Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 8/22/24. We aim to educate people about this crucial area along with providing information of what is taking place.
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Modern technologies that allow us to produce cheap clothes called consumer goods are gradually displacing the technology of producing clothes from natural wool from the market. !PIZZA
I am in the camp if we all became nudists, it wouldnt be a problem.
When you get cold pull out the old bearskin.
I prefer sheepskin and it is this wool and goat wool that is extremely difficult to sell to cattle breeders, the same story with rabbit breeders :) !VSC
The Guardian: US mayoral candidate who pledged to govern by customized AI bot loses race
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/21/wyoming-cheyenne-ai-bot-mayor
That is the future. It is not the last time #ai will be involved with governance issues.
That's for sure :)
The Guardian's review: Pixel 9 Pro XL review: Google’s AI-packed superphone to rival the best
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/aug/22/pixel-9-pro-xl-review-google-ai-packed-superphone-to-rival-the-best
The Guardian: Video sextortion guides and manuals found on TikTok and YouTube
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/22/video-sextortion-guides-and-manuals-found-on-tiktok-and-youtube
CNN: Tourists scaling the Great Wall of China can now get takeout delivered by drone
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/22/tech/china-drone-delivery-great-wall-intl-hnk/index.html
Wired: The Green Economy Is Hungry for Copper—and People Are Stealing, Fighting, and Dying to Feed It
https://www.wired.com/story/power-metal-green-economy-is-hungry-for-copper/
BBC: Why category 1 hurricanes can be as damaging as the strongest storms
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240820-why-category-1-hurricane-ernesto-is-still-dangerous
Less is More: The Power of Simple Design
When it comes to design, less really is more. Overloading users with too many features can be overwhelming and frustrating. The secret sauce? Focus on what your users truly need and ditch the extras. By keeping things simple, you’ll not only make your product more effective but also boost user satisfaction. Simplifying isn’t just a trend—it’s a game-changer!
> S👁️URCE <
Google is the epitome of this. Their website is as simple as it gets.
Space
NASA detects object 27,000 times larger than Earth moving at 1.6 million km/h
Researchers from NASA, the United States space agency, have identified an object that is more than 27,000 times the size of Earth and that is moving away from the Milky Way at around 1.6 million kilometers per hour.
According to a statement released by the agency on the 15th, the object was identified by three scientists from NASA's Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project and the speed is so high that it will escape the gravity of the Milky Way and head towards intergalactic space.
#newsonleo #technology #space #nasa
Martin Kabatnik, a researcher based in Nuremberg, Germany, said he could not “describe the level of excitement.” “When I first saw how fast it was moving, I was convinced it should have been reported already,” he said.
According to the NASA statement, the object, despite its size and speed, stands out for its low mass, which makes it difficult to classify as a celestial object. “It could be a low-mass star, or if it does not constantly fuse hydrogen in its core, it would be considered a brown dwarf, placing it somewhere between a gas giant planet and a star,” the report noted.
“It could be a low-mass star, or if it does not constantly fuse hydrogen in its core, it would be considered a brown dwarf, placing it somewhere between a gas giant planet and a star,” the report noted.
According to NASA, brown dwarfs are objects that are between the size of a giant planet like Jupiter and that of a small star. The agency explained in the note that more than 4 thousand common brown dwarfs have already been discovered, but none had previously shown movement out of the galaxy.
The properties of the object, which has much less iron and other metals than other stars and brown dwarfs, suggest it is quite old, “probably from one of the earliest generations of stars in our galaxy.”
NASA pointed to two theories for why the object moved at such a high speed. One is that it originally came from a binary system with a white dwarf (the stellar core left behind after a dying star uses up its nuclear fuel), which exploded as a supernova when it ripped away too much material from its companion.
Turning into a space cadet arent you? LOL
Nvidia’s AI NPCs will debut in a multiplayer mech battle game next year
Nvidia ACE, the company’s AI-powered system for giving voices and conversation skills to in-game characters, is set to debut in Mecha Break, a new multiplayer mech battle game coming to PC, Xbox X / S, and PlayStation 5 in 2025.
#ai #nvidia #gaming #technology
Nividia is going well beyond being the "ones selling the picks and shovels".
They are diving into #ai in a big way.
Google
Google DeepMind staff call for end to military contracts
In May 2024, around 200 employees at Google DeepMind (representing roughly 5 percent of the division) signed a letter urging the company to end its contracts with military organizations, expressing concerns that its AI technology was being used for warfare, Time magazine reported.
The letter states that employee concerns aren’t “about the geopolitics of any particular conflict,” but it does link out to Time’s reporting on Google’s defense contract with the Israeli military, known as Project Nimbus.
The letter also points to reports that the Israeli military uses AI for mass surveillance and to select targets in its bombing campaign in Gaza, with Israeli weapon firms mandated by the government to purchase cloud services from Google and Amazon.
#newsonleo #technology #google
The letter highlights tensions within Google between its AI division and its cloud business, which sells AI services to militaries. At the company’s flagship Google I/O conference earlier this year, pro-Palestine protestors chained together at the attendee entrance, protesting Lavender, “Where’s Daddy?” software, the “Gospel” AI program, and Project Nimbus.
The use of AI in warfare has spread rapidly, pushing some technologists who build related systems to speak out. But Google also made a specific commitment: when it acquired DeepMind in 2014, the lab’s leaders required that their AI technology would never be used for military or surveillance purposes.
“Any involvement with military and weapon manufacturing impacts our position as leaders in ethical and responsible AI, and goes against our mission statement and stated AI Principles,” the letter that circulated inside Google DeepMind says.
As Time reports, the letter from DeepMind staff urges leadership to investigate claims that Google cloud services are being used by militaries and weapons manufacturers, to cut off military access to DeepMind’s technology, and to establish a new governance body to prevent future use of the AI by military clients.
Time reports that despite employee concerns and calls for action, there has been “no meaningful response” from Google so far.
They call for it yet companies never stop it. There is too much money there.
@coyotelation #mightpossibly
Midjourney opens website to all users, offering 25 free AI image generations
After being confined to Discord for much of its first few years and then, in the last year, an “alpha” website for users who had generated a certain number of images, Midjourney, the hit AI image generation service and company, is now opening its website to any users — with limited free trials even for those not already signed up.
New users will be able generate approximately 25 images for free, according to Midjourney co-founder and CEO David Holz in a Discord message.
This initiative provides an opportunity for both new and existing users to explore the capabilities of the platform without an immediate financial commitment.
#ai #newsonleo #midjourny #technology
This is like music to my ears.
I hope it is released here in Brazil. I'll check it out now.
Hey Task, when I went to the site, I thought it was Jaspion on the couch. LOL
It worked here! Thanks Task!
We have to keep sharing these.
ououuuuuuuuu! Midjourney for free? Finally. Bookmarking this one rn
LOL Yes.
It seems like what I said is happening. All this stuff is becoming a commodity. It is a race to the bottom. The value is what is built using this tech.
It also comes as Midjourney — considered by many early AI adopters to be the highest quality, “gold standard” of AI text-to-image generation and AI image editing — faces increasing competition from the likes of Elon Musk’s xAI and its Grok 2 chatbot (powered by Black Forest Labs’ Flux.1 AI model) and the new Ideogram 2 image generator launched today.
It’s also facing a lawsuit from artists who accuse it of violating their copyright by training on copyrighted works without permission or compensation.
How to get started use Midjourney on the web
For new users, signing up is a straightforward process, with options to register using either a Google account or a Discord account.
This dual sign-up method aims to streamline the onboarding process, catering to a wider range of users.
This marks a significant step in making the platform more accessible to a broader audience.
Once signed in, the user can create images in sets of 4 by typing in text prompts and descriptions of what they wish to see generated in the text box at the top reading: “What will you imagine?”
They can also adjust settings by clicking the box with nobs to the right to bring up a pop-over menu where they can control image aspect ratio and use slider bars to control the degree of stylization (how heavily a particular style is applied), weirdness (the randomness of generation), and variety (how much each of the four images generated per set will vary from one another).
Article
@mightpossibly
It appears the Medium is now locked down to #news2threads. This uses ChatGPT so I guess the bot is blocked. I wonder if anything can be done with Claude to get around it.
This is an interesting race.
