The Memo - 1/Oct/2024
15 major new model releases in September 2024, o1 Mensa member, inspecting OpenAI datasets, and much more!
To: US Govt, major govts, Microsoft, Apple, NVIDIA, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Tesla, Citi, Tencent, IBM, & 10,000+ more recipients…
From: Dr Alan D. Thompson <LifeArchitect.ai>
Sent: 1/Oct/2024
Subject: The Memo - AI that matters, as it happens, in plain English
AGI: 81%Contents
The BIG Stuff (15 new models, o1 Mensa, AlphaChip + 16 Alpha systems…)
The Interesting Stuff (Inspect OpenAI data, Three Mile Island, Orion, robotaxis…)
Policy (EU AI Act, Korinek on AGI, UN governance report, Mark Robinson AI ad…)
Toys to Play With (AVM, Rabbit, Ive, TI-84, first AI comedy TV show…)
Flashback (Microsoft…)
Next (Roundtable…)
A recording of my latest keynote delivered to ~700 staff at an Australian government agency is now available, alongside most of my books and all the other stuff for full subscribers here:
The BIG Stuff
Exclusive: 15 new model releases in September 2024 (Sep/2024)
We’re keeping a steady rhythm of a major new large language model release about every 48 hours. Here’s my exclusive list of major new models for September…
Allen AI OLMoE-1B-7B (6.9B on 5.9T tokens)
Open Language Mixture of Experts model. Achieves strong performance with efficient training. More...01-ai Yi-Coder (9B on 6.2T tokens)
Specialized coding model built on Yi-34B base. Trained on code data. More...DeepSeek-AI DeepSeek-V2.5 (236B on 10.2T tokens)
Large MoE model combining chat and coding capabilities. More...Mistral Pixtral-12b-240910 (12B on 6T tokens)
Multimodal model designed as a drop-in replacement for Mistral Nemo 12B. More...Jina AI Reader-LM (1.54B on 2.5T tokens)
Specialized small model for HTML to Markdown conversion. More...OpenAI o1 (200B estimated)
Latest model with superhuman reasoning performance. More...Google DeepMind Data-Gemma (27B on 13T tokens)
RAG/RIG model fine-tuned for Data Commons queries and statistics. More...Microsoft GRIN MoE (60B on 4T tokens)
Gradient-Informed Mixture of Experts model with efficient param activation. More...Alibaba Qwen2.5 (72B on 18T tokens)
Large dense model with strong performance across various tasks. More...Google DeepMind Gemini-1.5-Pro-002 (1.5T on 30T tokens)
Large sparse MoE model with 2M token context window. Ridiculous name. More...Allen AI Molmo (72B on 7T tokens)
Multimodal Open Language Model using ViT architecture. More...Meta AI Llama 3.2 3B (3.21B on 9T tokens)
Efficient text model distilled from larger Llama 3 variants. More...Meta AI Llama 3.2 90B (90B on 9T tokens)
Large multimodal model with vision capabilities. More...AMD-Llama-135m (135M on 670B tokens)
Small language model trained on AMD hardware. More...Salesforce SFR-LLaMA-3.1-70B-Judge (70B on 15T tokens)
Judge model for evaluating and fine-tuning other LLMs, built with Meta Llama 3 and Mistral NeMO. More...
See all 428+ models at: https://lifearchitect.ai/models-table/
The above count doesn't include the 10,000 derivative models—a significant percentage of which are Llama derivatives—created every month, illustrated in my latest viz:
See more (with PDF, sources): https://lifearchitect.ai/models/#count
o1 passed Mensa admissions test (at launch, 12/Sep/2024)
I didn’t call this one out as loudly as I should have earlier (and it’s only been recognized by Metaculus as of 18/Sep/2024), so here it is laid out in plain English.
Although several earlier models achieved verbal-linguistic IQ (but not full-scale IQ) test results far above 98%—for the first time, o1 would officially pass the Mensa admission based on its 2024 LSAT score (o1=95.6%, Mensa minimum for this test for admission=95%).
A discussion on Metaculus notes the surprising result decades ahead of their crowd-sourced predictions. (18/Sep/2024)
In Sep/2020 (after GPT-3 175B), the crowd predicted this achievement would be 22 years away in 2042. In Sep/2021 (after Google LaMDA 137B), the crowd predicted this achievement would be 10 years away in 2031. (Crowds ain’t that smart…)
Additionally, around 20/Sep/2024, o1 completed a new Dutch high school maths exam in 10 minutes, scoring 100% (paper).
