AI/News
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Preach without practice: People say they prefer human content but behave otherwise
A new study reveals a surprising gap between people's stated preferences for human-created content and their actual consumption behaviors when it comes to AI-generated stories. This discrepancy highlights important questions about the future economic impact of AI on creative industries, as consumers may claim to value human creativity while their spending and engagement patterns suggest otherwise. The big picture: Research shows that while people explicitly prefer and rate human-authored stories more highly than AI-generated ones, their willingness to invest time and money in reading these stories doesn't differ based on perceived authorship. Key details: Researchers used ChatGPT-4o to generate a short...
read Mar 27, 2025AI-generated Trump portraits in Studio Ghibli style spark artistic controversy
The AI-generated "Studio Ghibli-style" Trump portraits are the latest example of how OpenAI's new image generation capabilities are rapidly inspiring creative and controversial applications. The trend highlights ongoing tensions between AI developers, traditional artists, and public figures as generated content increasingly blurs stylistic boundaries. This collision of cutting-edge AI technology with beloved artistic styles raises important questions about creative attribution, consent, and the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and human artistic expression. Why it matters: OpenAI's most advanced image generator, built into GPT-4o, has demonstrated surprising visual fluency in replicating Studio Ghibli's distinctive anime style, prompting users to reimagine political...
read Mar 27, 2025Mazda leverages AI to give its dealers an education in sales effectiveness, electrification
Mazda is leveraging artificial intelligence to transform its automotive business from manufacturing to sales education, following a record-breaking 2024 in North America. The Japanese automaker is implementing comprehensive technology innovation across its organization, with a particular focus on using AI to enhance dealer training and knowledge, ultimately aiming to improve customer experiences and sales effectiveness while addressing the knowledge gap surrounding electrified vehicles. The big picture: Mazda is deploying a multi-pronged technology strategy that includes manufacturing innovation, new powertrains, and AI-enhanced dealer training programs. The company is adopting a mixed-flow production approach that enables simultaneous production of different models regardless...
read Mar 27, 2025Apple Maps out a plan to boost its Intelligence efforts with training of new AI models
Apple is pivoting to leverage its Maps service as a data source for training AI models, signaling a strategic shift to bolster its struggling Apple Intelligence initiative. While the company has traditionally entered tech segments later than competitors—often with distinctive approaches—its AI suite has faced adoption challenges, prompting Apple to seek additional data sources beyond its existing ChatGPT partnership. This repurposing of Apple Maps imagery represents a creative solution that balances the company's privacy commitments with its need for substantial training data. The big picture: Apple is repurposing its extensive Street View-like "Look Around" imagery database to train AI models...
read Mar 27, 2025How scaffolding extends LLM capabilities without changing their architecture
Scaffolding has emerged as a critical approach to enhancing large language model (LLM) capabilities without modifying their internal architecture. This methodology allows developers to build external systems that significantly expand what LLMs can accomplish, from using tools to reducing errors, while simultaneously creating new opportunities for safety evaluation and interpretability research. The big picture: Scaffolding refers to code structures built around LLMs that augment their abilities without altering their internal workings like fine-tuning or activation steering would. Why this matters: Understanding scaffolding is crucial for safety evaluations because once deployed, users inevitably attempt to enhance LLM power through external systems,...
read Mar 27, 2025How Illinois schools balance pandemic tech gains with student mental health needs
The COVID-19 pandemic permanently transformed how Illinois school districts use technology, creating both lasting digital infrastructure and new challenges for student development. Aurora-area school systems rapidly deployed devices and internet access during remote learning, but now face the dual task of integrating these technological advances while addressing the pandemic's significant mental health impacts on students. The big picture: East Aurora School District 131 underwent a swift digital transformation to keep students learning during pandemic closures, establishing technology infrastructure that continues to support education. The district quickly distributed computers, iPads, and internet hotspots to students who previously lacked adequate technology access...
read Mar 27, 2025Taking requests: YouTube Music adds conversational AI playlist tuning for Premium subscribers
YouTube Music is enhancing its AI capabilities with new features that give users more control over their music discovery experience. Building on last year's Ask Music introduction, the platform now allows Premium subscribers to fine-tune AI-generated playlists through natural language prompts, making music exploration more interactive and customizable across several English-speaking markets. The big picture: YouTube Music is expanding its AI-powered personalization features with the ability to tune AI radio playlists, Gemini-generated playlist titles, and enhanced customization options for playlist artwork. Key details: Users can now refine Ask Music playlists with follow-up prompts like "more upbeat" or "just jazz songs"...
read Mar 27, 2025African AI researchers build language tools to counter Western tech dominance
African AI researchers are challenging Western dominance in artificial intelligence by developing tools that address the specific needs of African communities and languages. This work represents a significant push against the current AI landscape where major models primarily serve American and European interests while neglecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of Africa—perpetuating historical power imbalances in technology development and distribution. The big picture: African researchers at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) are creating AI solutions focused on historically underserved communities rather than multinational corporations or Western users. Key researchers like Nyalleng Moorosi and Asmelash Teka Hadgu are addressing critical...