Hm hard to say. News2threads does a summary of the article, right? My guess is that medium has blocked the bot from scraping the article in the first place, not what it does with it after (i.e. summarizing it through chatgpt or claude). So I doubt it would make a difference, but it may be something I'm not getting.
Perhaps the hive/internet-archive will be a solution to this. It seems progress is being made
https://inleo.io/threads/view/kendewitt/re-mightpossibly-2dsgap1vk
@mightpossibly
One think I was thinking about with #news2threads 2.0. If many larger sites are being shut down to ChatGPT, it could mean smaller ones will still be open. If that is the case, it could mean more specialized content on here.
That's a good point. I'm also hoping the internet archive will be able to work around the blocks even on the larger sites
That might be true. I hope that can make some progress.
Everything you need to know about the AI chatbot
Here's a ChatGPT guide to help understand Open AI's viral text-generating system. We outline the most recent updates and answer your FAQs.
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022. What started as a tool to hyper-charge productivity through writing essays and code with short text prompts has evolved into a behemoth used by more than 92% of Fortune 500 companies.
That growth has propelled OpenAI itself into becoming one of the most-hyped companies in recent memory. And its latest partnership with Apple for its upcoming generative AI offering, Apple Intelligence, has given the company another significant bump in the AI race.
#ai #technology #chatgpt
2024 also saw the release of GPT-4o, OpenAI’s new flagship omni model for ChatGPT. GPT-4o is now the default free model, complete with voice and vision capabilities. But after demoing GPT-4o, OpenAI paused one of its voices, Sky, after allegations that it was mimicking Scarlett Johansson’s voice in “Her.”
OpenAI is facing internal drama, including the sizable exit of co-founder and longtime chief scientist Ilya Sutskever as the company dissolved its Superalignment team. OpenAI is also facing a lawsuit from Alden Global Capital-owned newspapers, including the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune, for alleged copyright infringement, following a similar suit filed by The New York Times last year.
Here’s a timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year. And if you have any other questions, check out our ChatGPT FAQ here.
Timeline of the most recent ChatGPT updates
August 2024
OpenAI inks content deal with Condé Nast
As part of the new deal, OpenAI will surface stories from Condé Nast properties like The New Yorker, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Bon Appétit and Wired in ChatGPT and SearchGPT. Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch implied that the “multi-year” deal will involve payment from OpenAI in some form and a Condé Nast spokesperson told TechCrunch that OpenAI will have permission to train on Condé Nast content.
Our first impressions of ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode
TechCrunch’s Maxwell Zeff has been playing around with OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode, in what he describes as “the most convincing taste I’ve had of an AI-powered future yet.” Compared to Siri or Alexa, Advanced Voice Mode stands out with faster response times, unique answers and the ability to answer complex questions. But the feature falls short as an effective replacement for virtual assistants.
OpenAI shuts down election influence operation that used ChatGPT
OpenAI has banned a cluster of ChatGPT accounts linked to an Iranian influence operation that was generating content about the U.S. presidential election. OpenAI identified five website fronts presenting as both progressive and conservative news outlets that used ChatGPT to draft several long-form articles, though it doesn’t seem that it reached much of an audience.
OpenAI finds that GPT-4o does some weird stuff sometimes
OpenAI has found that GPT-4o, which powers the recently launched alpha of Advanced Voice Mode in ChatGPT, can behave in strange ways. In a new “red teaming” report, OpenAI reveals some of GPT-4o’s weirder quirks, like mimicking the voice of the person speaking to it or randomly shouting in the middle of a conversation.
ChatGPT’s mobile app reports its biggest month yet
After a big jump following the release of OpenAI’s new GPT-4o “omni” model, the mobile version of ChatGPT has now seen its biggest month of revenue yet. The app pulled in $28 million in net revenue from the App Store and Google Play in July, according to data provided by app intelligence firm Appfigures.
OpenAI could potentially catch students who cheat with ChatGPT
OpenAI has built a watermarking tool that could potentially catch students who cheat by using ChatGPT — but The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is debating whether to actually release it. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the company is researching tools that can detect writing from ChatGPT, but said it’s taking a “deliberate approach” to releasing it.
July 2024
ChatGPT’s advanced Voice Mode starts rolling out to some users
OpenAI is giving users their first access to GPT-4o’s updated realistic audio responses. The alpha version is now available to a small group of ChatGPT Plus users, and the company says the feature will gradually roll out to all Plus users in the fall of 2024. The release follows controversy surrounding the voice’s similarity to Scarlett Johansson, leading OpenAI to delay its release.
OpenAI announces new search prototype, SearchGPT
OpenAI is testing SearchGPT, a new AI search experience to compete with Google. SearchGPT aims to elevate search queries with “timely answers” from across the internet, as well as the ability to ask follow-up questions. The temporary prototype is currently only available to a small group of users and its publisher partners, like The Atlantic, for testing and feedback.
OpenAI could lose $5 billion this year, report claims
A new report from The Information, based on undisclosed financial information, claims OpenAI could lose up to $5 billion due to how costly the business is to operate. The report also says the company could spend as much as $7 billion in 2024 to train and operate ChatGPT.
OpenAI unveils GPT-4o mini
OpenAI released its latest small AI model, GPT-4o mini. The company says GPT-4o mini, which is cheaper and faster than OpenAI’s current AI models, outperforms industry leading small AI models on reasoning tasks involving text and vision. GPT-4o mini will replace GPT-3.5 Turbo as the smallest model OpenAI offers.
OpenAI partners with Los Alamos National Laboratory for bioscience research
OpenAI announced a partnership with the Los Alamos National Laboratory to study how AI can be employed by scientists in order to advance research in healthcare and bioscience. This follows other health-related research collaborations at OpenAI, including Moderna and Color Health.
June 2024
##OpenAI makes CriticGPT to find mistakes in GPT-4
OpenAI announced it has trained a model off of GPT-4, dubbed CriticGPT, which aims to find errors in ChatGPT’s code output so they can make improvements and better help so-called human “AI trainers” rate the quality and accuracy of ChatGPT responses.
OpenAI inks content deal with TIME
OpenAI and TIME announced a multi-year strategic partnership that brings the magazine’s content, both modern and archival, to ChatGPT. As part of the deal, TIME will also gain access to OpenAI’s technology in order to develop new audience-based products.
OpenAI delays ChatGPT’s new Voice Mode
OpenAI planned to start rolling out its advanced Voice Mode feature to a small group of ChatGPT Plus users in late June, but it says lingering issues forced it to postpone the launch to July. OpenAI says Advanced Voice Mode might not launch for all ChatGPT Plus customers until the fall, depending on whether it meets certain internal safety and reliability checks.
ChatGPT releases app for Mac
ChatGPT for macOS is now available for all users. With the app, users can quickly call up ChatGPT by using the keyboard combination of Option + Space. The app allows users to upload files and other photos, as well as speak to ChatGPT from their desktop and search through their past conversations.
Apple brings ChatGPT to its apps, including Siri
Apple announced at WWDC 2024 that it is bringing ChatGPT to Siri and other first-party apps and capabilities across its operating systems. The ChatGPT integrations, powered by GPT-4o, will arrive on iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia later this year, and will be free without the need to create a ChatGPT or OpenAI account. Features exclusive to paying ChatGPT users will also be available through Apple devices.
House Oversight subcommittee invites Scarlett Johansson to testify about ‘Sky’ controversy
Scarlett Johansson has been invited to testify about the controversy surrounding OpenAI’s Sky voice at a hearing for the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. In a letter, Rep. Nancy Mace said Johansson’s testimony could “provide a platform” for concerns around deepfakes.
ChatGPT experiences two outages in a single day
ChatGPT was down twice in one day: one multi-hour outage in the early hours of the morning Tuesday and another outage later in the day that is still ongoing. Anthropic’s Claude and Perplexity also experienced some issues.
May 2024
The Atlantic and Vox Media ink content deals with OpenAI
The Atlantic and Vox Media have announced licensing and product partnerships with OpenAI. Both agreements allow OpenAI to use the publishers’ current content to generate responses in ChatGPT, which will feature citations to relevant articles. Vox Media says it will use OpenAI’s technology to build “audience-facing and internal applications,” while The Atlantic will build a new experimental product called Atlantic Labs.
