Asterisk Magazine

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Substack mirror of Asterisk Magazine. New pieces on Mondays and occasional archives. Automated feed of https://asteriskmag.substack.com/, find more feeds at @blogsky.venki.dev

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Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Behind the scenes of those Claude slopcore music videos

asteriskmag.substack.comBehind the scenes of those Claude slopcore music videosThe hottest new music video director is Opus 5.5.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

How Chinese companies talk about recursive self-improvement

asteriskmag.substack.comHow Chinese companies talk about recursive self-improvementRSI with Chinese characteristics.

Asterisk Magazine

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Ken Liu and Ada Palmer on constructive visions of the future

asteriskmag.substack.comKen Liu and Ada Palmer on constructive visions of the future

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Why there aren’t enough doctors

asteriskmag.substack.comWhy there aren’t enough doctors

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Can you train AI to be virtuous?

asteriskmag.substack.comCan you train AI to be virtuous?Why alignment science took a turn towards Aristotle.

Asterisk Magazine

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The overlooked memo that could reshape federal science

asteriskmag.substack.comThe overlooked memo that could reshape federal science

Asterisk Magazine

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What will happen to Indian IT?

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat will happen to Indian IT?The past and future of the “world’s back office.”

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

So You Think You Could Be An Electrician?

asteriskmag.substack.comSo You Think You Could Be An Electrician?Funny how the people telling kids to get jobs in the trades tend to be white-collar.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

How Zambia approved an HIV drug in 12 days

asteriskmag.substack.comHow Zambia approved an HIV drug in 12 daysSometimes, the access gap is not a scientific or economic problem.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

The right (and wrong) worries to have about water

asteriskmag.substack.comThe right (and wrong) worries to have about waterAnd what we can do to improve the situation.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Write for us! Now accepting pitches for Issue 17: Secrets

asteriskmag.substack.comWrite for us! Now accepting pitches for Issue 17: SecretsIt’s a dark and confusing world out there, and sometimes the hardest part is trying to figure out what’s going on.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

The unacknowledgeable work of pastors’ wives

asteriskmag.substack.comThe unacknowledgeable work of pastors’ wivesHelp Wanted: Someone to be everyone’s friend.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

The rise and fall of the world's best curriculum

asteriskmag.substack.comThe rise and fall of the world's best curriculumWhy teach content knowledge when you can teach skills instead? Scotland decided to find out.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

We need an AI adverse event reporting system

asteriskmag.substack.comWe need an AI adverse event reporting systemClara Collier interviews Jessica Dai.

Asterisk Magazine

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Behind the scenes: After Work, We’ll Have Each Other

asteriskmag.substack.comBehind the scenes: After Work, We’ll Have Each OtherAsterisk editor in chief Clara Collier on what everyone is getting wrong about “AI and work.”

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

We already know what a world without work looks like

asteriskmag.substack.comWe already know what a world without work looks likeOnce you realize what that means, you’ll be giving two cheers for the American work ethic.

Asterisk Magazine

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Universities will survive AI – but will academics?

asteriskmag.substack.comUniversities will survive AI – but will academics?How to save academics from themselves.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Why can’t technologists and economists agree on AI?

asteriskmag.substack.comWhy can’t technologists and economists agree on AI?Even when incentivized to find common ground, the two remain far apart. Perhaps it’s not because of beliefs about AI, but about starting beliefs.

Asterisk Magazine

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Field notes from an AI society

asteriskmag.substack.comField notes from an AI societyHow do we model the future of work? It takes a village.

Asterisk Magazine

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What Silicon Valley gets wrong about taste

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat Silicon Valley gets wrong about tasteAnd why we like the things we do.

Asterisk Magazine

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How diplomats see the world

asteriskmag.substack.comHow diplomats see the worldA glimpse inside the boring-by-design U.S. fact-checking machine.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

What should we do about all this AI money?

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat should we do about all this AI money?

Asterisk Magazine

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What happens to countries that don't build frontier AI?

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat happens to countries that don't build frontier AI?

Asterisk Magazine

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How two socialist brothers helped automate America’s hardest job

asteriskmag.substack.comHow two socialist brothers helped automate America’s hardest job

Asterisk Magazine

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The politics of foreign aid

asteriskmag.substack.comThe politics of foreign aidAn interview with Julianne Weis, formerly of USAID and Aid on the Hill.

Asterisk Magazine

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The gender equality paradox that wasn't

asteriskmag.substack.comThe gender equality paradox that wasn'tDo women seek STEM jobs mostly because they "have" to? A viral study and popular talking point rests on shaky methodology.