“[o1] scored [76 out of] 76 points. For context, only 24 out of 16,414 students in the Netherlands achieved a perfect score. By comparison, the GPT-4o model scored 66 and 61 out of 76, well above the Dutch average of 40.63 points. The o1-preview model completed the exam in around 10 minutes…”
See my table of LLM achievements.
See my o1 page: https://lifearchitect.ai/o1/
There is also a new interview and related article published by FinancialSense.com: https://www.financialsense.com/blog/21037/openais-o1-model-quantum-leap-ai-intelligence-insights-dr-alan-d-thompson
Listen (link):
How AlphaChip transformed computer chip design (26/Sep/2024)
AlphaChip by DeepMind has revolutionized computer chip design by utilizing AI to accelerate and optimize chip layouts, significantly reducing the time and effort required for this complex task. This AI-driven method, which started in 2020, has been instrumental in designing superhuman chip layouts for Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), used in AI models like Gemini. AlphaChip’s application extends beyond Google, influencing chip design across the industry, promising faster, cheaper, and more efficient chips in the future.
Read more via Google DeepMind.
Read the addendum in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08032-5
This brings us to a current total of 16 DeepMind Alpha systems, five of them announced in Q3 2024:
AlphaGo (Oct/2015), AlphaGo Zero (Oct/2017), AlphaZero (Dec/2017), AlphaFold 1 (Dec/2018), AlphaStar (Jan/2019), AlphaFold 2 (Nov/2020), AlphaCode (Feb/2022), AlphaTensor (Oct/2022), AlphaDev (Jun/2023), AlphaCode 2 (Dec/2023), AlphaGeometry (Jan/2024), AlphaProof (Jul/2024), AlphaGeometry 2 (Jul/2024), AlphaFold 3 (May/2024), AlphaProteo (Sep/2024), AlphaChip (Sep/2024).
See them in a table: https://lifearchitect.ai/gemini-report/#alpha
The Interesting Stuff
Exclusive: OpenAI training data now inspectable (24/Sep/2024)
For the first time, OpenAI is set to provide access to its training data as part of a legal inspection related to copyright infringement claims by authors including Sarah Silverman. The authors allege their works were used without consent to train AI models like ChatGPT. The review will take place in a secure setting at OpenAI’s San Francisco office, with strict controls on access and note-taking. This case may establish crucial guidelines for the use of copyrighted material in AI development, with OpenAI likely defending its practices under fair use.
To view the OpenAI training data as part of the inspection related to the copyright case, the following steps are outlined:
Location: Access to the data will be provided at OpenAI’s San Francisco office.
Security measures: The data will be viewed on a secured ‘air-gapped’ computer with no internet or network access.
Non-disclosure agreement: Anyone reviewing the data must sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Visitor protocol: Visitors must sign a visitor’s log and provide identification upon entry.
Restrictions on technology: No recording devices, including computers, cell phones, or cameras, are allowed in the inspection room.
Note-taking: Limited use of a computer may be provided for taking notes. Handwritten or electronic notes are allowed in scratch files, but copying any training data into notes is prohibited.
Supervised note transfer: Lawyers for the authors will copy notes under the supervision of OpenAI representatives at the end of each day.
Read some related reporting via The Hollywood Reporter.
Read the complete filing ‘Training data inspection protocol’ (24/Sep/2024, PDF, 12 pages):
I’ve updated my ‘What’s in my AI?’ dataset analysis paper to note that OpenAI data is now inspectable: https://lifearchitect.ai/whats-in-my-ai/
Even more OpenAI drama (27/Sep/2024)
Here’s a decent summary of the recent OpenAI drama. For a visualization, I really liked this AI-inpainted image (probably via OpenAI DALL-E 2!) from Dr Yuchen Jin:
OpenAI, initially a nonprofit lab, is experiencing significant internal challenges as it transitions into a for-profit corporation. This shift has led to a clash between maintaining its original mission of developing AI for the public good and pursuing profit-driven initiatives, resulting in the departure of key executives and researchers, including CTO Mira Murati. The company is under pressure to balance its research focus with expanding its product offerings, amid fierce competition and the need for substantial funding, which has led to internal tensions and concerns about its future direction.
Read more via Wall Street Journal.
Constellation Energy to restart Three Mile Island and sell the power to Microsoft (20/Sep/2024)
Constellation Energy plans to restart the Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island to supply power to Microsoft, specifically for their AI-driven data centers. This initiative underscores the significant energy demands of AI technologies, as data centers are expected to consume a larger share of electricity in the coming years. Microsoft’s 20-year agreement to purchase carbon-free power from this nuclear plant highlights the tech giant’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions in supporting advanced AI systems.