read Mar 27, 2025Honeywell and Verizon partner to modernize utilities with 5G-powered smart grids
Honeywell's partnership with Verizon represents a significant advancement in smart grid technology, combining 5G connectivity with AI-powered utility management. This collaboration aims to modernize electricity infrastructure by enabling remote meter data access for both utilities and consumers, potentially reducing service interruptions while improving grid performance and resource management in an increasingly complex energy landscape. The big picture: Energy automation leader Honeywell has selected Verizon Business to provide 5G connectivity for its smart electric meters and help utility customers modernize their grid operations. Both utilities and end users will gain remote access to essential data for managing energy resources, aligning with...
read Mar 27, 2025From Mumbai to Chennai: A who’s who of data centers in India promoting digital innovation
India's rapid growth in AI infrastructure is creating a sophisticated network of high-performance data centers to power its expanding digital economy. These specialized facilities provide the robust computational capabilities needed for AI and machine learning applications across healthcare, finance, and smart city initiatives. As domestic and international companies invest in these advanced data centers, they're positioning India as an emerging global hub for AI innovation and helping bridge the technological divide in one of the world's fastest-growing digital markets. 1. Yotta NM1 data center (Maharashtra) Located in Navi Mumbai, this facility stands as India's largest data center, spanning 820,000 square...
read Mar 27, 2025Taylor & Francis uses AI to translate academic books from 30+ languages into English
Taylor & Francis is pioneering AI-assisted book translation to significantly expand the availability of academic content that would otherwise remain inaccessible to English-speaking audiences. This initiative represents a significant shift in academic publishing, balancing technological innovation with traditional publishing values while raising important questions about the future of translation work and the ethics of AI in scholarly communication. The big picture: Taylor & Francis will use AI to translate academic books into English from languages that typically don't justify the costs of human translation, following a year of rigorous testing to ensure accuracy. The publisher will accept works in over...
read Mar 27, 2025AI dependency may erode critical thinking skills in professionals, from teachers to traders
New research from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University reveals a concerning trend: as professionals increasingly rely on generative AI for routine tasks, their critical thinking skills may atrophy. This cognitive deterioration highlights a fundamental paradox of automation—by delegating routine cognitive work to AI, humans miss opportunities to exercise and strengthen their analytical capabilities, leaving them unprepared when exceptional situations require independent judgment. The big picture: Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon researchers found that increasing reliance on generative AI tools correlates with diminished critical thinking among knowledge workers, potentially creating a skill atrophy that could undermine human cognitive capabilities over time. Key...
read Mar 27, 2025AI infrastructure investment is a decades-long revolution, not short-term bubble
The AI infrastructure market is poised for decades of sustained growth despite recent market volatility and investor concerns about the sector's future. While public market investors often focus on quarter-to-quarter performance, private capital continues to flow into companies building the massive computational systems powering modern AI. This divergence in investment approach highlights a fundamental question about AI infrastructure: whether it represents a short-term speculative bubble or the early stages of a multi-decade technological revolution comparable to the internet. The big picture: Data centers supporting AI have grown exponentially complex, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealing they now contain roughly 600,000...
read Mar 26, 2025Google’s Pixel Studio now generates images of people, but with unsettling flaws
Google's Pixel Studio AI image generator has finally added the ability to create images of people, but the technology shows significant limitations in its early implementation. The update to the Pixel 9's exclusive image generation app represents Google's step toward competing with more advanced AI image generators like Midjourney and Apple's Image Playground, though the inconsistent quality of its human representations—particularly when generating certain professions—highlights the ongoing challenges in AI-generated human imagery. The key update: Google has expanded Pixel Studio to generate images of people, a capability previously absent from the AI image generation tool exclusive to Pixel 9 phones....
read Mar 26, 2025More than enough: China’s AI data centers overextend as facilities sit empty and GPU prices plummet
China's AI data center boom is rapidly deflating as newly constructed facilities sit empty and GPU prices plummet. This unraveling infrastructure bubble illustrates the risks of speculative tech investment, as government-backed and private companies poured billions into AI computing resources that now face weak demand. The situation has been further complicated by the rise of more efficient AI models like DeepSeek, which require less computational power and have fundamentally shifted the economics of the AI industry in China. The big picture: China's AI infrastructure gold rush has turned into a crisis with up to 80% of newly built computing resources...
read Mar 26, 2025Marketers cut AI-driven ad platform budgets amid transparency concerns
The artificial intelligence AdTech blues are setting in. Media buyers are pushing back against AI-driven platforms like Google's Performance Max and Meta's Advantage+, redirecting budgets due to concerns about transparency, control, and diminishing returns. This shift marks a significant moment in the advertising industry as marketers reassess their relationship with black-box AI solutions and seek greater visibility into where their ad dollars are actually going. The big picture: Marketers are actively reducing spend on AI-driven advertising platforms, with some clients cutting Google Performance Max budgets by up to 50% and redirecting those funds to more transparent channels. Why this matters:...
