That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on this planet of expertise.
What’s subsequent for good glasses
For each technological gadget that turns into a family identify, there are dozens that by no means catch on. This yr marks a full decade since Google confirmed it was stopping manufacturing of Google Glass, and for a very long time it appeared as if mixed-reality merchandise would stay the protect of fans slightly than informal customers.
Quick-forward 10 years, and good glasses are on the verge of changing into—whisper it—cool. Sleeker designs are actually making this new era of glasses extra interesting. However extra importantly, good glasses are lastly on the verge of changing into helpful, and it’s clear that Large Tech is betting that augmented specs would be the subsequent massive shopper system class. Right here’s what to anticipate from good glasses in 2025 and past.
—Rhiannon Williams
This story is a part of MIT Know-how Assessment’s What’s Subsequent sequence, which appears throughout industries, developments, and applied sciences to provide you a primary have a look at the long run. You’ll be able to learn the remainder of them right here.
4 Chinese language AI startups to look at past DeepSeek
The meteoric rise of DeepSeek—the Chinese language AI startup now difficult world giants—has surprised observers and put the highlight on China’s AI sector. Since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022, the nation’s tech ecosystem has been in relentless pursuit of homegrown alternate options, giving rise to a wave of startups and billion-dollar bets.
As we speak, the race is dominated by tech titans like Alibaba and ByteDance, alongside well-funded rivals backed by heavyweight traders. However two years into China’s generative AI growth we’re seeing a shift: Smaller innovators must carve out their very own niches or threat lacking out. What started as a dash has turn into a high-stakes marathon—China’s AI ambitions have by no means been increased. We now have recognized these 4 Chinese language AI corporations as those to look at.
—Caiwei Chen
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you immediately’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 The US Postal Service has stopped accepting parcels from China
And plunged the ecommerce business into utter chaos. (Wired $)
+ Trump’s China tariffs are coming for Amazon, too. (Insider $)
2 Elon Musk has weaponized X in his warfare on authorities spending
The billionaire is conducting polls asking customers which company he ought to intestine subsequent. (NYT $)
+ Musk’s staffers reportedly entered NOAA headquarters yesterday. (The Guardian)
+ DOGE now seems to have entry to Treasury fee methods. (Quick Firm $)
+ Nevertheless it does seem as if Trump blocked Musk from hiring a noncitizen. (The Atlantic $)
3 Google has quietly dropped its promise to not use its AI to construct weapons
Simply weeks after rival OpenAI additionally reversed its anti-weapons improvement stance. (CNN)
+ OpenAI’s new protection contract completes its navy pivot. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
4 The metaverse’s future isn’t trying so rosy
Meta’s CTO has conceded that this yr is important to its success or failure. (Insider $)
5 OpenAI is making an attempt to court docket Hollywood’s filmmakers
However its Sora video software has been met with a frosty reception. (Bloomberg $)
+ How one can use Sora, OpenAI’s video producing software. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
6 These drones are launching drones to assault different drones
Ukraine is continuous to supply progressive battlefield applied sciences. (Ars Technica)
+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone protection. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
7 How one can make synthetic blood 
We’re working out of the true stuff. Is faux blood a viable different? (New Yorker $)
8 College students have labored out tips on how to hack colleges’ ‘cellphone prisons’
Lecturers ought to know that good children will at all times discover a workaround. (NY Magazine $)
9 Social media can’t offer you validation
So cease looking for it there. (Vox)
10 Web slang is uncontrolled
Skibidi, gigachad, or deeve, anybody? (WSJ $)
Quote of the day
“Whereas we encourage folks to make use of AI methods throughout their function to assist them work sooner and extra successfully, please don’t use AI assistants throughout the utility course of.”
—AI firm Anthropic urges folks making use of to work there to not use chatbots and different instruments throughout the course of, the Monetary Instances stories.
The massive story
The race to save lots of our on-line lives from a digital darkish age
August 2024
There’s a picture of my daughter that I like. She is sitting, smiling, in our outdated again backyard, chubby palms grabbing on the cool grass. It was taken on a digital digital camera in 2013, when she was nearly one, however now lives on Google Images.
However what if, someday, Google ceased to operate? What if I misplaced my treasured images perpetually? For a lot of archivists, alarm bells are ringing. The world over, they’re scraping up defunct web sites or at-risk information collections to save lots of as a lot of our digital lives as attainable. Others are engaged on methods to retailer that information in codecs that may final a whole lot, maybe even 1000’s, of years.
The endeavor raises complicated questions. What’s vital to us? How and why will we resolve what to maintain—and what will we let go? And the way will future generations make sense of what we’re capable of save? Learn the total story.
—Niall Firth
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Letsa go—Nintendo has added 49 Tremendous Mario World tracks to its music app!
+ Congratulations are to ensure that New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki, which is now legally acknowledged as an individual. 
+ I’ve bought one thing in frequent with these Hollywood greats ultimately: they by no means gained an Oscar, both.
+ Do you like music or silence in your yoga class?
