On a shiny afternoon in August, the shore of Utah’s Nice Salt Lake appears to be like like one thing out of a science fiction movie set in a scorching alien world.
This otherworldly scene is the take a look at web site for a corporation known as Lilac Options, which is creating a know-how it says will shake up the US’ efforts to pry management over the worldwide provide of lithium, the so-called “white gold” wanted for electrical automobiles and batteries, away from China.
The startup is in a race to commercialize a brand new, much less environmentally-damaging solution to extract lithium from rocks. If every little thing pans out, it may considerably improve home provide at a vital second for the nation’s lithium extraction business. Learn the complete story.
—Alexander C. Kaufman
The three huge unanswered questions on Sora
Final week OpenAI launched Sora, a TikTok-style app that presents an countless feed of solely AI-generated movies, every as much as 10 seconds lengthy. The app means that you can create a “cameo” of your self—a hyperrealistic avatar that mimics your look and voice—and insert different peoples’ cameos into your personal movies (relying on what permissions they set).
Within the days since, it soared to the highest spot on Apple’s US App Retailer. However its explosive progress raises a bunch of questions: can its recognition final? Can OpenAI afford it? And the way quickly till we begin seeing lawsuits over its use of copyrighted content material? Right here’s what we’ve realized to date.
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—James O’Donnell