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Meta’s Llama Models Have Been Downloaded Nearly 350 Million Times This Year
Open-source AI surge led by Meta: Meta's Llama family of AI models has experienced explosive growth, with downloads approaching 350 million on Hugging Face, representing a tenfold increase from the previous year. Meta's mid-year update reveals significant adoption of its open-source AI models, particularly among large enterprises such as Zoom, Spotify, Infosys, AT&T, and Goldman Sachs. The performance of open-source AI is now matching that of closed-source alternatives, gaining substantial traction at the enterprise level. This trend is reshaping the AI landscape, putting pressure on closed-model companies to innovate and reduce costs. Meta's strategic open approach: The company's decision to...
read Sep 4, 2024US Government Partners with OpenAI and Anthropic for AI Safety Testing
AI safety collaboration takes center stage: OpenAI and Anthropic have entered into groundbreaking agreements with the US government, granting early access to their latest AI models for safety testing before public release. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced formal collaborations with both companies and the US Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute to conduct AI safety research, testing, and evaluation. This partnership aims to ensure that public safety assessments are not solely dependent on the companies' internal evaluations but also include collaborative research with the US government. The US AI Safety Institute will work in conjunction with its UK...
read Sep 4, 2024AI Music Scam Exposed on Spotify by Country Fans
AI-generated music scam uncovered: A group of country music fans has exposed a stream-stealing scheme on Spotify involving AI-generated covers of popular songs. The scam involves placing AI-generated covers in legitimate playlists to accumulate millions of streams. Fake bands with generic names like "Highway Outlaws" and "Waterfront Wranglers" have amassed tens or hundreds of thousands of streams without original songs. These artificial artists have suspiciously AI-generated bios and no social media presence. The discovery process: The scheme was uncovered through careful investigation by members of the r/CountryMusic subreddit. A moderator initially discovered one suspicious band and explored "similar to" artists....
read Sep 4, 2024How One Parent Used ChatGPT to Stimulate Her Neurodivergent Toddler
Innovative indoor activities for energetic toddlers: A creative parent turned to ChatGPT for rainy day entertainment ideas, discovering a range of engaging and educational activities suitable for her high-energy, neurodivergent 3-year-old son. The mother sought assistance from ChatGPT to generate 10 creative and educational indoor activities for her son during a rainy weekend. The AI-generated list provided a mix of obvious and novel ideas, which the family adapted and personalized to suit their needs and preferences. Many of the suggested activities allowed for independent play, giving the parent some respite while keeping the child entertained. ChatGPT's initial suggestions: The AI...
read Sep 4, 2024How to Use GPT-4o for Web Scraping
AI-assisted web scraping with GPT-4o: OpenAI's new structured outputs feature in their API has opened up exciting possibilities for AI-assisted web scraping, as demonstrated by a recent experiment using GPT-4o. Initial approach and model selection: The experiment utilized Pydantic models to define the structure for parsed columns and tables A system prompt was crafted to instruct GPT-4o on its role as an expert web scraper GPT-4o outperformed GPT-4o mini in parsing accuracy, leading to its selection for further experimentation Performance on complex tables: GPT-4o successfully parsed a 10-day weather forecast table from Weather.com, correctly handling varying row sizes and hidden...
read Sep 4, 2024AI Lobbying Firm Linked to Controversial Right-Wing Activists
AI lobbying firm LobbyMatic linked to controversial right-wing activists: Politico reports that Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, known for their far-right activism and legal troubles, are allegedly running an AI-powered lobbying company under pseudonyms. LobbyMatic claims to offer an "AI automation platform for lobbyists" that can perform tasks such as monitoring congressional hearings and enhancing legislative research. The company's leadership is not publicly listed on its official website, and it is registered in Delaware under a generic registered agent. When contacted for comment, LobbyMatic provided a video featuring a man resembling Jacob Wohl, who acknowledged a past in partisan politics...
read Sep 4, 2024GenAI Adoption Soars as 82% of Executives Embrace AI Tools
The rise of GenAI in the workplace: Generative AI (GenAI) is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous tool across various professional sectors, with significant adoption rates among executives, managers, and employees. A recent study involving over 13,000 people in 15 countries revealed that 82% of executives, 56% of managers, and 43% of employees are now using GenAI in their work. The adoption rate among employees has doubled since 2023, indicating a swift integration of AI tools in day-to-day work activities. Time-saving benefits of GenAI: The implementation of GenAI is proving to be a significant time-saver for many professionals, particularly in routine and...
read Sep 4, 2024New Study Shows AI Chatbots Can Amplify False Memories in Witness Interviews
AI-induced false memories in witness interviews: A new study reveals that conversational AI powered by large language models (LLMs) can significantly amplify the formation of false memories in simulated crime witness interviews. Researchers explored false memory induction through suggestive questioning in Human-AI interactions, comparing four conditions: control, survey-based, pre-scripted chatbot, and generative chatbot using an LLM. The study involved 200 participants who watched a crime video and then interacted with their assigned AI interviewer or survey, answering questions including five misleading ones. False memories were assessed immediately after the interaction and again after one week. Key findings: The generative chatbot...
