That is at present’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a every day dose of what’s happening 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, grew to become the primary healthcare firm on the earth to attain a trillion-dollar valuation.
However we additionally realized that, disappointingly, GLP-1 medicine don’t appear to assist folks with Alzheimer’s illness. And that individuals who cease taking the medicine after they turn out to be pregnant can expertise doubtlessly harmful ranges of weight achieve. On prime of that, some researchers fear that individuals 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 quite a bit we nonetheless don’t find out about these medicine. So let’s have a look at the enduring questions surrounding GLP-1 agonist medicine.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This text first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Know-how Evaluate’s weekly biotech publication. To obtain it in your inbox each Thursday, and browse articles like this primary, enroll right here.
If you happen to’re inquisitive about weight reduction medicine and the way they have an effect on us, check out:
+ GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro may profit coronary heart and mind well being—however analysis suggests they could additionally trigger being pregnant problems and hurt some customers. Learn the complete story.
+ We’ve by no means understood how starvation works. That could be about to alter. Learn the complete story.
+ Weight-loss injections have taken over the web. However what does this imply for folks IRL?
+ This vibrating weight-loss tablet appears to work—in pigs. Learn the complete story.
What we find out about how AI is affecting the financial system
There’s quite a bit at stake in the case of understanding how AI is altering the financial 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 taking place 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 Know-how Evaluate “The State of AI” partnership, exploring the worldwide influence of synthetic intelligence. Over the previous month, we’ve been operating discussions between our journalists—enroll 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/vital/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Tech billionaires are gearing as much as battle AI regulation
By amassing multi-million greenback warfare chests forward of the 2026 US midterm elections. (WSJ $)
+ Donald Trump’s “Manhattan Undertaking” for AI is definitely formidable. (The Data $)
2 The EU needs to carry social media platforms chargeable for monetary scams
New guidelines will pressure tech companies to compensate banks in the event that they fail to take away reported scams. (Politico)
3 China is frightened a couple of humanoid robotic bubble
As a result of greater than 150 corporations there are constructing very comparable machines. (Bloomberg $)
+ It may be taught some classes from the present AI bubble. (CNN)+ Why the humanoid workforce is operating late. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
4 A Myanmar rip-off compound was blown up
However its residents will merely discover new bases for his or her operations. (NYT $)
+ Consultants suspect the destruction could have been for present. (Wired $)
+ Inside a romance rip-off compound—and the way folks get tricked into being there. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
5 Navies the world over are investing in submarine drones
They price a fraction of what it takes to run a standard manned sub. (The Guardian)
+ How underwater drones may form a possible Taiwan-China battle. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
6 What to anticipate from China’s seemingly unstoppable innovation drive
Its extraordinarily permissive regulators play an enormous position. (Economist $)
+ Is China about to win the AI race? (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
7 The UK is waging a warfare on VPNs
Good luck attempting to influence folks to cease utilizing them. (The Verge)
8 We’re studying extra about Jeff Bezos’ mysterious clock challenge
He’s backed the Clock of the Lengthy Now for years—and building is amping up. (FT $)
+ How getting old clocks will help us perceive why we age—and if we will reverse it. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
9 Have we lastly seen the primary hints of darkish matter?
These researchers appear to assume so. (New Scientist $)
10 A useful robotic helps archaeologists reconstruct Pompeii
Reassembling historic frescos is fiddly and time-consuming, however much less so should you’re a dextrous machine. (Reuters)
Quote of the day
“We do fail… quite a bit.”
—Protection firm Anduril explains its move-fast-and-break-things ethos to the Wall Road Journal in response to experiences its programs have been marred by points in Ukraine.
Another factor
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 method 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 companies 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 recreation the system—which is pushing many others to wonder if there’s a greater method to really measure AI achievement. Learn the complete story.
—Russell Brandom
We will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Obtained any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ Aww, these sharks look like enjoying with pool toys.
+ Unusual issues are taking place over on Easter Island (even weirder than you may 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.
