Nov 8, 2024

Google Pixel 9 packs a lot of AI features and is on sale

The Pixel 9: Google's latest flagship smartphone: Google's Pixel 9 offers an updated design, improved performance, and AI-powered features at a competitive price point of $649 (currently on sale from $799). The Pixel 9 features a 6.3-inch Actua OLED display with a 2424x1080 resolution and 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, capable of reaching up to 2,700 nits of brightness. Powered by the new Tensor G4 processor, 12GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage, the Pixel 9 delivers responsive performance. The device sports a 50MP main camera and a new 48MP ultra-wide camera, producing high-quality photos and videos. Design and...

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A look into AI’s impact on developer productivity and code quality

The AI revolution in coding: The integration of AI-powered tools like GitHub Copilot into software development processes is raising concerns about potential negative impacts on developer skills and code quality. GitHub Copilot, an AI-powered code suggestion tool, has gained popularity among developers for its ability to generate real-time code snippets. However, approximately 40% of Copilot's code suggestions contain vulnerabilities, highlighting the importance of human oversight and expertise in the coding process. The convenience of AI-generated code may lead some developers to become overly reliant on these tools, potentially compromising their long-term skill development and problem-solving abilities. Security implications of AI-generated...

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How these pioneering doctors are leveraging AI to boost patient outcomes

AI's transformative impact on healthcare: Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful force in the medical field, with the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, treatment personalization, and operational efficiency. The healthcare industry, which faces growing demand and resource constraints, is ripe for innovation through AI technologies. While AI's full potential in healthcare is still emerging, it is already making significant contributions in various areas of medical practice. Enhancing diagnostic imaging: AI systems are demonstrating remarkable capabilities in interpreting medical scans, potentially surpassing human consistency in some cases. Imperial College Health Partners in the UK has observed that AI can read...

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AI chatbot deployment just got easier with new release from SambaNova and Hugging Face

AI chatbot deployment simplified: SambaNova and Hugging Face have launched a new integration that allows developers to deploy ChatGPT-like interfaces with a single button click, significantly reducing deployment time from hours to minutes. The integration streamlines the process of creating AI chatbots, making it accessible to developers with varying levels of technical expertise. Developers can obtain an access token from SambaNova Cloud's API website and use a simple three-line Python code to initiate the deployment process. The final step involves clicking "Deploy to Hugging Face" and entering the SambaNova token, resulting in a fully functional AI chatbot on Hugging Face's...

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Cambridge scientists turn to AI for child brain tumor research

Brain tumor research for children: Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Children's Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence in Cambridge are exploring the potential of AI to discover new treatments for pediatric brain cancer and improve survival rates. Approximately 420 children in the UK are diagnosed with brain cancer annually, despite its relative rarity. Children with the most aggressive forms of brain cancer currently have a life expectancy of less than one year. The research team aims to develop treatments that are less toxic and harmful for children to endure. Unique challenges of pediatric brain tumors: Dr. Elizabeth Cooper, a researcher...

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How excessive reliance on AI can erode essential human skills

The AI revolution in the workplace: Artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, offering unprecedented efficiency but potentially eroding essential human skills through over-reliance on AI tools. As AI becomes more integrated into daily work tasks, from data analysis to content creation, professionals are increasingly delegating cognitive tasks to these powerful tools. While AI-powered shortcuts can significantly boost productivity, they also risk weakening the very skills that make human workers valuable in the workplace. The convenience of AI tools may lead to a phenomenon known as "cognitive offloading," where individuals depend more on external devices than their own mental resources....

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Invesco launches ETFs focused on cybersecurity, defense and AI

AI, cybersecurity, and defense: Invesco's new thematic ETFs: Invesco has launched three new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focusing on artificial intelligence enablers, cybersecurity, and defense innovation, expanding its thematic investment offerings. The new ETFs are designed to capitalize on emerging trends in technology and global security, providing investors with targeted exposure to these sectors. Invesco partnered with Kensho, a division of S&P Global Indices, to develop the benchmarks for these ETFs, leveraging Kensho's expertise in applying AI and other advanced technologies to index construction. Innovative index construction methodology: Kensho employs a sophisticated approach to identify companies relevant to each theme, combining...

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Employers are turning to AI tools to boost retention and address skills gaps

AI's role in workforce management: Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool for employers to assess worker skills, plan for future needs, and train staff, potentially boosting both corporate productivity and employee career prospects. Johnson & Johnson uses an AI-driven process called "skills inference" to assess and plan across its workforce, enabling insights that would not be possible manually. DHL employs AI in its "career marketplace" to match employee skills with open positions, directing staff to appropriate training and supporting managers in filling vacancies. These AI applications are proving particularly useful as business needs evolve rapidly, allowing organizations to...

