AI Today and Everyday — March 25, 2024

Whats New in the world of AI

Stability AI CEO resigns to ‘pursue decentralized AI’ (2 minute read)

Emad Mostaque is stepping down as CEO of Stability AI. The company will be led by two interim co-CEOs, COO Shan Shan Wong and CTO Christian Laforte. Mostaque stepped down partly due to the push toward the development of commercialized AI products. He says he is leaving the company to pursue decentralized AI.

OpenAI Heading To Hollywood To Pitch Revolutionary “Sora” (2 minute read)

OpenAI plans to meet with Hollywood studios, talent agencies, and media executives to show the potential of its Sora software this week. Sora will likely be released to the public later this year. The model could potentially upend the way movies are made. OpenAI will likely follow its strategy of working in collaboration with the industry through a process of iterative deployment to ensure safe implementation.

iOS 18 Lets Users Customize Layout of Home Screen App Icons (1 minute read)

App icons in iOS 18 will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, but users will be able to create blank spaces, rows, and columns between them.

AI Innovations in Industry and Healthcare

AI Nurses for $9: Nvidia and Hippocratic AI Tackle US Nurse Shortage: Nvidia teams up with Hippocratic AI to combat the US nurse shortage with $9-per-hour AI nurses. These AI assistants (Watch demo) manage various tasks — from screenings and medication management to chronic disease care. They cater to diverse needs, including pre-op prep, chronic condition support, nutritional guidance, and even remote patient monitoring. Patients can even choose their AI nurse’s “bedside manner.” While offering potential benefits and mirroring a trend of AI integration in healthcare (over 40 companies are testing similar tech), concerns linger about patient trust and job displacement. The true effectiveness of virtual nurses compared to human caregivers remains to be seen. Read more.

AI Reimagines Filmmaking: OpenAI’s “Sora” Arrives in Hollywood: OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video generation software is shaking up Hollywood. Key players like studios and talent agencies will soon get a firsthand look at Sora’s capabilities in crucial meetings. Producer Tyler Perry was so impressed, he even paused his $800 million studio expansion. However, excitement is laced with concerns about worker protection in the face of this potentially disruptive technology. OpenAI plans a public release later in 2024, with ongoing discussions to ensure a smooth transition. With bated breath, the industry anticipates the impact, reminiscent of its influence during the writer’s strike. Read more.

AI Learns to “Unlearn”: Removing Unwanted Content Without Retraining: University of Texas at Austin researchers have developed a novel “machine unlearning” technique for image-based artificial intelligence. This method allows for the targeted removal of unwanted content, such as copyrighted material or violent imagery, without the need to retrain the entire AI model from scratch. Unlike traditional methods, this approach selectively “forgets” specific data while preserving the model’s core knowledge base. This innovation addresses growing concerns around copyright and privacy in AI development, particularly relevant in light of recent legal disputes regarding copyrighted material used to train AI models. Read more.

Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque steps down to focus on decentralized AI: Stability AI, the company behind the open-source image generation model Stable Diffusion, faces a leadership shakeup as CEO Emad Mostaque resigns to advocate for decentralized AI, expressing concerns about concentrated power in the industry. COO Shan Shan Wong and CTO Christian Laforte will serve as interim co-CEOs while the company seeks a permanent replacement. Amidst financial challenges and the departure of key researchers following the release of Stable Diffusion 3, Stability AI aims to monetize through API services with Intel’s support while prioritizing transparent AI governance. The question remains whether Stability AI can maintain its competitive edge against behemoths like OpenAI and Google in the generative AI sector. Read more.

A personalized chatbot is more likely to change your mind than another human, study finds: Researchers from EPFL and Fondazione Bruno Kessler found that personalized AI models, like GPT-4, can dominate human opponents in debates, achieving persuasion rates up to 81.7% higher. The study examined human vs. human and human vs. AI scenarios, highlighting the power of personalization. AI leveraged anonymized data to tailor arguments, raising concerns about potential manipulation on online platforms. The authors call for countermeasures like AI systems that offer fact-based rebuttals. While the study acknowledges limitations, it emphasizes the need for platforms to address the growing influence of AI-driven persuasion tactics. Read more.

Apple in Talks to Integrate Baidu’s AI for China Devices: In a move to bolster its AI capabilities and navigate China’s tightening regulations, Apple is reportedly in talks with Baidu, a Chinese tech giant, to integrate Baidu’s government-approved generative AI models into Apple devices sold in China. This potential partnership comes as China requires approval for such models, with Baidu’s Ernie Bot already receiving the green light. Facing stiff competition in the Chinese market, Apple seeks strategic partnerships like this to maintain its foothold. Talks with Google and OpenAI for additional AI model licensing further underscore Apple’s commitment to AI innovation, particularly within the crucial Chinese market. Read more.

Google Opens Up AI Search Testing Summaries for Everyone in the US: Google is expanding its foray into AI-powered search in the United States. Even users not enrolled in its Search Generative Experience (SGE) can now access AI-generated summaries for complex search results. This broader rollout aims to gather user feedback from a wider audience and assess the technology’s effectiveness. Google assures users that traditional ads will still be displayed alongside these AI summaries. The move reflects Google’s response to competition from AI tools like ChatGPT and highlights its focus on responsible use of AI-generated content. While Google previously introduced SGE with features like interactive content and AI-generated answers, this wider testing hints at a potential future where search results become more personalized and interactive, similar to social media platforms. Read more.

Anthropic is lining up a new slate of investors, but the AI startup has ruled out Saudi Arabia: AI startup Anthropic is attracting big investors. Their $1 billion stake, previously held by bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, is now on the market to repay FTX customers. Sovereign wealth funds are lining up for a chance to buy in, but Anthropic has rejected Saudi Arabia due to national security concerns. While the founders can veto investors, they’re not directly involved in the sale, currently handled by Perella Weinberg. With other wealthy nations like the UAE (Mubadala) still interested, this sale marks a significant moment for AI investment. Read more.

AI Devices

Unveiling the O1 Lite: The Future of Open Source AI Devices: In a nod to Linux’s open-source ethos, Open Interpreter’s O1 Lite disrupts AI interaction. This portable, voice-controlled device seamlessly integrates with home computers, tackling tasks like email and customizing commands without complex setup. The O1 Lite, Server, and OS form an open-source ecosystem fostering innovation. Plans for a computer-controllable language model further democratize AI development, potentially reshaping how we interact with computers daily. Read more.

Google is expanding its AI-assisted search to a small subset of U.S. users as it moves toward a more widespread public rollout. The AI search feature, called Search Generative Experience (SGE), was previously only available to people who signed up to test it.

More:

• The AI-generated responses, marked as “experimental,” are highlighted in a green box at the top of search results.
• SGE launched to testers last May, using Google’s AI to deliver responses to questions in natural language on the main search interface.
• Now, select U.S. users will get SGE responses on specific topics, even without signing up.
• Google said it’s testing AI-assisted results on “complex” queries or those that draw from information across multiple web pages.
• The company wants to gather more feedback and test the public’s reaction.