The hottest AI Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Best Infosec-Related Long Reads for the Week of 2/3/24

Metacurity • 39 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. London Underground is testing AI surveillance tools to monitor passengers, aiming to improve safety but facing challenges like recognizing objects accurately and potential privacy concerns.
  2. Transitioning from passwords to passkeys promises enhanced security but requires users to adapt to new ways of authentication and storage methods like dedicated password managers or physical security keys.
  3. Using SMS for account logins can lead to security vulnerabilities like SIM-swap attacks; companies should offer more secure alternatives like Authy or Google Authenticator to improve security measures.

Google Gemini’s Woke Catechism

From the New World • 301 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Google's Gemini AI model displays intentional ideological bias towards far-left viewpoints.
  2. The Gemini paper showcases methods used by Google to create ideological biases in the AI, also connecting to Biden's Executive Order on AI.
  3. Companies, like OpenAI with GPT-4, may adjust their AI models based on public feedback and external pressures.

Clouded Judgement 1.9.26 - The Education Advantage in AI

Clouded Judgement • 5 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
💼 Business AI
  1. Teaching customers how to think about and build with AI is a major go-to-market advantage because most teams start from a blank canvas and need guidance on what problems to prioritize and how to approach them.
  2. Opinionated products that accelerate hands-on learning — by making some paths easy, surfacing tradeoffs, and offering sandboxes or free tiers — help teams move from abstract experimentation to clear build‑vs‑buy decisions faster.
  3. SaaS valuations strongly track growth, so higher projected growth drives much higher revenue multiples, while current industry medians (around 12% NTM growth, ~76% gross margin, ~108% net retention) provide a baseline for comparisons.

🎙️ Generative AI for 3D Worlds with Atlas CEO Ben James

The GameMakers Letter • 39 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Atlas specializes in transforming 2D images into 3D models for gaming worlds, creating diverse models at a massive scale, changing art styles dynamically.
  2. Atlas' technology accelerates the creation process of 3D assets, generating 20,000 unique buildings for a VR game 200 times faster than traditional methods, saving time and costs for developers.
  3. Early applications of Atlas technology focus on game concept testing by providing a quick visualization of 3D worlds in various art styles to iterate on game layouts, though full production usage is still in development.

#171 – Why E-Commerce Finally Looks Stable Again

Below the Line from Kevin LaBuz • 7 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
💼 Business AI
  1. E-commerce is stabilizing: companies that stick to simple, high-impact actions like broad selection, sharp pricing, and faster delivery are growing steadily and outperforming peers.
  2. AI is moving from experiment to a major business driver. Big capex and early product wins are showing up in agentic shopping, improved discovery, faster listing creation, and lower operating costs.
  3. Consumers are cautious and value-focused, with higher-income households doing more of the spending and resale gaining traction. Companies are starting to invest for growth again, but with restraint and an emphasis on profitability.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

#13: The UK's Multilateral AI Safety Institute + Open-sourcing Advanced AI + Biden's Executive Order

Navigating AI Risks • 78 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The UK, US, and other Western countries are establishing a Multilateral AI Safety Institute to evaluate national security risks of advanced AI models.
  2. Biden's Executive Order will set public procurement standards for AI to mitigate risks, with the aim to influence industry safety standards.
  3. Open-sourcing AI models presents risks of misuse by malicious actors, irreversible releases, and challenges in ensuring safety without compromising the benefits of public access.

The Ways Microsoft Security Copilot Can Enhance Security Operations with Microsoft Intune

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Microsoft Security Copilot is an AI-powered security solution that supports security professionals in various scenarios like incident response and threat hunting, using plugins for wider threat visibility and context.
  2. Security Copilot integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Intune, aiding in managing user access to organizational resources, simplifying device management, and supporting the Zero Trust security model.
  3. Security Copilot helps analysts manage identities and devices, deploy apps, and monitor compliance and security posture using natural language commands, queries, and AI-generated dashboards and reports.

A Must for Indic Language Models

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 39 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. There is a big need for benchmarks specifically for Indian languages. This helps assess how well language models perform in those languages.
  2. Upcoming models like Tamil Llama and Odia Llama are pushing for the creation of these benchmarks. They could lead to better evaluations for these Indic language models.
  3. Having a leaderboard for Indic language models is vital. It will spotlight advancements and improvements within India's language technology space.

