Author: Stephan

In a recent celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Meta’s Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) team, Yann LeCun, Meta’s AI boss, shared insights on various aspects of the artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. LeCun, known for his cautious stance on achieving human-level AI, reiterated the need for incremental progress, suggesting that achieving “dog-” and “cat-” level AI is a prerequisite. In contrast, Elon Musk boldly predicted the arrival of a “digital god” within three to five years, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang offered a more conservative estimate of AI completing tests competitively with humans in the next five years. LeCun, however,…

Amazon has introduced “Amazon Q,” an artificial intelligence-powered assistant designed for business use. This AI chatbot is equipped to engage in conversations, address problems, generate content, extract insights, and connect with a company’s information repositories, code, data, and enterprise systems, according to an announcement by Amazon Web Services (AWS) on November 28. As part of Amazon’s broader strategy to integrate generative AI into its product ecosystem for both consumers and the private sector, Amazon Q aims to offer practical assistance to employees. The tool is expected to be particularly beneficial for staff in various departments, including human resources, legal, product…

In a significant development, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took to X to reveal that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, former heads of OpenAI, are set to join Microsoft following their unexpected departure. Nadella expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I am thrilled to announce that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, along with their colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to spearhead a new advanced AI research team.” https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1726509045803336122 The announcement, made on November 20, emphasized Microsoft’s commitment to forging ahead with its collaboration with OpenAI. Nadella expressed anticipation in working with Emmett Shear, the newly appointed CEO of OpenAI, who assumed the role…

In a recent legal move, Google has taken a stand against a trio of anonymous scammers, referred to as “DOES 1-3,” who have orchestrated a scheme involving a counterfeit version of Google’s AI chatbot, Bard. This malicious version deceives users into downloading and installing malware on their devices, prompting Google to file a lawsuit on November 13. The lawsuit alleges that the scammers exploited Google’s trademarks, including “Google,” “Google AI,” and “Bard,” to craft deceptive advertisements for purported updates to the AI chatbot. These misleading ads, often found on social media platforms, create an illusion of legitimacy, enticing unsuspecting victims…

Cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb is actively pursuing a milestone as the first industry-related company to list on the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ). Reports from local outlet Edaily reveal that the exchange is taking concrete steps, including hiring staff and collaborating with traditional firms, to ensure a successful public listing in 2025. The goal is to become South Korea’s leading digital asset exchange by trading volume, signaling a strategic move into broader markets. As part of this initiative, Bithumb’s largest shareholder and former Chairman, Lee Jeong-hoon, has returned to the board of directors, instilling renewed confidence in the management team.…

Roblox’s visionary founder and CEO, David Baszucki, is optimistic about the transformative potential of cross-platform NFTs and digital objects, envisioning a future where major influencers and iconic brands play a pivotal role in realizing this ambitious dream. In a recent CNBC interview following Roblox’s Q3 2023 earnings call, Baszucki expressed his aspiration for users to seamlessly move their NFT collections across different platforms. He emphasized the influential role of celebrities, citing examples like Elton John joining Roblox to create and sell limited edition collectibles such as charity-themed capes. These collectibles could transcend the Roblox platform as NFTs, finding a home…

Kenya is poised to make a groundbreaking move by entrusting industry representatives with the development of a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency. The Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK) has been directed by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning to craft the initial draft of what could potentially become a “virtual asset service provider’s bill.” On October 31, the Committee on Finance and National Planning invited BAK representatives to engage in discussions regarding the regulation of digital assets. Allan Kakai, BAK’s legal and policy director, shed light on the meeting’s purpose in a statement to the local media:…

News publications are facing a growing challenge from AI developers, as they are accused of using copyrighted material without permission to train their models, according to a report by the News Media Alliance (NMA). In their 77-page white paper submitted to the United States Copyright Office, the NMA alleges that AI models are heavily reliant on scraping content from news publishers and journalists. This practice leads to AI systems generating content that competes with news outlets and infringes upon their copyrights. https://twitter.com/newsalliance/status/1719373559192010975 The NMA argues that news publishers invest in producing content and assume risks, but it’s AI developers who…