OpenAI signs 100K PwC workers to ChatGPT’s enterprise tier
OpenAI announced a new deal with management consulting giant PwC. The company will become OpenAI’s biggest customer to date, covering 100,000 users, and will become OpenAI’s first partner for selling its enterprise offerings to other businesses.
OpenAI says it is training its GPT-4 successor
OpenAI announced in a blog post that it has recently begun training its next flagship model to succeed GPT-4. The news came in an announcement of its new safety and security committee, which is responsible for informing safety and security decisions across OpenAI’s products.
Former OpenAI director claims the board found out about ChatGPT on Twitter
On the The TED AI Show podcast, former OpenAI board member Helen Toner revealed that the board did not know about ChatGPT until its launch in November 2022. Toner also said that Sam Altman gave the board inaccurate information about the safety processes the company had in place and that he didn’t disclose his involvement in the OpenAI Startup Fund.
ChatGPT’s mobile app revenue saw biggest spike yet following GPT-4o launch
The launch of GPT-4o has driven the company’s biggest-ever spike in revenue on mobile, despite the model being freely available on the web. Mobile users are being pushed to upgrade to its $19.99 monthly subscription, ChatGPT Plus, if they want to experiment with OpenAI’s most recent launch.
OpenAI to remove ChatGPT’s Scarlett Johansson-like voice
After demoing its new GPT-4o model last week, OpenAI announced it is pausing one of its voices, Sky, after users found that it sounded similar to Scarlett Johansson in “Her.”
OpenAI explained in a blog post that Sky’s voice is “not an imitation” of the actress and that AI voices should not intentionally mimic the voice of a celebrity. The blog post went on to explain how the company chose its voices: Breeze, Cove, Ember, Juniper and Sky.
ChatGPT lets you add files from Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive
OpenAI announced new updates for easier data analysis within ChatGPT. Users can now upload files directly from Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, interact with tables and charts, and export customized charts for presentations. The company says these improvements will be added to GPT-4o in the coming weeks.
OpenAI inks deal to train AI on Reddit data
OpenAI announced a partnership with Reddit that will give the company access to “real-time, structured and unique content” from the social network. Content from Reddit will be incorporated into ChatGPT, and the companies will work together to bring new AI-powered features to Reddit users and moderators.
OpenAI debuts GPT-4o “omni” model now powering ChatGPT
OpenAI’s spring update event saw the reveal of its new omni model, GPT-4o, which has a black hole-like interface, as well as voice and vision capabilities that feel eerily like something out of “Her.” GPT-4o is set to roll out “iteratively” across its developer and consumer-facing products over the next few weeks.
OpenAI to build a tool that lets content creators opt out of AI training
The company announced it’s building a tool, Media Manager, that will allow creators to better control how their content is being used to train generative AI models — and give them an option to opt out. The goal is to have the new tool in place and ready to use by 2025.
OpenAI explores allowing AI porn
In a new peek behind the curtain of its AI’s secret instructions, OpenAI also released a new NSFW policy. Though it’s intended to start a conversation about how it might allow explicit images and text in its AI products, it raises questions about whether OpenAI — or any generative AI vendor — can be trusted to handle sensitive content ethically.
OpenAI and Stack Overflow announce partnership
In a new partnership, OpenAI will get access to developer platform Stack Overflow’s API and will get feedback from developers to improve the performance of their AI models. In return, OpenAI will include attributions to Stack Overflow in ChatGPT. However, the deal was not favorable to some Stack Overflow users — leading to some sabotaging their answer in protest.
April 2024
U.S. newspapers file copyright lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft
Alden Global Capital-owned newspapers, including the New York Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Denver Post, are suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges that the companies stole millions of copyrighted articles “without permission and without payment” to bolster ChatGPT and Copilot.
OpenAI inks content licensing deal with Financial Times
OpenAI has partnered with another news publisher in Europe, London’s Financial Times, that the company will be paying for content access. “Through the partnership, ChatGPT users will be able to see select attributed summaries, quotes and rich links to FT journalism in response to relevant queries,” the FT wrote in a press release.
OpenAI opens Tokyo hub, adds GPT-4 model optimized for Japanese
OpenAI is opening a new office in Tokyo and has plans for a GPT-4 model optimized specifically for the Japanese language. The move underscores how OpenAI will likely need to localize its technology to different languages as it expands.
Sam Altman pitches ChatGPT Enterprise to Fortune 500 companies
According to Reuters, OpenAI’s Sam Altman hosted hundreds of executives from Fortune 500 companies across several cities in April, pitching versions of its AI services intended for corporate use.
OpenAI releases “more direct, less verbose” version of GPT-4 Turbo
Premium ChatGPT users — customers paying for ChatGPT Plus, Team or Enterprise — can now use an updated and enhanced version of GPT-4 Turbo. The new model brings with it improvements in writing, math, logical reasoning and coding, OpenAI claims, as well as a more up-to-date knowledge base.
ChatGPT no longer requires an account — but there’s a catch
You can now use ChatGPT without signing up for an account, but it won’t be quite the same experience. You won’t be able to save or share chats, use custom instructions, or other features associated with a persistent account. This version of ChatGPT will have “slightly more restrictive content policies,” according to OpenAI. When TechCrunch asked for more details, however, the response was unclear:
“The signed out experience will benefit from the existing safety mitigations that are already built into the model, such as refusing to generate harmful content. In addition to these existing mitigations, we are also implementing additional safeguards specifically designed to address other forms of content that may be inappropriate for a signed out experience,” a spokesperson said.
March 2024
OpenAI’s chatbot store is filling up with spam
TechCrunch found that the OpenAI’s GPT Store is flooded with bizarre, potentially copyright-infringing GPTs. A cursory search pulls up GPTs that claim to generate art in the style of Disney and Marvel properties, but serve as little more than funnels to third-party paid services and advertise themselves as being able to bypass AI content detection tools.
The New York Times responds to OpenAI’s claims that it “hacked” ChatGPT for its copyright lawsuit
In a court filing opposing OpenAI’s motion to dismiss The New York Times’ lawsuit alleging copyright infringement, the newspaper asserted that “OpenAI’s attention-grabbing claim that The Times ‘hacked’ its products is as irrelevant as it is false.” The New York Times also claimed that some users of ChatGPT used the tool to bypass its paywalls.
OpenAI VP doesn’t say whether artists should be paid for training data
At a SXSW 2024 panel, Peter Deng, OpenAI’s VP of consumer product dodged a question on whether artists whose work was used to train generative AI models should be compensated. While OpenAI lets artists “opt out” of and remove their work from the datasets that the company uses to train its image-generating models, some artists have described the tool as onerous.
A new report estimates that ChatGPT uses more than half a million kilowatt-hours of electricity per day
ChatGPT’s environmental impact appears to be massive. According to a report from The New Yorker, ChatGPT uses an estimated 17,000 times the amount of electricity than the average U.S. household to respond to roughly 200 million requests each day.
ChatGPT can now read its answers aloud
OpenAI released a new Read Aloud feature for the web version of ChatGPT as well as the iOS and Android apps. The feature allows ChatGPT to read its responses to queries in one of five voice options and can speak 37 languages, according to the company. Read aloud is available on both GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 models.
February 2024
OpenAI partners with Dublin City Council to use GPT-4 for tourism
As part of a new partnership with OpenAI, the Dublin City Council will use GPT-4 to craft personalized itineraries for travelers, including recommendations of unique and cultural destinations, in an effort to support tourism across Europe.
A law firm used ChatGPT to justify a six-figure bill for legal services
New York-based law firm Cuddy Law was criticized by a judge for using ChatGPT to calculate their hourly billing rate. The firm submitted a $113,500 bill to the court, which was then halved by District Judge Paul Engelmayer, who called the figure “well above” reasonable demands.
ChatGPT experienced a bizarre bug for several hours
ChatGPT users found that ChatGPT was giving nonsensical answers for several hours, prompting OpenAI to investigate the issue. Incidents varied from repetitive phrases to confusing and incorrect answers to queries. The issue was resolved by OpenAI the following morning.
Match Group announced deal with OpenAI with a press release co-written by ChatGPT
The dating app giant home to Tinder, Match and OkCupid announced an enterprise agreement with OpenAI in an enthusiastic press release written with the help of ChatGPT. The AI tech will be used to help employees with work-related tasks and come as part of Match’s $20 million-plus bet on AI in 2024.
