What I Read This Week
What I Read This Week
OpenAI's new model, o1; Roblox’s new sensation, "Dress to Impress"; Returning Bitcoin to its foundational mission.
Listen to Into The Metaverse #98 (with Cathy Hackl).
Read my Deep Dive on the Rise of Avatars Online
Caught My Attention…
OpenAI's new model, o1, represents a significant step forward in AI reasoning by leveraging a chain of thought mechanism that allows it to think deeply before responding. Trained using a reinforcement learning algorithm that refines problem-solving strategies, o1 outperforms its predecessor, GPT-4o, in reasoning-heavy domains like coding, math, and data analysis. It ranks highly on benchmarks such as competitive programming, achieving strong results in the 2024 International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), and surpassing human-level performance in physics and biology. The model also excels in safety and alignment, substantially improving the handling of challenging and potentially harmful prompts. This careful integration of chain-of-thought reasoning enhances o1’s accuracy and robustness and offers promising applications in fields requiring nuanced decision-making and problem-solving.
Roblox’s new sensation, "Dress to Impress" is redefining the typical Roblox experience and drawing in an audience far beyond its usual tween demographic (New York Times). The fashion game, launched by a young group of developers, has surged in popularity, captivating players with its simple yet competitive format: users have five minutes to create themed outfits and are then judged by others in a quest to become a Top Model. The game’s unique appeal lies in its divergence from Roblox's usual blocky aesthetic, offering highly customizable avatars that resonate with fashion enthusiasts. It’s this visual difference, along with its accessibility and the developers' responsiveness to player feedback, that has enticed older players, including celebrities like James Charles and Charli XCX, to join the fun. With over 2.7 billion plays and an ever-growing fanbase, "Dress to Impress" has proven that Roblox can be more than just a platform for kids. The game’s success at the recent Roblox Innovation Awards and its capacity to attract users in their late 20s and 30s underscore its potential to reshape the Roblox landscape.
Once the epicenter of decentralized finance, Bitcoin has seen its dominance wane as rival blockchains like Ethereum and Solana have capitalized on its stagnation. Willem Schroé, CEO of Botanix Labs, argues that it’s time for a cultural and technological resurgence to return Bitcoin to its foundational mission: disrupting the traditional financial system with a decentralized, permissionless alternative (Coindesk). Early Bitcoin innovations like Tether and decentralized exchanges laid the groundwork, but ideological rifts within the community pushed developers and capital toward other platforms. With new projects, layer-two networks, and billions in fresh investment, there’s a renewed push to build on Bitcoin's unparalleled security and network strength. The future of decentralized finance could still be in the form of Bitcoin. Still, it demands a recommitment to innovation, collaboration, and building an inclusive financial ecosystem that lives up to Bitcoin’s original vision.
Other Reading…
Playing with Strawberry: When machines can reason (Exponential View)
Why NARS’ 360 Approach Is A Retail Benchmark (Forbes)
Mark Zuckerberg’s 20-year mistake (Platformer)
My kids’ first PlayStation game (Game File)
Over 86% of Web3 people are confident in the future of crypto (Cointelegraph)
Roblox, Shopify partner to sell physical products in the metaverse (Retail Dive)
Org gives rural communities first glimpse into wonders of metaverse (AfricaNews)
Roblox Chief Scientist Foresees Making Games By Voice (Forbes)
Humanity in the Age of AI (Stanford University)
Beidou Navigation Satellite System metaverse resource sharing and commons sustainable development framework (School of Government, Beijing Normal University)
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