read Sep 4, 2024Nearly Half of Nvidia’s Revenue Comes from Just Four Anonymous Whale Customers
AI chip demand drives Nvidia's explosive growth: Nvidia's second-quarter revenue more than doubled, largely due to purchases from just four major customers in the data center and AI chip market. Key revenue figures: Nvidia's quarterly turnover reached $30 billion, with four anonymous customers accounting for 46% of total sales, or approximately $13.8 billion. Each of these four customers contributed more than 10% to Nvidia's overall revenue. The combined purchases from these four customers exceeded Nvidia's entire revenue for the same quarter in the previous year. All purchases were related to Nvidia's booming data center and AI chip business. Potential identity...
read Sep 4, 2024Brookings Releases AI Glossary to Bridge US-China National Security Dialogue
AI and national security lexicon: Brookings has developed a comprehensive glossary of artificial intelligence terms related to national security to facilitate clarity and shared understanding between U.S. and Chinese experts. The glossary covers a wide range of terms, including weapons systems, autonomous technologies, AI concepts, and military terminology. Key definitions provided include artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, and meaningful human control, among others. The document aims to bridge potential gaps in understanding between experts from different countries engaged in dialogue on AI and national security issues. Artificial intelligence defined: The glossary defines artificial intelligence as the capability of machines to perform...
read Sep 4, 2024AI Reshapes Creative Landscape, Sparking Debate on Human Expression
AI's impact on creativity: Generative AI's role in content creation has sparked debate about its implications for human creativity and artistic expression. Ted Chiang, in an essay for The New Yorker, argues that generative AI lacks true creativity and is instead lowering expectations for both content consumers and creators. The technology's ability to produce vast amounts of content quickly has raised concerns about its impact on the quality and originality of creative works. Many artists, writers, and other creatives have expressed objections to the use of generative AI in their fields, citing concerns about authenticity and the value of human-created...
read Sep 4, 2024Huawei Cloud Boosts Saudi AI Talent for Vision 2030 Goals
AI initiatives unveiled to support Saudi Vision 2030: Huawei Cloud has announced a series of innovative artificial intelligence initiatives aimed at accelerating Saudi Arabia's digital transformation and supporting the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals. The announcement was made at the Huawei Cloud Summit Saudi Arabia 2024, which gathered over 600 guests and showcased key AI technologies and ecosystem resources. These initiatives are designed to bolster Saudi Arabia's transformation into a global leader in technology and innovation by providing advanced AI solutions applicable across various industries. The focus areas align with Vision 2030 objectives, including AI-powered industry solutions for sectors such as...
read Sep 4, 2024OpenAI is Changing and it Will Have Big Implications for the Entire AI Industry
AI pioneer's transformation: OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is undergoing significant changes in its management, organization, and investment strategy as it seeks to evolve from a research lab into a profit-driven company at the forefront of artificial intelligence. The company has been hiring top tech executives, disinformation experts, and AI safety researchers to bolster its leadership and expertise. Seven new board members have been added, including a former National Security Agency chief, to provide guidance and oversight. OpenAI is in talks with major tech companies and investment firms for a potential deal that could value the company at $100 billion....
read Sep 4, 2024HBR: Gen AI Amplifies Business Strengths But Won’t Create Unique Edge
The rise of generative AI in business: Generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) is poised to significantly transform business operations, creating substantial value across various sectors. Companies are leveraging gen AI to uncover novel product opportunities and business models, potentially reshaping entire industries. Gen AI is being used to automate routine decisions, allowing human employees to focus on tasks requiring ethical considerations, empathy, or creativity. The technology is democratizing access to customized professional services, making them available to a broader audience beyond the wealthy. Gen AI is enhancing customer communication by delivering product recommendations and information faster, more cost-effectively, and more...
read Sep 4, 2024How AI is Transforming Emissions Data into Business Opportunities
Applying artificial intelligence (AI) to emissions data can reveal valuable insights for businesses, helping them reduce their carbon footprint and identify investment opportunities. However, the effectiveness of AI in analyzing emissions data hinges on data consistency and organization across complex enterprises and their supply chains. The dual challenge of emissions data: Companies face regulatory pressures to report and reduce emissions while also seeking to capitalize on business opportunities related to emissions management. Regulations are driving the need for accurate emissions reporting and reduction over time. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act offers investment credits for carbon sequestration and storage, creating potential...
read Sep 4, 2024AI Falls Short of Human Skill in Document Summarization Trial
AI falls short in document summarization: A government trial conducted by Amazon for Australia's Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has revealed that artificial intelligence performs worse than humans in summarizing documents, potentially creating additional work for people. The trial tested AI models, with Meta's Llama2-70B emerging as the most promising, against human staff in summarizing submissions from a parliamentary inquiry. Ten ASIC staff members of varying seniority levels were tasked with summarizing the same documents as the AI model. Blind reviewers assessed both AI and human-generated summaries, unaware of the involvement of AI in the exercise. Human superiority across all...
