can still be done by hand, and the real-world impact of AI is still evolving.
  2. The healthcare industry may offer more opportunities for AI than coding. A lot of money is spent on admin tasks in healthcare, and AI could help make this easier.
  3. Despite advancements in AI, radiologists still have jobs because their roles involve complex tasks that are hard to fully automate. There are many factors that influence job security in the field.

Otherness and control in the age of AGI

Joe Carlsmith's Substack • 157 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy AI
  1. The series explores questions about how agents with different values should interact, especially in the age of increasingly powerful AI systems.
  2. It discusses topics like deep atheism, control-seeking behavior, and the ethics of influencing the values of others.
  3. The essays aim to prompt deeper thinking about existential risks from misaligned AI and the broader issues of otherness and control in shaping the future.

An AI Support Engineer for every open-source project

Generating Conversation • 140 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. An AI Support Engineer is being created to help with open-source projects. This tool aims to support technical companies and improve customer service workflows.
  2. The creators have built a prototype that features AI Support Engineers for popular open-source projects, and they are inviting feedback from users.
  3. They have plans to enhance the tool further with advanced features like user memory and integration capabilities.

Diffusion Models are Evolutionary Algorithms

Gonzo ML • 441 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Diffusion models and evolutionary algorithms both involve changing data over time through processes like selection and mutation, which can lead to new and improved results.
  2. The new algorithm called Diffusion Evolution can find multiple good solutions at once, unlike traditional methods that often focus on one single best solution.
  3. There are exciting connections between learning and evolution, hinting that they may fundamentally operate in similar ways, which opens up many questions about future AI developments.

Sam Altman’s GPT5 Tweet: Line by Line Analysis

Enterprise AI Trends • 295 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. GPT-5 will simplify how users interact with AI by combining different models into one. This means users won’t need to learn about what each model does, making it easier for everyone to use.
  2. There will be different levels of intelligence that users can access by paying more. This 'pay-for-sophistication' model allows users to get better answers while also helping OpenAI make more money.
  3. GPT-5 will act like a smart assistant that decides how to process user requests. This means better performance and less complexity for developers, as the AI will automatically choose the best way to respond.

Software Follow Up

Mule’s Musings • 122 implied HN points • 15 Jul 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. It's important to keep refining your ideas and arguments over time. Doing this helps you stay accurate and relevant.
  2. Many people might hope for a certain outcome, but reality can often be different. It's good to have an open mind about what might happen.
  3. Paid subscriptions can give you access to more in-depth content and discussions that aren't available to everyone. This can enhance your understanding of the topic.

CodeGen News for 2024-09-09

CodeGen News • 3 HN points • 09 Sep 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. There are new articles and tools to help developers work better with AI-generated code. It's important to stay updated on these resources to improve your skills.
  2. The newsletter features a variety of reading, watching, and listening materials that can enhance your understanding of AI in coding. Exploring different formats can make learning more engaging.
  3. Recent updates to coding projects, like GitHub Copilot and Replit, show how AI is changing software development. Keeping track of these changes can help you utilize these tools effectively.

How not to predict the future of AI

Meaningness • 79 implied HN points • 31 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Opinions about AI future are often based on feelings rather than evidence or rational reasoning.
  2. Predicting AI future using Bayesian probability can be unreliable due to the initial framing of the problem and personal biases.
  3. Understanding the risks and opportunities of AI requires acknowledging uncertainty and taking pragmatic measures while considering the impact on culture and society.

China’s AI Boyfriends

ChinaTalk • 444 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. AI companions are becoming popular in China, especially among young women. They offer emotional support and can fill gaps that real relationships might not fulfill.
  2. Startups like MiniMax are creating AI apps that gather user data while providing companionship. This helps improve their AI models, even if the immediate profits are not high.
  3. The AI companion market faces challenges from strict regulations and data privacy concerns. Many users share personal feelings with these apps, making safety an important issue.

Now is the time for grimoires

One Useful Thing • 1376 implied HN points • 20 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Expertise in creating prompts is more vital than simply amassing data for AI success.
  2. Creating grimoires, collections of expert prompts, is key in maximizing AI potential.
  3. Developing personalized, step-by-step prompts can enhance the effectiveness of tutoring and feedback through AI.

Captain's log: the irreducible weirdness of prompting AIs

One Useful Thing • 902 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Stop trying to use incantations: There is no single magic word that works all the time with AIs. Promising rewards or being polite may help occasionally, but not always.
  2. There are prompting techniques that work consistently: Techniques like adding context to prompts, providing a few examples, and using Chain of Thought can help in crafting better prompts for AIs.
  3. Prompting matters significantly: The way you prompt AIs can have a huge impact on the outcomes. Good prompts can turn a difficult task into an easy one for AI.

When the ladder disappears

The Engineering Manager • 10 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🕹 Technology AI
  1. A lot can change in five to ten years, often unpredictably, so planning toward a specific job title or destination is unreliable.
  2. Three big forces — AI changing how knowledge work gets done, flatter organisations that cut management rungs, and a shifting idea of “senior” toward orchestrating systems — are making traditional career paths less certain and changing which skills will matter.
  3. Instead of aiming for titles or ladder rungs, define a personal north star: who you are, what you value, and the kinds of work you want to do, then use that as your guide for decisions and for coaching your team.