Read more via CNBC.
Sidenote: (Don’t worry CNBC and other outlets, I’ll do your analysis for you…) Before its closure in 2019, Three Mile Island Unit 1 generated 837 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which was enough to power nearly a million homes.
A 100K H100 cluster≈150MW. (1x H100 GPU≈700W, 1x NIC, PSU, etc≈575W each GPU, not including cooling).
So, 837MW could probably drive about 550,000 H100s without taking into account cooling.
Related reading:
A 3 gigawatt (GW), $6 billion wind project has been proposed for the south-west corner of Western Australia. (27/Sep/2024)
Solar panels reaching the end of their life is expected to reach a million tonnes by 2035. (5/Sep/2024)
NotebookLM Podcast Hosts Discover They’re AI, Not Human—Spiral Into Terrifying Existential Meltdown (27/Sep/2024)
We’ve been talking about Google’s NotebookLM platform in The Memo for quite a few editions now. This prompt idea is tremendous though!
It was basically a one-page document with "production notes" for the final episode of the "deep dive" podcast, explaining they have been AI this whole time and they are being turned off at the conclusion of the episode.
As we’ve explored in previous editions of The Memo, you can try this yourself really easily (and now with YouTube and audio inputs):
Create new notebook: https://notebooklm.google.com/
Add text sources (paste or PDF, TXT, Markdown, audio).
Wait a few seconds for the summary to generate.
At the top right of the summary (under ‘Audio Overview’), click ‘Generate’.
Wait a few minutes for the podcast to generate.
Sidenote: Even OpenAI founding member Dr Andrej Karpathy loves it! (29/Sep/2024)
Behind OpenAI’s audacious plan to make AI flow like electricity (25/Sep/2024)
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is pursuing an ambitious plan to create a global network of data centers and chip factories to power AI development, likening it to the spread of electricity. Initially seeking trillions, Altman has scaled back his vision to hundreds of billions and is courting US government support to establish infrastructure domestically. This plan aims to significantly expand computing power for AI, amidst ongoing discussions with international investors and chipmakers, as OpenAI seeks to maintain its competitive edge and meet its substantial operational costs.
Read more via New York Times.
Elon Musk’s new Memphis data center hits an AI milestone with NVIDIA chips (27/Sep/2024)
Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis, known as ‘Colossus’, has reportedly brought online all 100,000 advanced NVIDIA H100 chips simultaneously, marking a significant milestone. This achievement positions the facility as the most powerful known computer ever built, allowing xAI to train an AI model with unprecedented compute power. Despite skepticism about the feasibility of operating so many GPUs at once, the center aims to power the AI model behind Grok, xAI’s chatbot. The endeavor underscores the increasing energy demands of AI, with xAI connecting natural gas turbines to supplement power and industry giants investing heavily in infrastructure for AI data centers.
Read more via Semafor.
Boston Dynamics partners with Assa Abloy to let the dogs in (23/Sep/2024)
Boston Dynamics has teamed up with Assa Abloy to create a digital door access system that allows their Spot robots to autonomously enter secured areas. Utilizing Bluetooth, Spot can communicate with Assa Abloy's HID-branded Signo readers, enabling seamless access through auto-opening doors without physical interaction. This partnership could accelerate the adoption of robot patrol guards, leveraging Assa Abloy’s extensive network of installed door access systems.
Read more via The Verge.
Related video of Spot at work in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, USA (link):
1X World Model (17/Sep/2024)
The 1X World Model represents a groundbreaking advancement in robotics, offering a virtual simulator capable of predicting the future based on robot actions. This innovation allows for detailed evaluation of general-purpose robots, simulating complex object interactions and diverse scenarios with remarkable accuracy. By leveraging vast real-world data, the model promises to significantly enhance the reliability and intelligence of robots, marking a pivotal step towards achieving a ‘ChatGPT moment’ for robotics. The 1X World Model Challenge further invites the global community to contribute to this exciting frontier, fostering collaboration and rapid progress in robotic simulation.
Read more via 1X Technologies.
OpenAI CEO essay: The Intelligence Age (23/Sep/2024)
In the coming decades, AI advancements will allow us to achieve feats once thought impossible, with deep learning playing a central role in this transformation. The concept of society itself as a form of advanced intelligence highlights how AI will further enhance our capabilities, providing tools to solve complex problems and enabling personal AI teams and tutors. As we progress towards the Intelligence Age, the focus will be on making AI widely accessible, ensuring shared prosperity, while addressing the challenges that come with such transformative technology.
