The North Pole’s Ice-Free Past and the Humanoid Data Gold Rush

Two stories caught my eye today, and they’re more connected than they seem at first glance.

What the Arctic’s Past Tells Us About Its Future

Last year, a research vessel sailed to the North Pole and found open water. Not a crack in the ice — open water. Thin ice, easy passage. That’s not supposed to happen. A trip that once required breaking through meters of ice turned into a casual cruise.

It’s a stark reminder that the Arctic is changing faster than anyone predicted. So now scientists are doing something smart: they’re digging deep below the seabed to figure out if the Arctic Ocean was ever completely ice-free in the past. The logic is straightforward — if it happened before, it can happen again, and understanding the conditions that led to it might help us predict what’s coming.

Tim Kalvelage has the full story in MIT Technology Review’s latest print issue, which is all about nature. I’d recommend grabbing a copy if you can. This kind of long-form science journalism is exactly what we need more of.

Your Daily Chores Are Now Training Data

On the other end of the weirdness spectrum, I got invited to join an app that would pay me to film myself microwaving food and putting groceries away. Another site wanted me to remotely control a robotic arm to help improve its “dexterity.”

This isn’t some side hustle gone wild. It’s part of a growing push by robotics companies to collect human movement data for training humanoids. As James O’Donnell explains, the race for real-world data is heating up, and our everyday motions are being turned into training fodder.

I find this both fascinating and a little unsettling. On one hand, it’s brilliant — why build expensive simulators when you can pay people to do what they already do? On the other hand, it raises questions about privacy and consent that most people won’t think about until it’s too late. Your morning routine could be teaching a robot how to make coffee, and you’d never know.

This is part of a larger feature called “10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now.” Worth a read if you want to cut through the hype.

AI Spending Hits Records — But Not Everyone’s Happy

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta collectively spent 71% more on AI this quarter than last year. That’s not a typo. 71%. The New York Times has the numbers, and they’re staggering.

Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are reporting big payoffs from the splurge, which is good news for investors who’ve been wondering when the returns would show up. But Meta’s shares slid after their spending plans spooked the market. Classic case of “show me the money” — except the money is going out faster than it’s coming in.

Is this an AI bubble? MIT Technology Review has a piece that tries to answer that question. I’m not convinced we’re in bubble territory yet, but the spending levels are definitely unsustainable unless revenue catches up fast.

White House Pushes Back on Anthropic’s Mythos Plans

The White House is opposing Anthropic’s plan to expand access to Mythos, their latest model. The concern? Cyber risks. They’re also worried the government might lose access to compute resources.

This is interesting because Anthropic has positioned itself as the “safe” AI company, the one that takes alignment seriously. If the White House is pushing back, it suggests either the risks are real and significant, or the administration is playing politics. Bloomberg has the details.

Meanwhile, Anthropic is reportedly seeking funding at a valuation over $900 billion. That’s a lot of zeros for a company that’s still figuring out how to scale its business model.

Elon Musk Testifies: “I Was a Fool”

Elon Musk took the stand and claimed OpenAI’s leaders “looted the nonprofit.” He said he “was a fool” for trusting them. This is the same guy who once co-founded the organization and donated millions.

But here’s the thing — Musk had his own concerns about OpenAI long before this lawsuit. He’s been critical of their shift from nonprofit to capped-profit for years. So this testimony feels less like a bombshell and more like the latest chapter in a very public feud.

Gizmodo has the full story. It’s worth reading if you enjoy watching billionaires air their grievances in court.