News/New Launches
Claude’s API Now Supports CORS Requests
Anthropic enables CORS support for Claude API: Anthropic has introduced CORS support for their JSON APIs, allowing developers to make direct calls to Claude language models from client-side applications. The new feature was quietly introduced through a pull request in the Anthropic TypeScript SDK, enabling browser-based usage of the API. Developers can now add the HTTP request header "anthropic-dangerous-direct-browser-access: true" to enable CORS support for the Anthropic API. Significance and potential use cases: This update opens up new possibilities for browser-based applications while also presenting potential security considerations. The feature is particularly useful for internal tools exposed to trusted users...
read Aug 25, 2024Microsoft Revives AI-Powered Windows Recall with Enhanced Privacy
Microsoft revives controversial Windows feature: Microsoft is set to reintroduce its Windows Recall feature in October 2024 test builds of Windows 11, following its initial announcement and subsequent withdrawal due to privacy and security concerns. The big picture: The Recall feature, which uses AI to analyze frequent screenshots for user activity search, is being revamped with a focus on enhanced security and user control. Microsoft originally announced Recall in May 2024 but quickly pulled it due to widespread concerns about privacy and potential security vulnerabilities. The feature's core functionality remains unchanged, capturing screenshots every few seconds and employing AI analysis...
read Aug 25, 2024Canon’s AI Shift Sparks Debate Among Photographers
Canon's controversial decision: Canon's latest R5 Mark II camera has eliminated the Pixel Shifting High Resolution mode, sparking debate among photography enthusiasts and professionals. The removal of the Pixel Shifting High Resolution mode, which utilizes in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to capture multiple frames and combine them for higher resolution images, is seen as a significant drawback by some users. Canon has opted to replace this feature with AI upscaling, a move that has been met with skepticism from those who prefer the authentic detail captured by sensor shifting techniques. Understanding IBIS High Resolution mode: This technology leverages the camera's in-body...
read Aug 25, 2024ElevenLabs New AI Reader App Just Expanded to 32 More Languages
AI-powered text-to-speech expands globally: ElevenLabs, an AI audio startup, has released its Reader app worldwide, significantly expanding its language support and accessibility. The Reader app, initially launched in June for the US, UK, and Canada, is now available globally on both iOS and Android platforms. The app's language capabilities have been expanded to include 32 different languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Mandarin, and Hindi. Users can utilize the app to listen to various text formats, including PDFs, articles, newsletters, and ePub files, though support for Kindle and Apple Books files is not currently available. Diverse voice options and...
read Aug 25, 2024Abacus.AI Releases Open-Source AI Model ‘Dracarys’ for Coding
Generative AI for coding gets a boost: Abacus.ai has released Dracarys, a new family of open-source large language models (LLMs) specifically optimized for coding tasks. Dracarys applies a fine-tuning "recipe" to existing LLMs, significantly improving their coding abilities. The initial release focuses on the 70B parameter class of models, including Meta's Llama 3.1 and Qwen-2 72B. Abacus.ai has previously released Smaug-72B, a general-purpose LLM, showcasing their penchant for using dragon-inspired names from popular fiction. Performance improvements: Benchmarks indicate substantial enhancements in coding capabilities for models treated with the Dracarys recipe. LiveBench coding scores show an increase from 32.67 to 35.23...
read Aug 25, 2024How This Top Creator Platform Uses AI To Hire Brand Influencers
The rise of AI-powered influencer marketing: LTK, a leading content creator platform, has introduced an innovative AI tool called LTK Match to revolutionize how brands connect with influencers for marketing campaigns. LTK is a three-sided business ecosystem that connects shoppers, brands, and influencers, boasting 40 million shoppers, 150,000+ content creators, and around 8,000 brands on its platform. The company facilitates approximately 44,000 brand campaigns annually, ranging from driving sales and website clicks to increasing brand awareness and repositioning products. AI-driven influencer selection: LTK Match, a machine learning AI tool, streamlines the process of finding the right influencers for brand campaigns,...
