Links: Token Verification, Energy, Tech Monopolies, and LLM

I closed down a browser window today and found a bunch of great links that I’d been saving up.

Here are some looks at Token Verification, Energy, Tech Monopolies, and LLM’s.

JWT Token Verification

In case you need to know or explain how token signing and verification works this is an excellent guide

Energy

There’s a lot happening in the energy space lately. Partly driven by a push towards reducing fossil fuel usage and the resulting electrification efforts.

Not where you should start reading on the subject, but a reasonable read to get an idea of the size of the challenge: McKinsey put together a solid study on the second order effects of ‘electrification’

Part of what’s driving the change are thought provoking alternative energy ideas. Like harnessing Geothermal for large buildings Or buildings shaped to be efficent

LLM’s

It would be tough to read any tech news and not see something interesting in the LLM/Generative AI space. And indeed here’s an application in the energy industry from MIT using an LLM for anaomoly detection

Curiosly, here’s another paper from McKinsey. One could argue that they kicked off the LLM bubble in 2023 with big stories and CEO proclamations about the revolutionary impact of generative AI like this. It looks like they may be backing off a little and softening the stance. In this article they present an arguement that is best summarized “AI is cool and all, but transformation still requires traditional process engineering”

Monopolies

I found these two articles by Cory Doctorow to add some depth to my understanding of the current business landscape in the US. The first is about the Reagan era end to monopolistic pricing regulations. And he followed that with how Apple, et al extend that deregulation to keep reduce available choice by driving us into expensive vendor ecosystems.