🤖 AI leaders warn about 'risk of extinction'

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🧠 AI and Machine Learning

AI leaders warn about ‘risk of extinction’ in open letter (3 minute read)
The Center for AI Safety (CAIS) has recently caught everyone's attention by issuing a statement that sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie. Renowned AI experts and tech gurus like Geoffery Hinton, Yoshua Bengio, Sam Altman, Ilya Sutskever, and Demis Hassabis came together to sign a warning about the potential risks of AI to humanity. They're basically saying that we need to put as much effort into preventing AI-related disasters as we do in fighting pandemics and avoiding nuclear war. This bold statement by CAIS has sparked a whirlwind of discussions, with some people nodding their heads in agreement and others raising their eyebrows in skepticism. Just to add to the excitement, this comes after a previous open letter signed by Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and over a thousand other experts who demanded a halt to the "out-of-control" development of AI.

AI experts challenge ‘doomer’ narrative, including ‘extinction risk’ claims (5 minute read)
Top AI researchers are coming forward to challenge the prevailing notion of a catastrophic future brought about by rogue artificial general intelligence (AGI). Amidst all the talk of impending doom, many argue that we're neglecting the pressing issues at hand—ones that are more tangible and measurable. Concerns such as bias, misinformation, risky applications, and cybersecurity deserve immediate attention, according to these researchers. In fact, most AI experts are not fixated on or overly alarmed by existential risks (or x-risk, as it's commonly called). They want to redirect the focus towards addressing the here and now, ensuring that AI technology is beneficial and safe for society. So, while the doomsayers make headlines, the majority of researchers are rolling up their sleeves to tackle the real challenges we face.

💼 Business

Italy to launch €150M fund for AI startups (2 minute read)
Italy is stepping up its game in the realm of artificial intelligence with the announcement of a strategic program aimed at boosting the country's AI ecosystem. To accelerate this endeavor, the Italian government is set to launch a fund of approximately €150 million to support startups in the field. The fund will be backed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), a prominent development bank. Alessio Butti, Italy's cabinet undersecretary responsible for technological innovation, recently shared this exciting news, although specific details regarding the funding are yet to be revealed. Nevertheless, this investment is a clear indication of Italy's commitment to fostering AI innovation and paving the way for a thriving AI landscape.

Microsoft signs deal for A.I. computing power with Nvidia-backed CoreWeave that could be worth billions (4 minute read)
It seems like Microsoft is on a roll in the world of artificial intelligence (AI)! After making a massive investment in OpenAI, the tech giant is now opening its wallet to address the skyrocketing demand for AI-powered services. According to insiders, Microsoft has struck a deal to potentially spend billions of dollars over several years on cloud computing infrastructure provided by CoreWeave, a startup that recently secured an impressive $200 million in funding. It's worth noting that CoreWeave's valuation reached a whopping $2 billion just a month ago.

Baidu’s $145M AI fund signals China’s push for AI self-reliance (2 minute read)
The ongoing U.S.-China decoupling is shaping the tech landscape and having a fascinating impact on the field of generative AI. While China seeks to reduce its reliance on U.S. technology, it has been making significant strides in developing its own large language models that can rival OpenAI's GPT models. Notably, major players like Baidu, the renowned search engine and autonomous driving company, have entered the scene. Baidu recently introduced its own version of ChatGPT and now aims to further its involvement in the AI startup ecosystem. In a recent announcement at a JPMorgan summit in China, Baidu's co-founder and CEO, Robin Li, unveiled a billion yuan ($145 million) fund dedicated to supporting generative AI companies.

❓ Misc

Introducing speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and more for 1,100+ languages (7 minute read)
Meta has made an impressive leap forward with its Massively Multilingual Speech (MMS) project, combining the power of wav2vec 2.0 and a groundbreaking dataset. This innovative project offers remarkable speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and language identification capabilities for a whopping 1,100 languages. The goal? To enhance information accessibility and celebrate linguistic diversity. These MMS models outshine their predecessors, covering ten times as many languages and delivering outstanding performance. The dataset itself is nothing short of extraordinary, comprising readings of the New Testament in over 1,100 languages, providing an average of 32 hours of data per language.

Some Neural Networks Learn Language Like Humans (6 minute read)
Unraveling the mystery of how brains learn has captivated scientists and researchers, encompassing both the intricate biological marvels inside our skulls and their digital counterparts found in artificial neural networks (ANNs). According to a recent study published last month, there might be more common ground than we previously thought, at least when it comes to language. Researchers claimed that their observed responses to the same stimulus were the closest match between brain and ANN signals ever reported. It's an exciting development that brings us closer to understanding how these interconnected systems of learning operate and raises intriguing questions about the potential parallels between our organic brains and their artificial counterparts.

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