ChatGPT will now remember — and forget — things you tell it to
As part of a test, OpenAI began rolling out new “memory” controls for a small portion of ChatGPT free and paid users, with a broader rollout to follow. The controls let you tell ChatGPT explicitly to remember something, see what it remembers or turn off its memory altogether. Note that deleting a chat from chat history won’t erase ChatGPT’s or a custom GPT’s memories — you must delete the memory itself.
OpenAI begins rolling out “Temporary Chat” feature
Initially limited to a small subset of free and subscription users, Temporary Chat lets you have a dialogue with a blank slate. With Temporary Chat, ChatGPT won’t be aware of previous conversations or access memories but will follow custom instructions if they’re enabled.
But, OpenAI says it may keep a copy of Temporary Chat conversations for up to 30 days for “safety reasons.”
January 2024
##ChatGPT users can now invoke GPTs directly in chats
Paid users of ChatGPT can now bring GPTs into a conversation by typing “@” and selecting a GPT from the list. The chosen GPT will have an understanding of the full conversation, and different GPTs can be “tagged in” for different use cases and needs.
ChatGPT is reportedly leaking usernames and passwords from users’ private conversations
Screenshots provided to Ars Technica found that ChatGPT is potentially leaking unpublished research papers, login credentials and private information from its users. An OpenAI representative told Ars Technica that the company was investigating the report.
ChatGPT is violating Europe’s privacy laws, Italian DPA tells OpenAI
OpenAI has been told it’s suspected of violating European Union privacy, following a multi-month investigation of ChatGPT by Italy’s data protection authority. Details of the draft findings haven’t been disclosed, but in a response, OpenAI said: “We want our AI to learn about the world, not about private individuals.”
OpenAI partners with Common Sense Media to collaborate on AI guidelines
In an effort to win the trust of parents and policymakers, OpenAI announced it’s partnering with Common Sense Media to collaborate on AI guidelines and education materials for parents, educators and young adults. The organization works to identify and minimize tech harms to young people and previously flagged ChatGPT as lacking in transparency and privacy.
OpenAI responds to Congressional Black Caucus about lack of diversity on its board
After a letter from the Congressional Black Caucus questioned the lack of diversity in OpenAI’s board, the company responded. The response, signed by CEO Sam Altman and Chairman of the Board Bret Taylor, said building a complete and diverse board was one of the company’s top priorities and that it was working with an executive search firm to assist it in finding talent.
OpenAI drops prices and fixes ‘lazy’ GPT-4 that refused to work
In a blog post, OpenAI announced price drops for GPT-3.5’s API, with input prices dropping to 50% and output by 25%, to $0.0005 per thousand tokens in, and $0.0015 per thousand tokens out. GPT-4 Turbo also got a new preview model for API use, which includes an interesting fix that aims to reduce “laziness” that users have experienced.
OpenAI bans developer of a bot impersonating a presidential candidate
OpenAI has suspended AI startup Delphi, which developed a bot impersonating Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) to help bolster his presidential campaign. The ban comes just weeks after OpenAI published a plan to combat election misinformation, which listed “chatbots impersonating candidates” as against its policy.
OpenAI announces partnership with Arizona State University
Beginning in February, Arizona State University will have full access to ChatGPT’s Enterprise tier, which the university plans to use to build a personalized AI tutor, develop AI avatars, bolster their prompt engineering course and more. It marks OpenAI’s first partnership with a higher education institution.
Winner of a literary prize reveals around 5% her novel was written by ChatGPT
After receiving the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for her novel The Tokyo Tower of Sympathy, author Rie Kudan admitted that around 5% of the book quoted ChatGPT-generated sentences “verbatim.” Interestingly enough, the novel revolves around a futuristic world with a pervasive presence of AI.
Sam Altman teases video capabilities for ChatGPT and the release of GPT-5
In a conversation with Bill Gates on the Unconfuse Me podcast, Sam Altman confirmed an upcoming release of GPT-5 that will be “fully multimodal with speech, image, code, and video support.” Altman said users can expect to see GPT-5 drop sometime in 2024.
OpenAI announces team to build ‘crowdsourced’ governance ideas into its models
OpenAI is forming a Collective Alignment team of researchers and engineers to create a system for collecting and “encoding” public input on its models’ behaviors into OpenAI products and services. This comes as a part of OpenAI’s public program to award grants to fund experiments in setting up a “democratic process” for determining the rules AI systems follow.
OpenAI unveils plan to combat election misinformation
In a blog post, OpenAI announced users will not be allowed to build applications for political campaigning and lobbying until the company works out how effective their tools are for “personalized persuasion.”
Users will also be banned from creating chatbots that impersonate candidates or government institutions, and from using OpenAI tools to misrepresent the voting process or otherwise discourage voting.
The company is also testing out a tool that detects DALL-E generated images and will incorporate access to real-time news, with attribution, in ChatGPT.
OpenAI changes policy to allow military applications
In an unannounced update to its usage policy, OpenAI removed language previously prohibiting the use of its products for the purposes of “military and warfare.” In an additional statement, OpenAI confirmed that the language was changed in order to accommodate military customers and projects that do not violate their ban on efforts to use their tools to “harm people, develop weapons, for communications surveillance, or to injure others or destroy property.”
ChatGPT subscription aimed at small teams debuts
Aptly called ChatGPT Team, the new plan provides a dedicated workspace for teams of up to 149 people using ChatGPT as well as admin tools for team management. In addition to gaining access to GPT-4, GPT-4 with Vision and DALL-E3, ChatGPT Team lets teams build and share GPTs for their business needs.
OpenAI’s GPT store officially launches
After some back and forth over the last few months, OpenAI’s GPT Store is finally here. The feature lives in a new tab in the ChatGPT web client, and includes a range of GPTs developed both by OpenAI’s partners and the wider dev community.
To access the GPT Store, users must be subscribed to one of OpenAI’s premium ChatGPT plans — ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT Enterprise or the newly launched ChatGPT Team.
Developing AI models would be “impossible” without copyrighted materials, OpenAI claims
Following a proposed ban on using news publications and books to train AI chatbots in the U.K., OpenAI submitted a plea to the House of Lords communications and digital committee. OpenAI argued that it would be “impossible” to train AI models without using copyrighted materials, and that they believe copyright law “does not forbid training.”
OpenAI claims The New York Times’ copyright lawsuit is without merit
OpenAI published a public response to The New York Times’s lawsuit against them and Microsoft for allegedly violating copyright law, claiming that the case is without merit.
In the response, OpenAI reiterates its view that training AI models using publicly available data from the web is fair use. It also makes the case that regurgitation is less likely to occur with training data from a single source and places the onus on users to “act responsibly.”
OpenAI’s app store for GPTs planned to launch next week
After being delayed in December, OpenAI plans to launch its GPT Store sometime in the coming week, according to an email viewed by TechCrunch. OpenAI says developers building GPTs will have to review the company’s updated usage policies and GPT brand guidelines to ensure their GPTs are compliant before they’re eligible for listing in the GPT Store. OpenAI’s update notably didn’t include any information on the expected monetization opportunities for developers listing their apps on the storefront.
OpenAI moves to shrink regulatory risk in EU around data privacy
In an email, OpenAI detailed an incoming update to its terms, including changing the OpenAI entity providing services to EEA and Swiss residents to OpenAI Ireland Limited. The move appears to be intended to shrink its regulatory risk in the European Union, where the company has been under scrutiny over ChatGPT’s impact on people’s privacy.
FAQs:
What is ChatGPT? How does it work?
ChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate text after a user enters a prompt, developed by tech startup OpenAI. The chatbot uses GPT-4, a large language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text.
When did ChatGPT get released?
November 30, 2022 is when ChatGPT was released for public use.
What is the latest version of ChatGPT?
Both the free version of ChatGPT and the paid ChatGPT Plus are regularly updated with new GPT models. The most recent model is GPT-4o.
Can I use ChatGPT for free?
There is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires a sign-in in addition to the paid version, ChatGPT Plus.
Who uses ChatGPT?
Anyone can use ChatGPT! More and more tech companies and search engines are utilizing the chatbot to automate text or quickly answer user questions/concerns.
What companies use ChatGPT?
Multiple enterprises utilize ChatGPT, although others may limit the use of the AI-powered tool.
