AI/News
Turning chaos to clarity: Our intelligent curation system analyzes thousands of sources daily — from blogs and social media chatter to podcasts and research hubs — synthesizing essential insights into plain English you can actually use.
AI Startup RunwayML Accused of Secretly Training on YouTubers’ Content
The AI video startup Runway faces backlash following a report that it copied training data from thousands of YouTube videos without permission, raising concerns about the company's practices and the broader issue of AI models being trained on copyrighted content. Key details from the leaked spreadsheet: A former Runway employee allegedly leaked a company spreadsheet to 404 Media, revealing plans to categorize and train on YouTube content from various sources: The spreadsheet included over 3,900 individual YouTube channels, with hashtags indicating the type of content. Channels ranged from media companies like The New Yorker, VICE News, and Netflix to individual...
read Jul 25, 2024Congresswoman Makes History with First AI-Voice Speech on House Floor
Rep. Jennifer Wexton of Virginia made history as the first member of Congress to use an AI-generated voice to speak on the House floor, highlighting how technology can help people with disabilities participate more fully in public life. Wexton's groundbreaking use of AI: On Thursday, Rep. Wexton, who has progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), used an AI model of her voice to deliver remarks on the House floor: Wexton said her condition has "robbed me of my ability to use my full voice and move around in the ways that I used to," and she will likely need to use a...
read Jul 25, 2024New Jersey Gambles $500M to be the Next AI Epicenter
New Jersey is enacting a hefty new tax credit program to attract AI companies, aiming to establish itself as a hub for AI innovation. However, the true economic impact and job creation potential remain uncertain. Key details of the AI tax credit program: New Jersey's governor signed a law offering up to $500 million in tax credits for AI companies and data centers that operate at large scales in the state: AI companies and data centers can qualify for the credits by diverting unspent funds from two other state tax credit programs enacted in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. To...
read Jul 25, 2024Airtable’s AI Cobuilder Let’s Anyone Build an Application Without Code
Airtable's Cobuilder AI tool generates apps in seconds, potentially transforming enterprise software development by empowering non-technical users to create complex applications using natural language prompts. AI-powered app generation: Cobuilder interprets user prompts and leverages large language models (LLMs) to generate appropriate application structures, significantly reducing the time and resources required for traditional software development. Airtable CEO Howie Liu highlights the disconnect between technical developers and business stakeholders in traditional software development, which Cobuilder aims to bridge. Cobuilder currently relies on publicly available data and user-provided information to create applications, with plans to enhance its capabilities by incorporating existing company data...
read Jul 25, 2024OpenAI’s Just Announced SearchGPT, an AI-Powered Search Engine
OpenAI has announced SearchGPT, its AI-powered search engine that organizes and summarizes search results, providing users with real-time access to information across the internet. Key features and functionality: SearchGPT goes beyond traditional search engines by not only returning links but also attempting to make sense of the information it finds: Users enter their query into a large textbox, and SearchGPT responds with organized summaries, short descriptions, and attribution links. Follow-up questions can be asked, and a sidebar allows users to open other relevant links. A "visual answers" feature is mentioned, though details on how it works were not provided before...
read Jul 25, 2024NVIDIA Dominates KDD Cup 2024 Data Science Competition
Team NVIDIA's Clean Sweep: Team NVIDIA, consisting of six NVIDIANs, secured first place across all five competition tracks at the prestigious Amazon KDD Cup 2024, demonstrating their mastery in generative AI and data science: The team's innovative approach involved generating 500,000 questions using a combination of manual creation, large language models, and transforming existing e-commerce datasets to overcome the limited training data provided by the organizers. By fine-tuning the Qwen2-72B model using eight NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPUs and employing the QLoRA technique, Team NVIDIA outperformed all competitors despite the constraints imposed by the competition's format. KDD Cup 2024: Mimicking...
read Jul 25, 2024AI’s Carbon Footprint Continues to Raise Concerns about Environmental Sustainability
AI's carbon footprint and increasing energy demand raise concerns about its environmental sustainability, with AI models projected to require substantial electricity and water for cooling in the coming years. Urgent action is needed to address these issues before they escalate into another obstacle to the planet's well-being. Key takeaways: The carbon footprint of generative AI models like ChatGPT is overwhelming, and their energy and water demands are becoming increasingly unsustainable: AI models are projected to require half of the United Kingdom's water supply for cooling by 2027. There is a pressing need to balance technological advancement with ecological well-being, as...
read Jul 25, 2024Google DeepMind AI Scores Silver in Elite Math Olympiad, Showcasing AGI Progress
A Google DeepMind AI system achieved a major milestone by scoring 28 points in this year's International Mathematical Olympiad, equivalent to a silver medal and the highest score reached by AI so far in the world's most prestigious math competition for high school students. Key Takeaways: AlphaProof, the latest AI system from Google DeepMind, showcased impressive mathematical problem-solving abilities in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO): The system scored 28 points, equivalent to a silver medal, which is the highest score achieved by an AI in the competition to date. AlphaProof can tackle various areas of mathematics, including geometry, number theory,...
