Wikipedia is finally asking Big Tech to pay up

PLUS: The race for AI supremacy, Google AI firings, and America's favorite sport. View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions  03.16.21   BIDDING WAR The Secret Auction that Set Off the Race for AI Supremacy BY CADE METZ How the shape of deep learning—and the fate of the tech industry—went up for sale in Harrah's Room 731, on the shores of Lake Tahoe.   WITHDRAWAL The Departure of 2 Google AI Researchers Spurs More Fallout BY TOM SIMONITE Two academics changed plans to attend an invite-only conference this week; a third says he'll no longer accept funding from the company.   HOME RUN Fans Are Rallying Around Blaseball, America's Favorite Splort BY PEARSE ANDERSON You may not have heard of the Chicago Firefighters or the Breckenridge Jazz Hands. But on Discord, fans from around the world are building real city pride.   IDEAS Wikipedia Is Finally Asking Big Tech to Pay Up BY NOAM COHEN The Big Four all lean on the encyclopedia at no cost. With the launch of Wikimedia Enterprise, the volunteer project will change that—and possibly itself, too.   SPONSORED CONTENT The Hunt For The Cure To Covid-19 Read Walter Isaacson's gripping account of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and the science revolution that will change humanity. GET WIRED Save 66% on your subscription to WIRED. Get 1 year of WIRED for less than $1 per month, plus get a free tote! You can't see into the future, but you can subscribe to WIRED. Subscribe now.   TOO QUIET Covid-19 Meant a Year Without the Flu. That's Not All Good News BY ADAM ROGERS The 2019–20 flu season basically didn't happen. Same for a couple other respiratory viruses. But that could make future seasons worse.   DOLLAR BITS As Digital Currency's Popularity Rises, So Do Privacy Fears BY GREGORY BARBER Backers see a way to reach the unbanked. But any system could give the government a record of every dollar you spend.   THE GREAT EYE The Best Security Cameras for Inside Your Home BY MEDEA GIORDANO Cameras can offer peace of mind, but choose carefully when you're inviting one into your home.   OPINION Big Music Needs to Be Broken Up to Save the Industry BY RON KNOX A year without live music has been a disaster. So has corporate power in streaming, recording, and ticketing. Antitrust may be the only solution.     This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions