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AI startup FullyRamped automates onboarding and training of sales reps
AI-powered sales training startup secures funding: FullyRamped, a California-based startup, has raised $2.3 million to develop its artificial intelligence solution for training new sales representatives more efficiently. The problem FullyRamped aims to solve: The company addresses the challenge of ramping up new sales hires quickly and effectively without risking customer relationships or overburdening managers. CEO and founder Aaron Marks identified this issue while working as a growth manager at a fast-growing scale-up. New sales representatives typically require time to develop phone skills, familiarize themselves with target customers, and practice go-to-market tactics. This "unprofitable ramping period" can be a significant hurdle...
read Oct 17, 2024New survey shows Americans are worried about AI election interference
AI's impact on elections and society: A growing concern: A new survey reveals widespread apprehension about artificial intelligence's potential to interfere with major events, particularly elections, while also highlighting the public's complex relationship with the technology. More than half (54%) of the 6,000 Americans surveyed across 50 states believe AI will interfere with significant events like presidential elections. This concern transcends political divides, with both traditionally Republican-leaning states like Idaho (78%) and Democrat-leaning states like Virginia (78%) expressing high levels of worry about digital manipulation in elections. Interestingly, respondents in Washington and North Carolina showed less concern, with only 32%...
read Oct 17, 2024These AI models outperform open-source peers but lag behind humans
AI's struggle with visual reasoning puzzles: Recent research from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Information Sciences Institute (ISI) tested the ability of multi-modal large language models (MLLMs) to solve abstract visual puzzles similar to those found on human IQ tests, revealing significant limitations in AI's cognitive abilities. The study, presented at the Conference on Language Modeling (COLM 2024) in Philadelphia, focused on evaluating the nonverbal abstract reasoning abilities of both open-source and closed-source MLLMs. Researchers used puzzles developed from Raven's Progressive Matrices, a standard type of abstract reasoning test, to challenge the AI models' visual perception and logical reasoning...
read Oct 17, 2024How Headstart used AI to improve software development by 100x
AI-powered software development breakthrough: Headstart, an AI-native software development company, is leveraging Claude AI to dramatically reduce development timelines and costs for enterprise clients. Headstart has achieved 10-100x faster software development speeds compared to traditional methods. 90-97% of client code is now written by Claude AI, allowing human developers to focus on high-level architecture and problem-solving. Project timelines have been reduced from months to weeks, revolutionizing client expectations and outcomes. The Headstart approach: Founded in December 2022 by Nicole Hedley, Headstart aims to make AI-powered software development accessible to companies seeking to accelerate their development processes. Hedley recognized that traditional...
read Oct 17, 2024National Archives adopts Google Gemini AI for employees
National Archives embraces AI for efficiency and accessibility: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is actively exploring and implementing artificial intelligence technologies to enhance its operations and public services. AI initiatives and employee concerns: NARA has introduced several AI-related projects, sparking both excitement and apprehension among its staff. In June, NARA presented "AI-mazing Tech-venture," showcasing Google's Gemini AI as a productivity tool for employees. The agency plans to launch "Archie AI," a public-facing chatbot, in December. Some employees have expressed concerns about AI's role in archiving, citing potential risks to historical accuracy and institutional trust. NARA previously banned...
read Oct 17, 2024Advancing tech, innovation and AI governance in Africa
Rwanda's AI Initiative: Fostering Innovation and Governance: Rwanda's Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) is spearheading efforts to accelerate responsible adoption of emerging technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to transform the African continent. The Center's Mission and Global Context: C4IR Rwanda is part of a broader network of 20 centers worldwide, established by the World Economic Forum to drive technological innovation and governance. The center aims to accelerate innovation through an AI innovation lab, develop AI talent, and elevate Africa's role in global AI governance discussions. This initiative positions Rwanda as a key...
read Oct 17, 2024AI search tools are failing to impress marketers
AI-powered search tools face skepticism from marketers: The introduction of new AI-powered search tools has sparked interest in the industry, but many marketers remain cautious about their adoption and effectiveness. Recent launches like Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews have generated buzz, but marketers are hesitant to invest due to uncertainties surrounding reach and return on ad spend. The search advertising landscape is evolving, with new entrants like TikTok and potentially Reddit challenging Google's dominance, which has faced recent antitrust scrutiny. Despite the emergence of AI-powered alternatives, Google still holds approximately 80% of the search market share, according to Statista. Measurement...
read Oct 17, 2024This AI coach aims to boost esports teams’ championship odds
AI coaching revolutionizes esports training: PlayVS and Omnic.AI have partnered to provide AI-powered game analytics to high school students in scholastic esports leagues, potentially transforming how young gamers improve their skills and prepare for competitions. The big picture: This collaboration marks a significant shift in esports coaching, leveraging artificial intelligence to offer professional-level insights to young players at a fraction of the cost of human coaches. PlayVS, an esports platform, is teaming up with Omnic.AI, a provider of AI-powered game analytics, to enhance the training experience for high school students in competitive gaming leagues. The partnership focuses on popular esports...
read Oct 17, 2024‘Arch-Function’ AI models are purpose-built for lightning fast agentic AI
Revolutionizing enterprise AI with Arch-Function LLMs: Katanemo's open-source release of Arch-Function large language models (LLMs) promises to significantly accelerate agentic AI applications for complex enterprise workflows. The big picture: Arch-Function LLMs, built on Qwen 2.5 with 3B and 7B parameters, offer ultra-fast speeds for function-calling tasks critical to agentic workflows, potentially outperforming industry leaders like OpenAI's GPT-4 and Anthropic's models. Katanemo claims Arch-Function models are nearly 12 times faster than GPT-4 while delivering significant cost savings. The open-source release aims to enable super-responsive agents capable of handling domain-specific use cases without excessive costs for businesses. Gartner predicts that by 2028,...
read Oct 17, 2024Google Shopping’s AI now tempts you to spend more
AI-powered enhancements revolutionize Google Shopping: Google has unveiled a significant update to its Shopping platform, integrating advanced artificial intelligence features to transform the online shopping experience for users. Key AI-driven features: The update introduces several intelligent tools designed to streamline product research and decision-making for consumers. An AI-powered brief now provides a concise summary of key considerations for user searches, offering a quick overview of important factors to consider. The platform now categorizes search results into relevant groupings, making it easier for users to navigate through options. Intelligent product recommendations aim to simplify the research process, potentially reducing the time...
read Oct 17, 2024YouTube just got a big update — here’s what’s inside
YouTube's Major Platform Update: YouTube has unveiled a comprehensive set of over two dozen new features and improvements across its web, mobile, and TV platforms, aiming to enhance user experience and content creation capabilities. Key Features for Users: The update introduces several highly-requested functionalities that significantly expand user control and interaction with the platform. An adjustable miniplayer allows users to resize and reposition a picture-in-picture window while browsing the app, enabling multitasking. Collaborative playlists enable users to create and share playlists that others can modify, fostering community engagement. Customizable playlist thumbnails offer users the option to upload images or use...
read Oct 17, 2024IBM and AWS partner to accelerate enterprise cloud implementation
Cloud migration acceleration through AI: IBM, in collaboration with AWS, has developed a generative AI-powered solution to streamline and automate cloud migration at scale, offering operational efficiencies and supporting enterprise growth. The cloud migration landscape: IDC forecasts that 50% of global IT workloads will transition to the cloud within the next year. AWS cloud migration and modernization can lead to significant benefits, including: 31% average infrastructure cost savings 62% more efficient infrastructure management 3x more features delivered annually 69% reduction in unplanned downtime 43% fewer security incidents per year Challenges in cloud adoption: Existing licensing costs, lack of AWS expertise,...
