That is as we speak’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a every day dose of what’s happening on this planet of know-how.
What’s subsequent for sensible 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 lovers relatively than informal shoppers.
Quick-forward 10 years, and sensible 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, sensible glasses are lastly on the verge of changing into helpful, and it’s clear that Huge Tech is betting that augmented specs would be the subsequent huge shopper machine class. Right here’s what to anticipate from sensible glasses in 2025 and past.
—Rhiannon Williams
This story is a part of MIT Know-how Overview’s What’s Subsequent collection, which seems to be throughout industries, developments, and applied sciences to provide you a primary take a look at the longer term. You possibly can 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 options, giving rise to a wave of startups and billion-dollar bets.
Immediately, the race is dominated by tech titans like Alibaba and ByteDance, alongside well-funded rivals backed by heavyweight buyers. However two years into China’s generative AI growth we’re seeing a shift: Smaller innovators should carve out their very own niches or danger 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’ve got recognized these 4 Chinese language AI firms as those to look at.
—Caiwei Chen
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you as we speak’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
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 programs. (Quick Firm $)
+ However 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 growth stance. (CNN)
+ OpenAI’s new protection contract completes its army pivot. (MIT Know-how Overview)
4 The metaverse’s future isn’t trying so rosy
Meta’s CTO has conceded that this yr is essential 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 you can use Sora, OpenAI’s video producing software. (MIT Know-how Overview)
6 These drones are launching drones to assault different drones
Ukraine is constant to supply modern battlefield applied sciences. (Ars Technica)
+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone protection. (MIT Know-how Overview)
7 How you can make synthetic blood 
We’re working out of the true stuff. Is pretend blood a viable various? (New Yorker $)
8 College students have labored out find out how to hack faculties’ ‘cellphone prisons’
Lecturers ought to know that sensible children will at all times discover a workaround. (NY Magazine $)
9 Social media can’t provide you with 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 individuals to make use of AI programs throughout their position to assist them work quicker and extra successfully, please don’t use AI assistants throughout the utility course of.”
—AI firm Anthropic urges individuals 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 avoid wasting our on-line lives from a digital darkish age
August 2024
There’s a picture of my daughter that I really like. She is sitting, smiling, in our outdated again backyard, chubby palms grabbing on the cool grass. It was taken on a digital digicam in 2013, when she was virtually one, however now lives on Google Photographs.
However what if, at some point, Google ceased to perform? What if I misplaced my treasured images perpetually? For a lot of archivists, alarm bells are ringing. Internationally, they’re scraping up defunct web sites or at-risk information collections to avoid wasting as a lot of our digital lives as potential. Others are engaged on methods to retailer that information in codecs that may final lots of, maybe even hundreds, of years.
The endeavor raises advanced questions. What’s essential to us? How and why can we determine what to maintain—and what can 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 will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Obtained 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 widespread with these Hollywood greats ultimately: they by no means gained an Oscar, both.
+ Do you like music or silence in your yoga class?
