YouChat, a ChatGPT-like Chatbot from You.com, is Getting Viral But for the Wrong Reasons

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January 3, 2023

You.com, an AI search engine that debuted last year with the promise of more incredible customizability, started a ChatGPT-style chatbot, YouChat, on its website on Friday. The chatbot can solve questions, have conversations, and bring more exposure to artificial intelligence for ordinary people.

The new search engine function is modeled after ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that gained popularity earlier this year for providing original answers to challenging questions. However, You.com claimed that it expects to stand out by providing solutions to more recent queries.

When we asked about the inflation rate in 2023 during the first quarter, YouChat answered:

However, as per Google, the metric will be about 6.5%. Evidently, the factual answers are not very reliable, just like in ChatGPT’s case. This is why people should be cautious while using YouChat to get detailed answers, specifically the ones having factual data.

You.com says, “This product [YouChat] is in beta, and its accuracy may be limited,” and adds that it is not accountable for the answers YouChat generates.

ChatGPT, YouChat, and other similar chatbots are a part of a significant technological change wherein artificial intelligence algorithms are increasingly used to produce new genres of writing, music, and even art. Their popularity and progress have caused some to wonder what constitutes art and whether computers can create original works from a pool of knowledge.

Only time will tell whether such AI services will replace humans or only reduce their involvement in activities.

Turkey Announces Blockchain-Based Digital Identity To Login Online Public Services

By

Preetipadma K

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January 3, 2023

The Turkish government intends to integrate blockchain technology into the sign-in process for online public services. Turkish citizens will be verified when logging in to E-Devlet – the digital government portal used in Turkey to access various public services – using a blockchain-based digital identity.

This development comes after South Korea revealed last month that three-quarters of a million South Koreans are already using its blockchain-based national mobile digital identity system. Citizens are using digital identity for credentials like the mobile driving license (mDL), and people with a particular status in the country have digitalized their national ID. However, the system is not expected to be fully operational until 2024.

Interest in blockchain technology has developed consistently and quickly over the past several years, spurred on by its myriad advantages. One of its key applications is blockchain-based digital identity. The individual digital identity which is linked to websites becomes more crucial to govern and authenticate as business and communication shift to the digital realm. There are several problems with current identification systems (textual, biometric, etc.) as they are fragile, isolated, and prone to errors and theft. However, blockchain technology can address these problems and provide a consolidated source for asset and identity verification.

The vice president of Turkey, Fuat Oktay, made the announcement at the Digital Turkey 2023 event that users of e-wallet applications will be able to access blockchain-based digital identities. They described the blockchain-based application as a revolution for e-government initiatives and added that it would make online services safer and more accessible.

Fuat said, “With the login system that will work within the scope of the e-wallet application, our citizens will be able to enter the e-Devlet with a digital identity created in the blockchain network.”

Turkey has been actively pursuing blockchain-based projects in recent years. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) announced in October that it will develop a digital central bank currency based on the blockchain (i.e., a central bank digital currency, or CBDC). In a news statement last month, the central bank reported that the first transactions involving the digital lira had been completed successfully. In addition, CBRT stated that it will carry out limited, closed-circuit pilot testing for the digital lira until the first quarter of 2023. Additionally, non-blockchain services such as Turkey’s Instant and Continuous Transfer of Funds (FAST) System and digital identification technologies will be connected with the digital lira.

Seoul-based Deep Brain AI launches paid service to speak to the dead

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Sahil Pawar

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January 3, 2023

Seoul-based Deep Brain AI paid service speak dead

Seoul-based Deep Brain AI launched a paid service called Re;memory for those who would like to speak again with their deceased loved ones, even if it is just virtually.

When a loved one dies, a family is often left with only digital memories such as photos and videos. However, these are only one-way modes of communication where one can see or hear their loved ones but cannot interact back with them.

DeepBrain AI takes this trove of information and a pre-interview to put together a private virtual meeting in their studio where one can have unfinished conversations with their loved ones.

The company’s AI-based image synthesis technology can create an AI human that is complete in non-verbal parts such as facial expressions, lip-syncing, and movements. It also uses conversational AI technology that makes use of speech recognition technology and natural language processing to make real-time conversations possible.

The Re;memory service can provide a 30-minute reuniting experience with the deceased loved ones after hours of data processing, where one can talk to them or have a videotaped message delivered from them on special events like anniversaries or birthdays.

One can also generate biographic videos personalized for each individual in the family or even hold a memorial service in the presence of the AI-human. Re;memory services are offered via a memorial showroom where a high-quality sound system and a large 400-inch screen make your experience more realistic.

Persistent Systems Has Set Up a Unit Focusing on Microsoft Azure to Collaborate on Cloud, AI

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Disha Chopra

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January 3, 2023

persistent systems microsoft collaborate on cloud

Persistent Systems, an IT company, announced Monday that it is strengthening its work with Microsoft to prepare for its growth. It has set up a business unit focusing on Microsoft Azure with over 3000 Azure certifications, 50 IPs, and assets.

