Google’s Duet AI Now Available in Workspace Apps for $30 Per Month

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August 31, 2023

Google has announced that its Duet AI assistant would soon be available in all of its Workspace applications, including Gmail, Drive, Slides, Docs, and more.

According to the company, more than a million users have already tried out Google’s virtual assistant while the Duet technology has been in testing for some time. Anyone who has paid for Google Workspace apps will now receive it.

At its I/O developer conference earlier this year, Google unveiled Duet AI, promoting the set of features as a useful coworker in all of the Google apps. Users can instruct Duet to create a chart from the data in a spreadsheet or to convert Google Docs outline into a deck in Slides.

Users can also ask Duet to write an email answer, generate photos, or check grammar. It can be used as a helpful creative tool. Additionally, users may use it to summarize their documents, discover items in Drive, and more.

Duet AI can also refer to a variety of app-specific features. It entails AI-based adjustments to the lighting and audio of meetings in addition to automated meeting summaries in Google Meets. In Chat, it provides automatic summaries of lengthy threads, so users don’t have to read through it all.

Google will charge $30 per person for access to Duet for large organizations. Workspace’s Head Aparna Pappu said that Google hasn’t decided on pricing for smaller teams. The cost of Microsoft’s AI solution, Copilot, which has comparable features and is compatible with the majority of Office products, is the same.

US Copyright Office to Seek Public Comment on AI and Copyright Issues

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Sahil Pawar

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August 31, 2023

As the government considers how to grapple with AI technology, the US Copyright Office announced that it will begin taking public comments on AI and copyright issues. The government seeks to provide answers to three primary concerns, which were published in the Federal Register.

First is how AI models should use copyrighted data in training. Second is whether AI-generated content can be protected by copyright even without human involvement. And third, how copyright liability would function with AI.

The office also requests feedback on the cases where AI might infringe on publicity rights. However, it recognises that these are not copyright concerns. According to the Copyright Office, if AI mimics voices, likenesses, or artistic styles, it may have an influence on state-mandated publicity regulations and unfair competition legislation.

Written comments must be sent to the Copyright Office by October 18th, and responses on the other issues must be sent by November 15th.

Politicians, artists, authors, and even civil rights organizations are interested in the copyright status of AI training data and the output of generative AI tools, making this a viable pilot project for future AI legislation.

The Copyright Office states that over the past several years, it has begun to receive applications to register works containing AI-generated material. The office might take the remarks into consideration when deciding how much copyright to grant in the future.

After declining to allow Stephen Thaler rights to an image produced by an AI platform, the Copyright Office ended up involved in a legal dispute last year. A Washington DC, court sided with the US Copyright Office in the case earlier this month, ruling that no work can ever receive copyright without a human being participating.

DeepMind Announces SynthID Tool to Watermark AI-generated Images

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Sahil Pawar

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August 31, 2023

SynthID, a method to watermark AI-generated images for easy identification, has been introduced by Google’s AI division, DeepMind. The new tool, which embeds a digital watermark into an image’s pixels, was developed in collaboration with Google Cloud, according to a blog post by DeepMind.

The watermark can be used to identify images created by AI, although it won’t be visible to the human eye. The technology is now only available in beta to a select group of Vertex AI users who use Imagen, the company’s text-to-image model.

Images have a traditional watermark applied on top of them, typically in the form of transparent text or graphics. These techniques, however, have been shown to be ineffective at identifying AI images.

Since the watermark is invisible to the human eye, it will prevent it from detracting from the image. Two machine learning models are used by SynthID to recognise and watermark photos. The models assist it in identifying probable AI-generated content while also helping it visually align the watermark on the image. A wide variety of photos were used to train both models.

In a blog post, Google stated that being able to recognise AI-produced content is essential for giving users awareness of when they are interacting with created media and for preventing the spread of false information. SynthID is developed by Google DeepMind and refined in partnership with Google Research.

The blog says, “Google Cloud is the first cloud provider to offer a tool for creating AI-generated images responsibly and identifying them with confidence.” Although SynthID isn’t completely immune to extreme visual modifications, it does offer a technical solution that holds promise for enabling individuals and organizations to ethically use AI-generated content.

