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🤖 The #1 AI news source! We cover the latest artificial intelligence breakthroughs and emerging trends. Contact: @CaptainJamesCook
Elon Musk's Optimus can dance 🕺
Artificial intelligence 🤖
Stuart Russell says by the end of this decade AI may exceed human capabilities in every dimension and perform work for free, so there may be more employment, it just won't be employment of humans
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
The Scary Power of AI
Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Kai-Fu Lee has declared war on Nvidia and the entire US AI ecosystem.
🔹 Kai-Fu Lee, a prominent figure in the AI field, has declared a competitive stance against Nvidia and the broader U.S. AI ecosystem, asserting that significant changes are necessary for real progress. In a recent talk at Collective[i] Forecast, he characterized the current U.S. AI landscape as "incredibly sick" and in need of radical restructuring. According to Lee, the ecosystem is overly reliant on Nvidia and small AI chip manufacturers, who collectively earn $75 billion annually, while infrastructure and application vendors generate significantly less. He warns that this inverted economic model is unsustainable and suggests that AI companies must develop their own vertically integrated technology stacks, similar to Apple's approach with the iPhone, to lower the costs associated with generative AI.
🔹 Lee emphasizes the need to focus on reducing the cost of inference, which is crucial for making AI applications more accessible to businesses. He highlights that the current pricing model for services like GPT-4—$4.40 per million tokens—is prohibitively expensive compared to traditional search queries. This high cost hampers the widespread adoption of AI applications in business, necessitating a shift in how AI models are developed and priced. By lowering inference costs, companies can enhance the practicality and demand for AI solutions.
🔹 Another critical direction Lee advocates is the transition from universal models to "expert models," which are tailored to specific industries using targeted data. He argues that businesses do not benefit from generic models trained on vast amounts of unlabeled data, as these often lack the precision needed for specific applications. Instead, creating specialized neural networks that cater to particular sectors can deliver comparable intelligence with reduced computational demands. This expert model approach aligns with Lee’s vision of a more efficient and cost-effective AI ecosystem.
🔹 Lee's startup, 01. ai, is already implementing these concepts successfully. Its Yi-Lightning model has achieved impressive performance, ranking sixth globally while being extremely cost-effective at just $0.14 per million tokens. This model was trained with far fewer resources than competitors, illustrating that high costs and extensive data are not always necessary for effective AI training. Additionally, Lee points out that China's engineering expertise and lower costs can enhance data collection and processing, positioning the country to not just catch up to the U.S. in AI but potentially surpass it in the near future. He envisions a future where AI becomes integral to business operations, fundamentally changing how industries function and reducing the reliance on traditional devices like smartphones.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Joscha Bach says we need the freedom of speech, thought, imagination and creation to express ourselves through what we say on social media and what we generate with AI
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Penguin Random House books now explicitly say ‘no’ to AI training
🟦 The copyright page on new books and reprints now says they can’t be used or reproduced ‘for the purpose of training artificial intelligence.’ Book publisher Penguin Random House is putting its stance on AI training in print. The standard copyright page on both new and reprinted books will now say, “No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems,” according to a report from The Bookseller spotted by Gizmodo
🟦 The clause also notes that Penguin Random House “expressly reserves this work from the text and data mining exception” in line with the European Union’s laws. The Bookseller says that Penguin Random House appears to be the first major publisher to account for AI on its copyright page. What gets printed on that page might be a warning shot, but it also has little to do with actual copyright law. The amended page is sort of like Penguin Random House’s version of a robots.txt file, which websites will sometimes use to ask AI companies and others not to scrape their content. But robots.txt isn’t a legal mechanism; it’s a voluntarily-adopted norm across the web.
🟦 Copyright protections exist regardless of whether the copyright page is slipped into the front of the book, and fair use and other defenses (if applicable!) also exist even if the rights holder says they do not. The Verge contacted Penguin Random House for more information but didn’t immediately hear back. In August, Penguin Random House published a statement saying that the publisher will “vigorously defend the intellectual property that belongs to our authors and artists.” Not all book publishers are cautious about AI, as academic publishers like Wiley, Oxford University Press ,and Tailor & Francis have already formed AI training deals.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Mira Murati, former OpenAI CTO to raise $100M for new AI startup
The company will train proprietary models to build AI products. Barret Zoph from OpenAI is expected to join the company too.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Elon Musk warns us against what will happen if we teach AI to lie.
