🤖 Is OpenAI's Q* a threat to humanity?

It’s Wednesday, December 6 — people are talking about OpenAI’s potential breakthrough technology Q*, how often to wash your sheets, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly. Here at Shades we believe that seeing multiple points of view is the best way to stay informed.

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- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)

🤖 Is OpenAI's Q* a threat to humanity?

OpenAI's Q* has the tech world buzzing. Some say it's a game-changer, and others worry it poses a massive threat to humanity.

🤖 Reuters: OpenAI's Q*, a potential AI breakthrough, sparked internal alarm about the dangers of advanced AI tech — and led to CEO Sam Altman's ouster (although he soon returned).

🤖 The Atlantic says Q* shows promise in solving advanced math problems, but the specifics of its capabilities are veiled in secrecy.

🤖 Brownstone Research sounded the alarm: The tech “could pose a threat to all humanity”. If it can solve advanced math probs, it could unencrypt sensitive data.

🤖 But MIT Technology Review thinks we should chill out. Math capability would be a huge leap forward, but that doesn't mean Q* is a reasoning “superintelligence”.

🤖 Bloomberg warns that even if it's not Skynet 2.0, Q* still poses a threat — it's time to worry about a society that over-relies on AI.

🛏️ How often should we wash our sheets?

Sheets need regular washing to get rid of mites and bacteria, but how often is the right frequency?

🛏️ Cleveland Clinic says to avoid sleeping in a petri dish, we should all wash our bedsheets every two weeks. That way, we fend off dust mites and bacteria.

🛏️ But the NYT disagrees, saying we should actually wash our sheets weekly to remove skin flakes, fluids, and pet hair. It's what five different books on cleanliness and laundry recommend.

🛏️ And LADbible agreed: Wash your bed sheets at least weekly — and definitely even more often if your pets sleep on the bed.

🛏️ On the other hand, Real Simple doesn’t see it as such a big deal: Just wash your sheets whenever they stop feeling fresh. Your personal hygiene habits, the climate you live in, and bed partners all influence the schedule.

Quick hits

🎬 SAG-AFTRA, a union representing Hollywood actors, signed a new contract with studios and streamers. (CNN)

🥤 A Florida family is suing Panera, alleging that its charged lemonade caused the death of a family member. (AP News)

🇮🇱 Israel said its forces entered the “heart” of Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza. (AP News)

🏛️ Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he will lift his blockade on many military promotions, but will continue to block the most senior ones. (NYT)