"The Launch Edition Aptera doesn’t look dramatically different from the car that was first teased in 2019."

I agree.

They always need just a liiiiitle more money from "investors" and then BAM! they'll disrupt the industry. I've been hearing this about Aptera since 2009...and again when it was "reformed" in 2019. It smells like a scam in 2023.

I'm personally not in favor of biometrics, but I live in a country where CC theft isn't a big issue (Japan). I'm not sure if living in the US with skimmers, pickpockets, and muggings would change the narrative around security. There's also a convenience angle. On a date you can't claim you forgot your wallet when the bill comes...

It comes down to "Do we trust companies?" The answer, uniformly, should be "No." and that's the end of it.

I'm glad, in that one instance, they were good to gay people. It doesn't make up for them as a national corporation donating to restrict the rights of gay people every day before and after. Not all franchisees agree with the corporate stance, but unfortunately they have to take the good with the bad.

I think the idea is that it's more difficult to steal your palmprint than skim your CC.

Angels are biblical, so they cross lots of denominations. They also appear in other religious texts, so Jewish and Muslim may also report a belief.

Here's an old article on the subject: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-nearly-8-in-10-americans-believe-in-angels/

I agree AI will largely be beneficial. I'm not sure on the timeline. It could be 5 years...it could be never (if we blow ourselves up first). Anyone who says they know when Singularity will happen... doesn't know when Singularity will happen.

I think the 63% of Americans that call themselves Christians are absolutely treated as normal. When 77% of adult Americans say they believe in angels, that's normalizing. If someone espouses their faith, nobody bats an eye.

Anyway, at least we both agree that being excited for a possible fact-based optimistic future is a good thing.

Kind of like the 2.2 billion Christians in the world hoping things will be better in Heaven. Except they're treated as "normal" while people excited about the positive view of Singularity often get shit for it in this sub. The main difference is the AI crowd have demonstrable proof that their version might actually happen. That was your point, right?

At least there's ONE bird species that likes their young...

I thought I noticed more beaver tails lately...🤔

I would love an AI therapist. But, that said, I think the majority are more comfortable with sharing emotional states with other humans. Yes, telling deep dark secrets might be easier to something you're certain won't judge you, most of the time therapy is about mundane but relatable issues people are trying to connect and process. Communicating genuine empathy or sympathy isn't likely to happen soon because it will need time for acculturation, people will have to grow up being told how to interact emotionally with an AI therapist.

Because, as it states in the very first sentence of the article, the company marketed the tattoos as non-permanent.

Yes! They are sad they're burning through exploitable human capital. A bit gross...

The assembly line comment was just to show one example of how parts of the human form can be modified and perfected to do different jobs. Suction cups are better than fingers when manipulating glass, for instance.

The people upvoting you and downvoting me are limited in their thinking. They don't understand how tentacles, suction, or piezoelectric malleable metals that can change form based on protein expression (https://gizmodo.com/liquid-metal-robot-real-shape-shifting-terminator-2-t2-1850019628) are going to change robotics. They only think in terms of what has been in the past or what they imagine as perfection...the human form.

But it's OK, I'm used to people being a step or two behind me...

Edit: I hope people understand the last part of my comment is intended as being cheeky, not serious

Yes, if designed well.

"Our world is designed for the human form: → Arms and hands allow us to open doors and use tools. → Legs allow us to move efficiently, climb stairs, lift boxes, and more. For 100 years, robots that can do human-like tasks have been unattainable"

This is just... demonstrably untrue, as any automated assembly line can show.

A properly designed robot can open doors, use tools, climb stairs, lift boxes, and more without a human-like form. Trying to fit utility into a predefined mold is putting form before function. It's limiting and a gross misstep.

A book from 1867, talking about 19th century problems, has little place outside of being a curiosity in 2023.

Edit: And no, conditions are not "exactly the same" as 156 years ago in terms of society, technology, culture, or economics. That's a stupid statement.

I WANT to agree with you...but I can't (lol). Many politicians are lawyers, but still don't seem to know how to create laws and legislation. The US recently had a "businessman" in office and he made a lot of poor policy decisions because HIS experience with business was one of corruption and kickbacks. So, while I agree there should be some sort of workshop or required class for politicians, especially when they sit on specific committees involving economics or science issues, I'm not convinced that it would help all that much. Lots of legislators have an amazing amount of information at their fingertips and they STILL choose to be stupid.

Great! I clearly misread the comment.

Yep. Other countries, likely China and Asian countries looking to increase their manufacturing hub, would use this to their advantage.

Yeah...I'm not sure where else anyone would plan the money to come from...

ST is exactly what I was thinking when I wrote the "I'm talking to myself" part. The Bell Riots didn't happen and we can't depend on Cochrane to save us with the warp drive. We need to make our own future and choose progress.

We can already do that with animals...like bullfights, dog fights, cock fights, etc...and it's a symptom of psychopathy. Anyone choosing to cause actual pain and suffering should...not.

I mean...yes to the 1st half but not really to the 2nd half. I don't really "believe" in anything (well, outside of standard directly unseeable things like time, gravity, evolution, etc.) but have hope that things will improve in the face of advancing technology.

Wellllll...if I'm going to have a bias, I'll choose the happy one! As for dystopian periods, it's likely we're living at the start of one now. My hope is that AI, even if it doesn't result in Singularity, will at least give some people a few tools to help create a better future. Even if that better future isn't on a grand scale. Less like Dune and more like the Foundation Series.