Some days it can seem as if the whole of the tech world is hanging on the latest update to one graph.
The graph in question is made by a non-profit research institute called METR and it assesses the software development capacities of different AI models.
For many months now, this chart has been provoking excitement and unease in anyone who watches artificial intelligence because it shows a striking exponential trend – that is, a doubling in growth.
According to METR, or Model Evaluation and Threat Research, AI is getting twice as good at the startling rate of roughly every seven months.
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The latest results turned the dial from feverish to panicked, because it showed the trend not just continuing, but actually speeding up.
METR tests AIs by assessing their ability to complete longer and longer human software tasks.
Many in tech compare the situation to the COVID pandemic because of the deceptive way doubling turns from apparently small increases to monstrous leaps.
“Nothing, nothing, nothing, everything,” was how a UK tech entrepreneur and AI researcher described the situation to me a few months ago, at a time when the METR chart was already looking fairly vertiginous (although, in retrospect, it feels as if we were barely approaching the foothills).
The progress since then makes many feel like we are rapidly approaching “everything”.
After the chart’s release, one METR researcher sent a note to his old college friends, which he posted on social media, saying: “I feel very confident now that it’s going to be totally insane and chaotic, like many orders of magnitude more chaotic than anything the world has experienced in our lifetimes.”
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This isn’t even an unusual sentiment in tech right now. The chief executives of leading AI companies make similar statements all the time.
‘Ten times the impact of Industrial Revolution’
Even Demis Hassabis, the most measured of the AI leaders, regularly says that AI will have 10 times the impact of the Industrial Revolution, in a tenth of the timespan.
A widely-shared newsletter responding to the METR chart put it more simply: “When must I start kicking and screaming at you that it is… happening.”
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But what exactly is “it”? On closer inspection, it becomes harder to tell.
For a start, look at what the METR chart actually measures.
The graph that shows why AI is going to be so huge
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The details are technical, but roughly speaking it measures the length of a task that an AI can complete 50% of the time – meaning they fail as often as they succeed.
Some way off full automation
A business which turned its operations over to an AI which could complete a task half the time wouldn’t last very long.
Even 80% success – which METR also measures – wouldn’t be close enough for anything approaching full automation in a corporate environment.
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Then there is the precise location of the dots on the chart, which even METR researchers admit they are unsure about.
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Why you shouldn’t ask AI to generate your passwords
“We’re increasingly nervous about the measurements that we’re putting out there,” said Joel Becker, a member of METR’s technical staff, referring to the extremely large range of possible values – the confidence interval – on the group’s Claude Opus 4.6 evaluation.
“We don’t want to hide behind that. I think that’s real uncertainty.”
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A key reason behind the uncertainty is that it is increasingly difficult for organisations like METR to find tasks that are hard enough to test the AI properly.
That, in itself, tells a story.
Nevertheless, with markets moving based on small changes in AI assessments, it is important to remember that a few small tweaks in METR’s tests might have changed the result in a meaningful way.
AI researchers are resigning – what does that mean?
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The rate of AI progress might be speeding up, but it could just as easily be slowing down.
Becker, who said he had stopped paying into a pension since understanding the trend in AI development, told Sky News he believed that AI was not yet able to improve itself, triggering the science fiction fear of an explosion of AI capabilities.
Nevertheless, he said that “it probably is the case today that AI tools are meaningfully speeding up the degree to which AI professionals are able to make progress on building better and better AIs”, which is significant in its own right.
“I want to communicate that the situation is serious, that it’s fast-moving, that it appears not to be slowing down, that it is accelerating,” Becker told Sky News.
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“It could be associated with extraordinarily positive possibilities… and on the other side, there may be extraordinary, dangerous things that might follow.”
How is AI affecting employment?
At present, employment statistics in the UK and the US show little sign of any impact from AI.
Adverts for software engineering jobs on the job search platform Indeed are actually rising.
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Becker said he thought coders had a future, for a while at least.
“There’s all these AI professionals inside the labs, you know, they’re doing real work. I imagine they’ll keep doing not so similar work for the next year to maybe many more years than that.”
But he cautioned: “Economic statistics are referring to what happens some number of months ago and not what’s happening exactly today.
“And I think some of the extraordinary progress that we’ve seen, especially in software engineering, but also in other fields, from AIs becoming more capable, has happened only in the past few months.”
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The speed of development in AI is so fast now it’s becoming extremely hard to measure.
Ove and Grethe Andresen’s retrospective application to “regularise” the construction of raised timber decking at their property in Whitby has been refused by North Yorkshire Council over concerns about its impact on the town’s historic conservation area.
