Thursday Assorted Links: AI Economics, Whale Communication, Puffin Sighting, and More
Key Takeaways
- •A puffin was seen on the Dorset coast, an uncommon occurrence for a species more typically associated with North Atlantic breeding colonies.
- •Anthropic's chief economist addressed debates over how artificial intelligence may affect unemployment and labor markets.
- •Research cited in the roundup suggests whales may use different vowel-like sounds when ships are nearby.
- •A Nature study found that large language models can forecast the results of social science experiments.
- •Google released new data and research on the economic effects of artificial intelligence through its AI economy portal.
A roundup of noteworthy links and items recently highlighted by Marginal Revolution:
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A puffin has been spotted on the Dorset coast, an unusual sighting for the area. Puffins typically breed in colonies on clifftops and islands in the North Atlantic — including parts of Scotland, Wales, and northern England — making a Dorset appearance notable for birdwatchers tracking range shifts or vagrant individuals. BBC News.
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Anthropic's chief economist discusses the relationship between artificial intelligence and unemployment, addressing ongoing debates about AI's impact on labor markets. Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI assistant, has been one of several frontier AI labs engaging with policy questions around workforce disruption as adoption of generative tools accelerates across industries. X post.
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Research indicates that whales use different vocalizations — described as distinct vowel-like sounds — when ships are nearby, suggesting possible adaptive communication responses to maritime noise. Anthropogenic ocean noise from commercial shipping has been a documented concern among marine biologists studying its effects on cetacean behavior and communication. X post.
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Oliver Kim writes about Robert McNamara, the former U.S. Secretary of Defense, in an essay published on the In Development Substack. McNamara, who served under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, was known for his quantitative, systems-analysis approach to management and remains a consequential and debated figure in discussions of the Vietnam War. In Development Mag.
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A study published in Nature finds that large language models can predict the results of social science experiments, raising questions about the future use of AI in behavioral and social research. The finding touches on a broader conversation about whether AI can reliably model human behavior and what that means for the reproducibility and utility of survey-based research. Nature.
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Alexander Salter explores the economics of space in his Substack newsletter Final Frontier Econ, covering topics related to commercial space activity and orbital resource allocation. The newsletter intersects with growing interest in the private space sector, where increasing satellite deployment and launch activity have raised questions about orbital congestion and governance. Final Frontier Econ.
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Google has released new data and a study on AI and its effects on the economy, available through the company's AI economy research portal. Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet and a major AI research player through DeepMind and Google Research, has been among tech companies publishing economic analyses as policymakers weigh regulation of AI deployment. Google AI Economy.
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An essay in The Common Reader examines the literary question of whether it matters if readers do not like the characters in a work of fiction. The debate over sympathetic versus unsympathetic characters has a long tradition in literary criticism, relevant to ongoing discussions about reader engagement and artistic value. The Common Reader.
