News from the Edge

Business

Go Big or Go Home (at the movies): In a cinematic landscape dominated by streaming services and home entertainment, IMAX continues to prove that bigger is indeed better. The company's large screens and immersive sound systems have become the gold standard for moviegoers, with blockbusters like Oppenheimer and Dune: Part Two earning a significant portion of their ticket sales from IMAX showings. Movie theaters continue to struggle post-pandemic, but if the waitlist for IMAX tickets for Dune is any indication of the future of movies, we suspect we’ll be seeing everything on the oversized screen, in an effort to remove us from our home screens.

Alpine Austerity: In a stunning move, the Swiss government has decided to bid adieu to the lavish perk of free annual ski passes for federal ministers, the Federal Chancellor, and their partners, starting in 2025. (The lift passes were worth about $4,000 while the officials already receive perks like $200k pensions.) This symbolic gesture comes on the heels of a recent referendum where Swiss citizens defied the wishes of the right-wing coalition government and voted in favor of increasing social welfare benefits. One minister had previously defended the passes as a “working tool” essential for conducting “a great many meetings with business leaders and mayors on the slopes.” We agree - who hasn’t felt frustrated when their WeWork on the Matterhorn was sold out?

Say it isn’t so, Joe: Trader Joe's, the beloved grocery chain known for its quirky products and affordable prices, has captured the hearts of millennial and Gen Z shoppers with its unique private-label offerings. However, behind the charming façade lies a controversial business practice that has left small food brands feeling played and confused. There is some indication the TJ’s has been known to negotiate with small food brands, then ghost them while creating their own versions of the products. We personally don’t mind a cheaper dupe of a large, famous brand, but cheating the little guy, we might have to Trade in our reusable tote.

Splash of Color: Stuart Semple, a British artist, first gained notoriety for developing Black 2.0, a super-black paint, as a response to Anish Kapoor's exclusive rights to Vantablack paint. Not content with just one bold color, Semple also released Pinkie – The Barbiest Pink, making it available to the masses, after Mattel trademarked their version of the color. Now, Semple is going after Tiffany & Co, with Tiff Blue, and has decided to give it away for free along with the World's Brightest White after Tiffany & Co. asked him to stop selling it. Semple aims to democratize access to color, proving that art can be a powerful tool for social commentary and change. We wonder who is next on his radar — UPS brown or Lourboutin Red?

Technology

Adobe throws some Shade: In a bold move that's sure to ruffle some feathers in Silicon Valley, Adobe has entered the AI art arena with a fresh approach that doesn't involve siphoning up every last scrap of data from the internet. The creative software giant's AI model, Firefly, is like a polite houseguest who knows better than to rummage through your drawers, eschewing the use of copyrighted material for its training. Adobe's AI gurus are taking a stand, arguing that indiscriminately gobbling up data is a recipe for bias, misinformation, and really ticked-off artists who don't appreciate having their hard work exploited without so much as a thank-you note. They're out to prove that you can build a successful AI without stomping all over intellectual property rights, and if the early buzz around Firefly is any indication, they might just be onto something.

Pixel Progress: A new study has revealed that showing AI just 1,000 extra images can significantly reduce AI-generated stereotypes, offering a glimmer of hope in the quest to create more inclusive and accurate representations in AI models. The research highlights the pervasive biases ingrained in AI systems, which often stem from training data that disproportionately reflects certain demographic groups or perpetuates societal biases. However, the study also found that AIs trained on increasingly larger data sets can produce even more racist results, underscoring the complexity of the issue at hand (Hello, Gemini). The issue of AI-generated stereotypes extends beyond the theoretical realm, as global health organizations, such as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, have faced criticism for sharing biased AI-generated images on social media, underscoring the urgent need for more accurate and inclusive representations in AI models.

Screentime Professor: While the US government focuses on one corner of the Chinese app market (TikTok), ByteDance has already skyrocketed (unnoticed) to the top of the app store with another offering: Gauth AI. The app uses AI (and tutors) to help students with their homework, and has been downloaded more than 10M times on Android. Gauth AI has access to the phone’s camera, but also shares information across ByteDance. We are of the school that we’d rather the US government actually get its act together and create social media regulation rather than focusing solely on one app — if they kick out TikTok, another app will surely pop up, and they’ll be playing whackamole over privacy and ownership concerns continuously.

