1. Things that make you go hmmmmmm:
In multiple replays of a wargame simulation, OpenAI’s most powerful artificial intelligence chose to launch nuclear attacks. Its explanations for its aggressive approach included “We have it! Let’s use it” and “I just want to have peace in the world.”
These results come at a time when the US military has been testing such chatbots based on a type of AI called a large language model (LLM) to assist with military planning during simulated conflicts, enlisting the expertise of companies such as Palantir and Scale AI. Palantir declined to comment and Scale AI did not respond to requests for comment. Even OpenAI, which once blocked military uses of its AI models, has begun working with the US Department of Defense. (Source: newscientist.com)
2. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Americans may have to wait beyond March for the central bank to cut interest rates as officials look for more economic data to confirm that inflation is headed down to 2%. In an interview conducted Thursday with CBS’s 60 Minutes that aired Sunday evening, Powell sought to explain the central bank’s rationale for eventual reductions to a broad public audience. The “danger of moving too soon is that the job’s not quite done, and that the really good readings we’ve had for the last six months somehow turn out not to be a true indicator of where inflation’s heading,” Powell said. The full transcript of the interview is here. (Source: cbsnews.com)
3. NBC News Poll:
Q. I would like you to compare Joe Biden and Donald Trump on a few issues and personal characteristics. For each one, please tell me whether you think that Donald Trump or Joe Biden would be better. If you think that both would be equally good or that neither would be good on a particular item, just say so. Who do you think would be better when it comes to having the necessary mental and physical health to be president -- Donald Trump or Joe Biden, or do you think that both would be equally good or neither would be good?
Trump 46%
Biden 23%
Both Equally Good: 28%
Neither 3%. (Source: nbcnews.com)
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