Tech Rundown: AI to make battlefield decisions

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Here’s today tech rundown — everything you need to know from the world of tech in 3 minutes!

In today’s email:

• AI to make battlefield decisions

• Altman’s skeletons re-appear

• Musk-founded startup raises $40m+

The Lead Story

Get ready for killer robots: AI is gearing up to make life-and-death calls in combat, according to a new report.

Drones with artificial intelligence could soon decide whether or not to pull the trigger. Multiple countries, among them the U.S., have initiated the development of autonomous weapons, marking the onset of a new era in warfare.

While the Pentagon sees it as a game-changer in a quickly destabilising world, skeptics are waving ethical red flags, stressing the need for human oversight in these critical scenarios.

The debate boils down to finding a sweet spot between tech wizardry and responsible governance.

Critics argue we need serious rules and global agreements ASAP to prevent AI from running wild on the battlefield.

On the other hand, proponents of this new form of combat emphasize realpolitik, where global agreements are hard to enforce and proactivity is necessary when it comes to national defence.

We do have previous examples to draw parallels from.

Many thought nuclear weapons would spell the end of humanity, but countries found a balance, even when times were strained. There is an equal hope that multi-national development of AI-guided weapons may be the best hope in inhibiting their eventual use.

Who knows, maybe the AI arms race may be just as MAD?

More Tech News

• Let him Cook: Apple CEO Tim Cook confirms succession plan, and desire for next head to come from within company ranks (more)

• Screenshare Fail: Nvidia sued after employee shares screen showing code he stole from previous employer — during a presentation to previous employer (more)

• Altman Out: A Washington Post article notes OpenAI’s Sam Altman was unceremoniously fired from his previous gig at YC (more)

• Swiss Re-view: One of the world’s largest insurers, Swiss Re, reports that self-driving cars are now safer than human-guided vehicles (more)

• Head on the Block: Jack Dorsey, co-founder of fintech Block, claims he will fire under-performers quickly as he gets rid of PIPs (more)

Startup Fundraising

• Neuralink is working to create embedded chips that can read brain waves. Founded by Elon Musk, and raised $43m (more)

• Cleanlab aims to reduce errors and hallucinations in AI/LLMs, eg ChatGPT. Raised $25m in Series A (more)

• Relay has built a routing platform that operates as an ‘Uber for local deliveries’. Raised $10m in Seed funding (more)

• Pioneer helps climate advocates find government funding options. Raised $3m in Seed funding (more)

• Handraise uses AI to help companies amplify their media & news coverage. Raised $6m in Seed funding (more)

Useful Sites

• Good Plates: Find the best restaurants on Google Maps

• Submit Checklist: Places (directories) to submit your startup

• How Long to Read: Time it takes to read specific books

Daily Data

In-person retail still dominates

Distractions

• Does Australia exist?

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