read Aug 25, 2024iOS 18.1’s AI-Powered Notifications Could Apple Intelligence’s Killer App
Apple's AI-powered notification summaries: A game-changer for iOS users: Apple's upcoming iOS 18.1 update introduces a practical yet powerful AI feature that promises to change how users interact with their notifications. The core of Apple Intelligence: Apple's new AI initiative, dubbed "AI for the rest of us," focuses on implementing practical improvements to everyday tasks, with notification management being a prime example. The feature, set to launch in late October, will provide AI-generated summaries of notifications from key communication apps. Initial support includes Apple's Messages and Mail apps, with third-party app integration planned for the future. Notification summaries are designed...
read Aug 25, 2024‘Google Keep’ Adds AI-Powered List Creation for Android Users
AI-powered list creation comes to Google Keep: Google Keep, the popular note-taking app, is introducing a new AI-driven feature called "Help me create a list" for Android users, leveraging the power of Gemini to enhance productivity and organization. Feature functionality and accessibility: The new AI-powered list creation tool in Google Keep transforms simple prompts into comprehensive, categorized lists, streamlining the process of task and item organization for users. Users can input prompts like "write a grocery list of ingredients for healthy dinners," and the AI will generate a detailed list with categories such as lean protein, vegetables, and whole grains....
read Aug 25, 2024Google’s Pixel Screenshots and Studio Now Available in These Countries
Pixel 9 series phones are set to receive advanced AI-powered features, enhancing user experience with innovative screenshot and photo editing capabilities. New AI features for Pixel 9: Google is rolling out Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio, two AI-powered tools designed to enhance the functionality of its latest smartphone series. Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio are being introduced exclusively for the Pixel 9 series, marking a significant upgrade in the phone's capabilities. These features are currently available in English across eight countries: United States United Kingdom Canada Australia India Ireland Singapore Malaysia The release of these AI-powered tools underscores Google's commitment...
read Aug 25, 2024Google Releases Free ‘Prompt Gallery’ as Part of AI Studio
Google enhances AI development with free Prompt Gallery: Google has introduced a new Prompt Gallery feature in its AI Studio platform, expanding the capabilities available to developers using the Gemini API. Key features of the Prompt Gallery: The gallery offers a diverse range of pre-built prompts showcasing Gemini models' capabilities Prompts cover various applications, from practical tools to creative exercises Examples include a JSON schema-based recipe generator, math tutor, worksheet creator, and image-based object identifier Significance for developers: The Prompt Gallery demonstrates the versatility of the Gemini API It caters to both technical tasks and creative endeavors The update enhances...
read Aug 23, 2024LambdaTest Launches KaneAI Agent for Automated Software Testing
Revolutionizing software testing with AI: LambdaTest, a California-based company known for cross-platform app testing, has launched KaneAI, an AI-powered agent for end-to-end software testing and quality assurance. KaneAI enables users to write, execute, debug, and evolve automated tests using natural language, eliminating the need for complex coding or low-code workflows. The new offering is currently available to select partners as an extension of LambdaTest's core platform. Asad Khan, co-founder and CEO of LambdaTest, emphasized that KaneAI is designed to meet the real-world challenges faced by testing teams daily. LambdaTest's journey and core offerings: The company has established itself as a...
read Aug 23, 2024AI Agents Can Now Make Autonomous Financial Transactions
Skyfire, a San Francisco-based startup, has launched a beta version of its platform designed to enable autonomous AI agents to make financial transactions on behalf of users, potentially revolutionizing the intersection of artificial intelligence and finance. The big picture: Skyfire aims to become the "Visa for AI" by creating an open, global payments protocol that allows AI agents to spend money autonomously within user-defined limits. The company has secured $8.5 million in seed funding to develop its innovative platform. Founded by Amir Sarhangi (CEO) and Craig DeWitt (Head of Product), Skyfire positions itself at the forefront of the emerging "AI...