IBM CEO Urges India to Have Sovereign Capability in AI, Proposes National AI Computing Center

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Sahil Pawar

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August 30, 2023

Arvind Krishna, chairman and CEO of IBM, stated that in order to keep up with the worldwide trend of rising investments in computing infrastructure due to rapid technological breakthroughs, India must create sovereign capabilities in artificial intelligence and consider establishing a national AI computing center.

“We had a very good discussion with Rajeev Chandrasekhar. I am a firm believer that every country ought to have some sovereign capability on artificial intelligence, including large language models, and generative AI,” Krishna said in an interview.

He explained the significance of this by saying that India might want to utilize it for purposes the rest of the world does not want to invest in, or for purposes one might not want to expose to the rest of the world. This implies that India requires both computer and data infrastructure, and the country needs a strategy to make use of that that is specific to India for both the government and commercial businesses, he added.

He claimed that India has the resources needed to accomplish this with an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars. The people who claim that you need $10 billion, in his opinion, are “hallucinating”.

Along with other prominent businessmen from around the world present at the B20 summit, including Brad Smith from Microsoft, Shantanu Narayen from Adobe, and Raj Subramaniam from FedEx, Krishna said the summit was a proud moment for India since it demonstrated its capacity to compete on the world stage in terms of growing AI technologies.

BRICS Alliance Announces a Study Committee Dedicated to AI

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Sahil Pawar

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August 29, 2023

BRICS alliance announces study committee dedicated AI — Image Credits: Wikipedia

A study committee devoted to researching and assessing artificial intelligence has been officially constituted by the BRICS alliance. Chinese President Xi Jinping stated an intention to create a “AI study group” among the BRICS member countries during the BRICS summit, which was held in Johannesburg and brought together important developing economies Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

This initiative’s main goal is to constantly track and evaluate the development and evolution of AI technologies. It aims to encourage and promote innovation in the area of artificial intelligence throughout the BRICS alliance’s member nations. More details about the group will be released in the future.

The Chinese President stressed the importance of creating a strong framework for AI governance and standardization to increase the security, dependability, control, and equity of AI technology.

The President of the People’s Republic of China stressed the need of empowering the Study Group to reach its full potential during his speech at the 15th BRICS Summit. Additionally, he promoted the development of AI-related cooperation as well as increased information sharing and technology cooperation among the participating nations.

Other digital topics on the agenda included collaboration on remote sensing satellites, China’s plans to establish research and technology incubator, sustainable development, collaboration in digital education, and focus on digital economy.

OpenAI Announces ChatGPT Enterprise, a Business Edition of its AI Chatbot

By

Sahil Pawar

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August 29, 2023

OpenAI announces ChatGPT Enterprise — Image Credits: AD

The maker of the well-known ChatGPT AI chatbot, OpenAI, has released ChatGPT Enterprise, a version of the chatbot designed specifically for businesses.

ChatGPT Enterprise is made to assist organizations in automating processes, enhancing customer service, and producing original content. Built on OpenAI’s most advanced language model, GPT-4, it offers a number of features not found in ChatGPT’s consumer version.

Introducing ChatGPT Enterprise: enterprise-grade security, unlimited high-speed GPT-4 access, extended context windows, and much more. We’ll be onboarding as many enterprises as possible over the next few weeks. Learn more: https://t.co/lU3ErLtBmT pic.twitter.com/lhixa4IXlc
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) August 28, 2023

These features include enterprise-grade security and privacy, unlimited faster GPT-4 access, and longer context windows for handling inputs that are four times as long. As soon as they are available, the company will provide additional features like extensive data analysis capabilities and availability for all team sizes.

According to OpenAI, several businesses, including Block, Zapier, Canva, and The Estée Lauder Cos., already use ChatGPT Enterprise. The company anticipates that businesses of all sizes will show a significant interest in the product.

