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What Leaders Get Wrong About Automation And AI

But the key is to see AI as fundamental, not a feature add. AI moves us from rule-based tasks to intelligent decision-making. When leaders rush to automate without analyzing and redesigning processes first, they implement smart tools on top of outdated workflows, expecting immediate gains.

I’ve seen it happen: When you apply AI to a flawed process, the consequences scale quickly. Instead, redesign workflows with AI at the core. Make sure the process makes sense before applying the technology.

Critically, when redesigning processes, understand that implementation is about leadership, not tools. IT teams often focus too much on tools and infrastructure without aligning automation efforts to clear business outcomes. Without engaging leadership and your workforce early and addressing cultural resistance, adoption stalls—even if the technology works perfectly.

Ancient DNA reveals prehistoric connections and a patrilineal society in early China

Scientists from Peking University have uncovered new genetic evidence that sheds light on how prehistoric people in China interacted, migrated, and built their communities. Led by Professors Huang Yanyi and Pang Yuhong from the Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), the research reveals the first direct genetic proof of a patrilineal social system in Neolithic China.

The study, conducted in collaboration with Yunnan University and Minzu University of China, was published in Nature Communications on September 30, 2025.

The story of Chinese civilization begins along two : the Yellow River, known for its millet-farming cultures, and the Yangtze River, home to early rice agriculture. How people in these regions exchanged ideas, adapted to environmental shifts, and shaped early societies has long fascinated archaeologists and historians.

Scientists fix genetic defect in mice tied to brain disorders that include autism and epilepsy

In an exciting scientific first, researchers at the Allen Institute successfully designed a new gene therapy that reversed symptoms related to SYNGAP1-related disorders (SRD) in mice. These are a class of brain disorders that can lead to severe and debilitating symptoms including intellectual disability, epilepsy, motor problems, and risk-taking behaviors in humans. In most cases, SRDs are caused when someone has only one working copy of the SYNGAP1 gene instead of the normal two.

The findings, recently published in the journal Molecular Therapy, represent the first successful gene supplementation therapy for SRDs in which an adeno associate virus (AAV) was used to deliver a working copy of the SYNGAP1 gene into . AAVs are non-replicating viruses that act like delivery trucks carrying therapeutic cargo, in this case the SYNGAP1 gene, into cells that need it.

“Gene supplementation is providing a functional new copy of a defective gene, a strategy that has great potential for correcting diseases where a gene is completely missing or where a single copy of a gene is lost,” said Boaz Levi, Ph.D., associate investigator at the Allen Institute and senior author of the study. “This provides a clear demonstration that SYNGAP1-related disorders can be treated with a neuron-specific gene supplementation strategy. It’s an important milestone for the field that provides hope for those who suffer from this class of severe neurological diseases.”

Nanoparticle vaccine prevents multiple cancers and stops metastasis in mice

A study led by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers demonstrates that their nanoparticle-based vaccine can effectively prevent melanoma, pancreatic and triple-negative breast cancer in mice. Not only did up to 88% of the vaccinated mice remain tumor-free (depending on the cancer), but the vaccine reduced—and in some cases completely prevented—the cancer’s spread.

The study is published in Cell Reports Medicine.

“By engineering these nanoparticles to activate the immune system via multi-pathway activation that combines with cancer-specific antigens, we can prevent with remarkable survival rates,” says Prabhani Atukorale, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Riccio College of Engineering at UMass Amherst and corresponding author on the paper.

Scientists Accidentally Create a “Rainbow Laser” on a Tiny Chip

While developing LiDAR technology, scientists unexpectedly discovered how to generate multiple laser colors from a single chip.

Their innovation could transform data centers and communications by delivering faster, cleaner, and more efficient light sources.

Accidental Discovery in the Lab.

Bird flu persists in raw milk cheese, study demonstrates

Raw milk cheese products contained infectious avian influenza virus when made with contaminated raw milk, creating potential health risks for consumers, according to a new study.

At the same time, no virus was detected in test samples of highly acidic raw milk cheese. Feta cheese is an example of a more acidic variety.

The study is published in Nature Medicine.

Novel immunotherapy combination destroys colorectal liver metastases

Advanced colon cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in young American men and the second highest worldwide. In the majority of these patients, as the cancer advances it metastasizes to the liver. Despite progress in surgical therapies aimed at eradicating the cancer, many of these patients will have tumor recurrence in the liver.

Now, researchers from UC San Francisco (UCSF), have discovered that a novel combination of immunotherapies can reprogram the immune environment of colon cancer tumors that spread to the liver. In preclinical models, this therapy often eliminated tumors entirely, offering a potential new path for treating patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Their study appears in Science Advances.

Sam Altman on Zero-Person AI Companies, Sora, AGI Breakthroughs, and more

OpenAI just unveiled HUGE developer updates at DevDay 2025 — Apps in ChatGPT, Agent Builder, Sora API, and Codex updates that can handle day-long tasks.

I sat down with Sam Altman for an exclusive interview about going viral on Sora, zero-person companies, and why he believes early AGI-like breakthroughs are starting to happen NOW.

In this conversation, we unpack:

Sam’s Sora AI deepfakes going viral.
Zero-person billion dollar companies run by agents.
AI starting to make scientific discoveries on Twitter.
ChatGPT’s 800M users and the new distribution platform.

Get 5-minute daily updates on the latest AI news: https://www.therundown.ai/subscribe.

Chapters:

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