That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a day by day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of know-how.
Motor neuron illnesses took their voices. AI is bringing them again.
Jules Rodriguez misplaced his voice in October of final yr. His speech had been deteriorating since a prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2020, however a tracheostomy to assist him breathe dealt the ultimate blow.
Rodriguez and his spouse, Maria Fernandez, who dwell in Miami, thought they’d by no means hear his voice once more. Then they re-created it utilizing AI. After feeding outdated recordings of Rodriguez’s voice right into a device skilled on voices from movie, tv, radio, and podcasts, the couple have been in a position to generate a voice clone—a means for Jules to speak in his “outdated voice.”
Rodriguez is one in every of over a thousand folks with speech difficulties who’ve cloned their voices utilizing free software program from ElevenLabs. The AI voice clones aren’t good. However they symbolize an unlimited enchancment on earlier communication applied sciences and are already enhancing the lives of individuals with motor neuron illnesses. Learn the complete story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
The AI relationship revolution is already right here
AI is in all places, and it’s beginning to alter {our relationships} in new and surprising methods—relationships with our spouses, youngsters, colleagues, pals, and even ourselves. Though the know-how stays unpredictable and generally baffling, people from all the world over and from all walks of life are discovering it helpful, supportive, and comforting, too.
Persons are utilizing giant language fashions to hunt validation, mediate marital arguments, and assist navigate interactions with their neighborhood. They’re utilizing it for assist in parenting, for self-care, and even to fall in love. Within the coming many years, many extra people will be a part of them. And that is solely the start. What occurs subsequent is as much as us. Learn the complete story.
—Rhiannon Williams
This subscriber-only story is the following version of our print journal, which is all about relationships. Subscribe now to get a replica when it lands on February 26!
What a serious battery fireplace means for the way forward for power storage
Just a few weeks in the past, a fireplace broke out on the Moss Touchdown Energy Plant in California, the world’s largest assortment of batteries on the grid. Though the flames have been extinguished in a couple of days, the metaphorical smoke remains to be clearing. Residents have reported well being points, and pollution have been discovered within the water and floor close by. A lawsuit has been filed.
Within the wake of high-profile fires like Moss Touchdown, there are comprehensible issues about battery security. On the identical time, as extra wind, solar energy, and different variable electrical energy sources come on-line, giant power storage installations might be much more essential for the grid.
Learn our story to atone for what occurred on this fireplace, what the lingering issues are, and what comes subsequent for the power storage trade.
—Casey Crownhart
This story is from The Spark, our weekly publication explaining the tech fixing the local weather disaster. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you immediately’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Inside Elon Musk’s AI coup
In the event you assume authorities run by AI sounds dystopian, you’d be proper. (New Yorker $)
+ Can AI assist DOGE slash authorities budgets? It’s advanced. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
+ Musk says DOGE is being clear. That couldn’t be farther from the reality. (Gizmodo)
2 OpenAI is loosening restrictions on what its bots can say
It’s nudging the stability away from security, and in the direction of ‘mental freedom’. (The Verge)
+ Musk’s legal professionals say he’ll withdraw his $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI if it drops plans to grow to be a for-profit firm. (Reuters $)
3 Courting apps depart folks at the hours of darkness over harmful customers
Match Group appears to do shockingly little in response to studies of rape. (The Guardian)
4 Apple is reportedly exploring humanoid robots
However it’s nonetheless very early days, so I wouldn’t wish to guess on something coming to fruition simply but. (TechCrunch)
+ Right here’s what’s subsequent for robots. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
5 Effectivity is the brand new frontier for AI
DeepSeek claims to have constructed a mannequin for $6 million. One other staff says they’ve performed it for simply $6. (The Economist $)
+ China’s EV firms are racing so as to add DeepSeek’s AI to their vehicles. (Enterprise Insider $)
+ China’s smartphone makers are dashing to undertake it too. (South China Morning Submit $)
6 Apple simply launched an enormous well being examine
It should analyze how information from its gadgets can monitor, handle and predict modifications in customers’ well being. (CNBC)
7 Contained in the radically unambitious return of Pebble smartwatches 
It’s kinda telling that constructing gadgets that may final for years is so uncommon. (Quick Firm $)
8 Syria simply hosted its first worldwide tech convention in 50 years
Hope abounds because the nation begins to rebuild after a 13-year-old civil conflict. (Remainder of World)
9 The man who threw away $775 million in Bitcoin desires to purchase the rubbish dump
He’s by no means going to surrender, is he. (Quartz $)
10 Google goes to get AI to guess how outdated you’re for age verification
I concern it’d take one have a look at my tastes and add on a couple of many years. (The Verge)
Quote of the day
“The AI summaries of questions on Ask are horrible. Can we return to answering the questions folks really requested?”
—Google staff bemoan using AI to compile their numerous questions right into a single one throughout all-staff conferences, The Guardian studies.
The massive story
No matter occurred to DNA computing?
October 2021
For greater than 5 many years, engineers have shrunk silicon-primarily based transistors time and again, creating progressively smaller, quicker, and extra energy-efficient computer systems within the course of. However the lengthy technological profitable streak—and the miniaturization that has enabled it —can’t final endlessly.
What may this successor know-how be? There was no scarcity of other computing approaches proposed over the past 50 years. Listed below are 5 of the extra memorable ones. Examine 5 of probably the most memorable ones.
—Lakshmi Chandrasekaran
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Monty is such a superb boy that he’s been topped greatest canine in America.
+ A shortcut recipe for hen rice? I’m going to need to strive it out.
+ In the event you’ve obtained a good neck and shoulders, a fast hit of aid is simply ten minutes away.
+ To make lasting modifications to your life, motivation has to come back from inside.
