Among the daily flow of news stories from leading outlets around the world is the occasional article that rises above the noise to provide a measure of true insight into our present collective situation.
Three such articles seem worth mentioning as we head into this weekend.
The first is “Why the World Is Betting Against American Democracy,” in Politico Magazine.
This one surveys a number of current and former ambassadors to the U.S. about the impact of our polarized (and polarizing) political standoff on the rest of the world.
It is sobering to think about the implications, regardless of who wins the presidential election in November.
The second notable piece is “What broke the American Dream for Millennials,” on CNN.
This one details the daunting economics facing young people as they try to pay off the costly debts of obtaining a college education, buy houses and raise families.
As the parent of a number of Millennials, I can attest that what my generation took for granted is an increasingly remote fantasy for most of them.
The third important piece is “AI-generated content is raising the value of trust,” in the Economist.
Given the issues raised in the two articles cited above, consider how artificial intelligence could soon raise the economic and political stakes even higher.
Quoting the article, "The trouble is that the fakes are rapidly getting harder to spot. AI is improving all the time, as computing power and training data become more
abundant. Could ai-powered fake-detection software, built into web
browsers, identify computer-generated content? Sadly not. As we report
this week, the arms race between generation and detection favours the
forger."
Long-time readers and friends know I’m an optimist by nature. But I have to admit, these three critical analytical articles give even this inveterate optimist reason for pause.
The bottom line is we need old-fashioned, accurate, honest, ass-kicking journalists now more than ever to help us make sense of a world in disarray.
HEADLINES:
Senior Iran Revolutionary Guard officials killed in Syria strike blamed on Israel (BBC)
Maine’s top election official seeks state Supreme Court review of decision to remove Trump from ballot (Politico)
What campaign ads tell us about the state of the 2024 election ahead of New Hampshire (NPR)
With campaign on the line, Nikki Haley plays it safe in New Hampshire (Axios)
Immigration, the economy and foreign policy could decide the New Hampshire primary (ABC)
In an all-caps, 2 a.m. social media rant about the Jan. 6 case, Donald Trump said he deserved total immunity even for things that "CROSS THE LINE." Lawyers say it's not exactly an admission of guilt, although: “Hard to understand the rantings of a lunatic, but maybe,” said one prominent defense lawyer. [HuffPost]
Eyeing Super Tuesday, Trump Is Eager to Dispatch Rivals Sooner Than Later (NYT)
Inside the breakup of Haley and Trump’s partnership over her U.N. role (WP)
Judge in Trump's Georgia case orders hearing on misconduct allegations against DA (MSNBC)
Fani Willis accuses special prosecutor’s estranged wife of interfering with Trump election case (AP)
China’s working age population is shrinking(CNBC)
The rupture of one of the world's busiest shipping routes has exposed the vulnerability of China's export-reliant economy to supply snarls and external demand shocks. (Reuters)
What is Disease X and how will pandemic preparations help the world? (Al Jazeera)
Americans are feeling much better about the economy thanks to slowing inflation (CNN)
Wayfair to lay off 13% of workforce, affecting 1,650 employees (AOL)
We Are Witnessing the Biggest Judicial Power Grab Since 1803 (The Nation)
What broke the American Dream for Millennials (CNN)
Alec Baldwin Is Charged, Again, With Involuntary Manslaughter (NYT)
'Sports Illustrated' to lay off most of its staff amid severed licensing deal (NPR)
Mark Zuckerberg indicates Meta is spending billions of dollars on Nvidia AI chips (CNBC)
Zuckerberg’s new goal is creating artificial general intelligence (The Verge)
The rabbit r1 will use Perplexity AI’s tech to answer your queries (TechCrunch)
The Vatican’s top expert on AI ethics is a friar from a medieval Franciscan order (AP)
Medical AI could be ‘dangerous’ for poorer nations, WHO warns (Nature)
AI shouldn’t make ‘life-or-death’ decisions, says OpenAI’s Sam Altman (CNN)
AI Is the Talk of Davos. Is It Time to Sell? (WSJ)
AI-generated content is raising the value of trust (Economist)
Area Man Locked In Protracted Battle With Sweatshirt Neckhole (The Onion)
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