№ 769. Waking Up to Non-Binary Dreams 7

Online Academic Community

It measures just 4cm squared but it possesses almost inconceivable speed.

Google has built a computing chip that takes just five minutes to complete tasks that would take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years for some of the world’s fastest conventional computers to complete.

That’s 10 septillion years, a number that far exceeds the age of our known universe and has the scientists behind the latest quantum computing breakthrough reaching for a distinctly non-technical term: “mindboggling”.

The new chip, called Willow and made in the California beach town of Santa Barbara, is about the dimensions of an After Eight mint, and could supercharge the creation of new drugs by greatly speeding up the experimental phase of development.

Reports of its performance follow a flurry of results since 2021 that suggest we are only about five years away from quantum computing becoming powerful enough to start transforming humankind’s capabilities to research and develop new materials from drugs to batteries, one independent UK expert said. Governments around the world are pouring tens of billions of dollars into research.

Significantly, Willow is claimed to be far less prone to error than previous versions and could swell the potential of the already fast-developing field of artificial intelligence.

Quantum computing – which harnesses the discovery that matter can exist in multiple states at once – is predicted to have the power to carry out far bigger calculations than previously possible and so hasten the creation of nuclear fusion reactors and accelerate the impact of artificial intelligence, notably in medical science. For example, it could allow MRI scans to be read in atom-level detail, unlocking new caches of data about human bodies and disease for AI to process, Google said.

BENTO BOX - Added April 10, 2025

“April 6, 2025

Keanu Reeves is known not only for his iconic film roles, but also for his wisdom, humility, and deep understanding of human existence. In a compelling live debate watched by millions of viewers worldwide, he caught none other than Elon Musk, the visionary and tech mogul, to talk about one of the most pressing issues of our time: the future of artificial intelligence, creativity and human connection.

The meeting of opposites.

The tension was palpable when the two men faced each other. Elon Musk, known for his bold visions of Mars colonies and an AI-powered future, spoke about the need for technological advancements to save humanity. Reeves, on the other hand, introduced a calmer, more contemplative perspective: “Perhaps our goal is not to control the world, but to understand it.”

The moment that Elon got mute.

When asked whether AI will surpass human creativity, Elon Musk responded with a clear: “Sooner or later, yes. Machines will create art, compose music and tell stories – better than us. ”

The camera waved at Keanu Reeves, who briefly remained silent, then took a deep breath and said: “But will a machine ever know what it feels like to miss something? Or what is it like to create something beautiful out of a moment of sorrow? Creativity does not arise from calculation but from experience, pain, love, and hope.”

The studio was quiet.

Even Musk seemed speechless for a moment.

This sentence, simple and profound at the same time, sounded far beyond the screen. The scene spread rapidly on social media. “Reeves has not only silenced the room but also redefined our understanding of humanity,” commented one viewer on X. Philosophers, artists and scientists spoke up and praised Keanu's point of view as a urgently needed reminder that progress must be measured not only in data, but also in feeling. In a world increasingly lost in technology, Keanu Reeves reminded us that our deepest values cannot be programmed.

What makes us human is not our efficiency, but our imperfection.

And sometimes all it takes is a simple, honest sentence to make a whole room think - even if Elon Musk is sitting in it.”

Daniel Gugger 888
@daniel_gugger 8. April 2025
on X

№ 542. Waking Up to Binary Dreams 3: Digital Frankenstein

It's a digital Frankenstein.

 

Black Mirror: Be Right Back

 

No one knows where we go when we die. Microsoft might have some ideas.

Last month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent to Microsoft that outlines a process to create a conversational chatbot of a specific person using their social data. In an eerie twist, the patent says the chatbot could potentially be inspired by friends or family members who are deceased, which is almost a direct plot of a popular episode of Netflix's Black Mirror.

 

In that episode, "Be Right Back," a woman named Martha is upset when her partner, Ash, dies in a car accident on the day they were supposed to move in with each other. It turns out one of Martha's friends has signed her up for a service that will let her communicate with Ash through text messages. Of course, it isn't really Ash, but a sort of AI-based version of him. Suffice to say, things get weird. 

 

According to the new Microsoft patent, images, voice data, social media posts, electronic messages, and written letters can all be used to "create or modify a specific index in the theme of the specific person's personality." From there, engineers can use the index to train a chatbot to converse like that person—yes, even if they're already dead.   

 

Even creepier: The application could also don the likeness of your dead loved one in a "2D or 3D model," and utilize their voice while talking to you. 

 

№ 416. Waking Up to Binary Dreams: A.I. in Ed

"Every educational expert I spoke to for this story began by making the same point: to understand how AI could improve teaching and learning, you need to think about how it is reshaping the nature of work.

As machines become better at rote tasks, humans will need to focus on the skills that remain unique to them: creativity, collaboration, communication, and problem-solving. They will also need to adapt quickly as more and more skills fall prey to automation. This means the 21st-century classroom should bring out the strengths and interests of each person, rather than impart a canonical set of knowledge more suited for the industrial age.

AI, in theory, could make this easier. It could take over certain rote tasks in the classroom, freeing teachers up to pay more attention to each student. Hypotheses differ about what that might look like. Perhaps AI will teach certain kinds of knowledge while humans teach others; perhaps it will help teachers keep track of student performance or give students more control over how they learn. Regardless, the ultimate goal is deeply personalized teaching."

№ 357. Waking Up to Binary Dream 9

If this article achieves anything, I hope it teaches you digital mindfulness. This is the act of being careful on the internet and taking precautionary measures to save yourself pain and potential ruin in the future, all because you didn’t install an antivirus or put a little bit of tape over your camera.

№ 341. Waking Up to Binary Dreams 5

Cognitive computing. Creation of a hybrid of human and artificial intelligence to solve BIG, complex problems. Borg.

"The US must also determine a national strategy for how aggressively it will develop new systems, operational concepts and organizational constructs that exploit artificial intelligence advancements in warfare, according to the report.

Kitt the sidekick smart car was an early
pop culture example of benevolent AI. But I think,
in one episode, Kitt turned rogue.

An important part of that strategy relates to 'autonomy' which results 'from delegation of a decision to an authorized entity to take action within specific boundaries,' Work told CNN."

№ 333. Waking Up to Binary Dreams 4

"If you are not paying for it, you’re not the customer; you’re the product being sold.” But, really, how can you tell? So much of what is happening between the public and Silicon Valley is out of view — algorithms written and controlled by wizards who are able to extract value from your identity in ways you could never do for yourself."

№ 331. Waking Up To Binary Dreams 3

Is it safe to assume that being tongue-tied lost in translation will become obsolete with Google's new technology? 

Yes? No? Maybe? Don't know? Who cares?

№ 305. Waking Up to Binary Dreams 3

Layered Realities

Are we real? What if we're just a dream? A meme? Or looped replay of a song created by a civilization long gone? What if we’re living in a computer simulation?