“Candor, apparently, begat candor.” After stumbling upon the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 3, an AI trained to write like a human, Vauhini Vara sought its help writing a true story she had trouble telling: the death of her sister. Through nine versions of the same story — with each new one having more additions from her end — we see both the AI’s ability to weave poignant narratives and Vara’s emotions unfold.
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Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