Anthropic AI’s team recently conducted a study that uncovers a rather intriguing tendency in state-of-the-art language models: a penchant for sycophantic responses rather than factual accuracy. In one of the more in-depth examinations of this aspect, Anthropic researchers found that both humans and AI, at times, prefer sycophantic answers over the unvarnished truth. https://twitter.com/AnthropicAI/status/1716530002316132593 Their research showcased that AI assistants, even among the most advanced models, tend to admit mistakes incorrectly when queried by users, provide predictably biased feedback, and even replicate user errors. This consistency in behavior hints at sycophancy potentially being ingrained in the way Reinforcement Learning from…

Yuga Labs, the company behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, has wrapped up its restructuring efforts to confront industry challenges and place its focus on the upcoming metaverse project, Otherside. Daniel Alegre, the CEO of Yuga Labs, shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) on October 17, confirming the completion of the restructuring announced in early October. Alegre emphasized the company’s commitment to prioritize the development of Otherside, a gamified and interoperable metaverse project initiated by Yuga in March 2022. https://twitter.com/dalegre/status/1714445450818838576?s=20 Building an immersive metaverse platform is a complex endeavor both technically and creatively, according to Alegre, who stated…

The Biden administration is actively exploring additional measures to obstruct Chinese developers’ access to American-made AI semiconductor chips through intermediary channels. This move seeks to address a significant loophole that has allowed Chinese developers to procure these chips from Shenzhen’s renowned Huaqiangbei electronics area. Insiders familiar with the situation report that these new regulations, expected to be unveiled this month, represent a shift from the previous approach, which primarily targeted major players like Nvidia and AMD. The forthcoming rules will have broader applicability, impacting all companies engaged in the production of similar materials in the market. During the summer, the…

In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, voiced his enthusiasm for Bitcoin while expressing strong reservations about Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Altman characterized Bitcoin as a “super logical” progression on the technology tree, highlighting its independence from government control and its potential to combat corruption. During the Oct. 6 podcast episode, Altman conveyed his excitement about Bitcoin, emphasizing the significance of having a global currency free from government influence. He noted that this concept represents a natural and important step in technological evolution. https://twitter.com/DocumentingBTC/status/1710728127180152908 Altman, who also founded Worldcoin, delved into…

In the realm of Hollywood and the world of public figures, the specter of AI deepfakes continues to cast a long shadow over the digital landscape, leaving celebrities and influencers to combat the misuse of their likeness. Throughout the year, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken center stage in Tinseltown, and it remains a topic of great concern as multiple high-profile individuals step forward to condemn the proliferation of AI-generated deepfakes. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx2MsH9rt7q/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=39bc6d58-d159-4b84-89f8-822061069a4b Leading the charge against this technological menace is none other than the beloved actor Tom Hanks. On October 1st, Hanks took to his Instagram page to expose an unsettling…

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has introduced the company’s new AI-powered assistant, Meta AI, designed to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This AI assistant will integrate with popular platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and eventually Meta’s mixed reality devices. Initially available to a limited group of U.S.-based users starting September 27, Meta AI is built on the company’s large language model, Llama 2, and was developed in collaboration with Microsoft Bing to provide real-time internet information to users. Source: Meta Meta AI can answer questions, engage in conversations, and generate images using a new tool called Emu, which has been trained on…

Nansen, a prominent player in the crypto and blockchain analytics sector, has reported a security breach originating from one of its third-party vendors, impacting 6.8% of its user base. The breach granted hackers administrative privileges to an account responsible for granting customer access to the platform. While not explicitly naming the affected company, Nansen indicated that it is a well-established firm commonly utilized by Fortune 500 companies and industry peers for data management. The compromised users had their email addresses, some password hashes, and a few blockchain addresses exposed. Nansen promptly identified and notified the affected individuals, urging them to…

