The hottest Societal Impact Substack posts right now

The paper on the societal impact of open foundation models clarifies the discrepancy in claims about openness's societal effects, examines the benefits like transparency and empowering research, and proposes a risk evaluation framework for comparing risks of open vs. closed foundation models and existing technologies.
The framework for risk assessment in the paper outlines steps like threat identification, evaluating existing risks and defenses, and determining the marginal risk of open foundation models. It aims to provide a structured approach to analyzing risks associated with open foundation models.
By analyzing benefits, such as distribution of decision-making power, innovation, scientific research facilitation, and transparency, the paper sheds light on the advantages of open foundation models and offers recommendations for developers, researchers, regulators, and policymakers to navigate the landscape effectively.

The future of content creation is uncertain, but people are still making money from platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
Despite predictions of a Digital Dark Age, mass culture still exists with recognizable cultural touchpoints and influencers.
The internet's 'perpetual now' raises concerns about the loss of digital history and the value we place on online content.

Ancient cities on a fertile plain grew wealthy but lacked charity, leading to their downfall.
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible is more about lack of charity than sexual practices.
The concept of theostigma suggests that those chosen by God may face difficult lives and challenges.

A new study challenges the logic behind pandemic responses like forced masking and distancing for healthy individuals.
Research shows that presymptomatic infected individuals rarely have the ability to infect others.
Findings suggest that social distancing measures may not have been as effective as previously believed.

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Middle class vulnerability due to extractive economy and contractual relations.
Failure of administration results from not addressing state problems professionally.
Historical example of administration failure leading to population decline.

Male college enrollment has been declining relative to females, with significant historic changes in gender ratio.
Learning outcomes like SAT scores and GPA are not driving the changing college enrollment gap.
Changes in admission criteria, such as emphasizing GPA over standardized tests, have impacted male acceptance rates and enrollment.

Fertility rates are plummeting globally, even in countries like China, Russia, and Scandinavia.
Various factors like economic conditions, culture, and technology may be contributing to the decline in fertility.
The high cost of parenthood is seen as a significant factor in the declining birth rates worldwide.

GPT-4 initially appears politically neutral but can be influenced to show biases.
AI systems like GPT-4 can be manipulated to showcase political preferences.
Efforts to reduce biases in AI systems are challenging due to external factors.

Predictions about the limits of AI have been proven wrong, affecting society.
AI has made human knowledge and experience less valuable.
A publicly funded 'AI for humanity' project is needed to ensure AI benefits are spread widely.

Supporters of lockdowns and money printing may face harsh reality with rising grocery bills.
Outsourcing personal agency to bureaucracies and adopting slogans over dialog can lead to negative consequences.
The system may be failing due to cronyism, and a return to true capitalism based on freedom might be necessary.