read Aug 23, 2024How Piramidal is Using AI to Decode Human Brain Waves
Pioneering AI for brain wave interpretation: Piramidal, a Y Combinator-backed startup, is developing a groundbreaking foundation model to decode complex brain language and interpret EEG data, with potential applications across various medical fields and beyond. The company's AI model is being trained on brainwave data in a manner similar to how ChatGPT is trained on text, making it the largest model ever trained on EEG data. Piramidal recently secured $6 million in funding from Y Combinator, Adverb Ventures, Lionheart Ventures, and angel investors including founders of Intercom, Plangrid, and Guilded. Addressing challenges in EEG interpretation: The startup aims to overcome...
read Aug 23, 2024Ideogram 2.0 Raises the Bar for AI-Generated Text in Images
Advancing AI image generation: Ideogram's release of version 2.0 of its text-to-image AI model marks a significant leap forward in the field, challenging established players like Midjourney and DALL-E 3. The new model boasts enhanced text rendering capabilities, addressing a longstanding challenge in AI-generated imagery and opening up new possibilities for rapid prototyping in advertising and branding. A customizable color palette feature has been introduced, allowing for greater brand consistency in generated images. Ideogram has launched a public beta API, enabling developers to integrate this cutting-edge technology into their own applications and workflows. The company has adopted a competitive pricing...
read Aug 23, 2024Midjourney Offers 25 Free AI Images as Website Opens to All
Midjourney, a leading AI image generation platform, has taken a significant step towards wider accessibility by opening its website to all users, offering 25 free AI-generated images to newcomers. Expanded access and free offerings: Midjourney's decision to open its website to all users marks a strategic shift in its approach to user acquisition and engagement. Previously, the website was limited to an "alpha" version, accessible only to users who had generated a certain number of images. New users can now sign up using either a Google account or a Discord account, simplifying the onboarding process. The platform is offering approximately...
read Aug 23, 2024NVIDIA’s New AI Model Makes Conversations with Game Characters More Real
NVIDIA unveils groundbreaking on-device AI model for gaming: NVIDIA has introduced Nemotron-4 4B Instruct, a small language model designed to enhance character interactions in video games, marking a significant advancement in digital human technologies. The new model is part of NVIDIA's ACE (Avatar Cloud Engine) suite, which aims to improve speech, intelligence, and animation in gaming through generative AI. Nemotron-4 4B Instruct is optimized to run directly on GeForce RTX AI PCs and laptops, offering faster response times and reduced memory usage. This development allows game developers to leverage the power of over 100 million GeForce RTX-powered devices to create...
read Aug 23, 2024Microsoft’s Controversial AI Recall Feature Starts Public Testing in 2024
Microsoft's AI-powered Recall system set for public testing: Microsoft has announced that its controversial Recall feature for Copilot Plus PCs will enter public testing with Windows Insiders in October 2024, following weeks of delays and privacy concerns. The big picture: Recall, an AI-powered system designed to continuously capture and analyze screenshots on user PCs, has faced significant backlash since its initial announcement due to potential privacy and security risks. The system aims to allow users to search through their screenshot history using AI-powered analysis. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the massive record of user activity that Recall would create...
read Aug 23, 2024McAfee and Lenovo Launch AI-Powered Deepfake Detector for PCs
Groundbreaking AI-powered deepfake detection: McAfee and Lenovo have joined forces to introduce an innovative Deepfake Detector exclusively for Lenovo AI PCs, marking a significant step in combating digital deception. The Deepfake Detector is designed to identify and flag AI-generated or altered video content, helping users protect themselves against potential scams and misinformation. Trained on an extensive dataset of approximately 200,000 video samples, the tool can accurately detect AI-manipulated audio in videos. Operating seamlessly in the background, the detector scans video content playing both online and locally on the device. Enhanced AI capabilities for consumer devices: The partnership leverages Lenovo's AI...
