DALL·E 2024-12-15 14.48.24 - A near-silent VTOL stealth drone hovering in the sky above a dimly lit warehouse at night. The drone features a sleek, futuristic design with visible

Unexplained Drone Sightings: Could Quantum Tech Be Hiding in Plain Sight?

Do you prefer to listen instead of read like me? Lucky for you I used NotebookLM to create a podcast out of this post. Listen below. Listen to this post Your browser does not support the audio element. Google recently made headlines with the Willow quantum chip ( Google’s Announcement)—a tangible sign that we’re edging closer to a new era in computing. While this news is exciting on its own, it got me thinking about the recent surge in drone/UAP sightings lighting up social media. While most sightings are likely just conventional drones, misidentified aircraft, or recycled footage, it’s hard not to wonder: what if something more advanced is quietly taking shape above our heads, hidden in plain sight? ...

December 15, 2024 · 4-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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AI Microapp: Wine Geography

Prefer to listen to this idea? Here’s a NotebookLM podcast about it: Listen to this post Your browser does not support the audio element. We’re on the cusp of an exciting era in app development, where AI is making it possible to create powerful, focused apps that solve everyday problems without the complexity of traditional apps. I call these “AI Microapps,” and I believe they have the potential to disrupt incumbent players who are often slow to adopt cutting-edge AI features due to the constraints of their existing user base. ...

October 20, 2024 · 2-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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Unleash Your Kids' Creativity with AI-Generated Coloring Pages!

Prefer to listen to a podcast about this post? Listen to an AI-created podcast of this post here: Listen to this post Your browser does not support the audio element. Ever tried finding decent coloring pages for your little ones on Google? If you have, you were probably disappointed. The free options out there are often shockingly poor quality. But fear not! As AI image generation keeps improving by the day, I figured now’s the perfect time to dive in and create some awesome coloring pages from scratch with AI via Midjourney. ...

October 17, 2024 · 11-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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Turn Your Notes into Podcasts with NoteBookLM

Forget tedious editing – imagine transforming meeting notes, group chats, or email threads into engaging podcasts in minutes. Do you prefer to listen instead of read like me? Lucky for you I used NotebookLM to create a podcast out of this post. Listen below. Listen to this post Your browser does not support the audio element. What is Google NoteBookLM? Launched in 2023, NoteBookLM is an AI-powered tool that lets you upload any document, transcript, PDF, or even a website URL. The AI processes the content and within minutes, delivers a podcast with two AI hosts discussing the material. ...

October 11, 2024 · 4-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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Using AI to predict the future: Part I

Using LLM fusion, I asked the top AI models, including the usual suspects plus gpt 1o-preview, perplexity pro, and grok 2, to help me predict the biggest tech advancements of the next five years. Here is what the consensus was. Prefer to listen to this post? I used Google’s NotebookLM to turn it into a podcast episode. Listen here, or keep reading below: Listen to this post Your browser does not support the audio element. ...

October 9, 2024 · 7-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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Unlocking Deeper Conversations: How LLMs Can Help You Connect with Your Kids

I used the LLM fusion technique to create conversation-starting questions for kids in different age groups. Below is a table of the questions, and I then show the prompts I used to generate them. Questions for your kids: AgesQuestion3-4If you could turn into any animal at school today, what would you be and what adventures would you have?3-4Can you show me your favorite dance move from today and tell me what made it so special?3-4What magical powers did you use in your pretend play today?3-4If your toys came to life while you were at school, what do you think they did?3-4Can you draw a picture of the yummiest thing you smelled today and describe it to me?5-7If you could invent a machine to help your teacher, what would it do and how would it work?5-7Imagine you found a magical door at school. Where did it take you and what happened next?5-7If you could create a new rule for your classroom, what would it be and why?5-7What was the kindest thing you saw someone do today? How did it make you feel?5-7If you could be the teacher for a day, what would you teach the class and why?8-10If you could create a new subject to be taught in all schools, what would it be and why is it important?8-10What’s a challenge you faced today that you’re proud of overcoming? What strategy did you use?8-10If you could have any superpower for one day, how would you use it to help someone in need?8-10What’s a current event you learned about recently that surprised you, and how did it change your perspective?8-10If you could design a treehouse classroom, what features would it have and how would it change the way you learn?11-12If you could design a class to teach adults about teenage life today, what topics would you cover and why?11-12What is a goal you set for yourself today, and how are you planning to achieve it?11-12If you could create a social media platform that positively impacts mental health, what features would it have?11-12What does it mean to be a good friend, in your opinion? How do you try to be a good friend to others?11-12If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why?13-14What is an issue at school or in the world that you feel passionate about, and why?13-14If you could have a conversation with any historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?13-14What does success mean to you, and how are you working towards your own definition of success?13-14How do you think technology is changing the way we learn and communicate?13-14What is a risk you took recently, or a time you stepped outside of your comfort zone? What did you learn from that experience?15-18What is a belief or idea you have recently questioned, and what led you to rethink it?15-18If you could design your own course to teach others, what would it be about and why?15-18How do you think your actions can make a positive impact on your community or the world?15-18What are your biggest concerns about the future, and what steps can you take to address those concerns?15-18If you could create a business that solves a global problem, what would it do and how would you scale it? ...