Most recently, Microsoft announced at it’s 2023 Build conference that it is integrating it ChatGPT-based Bing experience into Windows 11. A Brooklyn-based 3D display startup Looking Glass utilizes ChatGPT to produce holograms you can communicate with by using ChatGPT. And nonprofit organization Solana officially integrated the chatbot into its network with a ChatGPT plug-in geared toward end users to help onboard into the web3 space.
What does GPT mean in ChatGPT?
GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.
What is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot?
A chatbot can be any software/system that holds dialogue with you/a person but doesn’t necessarily have to be AI-powered. For example, there are chatbots that are rules-based in the sense that they’ll give canned responses to questions.
ChatGPT is AI-powered and utilizes LLM technology to generate text after a prompt.
Can ChatGPT write essays?
Yes.
Can ChatGPT commit libel?
Due to the nature of how these models work, they don’t know or care whether something is true, only that it looks true. That’s a problem when you’re using it to do your homework, sure, but when it accuses you of a crime you didn’t commit, that may well at this point be libel.
We will see how handling troubling statements produced by ChatGPT will play out over the next few months as tech and legal experts attempt to tackle the fastest moving target in the industry.
Does ChatGPT have an app?
Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app for iOS and Android users.
Does ChatGPT have an API?
Yes, it was released March 1, 2023.
What are some sample everyday uses for ChatGPT?
Everyday examples include programing, scripts, email replies, listicles, blog ideas, summarization, etc.
What are some advanced uses for ChatGPT?
Advanced use examples include debugging code, programming languages, scientific concepts, complex problem solving, etc.
How good is ChatGPT at writing code?
It depends on the nature of the program. While ChatGPT can write workable Python code, it can’t necessarily program an entire app’s worth of code. That’s because ChatGPT lacks context awareness — in other words, the generated code isn’t always appropriate for the specific context in which it’s being used.
Can you save a ChatGPT chat?
Yes. OpenAI allows users to save chats in the ChatGPT interface, stored in the sidebar of the screen. There are no built-in sharing features yet.
Are there alternatives to ChatGPT?
Yes. There are multiple AI-powered chatbot competitors such as Together, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude, and developers are creating open source alternatives.
How does ChatGPT handle data privacy?
OpenAI has said that individuals in “certain jurisdictions” (such as the EU) can object to the processing of their personal information by its AI models by filling out this form. This includes the ability to make requests for deletion of AI-generated references about you. Although OpenAI notes it may not grant every request since it must balance privacy requests against freedom of expression “in accordance with applicable laws”.
The web form for making a deletion of data about you request is entitled “OpenAI Personal Data Removal Request”.
In its privacy policy, the ChatGPT maker makes a passing acknowledgement of the objection requirements attached to relying on “legitimate interest” (LI), pointing users towards more information about requesting an opt out — when it writes: “See here for instructions on how you can opt out of our use of your information to train our models.”
What controversies have surrounded ChatGPT?
Recently, Discord announced that it had integrated OpenAI’s technology into its bot named Clyde where two users tricked Clyde into providing them with instructions for making the illegal drug methamphetamine (meth) and the incendiary mixture napalm.
An Australian mayor has publicly announced he may sue OpenAI for defamation due to ChatGPT’s false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery. This would be the first defamation lawsuit against the text-generating service.
CNET found itself in the midst of controversy after Futurism reported the publication was publishing articles under a mysterious byline completely generated by AI. The private equity company that owns CNET, Red Ventures, was accused of using ChatGPT for SEO farming, even if the information was incorrect.
Several major school systems and colleges, including New York City Public Schools, have banned ChatGPT from their networks and devices. They claim that the AI impedes the learning process by promoting plagiarism and misinformation, a claim that not every educator agrees with.
There have also been cases of ChatGPT accusing individuals of false crimes.
Where can I find examples of ChatGPT prompts?
Several marketplaces host and provide ChatGPT prompts, either for free or for a nominal fee. One is PromptBase. Another is ChatX. More launch every day.
Can ChatGPT be detected?
Poorly. Several tools claim to detect ChatGPT-generated text, but in our tests, they’re inconsistent at best.
Are ChatGPT chats public?
No. But OpenAI recently disclosed a bug, since fixed, that exposed the titles of some users’ conversations to other people on the service.
What lawsuits are there surrounding ChatGPT?
None specifically targeting ChatGPT. But OpenAI is involved in at least one lawsuit that has implications for AI systems trained on publicly available data, which would touch on ChatGPT.
Are there issues regarding plagiarism with ChatGPT?
Yes. Text-generating AI models like ChatGPT have a tendency to regurgitate content from their training data.
https://inleo.io/threads/view/mightpossibly/re-leothreads-sgqzn37m
Yeah I did something similar. I was posting my videos on like a shortstream with all 5 in the same thread.
ah! we had the same thought then. This should of course become redundant with the introduction of playlists. But until then it's good to have collections like these
No reason to not keep repurposing the content. It is a great thing to keep building those. They will show up elsewhere.
Another good point. They would be very fitting in the recommended section of an article about vsc for instance
There is a lot that can be done.
People need to start about taking threads and posting them in different places.
Let me get this straight... Did you post your shorts and then create a kind of "playlist" to put those shorts there?
Yes here they are. There are a number of them in the comments.
https://inleo.io/threads/view/taskmaster4450le/re-ypnkquwzvd
Got it, thanks for sharing and I even saved it here.
It's really cool to see more functions for the HBD.
Yeah that is going to be the topic of the Lion's Den tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing. I will save to better understand the VSC ecosystem.
https://inleo.io/threads/view/taskmaster4450le/re-leothreads-xqcab5ys
I have no doubt that we will surpass 1k today.
I'm still missing my shorts to contribute hehehe...
We still have a few days until August finishes, curious to know how many we can reach in shorts this month.
We need to aim for 2K.
I'm thinking about them right now.
The challenge has been launched. Let's go in search of 2k shorts this month.
That is what we need to do. I will get at least 90 over the next 9 days.
Disney Is Starting to Look for a New CEO To Replace Bob Iger
In November of 2022, Bob Iger returned as CEO, replacing Bob Chapek after just 11 months of being away from Disney. At the time, it was said that Bob Iger would only be in the role for a limited amount of time. Now, Disney is officially starting the hunt for a new CEO.
To find the new CEO, Disney has hired James P. Gorman to oversee the search. Recently, Gorman oversaw the succession process at Morgan Stanley.
#disney #bobiger #entertainment
Disney already realized that they were losing a lot of money with their woke agenda...
May more qualified people be in charge of the company to bring us quality content.
The technological angle is much bigger than woke and COVID lockdowns. I had a lot of debates about this.
It is why shifting away from that isnt going to fix anything.
But everything also depends on the finances of the entrepreneurs.
If they persist in "supporting" these works... More and more people will distance themselves from Disney.
I canceled it myself at the time because I was paying for something that I didn't watch anymore, anything interesting. Now with the sports that the platform has combined with Star+, I think I'll subscribe to Disney again.
“James is a highly respected leader, and we’ve asked him to serve as the new Chair of the Succession Planning Committee given his deep succession planning experience and long-term strategic mentality,” said Parker, who most recently served as the Committee’s Chair. “Succession planning is a top priority of the Board, and I am eager to continue collaborating with James on the Committee as we advance the important work we have already been doing to identify and prepare the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company.”
Gorman will lead a committee that will include Disney’s directors Mary T. Barra and Calvin R. McDonald. All members of this new committee to find someone to replace the Disney CEO have direct experience in CEO and senior leadership succession planning for Fortune 500 companies.
Do you think #ai will take over coding?
Many believe we are on that path including Nvidia and Amazon.
I think that not only that, but almost everything in this world will have a certain dominance on the part of AI.
I agree. It will also come quicker than people think.
We're ahead, Task. We will know first than most people.
Who knows, maybe we'll find some raffled NFT tickets so we can win a free trip to space?
Hehehe... It would be incredible.
LOL well space is going to be a bit further out. But we will see the #ai race take a huge step forward by the end of the year.
"AI Scientist" Can Discover New Science! (Self-Improving AI = AGI)
#ai #technology
Hehehe... now we even have a scientist specializing in AI. Things are moving forward.
It looks like they are moving in that direction. This paper I am reading about things are very interesting.
