Meta India and INDIAai Collaborate Over AI and Emerging Technologies

By

-

July 27, 2023

Meta India and INDIAai collaborate over AI and emerging technologies — Image Credits: AD

In order to make Meta’s open-source AI models accessible, INDIAai and Meta India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday. The partnership will create a framework for collaboration and cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

INDIAai is a research organization, knowledge platform, and ecosystem-building project. The AI ecosystem in India will be brought together and cooperation will be encouraged through this deal.

Abhishek Singh, CEO of INDIAai, said in a statement that the company’s cooperative research and development efforts with Meta will use cutting-edge AI technologies like Llama and other open-source solutions to address large-scale problems.

In order to support the startup ecosystem in these industries, both organizations may also think about establishing a center of excellence. They will use Meta’s AI research tools, including Llama, Massively Multilingual Speech, and No Language Left Behind. The emphasis will be on creating datasets in Indian languages to support large language models and translation, with a concentration on low-resource languages.

The project’s use of large language models, generative AI, cognitive systems, and translation models is intended to promote social inclusion, enhance the delivery of government services, and stimulate innovation. Both organizations added that they will cooperate to advance ethical AI practices through the joint creation of comprehensive tools and guidelines.

TikTok Introduces Text-only Posts to Compete with Twitter and Threads use

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 26, 2023

In an effort to capitalize on users who could be looking for Twitter alternatives, TikTok has announced the addition of text-only posts. TikTok users can now post text-only content, a major change for the social media app known for its short videos.

TikTok described the change as expanding the boundaries of content creation for everyone on TikTok and giving the written creativity they have seen in comments, captions, and videos a dedicated space to shine.

The posts, which have a word count maximum of 1,000, will also let users add colorful backgrounds and stickers. Compared to Instagram, these posts will facilitate a conversation, rather than simply allowing it to be commented on. The app will continue to limit video descriptions to 2,200 characters and comments to 150 characters.

According to TechCrunch, the feature’s debut was likely to take on Twitter, now rebranded as X, and Meta’s Threads. Elon Musk recently changed the name of his firm to X, a move that many have dubbed extremely risky since he purchased Twitter in October.

Instagram’s text-based app, Threads, was introduced earlier this month to much excitement. The app uses Instagram’s user base. Though Threads saw 100 million join up in less than five days after it launched, Forbes says that the number of daily active users has subsequently dropped by 70%.

OpenAI Releases ChatGPT App for Android

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 26, 2023

OpenAI’s ChatGPT app, which has been accessible to iOS users for the past two months, has recently been made available for Android. Users in the US, India, Bangladesh, and Brazil will be the first to have access to the app’s Android version when it launches, which will happen in phases.

Over the next week, OpenAI plans to further increase the app’s availability to more nations. The ChatGPT app for Android is free, however OpenAI provides a subscription service that may be used to access the latest large language model GPT-4 and more features.

The ChatGPT Android app is compatible with smartphones running Android 6.0 or later and is accessible for download in India through the Google Play store. The application size is 6MB. Pre-registered users simply need to update the app from the store.

After that, users can use all of ChatGPT’s features that are available on the desktop version. The Android app adds support for chat history and syncing. Since its initial release in May 2023, ChatGPT app has only been available on Apple’s iOS. After being made available to the public in November of last year, the AI-based chatbot ChatGPT quickly acquired popularity in the technology sector.

The announcement comes as leaders in chatbot technology including OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Anthropic are engaged in a heated AI arms race. Tech firms are rushing to release new chatbot apps as well as new capabilities like visual search in an effort to persuade users to incorporate generative AI into their daily lives.

AI Cameras Installed on Bengaluru Mysore Expressway to Combat Overspeeding

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 26, 2023

AI cameras installed on Bengaluru Mysore Expressway to combat overspeeding — Image Credits: Wikipedia

According to Karnataka’s assistant director general of police for traffic and road safety, Alok Kumar, the police department has placed artificial intelligence based cameras on the Bengaluru Mysore Expressway to combat excessive speeding. He added that Mysore would soon test an intelligent traffic management system.

Inspected the progress of road safety related work on Bengaluru- Mysore Expressway

AI based cameras deployed on trial basis to capture over speeding

Introducing Intelligent Traffic Management System in Mysore City soon,any suggestion from citizens is welcome in this regard
— alok kumar (@alokkumar6994) July 25, 2023

“Inspected the progress of road safety-related work on the Bengaluru-Mysore Expressway,” Alok Kumar tweeted. “AI-based cameras are being tested to record overspeeding. Any suggestions from the public are appreciated in this regard as Mysore City will shortly introduce an intelligent traffic management system.”

Many automobiles have recently been observed on the motorway taking the wrong exit, endangering other commuters on the road. The ADGP even threatened to cancel a driver’s license if someone was found breaking the law on the road.

The Bengaluru Mysore Expressway experienced 100 fatalities and 335 injuries as a result of accidents up to June of this year, according to the Karnataka government.

NHAI announced on Tuesday that tractors and two-wheelers will all be prohibited from using the expressway starting on August 1. It added that because the expressway is designed for fast-moving vehicles, slow-moving vehicles like two-wheelers, tractors, cars and other non-motorized vehicles may create road safety issues.

Additionally, it stated that such vehicles had access to different routes and separate roads. During his visit to Karnataka in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened this Expressway.

Top AI Companies Pledge to Watermark AI Content for Safety at White House

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 25, 2023

Top AI companies pledge watermark AI content safety — Image Credits: BBC

A number of AI companies, notably OpenAI, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms, have made voluntary commitments to the security of their products. At a White House event intended to allay worries about potential AI abuse and its effects on US democracy, US President Joe Biden announced those pledges.

While praising these commitments as a significant milestone, Biden underlined that there is still much teamwork to be done. To protect national security and democratic ideals, he emphasized the need to be attentive about the dangers posed by developing technology, including AI.

Anthropic, Inflection, Amazon, and Microsoft are also among the businesses taking part in these voluntary pledges. They have committed to thoroughly testing AI systems before they are made public, sharing knowledge about risk mitigation strategies, and making investments in cybersecurity to guard against future consequences.

The seven companies have agreed to create a watermarking system that can be used on all types of AI-generated content, including text, photos, audio, and videos, as part of their pledges. Users will be able to tell when AI technology was utilized to create material because the watermark will technically be integrated in it.

The goal of this watermarking endeavor is to make it easier for users to spot deep-fake audio or visuals that could be used to perpetrate fraud, portray fictitious violence, or defame politicians. Uncertainty persists regarding the mechanics of how the watermark will be visible when information is shared.

OpenAI’s Sam Altman Launches Cryptocurrency Project Worldcoin

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 25, 2023

OpenAI's Sam Altman launches cryptocurrency project Worldcoin — Image Credits; AD

A cryptocurrency project Worldcoin, founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, launches on July 24.

The main feature of the initiative is its World ID, an account that can only be obtained by real humans. By scanning the customer’s eyeball with Worldcoin’s “orb,” a silver ball roughly the size of a golfing ball, it allows consumers to give cryptocurrency tokens as gifts. The scan establishes “humanness” and generates a World ID.

Sam Altman, who is now well-known for his work with ChatGPT creator OpenAI, founded Worldcoin in the year 2020. Alex Blani is the main force behind Worldcoin at the moment. Until it reaches its final level of decentralization, Blani is the CEPO of Tools for Humanity, the company that is developing Worldcoin.

With Monday’s launch, Worldcoin is extending its ‘orbing’ operations to 35 cities in 20 nations, bringing the project’s 2 million users up to date. Until they have access to the orb, other users may secure their tokens by installing the company’s app. Those who register in particular nations will receive the WLD cryptocurrency token from Worldcoin as an incentive.

According to co-founder Alex Blania, the cryptocurrency component of the World IDs is crucial because cryptocurrency blockchains can store the World IDs in a way that maintains anonymity and cannot be controlled or shut down by any one party.

According to the initiative, World IDs will become more important when generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, which produce surprisingly human-like language, become more prevalent. Besides, World IDs will be used to distinguish between actual individuals and AI bots.

New AI Center of Excellence to Be Built at UPES Dehradun

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 25, 2023

A new AI center of excellence will be built on the campus of UPES Dehradun. In order for students, teachers, and researchers to create technologies for use in the real world and industry, the center aims to encourage research and applications in the artificial intelligence field.

The UPES center will concentrate on data science and AI. According to the institute, the center would have cutting-edge servers with GPUs, and TPUs (transaction processing units) and will offer top-notch infrastructure so that more than 50 researchers can operate at once. According to the institute, this cutting-edge facility will support transdisciplinary research, consultancy, and training.

In data sciences and AI, the center of excellence will provide multidisciplinary masters and research programmes. It will apply the created technology across a range of industries, including manufacturing, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance), healthcare, and defense. It will also offer advisory services, continuous education, and management development courses by utilizing its internal knowledge.

