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uBlock Origin is a free and open-source browser extension that effectively blocks ads, trackers, and other unwanted content, providing users with a faster, more secure, and more private browsing experience.

Microsoft has announced the development of a TypeScript native port, which aims to bring the TypeScript language to a wider range of platforms and environments by creating a self-contained TypeScript runtime that can be embedded directly into applications.

Mistral AI, a French startup, has developed an advanced optical character recognition (OCR) technology that can accurately extract text from images and documents. The article highlights the company's innovative approach and the potential applications of its OCR solution across various industries.

The article highlights the passing of Mark Klein, an AT&T technician who exposed the company's involvement in the National Security Agency's mass surveillance program in 2006. Klein's whistleblowing played a crucial role in uncovering the government's secret domestic spying activities and the violation of civil liberties.

The article discusses the United States' decision to end its support for providing Ukrainian forces with F-16 fighter jets, but notes that France's offer to supply Mirage jets may help fill the gap and provide a 'salvation' for Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

This article explores how DeepMind's Gemini robotics platform is bringing AI into the physical world, enabling robots to learn and adapt through interaction with their environments. The article highlights Gemini's potential to advance robotics and autonomous systems by integrating AI capabilities for improved perception, decision-making, and physical interaction.

DuckDB, an embeddable analytical database, has released a new user interface (UI) that provides a web-based graphical interface for interacting with the database. The UI allows users to visualize data, run queries, and manage database connections.

The article discusses the author's decision to eliminate RSS feeds from their website, citing the diminishing value and changing nature of the internet ecosystem. It explores the reasons behind this decision and the potential implications for content distribution and reader engagement.

The article discusses the cognitive effects of L-theanine, a compound found in green tea. It examines the evidence for L-theanine's potential to reduce anxiety, improve focus, and enhance relaxation, while also exploring the limitations and nuances of the existing research on this topic.

OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, has appealed to the White House for regulatory relief, citing concerns over the potential for AI to disrupt jobs and the economy. The article discusses the company's efforts to engage with policymakers on the responsible development and deployment of AI technology.

The article examines the potential of microplastics to act as a vector for the transport and accumulation of organic pollutants, highlighting the need for further research to understand the environmental and health implications of this complex issue.

I'm Jack, and I'm excited to share a project that has channeled my Factorio addiction recently: the Factorio Learning Environment (FLE).

FLE is an open-source framework for developing and evaluating LLM agents in Factorio. It provides a controlled environment where AI models can attempt complex automation, resource management, and optimisation tasks in a grounded world with meaningful constraints.

A critical advantage of Factorio as a benchmark is its unbounded nature. Unlike many evals that are quickly saturated by newer models, Factorio's geometric complexity scaling means it won't be "solved" in the next 6 months (or possibly even years). This allows us to meaningfully compare models by the order-of-magnitude of resources they can produce - creating a benchmark with longevity.

The project began 18 months ago after years of playing Factorio, recognising its potential as an AI research testbed. A few months ago, our team (myself, Akbir, and Mart) came together to create a benchmark that tests agent capabilities in spatial reasoning and long-term planning.

Two technical innovations drove this project forward: First, we discovered that piping Lua into the Factorio console over TCP enables running (almost) arbitrary code without directly modding the game. Second, we developed a first-class Python API that wraps these Lua programs to provide a clean, type-hinted interface for AI agents to interact with Factorio through familiar programming paradigms.

Agents interact with FLE through a REPL pattern: 1. They observe the world (seeing the output of their last action) 2. Generate Python code to perform their next action 3. Receive detailed feedback (including exceptions and stdout)

We provide two main evaluation settings: - Lab-play: 24 structured tasks with fixed resources - Open-play: An unbounded task of building the largest possible factory on a procedurally generated map

We found that while LLMs show promising short-horizon skills, they struggle with spatial reasoning in constrained environments. They can discover basic automation strategies (like electric-powered drilling) but fail to achieve more complex automation (like electronic circuit manufacturing). Claude Sonnet 3.5 is currently the best model (by a significant margin).

The code is available at https://github.com/JackHopkins/factorio-learning-environment.

You'll need: - Factorio (version 1.1.110) - Docker - Python 3.10+

The README contains detailed installation instructions and examples of how to run evaluations with different LLM agents.

We would love to hear your thoughts and see what others can do with this framework!

I built this site as a quick test if a time boxed social media experience feels better than an endless one. So far I've just been using it with friends and it feels nice, but it seems like it is time to bring it to a larger audience.

Let me know what you think! It is just based on EST for now, sorry.

The article discusses the growing trend of age verification bills that target online content, such as pornography and skin care products. It highlights the privacy and security concerns raised by these measures, which may have unintended consequences for individuals' online experiences and data protection.

The article discusses a forum user's experience with Cursor, an AI assistant, recommending that they learn coding instead of asking the AI to generate code. It highlights the limitations of AI in generating complex code and the importance of developing coding skills for effective problem-solving.

The Startup CTO Handbook provides a comprehensive guide for individuals transitioning into the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at a startup. It covers key responsibilities, skills, and strategies for effectively leading a technical team and driving the company's technological vision.

Volkswagen is reintroducing physical controls for vital functions in its vehicles, acknowledging the limitations of touch-based interfaces and the importance of tactile controls for drivers.

The article discusses tail call optimization (TCO) in CPython, the reference implementation of the Python programming language. It explores the challenges in implementing TCO effectively in CPython and the trade-offs involved in doing so.

The article discusses the development of a novel microbial fuel cell that can directly generate electricity from human waste, potentially providing a sustainable energy solution for wastewater treatment and energy production.

The article explores the concept of the '10x engineer', individuals who are significantly more productive than their peers. It examines the characteristics, skills, and work habits that enable these exceptional engineers to achieve remarkable levels of output and impact within technology companies.

The article discusses issues with the Samsung Q990D TV becoming unresponsive after a firmware update, leading to users being unable to control the TV's functions. Affected users are seeking solutions and advice from the community on how to resolve the problem.

The article discusses the importance of being succinct in writing, arguing that brevity and concision can make ideas more impactful and easier to understand. It provides tips on how to streamline writing by eliminating unnecessary words and focusing on the core message.

The article explores the challenges electric vehicle manufacturers face in improving battery range, focusing on Tesla's efforts to develop longer-lasting batteries and the impact of factors like temperature and driving conditions on real-world battery performance.