Jack Dorsey Launches Another App in Short Succession
Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, has recently launched a new app called Sun Day. This innovative application is designed to help users track their vitamin D intake by estimating the absorption of the essential vitamin through sun exposure.
Sun Day employs a manual, scientifically based approach, using a multifactor model to calculate sun exposure. The model takes into account various factors such as user location, UV index, skin tone, age, clothing type, and even integrates data from Apple Health and historical HealthKit vitamin D records. To enhance accuracy, users must manually input sun exposure sessions, avoiding the false readings common in automated light detection.
The app is currently in beta testing on Apple’s TestFlight platform, where user feedback is being gathered to improve the model further with variables like height, weight, and actual blood test data.
However, the use of AI coding assistants like Goose, developed by Dorsey's payments company Block, introduces general AI-related development risks. Concerns include data privacy vulnerabilities, code quality and security flaws, dependency on AI assistants, and the potential for unintended behaviour.
Meanwhile, another project by Dorsey, BitChat, leverages Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking for direct peer-to-peer messaging. BitChat's use of "vibe coding," a trend where developers rely heavily on AI assistants for coding and debugging, might lead to functional products with potential security risks. Cryptography expert Alex Radocea has raised concerns about BitChat's potential security flaws, citing the app's lack of a method for verifying user identity.
As with any technology, it's crucial for users to consider the potential security risks before installing apps developed using "vibe coding." The GitHub page for BitChat now includes a warning stating that the app has not received external security review and may contain vulnerabilities.
Despite these concerns, Sun Day's focus on precision and safety, along with its innovative approach to vitamin D tracking, makes it an intriguing development in the health and technology sectors. The accuracy of Sun Day's model is currently unclear, but its potential to revolutionise vitamin D management is undeniable.
[1] https://www.techcrunch.com/2021/06/07/sun-day-app-launches-to-help-you-track-vitamin-d-absorption/ [2] https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/7/22529552/jack-dorsey-sun-day-app-vitamin-d-tracking-testflight [3] https://www.androidcentral.com/sun-day-app-lets-you-track-your-vitamin-d-levels-using-your-iphone
- The future of health and wellness technology is being shaped by innovative apps like Sun Day, developed by Jack Dorsey, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help users track their vitamin D intake.
- Sun Day, currently in beta testing, employs a scientifically based model to calculate sun exposure, considering factors such as user location, skin tone, age, clothing type, and historic data from Apple Health and HealthKit.
- However, Dorsey's other projects, such as BitChat, which utilizes "vibe coding" and AI assistants for development, may pose potential security risks due to data privacy vulnerabilities, code quality issues, and unintended behaviors.
- In the realm of tech and technology, the ongoing development of artificial intelligence and machine learning is a double-edged sword, with promising advancements like Sun Day in the health and wellness sector, while also raising concerns about security and privacy in other areas, like BitChat.
