💬 Quoted… “In the worst-case scenario, democracy and social order could collapse.”

• Japan’s largest newspaper and its biggest telecommunications company published a not-so-cheery joint manifesto on Sunday calling for immediate government legislation to restrict generative AI. The two companies, which are among Japan’s most influential in terms of government policy, said AI tools can pose a danger to democracy and civil society when they’re programmed to seize users’ attention without regard for morals or accuracy. Separately, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon predicted that AI will have a “transformational” impact on society on par with major inventions like the printing press or steam engine, in his annual letter to shareholders on Monday.

🌒👀 Stat of the Day: Monday’s total solar eclipse was billed as having a draw similar to two dozen Super Bowls happening all at once – and it lived up to the hype. An estimated 3.7 million Americans spent ~$1.6 billion to travel and see the eclipse, internet traffic fell by as much as 60% along the path of totality on Monday afternoon, and Google searches for “my eyes hurt” set a new all-time high by a factor of 2.5x during the eclipse.

🤔 Did You Know?... The world record for most generations alive in a single family is seven. US resident Augusta Bunge was 109 years old when her great-great-great-great grandson was born in 1989.

📰 Worth a Read: The radical transformation of the avocado → (The Hustle)