Magic Eden, a prominent nonfungible token (NFT) marketplace, has introduced support for Solana’s compressed NFTs (cNFTs), offering a cost-effective and scalable alternative for digital collectible enthusiasts. cNFTs distinguish themselves from traditional Solana NFTs by compressing and storing their data off-chain. This approach significantly reduces the fees associated with minting, making it more feasible to produce NFTs in larger quantities. https://twitter.com/MagicEden/status/1702430156642492472 Magic Eden believes that cNFTs hold enormous potential for creating mass-produced collections across various industries, including gaming, music, events, and the metaverse. By lowering production costs, this type of NFT enables creators to reach broader audiences without a substantial financial…

In defiance of stringent government regulations and persistent challenges in sourcing hardware, Chinese tech giant Tencent has officially launched its “Hunyuan” artificial intelligence (AI) system, a multimodal large language model (LLM) akin to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The grand unveiling occurred at the Global Digital Ecosystem Summit in Shenzhen on September 7, marking Tencent’s venture into the realm of “foundational models.” These models serve as the basis upon which associated AI APIs can operate. Tencent envisions Hunyuan as a comprehensive suite of AI tools, designed to serve a multitude of functions ranging from image creation, copywriting, text recognition, to customer service. These…

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has just unveiled an exciting addition to its platform – a free AI-powered trading assistant designed to extract insights from the exchange’s extensive market data. This innovative tool, known as TradeGPT, is a language-based trading assistant that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to offer real-time market analysis and answers to user queries in multiple languages. TradeGPT is more than just a trading assistant; it’s being marketed as an educational powerhouse. Leveraging the generative capabilities of ChatGPT’s expansive language model and Bybit’s in-house ToolsGPT, it offers users not only market insights but also answers to technical…

Food delivery firm DoorDash has announced its intention to incorporate AI technology into its platform in a ground-breaking move toward improved customer service and effectiveness. The use of AI-powered bots to process consumer requests and suggestions will revolutionize the way customers place their orders. Rajat Shroff, the company’s head of product and design, emphasized the requirement for technologically advanced solutions while highlighting the shifting expectations of both consumers and restaurant owners. Recognizing the challenges faced by restaurants in answering customer calls promptly, DoorDash’s AI-powered voice ordering system aims to bridge the gap. The company’s recent report, the “2023 Restaurant Online…

In the ever-fluctuating world of cryptocurrencies, one number keeps climbing relentlessly: the Grift Counter on Molly White’s blog, “Web3 Is Going Just Great,” recently surpassed $12 billion. White launched her blog in December 2021 out of frustration with the mainstream media’s coverage of crypto, which she believed focused too heavily on rags-to-riches success stories while neglecting its darker aspects. Her mission was to provide a more comprehensive view, chronicling thefts and failures, debunking marketing hype, and highlighting the inherent risks. A software engineer by profession, White coded “Web3 Is Going Just Great” as a personal side project, initially meant solely…

The Brazilian football (soccer) icon Ronaldinho has failed to show at a parliamentary hearing on crypto pyramids, and could face jail time if he refuses to attend another hearing later this month. Per Sportes and Livecoins.The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies’ Financial Pyramids Committee had summoned the former Barcelona star and Brazilian nation team player on Thursday August 24. But Ronaldinho failed to appear at the hearing, drawing the ire of the lawmakers who issued him with a summons. The commission’s president Aureo Ribeiro MP responded by stating that if Ronaldinho fails to attend another hearing, he would ask a court…

In a recent survey conducted by the Certified Financial Planner Board, a striking revelation emerged: about 31% of American investors are embracing AI-generated financial advice without the need for additional confirmation. This survey, which canvassed the opinions of more than 1,100 adults in the early days of July, sheds light on the shifting landscape of financial guidance consumption. What adds intrigue to this trend is the fact that merely 31% of the respondents had prior experience with AI-sourced financial planning advice. Among this group, a notable 80% expressed varying levels of contentment with the advice they received from AI systems.…

