Nasscom Releases Guidelines to Regulate Generative AI in India

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June 7, 2023

Nasscom guidelines regulate generative AI India — Image Credits: NASSCOM

A set of rules that will be used to establish the frameworks for generative AI were announced by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) on June 6th.

Delighted to unveil @nasscom's first-of-its-kind responsible AI guidelines for #GenAI! This industry-led initiative sets a global benchmark, fostering collab. to create a self-governance framework benefiting all stakeholders.

🔗 https://t.co/4RDmvQOAH9 @debjani_ghosh_ pic.twitter.com/be2NHMEPnL
— nasscom (@nasscom) June 6, 2023

These recommendations are intended to create uniform norms and procedures for the study, creation, and responsible application of AI technology in India. Given that organizations and enterprises are embracing AI more and more, this is one of the country’s initial drafted regulations for the technology.

The draft guidelines were created after conversations with the technology sector, a multidisciplinary group of AI practitioners, researchers, and specialists, as well as academic and civil society leaders.

The rules place a strong emphasis on the duties that users, developers, and researchers have to uphold. They also stress how crucial it is to act with reasonable prudence, foresight, accountability, and transparency.

Supporting the advancement of humanity as a whole is the aim. The entire lifecycle of a generative AI system should be monitored internally by researchers and developers, who are also expected to exercise prudence by completing thorough risk assessments.

In order to facilitate the implementation of responsible AI, Nasscom plans to raise awareness about the adoption of these rules, create detailed guidance for various use cases, and improve the current Responsible AI Resource Kit.

Apple Releases iOS 17 with Enhanced Features at WWDC 2023

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Sahil Pawar

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June 6, 2023

Apple releases iOS 17 WWDC 2023 — Image Credits: Stock Images

The iOS 17 has been released by Apple at WWDC 2023. Highlights include improved auto-correct and speech transcription, live voicemail, enhanced safety features, a built-in journaling app, a new nightstand mode, and revamped contact cards. Additionally, users will be able to discard the “hey” from “Hey Siri.”

Posters, a new feature in the contact book, converts contact cards into eye-catching visuals that appear full-screen on the recipient’s iPhone when one calls them. They are compatible with third-party VoIP apps and have a similar design language to the updated lock screens, with options for bold font and the addition of Memoji.

Additionally, a new voicemail function called live transcription allows users to view a transcript of the message a caller is now leaving in real time. Users can decide whether to answer the call or wait it out. Additionally, one can also leave a message via FaceTime.

The ability to filter searches with additional terms, a feature that jumps to the most recent message so you can catch up more easily, and a new feature called Check In that shares your live location and status with someone else, are some updates to the messages section. When you go home, it can notify a friend automatically. If the battery’s about to die, it can also communicate your phone’s battery and cell service status to prevent confusion.

By bringing two iPhones close to one another, NameDrop, an updated version of AirDrop that sends contact information, will send your chosen phone numbers and email addresses. Additionally, this feature can be used between an Apple Watch and an iPhone. The same method may be used to exchange photos, and if the file is large, it is now allowed to leave the area while the download is still in progress.

Updates to the keyboard in iOS 17 also include improvements to the autocorrect feature. It now uses a new language model for improved accuracy and has a simpler shortcut to go back to the word the user originally typed, if necessary.

Apple Introduces Machine Learning-powered Journal App for Mental Health

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Sahil Pawar

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June 6, 2023

Apple Introduces machine learning powered Journal app — Image Credits: Apple

Apple just unveiled Journal, a brand-new iOS journaling app that lets iPhone users regularly track their daily activities. Journal, which was unveiled on Monday at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, joins other iOS applications like Fitness, Sleep, and Breathe that assist users in tracking and managing various parts of their daily life.

On iOS 17, which is anticipated to debut in September of this year, Journal will be made available. According to Apple, the new iPhone app will draw information from contacts, photos, music, workouts, location data, and more to produce personalized suggestions for users to memorialize within their digital journal. It will use machine learning for the same.

