Sentient Raises $85 Million Co-Led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund to Accelerate Open AI Development
Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon and a core contributor to Sentient, said centralized AI development is dangerous. ...
Viswanath, who is also a professor of engineering at Princeton University, emphasizes a balanced approach to AI development. The goal is not strict decentralization, he explained, but rather the fair distribution of power through the respect of property rights and aligned incentives. ...
While acknowledging the practical difficulties of decentralizing certain AI processes, Viswanath argued that ensuring community ownership and returning economic value for contributions is key. ...
See the full story here: https://decrypt.co/238014/open-artificial-general-intelligence-sentient
California considers unique safety regulations for AI companies, but faces tech firm opposition
California lawmakers are considering legislation that would require artificial intelligence companies to test their systems and add safety measures so they can't be potentially manipulated to wipe out the state's electric grid or help build chemical weapons - scenarios that experts say could be possible in the future as technology evolves at warp speed.
Legislators plan to vote Tuesday on this first-of-its-kind bill, which aims to reduce risks created by AI. It is fiercely opposed by tech companies, including Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and Google. They say the regulations take aim at developers and instead should be focused on those who use and exploit the AI systems for harm.
Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, who authors the bill, said the proposal would provide reasonable safety standards by preventing "catastrophic harms" from extremely powerful AI models that may be created in the future. The requirements would only apply to systems that cost more than $100 million in computing power to train. No current AI models have hit that threshold as of July. ...
See the full story here: https://abc30.com/post/california-considers-unique-safety-regulations-artificial-intelligence-companies/15020077/
Voices of Burt Reynolds, Judy Garland Recreated With AI
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The distinct voices of four actors from Hollywood’s golden age are finding new life thanks to artificial intelligence thanks to a deal between audio AI developer ElevenLabs and celebrity estate manager CMG Worldwide, the company announced on Tuesday.
Users of ElevenLabs’ new Reader App, which was launched last week, will be able to have text read aloud to them by authorized recreations of the voices of “Rebel Without A Cause” star James Dean, “The Wizard of Oz” star Judy Garland, “Spartacus” star Sir Laurence Olivier, and “Smokey and the Bandit” star Burt Reynolds. ...
For actress and singer Liza Minnelli, daughter of Judy Garland and representative of the Garland estate, the project is an exciting way to introduce new fans to her mother’s work. ...
While the larger ElevenLabs platform provides AI voice generation for various purposes, these celebrity voices will only be found in the Reader App. ...
See the full story here: https://decrypt.co/238226/ai-voices-james-dean-judy-garland-elevenlabs-reader-app
Holocaust Museum L.A. launches new augmented-reality app with an assist from Hollywood
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The oldest Holocaust museum in the U.S., Holocaust Museum L.A. has teamed up with the technology studio Magnopus, led by visual effects artists Craig Barron and Ben Grossmann — who earned Oscars for 2008's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and 2011's "Hugo," respectively — to create a new educational app that uses augmented reality to bring Sobibor to virtual life.
The Sobibor AR exhibit, available for free download in Apple's app store, allows users to interact with a 3D model of Sobibor, with actor Ben Feldman serving as a holographic guide providing historical context and encouraging deeper exploration of the camp's layout and daily life. The app centers on the story of Polish survivor Thomas Blatt, who escaped from Sobibor during a famous 1943 uprising and created a detailed map from memory, including key locations such as the barracks, guard towers, gas chambers and mass graves. ...
The museum, which was founded in 1961 by a group of Holocaust survivors, houses a physical model of Sobibor based on Blatt's map. But Davids, who frequently speaks to young people about what happened to his family and the millions of other victims of the Holocaust, says the app allows for a more immersive experience. ...
For Holocaust Museum L.A., which is currently closed as it undergoes an expansion that will double its footprint in Pan Pacific Park, the app offers a way to continue its mission at a time of rising antisemitism fueled by ongoing conflict over the war in Gaza. ...
Magnopus is exploring other ways it can collaborate with the museum on cutting-edge educational tools, including an app in which users would enter the pages of a Nazi children's propaganda book to learn about how German youth were indoctrinated with antisemitism. ...
See the full story here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/holocaust-museum-l-launches-augmented-100039190.html
One Neighborhood’s ‘Bizarre Culture War’ Over Bike Lanes
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The city Department of Transportation has worked to design and build new bike lanes in Northeast Queens in close coordination with residents, said Vincent Barone, a spokesman for the agency. “Their designs have proven to significantly improve safety for everyone on the road — whether you’re walking, biking or in a car,” he said. ...
Because of the bike lanes — and the “no stopping” signs that accompany them — residents, many of them older, have to park farther away from their homes. “Someone coming in with grocery bags or something like that, who’s in their late 70s, is trying to lug these things because of these bike lanes,” Fray said.
Though the lanes have already been installed, he said, “the signs are still up everywhere in solidarity against this thing that has been forced on us. ...
“It’s a total game changer to be able to bike safely,” she said. Without dedicated bike lanes, she said, many people are deterred from cycling. “When you have wide streets with no bike infrastructure, drivers go pretty fast, and it’s very intimidating.” ...