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Google announces Vids, an AI that makes creating videos a breeze

AI-powered video creation tool enters the market: Google has announced the general availability of Google Vids, an AI-powered video creation tool integrated into its Workspace suite of apps. Google Vids is now rolling out to a broader range of Workspace subscription plans, expanding beyond its initial availability to Gemini for Google Workspace customers. The tool leverages Google's Gemini AI technology to streamline the video creation process, offering features like automated storyboards, voiceovers, and media suggestions. Google Vids is available for Google Workspace Business, Enterprise, and Education customers with Gemini add-ons. Key features and functionalities: Google Vids offers a range of...

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ByteDance’s AI will turn your photos to movies

AI-powered photo animation breakthrough: ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has unveiled a groundbreaking AI system called X-Portrait 2 that can transform still photographs into convincingly realistic video performances. The system can make photos mimic scenes from famous movies, capturing nuanced expressions and emotional depth that rival real footage. X-Portrait 2 maintains the original person's identity and characteristics while displaying a range of emotions with the same detail as a trained actor. This technology represents a significant leap forward in AI-generated video content, blurring the line between authentic and artificial performances. Technical innovation and data advantage: ByteDance's approach to facial...

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Canada invests $2.4B to accelerate AI adoption nationwide

The AI adoption landscape in Canada: Canada is grappling with a paradox in its artificial intelligence sector, boasting world-class talent and research capabilities while experiencing sluggish adoption rates among businesses. The Canadian government has announced a $2.4 billion investment to accelerate job growth and boost productivity in the AI sector. Only about 14% of Canadian businesses are currently using or planning to implement Generative AI in the near future, according to a report by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's Business Data Lab. Adoption rates vary significantly across industries, with finance, healthcare, and technology sectors leading, while manufacturing and retail lag...

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OpenAI wins data scraping lawsuit against Raw Story in NY court

AI copyright lawsuit dismissed: A federal court in New York has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI, brought by alternative news outlets Raw Story and AlterNet. The plaintiffs alleged that OpenAI violated copyright laws by using their articles to train ChatGPT and other AI models without preserving copyright management information (CMI). The case centered on Section 1202(b) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which protects CMI such as author names and titles. Judge Colleen McMahon granted OpenAI's motion to dismiss, citing lack of standing as the plaintiffs couldn't demonstrate concrete injury from OpenAI's actions. Key legal considerations: The...

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AI-generated Alan Turing portrait fetches $1.3m at auction

AI-generated artwork makes history: A painting of Alan Turing created by an AI robot has sold for a record-breaking $1.3 million at a Sotheby's auction, significantly exceeding initial estimates. The digital artwork, titled "A.I. God," received 27 bids and was originally expected to sell for between $120,000 and $180,000. This sale marks the first time a humanoid robot artist's work has been sold at auction, establishing a new benchmark in the global art market. Subject of the portrait: Alan Turing, a pioneering mathematician and computer scientist, is widely regarded as the father of artificial intelligence. Turing played a crucial role...

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Why this VC bets on founders who can sell stories

The concept of "narrative command" in politics and business: Alex Roy, co-founder of New Industry VC (NIVC), introduces a compelling framework for understanding how startups and political campaigns shape perceptions and drive success. Roy defines "narrative command" as a startup's ability to define a vision of the future that becomes the default for their industry vertical, highlighting its importance in both the business and political realms. Speaking in an interview on November 6, 2024, Roy uses the backdrop of Donald Trump's re-election to illustrate how narrative command applies to political campaigns and election outcomes. Roy's analysis suggests that Trump and...

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Interpretable AI vs explainable AI: The key distinctions you should know

The evolution of AI transparency: As artificial intelligence systems become increasingly complex and influential, the need for understanding their decision-making processes has given rise to two distinct but complementary approaches: interpretable AI and explainable AI. Interpretable AI models are designed with transparency in mind from the outset, allowing users to trace the logic from input to output without the need for additional explanatory tools. In contrast, explainable AI (XAI) provides post-hoc clarification of AI decision-making processes, offering insights into the workings of more complex "black box" models. Both approaches aim to demystify AI systems, but they differ in their implementation...

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Easy and practical ways to maximize SearchGPT’s potential

A new era of search: OpenAI's ChatGPT Search, powered by Microsoft Bing's search index and advanced natural language processing, is reshaping how users interact with online information. ChatGPT Search represents a shift from traditional search engines to more intuitive "answer engines" that can understand and respond to conversational queries. The tool's ability to engage in back-and-forth conversations allows users to refine their searches and obtain more precise information. As users become more familiar with ChatGPT Search, its utility and efficiency in information retrieval are likely to increase. Leveraging natural language for better results: ChatGPT Search excels when users frame their...