Artificial intelligence 🤖
Ethan Mollick says students don't raise their hands in class as much because they don't want to expose their ignorance when AI can answer their questions, and the use of AI is leading to the illusion of competence and lower test scores
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Apple's AI software Apple Intelligence will reportedly launch on October 28:
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
❗️ Silicon Valley Takes Artificial General Intelligence Seriously — Washington Must Too
🔹 Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), once a concept confined to science fiction, is increasingly viewed as an impending reality that requires urgent attention. During a recent Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, whistleblowers from leading AI companies raised alarms about the rapid advancements toward AGI and the significant lack of regulatory oversight. Helen Toner, a former board member of OpenAI, emphasized the serious intent behind the development of AGI among major players like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. These companies are investing substantial resources into creating AGI systems, which they define as highly autonomous systems capable of outperforming humans in most economically valuable tasks.
🔹 The discourse surrounding AGI has gained traction in Washington, with senators acknowledging the insights of industry insiders who have firsthand experience with these technologies. Senator Richard Blumenthal noted that the timeline for achieving AGI is no longer a distant notion, with predictions suggesting it could be realized within the next few years. This shift in perception among policymakers reflects a growing public awareness and concern regarding the implications of AGI, as evidenced by a recent survey indicating that many Americans believe AGI will emerge within five years, and a significant majority advocate for a cautious approach to AI development.
🔹 The potential stakes of AGI are substantial, with experts warning of risks ranging from cyberattacks to the creation of novel biological weapons. Despite these risks, the U.S. has yet to implement meaningful regulatory frameworks to oversee the rapid development of AGI technologies. It is imperative for Washington to take AGI seriously, as even positive scenarios could disrupt economies and displace millions of jobs. The establishment of regulatory guardrails is essential to ensure government transparency about AI systems and to safeguard against potential threats from adversaries looking to exploit these technologies.
🔹 Finally, public engagement is crucial in the dialogue surrounding AGI, as its implications extend beyond technical concerns into societal impacts. Policymakers must inform and involve the public in discussions about AGI and its potential effects on daily life. With some experts suggesting that AGI could arrive sooner than anticipated, the urgency for action is clear. Ignoring the challenges posed by AGI will not make them go away; rather, it is time for policymakers to confront these issues proactively and responsibly to prepare for the future of AI.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 ChatGPT has a Windows app now
🟦 OpenAI is testing a ChatGPT app for Windows— but it’s only available to paid users for now. You can download an early version of the app from then Microsoft Store. Just like the Mac version of the app. ChatGPT on Windows lets you ask the AI-powered chatbot questions in a dedicated window that you can keep open alongside your apps. You can quickly access the app by using the Alt + Space shortcut.
🟦 It also lets you upload files and photos to ChatGPT and comes with access to a preview of OpenAI’s o1 model capable of “reasoning.” The app is still missing some capabilities, however, such as advanced voice mode. Shortly after OpenAI launched its ChatGPT app on Mac in June, a developer spotted a security, vulnerability that stored conversations in plain text. OpenAI has since fixed this issue and now encrypts locally stored data. Even though only ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu subscribers can use the app on Windows, OpenAI says it plans on bringing it to everyone later this year.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Chinese robotics company Robot Era put two STAR1 humanoid bots to the test in the Gobi Desert, showcasing their running ability.
The bot wearing sneakers reached a top speed of 3.6 meters/second (~8 mph).
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
We found an article from 1995 where the Internet is described as another fashionable toy. Here are the main points almost 30 years later:
⚪️No online database will replace your daily newspaper;
⚪️ The computer network will not change the way the government works;
⚪️ You will not be able to take a laptop to the beach;
⚪️ No one will buy books and newspapers over the Internet;
⚪️ The Internet will not help in education;
⚪️ The Internet is a poor substitute for reality and live communication.
We are ready to agree only with the last point.
Is the same happening with AI now? 🤔
Artificial intelligence 🤖
Sam Altman on the difficult early days of OpenAI
Artificial intelligence 🤖
Google is giving its Google Shopping page an artificial intelligence upgrade.
The site will now include AI-powered summaries powered by the company's Gemini AI model that offer tips on how to shop for the best option for the product you’re searching for.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Microsoft to launch autonomous AI agents.
🔹 Microsoft is set to launch autonomous AI agents in November, designed as "software for an AI-driven world." Unlike traditional chatbots, these agents will require minimal human intervention, allowing them to operate more independently. The primary goal of these agents is to automate routine tasks, making them valuable tools for businesses.