One Small Step for Time: In order to keep pace with the stars, the White House has tasked NASA with establishing a standardized time system for the moon, aptly named Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC), by 2026. With the U.S. leading the charge back to the lunar surface through its Artemis program, and a host of other nations and private enterprises vying for a piece of the celestial pie, the need for a unified timekeeping system has become more pressing than ever. The moon's weaker gravitational pull, which causes time to tick slightly faster than on Earth, has prompted the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to emphasize the importance of precision in spacecraft maneuvers, data transfers, communication, and navigation. With the implementation of LTC, astronauts may finally have a valid excuse for being late.

False Promises: What can only be described as a setup for a Saturday Night Live skit, Amazon is bidding farewell to its futuristic "Just Walk Out" technology in most of its Amazon Fresh grocery stores. Introduced in 2016, the system used cameras and sensors to track customers' purchases, allowing them to skip the checkout process altogether by scanning a QR code upon entry. Shockingly, the technology was sold as pure AI, but apparently 1,000 contractors were sitting in India watching cameras to monitor the check out process. Ethan Mollick’s analogy that we should think of AI as an infinite copy of some guy named Steve is actually closer to reality than we thought.

Sheer Energy: Astronomers may have gotten dark energy all wrong. Dark energy, the enigmatic force believed to be driving the universe's accelerating expansion, might not be the constant presence we once thought, but instead, a shape-shifting entity that grows denser and stronger over cosmic time. This startling revelation could potentially resolve discrepancies in measurements of the cosmic expansion rate, but it comes with a terrifying catch: if this model is correct, it would imply the existence of a particularly virulent form of dark energy called phantom energy, which could ultimately lead to the destruction of all matter in the universe. As scientists grapple with this cosmic conundrum, alternative ideas such as the existence of unknown subatomic particles or new kinds of energy fields are also being explored, leaving the true nature of dark energy shrouded in mystery and the fate of (our understanding of) the universe hanging in the balance.

Culture

Bill Nye, Supa Fly: The solar eclipse brought out a lot - from astro themed donuts to specially timed airline flights, but we weren’t expecting Bill Nye to turn into a full blown Zaddy. For Time Out NY, the normally nerdy science guy answered questions about the eclipse, and traded in his trademark bowties for what can only be described as modern apocalypse wear. Makes us want to go back to science class and hit the books.

Turning Japanese: The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has embraced the global infatuation with Japanese cuisine by adding 23 new food and culture-related words in its March revision. From the crispy delights of katsu and karaage to the comforting flavors of tonkotsu ramen and onigiri rice balls, these additions showcase the diverse dishes that have captured the taste buds of foodies worldwide. Sushi, anyone?

Crucial Information: TikTok is full of trends and shopping, but we were intrigued this week by a question - do you consider yourself your pet’s parent or their best friend? Dilemma???

Smoke Signals: Mt Etna might be trying to send us an SOS — the volcano is sending perfect smoke rings as it blows off steam.

Web of Life: Feeling alone in the world or want to understand your place in it? Check out organism.earth — a platform the explores the interconnectedness of all things. The platform's library covers a wide range of topics, including consciousness, artificial intelligence, systems theory, epistemology, mindfulness, evolution, metaphysics, transhumanism, cosmology, Zen, futurism, and psychedelics, just to name a few.

Spice it Up: In a surprising collaboration, Ballantine's Scotch whisky has teamed up with Wu-Tang Clan's RZA to create a limited-edition sriracha sauce, marking the final drop in their series celebrating individuality and unconventional partnerships. The hot sauce, made in collaboration with Flying Goose, draws inspiration from RZA's love for Asian cuisine and culture, blending the unexpected to create a truly unique flavor experience.

We couldn’t resist: The Boston Typewriter Orchestra (yes, they really do exist, and they are awesome) submitted a video for consideration to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. The submission was Selectric Funeral, their first piece to feature an electric typewriter. We are left to wonder what the messages would say if they had paper in the carrousels.

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