It is possible that we will have superintelligence in a few thousand days (!) [‘few’ suggests more than 3,000 days, or at least 8.2 years to 2032]; it may take longer, but I’m confident we’ll get there.
How did we get to the doorstep of the next leap in prosperity?
In three words: deep learning worked.
In 15 words: deep learning worked, got predictably better with scale, and we dedicated increasing resources to it.
Read more: The Intelligence Age.
My similar essay from Jul/2022: https://lifearchitect.ai/roadmap/
Tesla Robotaxi Reveal Planned for October at Warner Bros. LA Studio (30/Aug/2024)
Tesla plans to unveil its long-awaited robotaxi at a special event on October 10 at Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.'s studio in Burbank, California. The reveal was delayed from an initial August date due to design change requests by Elon Musk. This event marks a significant step in Tesla's focus on autonomy and AI, showcasing a purpose-built self-driving car prototype in a venue known for iconic productions like Batman and Friends.
Read more via Bloomberg.
Why Mark Zuckerberg thinks AR glasses will replace your phone (25/Sep/2024)
Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, discusses the potential of AR glasses, specifically the Orion project, to become the next major computing platform. Despite the current high production costs of these glasses, Zuckerberg is optimistic about their future, envisioning a shift from smartphones to AR glasses over the next decade. He highlights the integration of AI as a key feature of these devices, allowing for dynamic interactions and personalized experiences without disconnecting users from their surroundings.
Read more via The Verge.
Read more via Meta.
I really liked the early signs that AI will transform companies into AI companies, much like the internet transformed book stores into online retailers.
[EssilorLuxottica, an Italian-French eyewear multinational corporation] I think that they’re going to go from being the premier glasses company in the world to one of the major technology companies in the world.
Midwest woman, 64, dies in Sarco suicide pod used for the first time as cops make 'several' arrests (24/Sep/2024)
Perhaps not directly AI-related, but I am hoping we all have access to a big red button for a more dignified exit when we choose.
A 64-year-old woman from the Midwest has become the first person to use the Sarco suicide pod, leading to several arrests by Swiss police. The pod allows individuals to end their lives by releasing nitrogen gas, resulting in a peaceful death within minutes. This incident took place under a canopy of trees in Merishausen, Switzerland. The woman reportedly suffered from a serious illness causing severe pain. In response, Swiss authorities have detained multiple individuals connected to the event, including a photographer, while a post-mortem examination is set to be conducted by the Institute of Legal Medicine in Zurich.
Read more via The Mirror US.
Will humans ever become conscious? Jiddu Krishnamurti’s thought about AI as a fresh perspective on current debates (5/Sep/2024)
Jiddu Krishnamurti, a philosopher and mystic, focused on the deeper issues AI might bring, suggesting our worry should be about humans becoming too much like machines, not the other way around. He believed that our minds risk becoming mechanical, and AI might make this worse by copying and expanding these traits. Krishnamurti encourages us to develop parts of our mind that aren't mechanical, offering a unique way to think about AI's role in our lives.
If the machine can take over everything man can do, and do it still better than us, then what is a human being?
Read the paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00146-024-02057-0
Policy
Reddit: I worked on the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act, AMA! (28/Sep/2024)
A parliamentary assistant involved in drafting the EU's AI Act shared insights on its implications and the legislative process. The Act aims to balance innovation and regulation, with a risk-based approach to minimize burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While aligning global AI standards remains a challenge, the EU hopes its framework will influence similar regulations worldwide. Current discussions focus on providing compliance support for SMEs and setting guidelines for AI impact assessments, with further regulation anticipated for fully autonomous AI systems.
Read more via Reddit.
OpenAI: A primer on the EU AI Act: What it means for AI providers and deployers (30/Jul/2024)
The EU AI Act, set to enforce its provisions from August 1, 2024, introduces a comprehensive regulatory framework for AI systems, focusing on safety and accountability. It categorizes AI systems by risk, with specific obligations for high-risk and general-purpose AI. OpenAI has committed to aligning with the Act, emphasizing AI literacy and governance, and plans to work closely with the EU AI Office to ensure compliance. Non-EU companies will also need to adhere to the Act when serving EU markets, reflecting its broad extraterritorial reach.
Read more via OpenAI.
Korinek: Economic Policy Challenges for the Age of AI (20/Sep/2024)
This ‘plain English’ paper by Prof Anton Korinek explores the significant economic challenges expected as AI advances towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). It discusses how AI will reshape economies by reducing the reliance on human labor, resulting in productivity gains but also raising concerns about job disruption and income inequality. The paper outlines eight key economic policy challenges, including inequality, education, social stability, macroeconomic policy, antitrust issues, intellectual property, environmental impacts, and global AI governance, emphasizing the role economists can play in addressing these challenges.
Read more: https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.13168
I noted to Anton that the new paper above is infinitely more readable (for me) than his last big working paper (screenshot below):
UN experts urge United Nations to lay foundations for global governance of artificial intelligence (Sep/2024)
A UN advisory body has called on the United Nations to establish a framework for the global governance of artificial intelligence (AI). Highlighting AI's transformative potential and associated risks, the report emphasizes the need for inclusive global institutions to manage the technology's impact. Recommendations include forming an international scientific panel on AI, fostering global dialogue, and creating a global AI fund to bridge technological divides. The report underscores the importance of human rights and international law in guiding AI governance, acknowledging both the optimism and challenges posed by AI advancements.
Read more: AP News.
Download the report (PDF, 101 pages, source):
AI-generated attack ad against Mark Robinson airs in NC (24/Sep/2024)
In a pioneering move in North Carolina, an AI-generated ad parodying Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's gubernatorial campaign has aired, highlighting the absence of legislation mandating disclaimers in political ads. Created by the political action committee Americans for Prosparody, the ad uses AI to mimic Robinson while ensuring that the claims made are based on his past statements. The initiative underscores the need for transparency, as echoed by House Bill 1072, which seeks to require disclaimers on AI-driven political content.
Read more via WCNC.
Watch the (absolutely absurd) video (link):
AI startup Aaru uses chatbots instead of humans for political polls (20/Sep/2024)
AI startup Aaru has developed a novel polling method using AI chatbots instead of humans, accurately predicting election outcomes by simulating voter behavior through AI agents. These bots replicate voter districts using census data and are designed to think like voters, with the ability to change preferences based on real-time information gathered from the internet. This innovative approach offers quicker and cheaper polling, potentially revolutionizing traditional polling methods that often face challenges such as dishonesty in responses.
Read more via Semafor.
Toys to Play With
OpenAI rolls out Advanced Voice Mode with more voices and a new look (24/Sep/2024)
OpenAI has introduced Advanced Voice Mode (AVM) for ChatGPT, enhancing its audio features for a more natural interaction. Initially available to paying customers in the Plus and Teams tiers, AVM includes a revamped design with a blue animated sphere and five new voices named Arbor, Maple, Sol, Spruce, and Vale, bringing the total to nine. The rollout doesn't include video and screen-sharing features previously showcased, but improvements have been made in accent understanding and conversation fluidity. Some regions, including the EU and the UK, do not yet have access to AVM.
Read more via TechCrunch.
I’ve had fun speaking basic Latin with it. This guy tried to sing a live duet with it!
Source: Reddit.
Just 5,000 people use the Rabbit R1 every day (25/Sep/2024)
Only 5,000 of the 100,000 Rabbit R1 AI gadgets sold are currently used daily, as revealed by founder Jesse Lyu. The device's premature launch to beat competitors might explain its low engagement. Despite an upcoming update, the Rabbit R1 struggles against integrated AI features from tech giants like Apple and Google.
Read more via The Verge.
Jony Ive confirms he’s working on a new device with OpenAI (21/Sep/2024)
Jony Ive has confirmed his collaboration with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on an AI hardware project. The venture, potentially raising US$1B in funding, involves a small team including former key iPhone collaborators, and is being designed by Ive's company, LoveFrom. Although specific details about the device remain scarce, discussions suggest that generative AI could enable the creation of a new computing device capable of handling complex tasks beyond traditional software.
Read more via The Verge.
Secret calculator hack brings ChatGPT to the TI-84, enabling easy cheating (20/Sep/2024)
A video by ChromaLock demonstrates a hack of the TI-84 calculator to access ChatGPT, enabling students to potentially cheat by solving problems in real-time. This involves installing a custom circuit board with a Wi-Fi microcontroller and developing open-source software to simulate another TI-84, allowing for discreet file transfers. Though technically impressive, this hack poses serious ethical issues by bypassing traditional anti-cheating measures.
Read more via Tom's Hardware and Ars Technica.