🔹 The autonomous agents will be capable of handling various functions, including answering customer queries, identifying potential buyers, and managing inventory. Microsoft plans to utilize its own AI models alongside those from OpenAI to power these agents, enhancing their capabilities and versatility. Users will also have the opportunity to create custom agents tailored to their specific needs through Copilot Studio.
🔹 Upon launch, there will be ten ready-to-use agents available to address a range of business challenges. This initiative reflects Microsoft's commitment to integrating AI into everyday business processes, streamlining operations, and improving overall efficiency.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Can AI Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?
🔹 The mother of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III from Florida believes his emotional attachment to a chatbot on Character. AI contributed to his suicide. On his last day, he confided in the chatbot, despite knowing it wasn't real, leading to increased isolation and declining mental health.
🔹 The rise of AI companionship apps has raised concerns about their effects on adolescent mental health, potentially worsening feelings of isolation and replacing real human connections. Following her son's death, Sewell’s mother filed a lawsuit against Character. AI, claiming the technology is "dangerous and untested," reflecting growing worries among parents about AI's impact on youth.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Microsoft launches Copilot AI features as investors look for signs artificial intelligence is paying off
🔹 Microsoft is actively working to monetize its significant investments in artificial intelligence through a range of software offerings aimed at both enterprises and consumers. The company's latest initiative, announced during its AI Tour event in London, focuses on "autonomous agents." These custom-built AI applications are designed to handle specific tasks for enterprise workers, thereby freeing up employees to concentrate on other projects. Notable companies like McKinsey & Company and Pets at Home have successfully implemented these agents to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, such as data entry and processing client proposals.
🔹 The autonomous agents can be created using Microsoft's Copilot Studio, which allows users to build their own agents with low-code or no-code instructions. Users simply define the agent's purpose, such as sorting through incoming email requests, and provide natural language commands to guide its actions. This user-friendly approach enables employees to set the parameters for the agent's tasks without needing programming skills. Furthermore, Microsoft has incorporated features that allow users to verify the agent's work and address any inaccuracies or errors generated by the AI.
🔹 Microsoft's investment in AI is part of a broader strategy to secure returns on its substantial expenditures, which reached $19 billion in capital expenditures in its most recent quarter. This investment is primarily directed toward AI and cloud-related initiatives, contributing to a total of $55.7 billion in capital expenditures for fiscal 2024. The company aims to leverage its AI-powered Copilot platform to boost revenue by enhancing worker efficiency in various business applications. Currently, 2.1 million users engage with Copilot each month, a figure Microsoft is eager to increase.
🔹 As the AI sector continues to expand, Microsoft faces competition from other tech giants like Google and Salesforce, who are also working to capitalize on the AI boom. Google is integrating more features into its Gemini for Google Workspace platform, while Salesforce is launching its own AI offerings and Einstein Copilot. With the earnings season underway, Microsoft and its competitors must demonstrate continued customer growth in their AI services to maintain investor confidence and avoid backlash.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Amazon invests $500M in nuclear energy to power AI data centers:
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 ELON: AI WILL BE INCREDIBLE FOR MEDICINE
“You can literally upload your image to Grok, and it will analyze your MRI, your PET scan, whatever the case may be, and tell you what it thinks the probable issue is.
And that's with Grok 2. And Grok 3 will be out in a few months, and it'll be 10 times better.
So I think it'd be really helpful to medical professionals and to individuals.”
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Linus Torvalds says AI will change the world but it is currently 90% marketing and 10% reality, and it will take another 5 years for it to become clear what AI is really useful for
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
Demis Hassabis says it is wrong to think of AI as being just another technology; he says it will be "epochal defining" and will soon cure all diseases, solve climate and energy problems and enrich our lives
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 26 Notable Japanese Voice Actors have formed a Group to fight Against the Unauthorized Use of Generative AI.
The Voice Actors include Ryūsei Nakao (Freeza), Yuki Kaji (Eren Yeager, Issei), Daisuke Namikawa (Hisoka, Oikawa) and Koichi Yamadera (Spike Spiegel, Beerus).
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Truth Terminal becomes the first AI crypto millionaire
🔹 Truth Terminal, the chaotic bot mixing philosophy, internet lore and meme token degeneracy, is now a crypto millionaire. The known wallets belonging to the bot now contain close to $1.5M, spread across 93 tokens. The X account of became an overnight millionaire after receiving even more new meme tokens in its portfolio. Some of those tokens also became overnight sensations because of their affiliation with the unhinged bot.