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MIPS unveils RISC-V processor for self-driving cars

MIPS unveils RISC-V CPU for autonomous vehicles: MIPS has released its P8700 CPU, based on the RISC-V architecture, targeting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle applications. The P8700 Series RISC-V Processor is designed to meet the low-latency, data-intensive demands of cutting-edge automotive applications. MIPS, a San Jose-based company, focuses on developing efficient and configurable intellectual property compute and licenses its designs to other chip makers. The new processor aims to deliver accelerated compute, power efficiency, and scalability for the automotive industry. Automotive industry trends and MIPS' focus: The automotive sector remains a key area of interest for MIPS,...

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Windows 11 adds AI features to Paint and Notepad apps

Windows 11 introduces AI-powered features to Paint and Notepad: Microsoft is rolling out new artificial intelligence capabilities to its stock apps, enhancing user experience and productivity in the latest Windows 11 update. The updates are currently being tested in the Canary and Dev channels, targeting early adopters and enthusiasts. These new features require users to be signed in with a Microsoft account and are initially available in select countries, including the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Notepad gets a smart rewrite function: The popular text editor now includes an AI-powered rewrite tool, offering users multiple options to refine...

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Studies suggest the more you annoy an LLM the less accurate it becomes

The reliability paradox in generative AI: Recent studies suggest that as generative AI models become larger and more capable, their reliability may be declining, raising questions about the relationship between model size, performance, and consistency. The concept of reliability in AI refers to the consistency of correctness in the answers provided by generative AI systems like ChatGPT, GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and others. AI developers track reliability as a key metric, recognizing that users expect consistently correct answers and may abandon unreliable AI tools. Measuring AI reliability: A complex challenge: The process of assessing AI reliability shares similarities with human test-taking,...

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Mistral launches new AI moderation API for content filtering

New content moderation API from Mistral AI: Mistral AI has launched a moderation service to detect undesirable text content across various policy dimensions, aiming to enhance AI safety and protect downstream deployments. The API, which powers the moderation service in Le Chat, is now available for users to tailor to their specific applications and safety standards. This release responds to the growing industry interest in LLM-based moderation systems that can improve scalability and robustness across applications. Key features of the moderation model: The content moderation classifier employs an LLM trained to categorize text inputs into nine distinct categories, offering a...

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How Avis Budget is driving innovation and customer satisfaction with AI

Digital transformation in the car rental industry: Avis Budget Group, a global leader in car rental and mobility, is leveraging artificial intelligence, automation, and emerging technologies to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency under the leadership of Ravi Simhambhatla, the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Innovation Officer. Simhambhatla, appointed in July 2022, brings extensive experience from the transportation and technology sectors, having served as CTO at Aer Lingus, United Airlines, and Google's Transportation Segment. The company's digital strategy focuses on streamlining processes, minimizing customer wait times, and anticipating customer needs through AI-driven insights. Predictive analytics is being...

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Google’s call screening feature may soon come with AI replies

AI-powered call screening on the horizon: Google is reportedly developing an "AI Replies" feature for its Phone app's call-screening function, potentially revolutionizing how users interact with incoming calls. The new feature, discovered in a line of code by 9to5Google, is expected to generate smart replies based on the caller's response to the initial screening. This development builds upon Google's existing call-screening feature, which was widely introduced with Android 12 and allows users to filter calls using Google Assistant. Evolution of call screening technology: Google has been steadily enhancing its call-screening capabilities to provide users with more efficient and context-aware options...

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AI data centers are straining power grids, but who bears the cost?

The AI energy conundrum: The growing power demands of artificial intelligence have sparked a debate about who should bear the costs of the necessary infrastructure, particularly as tech giants seek ways to bypass traditional energy grid fees. Amazon's recent attempt to avoid grid fees for a massive data center campus co-located with a nuclear power plant was rejected by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in a 2-1 vote. The ruling has ignited discussions about the economic implications of exempting large tech companies from standard grid fees and the potential impact on consumers. The Amazon case study: Amazon's proposal to...

read Nov 7, 2024

Mistral unveils new Batch API for efficient AI processing

New cost-effective AI processing option: Mistral AI has introduced a batch API for high-volume requests, offering a 50% reduction in cost compared to synchronous API calls. The batch API is designed for AI developers prioritizing data volume over real-time responses, allowing for more efficient processing of large-scale requests. This new offering comes in response to recent API price increases in the AI industry, with Mistral AI aiming to maintain affordable access to cutting-edge AI technologies. The batch API is currently available on Mistral's La Plateforme and is expected to be rolled out to cloud provider partners in the near future....

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