Future Bites #9
ChatGPT plugins galore, the exceptional progress of solar energy, a promising brain-computer implant restores walking, and other resources
Hey friends 👋
Welcome back to Year 2049!
Summer has finally landed in Toronto and the sun has improved my well-being by 1,300% already. My iced coffee intake is also reaching record highs.
My publishing cadence has been a bit weird over the past month but I’m returning to the regular Friday schedule we all know and love.
Have a great weekend ☀️
– Fawzi
Today’s Edition
Comic: AI bias
Stories:
ChatGPT Plugins galore!
The exceptional progress of solar energy
A promising brain implant trial restores walking after paralysis
Resources:
How to enable ChatGPT plugins
ML + Design resources for designers and builders
Extras:
Year 2049 + AI
Hats for you!
✏️ Comic: AI bias
Bias and fairness are major ethical concerns in AI. But AI’s outputs are based on statistical models that represent the data it was given. Is AI really at fault or are we?
📰 Stories
ChatGPT Plugins galore!
OpenAI is taking ChatGPT to a whole new level.
The default version of ChatGPT is the ultimate generalist. It can give you average or good responses for most of the questions you ask it. But plugins will slowly turn ChatGPT into the ultimate specialist.
Plugins are apps you can install and use within ChatGPT. Some are from popular apps like Instacart, OpenTable, and Expedia. This new functionality brings the power of each “specialized” app under one roof. ChatGPT is becoming a platform, rather than a standalone app.
As of this week, OpenAI made 100+ plugins available to all paying ChatGPT Plus users. The way I like to think about it: instead of having one general “brain”, ChatGPT now has 100+ hyperspecialized brains that can assist you in countless ways.
I’m gonna be trying these plugins out and sharing my experiments here and on my Instagram.
The exceptional progress of solar energy
Here comes the sun… doo doo doo dooooo 🎶
Our transition to cleaner sources of energy may seem slow, but it’s more significant than you think.
from summarized the remarkable growth of solar power in 7 charts.
What I learned from Michael’s piece:
The growth of solar power is accelerating: from 2000 to 2010, solar production grew by a factor of 20. It then grew by a factor of 35 between 2010 and 2020. Total electricity generation around the world has grown by 30% on average each year for the past 20 years.
The cost of solar panels is plummeting: Since 1975, the cost of solar has fallen by a factor of 400. A report from Energy Innovation showed that 99% of coal plants are more expensive to run than solar (or wind) farms.
The right policies are critical for change: Michael showed how the US Inflation Reduction Act has spiked the demand and sales of solar panels thanks to the incentive programs that come with it.
I highly recommend reading Michael’s entire article and subscribing to
. It has quickly become one of my favourite Substack publications on climate change.A promising brain implant trial restores walking after paralysis
Any mention of brain implants quickly brings up conspiracy theories about Elon Musk or Bill Gates trying to control us. But the reality is much more positive and promising.
A significant area of research for brain-computer interfaces is helping disabled people regain their motion and mobility. One recent trial involved a 40-year-old Dutch man, Gert-Jan Oskam, who was paralyzed after a severe cycling incident 12 years ago.
Gert-Jan received two implants in his brain, which communicated with sensors attached to a helmet on his head. He also received another implant on his spine, attached to the nerve endings that control walking. When Gert-Jan “thinks” about walking, the brain signals are first captured by the sensors on the helmet and then transmitted to the spine.
These implants have allowed him to stand up and start walking again, even though it’s at a much slower speed.
"It has been a long journey, but now I can stand up and have a beer with my friend. It's a pleasure that many people don't realise."
– Gert-Jan Oskam
The researchers stated that the technology is still in its early stages and has a long way to go before reaching the masses. But, trials like these are incredibly encouraging.
Imagine a world where we can restore the mind-body connection following paralysis with the help of a few implants and sensors. That’s the future these researchers are striving towards.
For those who want to explore the mind-blowing applications of brain-computer interfaces, check out my deep dive from last year:
🧰 Resources
How to enable plugins in ChatGPT
I get asked this question a lot, so I made a short video tutorial on how to enable plugins and web browsing in ChatGPT. Watch the videoML + Design
A collection of resources for designers and anyone building AI-powered applications or experiences. Check it out
A question for you
The world of AI is moving like the wild west and I want Year 2049 to become your ultimate resource to embrace, understand, and learn how to use it in your life and work.
I’m opening up the floor for questions so you can tell me what’s on your mind and how I can help you. There are no “dumb” questions, so ask anything.
For the futurists and time travelers
Summer is here and you can get your own Year 2049 hat from our store. And yes, the “artificially intelligent” hat is the most popular one.
I designed 4 styles in 5 colours and they’re all made from 100% organic cotton.
How would you rate this week's edition?