⤴⤵ Up Wing/Down Wing #33

A curated selection of pro-progress and anti-progress news items from the week that was

In case you missed it .. .

✨ Begun, the US vs. China AI race has (Monday)

✨ DeepSeek drama: The optimistic case for AI spending momentum (Tuesday)

☀ The Doomsday Clock needs a pro-progress switch to the Genesis Clock (Wednesday)

✨⏩ What DeepSeek means for faster AI-driven economic growth (Thursday)

🌍 My chat (+transcript) with researcher Toby Ord on existential risk (Friday)

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Up Wing Things

✈️ Boom Supersonic jet breaks sound barrier to open way for new ‘Concorde’ | Boom Supersonic's XB-1 test aircraft made history by breaking the sound barrier three times over California's Mojave desert, becoming the first independently developed jet to achieve this milestone. Founded in 2014 and backed by investors including OpenAI's Sam Altman, the company aims to revolutionize air travel with its planned Overture airliner, which would carry up to 80 passengers at Mach 2. With orders from major airlines and promises of London to Miami flights under five hours, Boom's vision is ambitious. However, despite raising nearly $600 million from investors, the company faces significant technical and financial hurdles ahead. (FT)

🤖 Humans command swarms of robots | A new DARPA project has demonstrated that a single human operator can control dozens of robots simultaneously, showing the potential for AI and robotics to reshape military operations and industry. DARPA has created an interface for managing large robotic teams by combining advanced algorithms and intuitive control systems. The tech allows for coordinated movements, complex task execution, and real-time adaptability in dynamic environments. Applications range from disaster response and logistics to defense scenarios, just a few of the exciting possibilities for human-machine collaboration. (IEEE Spectrum)

☢️ Duane Arnold nuclear plant: a milestone for clean energy | The decommissioned Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Iowa may come back online as early as 2028. NextEra Energy has officially filed a licensing request with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, initiating a process to restore the 600-megawatt facility. Closed in 2020, Duane Arnold's potential revival is the result of increasing demand for reliable, carbon-free energy sources and aligns with growing energy needs driven by data centers, AI advancements, and large-scale manufacturing. The plant, known for its simpler technology, promises a cost-effective restoration compared to more complex facilities. If successful, Duane Arnold would join a wave of US nuclear plant restarts, signaling renewed faith in nuclear power as a cornerstone of sustainable energy. (WE)