OpenAI's new ChatGPT Pro subscription tier provides unlimited access to all of OpenAI's models and a pro version of its o1 reasoning model. It was created for those pushing the models to the limits of their capabilities on tasks like math, programming, and writing. The pro version of o1 is faster, more powerful, and more accurate than the preview version released in September. All paid ChatGPT users can still access the standard o1 model, which can now reason about image uploads. o1 will soon be available in OpenAI's API.
Protecting Undersea Internet Cables Is a Tech Nightmare (4 minute read)
A lot of the global communications and financial system hinges on a few hundred cables of bundled glass fibers strung across ocean floors around the world, each about the same diameter as a garden hose. Defending these undersea fiber-optic cables from damage and sabotage is increasingly challenging. While there are plans to create future internet backup routes through satellites, the technology is still only in a preliminary proof-of-concept stage and may be many years away from being deployed. It is currently not possible to monitor all 1.5 million kilometers of communication cables in the water, but new technologies are emerging that will make it easier to monitor activity where damage is most likely to occur and potentially prevent disruptions.
React v19 is now available on npm. This post provides an overview of the new features in React 19 and how to adopt them. New features in React 19 include Actions, a new hook called useActionState, new form features for react-dom, a new API for reading resources in render: use, and much more. React 19 adds full support for custom elements. An upgrade guide with a full list of breaking and notable changes is available.
VectorChord is a PostgreSQL extension designed for scalable, high-performance, and disk-efficient vector similarity search. It is entirely based on Postgres storage, enabling effective SSD usage to reduce memory requirements. VectorChord can easily handle vectors ranging from hundreds of millions to multi-billions of entries. It provides the best defaults out-of-the-box so users don't need to tweak quantization or rerank parameters.
Tech predictions for 2025 and beyond (23 minute read)
Technology is augmenting human ingenuity in inspiring ways. Clean energy innovations are unlocking new avenues for sustainable development and AI tools are tipping the scales in the fight against disinformation. Intention-driven technologies are reshaping our relationship with the digital world. A mission-driven workforce is emerging that is eager to tackle hard human problems without chasing the bottom line. Technology will redefine the way we think about success in the coming years.
AI Generated Business: The Rise of AGI and the Rush to Find a Working Revenue Model (71 minute read)
This report looks at the business models behind the generative AI companies that are drawing hundreds of billions of dollars in investment.
Appeals Court Upholds U.S. Ban of TikTok (8 minute read)
A federal appeals court has ruled that TikTok can be banned in the US over national security concerns. The ruling rejected arguments that the ban was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. The ban was intended solely to limit a foreign nation's ability to gather data on people in the US. TikTok claims US security fears are speculative and overblown. It is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, but the justices are not obliged to hear the case.
Independent analysis of AI models and API providers (Website)
Artificial Analysis ranks different AI models to help developers choose the best model and provider for their use case. It has sections for language models and speech, image, and video models as well as leaderboards and arenas for image, video, and speech. Artificial Analysis supports a lot of models and APIs from a wide range of providers.
The 70% problem: Hard truths about AI-assisted coding (14 minute read)
AI allows developers to iterate and experiment faster, but the hard parts of software development still require human judgment.
Cloudflare 2024 Year in Review (38 minute read)
This post looks at trends and patterns Cloudflare observed throughout the year at both a global and country/region level across a variety of metrics.
Court orders Mullenweg and Automattic to restore WP Engine's access to WordPress.org (2 minute read)
The court has also ordered Automattic to restore WP Engine's access and control of the popular Advanced Custom Field plug-in.
The Pixel 9a is expected to be released in March next year for $499. It will be powered by a Tensor G4 and use the Titan M2 security chip. The 6.3-inch display, which will use Gorilla Glass 3, will have a peak brightness of 1,700 nits (or 2,700 nits for HDR content) with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 9a will have Android 15 out of the box and seven years of updates.