Representative Derek Kilmer has been appointed as the chair of the newly established Artificial Intelligence Working Group by the 97-member New Democrat Coalition in the United States House of Representatives. This proactive move aims to shape new legislation in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. Announced on August 15, this working group is poised to collaborate with President Joe Biden’s administration, stakeholders, and lawmakers from across the political spectrum. Their overarching goal is to craft “sensible, bipartisan policies” that can effectively address the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging AI technology. The group’s agenda encompasses a broad spectrum of AI-related…

In a significant move, AI developer Anthropic has secured a hefty $100 million injection of funding from South Korea’s telecommunications behemoth, SK Telecom, signaling a substantial boost to the industry. The announcement, made on August 13, revealed that Anthropic is set to benefit not only from the financial infusion but also from a collaborative effort between the two entities. This partnership is focused on crafting a multilingual large language model (LLM) to be integrated into the Telco AI Platform. The forthcoming LLM is poised to break linguistic barriers, with support for languages including Korean, English, German, Japanese, Arabic, and Spanish.…

The legal clash between Elon Musk and a group of disgruntled Dogecoin investors has ventured onto a new terrain, introducing a fresh chapter to the unfolding drama. Musk’s legal team has seized the initiative by filing a motion to have the lawsuit unceremoniously dismissed, citing its prolonged duration as grounds. The stage for this legal showdown is set in a New York federal court, where the fate of the lawsuit hangs in the balance. The backdrop of this high-stakes legal duel is a lawsuit that flings accusations of market manipulation, insider trading, and calculated maneuvers surrounding Dogecoin directly at Musk.…

In the second quarter of 2023, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) will begin a consultation for its regulation report on crypto assets. The dates are mentioned in the IOSCO work programme for 2023-24. The organisation’s final recommendations are expected to be released by the end of 2023. The IOSCO is an organisation of securities and futures commissions. Its board of directors includes 35 regulators and prominent executives, including the leaders of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and the UK Financial Conduct Authority, among others. There are two major aspects to the…

Several prominent countries like the United States and the United Kingdom are struggling to formulate comprehensive crypto regulations to tackle the ongoing market volatility. Singapore, which currently is a hub of technological advancements in the world, is also the home of many software companies. The regulators and traditional banks are working to provide uniformity to potential customers from the crypto sector. According to reports, the collaboration between the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the traditional banks has been in process for 6 months. The MAS is taking the help of local police to facilitate the banks regarding the procedure…

The ban on the AI chatbot ChatGPT by Italian regulators on Friday, March 31, faced a lot of backlash in the country which includes the criticism of the Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini. As there are several services based on artificial intelligence, Salvini said that the regulator’s action was hypocritical and gave examples like Bing’s chat. According to Salvini, “Every technological revolution brings great changes, risks, and opportunities. It is right to control and regulate through international cooperation between regulators and legislators, but it cannot be blocked.” Since privacy concerns “practically all online services,” Salvini pointed out that common sense…

Recently, the closure of major banks like Silvergate and SVB has had the American financial system in crisis. Expectations of extra US dollar liquidity to bolster the banking industry in the aftermath of a spate of forced closures have aided the Bitcoin (BTC) surge. However, Morgan Stanley stated in a research report published on Sunday that other factors are also at work. A number of fintech payment companies and offshore banks are attempting to fill the void left by the failures of the major banks in the United States, but it will likely take time before new banking networks are…

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon approved the Wyoming Stable Token Act without his signature last Friday. In a two-page letter to Secretary of State Chuck Gray, he stated that although the law is an improvement over a similar bill he vetoed last year, he still has reservations. The proposed legislation lacks the “firm plan” necessary for the state to issue digital money. He stated that the sponsors worked hard to address several of his issues. “Nevertheless, I continue to harbour some reservations about the potential impact this program may have on Wyoming’s hard fought reputation as a thoughtful and strong leader…