Warner Bros. Discovery to Use Google AI Tech for Captions Programming
... Caption AI uses Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform and will be deployed first to unscripted programming to cut time and production costs around creating captions presumably sports and reality TV content. WBD added real people will still oversee the use of Caption AI for quality assurance on studio channels like Max, CNN and Discovery+. ...
See the full story here: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/warner-bros-discovery-google-captioning-1236010573/
The Intelligence Age (Sam Altman editorial)
...
How did we get to the doorstep of the next leap in prosperity?
In three words: deep learning worked.
In 15 words: deep learning worked, got predictably better with scale, and we dedicated increasing resources to it.
That’s really it; humanity discovered an algorithm that could really, truly learn any distribution of data (or really, the underlying “rules” that produce any distribution of data). ...
We can say a lot of things about what may happen next, but the main one is that AI is going to get better with scale, and that will lead to meaningful improvements to the lives of people around the world. ...
We need to act wisely but with conviction. The dawn of the Intelligence Age is a momentous development with very complex and extremely high-stakes challenges. It will not be an entirely positive story, but the upside is so tremendous that we owe it to ourselves, and the future, to figure out how to navigate the risks in front of us. ...
As we have seen with other technologies, there will also be downsides, and we need to start working now to maximize AI’s benefits while minimizing its harms. As one example, we expect that this technology can cause a significant change in labor markets (good and bad) in the coming years, but most jobs will change more slowly than most people think, and I have no fear that we’ll run out of things to do (even if they don’t look like “real jobs” to us today). ...
See the full piece here: https://ia.samaltman.com
Dataland, the world’s first AI arts museum, will anchor the Grand complex in downtown L.A.
... The 20,000-square foot museum, whose exact opening date has not yet been announced, is being built with four gallery spaces by the Gensler architectural firm. An escalator will take guests from the entrance under a soaring, 30-foot ceiling to immersive experiences below. Dataland is privately funded and will collect and preserve artificial intelligence art; certain artworks may be sold on the blockchain. A nonprofit branch of the organization, founded in 2023 (called RAS AI Foundation), is dedicated to the expansion of ethical AI research.
Dataland won’t be like any other museum, said Anadol, who is calling it a “living museum” made of pixels and voxels, which are mathematical representations of 3D imagery. Its pièce de résistance is its very own AI model, called the Large Nature Model. Designed by Anadol’s studio, the model uses data sourced from partners including the Smithsonian (9 million public specimen records, 6.3 million public images, 148 million objects in its collection); London’s Natural History Museum (90 million specimens in its collection, 4 million public images); the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (54 million images, 2 million sound records). AI will create artworks using this data and more — up to a half-billion images of nature, Anadol said.
Anadol was quick to add that he is making “ethical AI” the linchpin of his practice. He secured permission for every bit of sourced material (a step not always followed in AI-model training), and all of the studio’s AI research was performed on Google servers in Oregon that use only renewable energy. ...
See the full story here: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2024-09-24/refik-anadol-dataland-ai-art-museum-the-grand-dtla
Surgeons make history, perform world’s first fully robotic heart transplant
A heart team at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, made a bit of history, completing the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant.
The procedure, which lasted roughly two and half hours, was performed on a 16-year-old patient with end-stage heart failure. One reason this patient was selected was the fact that he had specifically requested the heart team not open his chest. ...
“This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our visionary leadership, who have prioritized the development of the healthcare sector, paving the way for a transformative leap in healthcare services, unlocking new possibilities to elevate the quality of life for patients both locally and globally,” he added.
The patient is now recovering, with no signs of significant complications. ...
See the full story here: https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/clinical/cardiac-surgery/worlds-first-fully-robotic-heart-transplant?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=cvb_weekend
(UN) Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board’s Report ‘a Crucial Milestone in Efforts to Ensure AI Serves all of Humanity’, Says Secretary-General, in Video Message
...
This Advisory Body was the first of its kind in the AI space — a geographically diverse, gender-balanced group bringing together experts from Governments, the private sector, civil society and academia.
It was charged with a pressing question: how can AI be governed for humanity — particularly for those who are often under-represented and left out? Working at an impressive pace, the Advisory Body tackled its complex mandate with remarkable effectiveness.
As they share their final report, I commend the breadth of their recommendations, which include creating: An International Scientific Panel on AI — to promote common understanding on AI capabilities, opportunities and risks; a Global Dialogue on AI Governance at the UN — to anchor AI governance in international norms and principles, including human rights; a Global Fund on AI for the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] — to bridge the AI divide; an AI Capacity Development Network — to boost AI capacities and expertise, particularly in developing countries; a Standards Exchange — to foster technical compatibility; a Global Data Framework — to enable flourishing local AI ecosystems; and a small AI Office at the United Nations — to assist in all these initiatives. ...
See the full press release here: https://press.un.org/en/2024/sgsm22368.doc.htm
AI Companions (AIC): The Future of Personalized Relationships
Key Takeaways:
- AI Companions is a web3 platform that provides highly customizable and emotionally intelligent virtual companions to users looking to interact in the digital age.
