Daron Acemoglu: AI Will Not Transform Productivity

Daron Acemoglu and His Reservations About AI

A few months before receiving the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2024, Daron Acemoglu published an article that generated little enthusiasm in Silicon Valley. The economist expressed doubts about the potential of artificial intelligence to significantly boost productivity in the United States, while asserting that human labor would remain indispensable.

Two years later, despite notable technological advancements, the data still seems to support Acemoglu's cautious forecasts. In an interview with the MIT Technology Review, he shared his thoughts on recent developments in AI and identified three key aspects to watch.

Stewart Brand and the Importance of Maintenance

Stewart Brand, an iconic figure of counterculture and the tech industry, has published a new book where he describes maintenance as a "civilizational" act. According to him, taking care to maintain objects or systems, whether it's a motorcycle, a monument, or even the planet, is a radical gesture.

Brand emphasizes that maintainers have not always received the recognition they deserve. His vision, while profound, seems more focused on personal fulfillment than on a collective improvement of the world.

Notable Tech News

Zero-Day Exploit and Security

A zero-day exploit created by AI was discovered and stopped by Google, marking a new era of cyber threats. Hackers used artificial intelligence to identify an unknown vulnerability, illustrating the industrial scale that AI-powered hacking is taking on.

OpenAI and Software Security

OpenAI recently launched Daybreak, an initiative aimed at fixing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers. This project competes with Claude Mythos from Anthropic, which was launched a month earlier. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated that the company will continue to proactively secure its software.

Trump's Visit to China

Donald Trump visited China to promote American technology, accompanied by Elon Musk and Tim Cook. This visit is part of a dynamic where investors hope Trump and Xi Jinping will refrain from interfering in the field of AI.

Testimony from Ilya Sutskever

Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI, testified during the trial between Sam Altman and Elon Musk. He revealed that he spent a year gathering evidence of Altman's alleged dishonesty while contributing to OpenAI's defense.

Development of a Hantavirus Vaccine

Moderna, in collaboration with Korea University, is working on an mRNA vaccine against hantavirus, highlighting the importance of biotechnological advancements in the face of epidemics.

Lawsuit Against Netflix

Texas has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the platform of secretly collecting and selling user data while fostering addiction among children.

Water Consumption by Data Centers

A data center consumed 30 million gallons of water without it being noticed, highlighting the environmental challenges associated with these infrastructures.

Sale of Spyware by Europe

European states are reported to have sold spyware to countries violating human rights, raising ethical questions about these transactions.

Disappearance of a Government Announcement on AI

An announcement regarding the U.S. government's evaluation of AI mysteriously disappeared, while detailing a security testing agreement with Google, xAI, and Microsoft.

Use of AI at Amazon

At Amazon, some employees are using AI for unnecessary tasks to improve their usage scores, a practice criticized by AI experts.

Notable Quote

"It’s like the unfaithful husband complaining about the unfaithful wife." — Anupam Chander, law and technology professor at Georgetown, commenting on Elon Musk's hypocrisy in his legal battle with Sam Altman.

A Sound Approach to Astronomy

Researchers are exploring sonification to transform astronomical data into sounds, making science more accessible to blind and visually impaired researchers. This method could also reveal invisible patterns in other scientific fields.