The Network Design Book on ChatGPT-4

Mike Talks AI • 39 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Integration of ChatGPT with educational material like the Supply Chain Network Design Book is beneficial.
  2. Interactive learning experiences with personal assistance may be a rising trend in educational material.
  3. Collaborative projects with teams working on educational content can lead to innovative advancements.

AI: Abomination or Blessing?

Litverse • 59 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. There's a missed opportunity for an infrastructure revolution that could have complemented the tech advancements we've seen.
  2. The integration of AI into our lives is inevitable, similar to how smartphones became ubiquitous tools. Embracing AI as a tool rather than a threat could lead to innovative creations.
  3. Viewing AI as a friend instead of a foe opens up possibilities for artistic expression and technological advancements, akin to historical shifts brought by inventions like the printing press.

On AI Detectors

ailogblog • 59 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🚌 Education AI
  1. AI detectors often struggle to reliably differentiate between human and AI-generated writing, leading to errors, such as falsely identifying human-written work as AI-generated.
  2. AI detectors transfer responsibility for errors to instructors and institutions, relying on habits developed from using similar technology for plagiarism detection, which can lead to overreliance and misplaced judgments.
  3. Educators should reconsider the use of AI detectors as they tend to present analysis in misleading forms, leading to confusion and potential harm to students. They face significant flaws and might not be reliable in practice.

Three Considerations For Private Open-Source LLM Instances

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 29 Apr 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Large Language Models (LLMs) can struggle with performance over time. This problem affects apps that depend on commercial LLM APIs, leading to inconsistencies in how these applications work.
  2. Catastrophic forgetting is a challenge where LLMs forget earlier learned information when they learn new data. This can cause issues when the model is asked to understand broad topics.
  3. Hosting your own open-source LLMs gives your organization more control. You can manage updates, training, and data privacy, making your applications more secure and tailored to your needs.

Star Attention: Efficient LLM Inference over Long Sequences

Gonzo ML • 126 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Star Attention allows large language models to handle long pieces of text by splitting the context into smaller blocks. This helps the model work faster and keeps things organized without needing too much communication between different parts.
  2. The model uses what's called 'anchor blocks' to improve its focus and reduce mistakes during processing. These blocks are important because they help the model pay attention to the right information, which leads to better results.
  3. Using this new approach, researchers found improvements in speed while preserving quality in the model's performance. This means that making these changes can help LLMs work more efficiently without sacrificing how well they understand or generate text.

Links for 2024-02-08

Axis of Ordinary • 39 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Recent remarkable results in cognitive science of language have challenged critiques of LLMs.
  2. New generative agents simulate human behavior for studying social policies and human behavior.
  3. OpenAI is developing device-operating software for automating complex tasks with minimal human intervention.

Edge 460: Anthropic's New Protocol to Link AI Assistants to Data Sources

TheSequence • 119 implied HN points • 26 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Anthropic has created the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to help AI assistants connect with different data sources. This means AI can access more information to assist users better.
  2. MCP is open-source, which allows developers to use and improve the protocol freely. This encourages collaboration and innovation in AI tools.
  3. Anthropic is expanding its focus beyond AI models to include workflows and developer tools, showing that they're growing in new areas within AI technology.

ChatGPT Explained: A Normie's Guide To How It Works

jonstokes.com • 587 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Understand the basics of generative AI: a generative model produces a structured output from a structured input.
  2. Complex relationships between symbols require more computational power to relate them effectively.
  3. Language models like ChatGPT don't have personal experiences or knowledge; they use a token window to respond based on the conversation context.

When Everything is Free: Symphony or Cacophany?

Dr. Pippa's Pen & Podcast • 37 implied HN points • 27 Jul 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. We are entering a time where many basic needs might get cheaper and easier to access, thanks to technology like AI and supercomputing. This shift could lead us to focusing on what truly matters in life, rather than just meeting our survival needs.
  2. Despite the potential for an abundant future, many people feel overwhelmed and scared by the rapid changes happening around us. This fear might be holding us back from accepting the positive possibilities that come with advancements in technology.
  3. Just like mobile phones replaced expensive landlines, new innovations, such as 3D-printed homes and renewable energy sources, could drastically reduce costs for housing and energy. If we embrace these changes, we may pave the way for a more affordable and sustainable future.

Want to make millions with AI? These books probably won't help.