The applicants said that “the development supports the continued residential and holiday use of Kirkby House at Long Steps, Church Street, which is consistent with prevailing patterns of occupation in this part of Whitby”.
They added that it “provides private outdoor amenity space in a location constrained by steep topography and limited garden provision”.
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However, planning officers described it as “a private benefit ” with “no advantages to the wider public that would outweigh the visual harm caused by the boundary treatment”.
A planning report also highlighted that the property “already benefited from a much smaller timber side balcony”.
Cllr Neil Swannick, who represents Whitby Streonshalh, said: “The unauthorised construction is inappropriate in Whitby’s conservation area and likely to cause disamenity to the adjacent residential properties whose residents are entitled to the quiet enjoyment of their homes.”
The planning report stated: “It is emphasised that the area holds great significance with regard to the Whitby conservation area and, as such, the use of materials is an important factor in relation to the character of the area.
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“It is noted in the assessment that poor-quality boundary treatment can have an adverse impact on the character of the conservation area.”
The applicants defended the development in a design statement submitted to the authority, stating: “The proposal constitutes a proportionate and contextually responsive intervention that makes efficient use of limited external space within a sensitive historic environment.
“On this basis, there are no material planning grounds that would justify refusal, and planning permission should be granted for the retention of the decking.
However, officers concluded that the development “causes an unacceptable level of harm to neighbouring amenity”.
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The retrospective application was refused by North Yorkshire Council.
The Section 106 financial contributions have increased by £275,811 to a new total of £3,466,277 to address the impact of the 37 additional homes and the revised Energy Strategy. However, all non-financial obligations from the previous scheme, such as those relating to affordable housing and viability reviews, remain unchanged.
Secateurs are one of the first tools most gardeners acquire. A good pair will last a lifetime, but any that are substandard or old can damage your plants and your hands. There are two main types. Bypass secateurs have scissor-like blades to produce a clean cut when pruning green stems. In contrast, anvil secateurs act more like a knife, and work best when cutting thicker, woodier stems.
The best secateurs should also be comfortable and a ratchet function will help if you need extra power when cutting bigger stems. Most also come in different sizes, and some have adjustable grip, so you can tweak it if you share your tools. Just note that smaller tools have reduced cutting diameters.
Price-wise, they range from around £15 to almost £300 for professional tools, although none here reach those heights. Notable brands include Felco, Niwaki, Okasune, Wilkinson Sword and Darlac. You’ll find all of these and more reviewed below, after extensive testing on my allotment.
Northern have issued a warning to passengers, saying that all lines are blocked between Wigan Wallgate and Salford Crescent.
Services between these two stations via Atherton are blocked in both directions.
Disruptions are expected to last until 9pm, according to the latest updated from Northern.
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The Headbolt Lane to Blackburn and Wigan Wallgate to Leeds services are affected.
Services between Southport and Manchester Oxford Road and Southport and Stalybridge are able to call at all stations via Westhoughton, however may be subject to short notice cancellations and delays.
⚠️Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident near the railway between Wigan Wallgate and Salford Crescent some lines are blocked.
Northern train ticket restrictions have been lifted in the affected areas, including Advance and Peak restrictions, during this disruption. Restrictions will be reinstated once the disruption ends.
The following rail replacement services are in place:
From Wigan Wallgate calling at all stations to Manchester Victoria via Atherton at 20:00
From Salford Crescent calling at all stations to Wigan Wallgate via Atherton at 20:00
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The emergency services have been contacted for comment.
Inside Piers Morgan’s marriage to Celia Walden after he storms off over taunts about her – The Mirror
Need to know
Piers Morgan branded Manosphere content-creator Harrison Sullivan a “f***Ing idiot”, a “half-wit”, and a “sexist, misogynistic, homophobic twerp,” after the 24-year-old goaded him over his wife Celia
Inside Piers Morgan’s marriage to Celia Walden after he storms off over HSTikkyTokky’s taunts about her(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Inside Piers Morgan’s marriage with Celia Walden after HSTikkyTokky Manosphere row
Celia Walden, 50, and Piers Morgan, 60, met in 2006, when he gave a speech to 1000 people who began “openly jeering” him because it was so bad. The TV host revealed in 2019 that it was when his future-wife told him “that just bombed”, that he realised she was “perfect bride material”.