VC leading Bolt’s hoped-for $450M deal confirms he’s offering ‘marketing credits’
Ashesh Shah, the founder and CEO of The London Fund is, as you might imagine, bullish on Bolt. The London Fund is a U.K. venture firm
Ashesh Shah, the founder and CEO of The London Fund is, as you might imagine, bullish on Bolt. The London Fund is a U.K. venture firm with “over $1 billion in cash and assets” in AUM that is leading a proposed $450 million raise for Bolt, a one-click checkout startup that has been embroiled in a number of controversies over the years.
But all that isn’t deterring Shah, who describes the term sheet that is in play for Bolt as “a fabulous transaction about a company that we believe has a lot more room left in it.”
#technology #newsonleo
What are you able to say about this proposed transaction?
Shah: The London Fund has been around since 2003. We are always looking for Ferraris with flat tires. Sometimes people don’t understand why. Maybe it’s not the right color. Maybe it’s not what the market knows. We’re deeply technical. I’m a multi-time founder, and have gone through a lot of this. We really at the end of the day saw something here that is quite special. Bolt has an unbelievable reach — if you look at the number of wallets and people that have used the system, how it works, and if you compare them to like a Shopify, or to some of the other bigger players, they’re on par. I think that’s a hidden gem.
If you look at the ability over time, if you launch the Super App, the ability to have interactions between wallet holders. When you start looking at Shopify or Bolt, and you start realizing that the user base is massive, and you have a big opportunity.
Obviously, this is a term sheet — it’s not yet final. There are a lot of things that would need to happen for the pay-to-play/cramdown to work. What do you think are the chances this is approved?
I hope this goes to conclusion. We’ve worked very hard on this. There’s been six months of thinking and working and tracking. We believe that what we bring to the table as a firm and what Bolt has can lead to some amazing new activity. I think there’s a lot of value for all the shareholders. I think a lot of folks have got it quite wrong. We’re simply asking that existing shareholders show that they’re committed to the future of what this journey looks like. Right?
We’re not saying anything negative, but I’m sort of saying, if I’m putting my skin in the game, then I want others to make sure that they’re there. And I think, assuming all goes well, then hopefully this transaction concludes quite well, and we’ve left it open so others can come in with capital as well. We’re simply leading on this. There’s plenty of room.
Article
BIG AI NEWS: 10,000X Bigger Than GPT-4, AGI 2025, New Boston Dynamics Demo And More
#ai #technology
Google Cloud Run embraces Nvidia GPUs for serverless AI inference
There are several different costs associated with running AI, one of the most fundamental is providing the GPU power needed for inference.
To date, organizations that need to provide AI inference have had to run long-running cloud instances or provision hardware on-premises. Today, Google Cloud is previewing a new approach, and it could reshape the landscape of AI application deployment. The Google Cloud Run serverless offering now integrates Nvidia L4 GPUs, enabling organizations to run serverless inference.
#newsonleo #google #cloud #technology
The promise of serverless is that a service only runs when needed and users only pay for what is used. That’s in contrast to a typical cloud instance which will run for a set amount of time as a persistent service and is always available. With a serverless service, in this case, a GPU for inference only fires up and is used when needed.
The serverless inference can be deployed as an Nvidia NIM, as well as other frameworks such as VLLM, Pytorch and Ollama. The addition of Nvidia L4 GPUs is currently in preview.
“As customers increasingly adopt AI, they are seeking to run AI workloads like inference on platforms they are familiar with and start up on,” Sagar Randive, Product Manager, Google Cloud Serverless, told VentureBeat. “Cloud Run users prefer the efficiency and flexibility of the platform and have been asking for Google to add GPU support.”
Article
Reuters: US auto safety regulator closes probe into GM's Cruise robotaxis
https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-auto-safety-regulator-closes-probe-into-cruise-robotaxis-2024-08-22/
Reuters: Google to help build cyber protection for Australian infrastructure
https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/google-help-build-cyber-protection-australian-infrastructure-2024-08-21/
Reuters: ndian ed-tech giant Byju's insolvency case fans employees' fears
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indian-ed-tech-giant-byjus-insolvency-case-fans-fears-employees-2024-08-22/
Reuters: Zoom lifts revenue forecast on growing demand for AI tools used in hybrid work
https://www.reuters.com/technology/zoom-raises-annual-revenue-forecast-2024-08-21/
BBC: The Earth's deepest living organisms may hold clues to alien life on Mars
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240821-could-alien-life-survive-in-deep-lakes-below-mars-surface
Bodies of Autonomy founder Mike Lynch and his daughter recovered from sunken Bayesian yacht
Grim news coming in from Sicily, Italy. Mike Lynch, the U.K. investor and founder of IT company Autonomy, has been identified as one of two bodies
Grim news coming in from Sicily, Italy. Mike Lynch, the U.K. investor and founder of IT company Autonomy, has been identified as one of two bodies recovered from the Bayesian, the yacht that sunk off the coast of Sicily early Monday, according to several reports coming out of the country that cite the chief of Civil Protection, Salvo Cocina.
Lynch’s daughter, Hannah, has also been identified.
#newsonleo #rip #miklynch #technology
The news caps off a grim few days of events. The boat, registered to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, quickly capsized in the early hours of Monday after it was struck by a tornado-like water column. Bacares was among the 15 survivors, but three bodies have now been found and four more are still being recovered from the wreck. Those yet to be found include the international chairman of Morgan Stanley bank, his wife, a lawyer from New York who worked with Lynch, and his wife.
As we previously reported, the Bayesian was on a voyage to celebrate Lynch’s acquittal in a criminal fraud trial in the U.S. earlier this summer. That trial also involved a co-defendant, Stephen Chamberlain.
Article
BYD Just Buried Tesla
Tesla has officially lost its technology lead.
There have been many “Tesla killer” cars over the years, yet none have challenged Tesla’s market dominance. But that is about the change. Earlier this year, BYD overtook Tesla as the best-selling EV maker. It’s no wonder their brilliant EVs go toe-to-toe with Tesla. However, BYD has just announced an update to their incredible Model 3 competitor, the Seal. While these updates might seem slight on the surface, they actually blow Tesla out of the water and signal that BYD will bury Tesla in years to come.
#tesla #byd #automotive #technology
So, what updates has the Seal got? Well, it has switched from a 400V architecture to an 800V one, which has dramatically slashed its charge time. The Seal uses LFP cells, which charge slower than the typical Lithium-ion cells, hence why the current version charges from 10% to 80% in 37 minutes, or about 10 minutes slower than the equivalent Tesla. However, cells’ charging speed is limited by the amount of current they can take, so increasing the voltage is a smart way to make the pack charge more quickly. As such, the new Seal charges from 10% to 80% in only 25 minutes, the exact same as the Model 3.
However, this upgrade hasn’t increased the price. The top-of-the-range new Seal will cost the equivalent of $33,460 in China, with the base model costing the equivalent of $24,500…
Opkey, an AI-based ERP testing platform, raises $47M
Companies are experimenting with services like ChatGPT to help workers write memos, answer questions, and much more, yet one of the clearest signs
Companies are experimenting with services like ChatGPT to help workers write memos, answer questions, and much more, yet one of the clearest signs of how much traction AI is really getting in the world of enterprise IT is how often it figures in the more routine applications that organizations use. Today, a startup that exemplifies that axiom is announcing funding, underscoring that pace of enterprise AI adoption.
##newsonleo #technology #opkey #ai
Opkey has built an AI platform to help organizations continuously test finance, HR and other enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Now, on the back of some strong customer traction — more than 200 large enterprise customers; partnerships with system integrators like KMPG and PwC — it’s closed a Series B of $47 million.
PeakSpan Capital is leading the round, with participation from previous backers, with current investors including UST Global, Verica, Vertical and India’s YouNest. This Series B is a big step up for Dublin, CA-based Opkey: prior to it, the company had only raised $12 million. It’s not disclosing valuation.
Article
The new generation of heavy lift rockets is rising to challenge SpaceX
It can be hard to keep up with this fast-paced yet incredibly complex and highly regulated industry — but everything you need to stay up to date is right here, with links to deeper coverage.
As the global appetite for orbital launches continues to grow, the competition among new and old space companies to build bigger and better launch vehicles is firing up.
It can be hard to keep up with this fast-paced yet incredibly complex and highly regulated industry — but everything you need to stay up to date is right here, with links to deeper coverage.
