AI is driving forward at breakneck speed. We have important DeepSeek updates. AWS Lambda turns 10. ChatGPT probably is not killing the planet. Newspapers can be replaced by Substacks in 2025.
The Distilled Spirit
The Breakneck Pace of AI-Driven Change
Things are moving very very fast out there. AGI might be coming fast. Will electricity generation act as a brake? How can you be ready?
⏳ The Most Important Time is Now ()
AI is moving at breakneck speeds. One of the big technical lessons of DeepSeek is how fast AI can be used to create better AI. Experts are predicting Artificial General Intelligence in the next two years.
🧩The Age of Fragmentation ()
AI is disaggregating the services that we aggregated in Web 2.0. Specialized apps and AI tools are allowing for users to create very custom experiences without much investment. Networks are a way to differentiate but you need a compelling application to create one.
🔊 Redefining the Interface ()
AI is radically changing user interface paradigms at a pace not seen since graphical interfaces became possible. It is effectively a new chapter in the very long book about how humans and machines can work together. Explore eight of the new ways we are doing this in the article.
👷♀️ Decentralized Workforce ()
Gig work is going beyond Uber and DoorDash. Task-based digital work platforms are exploding. Platforms are developing to fit all niches and talents to find marketplaces. The creator economy enables many to make a living off of their expertise. The future seems distributed. See the feature for more on this.
Wrapping up DeepSeek
DeepSeek was the topic of the week. How many GPUs did DeepSeek really have access to and how much did they actually spend is an open question. Here are some viewpoints worth considering.
🐳 Going Deep on DeepSeek (Semi Analysis)
DeepSeek is not new news at Semi Analyis. They have had eyes on the startup for months. They look at DeepSeek’s GPU inventory and take a stab at true training costs. They compare output with leading western models. Most important they take a good look at the innovations in DeepSeek’s models which they expect western labs to copy. The piece is fairly technical but understandable and worth checking out if you want to go deep.
✋ On DeepSeek and Export Controls (Dario Amodei)
Anthropic founder Dario Amodei makes the case for stronger US export controls in light of DeepSeek. He puts a lot of context around how many GPUs they used and just what kind of breakthrough this is. He leaves with a picture of why we need to continue to enforce export controls and how this was not an example of their failure even if DeepSeek sped up the curve.
🗣 Kevin Xu on how DeepSeek the Lab is Different ()
ChinaTalk has been the go-to for DeepSeek coverage and they do not disappoint. The interview explores the culture that the fairly young Liang Wenfeng built with passionate people who don’t have baggage. The company is built on people with three to five years experience. More than eight is a hard pass in the hiring process. They are open source enthusiasts who fix bugs for fun. The interview goes on to explore the evolving US-China relationship in light of the new entrant.
Other Technology Notes
Things that happened in the world that did not involve DeepSeek include . . .
🍾 Happy 10th Birthday AWS Lambda ()
AWS Lambda was a very important technology innovation. They provide a way to cheaply host a computer function — like writing to a database, processing a file or doing some other small task — in a way a developer can easily talk to it. Making this very simple service easy unleashed a wave of software development. Lambda and similar platforms have paved the way to a world where a 16 year old can make and sell a voice notes app.
🌿ChatGPT Might Not Be So Bad for the Environment (The Weird Turn Pro)
There were a few statistics quoted about how bad ChatGPT was for the environment compared to a google search. That was based on a number of flawed presumptions and not quite fair comparisons. If you are truly concerned about water use, going vegan might be a better idea.
As Media Falls, Substack Rises
Media is undergoing a sea change. The old models are in shambles. As the economics supporting networks and newspapers have collapsed, their quality has declined dramatically. This probably is not news to most of the readers here. We are already on this platform. A graphic I shared last week makes it very clear how far the pendulum has swung towards new media. Substack is in, news networks are out.
I think we have hit the point where you can replace almost all of your primary news consumption with the right collection of newsletters and be just as in the know without having to descend to the level of making sense of social media news feeds on X.
Front Page News
1440 Daily Digest gathers the half dozen headlines of the day and puts them into your inbox, along with a few more human interest sorts of stories. It is equivalent to the major newspaper daily roundup email.
is another solid daily news round up that lines up well with the A section of your local newspaper.Institute for the Study of War is the best place to go for very granular coverage of the world’s ongoing conflicts. Most newspapers covering the Ukraine War use it as their “man on the ground.”
is a bullet-pointed briefing on international affairs. feels a bit like what Politico was in its early days—more independent, focused, and willing to cover emerging political trends with fresh analysis. He has been on a tear lately — and now has a White House press pass.Business & Technology
TLDR is a very solid choice if you read one thing to keep up on technology. They do a good job of grabbing the right top stories for the day and the below-the-fold parts are well curated.
does a great job of showing what is happening in the world economy visually.Chartr, now part of Sherwood News, sends a daily bit of data storytelling worth exploring.
Paul Krugman was unhappy with his layers of editors at the New York Times. He now writes how and what he wants and it is amazing.
is your Wirecutter replacement for productivity.Sports
Yahoo Sports AM is the best sports coverage since George Michael’s Sports Machine. It keeps you up on what is magical and helps you know what to watch.
catches the more analytical, trend-watching side of sport. Think of it as a mini-Athletic for generally free consumption. His recommendations are strong if your interests align.There are a vast number of sport and team-specific Substacks. This is really a place to look for your passions because sports are best that way.
Style
is a window into the style and culture of the youth. Great way to keep ahead of trends. is exactly what it says it is.Taylor Lorenz left The Washington Post to start
, your place to keep up with the very online.Cartoons
Sketchplanations gives you a weekly sketchplanation that is often worth sharing.
creates interesting postcards from Minneapolis each week for inspiration. Don’t miss the cool musical videos of the drawings at the end of posts.Choose Your Own Newspaper
This list of publications is a great start. It is by no means the limit to the universe. The beautiful part of this new normal is you can much better tune your news diet to focus on what you want and need to consume. You do not have to buy the news bundle. You don’t have to walk past the front page to get to the style section. You can now choose your own information adventure and curate it in real time.
The Look
Mobile is everywhere. 90% of the population of the world lives under a 4g umbrella via Our World in Data.
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