As with the printing press and the dotcom boom, initial frenzy and speculation obscures the lasting legacy of new technologies“Innovation,” wrote the economist William Janeway in his seminal book Doing Capitalism in the Innovation Economy, “begins with discovery and culminates in speculation.” That just about sums up 2023. The discovery was AI (as represented by ChatGPT), and the speculative bubble is what we have now, in which huge public corporations launch products that are known to “hallucinate” (yes, that’s now a technical term relating to large language models), and spend money like it’s going out of fashion on the kit needed to make even bigger ones. As I write, I see a report that next year Microsoft plans to buy 150,000 Nvidia chips – at $30,000 (£24,000) a pop. It’s a kind of madness. But when looked at it through the Janeway lens, ’twas ever thus.“The innovations that have repeatedly transformed the architecture of the market economy,” he writes, “from canals to the internet, have required massive investments to construct networks whose value in use could not be imagined at the outset of deployment.” Or, to put it more crudely, what we retrospectively regard as examples of technological progress have mostly come about through outbreaks of irrational exuberance that involved colossal waste, bankrupted investors and caused social turmoil. Bubbles, in other words. In recent times, think of the dotcom boom of the late 1990s. Or in earlier times, of the US railway... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2023-12-30 16:00:37 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House strengthened its grip on the picture book lists and made gains on the frontlist fiction lists, which Scholastic still rules. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-02 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Expanding its scholarly journals from the 'New England Journal of Medicine' group, Wolters Kluwer adds an artificial intelligence journal. The post The Netherlands’ Wolters Kluwer Adds ‘NEJM AI’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-02-01 22:45:46 UTC ]
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The following is from Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei with Elettra Stamboulis, illustrated by Gianluca Constantini. __________________________________ From Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei with Elettra Stamboulis, illustrated by Gianluca Constantini. Copyright © 2024. Published by Ten... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-01-30 09:55:47 UTC ]
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A new report from Italy shows the value of its consumer book industry rose in 2023, despite a slight drop in overall unit sales. The post Frankfurt Guest of Honor Italy: Trade Book Sales Up in 2023 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-01-26 19:48:56 UTC ]
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Established in 2017, the Highland Book Prize is one of the United Kingdom's younger awards programs. The post Scotland’s Highland Book Prize Names a 2023 Longlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-01-26 17:29:48 UTC ]
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The following is excerpted from Cold Crematorium:Reporting from the Land of Auschwitz, József Debreczeni’s firsthand account of his deportation to Auschwitz, from Hungary, in May 1944. * The long train, comprised of low boxcars with German insignia, was grinding to a halt. “We’re stopping,” the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-01-25 09:53:48 UTC ]
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In 2023, the major publishers maintained their grip on the bestseller lists, but indies scored some notable successes, with Entangled, Kensington, and Sourcebooks among those making inroads. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-19 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Insight offers publishers AI tools, including large language models such as ChatGPT and Claude, to analyze documents and generate metrics, editorial and marketing assets, sales material, and other content. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Supported by the Association of American Publishers and others, the new nonprofit aims to “certify fair training data use” in Generative AI, and comes amid a growing number of lawsuits filed against AI companies over alleged copyright infringement. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Ottawa is working through an AI inquiry while Canada's publishing industry is 'still waiting for ministers to honor their commitment.' The post Canada Calls for AI Input With Copyright Needs Still Unmet appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-01-16 13:58:06 UTC ]
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These are the 23 most clicked-on books featured on Book Riot in 2023, from fantasy to literary fiction and more. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-16 11:45:00 UTC ]
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2023 was an incredible year for books celebrating all things science. Here are 10 of the best science fiction books of 2023. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-15 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Read your way into the best historical fiction of 2023, which spans the globe and time. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-12 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Independent bookstores in the western U.S. came through the holidays with boosted balance sheets and tales of community connection. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Sheikh Zayed Book Award's translation grant program supported 10 Zayed-winning titles' funding applications in 2023. The post UAE: Sheikh Zayed Book Award Supports 10 Translations in 2023 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-01-11 17:32:47 UTC ]
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Another year, another record: OverDrive reps reported this week that 152 libraries around the world reached million-checkout milestone last year, including 23 first-timers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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