That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a every day dose of what’s occurring on the earth of expertise.
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 analysis 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 stay in Miami, thought they might 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 After feeding outdated recordings of Rodriguez’s voice right into a instrument skilled on voices from movie, tv, radio, and podcasts, the couple have been in a position to generate a voice clone—a method for Jules to speak in his “outdated voice.”
Rodriguez is certainly one 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 enormous 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, children, colleagues, buddies, and even ourselves. Though the expertise stays unpredictable and generally baffling, people from all internationally and from all walks of life are discovering it helpful, supportive, and comforting, too.
Individuals are utilizing massive 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 subsequent version of our print journal, which is all about relationships. Subscribe now to get a duplicate when it lands on February 26!
What a significant battery hearth means for the way forward for vitality storage
Just a few weeks in the past, a hearth 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 just a few days, the metaphorical smoke continues 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 considerations about battery security. On the identical time, as extra wind, solar energy, and different variable electrical energy sources come on-line, massive vitality storage installations will probably be much more essential for the grid.
Learn our story to make amends for what occurred on this hearth, what the lingering considerations are, and what comes subsequent for the vitality storage business.
—Casey Crownhart
This story is from The Spark, our weekly e-newsletter 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 at this time’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
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 Expertise Evaluate)
+ 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 direction of ‘mental freedom’. (The Verge)
+ Musk’s attorneys say he’ll withdraw his $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI if it drops plans to turn out to be a for-profit firm. (Reuters $)
3 Relationship apps depart folks in the dead of night 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 Expertise Evaluate)
5 Effectivity is the brand new frontier for AI
DeepSeek claims to have constructed a mannequin for $6 million. One other group says they’ve completed it for simply $6. (The Economist $)
+ China’s EV corporations are racing so as to add DeepSeek’s AI to their automobiles. (Enterprise Insider $)
+ China’s smartphone makers are speeding to undertake it too. (South China Morning Publish $)
6 Apple simply launched an enormous well being research
It can analyze how knowledge from its units 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 units 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 battle. (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 might be for age verification
I concern it’d take one take a look at my tastes and add on just a few 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 workers bemoan using AI to compile their numerous questions right into a single one throughout all-staff conferences, The Guardian studies.
The large story
No matter occurred to DNA computing?
October 2021
For greater than 5 many years, engineers have shrunk silicon-primarily based transistors over and over, creating progressively smaller, sooner, 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 perpetually.
What might this successor expertise be? There was no scarcity of other computing approaches proposed during the last 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. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Monty is such a great boy that he’s been topped greatest canine in America.
+ A shortcut recipe for rooster rice? I’m going to must attempt it out.
+ In the event you’ve received a decent neck and shoulders, a fast hit of aid is simply ten minutes away.
+ To make lasting modifications to your life, motivation has to return from inside.