September 5, 2024 · 6-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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end of summer mind dump

misc subscribed to Kevin Rose substack (first substack paid subscription). cool community and discussion. enjoying the perks, including free 12 months of Endel, an app that plays various ADD-friendly soundscapes for working, relaxation, sleeping health going to try a creatine + testosterone supplement for first time i swear by using the Manta Bluetooth sleep mask now. it gets me to put down my phone earlier and fall asleep faster. generally, i am asleep 15 min after putting it on listening to Endel or Audible. The Manta mask is expensive, so you could always start with a $25 bluetooth sleep mask i got a SECA scan at my weight loss dr office. since i started taking semaglutide a year ago, i am down about ~30lbs and body fat went from 33.9% to 28.6%. still work to go, but very happy with progress. AI I’m using Perplexity instead of Google for most search queries now Amazon Alexa may be powered by Claude soon according to Reuters. I’m using the AI coding app Cursor multiple times per week for Python experiments found a cool list of AI-powered tools for creators/builders Claude released a cool prompt engineering course via Google Sheets tech ios 18 will come out in 2-3 weeks and I am most excited for the scheduled iMessage feature. Apple might be working on a tabletop robot. a platform for developers to build robotic apps without worrying about the physical hardware would be so cool Midjourney prompt to create the featured image for this post: ...

August 31, 2024 · 2-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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July was a huge month for AI (and wearable friends)

AI Facebook AI: major updates to their open-source LLM model llama 3.1 and released the S egment Anything Model 2 (SAM2). Runway ML launched Gen-3 Alpha Image to Video and it’s incredible ChatGPT finally started rolling out advanced voice mode (preview only) AI search feature (preview only) Gadgets and Gizmos July was a bad month to work on my gadget addiction: AI assistant hardware: pre-ordered a wearable friend (that’s the actual name!) pre-ordered limitless pendant Sparkling Water: They got me with the Amazon Prime Day deal on the SodaStream Enso (~$160). I am impressed at how easy it is to use and the fact that it doesn’t require any power or cables. Stud finders: Finding studs in ceilings and walls continues to be my least favorite part of my home projects. I got the Walabot DIY 2 which uses radar scanning to see through the walls. It’s cool, but the jury is still out on whether it is any more accurate than my Franklin Sensor M210 ($60) which I got earlier this year and love. I also finally added an awl to my stud-finding toolkit. Charging devices: Added Anker 15W wireless charger to desk ($46). I wonder if anyone other than Matt Mullenweg thinks about charging apparatuses as much as I do. If you read this far I’d be remiss to not point you to my earlier post about 2024 travel gadgets I like. If you can recommend any must-have gadgets, please leave a comment. ...

July 29, 2024 · 2-minute read · matt silverman  · 
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OpenAI Alumni's 160-Page AGI Forecast: AI Predictions into the Next Decade

Leopold Aschenbrenner is a young entrepreneur and researcher who recently founded an investment firm focused on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), after working on the Superalignment team at OpenAI. Graduated as valedictorian from Columbia University at age 19, Aschenbrenner has a background in economic growth research and an interest in securing the future of liberty, particularly through the advancement and responsible development of AI technology. Key Takeaways on the Future of AI from Leopold’s ~160-page Situational Awareness paper (available as a webpage and PDF). ...

July 10, 2024 · 3-minute read · matt silverman  · 
DALL·E 2024-07-07 21.53.30 - Abstract 3D visualization of a vast AI network, with vibrant streams of colorful light representing data flow between shimmering nodes. At the center,

Distributed LLM Inference and the Rise of Kuzco

What if your laptop could contribute to the AI revolution while earning you passive income? This is becoming a reality that projects like Kuzco are bringing to life through distributed LLM (Large Language Model) inference on the blockchain. In fact, it was exciting enough for me to build an AI mining rig. The GPU Dilemma: Untapped Potential A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialized processor designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, making it essential for rendering graphics and accelerating complex computation. ...