Asterisk Magazine

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What's the state of PEPFAR now?

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat's the state of PEPFAR now?An interview with PEPFAR's former chief science officer.

Asterisk Magazine

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The case against randomized controlled trials

asteriskmag.substack.comThe case against randomized controlled trialsEveryone knows RCTs are the gold standard of evidence...right?

Asterisk Magazine

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What is it like to live in a world you believe is about to end?

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat is it like to live in a world you believe is about to end?

Asterisk Magazine

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Can we pay to prevent global war?

asteriskmag.substack.comCan we pay to prevent global war?The development community treats war as inevitable. We’re learning how to pay to prevent it.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Write for us! Now accepting pitches for Issue 16: Flourishing

asteriskmag.substack.comWrite for us! Now accepting pitches for Issue 16: FlourishingUsually, we like to back up our claims with numbers, but right now, we’re in a more reflective mood.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

How long until AI doesn’t need humans?

asteriskmag.substack.comHow long until AI doesn’t need humans?She thinks it's nearly imminent. He doesn't.

Asterisk Magazine

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Behind the scenes: We’re all one crisis away from taking unlicensed research peptides

asteriskmag.substack.comBehind the scenes: We’re all one crisis away from taking unlicensed research peptidesClara Collier interviews Elizabeth Van Nostrand.

Asterisk Magazine

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We’re all one crisis away from taking unlicensed research peptides

asteriskmag.substack.comWe’re all one crisis away from taking unlicensed research peptidesFor health hackers, not experimenting is the bigger risk.

Asterisk Magazine

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Why finance feels like magic

asteriskmag.substack.comWhy finance feels like magic

Asterisk Magazine

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China’s AI optimism isn’t what it seems

asteriskmag.substack.comChina’s AI optimism isn’t what it seems

Asterisk Magazine

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The U.S. and China want the same things from AI

asteriskmag.substack.comThe U.S. and China want the same things from AIDifferences do exist, but they are not evidence of diverging long-term goals.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Is Gen Z afraid of risk, or just more aware?

asteriskmag.substack.comIs Gen Z afraid of risk, or just more aware?The editors of The New Critic report on their generation’s Risk-geist.

Asterisk Magazine

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AI policy must fail gracefully

asteriskmag.substack.comAI policy must fail gracefullyThe conditions under which AI policy will operate over the next decades are unlikely to match those in which it was introduced.

Asterisk Magazine

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Forecasting the death of machines

asteriskmag.substack.comForecasting the death of machinesWhy do manure spreaders have life cycles?

Asterisk Magazine

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Behind the scenes: Are prediction markets good for anything?

asteriskmag.substack.comBehind the scenes: Are prediction markets good for anything?Clara Collier interviews Dan Schwarz about his newest Asterisk piece.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Are prediction markets good for anything?

asteriskmag.substack.comAre prediction markets good for anything?

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

What playing games can teach us about simulating the future

asteriskmag.substack.comWhat playing games can teach us about simulating the futureHistorian Jon Peterson traces the route from Prussian military headquarters to Gary Gygax’s basement.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

You're probably taking the wrong painkiller

asteriskmag.substack.comYou're probably taking the wrong painkillerAcetaminophen, ibuprofen, and what doctors may want you to know.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

Before he wrote AI 2027, he predicted the world in 2026. How did he do?

asteriskmag.substack.comBefore he wrote AI 2027, he predicted the world in 2026. How did he do?Daniel Kokotajlo evaluates his 2021 essay, "What 2026 Looks Like."

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

If YIMBY is winning in California, where are all the houses?

asteriskmag.substack.comIf YIMBY is winning in California, where are all the houses?Brian Hanlon of California YIMBY answers a rude question.

Asterisk Magazine

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Pausing isn't policy

asteriskmag.substack.comPausing isn't policyBernie Sanders wants a moratorium on data center construction. The political calculus makes sense, but the policy prescription does not.

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

In defense of climate uncertainty

asteriskmag.substack.comIn defense of climate uncertaintyWe can’t predict the full impact of climate change – so why did the climate movement stop pushing this fact and start denying it?

Asterisk Magazine

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The $16 million bet that created Taiwan's chip industry

asteriskmag.substack.comThe $16 million bet that created Taiwan's chip industry

Asterisk Magazine

@asteriskmag.blogsky.venki.dev

3,000 languages are dying, but more are being invented

asteriskmag.substack.com3,000 languages are dying, but more are being invented