That is at present’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a every day dose of what’s occurring on the planet of know-how.
What’s subsequent for good glasses
For each technological gadget that turns into a family identify, there are dozens that by no means catch on. This yr marks a full decade since Google confirmed it was stopping manufacturing of Google Glass, and for a very long time it appeared as if mixed-reality merchandise would stay the protect of lovers fairly than informal shoppers.
Quick-forward 10 years, and good glasses are on the verge of turning into—whisper it—cool. Sleeker designs are actually making this new era of glasses extra interesting. However extra importantly, good glasses are lastly on the verge of turning into helpful, and it’s clear that Huge Tech is betting that augmented specs would be the subsequent massive client machine class. Right here’s what to anticipate from good glasses in 2025 and past.
—Rhiannon Williams
This story is a part of MIT Expertise Assessment’s What’s Subsequent collection, which seems to be throughout industries, tendencies, and applied sciences to provide you a primary take a look at the long run. You’ll be able to learn the remainder of them right here.
4 Chinese language AI startups to observe past DeepSeek
The meteoric rise of DeepSeek—the Chinese language AI startup now difficult international giants—has surprised observers and put the highlight on China’s AI sector. Since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022, the nation’s tech ecosystem has been in relentless pursuit of homegrown options, giving rise to a wave of startups and billion-dollar bets.
At present, the race is dominated by tech titans like Alibaba and ByteDance, alongside well-funded rivals backed by heavyweight buyers. However two years into China’s generative AI increase we’re seeing a shift: Smaller innovators should carve out their very own niches or danger lacking out. What started as a dash has turn into a high-stakes marathon—China’s AI ambitions have by no means been larger. We now have recognized these 4 Chinese language AI corporations as those to observe.
—Caiwei Chen
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at present’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 The US Postal Service has stopped accepting parcels from China
And plunged the ecommerce business into utter chaos. (Wired $)
+ Trump’s China tariffs are coming for Amazon, too. (Insider $)
2 Elon Musk has weaponized X in his conflict on authorities spending
The billionaire is conducting polls asking customers which company he ought to intestine subsequent. (NYT $)
+ Musk’s staffers reportedly entered NOAA headquarters yesterday. (The Guardian)
+ DOGE now seems to have entry to Treasury fee methods. (Quick Firm $)
+ Nevertheless it does seem as if Trump blocked Musk from hiring a noncitizen. (The Atlantic $)
3 Google has quietly dropped its promise to not use its AI to construct weapons
Simply weeks after rival OpenAI additionally reversed its anti-weapons growth stance. (CNN)
+ OpenAI’s new protection contract completes its navy pivot. (MIT Expertise Assessment)
4 The metaverse’s future isn’t trying so rosy
Meta’s CTO has conceded that this yr is essential to its success or failure. (Insider $)
5 OpenAI is trying to courtroom Hollywood’s filmmakers
However its Sora video instrument has been met with a frosty reception. (Bloomberg $)
+ Easy methods to use Sora, OpenAI’s video producing instrument. (MIT Expertise Assessment)
6 These drones are launching drones to assault different drones
Ukraine is constant to provide modern battlefield applied sciences. (Ars Technica)
+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone protection. (MIT Expertise Assessment)
7 Easy methods to make synthetic blood 
We’re operating out of the true stuff. Is faux blood a viable different? (New Yorker $)
8 College students have labored out learn how to hack colleges’ ‘cellphone prisons’
Lecturers ought to know that good youngsters will at all times discover a workaround. (NY Magazine $)
9 Social media can’t offer you validation
So cease looking for it there. (Vox)
10 Web slang is uncontrolled
Skibidi, gigachad, or deeve, anybody? (WSJ $)
Quote of the day
“Whereas we encourage folks to make use of AI methods throughout their position to assist them work sooner and extra successfully, please don’t use AI assistants in the course of the software course of.”
—AI firm Anthropic urges folks making use of to work there to not use chatbots and different instruments in the course of the course of, the Monetary Instances experiences.
The large story
The race to avoid wasting our on-line lives from a digital darkish age
August 2024
There’s a picture of my daughter that I like. She is sitting, smiling, in our outdated again backyard, chubby palms grabbing on the cool grass. It was taken on a digital digicam in 2013, when she was nearly one, however now lives on Google Photographs.
However what if, in the future, Google ceased to perform? What if I misplaced my treasured photographs ceaselessly? For a lot of archivists, alarm bells are ringing. The world over, they’re scraping up defunct web sites or at-risk knowledge collections to avoid wasting as a lot of our digital lives as potential. Others are engaged on methods to retailer that knowledge in codecs that can final tons of, maybe even hundreds, of years.
The endeavor raises advanced questions. What’s essential to us? How and why will we determine what to maintain—and what will we let go? And the way will future generations make sense of what we’re capable of save? Learn the complete story.
—Niall Firth
We will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Obtained any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Letsa go—Nintendo has added 49 Tremendous Mario World tracks to its music app!
+ Congratulations are to ensure that New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki, which is now legally acknowledged as an individual. 
+ I’ve obtained one thing in frequent with these Hollywood greats ultimately: they by no means received an Oscar, both.
+ Do you favor music or silence in your yoga class?