Year in review, and the big problem with ChatGPT

I’ve scoured the internet to find you today’s funniest/important/scariest/fascinating stories about technology.

1 ChatGPT doesn’t always tell the truth
But he says things with such confidence that it’s easy to be fooled. (NYT$)
+ He suggested disturbing counter-terrorism measures, including torture. (The Interception)
+ For some users, whether it is accurate or not is not important. (WP$)
+ ChatGPT isn’t stealing jobs from comedians anytime soon. (WSJ$)
+ ChatGPT is OpenAI’s latest patch for GPT-3. It’s smooth but still spits nonsense. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Investors are rapidly withdrawing from crypto
They are spooked by the collapse of FTX and pull bitcoin to record highs from crypto exchanges (FT$)
+ Chinese police have scolded a huge crypto laundering gang. (SCMP$)
+ FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried is due to testify before the US Congress this week. (The Guardian)

3 NASA’s Artemis I lunar mission is complete
After 26 days, he returned to Earth. (New Scientist $)
+ The mission paves the way for humans to return to the moon. (WSJ$)
+ Looking at the Earth from space is an emotional experience. (Atlantic $)

4 Twitter’s subscription service has been relaunched
iPhone users are being asked to pay more, likely in retaliation for the App Store’s in-app charges. (Reuters)
+ The company’s Community Notes disinformation service has also been revamped. (Engadget)
+ Elon Musk knows exactly who he is calling on. (Atlantic $)
+ Elon Musk has created a toxic mess for the LGBTQ+ community. I will know it. (MIT Technology Review)

5 It might be time to delete your photos from the internet
It’s getting easier and easier to do deepfakes. (Ars Technica)
+ A terrifying new AI app turns women into porn videos with the click of a button. (MIT Technology Review)
+ Lensa’s AI avatars are concerning, especially for women. (WSJ$)

6 Amazon is not keeping its promise to help the people of Tijuana
It has pledged to develop the area around its distribution center, but workers say nothing has changed. (Rest of the world)

7 This year has been a little bumpy
But hard data can help us understand why and what to prepare for next year. (voice)

8 Tech Graduates Compete For Too Few Jobs
Talented graduates are ready to work, but hardly anywhere is hiring right now. (NBC)

9 Stargazing is in danger
Light pollution is to blame, and much of it is totally unnecessary. (The Guardian)

10 What Match.com Learned About Love
It was the first major dating site to take a scientific approach to calculating a couple’s compatibility. (Atlantic $)
+ Here’s how the net’s new matchmakers are helping you find love. (MIT Technology Review)

quote of the day

“It makes me feel better. Happier; more free.

—Julian Gough, an Irish writer who penned a poignant poem that pops up when a player completes Minecraft, explains his decision to put it in the public domain for anyone to use, reports Motherboard.

The big story

Minneapolis police used fake social media profiles to surveil black people

April 2022

The Minneapolis Police Department violated civil rights law through a series of racist policing practices, according to a damning report from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. The report found that officers stop, search, arrest and use force against people of color at a much higher rate than white people, and covertly monitor black people not suspected of committing crimes via social media.