Will Douglas Heaven, a prominent figure in the tech journalism sphere, recently shared three areas of interest that are currently capturing his attention. These include the drumming performances of El Estepario Siberiano, the exploration of artificial intelligence's "uncanny valley," and the potential of AI models like Sora.

Heaven expressed particular enthusiasm for El Estepario Siberiano, the YouTube channel of Spanish drummer Jorge Garrido. Garrido's videos feature high-energy cover versions of popular songs, showcasing exceptional speed and technique. Heaven noted the dedication Garrido demonstrates, highlighting the countless hours of practice Garrido invested to achieve his level of skill. "He says he sat behind his kit almost all day, every day for years," Heaven stated, emphasizing the human effort behind Garrido's seemingly superhuman drumming. Heaven specifically recommended Garrido's cover of Skrillex and Missy Elliott's "Ra Ta Ta," suggesting it evokes a sense of joy. The popularity of Garrido's performances is further evidenced by the numerous reaction videos from other musicians, which Heaven also finds enjoyable.

Another area of interest for Heaven is the exploration of "signs of life in the uncanny valley." This refers to the unsettling feeling that arises when encountering artificial representations that closely resemble, but do not perfectly replicate, human beings or reality. Heaven cited examples of videos generated by OpenAI's Sora, specifically mentioning scenarios such as "Michael Jackson stealing a box of chicken nuggets" and "Sam Altman biting into the pink meat of a flame-grilled Pikachu." These examples, while humorous, highlight the potential for AI to create realistic but ultimately artificial content, prompting questions about the nature of reality and authenticity. The uncanny valley concept has been a topic of discussion in robotics and animation for decades, and the rapid advancements in AI image and video generation are bringing renewed attention to its implications.

Finally, Heaven is closely following the development and capabilities of AI models like Sora. Sora, developed by OpenAI, is a text-to-video model capable of generating realistic and imaginative scenes from text prompts. While still under development and not yet publicly available, Sora represents a significant step forward in AI's ability to create complex and visually compelling content. The potential applications of such technology are vast, ranging from entertainment and education to scientific visualization and design. However, the technology also raises concerns about misinformation, deepfakes, and the potential displacement of human artists and creators. Heaven's interest in Sora reflects a broader fascination with the transformative potential and ethical challenges posed by rapidly advancing AI technologies.