The Daily Briefing highlights the news of the day and research that reveals the spirit of the day.
The Daily Briefing is a newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning that provides biblical insight on today's news.
Top News
6. Trump launches ‘Super Intelligence Force’ after calls for AI slowdown (WaPo)
“President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he would name four top administration officials to a “Super Intelligence Force” that will coordinate the federal government’s response to artificial intelligence. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor and Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering, will lead the task force, Trump said. The task force is expected to coordinate the government’s engagement with various stakeholders in a growing debate over the risks of AI, including consumers, public interest groups, tech companies and infrastructure providers.
“The Super Intelligence Force is tasked with coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the Internet, and will protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans,” Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social.”
Are AI executives like Charlie Brown? There is a classic clip in Peanuts when Charlie closes his eyes and puts his fist out, hoping Linus will walk into it to settle a score. However, Lucy is walking quickly down the sidewalk, unaware of Charlie’s fist, and walks directly into it. “You hit me blockhead!” Brown responds: “I didn't hit you, you ran into my fist." Charlie, like AI leaders, knows he is doing something dangerous, but instead of taking accountability for his own actions, he is asking others to do the work for him… and somebody is going to get hurt.
Enter the tort system, an old school solution to new school AI problems, according to Judge Glock. Writing at the Manhattan Institute, Glock argues torts, “or legal claims for damages against a company, may provide the best mechanism to prevent the dangers of AI while preserving its advantages.” He writes: “A bureaucratic model of AI control… forces AI companies to follow bureaucratic rules and procedures rather than try to figure out themselves what sort of harms might cause the most damage. However well-meaning and intelligent such experts are, they will never have the insight into the dangers of AI that the frontier labs themselves possess. They also will not have the same incentive to prevent harms as the labs would if faced with tort claims.”
Glock goes on: “The benefit of the tort system is that it forces those companies to avoid such harms in their own self-interest and mitigate them step by step. The constant pressure of liability will help ensure the “alignment” of AI models with those of the general public before a big catastrophic event occurs.”
Let’s not count on (or like) King David. The son of Jesse ordered a national census to count the fighting men of Israel. This was less a standard government function and more the act of a leader motivated by military pride rather than divine instruction. The intervention was viewed as an act of self-reliance over faith. As a result, a plague struck the nation. As David demonstrated, even the best leaders fail. True leadership is found in the space between identifying a problem and discerning a prudential solution – that may or may not involve the state. (2 Sam. 24)
5. Tennessee Correction commissioner to resign days after botched execution of Christa Pike (ABC News)
“Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada said he will resign days after Christa Pike was hospitalized in the wake of a botched execution attempt, according to Gov. Bill Lee. The Tennessee governor's statement on Saturday did not directly reference the situation with Pike, who is currently "critically ill," unconscious and on a ventilator in a hospital following the Sept. 30 failed execution. In the announcement, Strada said that stepping aside was "in the best interest of Tennesseans as the independent review moves forward."
“On Sunday, the governor's office announced that former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton had been appointed "to conduct an independent review of the Tennessee Department of Correction’s actions in carrying out the court-ordered sentence of Christa Gail Pike." The review "will seek to determine whether the protocol was followed and consider whether additional recommendations are necessary to ensure the State’s protocol continues to be lawful and effective," according to the statement.”
Quitting and perseverance are complimentary actions, according to Lindsay Crouse. In her new book The Case for Quitting, Crouse writes that "Why am I continuing?" is a more useful question than "Should I quit?" Stepping away from a role isn’t always the easy way out; it's the courageous first step. In this instance, that first step is for the sake of the institution's integrity.
Crouse highlights 5 key insights from walking away: perseverance can work against us, fear of quitting is often misplaced, testing the waters usually beats a cannonball, endurance can become a weakness, and quitting can be a better path. “Over the long arc of our lives, we tend to regret inaction more than action. Quitting is an action. It may mean taking a loss, but it also means opening yourself to new opportunities.”
