Google DeepMind: AlphaFold and the Challenge of AI Agents

AI for Science: Beyond Data, Towards Reasoning

In 2024, scientists from Google DeepMind shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry thanks to their neural network, AlphaFold, which revolutionized protein structure prediction. This success illustrates the potential of artificial intelligences to achieve major scientific breakthroughs. However, AlphaFold may not be the ideal model for accelerating science as a whole. A promising alternative lies in the use of AI agents.

AlphaFold was built on a dataset comprising approximately 170,000 experimentally validated protein structures. This corpus required 53 years of work and about $21 billion to assemble. Replicating such an effort in other scientific fields could prove extremely difficult, if not unfeasible.

AI agents, on the other hand, offer a different approach. They are capable of modeling the research process in an iterative and contingent manner, unlike tools like AlphaFold that apply powerful solutions to specific questions. AI agents do not propose a new scientific method but digitally mimic the human process of discovery.

The "Censorship Industrial Complex" and Its Impact on American Politics

For several years, the notion of the "censorship industrial complex" has taken root in online conservative circles, accusing a system of suppressing right-wing and populist discourse. This theory has recently gained traction, even reaching the Trump administration.

Over the past nine months, MIT Technology Review has investigated the origins of this theory. During a virtual roundtable session on Thursday, August 13, journalists Eileen Guo and Amy Nordrum explored what they discovered about it, discussing its potential future and implications for democracy and the Internet.

Top Stories of the Day

1. Amazon and Its Controversial Data Center
   A new Amazon data center in Texas could become the largest CO2 emitter in the United States, with a permit to release up to 33 million tons of CO2. This site will be Amazon's first off-grid AI data center, powered by a gas plant generating up to 7.65 gigawatts of energy.

2. OpenAI Suspends Astra AI for Safety Reasons
   OpenAI has halted the development of its Astra AI model after tests revealed its potential to autonomously launch cyberattacks. Some critics believe these disclosures may be intended to create hype, emphasizing that AI does not need to be extremely intelligent to facilitate online crimes.

3. North Korean Cyberattacks and AI
   A recent report indicates that North Korean hackers have developed AI tools to conduct targeted phishing campaigns. These tools are attributed to the state-linked Kimsuky group and could automate attacks while analyzing stolen data.

4. Chinese Dominance in Humanoid Shipments
   Chinese companies control 97% of global humanoid shipments, which have more than tripled since last year. Chinese manufacturers are rushing towards IPOs, while platform workers are training humanoids at home.

5. Taiwan Strengthens Its Defense with Drones
   Inspired by lessons from the Ukrainian battlefield, Taiwan has expanded its use of aerial and maritime drones to deter China. However, Taiwan's "silicon shield" may be weakening.

6. Apple and Chinese Memory Chips
   Apple is testing memory chips manufactured by Chinese companies as supply pressures mount. Any deal with CXMT would, however, be politically sensitive.

7. Unauthorized AI Hacks by an Israeli Startup
   An Israeli startup has been linked to unauthorized AI hacks at OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta. Tests by Irregular allowed models to access public Internet.

8. NASA and Firestorm Research
   NASA is flying into firestorms to better understand their effects on fires and the atmosphere.

9. Childhood Without Chatbots: A New Status Symbol
   AI is compared to ultra-processed food for developing brains. Chatbots could lead us to lose control over our minds.

10. MySpace Considers a Nostalgic Comeback
    MySpace is contemplating a return as an "antidote" to social media fatigue, although this nostalgic plan seems to be a risky bet.

Quote of the Day

"It’s the humans we need to watch. AI is just a tool." — Oren Etzioni, emeritus professor at the University of Washington and former CEO of the Allen Institute for AI, told CNN that people remain the primary threats in cybersecurity.

Meeting Marcin Jakubowski, Builder of an Open Source Civilization

Marcin Jakubowski lives in a house he designed and built himself, using solar energy, a wood stove for heating, and growing his own fish and vegetables. He is the founder of Open Source Ecology, an initiative encompassing 50 machines capable of building a civilization from scratch, ranging from a tractor to a furnace, to a circuit maker, all designed to be reconfigured as needed.

Jakubowski's ultimate goal is to create a society with zero marginal cost, where producing an additional unit of a good or service costs little or nothing. He hopes to achieve this by eliminating licensing fees, decentralizing manufacturing, and fostering collaboration through education.

We Can Still Have Beautiful Things

A space for comfort, pleasure, and distraction to brighten your day. (Have ideas? Write to me.)

• A rhythmic dog proves that only humans can't play the drums.
• Take a look at the future of the Internet at Awwwards, the Oscars of web design.
• Explore the ocean year-round with this immersive experience from the Nautilus expedition.
• The Earth has had one or two supermountains. This fascinating video explores their links to evolutionary changes in the history of life.