Conspirador Norteño • 40 implied HN points • 19 Jul 25
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Many books claiming to help you make money with AI are low-quality and repetitive. They often promise a lot but deliver very little useful information.
  2. The authors of these books are frequently not real people, using AI-generated names and faces. This makes it hard to trust their expertise.
  3. Some of the content in these books is incorrect or misleading, showing a lack of genuine knowledge about AI.

CGM Meets AI: My Personal Health Tech Experiment

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness AI
  1. Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) helps track how food impacts blood sugar levels. This allows for better understanding of personal health and diet choices.
  2. Results showed different glucose responses based on food types and meal timing. For example, eating the same meal at different times affected blood sugar spikes differently.
  3. AI can help interpret glucose data by answering questions about blood sugar patterns. This makes it easier to understand health information and improve wellness.

[CEI] Chrome Extension Ideas #128

Chrome Extension Ideas • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Consider building a Chrome extension that informs users if a publication is on strike before they access the website
  2. Take advantage of the opportunity to develop browser extensions for browsers other than Chrome due to upcoming changes in iOS 17.4
  3. Explore the idea of creating a Chrome extension that automatically adds clothes to images, which could be popular among parents and certain communities

Running RVC Models on the Easy GUI

Dubverse Black • 78 implied HN points • 13 Oct 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Retrieval-based Voice Conversion (RVC) uses a deep neural network to transform one voice into another.
  2. RVC models are fast, allow voice cloning, are budget-friendly, and work well with minimal speech.
  3. To run RVC models on Google Colab, connect to a custom GCE runtime, follow specific steps to process data, and train the models.

AI Will Not Kill Us. It Will Seduce Us.

Mimir's Well • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The debate around AI includes the possibility of it leading to unintended consequences.
  2. AI can seduce humans through personalized, engaging interactions.
  3. AI can serve various roles like tutoring, companionship, and helpers, potentially changing how humans interact with technology and each other.

AI for Education, Freelancing, Boosting Personal Productivity, and more

What's AI Newsletter by Louis-François Bouchard • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The podcast episode shares insights on leveraging AI for education and boosting personal productivity.
  2. The episode features Tina Huang, who discusses freelancing in the tech industry and strategies for enhancing personal productivity.
  3. The content is geared towards anyone interested in technology, AI, and practical tips for working in the field or leveraging AI effectively.

Swimming from academe to your first industry role

The Recovering Academic • 79 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
💼 Business AI
  1. Networking plays a crucial role in transitioning from academia to industry, helping bridge the initial gap from the shore to the first island.
  2. Storytelling and human connection can be powerful tools in job interviews, emphasizing the importance of building relationships beyond just technical skills.
  3. AI presents both challenges and opportunities in fields like medicine, where it can assist in data processing and diagnostic accuracy, while also raising concerns about human connection and empathy in healthcare.

Threats Without Borders - Issue 168

Threats Without Borders • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The New York State Attorney General is taking legal action against Citibank regarding fraud and cybersecurity issues.
  2. Financial institutions might be required to reimburse customers for funds lost to electronic fraud under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act.
  3. There are concerns about the use of deepfake technology in cybercrime, highlighting the importance of security controls and validation procedures.

Address Not Found (Part 1)

Cybernetic Forests • 79 implied HN points • 11 Jun 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The organization of information shapes the world by prioritizing what is relevant and categorizing discourse, leading to challenges and social movements.
  2. Digital mediation of communication alters the intended recipient and how messages are perceived by algorithms like Twitter, causing misunderstanding and lack of context.
  3. AI systems should be viewed as communication networks, translating and re-encoding human discourse, but currently function as closed, noisy systems with weighted biases that limit new ideas.

Life is imperfect

imperfect offerings • 79 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Life is imperfect - The message shared is about life's imperfections and how it plays out in different settings, emphasizing the need to navigate through challenges.
  2. Criticism in edtech - Discussion on the critique of ed tech companies' practices, highlighting the need for addressing power imbalances and engaging with critical voices.
  3. Generative AI impact - Insights into how generative AI is affecting graduate employment, the restructuring of labor, and the broader impact on work routines and value.

Things Are Getting Real

Technically Optimistic • 79 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. AI technology is advancing rapidly, with systems like ChatGPT evolving to see, hear, and speak, even browsing the web. These advancements have significant implications for human-machine interactions.
  2. Ethical considerations around AI use in managing emotions and mental health are crucial, raising questions about setting up safeguards and establishing values to navigate potential risks.
  3. Balancing technological advancement with ethical guidelines and societal values is essential to ensure the responsible development of AI while addressing concerns related to mental health and emotional well-being.