“In the recent past, AI has developed into one of the most significant technologies with vast implications in numerous areas that contribute to the global economy, especially with the availability of high-end hardware,” said Ravi S. Iyer, dean of the school of computer science at UPES.

“With this Centre of Excellence, we intend to contribute not only to fundamental research in AI and related subjects, but also to work on their application, provide students hands-on experience, and engage with government and business,” he added

OpenAI Shuts Down Its AI Detection Tool AI Classifier

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 25, 2023

A tool that could recognise whether a piece of content was produced using generative AI tools like ChatGPT was unveiled by AI company OpenAI in January. It could have been a massive help, or at the very least keep professors and teachers sane.

That tool is no longer usable, having failed to fulfill its purpose half a year later. The company that created ChatGPT, OpenAI, discreetly discontinued their AI detection tool, AI Classifier, last week because of “its low rate of accuracy,” the company claimed.

The justification wasn’t included in a fresh announcement. Rrather, it was included in a note to the blog post that had previously introduced the tool. There is no longer a link to the classifier from OpenAI.

“We have committed to developing and deploying methods that enable consumers to determine whether audio or visual content is AI-generated, and we are trying to incorporate feedback and investigate more efficient provenance ways for text,” said OpenAI.

A cottage industry of AI detectors has been developed as a result of the nearly daily arrival of new technologies permitting the usage of increasingly complex AI.

OpenAI announced the release of their AI Classifier, saying it could tell apart text written by a human from material written by an AI. Still, OpenAI described the classifier as “not fully reliable,” noting that evaluations on a challenge set of English texts properly labeled 26% of AI-written text as “likely AI-written” while mistakenly classifying the human-written content as AI-written 9% of the time.

OpenAI’s Head of Trust and Safety Dave Willner Resigns

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 24, 2023

OpenAI's head of trust and safety Dave Willner resigns — Image Credits: Deccan Herald

Dave Willner, the head of trust and safety at OpenAI, resigned from his post to spend more time with his family. He disclosed the same in a post on LinkedIn. Willner posted on LinkedIn that he has some “bittersweet news” to offer, as he will no longer be working for OpenAI and will instead transition into an advisory role.

He continued by expressing his pride in his team and how far it has come since he joined. He continued by saying that he and his wife, who is employed with OpenAI, had made it quite clear that nothing comes before family.

Willner noted that due to the additional workload following the ChatGPT launch, he is having trouble upholding his side of the contract. He indicated that he will be assisting early-stage businesses so that he can spend more time with his family, when discussing his next course of action.

When discussing his desire to put his family first, Willner said, “OpenAI is going through a high-intensity phase in its development and so are our kids. I want to prioritize my kids over work. That tension can be felt by anyone who has small children and a demanding career, and for me, it became clear over the past few months that I would have to choose between the two.”

Willner is not the only technologist who values work-life balance more than a big salary. Techies are willing to take lower income if it means a better living, according to a survey by job posting website Blind.

DishBrain Receives $600,000 Research Grant for AI and Human Brain Cells Fusion

By

Sahil Pawar

-

July 24, 2023

DishBrain receives $600,000 research grant for AI human brain cells fusion — Image Credits: DHL

Defense and the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) have together awarded a $600,000 grant for research on the fusion of artificial intelligence and human brain cells.

“The work merges the fields of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology to create programmable biological computing platforms,” said associate professor Adeel Razi from the university’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health.

DishBrain, brain cells capable of playing the classic video game Pong, were developed by the research team, which is composed of Monash University and Cortical Labs. Thousands of thousands of living, lab-grown brain cells are trained to perform various activities, including playing Pong. Electrical activity in a multi-electrode array informs the cells when the paddle is striking the ball and provides feedback to the cells.

The goal of the DishBrain study is to comprehend the biological processes behind continuous learning. With the help of this grant from the National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Agency, Razi stated, they will build better AI systems that mimic the learning capabilities of these biological neural networks.

In a publication from science journal Neuron, the researchers said that a synthetic biological intelligence that was previously confined to the area of science fiction will now be feasible.

The National Security Science and Technology Centre grant was awarded to the researchers, according to Razi, because a new kind of artificial intelligence that can learn throughout its lifetime was required now more than ever. According to him, such intelligence will assist machine learning for technologies such as autonomous drones, delivery robots, and self-driving automobiles.