“We are announcing the release of ChatGPT Enterprise, which provides enterprise-grade protection and anonymity, limitless higher-speed GPT-4 access, extended context windows for processing longer inputs, comprehensive data analysis capabilities, customization possibilities, and much more,” the blog reads.

After the announcement, Andrej Kaparthy took to Twitter to highlight the potential benefit of the same for large organisations. He tweeted, “Imo the productivity amplification here is so large that organizations should be thinking about it as a basic work tool, like a new kind of spreadsheets++, given out eagerly and by default.”

Imo the productivity amplification here is so large that organizations should be thinking about it as a basic work tool, like a new kind of spreadsheets++, given out eagerly and by default. https://t.co/M4xcAh4M99
— Andrej Karpathy (@karpathy) August 28, 2023

There are already free and ChatGPT Plus options available. The Plus edition is $20 per person every month, while the Free version is free. The latter provides early access to beta features, enhanced data analysis, Plugins support, and GPT-4 access.

The latest text-generating model from OpenAI, GPT-4, was made generally available in July. GPT-4, which replaces GPT-3.5, is much more powerful than its forerunner. It can generate text, including codes, and receive inputs of both text and images, unlike GPT-3.5.

Jio Will Create New AI Systems Similar to ChatGPT for India, says Ambani

By

Sahil Pawar

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August 29, 2023

Jio create AI systems similar ChatGPT India Ambani — Image Credits: AGM

Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), claimed that RIL’s Jio would launch new AI systems for India that would be comparable to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Ambani pledged to make AI accessible to all Indians and to take the lead in developing AI models and solutions that are tailored to India. Ambani announced this at RIL’s 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

“Jio promises AI to everyone, everywhere. And we shall deliver,” said Ambani at Reliance’s 46th Annual General Meeting. Additionally, he stated Jio Platforms’ intention to provide AI-driven solutions spanning numerous industries, making sure that the benefits of AI are available to all facets of the Indian population, including people, businesses, and governmental bodies.

This news is noteworthy because it appears to be in response to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s remarks that India’s AI efforts are “hopeless,” which he later corrected as having been misinterpreted.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spoke at the Economic Times Conversations event in Delhi, where Rajan Anandan, the previous CEO of Google India inquired about his advice on how Indians could develop something similar to ChatGPT in India. Sam responded by adding that while one could attempt to construct something similar in India, it would be “pretty hopeless.”

When the video of the interview went viral, Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani interpreted Altman’s statement as a “challenge”. The CEO of OpenAI later responded to Gurnani’s tweet, claiming that the question he was given was the incorrect one and that his response had been taken out of context. Nevertheless, there have been speculations that Ambani’s announcement is in line with these occurrences.

Jio, which debuted in September 2016 and is now India’s largest mobile operator. Ambani noted during the AGM on Monday that Jio has amassed a customer base of more than 450 million (45 crore) since its launch. Having forayed with such massive success, RIL now wants to tap into the lucrative field of generative AI.

Zepto Raises $200 Million, Becomes First Indian Unicorn in Nearly a Year

By

Suchitra Shenoy

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August 29, 2023

Zepto becomes first Indian unicorn of 2023

Zepto, the quick commerce aka 10-minute grocery delivery platform, has become the first Indian unicorn (a privately-held startup company valued at over a billion dollars) of 2023. The startup raised $200 million in fresh funding at a valuation of $1.4 billion.

Zepto said it raised funds from US-based investment firms StepStone Group and Goodwater Capital “in the midst of the deepest downturn in capital markets in over a decade.” Existing backers, including Nexus Venture Partners, Glade Brook Capital, and Lachy Groom, also participated in the deal.

Started by two 19-year-old Stanford dropouts in 2021, Zepto promises grocery delivery in 10 minutes. The company competes with SoftBank-funded Swiggy and Blinkit, which are all betting on fast deliveries in the quick commerce sector. However, CEO Aadit Palicha stated that Zepto has the quickest delivery time of 13 minutes.

Zepto plans to use the raised funds to go deeper into the seven Indian metros it currently serves. The company makes a monthly revenue run rate of $50 million – $60 million from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru alone.

