AI, Exploding Popcorn, and Avocado Armchairs: Lux Recommends #260
Welcome to Lux Recommends #260, this week’s edition of what we at Lux are reading and thinking about (want to receive this by email? Sign up here).
Articles
How to Make Artificial Intelligence More Democratic: “A new type of learning model uses far less data than conventional AIs, allowing researchers with limited resources to contribute” — Deena
Do Dogs Really Make Us Happier? “New research shows that the psychological benefits of dog ownership are real — and especially valuable during the pandemic.” — Adam K
Will My Popcorn Explode? “The odds that all of your popcorn kernels will pop simultaneously aren’t zero. Maybe think instead of the multiple lotteries you’re more likely to win.” — Sam
The Day Steph Curry Made 105 3-Point Shots in a Row: “In basketball — but not in stockpicking — one success really does lead to another.” — friend of Lux Bryan White
A deep learning framework for drug repurposing via emulating clinical trials on real-world patient data — Deena
This avocado armchair could be the future of AI: “OpenAI has extended GPT-3 with two new models that combine NLP with image recognition to give its AI a better understanding of everyday concepts.” — Deena
Books
The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity by Toby Ord: “If all goes well, human history is just beginning. Our species could survive for billions of years — enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice, and to flourish in ways unimaginable today. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, where we face existential catastrophes — those from which we could never come back. Since then, these dangers have only multiplied, from climate change to engineered pathogens and artificial intelligence. If we do not act fast to reach a place of safety, it will soon be too late.” — Sam
Television
The Expanse: Season 5 has premiered. — Sam
Movies
Soul: “A musician who has lost his passion for music is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself.” — Adam G
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