read Mar 26, 2025From finite evidence to infinite phoniness: How AI transforms photography’s relationship with truth
Photography has rapidly evolved from its role as a documentary medium into a computational process reshaped by artificial intelligence and digital manipulation. In his 1970s short story "The Adventure of a Photographer," Italo Calvino remarkably predicted our current photo-obsessed culture, describing people whose experiences remain abstract until photographs concretize them. This prescient vision highlights how fundamentally our relationship with visual truth has shifted in the AI era, raising profound questions about authenticity, representation, and the blurring boundaries between real and synthetic imagery. The big picture: Traditional photography's documentary function has been transformed by computational technologies that make images increasingly malleable...
read Mar 26, 2025Tim Cook sees neighborhood where DeepSeek grew up in visit to China’s AI hub Hangzhou
Apple CEO Tim Cook's visit to Hangzhou—China's rising AI hub and home to DeepSeek, which has created AI models at substantially lower costs than American competitors—underscores the growing significance of Chinese AI innovation in the global technology landscape. The visit highlights Apple's strategic interest in China's AI ecosystem while strengthening ties with Zhejiang University, a key talent pipeline that has produced founders of influential Chinese tech companies. Why this matters: Apple's $4.1 million donation to Zhejiang University signals the company's commitment to maintaining relationships within China's developing AI ecosystem. The China connection: Cook specifically met with "the next generation of...
read Mar 26, 2025Observe.AI launches VoiceAI agents to automate routine customer service calls
Observe.AI's launch of VoiceAI agents represents a significant advancement in contact center automation, blending various AI technologies to handle routine customer interactions. This solution addresses growing enterprise interest in automating basic customer service tasks while allowing human agents to focus on more complex issues, potentially transforming the economics and experience of customer service operations. The big picture: Observe.AI has released VoiceAI agents to automate routine customer service interactions, positioning itself as the only complete AI-powered platform supporting the entire customer journey. The new solution is designed to handle everything from simple FAQs to multi-step conversations, eliminating long hold times and...
read Mar 26, 2025Google’s new AI-powered Gmail search prioritizes relevance over chronology
Google's integration of AI into Gmail search represents a significant shift in how users will interact with their personal data. By prioritizing relevance over chronology, Google is leveraging artificial intelligence to make email management more intuitive, while simultaneously raising questions about data privacy and AI training. This development highlights the growing tension between convenience and control as AI systems become more deeply embedded in tools managing our personal information. The big picture: Google is rolling out an AI-powered search function in Gmail that will organize search results by relevance rather than chronology, potentially giving its Gemini assistant access to users'...
read Mar 26, 2025Global village: Telecom giants expand connectivity worldwide through network sharing, AI solutions
Telecom giants are forging strategic partnerships and deploying new technologies to expand connectivity and enhance digital security across multiple continents. MTN Group and Airtel Africa's network-sharing agreements aim to bridge the digital divide in Africa, while Bell and MTS are introducing specialized security and testing solutions in Canada and Russia, respectively. These initiatives reflect the telecom industry's shift toward resource optimization, expanded coverage, and service diversification in response to evolving market demands. The big picture: Major telecom operators across three continents are launching strategic initiatives focused on infrastructure sharing and specialized B2B services to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency....
read Mar 26, 2025Extropic’s p-bit chips aim to slash AI energy use by 1000x using thermodynamic randomness
Extropic's probabilistic computing approach aims to disrupt the AI chip market through revolutionary energy efficiency as the industry grapples with rising power demands. The startup is developing silicon chips that harness naturally occurring thermodynamic fluctuations in electronic circuits to perform calculations with probabilities, potentially reducing energy consumption by three to four orders of magnitude compared to today's hardware. This innovation comes at a critical moment when AI companies are building datacenters near nuclear power stations and facing increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact. The big picture: Extropic is developing a fundamentally different computing architecture that leverages randomness rather than fighting...
read Mar 26, 2025Krisp’s AI accent converter transforms speech to American English, aiding call center communication
Krisp's new AI Accent Conversion tool represents a significant development in audio processing technology, allowing users to transform their accents into American English during real-time conversations. While addressing legitimate communication challenges in global workplaces, the technology raises important questions about cultural identity, authenticity in communication, and the broader implications of AI-mediated speech modification in professional environments. How it works: Krisp's new AI tool converts a speaker's accent to American English in real time with a 200ms latency across major video conferencing platforms. The technology preserves the speaker's natural voice while modifying their accent, though demo versions showed somewhat robotic-sounding speech....
read Mar 26, 2025DataSnipper’s AI auditing tools enhance rather than replace human auditors
DataSnipper's AI auditing software enhances human auditors rather than replacing them, according to the company's CEO. By automating repetitive tasks, the technology allows accounting professionals to focus on higher-value work that requires human judgment and expertise. This represents a growing trend in the financial services industry where AI serves as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement for skilled workers. The big picture: DataSnipper has developed AI-integrated auditing software that supports auditors by automating routine aspects of financial verification without eliminating the need for human oversight. How it works: The software uses artificial intelligence to handle repetitive data extraction and...
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