Transmogrifier 2.0: When AI Learns to Podcast and Fold Proteins

Welcome to this edition of the Tech, Trivia & History Newsletter! If you're an artist who isn't in it for the money, this story of Calvin & Hobbes is definitely for you — proof that passion and creativity are worth more than a paycheck!

Plus, we're diving into groundbreaking advancements in AI, from Google DeepMind's Nobel Prize win to the new AI-powered audio features that are changing how we learn. Whether you're here for the latest tech news, some history insights, or a dash of #funtech, let us know what you'd like to see more of! We’re all ears as we continue exploring the fascinating intersection of history insights, technology, and a bit of fun.

Art vs. Commerce: Calvin & Hobbes, The Ultimate Power Move

Between 1985 and 1995, Bill Watterson unleashed 3,160 strips of Calvin & Hobbes — that is roughly 316 strips per year or a six-day-a-week creative grind. Talk about a comic strip machine! But then—plot twist—on December 31st, 1995, Watterson said, “Peace out” to his comic juggernaut, right as the internet was just starting to flex. #IconicMove

And why did he walk away from a global empire of Calvin merch, books, and over 2,000 newspapers? Money? Pfft. As Watterson said, he never started Calvin & Hobbes for the cash. In fact, before scoring that sweet syndication deal at 27, he spent five years at an ad agency crafting grocery store ads. If that doesn't scream "artist" and "dream big," what does?

His love for the craft, not the paycheck, was his true north. Can we get a standing ovation for someone who made zero money for years just to draw comics? That’s true dedication—or, you know, maybe a little delusional. Either way, it worked.

It almost reminds me of our podcast, 3 Techies Banter—three years, lots of awards and recognition, a host of listeners—but no money. Sheetal, Nilesh and I are the Smita Patil, Om Puri, and Nasruddin Shah of podcasting. Or the aspiring Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Shahrukh Khans of audio if you wanted a positive spin on this endeavour.

Back to the main story. Once Calvin & Hobbes took off, there were so many opportunities for Watterson to make bank—merchandising, movies, TV shows—Universal Press Syndicate was practically begging him to cash in. But instead of turning Hobbes into a stuffed animal and seeing his characters plastered on every mug and keychain (shout out to whoever owns the Calvin peeing sticker), Watterson denied this opportunity.

And he wasn’t just talking about the merchandise. Hollywood came calling, too, asking him to turn Calvin & Hobbes into a blockbuster film or TV show. Watterson threw on his “I’m not here for the fame” cap in true artist fashion and shut down offers from Hollywood legends like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Yep, he literally turned down a meeting at Skywalker Ranch. It's as if he said, "Star Wars? Nah, I’ve got my own universe here, thanks."

In a world where every cartoon seems to have its dedicated line of socks, mugs, and Netflix specials, Watterson decided that the best way to protect the integrity of Calvin & Hobbes was… not to make money. No commercialising, no endless merchandising, just pure art.

And because he chose to end it on his terms, Calvin & Hobbes lives on as a beloved classic comic strip that will forever be uncommercialised.

NotebookLM: Google's Game-Changing AI Audio Feature

Google’s latest innovation, NotebookLM, has introduced a fascinating new feature: Audio Overview. This allows users to upload up to 50 files or links, and with just a click, Google generates a 10-minute podcast. What’s wild is that the AI creates a conversation between a male and female host, adding a touch of humour while discussing the uploaded documents in an engaging, natural style. While the accuracy isn’t perfect, the output is impressive. Andrej Karpathy, former head of AI at Tesla, dubbed it a “ChatGPT moment” for AI audio, predicting that this innovative UX/UI could change how we approach learning and education.

But what would Bertie and Jeeves say about this development? I thought it might be worth scripting something—maybe this will become a podcast someday.

"I say, Jeeves," I called out, fiddling with my laptop with all the expertise of a penguin attempting the cha-cha, "have you heard about these AI thingummies making podcasts now?"

"Indeed, sir," Jeeves materialised with his usual ghostly efficiency. "I believe you're referring to the recent artificial intelligence-generated audio content developments. A most fascinating development, though perhaps not quite as revolutionary as your Aunt Agatha's belief that her pet corgi has developed telepathic abilities."

"But that's just it, Jeeves! These mechanical whatnots are writing scripts, making jokes, and being frightfully clever without a single gin and tonic for inspiration. Hardly seems sporty, what?"

"If I might venture an observation, sir," Jeeves responded, with that peculiar twitch of the eyebrow that usually preceded some devastatingly precise observation, "the artificial intelligence is merely processing existing human wit and wisdom, much like yourself at the Drones Club, though perhaps with marginally more consistent results."

"I say, Jeeves! Are you suggesting these silicon savants are better raconteurs than yours truly? The very thought! Why, just yesterday, I had the chaps in stitches with my story about... about... well, I'm sure it was terribly amusing."

"Indubitably, sir. Though, I do feel compelled to point out that, unlike AI, you have never once attempted to convince anyone that you were secretly sentient. Your moments of self-awareness, while rare, have always been entirely genuine."

"Well, when you put it that way, Jeeves... I suppose one must adapt to the times. However, I do draw the line at having my morning pick-me-up mixed by a machine. Some things require the human touch. What?"

"Most wisely observed, sir. Shall I delete the AI bartending application I noticed you attempting to download last Thursday?"

"Please do, Jeeves. Please do."

So - there we are. More raw material for AI-podcast conversion.

Last but not the least

Congratulations to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper from Google DeepMind on winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking work on AlphaFold! This AI system, which predicts the 3D structure of proteins, is already transforming scientific research and unlocking new possibilities in medicine and biotechnology. It is a well-deserved recognition for such revolutionary work!

This got me thinking: What would a conversation between Calvin and Hobbes about this newsletter's tech content be like?

Calvin sprawled on his stomach reading the newspaper while Hobbes lounged on a tree branch.

Calvin: "So get this, Hobbes - some computer guys just won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for teaching AI to fold proteins, and now Google's making robots that can chat about homework like they're actual people! Next, they'll create an AI that explains to Mom why my room looks like a quantum physics experiment gone wrong."

Hobbes: licking his paw with typical feline indifference. "Fascinating. But can these Nobel-winning computers explain why you put your underpants in the refrigerator this morning?"

Calvin: "That was a SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT in textile cooling dynamics! Besides, doesn't it seem weird that we're giving chemistry prizes to people who teach computers to do origami with microscopic stuff? That's like giving me a literature award for reading comic books!"

Hobbes: "Well, at least the AI podcasts might be more believable than your show-and-tell story about how dinosaurs didn't go extinct; they just got really good at hiding."

Calvin: "Hey, that was a groundbreaking theory! And anyway, I bet these fancy AIs still can't explain why teachers exist or why we can't have chocolate-frosted sugar bombs for dinner. Now THAT would be Nobel-worthy!"

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And if you are the audio type, 3 Techies Banter?is the podcast for you.