The Arc browser is getting better bookmarks and search results, all thanks to AI (2 minute read)
The Browser Company has made some big AI-powered changes to its Arc desktop browser. The new features turn search queries into bookmarks and keep users up to date on things they care about. The Browser Company aims to make some of the many-step processes of using the internet simpler, faster, more intuitive, and more useful. A video explaining Arc's new features is available in the article.
New type of cherry tomato self-dries while still on the vine (2 minute read)
Supree, a food tech company, has created tomatoes with microscopic cracks in their skin that allow moisture to naturally evaporate from within them, resulting in tomatoes that have lost 80% of their original weight by the time they're packed. The tomatoes can be dried further after harvest to tweak their content, but that process doesn't involve the use of any additives. The dried tomatoes can be reportedly kept for a year after being frozen for shipping and storage without any negative effect on their taste, texture, or nutritional value. Supree will sell its product directly to corporate clients for now.
Google is preparing to fully rename Bard to Gemini (2 minute read)
Google appears to be ditching the 'Bard' branding altogether and switching entirely to 'Gemini'. All of Bard's phone experience was renamed 'Gemini' earlier this week. The app now says 'Bard is now Gemini' across mobile devices and the web. Bard is powered by Gemini Pro, the middle option in Google's newest family of AI models.
How to Learn Unfamiliar Software Tools with ChatGPT (9 minute read)
A guide on how to use AI to turbocharge your ability to dive into unfamiliar software tools and quickly learn how to use them.
You Are Not Late to Artificial Intelligence (4 minute read)
A lot of people thought they were late to the internet, but there are even more opportunities now because of the advance in technology.
Obesity drugs have another superpower: taming inflammation (4 minute read)
The drugs classified as GLP-1 receptor agonists have been shown to reduce inflammation in the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain. These drugs include semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are marketed as treatments for diabetes and obesity. This effect is leading scientists to hope that they could be used to treat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, which both involve brain inflammation. More than 20 clinical trials are now exploring the drugs as therapies for the two conditions.
The pain points of building a copilot (6 minute read)
Companies everywhere are launching copilots, AI assistants that leverage large language models to assist with tasks. This article looks at the process of building these products, the pain points, and the opportunities for AI tools. The information was gathered from semi-structured interviews with developers from a variety of companies that are working on copilots. It is still very early in the field of product copilots and it will be interesting to see how software engineering will evolve over the next several years.
Generating code was never the hard part (2 minute read)
The truly hard parts of being a software engineer largely happen before code generation - things like requirements clarification, negotiation, technical design, and tradeoff analysis.
Inside OpenAI’s Plan to Make AI More ‘Democratic’ (15 minute read)
The task of aligning AI is tricky as it is difficult to determine who gets to decide what values to align with. OpenAI is searching for a path toward AI alignment upon which large swaths of the public can agree. While it is consulting with the public and adjusting its strategy based on the voice of the people, the process is not democratic as the input is advisory, not binding. Sam Altman has previously said that his company would 'respect' it if the public unequivocally said that OpenAI should stop or slow down, but experts think it would be unlikely.
Microsoft to share details on bringing Xbox games to PlayStation next week (2 minute read)
Microsoft is bringing Xbox exclusives to PS5 and Nintendo Switch consoles. The company plans to publicly outline the future of Xbox next week at a business update event. Microsoft was originally planning the update for later this month, but it appears to have been moved forward after a weekend of intensified rumors.
AI Design Patterns (3 minute read)
A few design patterns are emerging for AI products as people learn how to build AI applications.
WhatsApp is working on secure cross-app messaging to connect users across platforms (3 minute read)
WhatsApp has been working on an initiative for two years that will allow its users to send messages across different messaging applications using end-to-end encrypted methods. The initial phase of the interoperability rollout will enable basic functionalities such as text, image, voice message, video, and file sharing between individuals. Advanced features such as calls and group chats are expected to be introduced later. The feature will be opt-in. Third-party apps will have to encrypt their messages using Signal's encryption protocol and meet specific technical standards.
Bluesky is ready to open up (4 minute read)
Bluesky is removing its invite system and opening its doors to anyone who wants to sign up. It will start letting outside developers host their own servers on its underlying AT Protocol later this month. Bluesky users will be able to opt into experiences that aren't run by Bluesky and bring their profiles with them to rival apps on the network. The company plans to make money by charging users for additional features in its app, taking a cut of purchases for things like custom feeds (which developers will be able to charge for), and through a service that will help others manage servers on the AT Protocol.