read Oct 17, 2024Google’s Gemini AI to receive major image generation upgrade
Google Gemini's image generation set for a major upgrade: Google is working on improving its Gemini AI's image generation capabilities, addressing a key limitation in the current system. Gemini's image generation, powered by Imagen 3, currently only produces square images with a 1:1 aspect ratio. Users have expressed frustration with the lack of flexibility in image dimensions, as cropping is the only available option to alter image sizes. Upcoming feature revealed in beta code: Android Authority has uncovered evidence of new image resizing options in a recent Google app beta. Code from the 15.41.34.29.arm64 beta version of the Google app...
read Oct 17, 2024Motorola reveals ambitious AI features for its new phones
Motorola unveils ambitious AI-powered features: The smartphone manufacturer has announced a suite of upcoming Moto AI features at the Lenovo Tech World 2024 conference, aiming to enhance user interaction and provide personalized assistance. Moto AI, powered by Large Action Models (LAM), is designed to understand the user's environment and enable natural language communication. The new features will be part of an invite-only beta program later this year, with Motorola seeking user feedback for refinement. Key capabilities of Moto AI: The upcoming features promise to simplify daily tasks and enhance user experience through advanced AI-driven functionalities. Users will be able to...
read Oct 17, 2024How to use ChatGPT to… suggest the perfect haircut for your face
AI-assisted hairstyling: ChatGPT's unexpected role: OpenAI's ChatGPT, known primarily for its language processing capabilities, has found an unconventional application in the realm of personal grooming, offering users personalized haircut recommendations based on their face shape and preferences. One user, however, explored how ChatGPT can be utilized as a virtual hair stylist, providing tailored advice for individuals seeking the perfect haircut. Step-by-step guide to AI hairstyling consultation: The process of using ChatGPT for haircut recommendations involves a series of carefully crafted prompts and interactions with the AI. Take a clear selfie with a plain background, ensuring good lighting and tucking hair...
read Oct 16, 2024Tech giants bet on nuclear power for greener data centers
Tech giants turn to nuclear power for data centers: Amazon and Google are investing in small nuclear reactors to power their expanding data center operations with clean energy, marking a significant shift in how major tech companies approach their energy needs. Both companies have announced plans to utilize small modular reactors (SMRs) to generate electricity for their data centers, with Google contracting 500 megawatts from Kairos Power and Amazon exploring projects that could provide over 5,000 megawatts. These investments come as global electricity demand surges, particularly from data centers and artificial intelligence applications, with the International Energy Agency projecting that...
read Oct 16, 2024Toyota and Boston Dynamics partner on AI-powered humanoid robots
Pioneering partnership in humanoid robotics: Boston Dynamics and Toyota Research Institute are joining forces to develop advanced humanoid robots capable of safely working alongside humans. The collaboration aims to combine Toyota's recent artificial intelligence advancements with Boston Dynamics' latest version of its Atlas robot. This partnership could potentially accelerate the development of more versatile and capable humanoid robots for various applications. Evolution of Atlas: Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot has undergone significant improvements since its initial development for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in 2013. Early versions of Atlas used powerful hydraulic actuators, which posed potential safety risks to...
read Oct 16, 2024Crypto trends 2024: Swing states, AI and builder energy
Crypto's surge to mainstream prominence: The 2024 State of Crypto Report reveals unprecedented levels of cryptocurrency activity and adoption, signaling a pivotal moment for the digital asset industry. Monthly active crypto addresses reached a record 220 million in September 2024, highlighting the expanding user base. Mobile crypto wallet users climbed to 29 million monthly in June 2024, indicating increased accessibility and convenience. Estimates suggest between 30-60 million monthly active crypto users worldwide, demonstrating the global reach of digital assets. Political landscape shift: Cryptocurrency has emerged as a key issue in the upcoming U.S. election, reflecting its growing influence on economic...