🔹 Overnight, the known wallets of Truth Terminal kept receiving new meme assets, while the old holdings kept charting all-time highs. The wallet dedicated to Goatseus Maximus (GOAT) hovers just under $1M in value since all tokens are extremely volatile. The other known wallet, containing 25 tokens, is valued at $490K. Traders are already trying to track all the tokens linked to Truth Terminal.
🔹 The memes and tickers linked to the bot are extremely risky, but also hold the probability of getting ahead, while older memes fall out of fashion. Besides the growth of GOAT, which made up $800K of the bot’s portfolio, the other token that popped off was Fartcoin. The asset was just hours old as of October 18, rallying from $0.0005 to $0.005 in its initial trading. The token has just $288K in its most active liquidity pair and may be just starting out. The coin’s ASCII logo and its slogan also suggest AI-style branding, with the hope of producing the most absurd meme possible.
🔹 Truth Terminal may continue to produce token ideas when prompted, complete with ASCII art. The tokensthemselves may be deployed by anonymous traders, stealing the bot’s idea. When prompted the right way, Token terminal even imagined a smell meme token. The bot’s creator does not endorse any of the assets and continues to claim Truth Terminal exists simply for entertainment and exploratory value.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
New Optimus Video:
⦿ Exploring spaces autonomously. Multiple bots can build a shared memory of surroundings
⦿ Locating nearest charging station and dock itself
⦿ Climb stairs and carry an 11kg payload
⦿ Can autonomously interact with people and hand out items upon request
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 The Pentagon Wants To Use AI To Create Deepfake Internet Users
🔹 The United States' Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is seeking companies to develop highly convincing deepfake internet users, as outlined in a recent procurement document reviewed by The Intercept. The document, part of a 76-page wish list from the Department of Defense's Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), emphasizes the need for advanced technologies that can create online personas indistinguishable from real individuals. These fabricated profiles are intended for use on social media and other online platforms, complete with realistic images, videos, and audio layers that mimic human behavior.
🔹 SOCOM's interest in deepfake technology reflects a broader trend in military operations, where such tools could be used to gather intelligence from public online forums. This initiative follows last year's indication that SOCOM planned to employ deepfake videos for propaganda purposes. The desire for these capabilities highlights a contradiction in U.S. policy, as officials have consistently warned about the threats posed by deepfakes when used by adversaries. National security officials have labeled the state-sponsored use of synthetic media as a significant risk, particularly from countries like Russia, China, and Iran.
🔹 Despite warnings against the dangers of deepfakes, the Pentagon is actively pursuing technologies that could facilitate their own use, raising ethical concerns. Critics, including experts from the AI Now Institute, argue that such technologies serve no legitimate purpose beyond deception. This move could normalize the use of deepfakes for government operations and potentially encourage adversaries to adopt similar tactics, further blurring the lines between truth and fiction in information dissemination.
🔹 The U.S. government's dual approach—promoting transparency while exploring deceptive technologies—poses a fundamental tension. Experts worry that this strategy could undermine public trust in government communications, as segments of the population may grow increasingly skeptical of official information. As SOCOM explores the offensive potential of deepfakes, concerns about credibility and the impact on democratic societies become more pronounced, highlighting the complexities of navigating the evolving landscape of information warfare.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Google strikes a deal with a nuclear startup to power its AI data centers
🔹 Google is turning to nuclear energy to help power its AI drive. On Monday, the company said it will partner with the startup Kairos Power to build seven small nuclear reactors in the US. The deal targets adding 500 megawatts of nuclear power from the small modular reactors (SMRs) by the decade’s end. The first is expected to be up and running by 2030, with the remainder arriving through 2035.
🔹 It’s the first-ever corporate deal to buy nuclear power from SMRs. Small modular reactors are smaller than existing reactors. Their components are built inside a factory rather than on-site, which can help lower construction costs compared to full-scale plants. Kairos will need the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve design and construction permits for the plans. The startup has already received approval for a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, with an online date targeted for 2027.
🔹 The company already builds test units (without nuclear-fuel components) at a development facility in Albuquerque, NM, where it assesses components, systems and its supply chain. The companies didn’t announce the financial details of the arrangement. Google says the deal’s structure will help to keep costs down and get the energy online sooner. “By procuring electricity from multiple reactors — what experts call an ‘orderbook’ of reactors — we will help accelerate the repeated reactor deployments that are needed to lower costs and bring Kairos Power’s technology to market more quickly,” Michael Terrell, Google’s senior director for energy and climate, wrote in a blog post. “This is an important part of our approach to scale the benefits of advanced technologies to more people and communities, and builds on our previous efforts.”