#spacex #technology #rockets #space
As a bit of background, it likely won’t surprise you to hear that SpaceX is the undisputed leader in launch, conducting a record 96 launches last year alone. But its supremacy has not cowed a growing number of competitors, who say they can bring much-needed supply and competitive pressure to the market, something that benefits the industry at large.
We’ve surveyed the current medium-, heavy- and super-heavy lift rocket landscape, from vehicles that are currently operational to those rockets yet to fly. We decided to exclude smaller launchers in development — like Stoke Space’s Nova and ABL Space’s RS1 — but even so, this is a fairly broad view. Some of the rockets we discuss below may not compete directly with each other and will vary widely in price. But any one of them coming online would likely mean a shake-up to their vehicle class: Relativity’s Terran R could destabilize Falcon 9’s dominance; New Glenn and Starship could unlock regular travel to the moon and beyond.
If even one succeeds, which is all but a certainty, it will change everything.
Before we begin, some definitions: medium-lift generally means a payload capacity of 2,000-20,000 kilograms (4,400-44,000 pounds) to low Earth orbit; heavy-lift, 20,000-50,000 kilograms (44,000 pounds-110,000 pounds); and super-heavy, which can haul over 50,000 kilograms.
Article
Chinese EV sales suddenly rocket past global tipping point - legacy is finished
#ev #china #newsonleo #technology
Dropbox acquires Index Ventures-backed AI scheduling tool Reclaim.ai
Dropbox has acquired AI-powered scheduling tool Reclaim.ai, which counts Calendly and Index Ventures among its backers.
Dropbox has acquired AI-powered scheduling tool Reclaim.ai, which counts Calendly and Index Ventures among its backers. The development was revealed in a blog post on Reclaim.ai’s website Tuesday. Dropbox hasn’t disclosed the terms of the deal.
Reclaim.ai, which was founded in 2019 by Henry Shapiro and Patrick Lightbody, said the company plans to continue developing its product under the new owner. It also said it’s committed to ongoing support for all users. More than 43,000 companies and over 320,000 people use the tool worldwide, per the blog post.
#newsonleo #dropbox #reclaim #ai #technology
The startup had raised more than $9.5 million in funding from investors to date, including Calendly, Character.vc, Flying Fish, Gradient Ventures, Index Ventures, Operator Partners, Yummy Ventures, as well as Grafana CEO Raj Dutt and former GitHub CTO Jason Warner.
It focused on using AI to help users better manage their time and find slots for meetings, tasks, building personal habits and taking breaks. Its product, which integrates with Google Calendar, also lets users create different scheduling features, like booking links and the ability to automatically book times on schedule that would be optimal for all participants. It competed with other scheduling tools such as Calendly, Clockwise, and Doodle.
Reclaim.ai had a basic free tier for individual users, combined with plans for small teams that started at $8 per person per month. The company noted it is not changing its fees for now.
In a video posted on X, the Reclaim.ai’s founders said its entire team of 22 people is joining Dropbox.
“The Dropbox mission is to ‘design a more enlightened way of working’ – a goal we’ve shared since Reclaim began in 2019. By joining forces, we get to support that mission and help millions make time for what matters, as well as explore new ways AI can help improve the way we work,” Reclaim.ai also wrote in the post.
Article
Hands-on with Ideogram 2.0: The AI that makes text look incredible
Ideogram unveiled version 2.0 of its text-to-image model today, positioning the year-old startup as a formidable challenger to established players like Midjourney and DALL-E 3. This latest release introduces advanced features and competitive pricing that could reshape the landscape of artificial intelligence-driven content creation.
The cornerstone of Ideogram 2.0 is its improved text rendering capabilities, addressing a persistent challenge in AI image generation. “The Design style significantly improves text rendering in Ideogram 2.0, and it enables you to create premium graphic designs including greeting cards, t-shirt designs, posters, illustrations with longer and more accurate text,” the company announced via X.com.
#ai #ideogram #technology
This advancement could be a major paradigm shift for businesses and content creators relying on clear, on-brand messaging in their visual content. Accurate text rendering has long been a stumbling block for AI image generators, often producing distorted or illegible text that fails to meet professional standards. Ideogram’s breakthrough could revolutionize rapid prototyping in advertising and branding, allowing for faster iteration and more precise visual communication.
Color control and API: Empowering designers and developers alike
The introduction of a customizable color palette feature further enhances Ideogram’s appeal to professional users. “Choose from multiple color palettes for images, giving you precise control over the color scheme. This is useful for brand consistency or for capturing a specific vibe,” the company tweeted. This level of control addresses a crucial need for brands aiming to maintain visual consistency across their digital assets, potentially streamlining workflows and reducing the need for post-generation editing.
The launch of a public beta API marks another strategic move to expand Ideogram’s reach. By enabling developers and businesses to integrate its technology into their own applications and workflows, Ideogram is positioning itself as a versatile solution for a wide range of industries. The company’s statement, “We offer superior image quality at a lower cost compared to other models,” highlights a competitive pricing strategy that could attract cost-conscious enterprises looking to scale their AI-generated visual content.
Article
Ethical implications and market impact: Navigating the future of AI-generated imagery
However, Ideogram’s rapid advancement raises important questions about the future of creative industries. The increasing sophistication of AI-generated imagery could disrupt traditional design and illustration workflows, potentially reducing demand for human artists in certain sectors. Conversely, it may also democratize design capabilities, allowing smaller businesses and individual creators to produce professional-quality visuals without significant investment in design expertise or software.
Chick-Fil-A Will Reportedly Launch a Family Friendly Streaming Service
In a surprising move, fast-food giant Chick-fil-A is venturing into the entertainment industry with plans to launch its own streaming platform featuring original family-friendly content. The company has reportedly been collaborating with major production companies and studios to develop unscripted shows, and is also in the process of licensing and acquiring additional content. This comes at a time when it seems everyone wants to get into streaming, and family-friendly content is increasingly becoming a major focus for many.
#entertainment #streaming #technology
The news comes at a time when the family-friendly streaming landscape is shifting, with the impending closure of Chicken Soup for the Soul’s streaming service due to its parent company’s bankruptcy. Chick-fil-A’s entry into this space signals a potential new player in the market for wholesome entertainment options according to a report from Deadline.
Brian Gibson, an industry veteran known for his work on shows like History’s “Top Gear” remake and Fox’s “The X Factor,” is spearheading Chick-fil-A’s programming efforts. Gibson has been actively engaging with various producers to secure a diverse range of family-friendly content for the upcoming platform.
While specific details about the platform’s launch date and content offerings remain under wraps, sources suggest a potential launch later this year. With its strong brand recognition and commitment to family values, Chick-fil-A’s foray into streaming could offer a compelling alternative for audiences seeking quality entertainment options that resonate with their values.
Article
This new accessible Xbox nunchuk controller has 3D-printable joystick parts
Microsoft demonstrated its leadership in accessible gaming hardware again on Wednesday with the announcement of a new one-handed joystick controller
Microsoft demonstrated its leadership in accessible gaming hardware again on Wednesday with the announcement of a new one-handed joystick controller for Xbox and PC. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick works with the company’s already robust accessibility hardware stack, and even includes support for custom 3D-printed parts.
#xbox #3dprinting #gaming #technology
The Adaptive series of devices and controllers has been around for years, and Microsoft has consistently worked with the accessibility community to find out what’s needed and updated accordingly. In this case, it’s a straightforward one-handed “nunchuk,” as they were once called, though this one-handed form factor is now more common in VR setups.
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Tubi Viewership Grows & Now Ties Disney+ For The 5th Most Watched Streaming Service
Free streaming services are becoming even more popular as cord cutters look for cheaper options. Now according to Nielsen’s these services are continuing to see rapid growth but Tubi is now the clear leader and has tied Disney+ as the 4th most watched streaming service in the United States.
According to the report from Nielsen, Tubi had 2.1 percent of all streaming traffic equal to that of Disney+, The Roku Channel had 1.6 percent, and Pluto TV had 0.9 percent of all streaming traffic. Pluto TV was the first free ad-supported streaming service to be ranked in the top 10 by Nielsen.
#entertainment #streaming #technology #disney
Here Are The Top 10 Streaming Services:
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China's self-driving startup WeRide delays U.S. IPO as deadline looms
WeRide was expected to offer 6.5 million ADS (American depositary shares) in the range of $15.50 to $18.50.
