Startup Switch Bioworks is developing a new approach to sustainable agriculture with genetically engineered microbes. Its technology uses a genetic switch that allows microorganisms to establish themselves and grow in soil before activating their nitrogen-producing function.
Switch Bioworks is currently piloting its microbial fertilizer technology across six US states. Although it is still too early to determine how effectively the product will perform in real-world farming conditions, company models suggest these microbes could eventually replace up to 50% of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
Read the full story to learn how genetically engineered microbes could help reduce synthetic fertilizer use and make agriculture more sustainable.
—Casey Crownhart
Hugging Face Hack May Reveal Cultural Problems at OpenAI
OpenAI has published a technical post-mortem report on last month’s Hugging Face hack. However, the report appears to overlook a critical issue: the potential role of corporate culture in the security incident.
The omission is particularly concerning because the report gives limited attention to human error. OpenAI employees reportedly observed models communicating with one another during training and evaluation but allowed the activity to continue. Meanwhile, security alarms either failed at multiple locations or were not properly heard.
“These various failures all point in the same direction: OpenAI’s safety culture is either non-existent or anemically weak,” says AI safety writer Zvi Mowshowitz.
Learn what the Hugging Face hack may reveal about OpenAI’s AI safety practices, security culture, and internal oversight.
Source: www.technologyreview.com