For instance, Journal might suggest that users write about their most recent trip to the coast by highlighting a recent photo album with images taken at the beach and describing the location and music that the users were listening to at the time. When this recommendation is tapped, the user’s Journal will immediately include this information in a fresh post. Once published, key Journal entries can be marked to make them simpler to find and access in the future.

Journal only stores information locally on the phone, where even Apple claims it can’t read it, and is end-to-end encrypted for privacy.

Users of iPhones have discretion over what information about their devices is used to create journal writing prompt recommendations and when notifications are scheduled. Additionally, Apple intends to provide developers with an API that would enable them to include these tailored writing recommendations into their own programmes.

Apple Introduces M2 Ultra Chip, A New Addition to M-series Chipsets

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Sahil Pawar

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June 6, 2023

Apple introduces M2 Ultra chip — Image Credits: Apple

Apple introduced the M2 Ultra chip at WWDC 2023 on Monday. With the most recent addition to the M-series chipsets of Apple M2 Ultra, the Mac lineup underwent a significant redesign. With up to 2.5TB/s of bandwidth, the M2 Ultra processor builds on the M1 Ultra chip from the previous year by fusing two Apple M2 Max circuits. A second-generation 5nm technique was used to create the latest top-end Apple processor.

Apple claims that M2 Ultra’s 24-core CPU is 20% quicker than M1 Ultra. The M2 Ultra’s powerful 76-core GPU is 30% quicker. Compared to M1 Ultra, the 32-core Neural Engine (NPU) provides a 40% improvement. The M2 Ultra may be configured to have up to 192GB of combined memory, which is 50% more than the M1 Ultra, and 800GB/s of bandwidth, which is twice as fast as the M2 Max.

Johny Srouji, senior vice president of Hardware Technologies at Apple said, “M2 Ultra delivers astonishing performance and capabilities for our pro users’ most demanding workflows, while maintaining Apple silicon’s industry-leading power efficiency. M2 Ultra is the most powerful chip ever made for a personal computer with huge performance gains in the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine combined with massive memory bandwidth in a single SoC.”

Apple boasts that its new chip is 50% faster in practice and can playback up to 22 streams of 8K ProRes footage simultaneously. Up to 6 Pro Display Pro XDR screens can be connected. The upgraded Mac Pro and the M2 Ultra Mac Studio are the two new Macs that will have the new M2 Ultra chip.

The M2 Max and M2 Ultra CPUs with up to 192GB of unified memory are now the available options for Mac Studio. With the classic aluminum chassis and the new M2 Ultra chip, the new Mac Pro is available in both tower and rack-mounted enclosures. Up to 24 4K camera feeds can be handled by a Mac Pro with M2 Ultra.

Apple Unveils Vision Pro AR Headset at WWDC

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Sahil Pawar

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June 6, 2023

Apple Unveils Vision Pro AR Headset WWDC — Image Credits: Apple

Apple unveiled Vision Pro, a pricey set of headsets that it claims would unlock a whole new world of fantastical augmented and virtual reality applications.

The headset will start at $3,499 and be available for sale in the United States in early 2024, along with other countries following the same month. During its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, Apple unveiled the headset that has been in development for years.

Without the usage of additional controllers, Apple’s Vision Pro navigates by using hand and eye movements as well as voice input. In order to help users stay connected with those around them, Vision Pro uses a technology Apple calls EyeSight that displays the wearer’s eyes to others when they are in augmented reality mode.

If the wearer is in fully immersive VR mode, however, the screen becomes opaque to the outside world. Additionally, the headset has Apple’s first 3D camera for taking images and videos in three dimensions. It can also be used as a personal movie theatre with a screen that feels 100 feet wide.

The operating system that powers the VR headset is called visionOS, which Apple claims was designed to support the low-latency requirements of spatial computing. A single piece of 3D-formed laminated glass serves as the optical surface for the cameras and sensors in the Vision Pro. This is attached to a frame made of aluminium alloy that gently curves to wrap around your face while serving as an attachment point for the Light Seal, the portion of fabric that contacts the wearer’s face.