read Jul 25, 2024Mega-Cap Tech Sell-Off Hints at Why Some Investors Are Souring on AI
Hedge fund manager Dan Niles warns that the recent sell-off in mega-cap tech stocks indicates significant trouble for the sector, as investors become increasingly impatient with the lack of revenue generated from artificial intelligence investments. Market reactions and investor sentiment: The market's negative response to Alphabet's quarterly results serves as a wake-up call for investors, who are starting to demand tangible revenue from AI spending: Alphabet shares tumbled 5% on Wednesday following the company's earnings report, signaling growing investor impatience with the lack of returns on AI investments. Niles believes that the market's reaction to Alphabet's results exposes the underlying...
read Jul 25, 2024AI Surveillance at Paris Olympics Sparks Privacy Concerns and Fears of Overreach
A controversial new AI surveillance system is being deployed at the Paris Olympics, raising concerns about privacy and fundamental rights. The system, which uses algorithms to analyze CCTV footage in real-time, is part of the extensive security measures put in place for the Games. Key details of the AI surveillance system: The algorithms, developed by French companies, will be used at 46 train and metro stations during the Olympics to detect potential security threats: The system can identify and alert operators to events such as crowd surges, abnormally large groups, abandoned objects, weapons, or people falling to the ground. Developers...
read Jul 25, 2024Why Being Polite to AI Chatbots Matters More Than You Think
Civility can prompt better chatbot responses and help preserve our humanity in an era of rapidly advancing AI. Key Takeaways: Being polite to AI chatbots can have tangible benefits, both in terms of the quality of responses and in nurturing positive human behavior: A recent study found that using moderately polite prompts can lead to higher-quality responses from AI language models, although excessive flattery can be counterproductive. Experts suggest that using respectful language with AI can help maintain the habit of being civil in interactions with fellow humans, preventing the normalization of crass or dictatorial communication styles. The Evolving Landscape...
read Jul 25, 2024How Sightfull Is Using AI to Revolutionize Business Data Analytics and Insights
Sightfull, a business data analytics platform, leveraged the power of generative AI (GenAI) to enhance their users' experience by providing meaningful analysis and insights into their data. Exploring possibilities: Sightfull narrowed down potential use cases for GenAI within their product, focusing on areas where clients would benefit from personalized assistance: They identified three main ideas: discovery (finding relevant information quickly), productivity (interacting with the platform more efficiently), and explainability (understanding data and insights). Ultimately, they chose to focus on explainability, creating a "Data storytelling" feature that summarizes metrics and highlights points of interest. Prompt engineering techniques: The team experimented with...
read Jul 25, 2024Meta’s Oversight Board Exposes Flaws in Instagram’s Deepfake Moderation
Meta's Oversight Board found that Instagram failed to promptly take down an explicit AI-generated deepfake of an Indian public figure, revealing flaws in the company's moderation practices. Key findings and implications: The Oversight Board's investigation reveals that Meta's approach to moderating non-consensual deepfakes is overly reliant on media reports, potentially leaving victims who are not public figures more vulnerable: Meta only removed the deepfake of the Indian woman and added it to its internal database after the board began investigating, while a similar deepfake of an American woman was quickly deleted. The board expressed concern that "many victims of deepfake...
read Jul 25, 2024Will AI Disruption Necessitate Universal Basic Income? Experts Weigh Cost, Impact and Feasibility
The artificial intelligence revolution is raising questions about the future of work and the potential need for a universal basic income (UBI) system. While tech titans like Sam Altman claim AI will drastically reshape the economy and necessitate UBI, the feasibility and political viability of such a program remain uncertain. The cost and funding of UBI: Estimates for the total cost of a national UBI system vary widely, with some critics claiming it would cost trillions annually, while proponents argue the net cost would be a fraction of that after accounting for taxes and offsets: Simplistic calculations multiplying the U.S....
read Jul 25, 2024The Triple Threat of Climate Change, AI and Aging Is Reshaping America’s Future
Climate change, AI, and the care crisis converge as a triple threat reshaping America's landscape, according to discussions at the country's largest longevity conference: The dangerous impact of climate change on cognitive health: The brutal heat waves caused by climate change are not just uncomfortable but dangerous, impairing executive functions, weakening neural networks, and disrupting sleep patterns, especially for older adults. AI's potential to disrupt the job market and cause long-term structural unemployment: While AI is revolutionizing industries, it also poses a significant threat by potentially displacing millions of jobs across various sectors, reshaping the entire economy. The mounting care...
read Jul 25, 2024OpenAI CEO Pens Rare Op-Ed: U.S. Must Lead AI Development to Counter Authoritarian Control
In an op-ed published in The Washington Post, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has called for U.S. leadership in AI development to ensure a democratic vision for the technology and counter authoritarian efforts to control it. Key points from Altman's op-ed: Altman argues that the U.S. faces a strategic choice between advancing a global AI that spreads the technology's benefits and opens access to it, or allowing authoritarian nations to use AI to cement and expand their power. While the U.S. is currently ahead in AI development, Altman warns that this leadership is not guaranteed, urging politicians to take a...
