Welcome to the Specialist Generalist, where I (Oliver Wilson) showcase the most interesting things I have read or experienced this week. Get ready for a broad range of topic areas with global breadth, across AI, the Start-Up World, Science, Sports, Culture & more. If I found it interesting then it's here!

Important: This is the podcast version of my weekly substack created by Google NotebookLM. As an AI-generated podcast, it may contain inaccuracies. If in doubt then please feel free to crosscheck with my actual substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-149567467?r=4xlcq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web. As a final disclaimer, I would say that the conversational style of the podcast is not exactly representative of me! With that out the way, I hope you enjoy the episode!

The "Weekly Recap #1" by Oliver Wilson spotlights key trends across technology, economics and AI. It examines the possibility of uncovering lost ancient texts through technologies like digital unwrapping. The recap also explores the contrasting urban development models of "producer cities" and "consumer cities" in developing countries and discusses the European Union's struggle to maintain global economic competitiveness against the U.S. and China. Additionally, it provides insights into the success strategies of YouTuber MrBeast, emphasizing data-driven optimisation and prioritising results. Lastly, the recap highlights notable AI advancements, including OpenAI's GPT-o1 and Google Research's bioacoustic model HeAR.