The purported breakthrough comes from slashing the number of computations transformers need to carry out to generate answers. The result is a faster and cheaper LLM that uses far less energy than any other model on the market. Many experts remained skeptical—but Subquadratic has started to share the receipts. They suggest that their approach might be worth paying attention to.
Here’s how the system works—and why some researchers still aren’t convinced. —Will Douglas Heaven
Brain-computer interface trials are taking off —Jessica Hamzelou This week, I covered the story of Casey Harrell—a man with ALS who is “the first power user” of a brain implant. The device has enabled him to maintain an income, reconnect with friends and family, and read to his daughter. He told me that it’s “nothing short of revolutionary.” Over the past couple of years, the number of BCI trial volunteers has soared. This year, China became the first country to approve a BCI for medical use. Advances in technology are allowing engineers to provide more features than ever. BCI research is properly taking off. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Amazon workers who backed data center limits may face terminationThe engineers say they’re under investigation by the company. (NYT $)+ And could face discipline, including potential termination. (The Verge)+They had testified at meetings about pausing data centers. (CNBC)+ They’ve filed a joint complaint to Seattle’s Office for Civil Rights. (Wired $)2 A new fossil discovery has rewritten 150 years of evolutionary theoryIt suggests early land vertebrates skipped the tadpole stage. (New Scientist $)+ And raises questions about how vertebrates adapted to land. (404 Media)+ Sponges may have been the first animals. (MIT Technology Review) 3 Bernie Sanders plans to give the public direct ownership of AI firmsHe’s unveiled new legislation to create an AI sovereign wealth fund. (AP News)+ It would be funded through a one-time tax on AI companies’ stock. (Quartz)+ And make annual payments directly to Americans. (Washington Post $) 4 Investors in China secretly acquired stakes in SpaceX before its IPOOne had ties to Chinese military contractors. (ProPublica)+ The US fears China has got one of ASML’s top machines. (Reuters $) 5 Researchers have figured out Russia's nuclear-powered missileThey call it “a terrible idea”—but not an impossible one. (NPR)+ NASA is building a nuclear reactor-powered spacecraft. (MIT Technology Review) 6 Longevity medicine faces a do-or-die moment in a landmark trialIt will test whether cellular aging can be safely reversed in humans. (Axios)+ The next step is “chemical reprogramming.” (MIT Technology Review) 7 Studies suggest AI may already be deskilling professionalsOver-reliance appears to weaken doctors’ and engineers’ abilities. (Nature) 8 Tech workers who maxed out their AI use are now trying to minimize itSpiralling costs mean “tokenminning” has replaced “tokenmaxxing.” (NYT $) 9 Scientists say the human genome’s structure may confound AI modelsWhich would constrain AI-based models of biology and disease. (Quanta)10 A new robotic self-driving toilet brings the bathroom to youThe Xiaoban also cleans up and empties itself all on its own. (The Verge) Quote of the day