read Sep 4, 2024Anthropic to Release System Prompts for its Newest Feature ‘Artifacts’
Anthropic to release Artifacts system prompts: Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude family of models, has announced plans to release system prompts for its newest feature, Artifacts, in the coming weeks. The announcement comes after researchers pointed out the exclusion of Artifacts' system prompts from the recent release of Claude family prompts. Artifacts, which became generally available last week, provides a window alongside the Claude chat interface to run code snippets. An Anthropic spokesperson confirmed to VentureBeat that more details about system prompts, including information about Artifacts, will be added in the next few weeks. Incomplete prompt release raises...
read Sep 4, 2024AI Tools Reshape Higher Education as Fall Semester Begins
AI integration in higher education: As students return to campuses for the fall semester, artificial intelligence applications, particularly generative AI, are becoming an integral part of the learning experience. ChatGPT, backed by Microsoft, and Claude, supported by Amazon, are already widely used by students for tasks such as brainstorming, writing papers, and coding. A growing number of specialized AI apps designed for specific courses or topic areas are emerging to complement these general-purpose tools. The shift from restricting AI use on campuses to embracing it represents a significant change in approach over the past three years. Evolving attitudes towards AI...
read Sep 4, 2024Google Brings AI-Powered Gmail Assistant to Android Devices
Google expands AI-powered email assistance: Google is bringing its Gemini AI chatbot's Gmail Q&A feature to Android devices, with iOS support coming soon, offering users a new way to interact with their email inboxes. The Gmail Q&A feature, which was previously available on the web, allows users to ask Gemini questions about their inbox content and perform various email-related tasks. Users can utilize the AI to find specific details in emails, view unread messages, filter emails from particular senders, or summarize emails on a given topic. Availability and access: The feature is not universally accessible and requires specific subscription or...
read Sep 4, 2024BBC Sounds Tests AI-Generated Subtitles to Boost Accessibility
BBC Sounds introduces AI-generated subtitles: The BBC is trialing artificial intelligence-powered subtitles and transcripts for select shows on its popular audio platform, BBC Sounds, marking a significant step towards improving accessibility. The three-month trial currently includes five shows: In Touch, Access All, Profile, Sporting Witness, and Economics with Subtitles. Users can access the AI-generated subtitles via a new button in the playbar on the BBC Sounds website. The trial is also expanding to the BBC Sounds app, starting with Android devices and later iOS. How it works: The BBC is utilizing Whisper AI, a speech-to-text artificial intelligence system, to generate...
read Sep 4, 2024YouTube’s AI Comment Organizer Goes Global
YouTube expands AI-powered comment organization: YouTube's experimental feature that uses artificial intelligence to organize comment sections into topics is now available for all languages supported by the platform. The feature aims to help users easily understand and participate in discussions by categorizing comments into relevant topics. Initially tested on English-language videos and Shorts, the tool has now been expanded to include all officially supported languages for YouTube comments. The experiment is currently available to a select group of creators and YouTube Premium subscribers through the mobile app. How it works: Users enrolled in the experiment can now sort comments by...
read Sep 4, 2024Huawei’s AI Chips Face Performance Hurdles in Nvidia Challenge
AI chip competition intensifies: Huawei's efforts to develop a domestic alternative to Nvidia's AI chips are facing significant challenges, with customers reporting performance issues and difficulties in transitioning from Nvidia products. Huawei's Ascend series has become increasingly popular for running inference in Chinese AI applications, particularly after Washington tightened export controls on high-performance silicon in October. However, industry insiders report that Huawei's chips still lag far behind Nvidia's for initial model training, citing stability issues, slower inter-chip connectivity, and problems with Huawei's software platform, Cann. Nvidia's software platform, Cuda, is widely regarded as the industry standard, known for its ease...
read Sep 4, 2024How AI Will Augment Human Cognition in the Next Era of Computing
The dawn of a new cognitive era: Large Language Models (LLMs) are poised to revolutionize human-computer interaction, much like the graphical user interface (GUI) did half a century ago. The GUI, first encountered by Steve Jobs at Xerox PARC, transformed computing by making it accessible and intuitive for the average person. LLMs are now set to take this transformation further by expanding the boundaries of human thought and creativity. This shift marks the transition from a "point-and-click" interface to a "think-and-create" paradigm, where language becomes the new operating system for human-computer interaction. Historical context and parallels: The development of LLMs...
read Sep 4, 2024Digital Experience Assurance: How to Ensure Data Fidelity in the Age of AI
The rise of AI-driven Digital Experience Assurance (DXA) is transforming how IT teams manage and optimize digital experiences, particularly in the context of unowned cloud and Internet infrastructure. This emerging discipline offers solutions to the challenges of data overload and the need for rapid, intelligent action in IT operations. The digital experience challenge: IT teams are tasked with ensuring optimal performance of digital experiences, even when they don't control the underlying cloud and Internet networks. The Internet has become the new corporate backbone, creating a vast, unowned environment critical for business operations. The sheer volume of data from various sources...
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