Despite loss-making, a majority of Zepto’s so-called dark stores—densely located warehouses—generate cash, and the company aims to be profitable in 12-15 months. As per Palicha, the company will consider expanding to new cities after a year. Post May 2022, when it last raised funds, Zepto was valued at $900 million.

Qualcomm Unveils Its First ‘Console-First’ Snapdragon G-series Chips for Handheld Gaming Devices

By

Suchitra Shenoy

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August 29, 2023

Qualcomm releases its first Snapdragon G-series chips

American chipmaker Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon G-series line for handheld gaming devices. Currently, the series encompasses G1, G2, G3, and a Snapdragon G3x Gen2 (the most powerful of the lot). According to Qualcomm, the new G-series lineup is designed to meet the performance and feature demands of dedicated gaming devices.

The Razer Edge 5G, currently powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen1, is getting upgraded to the Snapdragon G3x Gen2. Among the prominent names of handheld console brands, Thundercomm, Huaqin, Inventec, and AyaNeo are some that have joined forces with Qualcomm to launch Snapdragon G-series-powered gaming consoles in the coming days.

Introducing the new #Snapdragon G Series — the Snapdragon G1 Gen 1, G2 Gen 1, G3x Gen 2 gaming platforms and the G3x Gen 2 Handheld Reference Design. Devices powered by these platforms will be the best place to play all your games. 🕹 pic.twitter.com/ByXE5xz0Mt
— Snapdragon (@Snapdragon) August 23, 2023

Mithun Chandrasekhar, senior director of product management at Qualcomm Technologies Inc., stated, “The new generation of Snapdragon G Series powered devices will be the best place for gamers to play their favorite titles, offering them the ability to choose from cloud, console, Android, or PC while on-the-go.”

The Snapdragon G3x Gen2 has a Kyro CPU (8 Core) and Adreno A32 GPU. Its CPU performance is 30% faster than its predecessor’s, and its GPU performance is twice as fast. The Snapdragon G3x Gen2 can power a handheld device with cross-platform gaming capabilities and devices for PC, Android, cloud, and remote console gaming.

SeamlessM4T by Meta is a Multimodal AI Model for Speech and Text Translations

By

Tejaswini Kasture

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August 28, 2023

Meta's SeamlessM4T, Multimodal AI Model for translating speech and text — Image Credits: AD

Meta launched SeamlessM4T (Massively Multilingual & Multimodal Machine Translation), a cutting-edge AI translation model, both multimodal and multilingual, facilitating seamless communication through speech and text across diverse languages.

According to the SeamlessM4T research paper, Meta developed the SeamlessM4T model by using one million hours of open speech audio data for self-supervised speech representation with w2v-BERT 2.0. They combined this with a multimodal corpus named SeamlessAlign, containing aligned translations covering more than 470,000 hours. By adding human-labeled and pseudo-labeled data totaling 406,000 hours, Meta created a robust dataset. This enabled them to develop the first multitasking and multilingual system, SeamlessM4T.

SeamlessM4T provides a wide range of functions. It recognizes speech in almost 100 languages, translates speech to text for nearly 100 input and output languages, translates speech to speech for nearly 100 input and 36 output languages, converts text to text in nearly 100 languages, and transforms text to speech with support for around 100 input and 36 output languages.

Meta has made a public release of SeamlessM4T under CC BY-NC 4.0, inviting researchers and developers to build on this work. Additionally, they are sharing the metadata of SeamlessAlign, the largest open multimodal translation dataset ever.

In addition, they have further simplified the process for the developer’s community to conduct data mining on their individual monolingual datasets using SONAR, a comprehensive collection of text and speech sentence encoders, as well as stopes, a Meta library for processing multimodal data and parallel data mining. All these advancements are backed by fairseq2, Meta’s advanced sequence modeling library.

Users can explore the seamless communication translation demo through this link. This research demo supports translation for around 100 input and 35 output languages. It allows users to record a sentence, choose upto three languages for translation, and view transcriptions and translations.