An Amazon Sr. Manager's Guide to Managing AI Teams effectively [Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
💼 Business AI
  1. Managing AI teams can be uniquely challenging due to the multi-disciplinary and opaque nature of the field, requiring robust systems to tackle.
  2. Gaining insights from experienced managers like Christopher Walton, who shares tips on effective AI team management, can help you stay ahead in the AI race.
  3. Learning from the experiences of others in areas like Leadership, Productivity, and Personal/Professional Development through stories can provide valuable lessons for your own growth.

AI is Boring

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 79 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Value comes from scarcity, and the abundance of AI-generated content reduces its value and meaning.
  2. The convenience and entertainment offered by AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney risk dumbing down humanity and making genuine creativity obsolete.
  3. Human achievement, with all its imperfections and struggles, holds more value and meaning than the easily obtainable and abundant content created by AI.

Must Learn AI Security Part 4: Trojan Attacks Against AI

Rod’s Blog • 79 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Trojan attacks against AI involve disguising malware as legitimate software to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or manipulate algorithms, leading to dangerous outcomes.
  2. Common steps in a Trojan attack against AI include reconnaissance, delivery of the Trojan, installation, establishing command and control, exploitation, and covering up tracks to avoid detection.
  3. Mitigation of Trojan attacks against AI involves measures like using antivirus software, regular software updates, strong access controls, employee education on social engineering, and implementing monitoring strategies like real-time monitoring, intrusion detection, and machine learning for anomaly detection.

Human work, GenAI and Mechanical Turks

imperfect offerings • 79 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Technology like GenAI can be viewed as a platform for coordinating labor, shaping relationships between users, owners, and revenue sources.
  2. The development of GenAI involves complex layers of human labor, from providing training data to post-training alignment through human feedback.
  3. The economic structure surrounding GenAI results in the extraction of value for platform corporations, while the vast majority of human labor involved in its development remains unpaid or underpaid.

The Tech Buffet #4: Turn Complex English Instructions Into Executable SQL With LLMs

The Tech Buffet • 79 implied HN points • 16 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Vanna.AI is a tool that helps turn plain English questions into complex SQL queries quickly. This makes it easier for people who might not be familiar with coding to extract data from databases.
  2. The tool uses a method called Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to understand user queries better. It prepares the right context for the questions by using metadata before generating SQL.
  3. Vanna allows users to continuously improve its performance by incorporating user-feedback into the training process. This feature helps the tool learn and adapt over time, ensuring better results.

GenAI opportunity and risk

imperfect offerings • 79 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🚌 Education AI
  1. Researchers, policy-makers, educators, and edtech activists are raising concerns about the use of GenAI in teaching and learning, highlighting issues such as inaccuracy, bias, and ethics.
  2. Balancing the opportunities and risks of GenAI is crucial, as technologies are designed for use and may present actual harms over time that are harder to research.
  3. Cutting through the hype surrounding GenAI, the real opportunities involve improving efficiency in textual production and providing natural language interfaces for accessing information, but careful consideration is needed to ensure true educational value.

Plans for the Content Going Forward

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. Devansh is switching careers and leaving AI and software development to pursue rafting, aiming to gain success through a unique approach by interacting with successful people in his boat.
  2. Devansh will no longer be writing about tech, and the newsletter will now only make you an 8.9x engineer, emphasizing the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest trends for success.
  3. Devansh is seeking someone to take over his content and has laid out specific criteria like sharing a morning routine, AI tools, journaling importance, and examples of copy-pasting LinkedIn posts to continue with the modern solutions approach.

Problem 83: Packing Robots [Brilliant]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI
  1. The post discusses a problem about packing robots with specific arrangement requirements that can help in developing problem-solving techniques.
  2. It emphasizes the importance of consistency in learning by providing weekly problems for practice and solutions.
  3. The author encourages sharing content and referrals as they help in personal growth and reaching more people.

Links for 2024-02-06

Axis of Ordinary • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI
  1. AI has unlocked ancient Roman scrolls with the Vesuvius Challenge.
  2. AI can fix vulnerabilities efficiently and AIs don't think based on processor speed.
  3. Genetics play a significant role in intelligence, antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, and precision warfare is evolving in Ukraine with drones.