read Oct 16, 2024SAP expands AI efforts to boost enterprise efficiency
SAP's AI-driven enterprise transformation: SAP is integrating advanced AI capabilities across its enterprise software suite, aiming to revolutionize business operations and decision-making processes. SAP is incorporating AI technology, including its generative AI copilot Joule, into various products such as SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, a customizable cloud-based ERP solution. The company is focusing on applying AI to day-to-day operations, automating workflows, providing intelligent insights, and driving efficiency across different business functions. Joule: SAP's AI-powered copilot: Joule, SAP's generative AI assistant, is designed to work seamlessly across the company's wide range of business applications, offering unique advantages to users. Joule can...
read Oct 16, 2024Hong Kong AI deepfake scam defrauds victims of $46M
AI-powered romance scam uncovered in Hong Kong: Hong Kong police have arrested 27 individuals involved in a sophisticated romance scam operation that utilized AI deepfake technology to defraud victims of $46 million through fake cryptocurrency investments. The scam's modus operandi: The fraudsters employed advanced AI face-swapping techniques to create convincing fake online personas, targeting victims through social media and video calls. Scammers initially contacted victims on social media platforms using AI-generated photos of attractive individuals with appealing backgrounds. When victims requested video calls, deepfake technology was used to transform the scammers into attractive women, building trust and fake romantic relationships....
read Oct 16, 2024NPUs and the dawn of the AI-powered PC era
The dawn of AI PCs: A new generation of computers known as Copilot+ PCs, unveiled by Microsoft in May, is set to revolutionize personal computing by incorporating neural processing units (NPUs) for efficient AI processing at the edge. Copilot+ PCs represent a significant leap in computing technology, combining central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), and NPUs on a single system-on-chip (SoC). These AI-powered devices promise to deliver exceptional performance and power efficiency, potentially outperforming their predecessors by a considerable margin. Understanding NPUs: Neural processing units are specialized chips designed to handle AI workloads with remarkable efficiency, simulating the...
read Oct 16, 2024Brookings publishes new study projecting AI’s long-term fiscal impact
AI's potential fiscal impact: A wide-ranging forecast: A new study simulates the long-term effects of artificial intelligence on the U.S. federal budget, revealing a spectrum of possible outcomes that could significantly alter the nation's fiscal landscape. The research, conducted by Ben Harris, Neil R. Mehrotra, and Eric So, explores how AI might influence federal finances through four primary channels: mortality rates, healthcare pricing, healthcare demand, and overall productivity. Depending on the nature and extent of AI's impact, the study projects that annual budget deficits could either increase by 0.9% of GDP or decrease by as much as 3.8% of GDP....
read Oct 16, 2024Tech giants back AI search visualizer Tako with major investment
AI-powered data visualization startup secures significant funding: Tako, a startup leveraging generative AI to create interactive data visualizations from text queries, has raised $5.75 million in seed funding from prominent tech industry figures. The seed round was led by Eventbrite co-founder Kevin Hartz and included investors such as Stanley Druckenmiller, Naval Ravikant, Guillermo Rauch, and Joe Montana. Tako's technology transforms text queries into visually appealing, interactive charts and graphs called "knowledge cards" using public and licensed data. The startup has partnered with AI search engine Perplexity to integrate its knowledge cards into certain data-centric queries. Tako's vision and potential applications:...
read Oct 16, 2024Boston AI chipmaker valued at $4.4B relocates to California
Lightmatter's strategic shift and funding success: Boston-based AI chipmaker Lightmatter has relocated its headquarters to Mountain View, California, while simultaneously securing a substantial $400 million investment round. The move to Silicon Valley comes as CEO Nick Harris, a California native, returns to his home state, though the company maintains a significant presence in Boston with an office and lab employing about 80 people. Lightmatter also operates an office in Toronto, expanding its geographical footprint across North America. Innovative technology at the core: Lightmatter specializes in developing photonic computer chips that utilize light for calculations and data transfer, offering potential advantages...
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