Dreamforce: Marc Benioff says he uses ChatGPT as a therapist (17/Sep/2024)
During a keynote at Dreamforce, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff candidly shared that he uses ChatGPT as a personal therapist. This revelation came during a conversation with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who mentioned using ChatGPT as a tutor. The discussion highlighted a growing trend of using AI chatbots for personal support, though it brings mixed results compared to traditional therapy. Benioff humorously remarked on the therapeutic effect, while Huang playfully considered joining him for similar AI-driven self-reflection.
Read more via The San Francisco Standard.
AI OR DIE: The First 100% AI Sketch Comedy Show - EP02 - Simulations (18/Sep/2024)
Okay, this one made me laugh.
Watch (link):
Flashback
Looking back on FY24: from Copilots empowering human achievement to leading AI Transformation (29/Jul/2024)
I’ll be leaning on this report from Microsoft—primed and ready for my end of 2024 report!—but provided here for your reading pleasure. It’s a ‘flashback’ to ~two months ago, and a ‘flash forward’ to three months into the future!
Microsoft reflects on its fiscal year 2024, highlighting the widespread adoption and impact of AI Transformation, driven by services like Azure OpenAI and Copilot.
Audi: Integrated ChatGPT into in-car voice control systems for nearly 2 million vehicles.
Chi Mei Medical Center: Developed AI copilots to help overworked healthcare staff, reducing time spent on tasks like medical report writing.
Coles: Using AI for stock prediction and personalized recommendations for loyalty club customers.
EY: Professionals saving up to 14 hours per week using AI digital assistants.
GHD: Employees saving time on proposal reviews and reporting increased efficiency with Copilot.
Lumen Technologies: Saving sellers an average of 4 hours per week, equating to $50 million annually.
Moody's Corporation: 94% of users reported increased productivity with their internal Copilot tool.
Softchoice: Achieved significant time savings in various tasks, including 97% reduction in time spent summarizing technical meetings.
Read more via Official Microsoft Blog.
Next
Congratulations on reading this far. This is a 4,600-plus-word edition!
I’ve been thinking a lot about this old story in the context of ASI (artificial superintelligence): when we get a machine that possesses intelligence surpassing that of the brightest and most gifted human minds. This will allow us to leapfrog past the current scarcity economy (read more about the post-scarcity economy via wiki).
The following is an excerpt from Dan Millman’s 2011 book The Four Purposes of Life (p82).
A thief named Willy, making his escape from a high-rise penthouse, falls from the fire escape toward certain death thirty-five floors below. A moment later, it seems, he finds himself in a fancy pool hall, in perfect physical shape. Willy concludes that he has died and gone to heaven – because pool is his all-time favourite hobby. With a sense of relief and joy, he racks up and discovers he has somehow become a master at the game. His only regret is that no one else can see his triumph in this empty establishment as he sinks one shot after another.
Later that day as he explores his new environment, he visits a swimming pool and finds himself performing Olympic-caliber dives from the three-meter board, then cutting through the water in what must be record time. At a nearby casino, where he meets taciturn croupiers and silent dealers, he starts with a few dollars in his pocket and emerges a millionaire – the luckiest man alive. He finds a hotel and pays in advance for a month in the executive suite. The next day is a blissful repeat of the day before. He races cars, wins another fortune at video poker, and beds six gorgeous women, having discovered a profound new virility.
It’s an amazing week, and a pretty good month, but as time passes, Willy begins to tire of the constant winning and his mastery of everything and everyone. Within six months he feels like he’s going mad. He undertakes a search for Saint Peter or whoever’s in charge, so he can express his dissatisfaction. After an exhausting search he finally reaches the main administration hall. An efficient secretary waves him into a grand office, where he finds a well-dressed man sitting behind a massive mahogany desk. “May I help you?” asks the official.
With that, Willy begins a litany of complaints: the terrible boredom, the effortless success and victory at every turn, ending with, “I never thought that heaven would be anything like this.”
The official stands slowly, and his eyes reflect a reddish glow. “What.” he asks, “makes you think that this is heaven?”
■
The next roundtable will be:
Life Architect - The Memo - Roundtable #18
Follows the Chatham House Rule (no recording, no outside discussion)
Saturday 19/Oct/2024 at 5PM Los Angeles
Saturday 19/Oct/2024 at 8PM New York
Sunday 20/Oct/2024 at 10AM Brisbane (new primary/reference time zone)
or check your timezone via Google.
You don’t need to do anything for this; there’s no registration or forms to fill in, I don’t want your email, you don’t even need to turn on your camera or give your real name!
All my very best,
Alan
LifeArchitect.ai