The couple got married four years later, on June 24, 2010, at St Mary’s Church, in Swinbrook. Although they largely kept their relationship out of the public eye, Celia, who is a journalist herself, does have an active social media presence – which was used against her by controversial internet personality HSTikkyTokky – real name Harrison Sullivan. He was the subject of Louis Theroux‘s new Netflix documentary Inside the Manosphere, which exposes Sullivan as he fights strangers on camera and peddles Crypto-scams.
A year after getting married, Celia and Piers welcomed their daughter Elise, who was born on November 23, 2011. She is Piers’ fourth child, with the outspoken media personality already sharing three sons, Spencer, Stanley and Albert with his ex-wife Marion Shalloe.
Celia is a journalist and novelist, who started out writing a gossip column for Londoner’s Diary, in the Evening Standard. She has also worked at The Telegraph, and has written several books, including 2008’s Harm’s Way and the controversial 2011 memoir Babysitting George. She also published the 2023 psychological thriller The Square.
Piers Morgan sensationally walked out of his interview with Harrison Sullivan, when the 24-year-old brought up a 2022 photo of Celia lying in the sun, next to an old sign that read: “Wanted. Pool boy. No experience needed.” The light-hearted Instagram snap was used against Piers and his wife, with Sullivan making vile comments about the couple to goad Piers, before he brands the content creator him a “f***Ing idiot”, a “half-wit”, and a “sexist, misogynistic, homophobic twerp.”
Emergency services were called to the A179 at Hart, near Hartlepool, between the Hart Lane roundabout and the A19, at around 3.20pm on Friday (March 20), following reports of a ‘serious crash’.
Officers from Cleveland Police closed off the road following the crash.
It remains closed at this time, and the police force has advised drivers to ‘seek alternative routes’.
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The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has confirmed that one person was airlifted to hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) following the crash.
An NEAS spokesperson said: “We were called to a road traffic incident on the A179 in Hartlepool at 3.20pm on March 20.
“We dispatched two double-crewed ambulances, a duty officer and were supported by Great North Air Ambulance Service.
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“One patient was taken to James Cook Hospital by air.”
In a statement, Cleveland Police said: “Motorists are advised that emergency services are currently at the scene of a serious RTC on A179 near Hart, which has led to the road being closed in both directions between the Hart Lane roundabout and the A19.
“Please seek alternative routes while we deal with the incident.
“Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.”
Dynamite deaths save familiar frights, with leading lady Dafne Keen putting in a mournful display.
Ah, the old cursed object causing havoc staple rears its fearsome head once again.
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This time it’s an ancient Aztec whistle that plagues a group of high school students as they discover that blowing it will summon their future deaths to hunt them down.
English filmmaker Corin Hardy started down the right horror path with 2015’s haunting The Hallow – but took a serious wrong turn with The Nun (2018).
Whistle falls somewhere in between those outings as Owen Egerton’s ( Follow , Mercy Black ) script adds more depth than you’d expect from this kind of genre fare.
Not least with Dafne Keen’s leading lady Chrys and her dark past that bleeds into her present as she struggles with life at a new school and her crush on the likeable Ellie (Sophie Nélisse).
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Thought has clearly also went into the film’s deaths, and their execution, which results in some of the most original and indelible demises in recent modern horror.
The kills start relatively run-of-the-mill but when it becomes clear what is happening to the titular object’s victims, Hardy cuts loose with mangled bodies and an abundance of blood.
The fact the deaths left such a strong impression despite being very CGI-heavy – something I’m not normally a fan of – speaks volumes about their wicked innovation.
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Shaun of the Dead’s Nick Frost pops up in a notable cameo as teacher Mr Craven – perhaps a nod from Hardy to late genre legend Wes Craven?
The whistle’s powers are inconsistent, though, especially when it comes to time-keeping as some victims are bumped off way quicker than others.
There’s also the token visit to someone already impacted by the curse to get more information and anyone who has seen Final Destination, Smileand Talk To Me will often get a sense of deja-vu.
But the dynamite deaths and mournful turn from Keen see Whistle hit enough right notes to warrant a watch.
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However, I’m not sure the larger scale sequel-baiting post-credit scene will be music to horror fans’ ears.
● Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on any movie or TV show recommendations you have to your fellow readers.
Claire Pearson got in touch to say: “Vanished on Amazon Prime is a really good mystery.
“Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin play off each other really well.”
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● Whistle is showing in cinemas now.
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And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Recently, Graham told Rhona to meet with him so they could discuss their dynamic. He said that if she didn’t turn up, he’d take it as a message to leave her well alone.
Rhona had every intention of meeting Graham, but got distracted due to Ivy injuring herself at nursery. When Rhona got to the bridge, Graham was gone.