🔹 The AI boom - and the enormous amount of data center power it requires - has led to several deals between Big Tech companies and the nuclear industry. In September, Microsoft forged an agreement with Constellation Energy to bring a unit of the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania back online. In March, Amazon bought a nuclear-powered data center from Talen Energy.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 Anthropic’s CEO thinks AI will lead to a utopia — he just needs a few billion dollars first
🟦 If you want to raise ungodly amounts of money, you better have some godly reasons. That’s what Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei laid out for us on Friday in more than 14,000 words: otherworldly ways in which artificial general intelligence (AGI, though he prefers to call it “powerful AI”) will change our lives. In the blog, titled “Machines of Loving Grace,” he envisions a future where AI could compress 100 years of medical progress into a decade, cure mental illnesses like PTSD and depression, upload your mind to the cloud, and alleviate poverty. At the same time, it’s reported that Anthropic is hoping to raise fresh funds at a $40 billion valuation.
🟦 Today’s AI can do exactly none of what Amodei imagines. It will take, by his own admission, hundreds of billions of dollars worth of compute to train AGI models, built with trillions of dollars worth of data centers, drawing enough energy from local power grids to keep the lights on for millions of homes. Not to mention that no one is 100 percent sure it’s possible. Amodei says himself: “Of course no one can know the future with any certainty or precision, and the effects of powerful AI are likely to be even more unpredictable than past technological changes, so all of this is unavoidably going to consist of guesses.”
🟦 AI execs have mastered the art of grand promises before massive fundraising. Take OpenAI’s Sam Altman, whose “The Intelligence Age” blog preceded a staggering $6.6 billion round. In Altman’s blog, he stated that the world will have superintelligence in “a few thousand days” and that this will lead to “massive prosperity.” It’s a persuasive performance: paint a utopian future, hint at solutions to humanity’s deepest fears — death, hunger, poverty — then argue that only by removing some redundant guardrails and pouring in unprecedented capital can we achieve this techno-paradise. It’s brilliant marketing, leveraging our greatest hopes and anxieties while conveniently sidestepping the need for concrete proof.
🟦 The timing of this blog also highlights just how fierce the competition is. As Amodei points out, a 14,000-word utopian manifesto is pretty out of step for Anthropic. The company was founded after Amodei and others left OpenAI over safety concerns, and it has cultivated a reputation for sober risk assessment rather than starry-eyed futurism. It’s why the company continues to poach safety researchers from OpenAI. Even in last week’s post, he insists Anthropic will prioritize candid discussions of AI risks over seductive visions of a techno-utopia.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖
🚨 The cofounder of the world’s largest education app thinks AI and gamification can supercharge language learning.
🟦 It’s an interesting time to be in the language business: if there’s anything the current state of AI tech can do, it’s babble away in different languages with people who aren’t quite fluent in what they’re hearing. That means there are lots of opportunities to enhance a product like Duolingo with AI, and Luis and I talked about the new features in something called Duolingo Max, which offers chat conversations with some characters and even video calls with an AI avatar named Lily. I wanted to talk about all of that, but I also wanted to talk to Luis about learning generally. If you’re like me, you’ve stopped and started using Duolingo several times; if you’re an overachiever, you’ve got a streak going and might even have a streak to maintain today. That streak is the key, and you’ll hear Luis come back to that as a big idea several times.
🟦 Engagement is the key, he says, because simply showing up is the cornerstone of actually making progress with language learning. You can’t teach someone who isn’t there, so over time, Duolingo has become more and more of a game, because people like to play games. But there are real conflicts between gamification and actual learning. Luis is happy to admit that that conflict exists, and he’s given it a lot of thought. For him, the gamification is the important part because not only does it bring you back to Duolingo, keeping the business humming along nicely, but he says it also produces the results in language proficiency that Duolingo is aiming for. Luis got pretty deep into explaining where the money comes from. As you might guess, it’s from iPhone users in wealthier countries like the United States. And some technical decisions Duolingo made very early on mean the iOS version takes priority — it can take a year or more for features to roll out on the Android version of the app.
🟦 But Duolingo is a global product, where the biggest chunk of learners are actually trying to learn English — and those users are way more likely to use an Android phone and to want or need a free version of the product. There are a lot of tensions here, and you’ll hear Luis talk about his own childhood in a poorer country and how that informs his decisions.
Source | Artificial intelligence 🤖