🔒Security Risks at Microsoft, Digital IDs in CA, Turing Test Controversy
Good morning. It’s Friday, August 16. Today we are covering:
How the CrowdStrike Tech Outage Reignited a Battle Over the Heart of Microsoft Systems
Californians will soon be able to add driver's licenses to Apple, Google wallets
The Turing Test and our shifting conceptions of intelligence
X begins rolling out support for passkeys on Android
This researcher wants to replace your brain, little by little
Let’s dive in
How the CrowdStrike Tech Outage Reignited a Battle Over the Heart of Microsoft Systems
By Belle Lin via Wall Street Journal
The July tech outage impacting Microsoft systems highlights the risk of allowing deep access to the kernel, the core of a computer's operating system.
This incident reignites debate on the necessity and safety of granting such critical access, with alternatives being proposed by developers to mitigate security risks.
Despite the potential for safer methods to interface with the kernel, Microsoft has not yet adopted these less intrusive techniques.
Californians will soon be able to add driver's licenses to Apple, Google wallets
By Shawna Chen via Axios
Californians will soon be able to add their driver's licenses to their Apple and Google wallets, enhancing convenience for ID verification at airports and other locations.
Despite the advantages, privacy concerns are raised, highlighting potential risks related to data privacy and surveillance from digital IDs.
The pilot program, endorsed by Governor Gavin Newsom, is currently limited but may expand pending legislative action to further integrate digital IDs into daily transactions and verifications.
𝕏: Californians will soon be able to access and use their driver's license/ID on Apple and Google wallets. The mobile program, which comes amid broader scrutiny of digital licenses, is currently capped at 1.5 million participants. - Shawna Chen (@shawnarchen)
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The Turing Test and our shifting conceptions of intelligence
By Melanie Mitchell via Science
The Turing Test, introduced by Alan Turing, evaluates if machines can mimic human responses convincingly in a controlled text-based conversation.
Recent claims suggest chatbots like ChatGPT have passed the Turing Test, igniting debate on what truly constitutes machine intelligence.
Critics argue the test may not accurately measure intelligence but rather human susceptibility to being deceived by machines.
𝕏: Great article by @MelMitchell1 in @ScienceMagazine. As she notes, the Turing Test's focus on conversation is a bad metric of intelligence because the ability to converse fluently is distinct from other aspects of cognition like reasoning. - Erik Brynjolfsson (@erikbryn)
X begins rolling out support for passkeys on Android
By Aisha Malik via TechCrunch
X (formerly Twitter) is expanding its security features by rolling out support for passkeys on Android devices, following a similar update for iOS users.
Passkeys enhance security by requiring physical access to the user's device for authentication, utilizing methods like Face ID, Touch ID, or a physical security key.
This move aligns X with other major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, which have also adopted passkey technology to replace traditional username and password logins.
This researcher wants to replace your brain, little by little
By Antonio Regalado via MIT Technology Review
Biologist Jean Hébert, now with ARPA-H, proposes a brain renewal concept for extreme life extension, involving gradual replacement of brain parts with lab-grown youthful tissue.
Hébert's controversial approach includes experiments with embryonic cells in mice and planned tests in monkeys, aiming to demonstrate the viability of replacing aged brain sections.
Despite skepticism, ARPA-H's endorsement and a proposed $110 million project reflect significant interest in exploring this radical method to combat aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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