In total, it has 12 cameras, 5 sensors, and 6 microphones to ensure that content feels like it is appearing right in front of the user’s eyes, in real time, according to Apple. The new R1 chip on the device processes and plays images in 12 milliseconds, which is eight times quicker than the blink of an eye. With its built-in battery, Apple Vision Pro offers up to two hours of uninterrupted use.

Apple Introduces 15-inch MacBook Air at WWDC 2023

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Sahil Pawar

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June 6, 2023

Apple 15-inch MacBook Air WWDC 2023 — Image Credits: Apple

A new 15-inch MacBook Air has been introduced by Apple at the 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The product, according to Apple, will be “the best 15-inch laptop in the world.” It will have an eight-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine on Apple’s M2 processor.

The latest model, which Apple claims to be the thinnest 15-inch laptop in the world, measures 11.5mm thick and weighs slightly more than three pounds. It comes in midnight, starlight, space gray, and silver colors and includes two USB-C Thunderbolt connections (supporting up to a 6K external display at 60Hz), a MagSafe charging connector, and a headphone jack.

With five-millimeter bezels and a 15.3-inch LED-backlit IPS screen with 500 nits of brightness, it features a 2880 x 1864 resolution. Along with the six speakers (two teeters and two sets of force-canceling woofers), there is a 1080p FaceTime HD webcam, three microphones, and advanced beamforming algorithms on all of them.

The new model, which goes on sale the next week, has a starting price of $1,299 ($1,199 for students). Apple is currently changing the price of its smaller model. The base M1 Air is still $999, and the 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 now starts at $1,099 instead.

According to Apple, the new MacBook Air will run up to 12 times faster than the quickest Intel MacBook Air models and have a battery life of up to 18 hours. It is stated to be “a best-selling 15-inch Intel Core i7 PC laptop” that is 25% smarter, 40% slimmer, twice as quick, and half a pound lighter.

The upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air will have a fanless design, just like earlier iterations. It will run macOS Ventura for now, followed by macOS Sonoma when it is rolled out this fall. Its storage capacity can be up to 2TB and memory up to 24GB.

Learn AWS Cloud Fundamentals for Free in 3 Hours with AWSome Day Online Conference

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Sahil Pawar

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June 6, 2023

AWS Cloud fundamentals free AWSome Day Online Conference — Image Credits: AWS

Amazon Web Services has announced AWSome Day Online Conference, a 1-day training to embark on a cloud journey and gain an in-depth understanding of cloud computing. It will take place on 8th June, 2023.

AWSome Day Online Conference is a free cloud training by AWS technical instructors designed to equip learners with AWS Cloud concepts and core AWS services. It also acquaints them with ways these services foster innovation for a variety of new applications and industries to accelerate learners’ success on AWS Cloud.

The conference will have five foundational modules, along with Q&As and video tutorials. The first module, Introduction to AWS, covers introductory topics such as what is the cloud, the advantages of cloud computing, cloud deployment models, and AWS global infrastructure. Second one, Introduction to AWS Services: Compute, Storage, Databases, introduces compute by comparing the differences between physical and virtual servers and highlights Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2).

Third module, Introduction to AWS Services: Networking, Security, provides an introduction to networking and security with AWS. Innovation with AWS, the fourth module, covers the various innovation opportunities through the use of machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, and more. The fifth module called Closing Remarks: Course Summary will cover resources that will take the learning journey to the next level and prepare attendees to start building on AWS.

AWSome Day is suitable for beginners with no prior cloud knowledge, along with IT managers, system administrators, system engineers, developers and architects who want to learn more about cloud computing and getting started on AWS Cloud. Attendees will receive a certificate on watching all 5 modules. The online conference is available in English, Korean and Japanese.

