💡 Warp News #224
📉 India has eliminated extreme poverty. 🥔 Genetically modified potatoes eliminate the need for pesticides. 🌱 Scientists have developed a method to transform salty soil into fertile farmland.
Share this story!
Free newsletter with fact-based optimistic news about technology, science, and human progress. If you are not a subscriber, become one here.
☠️ One year after the near-death experience: How are things going?
A year ago, Warp News was close to dying.
We had done some things really well. Many who discovered us liked what they saw and became subscribers. Among them were Steven Pinker, Matt Ridley, Karin Nilsdotter, Maria Rankka, Jim O'Shaughnessy, Birgitta Ohlsson, and many others.
But we had done some things really poorly. Far too few even knew we existed. Therefore, our growth was too slow, and nonexistent when we didn't invest in marketing.
At the heart of the problem was myself. I did too much of what I'm bad at (being CEO) and too little of what I'm good at (writing and spreading our mission).
Just over a year ago, our funds were almost depleted. I received an offer from an investor, which could keep us alive for a while longer. Really, there was only one choice, to accept the proposal. But I hesitated. It would just mean more of the same. We would be in the same situation a little while later. But if I said no, we would go under.
I decided to try to break the pattern. So, I said no to the investment. Unfortunately, that meant we had to quickly reduce our costs to a minimum.
Instead, I started writing much more myself, appearing more in other media, and lecturing much more.
It was one of the best decisions I've ever made:
- Warp News is now growing without paid marketing.
- I have delved into generative AI and among other things created WALL-Y (which was nominated as Innovation of the Year.)
- After a slow start, my talks really took off this winter and early spring.
- I was appointed as a member of the Swedish government's AI Commission.
- I've come up with the best idea I'll ever have: Warp Levels.
- Released the book "The Centaur's Edge" (whose first edition sold out, and the second edition almost as well, even though it hasn't come from the printer yet.)
In this text I expand on more of what I've learned, mistakes I continue to repeat, and mental slaps I give myself time and again.
To Sarajevo
Today, I'm heading to Sarajevo to give a masterclass in AI to communicators within the European External Action Service, EEAS.
For me, Sarajevo is the war in former Yugoslavia and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It will be nice to update that image.
Speaking of an AI masterclass...
Now is the time to book my AI masterclass on how to write better and faster with the help of AI, which I'm doing together with SN7 on April 12th in Stockholm.
Mathias Sundin
The Angry Optimist
Other articles
🦾 AI will not lead to mass unemployment (but something much bigger will happen)
Economics professor David Autor disputes the AI experts who believe that AI will lead to mass unemployment.
☠️ One year after the near-death experience: How are things going?
A year ago, we were close to dying. But we are clearly still here. But how are we doing and how are things going?
💡 Fact-based optimistic news of the week
📉 India has eliminated extreme poverty (and increased economic equality)
India has eradicated all extreme poverty, according to the international poverty line of 1.9 dollars per day. This is partly thanks to a growth rate of 2.9 percent per year since 2011-12. At the same time, economic inequality has significantly decreased in both urban and rural areas.
💵 JPMorgan reduces manual labor by 90 percent thanks to AI
The tool, named Cash Flow Intelligence, is already used by about 2,500 customers. AI technology has the potential to shorten workweeks and contribute to medical advances, according to JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon.
🩺 Kry achieves profitability thanks to AI
By introducing generative AI into its processes, Kry has significantly increased its internal efficiency. The administrative time around each patient-doctor meeting has been reduced by approximately 30 percent.
🥔 Genetically modified potatoes increase yields and eliminate the need for pesticides
Scientists have tested genetically modified potatoes that show promising results in combating late blight, a disease that causes significant crop losses. In field trials, the GMO potato variety Vic.172 showed total resistance to late blight, potentially reducing the need for pesticides.
🌱 Scientists have developed a method to transform salty soil into fertile farmland
The treatment involves burying crop stalks underground and covering them with plastic to retain soil moisture. China, ranked as the third-largest country with salt-alkali soil, sees potential in applying this technique to a third of these lands.
✉️ Get a dose of fact-based, free, optimism once a week
Every week, we send out a free newsletter with fact-based, optimistic news about technology, science, and human progress.
If you're not a subscriber yet, you are welcome to become one!
If you like this newsletter, please forward it to a friend and ask them to subscribe. It's free and arrives once a week.
🎤 Talk: The future is created by optimists
Book me for a talk about fact-based hope – and how that creates better results for your organization.
Read more at mathiassundin.org.
By becoming a premium supporter, you help in the creation and sharing of fact-based optimistic news all over the world.