The Future of Design? Using AI to Enhance Human Cognition and Creativity

UX Psychology • 119 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Monitoring emotional reactions in design using AI and biosensors can promote self-reflection and enhance creativity in UX work.
  2. The Multi-Self tool combines EEG sensors and machine learning to provide real-time feedback on emotional responses during design tasks.
  3. Designers showed varying responses to AI-based emotional feedback, with novices relying on it more for guidance while experts often trusted their own judgment.

People are worried about Large Language Models

Honest but Curious • 1 HN point • 23 Sep 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Many people in Silicon Valley are concerned that large language models (LLMs) could be a serious danger to humanity, leading to calls for regulation. California is currently considering a bill to create safety standards for LLMs.
  2. There is some debate about how well current benchmarks assess the capabilities of LLMs, with some arguing that these models are still not truly ready to replace human intelligence in work. This shows that having a great score on tests doesn’t necessarily mean practical usefulness.
  3. Israel's recent attack on Hezbollah's pager system demonstrates the complexities of security and technology. It involved creating specialized devices rather than hacking existing ones, emphasizing the need for careful vetting when purchasing hardware.

This Week in Marketing: Pinterest Predicts, AI-Powered Dating, Reels Algorithm, and Disney Slop

The Social Juice • 24 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
💼 Business AI
  1. AI is accelerating across platforms and industries, powering new models, agentic tools, and content features that are reshaping how content, ads, and products are made and delivered.
  2. Platforms are putting more control in users' hands and experimenting with prompt-focused algorithms, letting people steer what shows up in Reels, playlists, and shared feeds.
  3. The AI surge is raising big legal, safety, and quality problems — from copyright fights and low-quality AI 'slop' to harmful deepfakes and increasing regulator scrutiny, putting creators and platforms under pressure.

Notes: LLMs don't know what they are talking about

aspiring.dev • 2 HN points • 15 Sep 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. LLMs can be tricked into creating harmful content even when they are programmed not to. They don't really understand the context of what they generate.
  2. The way LLMs handle safety is based on prompts, not the content they produce. If the prompt can be manipulated, the output can be too.
  3. There are suggestions for improving LLM safety, like analyzing outputs during and after generation, rather than only checking the initial request.

Tülu 3: The next era in open post-training

Democratizing Automation • 404 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Tulu 3 introduces an open-source approach to post-training models, allowing anyone to improve large language models like Llama 3.1 and reach performance similar to advanced models like GPT-4.
  2. Recent advances in preference tuning and reinforcement learning help achieve better results with well-structured techniques and new synthetic datasets, making open post-training more effective.
  3. The development of these models is pushing the boundaries of what can be done in language model training, indicating a shift in focus towards more innovative training methods.

Prompting GPT-4 From CSV to PDF: Automated On-the-Fly Data Viz Reports

Data at Depth • 79 implied HN points • 29 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. GPT-4 can now create PDF files from data on-the-fly, right in its main prompt window.
  2. The GPT-4 interface has recently undergone significant changes, integrating separate tools and plug-ins like the Advanced Data Analysis tool.
  3. You can subscribe to Data at Depth for a 7-day free trial to access full post archives, including detailed information on automating PDF reports from raw CSV data.

📝 Guest Post: How to Build the Right Team for Generative AI*

TheSequence • 994 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. You may not need ML engineers for Generative AI projects due to the availability of pre-trained models like GPT-4.
  2. Prompt engineering, the clear articulation of needs in natural language, is a crucial skill for AI application development.
  3. Product managers and domain experts play a significant role in shaping AI products through prompt engineering, reducing the need for technical experts.

One True Love

Don't Worry About the Vase • 940 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The story discusses a man's use of AI to find his One True Love by having the AI communicate with women on his behalf.
  2. The man's approach included filtering potential matches based on various criteria, leading to improved results over time.
  3. Ultimately, the AI suggested he propose to his chosen partner, which he did, and she said yes.

How much is the news worth?

benn.substack • 997 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. ChatGPT can be valuable for what it can do and what it knows.
  2. The use of copyrighted content is important for the development and functionality of AI models.
  3. Legal battles over copyrighted material can impact the future development and usage of AI technologies.

✨ Bard diventa Gemini. La prova di Gemini Advanced

Vincos Newsletter • 117 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Google rebranded Bard to Gemini and launched Gemini Advanced with a more powerful language model, Gemini Ultra 1.0, tested by the author.
  2. Disney investing in the metaverse with a $1.5 billion deal with Epic Games to bring Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars content to Fortnite.
  3. OpenAI introduces metadata for images produced with ChatGPT, Dall-E, and API, using the C2PA open standard, to track image authenticity and engagement.

GPT-4 Plugs In

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1747 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. GPT-4 is getting an upgrade with plug-ins for browsing the internet and using various websites.
  2. Concerns about safety and risks involved in using these new plug-ins have been raised.
  3. The introduction of plug-ins makes it easier to interact with GPT-4, but also raises questions about trust and potential misuse.