The Download: how AI is changing science, and limits on White House contact with tech firms
—by Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, and current co-founder of philanthropic initiative Schmidt Futures
With the advent of AI, science is about to become much more exciting — and in some ways unrecognizable. The reverberations of this shift will be felt far outside the lab and will affect us all.
If we play our cards right with sensible regulation and proper support for innovative uses of AI to address science’s most pressing issues, AI can rewrite the scientific process.
We can build a future where AI-powered tools will both save us from mindless and time-consuming labor—and also propose creative inventions and discoveries, encouraging breakthroughs that would otherwise take decades. Read the full story.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 A judge restricted Biden officials’ ability to contact social media firms
The ruling is a victory for the Republicans who’ve accused the White House of censorship. (WP $)
+ Agencies aren’t allowed to flag specific posts to the platforms. (NYT $)
+ But they can get in contact to raise the alarm on illegal activity. (CNN)
2 Monday was the hottest day ever recorded
Unsurprisingly, recent heat waves are likely to be a contributing factor. (New Scientist $)
