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Yann LeCun’s new venture is a contrarian bet against big language models
Yann LeCun is a Turing Award recipient and a top AI researcher, but he has long been a controversial figure in the tech world. He believes that the industry’s current obsession with large language models is misguided and will ultimately fail to solve many serious problems.
Instead, he believes we should bet on world models – a different kind of AI that accurately reflects real-world dynamics. Perhaps it’s no surprise that he recently left Meta, where he served as chief scientist for FAIR (Fundamental AI Research), the company’s influential research lab he founded.
LeCun sat down with MIT Technology Review in an exclusive online interview from his Paris apartment to discuss his new venture, Life After Meta, the future of artificial intelligence and why he thinks the industry is chasing the wrong ideas. Read the full interview.
-Cawei Chen
Why is 2026 a hot year for lithium?
-Casey Crownheart
In 2026, I will keep a close eye on the price of lithium.
If you’re not in the habit of obsessively tracking the commodity markets, I certainly don’t blame you. (Although recent news certainly suggests that minerals could have a major impact on global politics and the economy.)
But lithium is still worth a closer look. The metal is important for lithium-ion batteries used in phones and laptops, electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage arrays on the grid.
Prices have fluctuated greatly over the past few years, and they are rising again. What happens next could have a big impact on mining and battery technology. Read the full story. This story first appeared in our newsletter, The Spark, about the technology we can use to tackle the climate crisis. Sign up To get it in your inbox every Wednesday.
Must read
I’ve scoured the internet to find you today’s funniest/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Trump has backed off from his plan to annex Greenland from the US
To the relief of many people across Europe. (BBC)
+Trump says he has agreed to a deal for access to Greenland’s rare earths. Experts say this is ‘bonkers’.(cnn)
+European leaders are feeling nervous about what is going on. (foot$)
2 Apple is reportedly developing a wearable AI pin
It’s still in its early stages—but it could be a big deal if it launches. (Information$)
+ It also plans to revamp Siri and turn it into an AI chatbot. (bloomberg$)
+Are we ready to trust AI with our bodies?(MIT Technology Review)
Three CEOs say that AI saves people’s time. His employees disagree.
Many people even say that at the moment it is dragging onBelowTheir productivity. (WSJ$)
+The AI ​​boom will increase US carbon emissions – but it doesn’t have to.(wired$)
+Let’s also not forget that large language models remain a nightmare for security.(ieee spectrum)
4 This chart shows how measles cases are rising in the US
They have reached a 30-year high, and the US is on track to lose its ‘elimination status’. (Axios$)
+The situation is likely to get worse this year.(wired$)
5 Your first humanoid robot co-worker will almost certainly be Chinese
But will it really be useful? This is an even bigger question. (wired$)
+Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says Europe can do more to compete in robotics and AI.(cnbc)
6 Bezos’s Blue Origin is going to compete with Starlink
It plans to send the first ‘Terrawave’ satellite into space next year. (reuters$)
+On the ground in Ukraine’s largest Starlink repair shop.(MIT Technology Review)
7 Trump’s family made $1.4 billion from crypto last year
Go ahead, there will be no conflict of interest here. (bloomberg$)
8 Comic-Con Has Banned AI Art
Following an artist-led response last week. (404 media)
+Hundreds of creatives are warning against an AI future based on ‘mass theft’.(The Verge$)
9 What’s it like to live without a smartphone for a month
Potentially enjoyable for you, but possibly a little annoying for everyone else. (Guardian)
+Why are teens with ADHD especially vulnerable to the dangers of social media?(Nature)
10 Elon Musk Is Feuding With A Budget Airline
In case you’re wondering, the airline is winning. (WP$)
today’s thought
“I will never edit anything about Donald Trump, because that guy drives me crazy.”
-Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales explains wired Why is he avoiding the US President’s page?
one more thing
How electricity could help tackle a surprising climate villain
Cement is hidden in plain sight – it’s used to make everything from roads and buildings to dams and basement floors. But it is also a climate threat. Cement production accounts for more than 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions – more than sectors such as aviation, shipping or landfills.
One solution to this climate disaster may be flowing through the pipes at Sublime Systems. The startup is developing a completely new way of making cement. Instead of heating crushed rocks in lava-hot furnaces, Sublime’s technology zaps them into water with electricity, triggering chemical reactions that create the main ingredients in its cement.
But it faces big challenges: competing with established industry players, and convincing builders to use its materials in the first place.Read the full story.
-Casey Crownheart
we can still have good things
A place of relaxation, fun and distractions to brighten your day. (Any ideas? drop me a line Or make them sneak up on me.)
+ Earth may be a garbage fire, but space is Beautiful.
+ Do you know how to tie your shoelaces properly? are you sure?!
+ I challenge British readers not to feel a pang of nostalgia after watching these crisp packets.
+ go to bed around same time every night Seems like this habit is worth adopting. ($)