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Rhona has told Graham that she isn’t interested (Picture: ITV)
In this evening’s episode, Rhona and her family were panicking following Dylan Penders’ (Fred Kettle) disappearance. The young man had ran away from the village after posting a letter to the police explaining that he killed Ray Walters (Joe Absolom).
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Dylan believes that Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) and Paddy Kirk’s (Dominic Brunt) lives are falling apart because of him, and thought confessing would free them both from prison.
The plan for Rhona, Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) this evening was to somehow find Dylan, and intercept the post to get that letter.
Rhona knew that the family needed a miracle if they were going to get the situation sorted on time, and she knew exactly who to ask.
Dylan believed that Paddy and Bear’s lives were falling apart because of him (Picture: ITV)
A secret meeting by the river saw Rhona ask Graham to find Dylan, and locate the letter. Despite the fact he only had a few hours to succeed, Graham could see how desperate Rhona was and got to work.
Graham found Dylan and that evening, met Rhona outside the pub with the letter. She was incredibly grateful, and neither of them seemed to care that they were making it very obvious they still had feelings for each other.
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In the pub, as Rhona tried to once again convince herself that Graham wasn’t on her mind all the time, Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) had picked up on their dynamic. He told Graham that he thinks he’s now staying in the village for someone else other than him.
‘I don’t know what you mean’, Graham said as he witnessed Rhona kissing Marlon.
Is it only a matter of time until something happens between them?
A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of burglary
A man has been arrested after a burglary at a post office in Cambridge. Cambridgeshire Police were called to the post office on Kings Hedges Road after receiving reports of a burglary taking place at around 2.30am today (Friday, March 20).
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Thousands of pounds of cash was stolen during the incident. A 38-year-old man, of no fixed address, has been arrested on suspicion of burglary. He currently remains in custody. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
If you have any information, dashcam footage or doorbell footage that could help the police, you should report it through the force website using the reference 35/20500/26.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “A 38-year-old man, of no fixed address, has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and is in custody.”
To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community.Click this linkto receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.
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Whorlton Bridge, which spans the River Tees, has been closed since 2019 after safety concerns revealed it could no longer support vehicles or even pedestrians.
Now, following a major redesign and more than £12 million in repairs, the Grade II*-listed structure is expected to welcome people back later this year.
Whorlton Bridge, which spans the River Tees, has been closed since 2019 (Image: STUART BOULTON)
Durham County Council (DCC) previously said the project has proven far more challenging than first anticipated.
Originally estimated to cost £8.4 million, the restoration has already exceeded that by £3.6 million, with almost all of the bridge’s historic components deemed unusable.
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The 193-year-old suspension bridge, one of the oldest of its kind in the UK (Image: STUART BOULTON)
The 193-year-old suspension bridge, one of the oldest of its kind in the UK, was dismantled piece by piece in the hope that original materials could be restored and reused.
However, specialist testing found that around 96 per cent of its 1,800 components were beyond saving.
Mark Readman, DCC’s head of highways, previously said the structure’s historic status made the work particularly complex.
First opened in 1831, it was originally built to carry horse-drawn carts (Image: STUART BOULTON)
“Whorlton Bridge is a Grade II-listed structure of international significance, which also provides a vital link between Whorlton village and nearby communities,” he said.
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“As a Scheduled Monument, its restoration has been an intricate process, with special consent required for all work.”
Initial structural assessments painted a stark picture.
Engineers found the bridge could not withstand load conditions for either vehicles or pedestrians, with critical failures identified in the main chains and link pins.
A further analysis confirmed it would not be safe even for pedestrian use alone, forcing its full closure in December 2020 after an earlier vehicle ban.
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Originally estimated to cost £8.4 million, the restoration has already exceeded that by £3.6 million (Image: STUART BOULTON)
First opened in 1831, it was originally built to carry horse-drawn carts transporting coal.
It has retained a 3-tonne weight limit since 1914 and is considered one of the earliest surviving iron chain suspension bridges in the country.
During the Second World War, Winston Churchill famously stood on the bridge to observe military training exercises along the River Tees.
Despite the setbacks, the project is now entering its final stages.
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A new design has been completed, replacement components have been manufactured, and reassembly is due to begin this spring.
The installation of a new deck is scheduled for June, putting the bridge on track to reopen later this summer.
DCC said the aim has always been to preserve the bridge’s historic character while ensuring it is safe for future generations.
“We would like to thank the public for their patience during the restoration,” Mr Readman previously added.
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