Essential Updates in AI and Tech: Insights from OWITH.ai

OWITH.ai - Only What's Important to Hear around AI and Tech

Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world. Recent upheavals in the AI industry, such as leadership changes at Inflection AI and Stability AI, raise questions about the industry's overall health. These incidents may signal a reality check for an industry fueled by easy money and high valuations. Efforts are being made to challenge Nvidia's market dominance, and a global resolution on AI has been passed by the United Nations. There are also debates around AI's energy usage and creative applications, as well as ongoing research on detecting attempts to activate virtual assistants without trigger phrases. Apple's decision to ditch the "hey Siri" invocation could have serious downsides, given past legal issues related to Siri's listening capabilities. A study found that a significant percentage of top AI researchers got their undergraduate degrees in China. The AI industry is facing challenges and undergoing reassessment and adjustment.Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Threads, is now blocking political content recommendations by default to prevent extremism and disinformation on its platforms. However, the definition of "political content" is vague, leading to concerns about discouraging meaningful discussions. Apple is facing antitrust lawsuits, Swift is working on connecting digital currencies, and the UK's financial conduct authority is warning financial influencers about promoting products on social media without proper risk warnings.A personal experience of buying cryptocurrency in a Hong Kong mall reflects the evolving nature of the industry towards mainstream acceptance and regulation. Despite tightening regulations, stores still allow purchasing various cryptocurrencies, showing the shifting landscape of cryptocurrency trading.Canva's acquisition of design software provider Affinity was initiated through a direct message on LinkedIn, completing the deal in just seven weeks. Canva is shifting its focus to empowering large organizations and teams by acquiring companies like Affinity to fuel its growth.Boeing has faced challenges following fatal crashes involving its 737 Max passenger jet in 2019, leading to CEO changes and ongoing safety flaws and production problems. David Calhoun announced he will step down at the end of the year, with Boeing's stock down 24% in 2024.Various topics related to artificial intelligence (AI) are discussed, including debates on artificial general intelligence (AGI) and Mustafa Suleyman becoming the new CEO of Microsoft AI. OpenAI's collaborations with Hollywood, training AI models without copyrighted data, and using AI as research participants are also mentioned. Upgrading to a paid subscription offers access to premium essays, opinion pieces, and timely analyses on AI. That's all for today from OWITH.ai: delivering essential updates in the world of AI and tech. Stay tuned for more exciting news next time.

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