- The platform combines AI, VR/AR and blockchain technologies to ensure users interact with virtual entities transparently and securely.
- The platform is powered by AIC tokens, which are used to pay fees and unlock various features via staking.
See the full story here: https://learn.bybit.com/en/web3/what-is-ai-companions-aic/
Meta Pushes for Reduced AI Regulations in Europe
| The Breakdown: |
| Concerns Over AI Regulations: The letter, signed by AI-focused companies and institutions, calls for the EU to remove red tape that hinders AI development. It argues that Europe is becoming less competitive due to inconsistent regulatory decisions, particularly concerning data usage. Impact on AI Rollout: Meta has faced delays in launching its AI chatbot in Europe due to EU requirements for user consent on data usage. This has led to region-specific provisions and setbacks, while other markets have had access to AI tools much earlier. Nick Clegg’s Criticism: Meta’s Head of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, has voiced frustration over these regulations, claiming that the EU should focus on adopting technology faster, instead of slowing down progress through over-regulation. Corporate Pressure on the EU: The signatories, including Spotify and Ericsson, argue that the EU’s regulatory environment could cause Europe to miss out on the benefits of cutting-edge AI technologies. They urge for a harmonized approach similar to the GDPR to ensure that AI innovation happens at the same scale as in other regions. |
| While businesses push for faster AI adoption, EU regulators must weigh the potential risks of loosening regulations. The debate highlights the challenge of balancing innovation with responsible governance in the rapidly evolving world of AI. |
| Meta Pushes for Reduced AI Regulations in Europe |
| Meta, alongside 48 other organizations, has signed an open letter urging the European Union (EU) to ease its stringent AI regulations. The letter warns that the region risks falling behind in the global AI race if it continues to impose restrictive policies, particularly around data usage. |
See the full story here: https://urldefense.com/v3/https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.fQ96O6y-x-LMArpopApPfRcYJscqGHOOyYpjgZ2TAmKHtHE72wGxhZfFHCtdtjk2o0ad8YAOXPLTSmrPD2eLpztJZJYKvjefZ2Hy43oLXT0/49x/1G1bQGKqQ8OJChevfizUkA/h2/h001._FiTdWLBHfVHGdAIBIatczI03KTdveRW1fX3HYppYM4;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!pXI36LgjAtPK5lG1Zt_df3WVNrZdsiMFEXSSSvZ5j7zmwd0EyQbiFjnZY9bK23PsH6hOMC3LODAWndkhcf4yaw$
Complementary Roles of Human and AI Endorsers in Advertising
This paper concludes that both human and AI-generated endorsers in advertising campaigns offer unique advantages and can be effective depending on the context. Human endorsers tend to foster emotional connections, authenticity, and trust, while AI-generated endorsers excel in personalization and tailoring content to consumer preferences. Rather than viewing them as competitors, the paper suggests that these two approaches should be seen as complementary. Future research is encouraged to explore the best ways to combine human and AI endorsers for enhanced advertising outcomes, considering different demographic segments and product types.
See the full paper here: https://journal.uhamka.ac.id/index.php/agregat/article/view/12491
US to convene global AI safety summit in November
... Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will host on Nov. 20-21 the first meeting of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco to "advance global cooperation toward the safe, secure, and trustworthy development of artificial intelligence."
The network members include Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Singapore, Britain, and the United States. ...
The San Francisco meeting will include technical experts from each member’s AI safety institute, or equivalent government-backed scientific office, to discuss priority work areas, and advance global collaboration and knowledge sharing on AI safety. ...
See the full story here: https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/us-convene-global-ai-safety-summit-november-2024-09-18/
Artificial intelligence laws in the US states are feeling the weight of corporate lobbying
... So far, there is limited evidence that states are following the EU’s lead when drafting their own AI legislation. There is strong evidence of lobbying of state legislators by the tech industry, which does not seem keen on adopting the EU’s rules, instead pressing for less stringent legislation that minimizes compliance costs but which, ultimately, is less protective of individuals. Two enacted bills in Colorado and Utah and two draft bills in Oklahoma and Connecticut, among others, illustrate this. ...
A major difference between the state bills and the AI Act is their scope. The AI Act takes a sweeping approach aimed at protecting fundamental rights and establishes a risk-based system, where some uses of AI, such as the ‘social scoring’ of people based on factors such as their family ties or education, are prohibited. ...
In contrast, the state bills are narrower. The Colorado legislation directly drew on the Connecticut bill, and both include a risk-based framework, but of a more limited scope than the AI Act. ...
Another explanation is the hesitancy embodied by Governor Lamont. In the absence of unified federal laws, states fear that strong legislation would cause a local tech exodus to states with weaker regulations, a risk less pronounced in data-protection legislation. ...
For these reasons, lobbying groups claim to prefer national, unified AI regulation over state-by-state fragmentation, a line that has been parroted by big tech companies in public. But in private, some advocate for light-touch, voluntary rules all round, showing their dislike of both state and national AI legislation. ...
See the full story here: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02988-0
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