read Aug 23, 2024BattlegroundAI Wants to Help Democrats Win — Using Generative AI Ads
Generative AI enters political advertising arena: BattlegroundAI, a Denver-based startup, has launched a service that uses artificial intelligence to create digital ad copy for progressive political campaigns. The company's platform, which entered public beta last week after a six-week private beta, has already attracted around 60 clients seeking to streamline their digital advertising efforts. Users can select from various large language models, customize tone and creativity levels, and target specific audiences to generate tailored ad copy. BattlegroundAI currently focuses solely on text generation, avoiding image or audio content, and adheres to existing regulations governing AI use in political advertising. Leveling...
read Aug 23, 2024YouTube Launches AI Tool to Help Creators Recover Hacked Accounts
YouTube's AI-powered account recovery tool: YouTube has unveiled a new artificial intelligence-based tool designed to assist creators in regaining control of their hacked accounts, streamlining the recovery process. The tool is accessible through the YouTube Help Center, offering a guided recovery process without the need for direct contact with Google support. By asking specific questions about the channel, including recent unauthorized changes, the AI system aims to verify and confirm if an account has been compromised. Upon confirmation of a hack, the tool enables users to regain control of their accounts more rapidly than previous methods. Limited availability and future...
read Aug 21, 2024Zed Unveils AI-Powered Coding Assistant with Claude 3.5 Integration
Introducing Zed AI: Zed, a company known for its expertise in text manipulation and editor development, has launched Zed AI, a hosted service that integrates AI-powered coding assistance into their text editor. Key features and collaborations: Zed AI is powered by Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet language model, offering AI-enabled coding support within the Zed editor. The collaboration with Anthropic arose from mutual interest, with Anthropic engineers recognizing the value of Zed's text-centric interface. Zed has implemented Anthropic's Prompt Caching beta, resulting in faster responses and reduced costs, even with large amounts of code in the context window. The service is...
read Aug 21, 2024Microsoft Unveils 3 Powerful New Open-Source AI Models
Breakthrough in AI development: Microsoft has unveiled three new powerful AI models in its Phi series, marking a significant advancement in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The new models, Phi-3.5-mini-instruct, Phi-3.5-MoE-instruct, and Phi-3.5-vision-instruct, are designed for various tasks ranging from basic reasoning to complex vision-related problems. These models are now available on Hugging Face under an MIT License, allowing for both commercial use and modification, which could potentially accelerate AI innovation across various sectors. In benchmark tests, the Phi-3.5 models have demonstrated impressive performance, surpassing some models from tech giants like Google, Meta, and OpenAI in certain...
read Aug 21, 2024Nvidia Creates Mini Version of Llama 3.1 Model That Punches Far Above Its Weight
Nvidia's breakthrough in small language models: Nvidia researchers have developed Llama-3.1-Minitron 4B, a compressed version of the Llama 3 model that rivals larger models while being more efficient to train and deploy. The new model leverages recent advances in pruning and distillation techniques to create a powerful small language model (SLM) for resource-constrained devices. Llama-3.1-Minitron 4B's performance is comparable to larger models and equally sized SLMs, despite being trained on a significantly smaller dataset. Key techniques: Pruning and distillation: These methods are crucial for creating smaller, more efficient language models without sacrificing performance. Pruning involves removing less important components of...
read Aug 21, 2024Dell’s NativeEdge Aims to Simplify Edge AI Infrastructure Deployment
The rise of AI at the edge: Dell's new NativeEdge platform aims to revolutionize enterprise edge computing by integrating AI capabilities for enhanced speed, efficiency, and agility across various industries. Key features and benefits: Dell NativeEdge offers a comprehensive solution for deploying, managing, and scaling edge AI infrastructure across multiple locations, simplifying operations and optimizing investments. The platform provides centralized management and orchestration, allowing enterprises to streamline their edge operations at scale. Zero-touch deployment capabilities enable rapid implementation of edge solutions without the need for on-site technical expertise. Automated operations from edge to cloud ensure seamless integration and management of...
read