According to Sangita Singh, general manager of IT & ITES at Microsoft India, the partnership will allow both businesses to develop innovative capabilities for the cloud-native and AI-first world.

In addition to this business unit, Persistent Sytems would use the powerful analytics of Microsoft’s Viva platform to enhance employee experience. It believes that the Viva platform would change its employee perception and interaction in real-time, primarily due to the remote working arrangements made possible after the pandemic.

Utilizing Microsoft Azure’s cloud data lake services, Persistent is also constructing an organization-wide data fabric. Persistent will broaden its go-to-market offerings and provide the cloud data lake to its industrial verticals.

The Azure-focused unit is one of many growth-centric projects Persistent Systems is working on. To aid its growth phase, the company has also acquired Data Glove, a Microsoft partner that implements expert Azure-enabled transformations. The acquisition will allow Persistent Systems to leverage more business and government services as a technology partner.

Pony.ai and Baidu granted Permits for driverless robotaxi tests in Beijing

By

Preetipadma K

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January 2, 2023

Pony.ai Baidu Driverless taxi test Beijing

Pony.ai, a startup sponsored by Toyota Motor Corp. and Baidu Inc., announced on Friday that they had been issued the first licenses by the Beijing Intelligent Connected Vehicle Policy Pilot Zone. Both Baidu and Pony.ai said they would each start testing 10 completely autonomous test vehicles across a 20 square kilometer region in Yizhuang, Beijing, including various complicated urban traffic conditions.

The autonomous vehicles will be tested without anybody inside; a safety officer will remotely oversee the test vehicles. In the last year, the Beijing Intelligent Connected Vehicle Policy Pilot Zone has sequentially unveiled a series of industry-leading autonomous driving laws. The pilot zone began conducting unmanned road tests for autonomous driving in October 2021 and separated “autonomous” testing across three phases:

There is no one behind the wheel, but there is a safety operator in the passenger seat.
No one is in the front seat; however, there is a safety operator in the back row. Pony.ai was given permission to conduct tests with a safety operator in the rear seat in November 2022.
Fully driverless, where the safety officer will monitor the vehicle remotely (this covers the permit for autonomous testing in Beijing.) AV test vehicles must comply with strict technical and operational standards, including test miles and disengagement rate, in order to advance to the third stage.

This is the first time that companies are permitted to operate a fully driverless service in China, despite the fact that multiple cities in the country have already permitted autonomous car firms to test their vehicles without a human safety operator behind the wheel. Further, it is evident from both Pony’s and Baidu’s milestones that the nation is advancing with regulation to commercialize autonomous technology.

Pony.ai received a taxi license in Guangzhou in April 2022 to operate and charge for autonomous ride-hailing, which requires a safety operator to remain in the driver’s seat. By reaching this milestone, it became the first and only AV company to be granted a taxi license in China at the time. Pony.ai is also testing autonomous drive vehicles in Arizona and California, but as a precaution, it employs safety drivers in the vehicles.

Read Also: The Rise of China in the Autonomous Vehicle Industry
Meanwhile, Baidu has been providing ride-hailing services without using human drivers since August 2022, in the cities of Chongqing and Wuhan, where they travel over hundreds of square kilometers. This year, the company plans to add 200 more robotaxis to its network throughout China. Last month, Baidu announced its plans to expand its completely autonomous robotaxi service in Wuhan, tripling its operation area, boosting its fleet size, and extending its running hours to cover peak evening hours.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Alerts customers about Possible Data Breach

By

Preetipadma K

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January 2, 2023

The personal information of some of Toyota Motor’s customers may have been exposed online, according to a data breach report released on Sunday by Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), a division of Toyota Motor in India. The Bengaluru headquartered company is a joint venture between the Japanese carmaker and the Indian Kirloskar group.

“The company has been notified by one of its service providers of an incident that might have exposed the personal information of some of TKM’s customers on the Internet,” Toyota Kirloskar Motor said in an emailed statement without disclosing the size of the data breach or number of customers affected. The company added that the Indian Computer Energy Response Team (CERT-In), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, had been notified about the situation.

In light of this event, Toyota Kirloskar Motor will work with its service provider to further strengthen the current extensive guidelines that are being followed and is completely dedicated to avoiding any form of disturbance to its esteemed customers. The carmaker also issued an apology to its customers for causing any concern regarding the incident.

No other information on the number of customers affected or what data was compromised has been given as of yet.

Read About: Will data encryption protect user privacy when using edge AI for personalized ads?

This follows Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s announcement on Saturday that it will raise prices across the board starting on April 1 by up to 4% in order to alleviate the effects of growing input expenses, especially raw material costs.

