Tech

We’ve lived with like ChatGPT for over a year now. Last year seemed to be the height of the hype cycle, at least for me. It felt like everyone, from friends to Uber drivers, was excitedly discussing the potential of this groundbreaking technology. However, as often happens with new technological advancements, the initial excitement has dimmed somewhat when faced with the reality of day-to-day use. The trough of disillusionment is real. In this article, I’ll mostly discuss the limitations of LLMs in technical tasks, though I believe these limitations apply to any sufficiently complex domain. ...

“The Coming Wave” explores the advantages and risks associated with a surge of emerging technologies. Authored by Mustafa Suleyman, a British artificial intelligence researcher and co-founder of DeepMind and Inflection AI, the book extends beyond just AI. It delves into the merits and drawbacks of other developing technologies, such as quantum computing and synthetic biology. In the initial sections of the book, the author paints a picture of the potential benefits of these emerging technologies, reading like utopian science fiction. It later shifts to outlining the potential threats, evoking a dystopian hellscape. The book ends with a series of recommendations on navigating the fine line between these two extremes. The following review reflects my interpretations of the author’s opinions, except where I specifically state my own views. ...

Sebastian Mallaby’s “The Power Law” traces the early history of the venture capital industry up to the present day, highlighting its significant impact on the development of technology. Contrary to common claims that venture capitalists (VCs) are merely opportunistic lemmings following trends, the book argues that venture capital requires genuine skill and provides various examples to support this claim. It covers successful venture capital investments in tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, as well as notable failures such as WeWork and Theranos. Mallaby argues that these failures cannot be solely attributed to “traditional” venture capital, as non-traditional investors outside Silicon Valley played a significant role. The book also explores the expansion of China’s venture capital industry through the involvement of Silicon Valley VCs and offers recommendations for policymakers on navigating VC investment in China amidst recent political tensions. ...