read Jul 25, 2024Las Vegas Pioneers AI Weapon Detection on Buses, Tackling Rising Transit Violence Nationwide
The Las Vegas transit system plans to implement a pioneering AI-powered weapons detection system across its entire fleet of over 400 buses, making it the first in the nation to do so at such a scale. Key Takeaways: The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is investing $33 million in a multi-year security upgrade that includes an AI-based gun detection software from ZeroEyes: The system scans riders to identify anyone brandishing a firearm in a threatening manner, aiming to give authorities a critical time advantage in responding to potential active shooter situations. When the AI detects a brandished gun, it...
read Jul 25, 2024Anthropic’s Web Crawler Is Apparently Ignoring Companies’ Anti-Scraping Policies
Anthropic's ClaudeBot crawler hits iFixit's website almost a million times in 24 hours, ignoring the company's anti-scraping policies. This raises questions about AI companies' data scraping practices and the limited options available for websites to protect their content. Key details of the incident: iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens revealed that Anthropic's ClaudeBot web crawler accessed the website's servers nearly a million times within a 24-hour period, seemingly violating iFixit's Terms of Use: iFixit's Terms of Use explicitly prohibit reproducing, copying, or distributing any content from the website without express written permission, including using the content for training machine learning or AI...
read Jul 25, 2024Strategies for Ensuring AI Safety and Chatbot Flaws
The large language models (LLMs) powering chatbots like ChatGPT are capable of impressive feats, but still routinely produce errors and can be made to behave in undesirable or harmful ways. Making these AI systems safe and robust to misuse is a critical challenge as they become more widely deployed. Vulnerabilities rooted in fundamental properties of LLMs: Many of the problems with LLMs stem from how they work - by predicting the most likely next word based on statistical patterns in their training data: Performance can fluctuate wildly depending on how common the output, task or input text is on the...
read Jul 25, 2024NVIDIA’s NeMo Retriever Boosts Accuracy and Throughput for Enterprise LLMs
NVIDIA introduces NeMo Retriever NIM microservices to enhance the accuracy and throughput of large language models (LLMs) for enterprises by leveraging their proprietary data. Key components of NeMo Retriever: The microservices consist of embedding and reranking models that work together to efficiently retrieve the most relevant data for generating accurate responses: Embedding models transform diverse data into numerical vectors, capturing meaning and nuance, and are computationally efficient. Reranking models score the retrieved data based on its relevance to the query, improving accuracy but being more computationally complex. NeMo Retriever combines both model types to ensure the most helpful and accurate...
read Jul 25, 2024Google’s Gemini AI Chatbot Gets Major Upgrade, Enhancing Speed and Quality
Google's Gemini AI chatbot is receiving a significant upgrade with the Gemini 1.5 Flash AI model, which promises to enhance its performance and capabilities. Gemini 1.5 Flash brings speed and quality improvements: The upgrade to Gemini 1.5 Flash is expected to deliver faster response times and improved overall quality across various aspects of the AI's performance: Users can expect noticeable improvements in Gemini's reasoning abilities and image understanding, according to Amar Subramanya, VP of engineering for Gemini. The AI's context window, which determines the amount of text it can process at once, is being quadrupled to 32K tokens, enabling Gemini...
read Jul 25, 2024Senate Passes Landmark Bill to Combat Nonconsensual Deepfake Porn
The DEFIANCE Act, a bipartisan bill to provide legal recourse to victims of non-consensual deepfake pornography, has unanimously passed the Senate and now heads to the House. Key legislative details: The DEFIANCE Act amends the Violence Against Women Act to allow victims to sue producers, distributors, or recipients of deepfake porn if they knew or recklessly disregarded the lack of consent: The bill provides a civil cause of action for both adults and minors, becoming the first federal law to do so if passed by the House. Recent amendments clarify the definition of "digital forgery," update available damages, and add...
read Jul 25, 2024DeepMind’s AlphaProof AI Model Can Solve Math Olympiad Problems
The significance of DeepMind's progress in tackling complex math problems lies in the potential for AI to enhance mathematical research and education, despite current limitations. Key developments in DeepMind's math-focused AI: DeepMind introduced AlphaProof, a model specializing in math reasoning, and an updated version of AlphaGeometry, which focuses on geometry problems. The AI programs successfully solved four out of six problems from the International Mathematical Olympiad, demonstrating their proficiency in topics like algebra and geometry. Challenges and limitations: Math reasoning remains a difficult area for AI models, which have historically struggled with this domain due to their reliance on text-based...
read Jul 25, 2024These AI Companies Are Boosting Career Development Through Personalized Learning, Mentorship and Job Matching
AI is becoming an increasingly crucial tool for career development and professional growth. By leveraging AI's capabilities, individuals can access personalized learning experiences, virtual mentors, tailored job recommendations, and valuable networking opportunities. AI is transforming the way we plan and develop our careers, enabling us to stay competitive and adapt to the ever-changing job market. Personalized learning and skill development: AI platforms offer tailored course recommendations and adapt to individual learning needs, helping professionals acquire the skills needed to excel in their careers: Platforms like Coursera and Udemy use machine learning algorithms to provide personalized course suggestions based on users'...
read