That is at present’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a day by day dose of what’s occurring on the earth of know-how.
What we nonetheless don’t find out about weight-loss medicine
Weight-loss medicine have been again within the information this week. First, we heard that Eli Lilly, the corporate behind Mounjaro and Zepbound, turned the primary healthcare firm on the earth to realize a trillion-dollar valuation.
However we additionally discovered that, disappointingly, GLP-1 medicine don’t appear to assist individuals with Alzheimer’s illness. And that individuals who cease taking the medicine once they turn out to be pregnant can expertise doubtlessly harmful ranges of weight achieve. On high of that, some researchers fear that persons are utilizing the medicine postpartum to lose being pregnant weight with out understanding potential dangers.
All of this information ought to function a reminder that there’s so much we nonetheless don’t find out about these medicine. So let’s take a look at the enduring questions surrounding GLP-1 agonist medicine.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This text first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Expertise Overview’s weekly biotech e-newsletter. To obtain it in your inbox each Thursday, and skim articles like this primary, join right here.
For those who’re concerned about weight reduction medicine and the way they have an effect on us, check out:
+ GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro would possibly profit coronary heart and mind well being—however analysis suggests they could additionally trigger being pregnant issues and hurt some customers. Learn the complete story.
+ We’ve by no means understood how starvation works. That could be about to vary. Learn the complete story.
+ Weight-loss injections have taken over the web. However what does this imply for individuals IRL?
+ This vibrating weight-loss capsule appears to work—in pigs. Learn the complete story.
What we find out about how AI is affecting the economic system
There’s so much at stake in relation to understanding how AI is altering the economic system proper now. Ought to we be pessimistic? Optimistic? Or is the state of affairs too nuanced for that?
Hopefully, we will level you in direction of some solutions. Mat Honan, our editor in chief, will maintain a particular subscriber-only Roundtables dialog with our editor at massive David Rotman, and Richard Waters, Monetary Occasions columnist, exploring what’s occurring throughout completely different markets. Register right here to hitch us at 1pm ET on Tuesday December 9.
The occasion is a part of the Monetary Occasions and MIT Expertise Overview “The State of AI” partnership, exploring the worldwide impression of synthetic intelligence. Over the previous month, we’ve been operating discussions between our journalists—join right here to obtain future editions each Monday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you at present’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Tech billionaires are gearing as much as battle AI regulation
By amassing multi-million greenback battle chests forward of the 2026 US midterm elections. (WSJ $)
+ Donald Trump’s “Manhattan Undertaking” for AI is actually bold. (The Data $)
2 The EU needs to carry social media platforms accountable for monetary scams
New guidelines will power tech corporations to compensate banks in the event that they fail to take away reported scams. (Politico)
3 China is nervous a few humanoid robotic bubble
As a result of greater than 150 corporations there are constructing very related machines. (Bloomberg $)
+ It might be taught some classes from the present AI bubble. (CNN)+ Why the humanoid workforce is operating late. (MIT Expertise Overview)
4 A Myanmar rip-off compound was blown up
However its residents will merely discover new bases for his or her operations. (NYT $)
+ Specialists suspect the destruction could have been for present. (Wired $)
+ Inside a romance rip-off compound—and the way individuals get tricked into being there. (MIT Expertise Overview)
5 Navies the world over are investing in submarine drones
They value a fraction of what it takes to run a conventional manned sub. (The Guardian)
+ How underwater drones might form a possible Taiwan-China battle. (MIT Expertise Overview)
6 What to anticipate from China’s seemingly unstoppable innovation drive
Its extraordinarily permissive regulators play a giant position. (Economist $)
+ Is China about to win the AI race? (MIT Expertise Overview)
7 The UK is waging a battle on VPNs
Good luck making an attempt to influence individuals to cease utilizing them. (The Verge)
8 We’re studying extra about Jeff Bezos’ mysterious clock mission
He’s backed the Clock of the Lengthy Now for years—and development is amping up. (FT $)
+ How growing old clocks may also help us perceive why we age—and if we will reverse it. (MIT Expertise Overview)
9 Have we lastly seen the primary hints of darkish matter?
These researchers appear to suppose so. (New Scientist $)
10 A useful robotic helps archaeologists reconstruct Pompeii
Reassembling historic frescos is fiddly and time-consuming, however much less so in case you’re a dextrous machine. (Reuters)
Quote of the day
“We do fail… so much.”
—Protection firm Anduril explains its move-fast-and-break-things ethos to the Wall Road Journal in response to stories its techniques have been marred by points in Ukraine.
Yet one more factor
Tips on how to construct a greater AI benchmark
It’s not straightforward being considered one of Silicon Valley’s favourite benchmarks.
SWE-Bench (pronounced “swee bench”) launched in November 2024 as a strategy to consider an AI mannequin’s coding talent. It has since rapidly turn out to be some of the standard assessments in AI. A SWE-Bench rating has turn out to be a mainstay of main mannequin releases from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google—and outdoors of basis fashions, the fine-tuners at AI corporations are in fixed competitors to see who can rise above the pack.
Regardless of all of the fervor, this isn’t precisely a truthful evaluation of which mannequin is “higher.” Entrants have begun to sport the system—which is pushing many others to wonder if there’s a greater strategy to really measure AI achievement. Learn the complete story.
—Russell Brandom
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Bought any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Aww, these sharks look like enjoying with pool toys.
+ Unusual issues are occurring over on Easter Island (even weirder than you possibly can think about) 
+ Very cool—archaeologists have uncovered a Roman tomb that’s been sealed shut for 1,700 years.
+ This Japanese mass media collage is making my eyes swim, in a great way.
