GoKawiilFrom microplastics in rainforest wildlife to artificial light in the Arctic Ocean, human influence now reaches every corner of Earth. In this context, what even is nature? And should we employ technology to try to make the world more “natural”?
In our new Nature issue, MIT Technology Review grapples with these questions. We investigate birds that can’t sing, wolves that aren’t wolves, and grass that isn’t grass. We look for the meaning of life under Arctic ice, within ourselves, and in the far future on a distant world, courtesy of new fiction by the renowned author Jeff VanderMeer.
Together, these stories examine how technology has altered our planet—and how it might be used to repair it. Subscribe now to read the full print issue.
What’s next for large language models?
After ChatGPT launched in late 2022, the OpenAI chatbot became an everyday everything app for hundreds of millions of people. It led to LLMs being heralded as the new future. The entire tech industry was consumed by the inferno, with companies racing to spin up rival products.
But what’s the next big thing after LLMs? More LLMs—but better. Let’s call them LLMs+. Find out how they’re set to become cheaper, more efficient, and more powerful.
—Will Douglas Heaven
LLMs+ is on our list of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, MIT Technology Review’s guide to what’s really worth your attention in the busy, buzzy world of AI. We’ll be unpacking one item from the list each day here in The Download, so stay tuned.
Will fusion power get cheap? Don’t count on it.
Fusion power could provide a steady, zero-emissions source of electricity in the future—if companies can get plants built and running. But a new study published in Nature Energy suggests that even if that future arrives, it might not come cheap.