See the full story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/01/nyregion/street-wars-bike-lanes-queens.html
Bitcoin Beach – El Salvador
Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte, El Salvador, is home of the world’s first community where families are paying their mortgages on the blockchain. Families used to spend hours of their weeks traveling to make cash payments in person. Now, they can walk out of their homes and exchange their hard-earned cash for bitcoin. Since bitcoin is a legal tender in El Salvador, families can use it to pay for everything — from their haircuts to their homes. ...
About 70% of the population in El Salvador is unbanked and restricted from obtaining a loan and owning a home. ... While most Salvadorans don’t have a relationship with a bank, they do have mobile phones ...
Home page - https://bitcoin-beach2.webflow.io
See the full story here: https://www.newstoryhomes.org/blog/new-story-and-google-collaboration-brings-digital-transformation-to-bitcoin-beach#:~:text=Bitcoin%20Beach%20in%20El%20Zonte,hard%2Dearned%20cash%20for%20bitcoin.
The plot of a new Fox animated comedy series is about a guy who gets a $3,000 monthly ‘universal basic income’
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"Universal Basic Guys" stars a pair of brothers who join a $3,000-a-month basic income program after the hot dog factory where they work becomes automated. A universal basic income is often cited as a potential solution to the likely job losses created by artificial intelligence.
The animated series is co-produced by Fox Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television. Fox and Sony first ordered the first season in 2022. It is scheduled to premiere in the fall, but Fox has already ordered a second season. ...
While more cities are experimenting with basic income programs, they have also been the target of conservative ire. Some lawmakers have criticized the programs as akin to socialism, while others have called them unconstitutional. A common refrain is that basic incomes encourage recipients not to work, though studies have shown the opposite. ...
See the full story here: https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/the-plot-of-a-new-fox-animated-comedy-series-is-about-a-guy-who-gets-a-3000-monthly-universal-basic-income/amp_articleshow/111367415.cms
As AI gains a workplace foothold, U.S. states are trying to make sure workers don’t get left behind
... Connecticut is working to create what proponents believe will be the country's first Citizens AI Academy, a free online repository of curated classes that users can take to learn basic skills or obtain a certificate needed for employment. ...
Determining what skills are necessary in an AI world can be a challenge for state legislators given the fast-moving nature of the technology and differing opinions about what approach is best.
Gregory LaBlanc, professor of Finance, Strategy and Law at the Haas School of Business at Berkeley Law School in California, says workers should be taught how to use and manage generative AI rather than how the technology works, partly because computers will soon be better able to perform certain tasks previously performed by humans. ...
This year, at least four states — Connecticut, California, Mississippi and Maryland — proposed legislation that attempted to deal with AI in the classroom somehow. They ranged from Connecticut's planned AI Academy, which was originally included in a wide-ranging AI regulation bill that failed but the concept is still being developed by state education officials, to proposed working groups that examine how AI can be incorporated safely in public schools. Such a bill died in the Mississippi legislature while the others remain in flux.
One bill in California would require a state working group to consider incorporating AI literacy skills into math, science, history and social science curriculums. ...
He said it's important for people to have the skills to understand, evaluate and effectively interact with AI technologies, whether it’s a chatbot or machines that learn to identify problems and make decisions that mimic human decision-making. ...
“Education must be included in order for this to really take off publicly ... in a manner which is going to give people the ability to eliminate their barriers,” he said of AI. “And it has to be able to explain to the most common individual why it is not only a useful tool, but why this tool will be something that can be trusted.” ...
See the fukl story here: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/as-ai-gains-workplace-foothold-us-states-trying-make-sure-workers-dont-get-left-behind/article68354118.ece
EXPLODING KITTENS VR: THE BOARD GAME COMES TO VIRTUAL REALITY THIS FALL ON META QUEST
... Exploding Kittens VR blends the hilarious strategy of the original card game with total immersion in virtual reality. Up to five players can compete online or challenge bots solo, while avoiding the dreaded explosive cats. The objective? To be the last survivor! Customize your avatar, explore the social hub and immerse yourself in a variety of mini-games for a whole new experience. ...
See the full story here: https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-do-in-paris/gaming/articles/315644-exploding-kittens-vr-the-board-game-comes-to-virtual-reality-this-fall-on-meta-quest
Walmart launches first AR extension for its ‘Walmart Discovered’ Roblox experience
Walmart has this week announced the launch of its first-ever augmented reality (AR) extension for its Roblox experience, Walmart Discovered. The launch builds on an earlier test in April involving a real-world commerce integration within Walmart Discovered on Roblox. The new AR extension, developed in collaboration with Sawhorseusing Niantic’s 8th Wall platform, aims to provide an immersive shopping experience for customers on the platform.
The AR extension offers several interactive elements, including:
- Uncovering a free virtual item each month, unlocked with the purchase of a Roblox gift card from Walmart.
- Accessing a curated selection of top-rated avatar items and new experiences created by the Roblox community.
- Completing monthly quests powered by Flaunt to earn limited-edition user-generated content (UGC).
- Trying on and purchasing avatar items directly within the AR experience.
Read the full story here: https://www.auganix.org/ar-news-walmart-launches-first-ar-extension-for-roblox-walmart-discovered-8th-wall/
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