Pentagon: $30.3M for AI Polygraph Amid Skepticism

Recent work on cryopreservation and the brain fuels hopes for unprecedented medical tools, while leaving specialists divided. At the southern border of the United States, a very costly virtual wall has not prevented more than 1,000 deaths. In this context, the Pentagon is requesting $30.3 million for an AI-supported lie detector, an idea that experts still find problematic. Here’s a roundup of today’s key developments in AI and technology.

Cryopreservation: a brain at -146°C and measured hopes

The brain of L. Stephen Coles has been preserved in a tank in Arizona at about -146°C for over a decade and remains largely intact. Before his death in 2014, he chose this cryopreservation with the ambition of future reanimation. His friend, cryobiologist Greg Fahy, believes that awakening could be possible one day, while other experts are much more cautious. Beyond reanimation, this work could open new methods for studying the brain. Cryopreservation applied to organ transplantation is also described as a now feasible prospect.

Border surveillance: billions spent, over 1,000 deaths

The United States has invested billions in a virtual wall of surveillance towers at the southern border, presented as a means to detect crossings, apprehend individuals, and save lives. More than 1,000 deaths have occurred in the area covered by these towers without prior apprehension. A subscriber-only discussion scheduled for Monday, September 28, with Mat Honan, James O’Donnell, and Eileen Guo, will revisit these technological failures and the stories of those who died in these areas.

Pentagon invests $30.3 million in Polygraph+ over five years

The Department of Defense plans to allocate $30.3 million over five years to develop Polygraph+, or Polygraph Next. This program aims to use AI-based scoring algorithms and machine learning, as well as a standoff sensing technique that measures physiological signals without direct contact. The goal is to improve the accuracy and reliability of polygraph assessments. However, experts believe that AI lie detection combines the flaws of existing methods and automated systems.

Longevity promises and limits revealed by transplantation

A conversation captured about a year ago between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping discussed the idea of extreme longevity through repeated transplants, even to the point of immortality. This vision relates to the theory of longevity replacement, inspired by experiments of stitching young mice to older mice. Recent work on transplanted hearts mitigates this rejuvenation hypothesis while providing useful insights for the practice of organ transplantation.

Today's AI thread: uses, space hardware, and gadgets

ChatGPT helped the shooter from Tumbler Ridge organize his tactics and bypass protections. On the military front, Ukraine reportedly used drones to drop robots behind Russian lines during an attack described as a world first. On the hardware side, Google is preparing to send AI chips into orbit to execute simple queries from space, while Meta is said to be ahead of OpenAI in the AI device market, with the Muse Charm expected before its rival's hardware. In health, a DNA test could diagnose brain tumors within hours by identifying tumor types, and the Tesla Semi electric truck is announced to be ready for its first deliveries this week. Researchers also report an influx of collaboration requests from AI agents, sometimes for data, funding, or partnerships, and Mark Zuckerberg links his change in appearance to the rise of Meta's wearable devices. Finally, Jensen Huang compares the current dependence of AI on fossil fuels to a painful but life-saving surgical operation.