This is not the first time Toyota Motor suffered a data breach. Toyota stated in October that from July 2017, it’s possible that the private data of close to 296,000 consumers has been compromised. This was due to an unrelated issue with T-Connect, a telematics service that connects vehicles via a network, that leaked the email addresses and customer management numbers of some customers who had subscribed to T-Connect services.

Based on an assessment by security professionals, Toyota stated in a statement at the time that third-party access could not be proven from the access history of the data server where the information was housed. There was no likelihood that consumers’ sensitive personal information, such as names, phone numbers, or credit card information, was exposed, Toyota had said. However, it added that third-party access “could not be completely ruled out.”

Australia records 216 crypto ATM installations, beats El Salvador

By

Sahil Pawar

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January 2, 2023

Australia records 216 crypto ATM installations

Australia has recorded 216 ATMs stepping into the year 2023. The country has overcome the spot by beating El Salvador, the first to legalize Bitcoin (BTC), in total crypto ATM installations.

Australia deployed 99 crypto ATMs in the last three months of the year 2022. As of yesterday, Australia recorded 219 active crypto ATMs, overshadowing El Salvador by 7 ATMs.

Australia represents 0.6% of global crypto ATM installations. At this rate, the country is well-poised to take over the total number of crypto ATMs in Asia, which stand at 312. The total number of crypto ATMs across the world is 38,602, out of which 6,071 ATMs were installed in 2022 alone.

As part of El Salvador’s initiative to establish Bitcoin as a legal tender last year, President Nayib Bukele had decided to install over 200 crypto ATMs across the country.

While this move made El Salvador the third largest crypto ATM hub at the time after the US and Canada in September 2021, Spain and Australia overtook the Central American country’s ATM count in 2022.

Maruti Suzuki unveils ArenaVerse, a Metaverse platform for customers

By

Manjiri Gaikwad

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January 2, 2023

Maruti Suzuki India has recently launched ArenaVerse, a Metaverse platform for the ARENA showroom network. With ArenaVerse, customers can immerse themselves in an interactive virtual experience with the selected vehicles of Maruti Suzuki.

The launch of ArenaVerse strengthens the company’s aim to provide a more interactive and immersive retail experience for its customers, as they can digitally interact with sales representatives and arrange cars in ArenaVerse.

Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, mentioned that the company’s strong digital journey is further focused on fulfilling the requirements of new-age customers. He also noted the immense potential in the global ecosystem of metaverse that provides companies with a platform to grow without time zones and geographical boundaries. This brings vast opportunities for Maruti Suzuki to connect with the remotest customers by integrating technology innovation with its extensive network across India.

To ensure an impeccable experience, Maruti Suzuki has furnished more than 700 Arena main outlets spread across India with Virtual Reality (VR) for its customers to experience the ArenaVerse. The ArenaVerse web version can be accessed through the Maruti Suzuki Arena website on web browsers.

Italy to meet Intel to empower chip factory investment

By

Manjiri Gaikwad

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January 2, 2023

Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, announced last week that she would request a meeting with the representatives of Intel to discuss a possible multibillion-euro investment by the US chipmaker in Italy.

Earlier this year, Intel announced its plan to invest 80 billion euros in the European Union over the next decade along the semiconductor value chain, from research and development to manufacturing to state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies. According to the plan, Intel initially wanted to invest 17 billion euros into a leading-edge semiconductor fab mega site in Germany, create a new R&D and design hub in France, and invest in R&D, foundry, and manufacturing services in Spain, Poland, Italy, and Ireland.

As per the announcement, Intel also planned to increase its lab space by 50% to develop deep neural networks, data centers, cloud computing, audio, and graphics solutions. By the end of 2023, Intel will complete its lab expansion.

During a year-end press conference, Giorgia Meloni mentioned that she would schedule a meeting to ask Intel about their investment in Italy. She thinks the investment will be highly strategic and create a next-generation European chip ecosystem to address the need for a resilient supply chain.

Meta acquires 3D smart glass maker Luxexcel

By

Sahil Pawar

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January 2, 2023

Meta has reportedly acquired the Netherlands-based 3D smart glass maker Luxexcel as it strives toward its metaverse dream in 2023. The news was first reported in the Belgian paper De Tijd.

Luxexcel can integrate the elements required to create an augmented reality (AR) experience inside a prescription lens, like projectors and holographic film.

Meta has not disclosed its spending on acquiring the 3D glass maker. We are excited for the Luxexcel team to join Meta, which is deepening the existing partnership between the two companies, Meta said.

Luxexcel’s 3D-printed prescription lenses can be utilized inside AR glasses. In 2021, the company collaborated with WaveOptics, facilitating the displays for Snap’s Spectacles.

Meta has also planned to shut down its video-calling smart display ‘Portal’ and its two unreleased smartwatches projects, as the company eliminated 11,000 jobs.

Meta is reportedly struggling to gain and keep users on its social virtual reality (VR) platform, Horizon Worlds, its biggest bet to fulfill its $10 billion metaverse dream.