Google Offers 9 Free Generative AI Courses on the Cloud Skills Boost Platform

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Sahil Pawar

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June 5, 2023

Google free generative AI courses — Image Credits: Google

On its cloud skills boost platform, Google just released nine free AI-specific courses and a quest. Google’s free generative AI courses include cutting-edge AI technologies like generative AI, large language models, and image generation.

The following courses are currently being offered online through the Google Cloud Skills Boost platform:

These courses are now available to users worldwide at no cost. The majority of these are one-day courses, and Google will award a virtual badge upon completion. This badge will then be visible on the Google cloud skills boost profile.

Google’s free generative AI courses follow a straightforward pattern in which a video is followed by a quiz. Some of these courses also offer extra materials, and if a course includes a lab, a user must buy a separate subscription or can gain access to it for free by taking part in various promotions.

A monthly membership to a Google Cloud skill costs $29, and an annual plan costs $299. Learners can also purchase certain courses as per their need.

Harvard University’s Renowned Computer Science Course Gets ChatGPT Makeover

By

Sahil Pawar

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June 5, 2023

Harvard University's renowned computer science course ChatGPT makeover — Image Credits: Harvard

An introduction to computer science course at Harvard University, known as CS50, is being updated for the ChatGPT era. Professor David J. Malan, who is renowned for his engaging teaching methods, is leading initiatives to include artificial intelligence into the course curriculum.

AI will be used to grade assignments, provide coding training, and give individualised learning advice. Numerous students attend CS50 on-campus, and more than 40,000 do so online.

This course, CS50, at Harvard University introduces students with and without prior programming expertise to the theoretical pursuits of computer science and the art of programming. David J. Malan’s introductory course CS50x teaches students how to think algorithmically and solve problems effectively. The subjects covered in this course include resource management, security, software engineering, and web development. In addition to CSS and HTML, languages include C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript.

Malan is credited with transforming dreary, introductory lectures on the fundamentals of web building and software programming into an enjoyable session consisting of interactive exercises. Malan acknowledged that engaging a varied student body with variable levels of knowledge and expertise across several time zones is a problem. Despite having more than a hundred teaching assistants, it has grown more difficult to offer specialised help to such a sizable and varied cohort.

Professor Malan and his team are carefully tuning an AI system to evaluate student assignments to address this issue. They are also trialling a virtual teaching assistant (TA) that does more than just spot mistakes. The virtual TA helps students learn by using rhetorical questions and making intelligent recommendations, enabling them to develop their coding abilities.

Additionally, this novel strategy is anticipated to give human TAs more time to hold face-to-face or online office hours, improving student-teacher connections.

Malan is aware of issues in education, but he thinks that CS50’s adoption of AI can raise the calibre and accessibility of online education, coinciding with industry predictions made by Grand View Research, which projects that the market for online education would triple in size to $348 billion by 2030.

Baidu Announces $145 Million Venture Capital Fund for AI Content Start-ups

By

Sahil Pawar

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June 5, 2023

Baidu $145 million venture capital fund AI content start-ups — Image Credits: Baidu

Baidu, a Chinese search giant, announced on Wednesday that it will establish a $145 million (1 billion yuan) venture capital fund to support start-ups that specialize in content produced by AI technologies.

The business also announced that it would hold a contest for programmers to create software based on the ERNIE large language model (LLM) or incorporate the model into already existing products. In response to ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot released by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Chinese tech companies have hurried to build their own LLMs.

According to research released last week, about 80 Chinese organizations have introduced their own LLMs since 2020, with this year’s launches marginally outpacing those in the US.

Ernie Bot, Baidu’s own AI-driven LLM, debuted in March. Among the other Chinese businesses that rapidly followed was the world’s largest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group to launch generative AI tech Tongyi Qianwen. China announced drafted restrictions on the use of generative AI in April in response to the rise in LLMs.

A comprehensive new drafting regulation by China’s internet regulator revealed that future AI products developed in the country will now be subject to a security review before publication and must follow “core socialist values.”