Self-driving technology company WeRide delayed its plan for an initial public offering in the U.S., citing its need for more time to complete documents.
"Updating transaction documents is currently taking longer than expected, and WeRide is working to complete the documentation necessary to move forward with the transaction," the company said in a statement Thursday.
#technology #newsonleo #ipo #weride
YouTube TV Is Once Again Offering 4 Months of Free Max If You Subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket
YouTube TV is once again bringing back its offer of free Max if you subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket. This offer first appeared last year and now YoUTube TV is emailing eligible YouTube TV subscribers with an “exclusive offer” for free Max once again. This comes as both YouTube TV and Max are trying to drive up subscriptions.
To claim the deal, you must not have had Max within the past 90 days. You must also claim your offer before December 31, 2024.
#newsonleo #youtube #nfl #sports #technology
Telecom that enabled Biden deepfake scam will pay FCC $1M
Early this year, AI-powered fake audio of President Biden reached voters in New Hampshire. The FCC struck back swiftly
Early this year, AI-powered fake audio of President Biden reached voters in New Hampshire. The FCC struck back swiftly, identifying the perpetrator as the Texas-based Life Corporation, which has been behind similar scams over the years, and whacked them and an associated individual with a $6 million fine. But the scammers also enlisted the help of a game, shape-shifting telecom that has previously been implicated in shady doings. Now Lingo Telecom, as it’s currently known (AKA Ameritel, Excel, Impact, Startec, Trinsic, etc.) will pay a $1 million civil penalty and agree to definitely follow the rules this time for sure, starting now.
#nesonleo #teleco #deepfake #ai
OpenAI's opposition to California's AI bill 'makes no sense,' says state senator
OpenAI broke its silence on California's most controversial AI bill on Tuesday, officially expressing opposition in a letter to California state Senator
OpenAI broke its silence on California’s most controversial AI bill on Tuesday, officially expressing opposition in a letter to California state Senator Scott Wiener and Governor Gavin Newsom. The AI giant argued that SB 1047, introduced by Wiener in February, would stifle innovation and push talent out of California — a position Wiener quickly replied “makes no sense.”
#newsonleo #california #ai #technology
“The AI revolution is only just beginning, and California’s unique status as the global leader in AI is fueling the state’s economic dynamism,” said OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon in the letter obtained by TechCrunch. “SB 1047 would threaten that growth, slow the pace of innovation, and lead California’s world-class engineers and entrepreneurs to leave the state in search of greater opportunity elsewhere. Given those risks, we must protect America’s AI edge with a set of federal policies — rather than state ones — that can provide clarity and certainty for AI labs and developers while also preserving public safety.”
The company joins broad local pushback against SB 1047 on Tuesday, adding its take to those of trade groups representing Google and Meta, investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, prominent AI researchers and California Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Zoe Lofgren.
An OpenAI spokesperson says the company has been in discussions with Senator Wiener’s office about the bill for months. However, Senator Wiener says the AI lab’s argument that SB 1047 would push AI companies out of California is “tired.”
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How Piramidal is using AI to decode the human brain
The human brain is ultimately one of the last frontiers — a paradoxical black box that we can’t even begin to understand ourselves.
But what if, just as paradoxically, AI could interpret the complexities of the brain to help identify and diagnose some of our most serious diseases?
That’s exactly what Y Combinator-backed startup Piramidal has set out to do. The company is building a first-of-its-kind foundation model that can detect and understand complex “brain language” or brainwaves. It can be fine-tuned to a range of electroencephalography (EEG) use cases and has implications in other areas of medicine, as well as in pharmacology and even consumer products.
#technology #ai #brain
August was Medium's first profitable month -- ever
In a blog post, Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine reveals that the online publishing platform had its first profitable month ever.
August was online publishing platform Medium’s first profitable month — ever.
That’s according to Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine, who on Wednesday published a recap of Medium’s recent digital Medium Day 2024 conference. Stubblebine says that Medium had over a million subscribers as of April, and that more members “than ever before” are subscribing to the company’s paid plans. (He didn’t volunteer a breakdown for that second claim.)
Stubblebine had previously pledged Medium would reach profitability this year.
#newsonleo #medium #profit #digital #technology
“There’s a side story about how good engineering has saved us money on our server bills,” Stubblebine writes. “But mostly it was as simple as making something members wanted to subscribe to … Even as we cut other costs to make Medium profitable, we paid the writers more.”
As a private company, Medium doesn’t report earnings. But, given that the company’s cheapest monthly plan is $5 and its cheapest annual plan is $50, we can estimate that Medium’s revenue is currently somewhere around $50 million (on the low end) or $60 million (on the high end). AppFigures, an app analytics firm, tells TechCrunch that it believes Medium has grossed $8.9 million in 2024 so far from its mobile app alone — a 69% jump from mobile revenue in same period last year ($5.3 million).
But once models can automate AI research itself, that’s enough—enough to kick off intense feedback loops—and we could very quickly make further progress, the automated AI engineers themselves solving all the remaining bottlenecks to fully automating everything. In particular, millions of automated researchers could very plausibly compress a decade of further algorithmic progress into a year or less. AGI will merely be a small taste of the superintelligence soon to follow.
#ai #technology
AGI is no longer a distant fantasy. Scaling up simple deep learning techniques has just worked, the models just want to learn, and we’re about to do another 100,000x+ by the end of 2027. It won’t be long before they’re smarter than us.
Depot raises $4.1M to help developers speed up software builds by 40X or more
Software development is an interesting task for many reasons, but among the worst and most wasteful parts is waiting for containerized builds to run and test their applications.
Developer Kyle Galbraith found himself twiddling his thumbs and waiting for software builds too often, so he was inspired to find a way to make them much faster.
That led him to co-found Depot, a rapidly growing build acceleration platform, which today announced its $4.1 million seed funding round led by Felicis, with participation from Y Combinator, Aviso Ventures, Tokyo Black, and several angel investors.
#technology #software #development
“Today, Depot is a build acceleration platform that makes container image builds and GitHub action workflows up to 40 times faster,” said Kyle Galbraith, CEO and co-founder of Depot, in a video call interview with VentureBeat earlier this week.
This capital infusion is set to propel Depot’s expansion and further enhance its platform, which is already making waves in the software development community.
Depot’s ultimate vision is to make all builds—whether local or in continuous integration—near instant, with comprehensive ecosystem integration. “The ultimate goal here is to make builds, all builds, whether they’re local or in CI, or whether they’re Docker or GitHub action runners or something else, to make all of those near instant with comprehensive ecosystem integration,” Galbraith said.
FuboTV Launches BKFC TV, Dedicated Channel for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
FuboTV, the sports-focused live TV streaming platform, has announced the launch of BKFC TV, a dedicated channel for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). This marks the first time BKFC content will be available outside of its own app, further expanding Fubo’s commitment to combat sports coverage.
BKFC TV, a free ad-supported streaming TV channel, will showcase a variety of BKFC programming, including flagship events, Prospect Series events, and Fight Night events. The 24/7 channel provides fans with non-stop access to BKFC’s unique blend of high-intensity, bare-knuckle fighting action.
#entertainment #fubotv #sports #bkfc
“BKFC fight content took off on our Fubo Sports FAST channel and we couldn’t wait to bring a dedicated BKFC network to Fubo’s live TV streaming platform,” said Pamela Duckworth, head of Fubo Studios, Fubo “Fans crave high-energy combat sports and we continue to see that trend hold true with BKFC fights. Now Fubo subscribers can watch BKFC content around the clock.”
David Feldman, founder and CEO of BKFC, expressed his excitement about the partnership with Fubo and the launch of the dedicated channel. He emphasized the opportunity to provide fans with continuous access to BKFC’s adrenaline-fueled events.
BKFC TV is now available as part of Fubo’s subscription packages, which offer a wide selection of sports, news, and entertainment channels. With this addition, Fubo continues to strengthen its position as a leading destination for sports fans seeking diverse and engaging content.
I have never heard of this platform. Maybe it's not in my language...
But it's cool to see that there's an expansion of content. The more, the better and we are the ones who win.
To be honest, I havent either. There are a lot of them out there.
Yes, it's true, but it's cool to see that some are in the spotlight.