Instead of blaming others to shift the responsibility, Strada accepted accountability for the sake of the larger entity. There are times when we need to persist despite the odds, and other times when we need to adjust our plans in light of the situation. In this moment, Strada decided to step away, perhaps believing, like Crouse, that success isn’t connected to persistence through situations but discernment in situations. (Jonah 3, Num. 22, Phil. 3)
4. Blazers broadcaster fired hours after hiring for racist, sexist posts from teen years (NY Times)
“The same day the Portland Trail Blazers announced the hiring of television broadcaster Braiden Bell, the team has fired him because of past social media posts. KGW-TV reported the posts were made when Bell was a teenager in 2012 and 2013. Bell, 29, was the television play-by-play announcer for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
“The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist, sexist or harmful comments,’’ the team said in a statement. “Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play announcer are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster.’’ Bell was set to appear at Sunday’s Fan Fest scrimmage and begin working in Portland next week. He was replacing veteran broadcaster Kevin Calabro, who spent nine seasons broadcasting in Portland.”
Forgiveness is antithetical to a culture committed to authenticity, according to Tim Keller. In his insightful book Forgive, Keller highlights how we live in a world in which our neighbors believe their highest priority is being true to themselves, loving themselves well. In such a culture, the act of forgiveness is viewed as an act of self-hate. Instead of pursuing revenge and making them pay the price, the person who forgives decides to bear the cost.
There are 2 prevalent obstacles relative to forgiveness in today’s age: therapeutic forgiveness and cancel culture. Concerning therapeutic forgiveness, Keller writes about how some view the extending of grace as a private emotional strategy done for the benefit of the one forgiving. Instead of aiming for reconciliation, the forgiver just wants to personally feel good. Then there is cancel culture. Keller writes: “Forgiveness is seen now as radically unjust and impractical, as short-circuiting the ability of victims to gain honor and virtue as others rise to defend them. And so this culture is littered with enormous numbers of broken and now irreparable relationships."
Easter bunnies over rabbits. Cornelius Plantinga noted that when you think about forgiveness, you begin to realize there are a lot of rabbit trails (hypothetical situations) you can explore. Instead of running down rabbit trails, Keller rightfully points back to the larger resurrection story: “Don’t let yourself be twisted. Take in what Jesus Christ has done, put your little story about what people have done to you in the big story of what he did for you, and you’ll have the power you need to grant forgiveness.” (Eph. 4)
Cultural News
3. Being a ‘Nerd’ Is Apparently Hot Now, According to a New Survey (Vice)
“Remember when “nerd” used to be an insult? If someone tossed that label my way in high school, I would’ve been distraught for months. But now, as an adult, I’d wear the title with pride—and apparently 83% of people agree it’s a compliment. In fact, according to a survey of 1,000 adults by the all-around knowledge app Nibble, 95% would date someone much smarter than themselves.
“I mean, who wouldn’t? Intelligence is incredibly attractive: 58% think flexing history or science knowledge on a date is “straight-up hot.” Additionally, 60% find a partner more attractive if they know a lot about history… According to the survey, 39% admit they’ve used AI to look up a historical fact just to impress someone. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 have specifically memorized history or science facts to impress their date.”
Roy Orbison saw a Pretty Woman Walking Down The Street, but what does she look like? A fascinating study compared BMI measurements and weights of models over the past half-century. The BMI of the average American woman has steadily increased over the past half a century, from 24.9 in 1960 to 26.5 in the present day. However, the difference between models' weights and the weight of the average American woman has grown from 8 percent in 1975 to over 23 percent today.
Flipping the old "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" line on its head? A fascinating study shows that what you want in a partner's personality actually tweaks how you see their face. By building composite faces based on what people were looking for in a match, the researchers proved that if you value a specific vibe, "faces perceived to possess that trait are found more attractive than faces which do not." In short, visual chemistry isn't just surface-level surface noise—what you consider "good" in someone's character shapes who you find attractive, meaning that "possessing personality traits that are attractive may be causal in making a face attractive."
Being attracted to your partner is important, but it’s not the most important… While there are a variety of data points worth examining when considering a partner, the chief among them is their faith direction. Paul encouraged the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked. A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other, sharing the burden as they work the field. To be unequally yoked means you cannot perform the task before you because of the differences between you. For the Christian couple, while there are a variety of tasks before them, a singular goal unites them as they work the field: glorious excellence. (2 Cor. 6:14)
News You Can Use
2. A Yodeler in a Big Hat Has Taken the Internet By Storm
Watch it here. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Pet. 4:10)
1. An Evolution of Dance…
Watch it here. “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…” (Ecc. 3:4)
