🗣️ Articul8

🗞️ Your Weekly Round-Up

1️⃣ Copilot key

Microsoft announced the first major change to their keyboard in 30 years by introducing a new “Copilot” key, turning all Windows 11 PCs into AI powerhouses. 

Here are the deets: 

• When pressed, the key activates the Copilot experience in Windows, enabling AI integration in everyday tasks. 

• The Copilot key will appear on upcoming Windows 11 PCs that will be available later this month.

Why now? Microsoft aims to lead the pivotal shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing era, marking 2024 as the year of the AI PC.

Read more: Gizmodo

2️⃣ Galaxy AI

Samsung will reveal its flagship smartphone series, the Galaxy S24, during the Galaxy Unpacked event on January 17. 

The Galaxy S24 is expected to feature: 

• Improved camera algorithms, 

• New ISOCELL Zoom capabilities, and 

• A new AI chatbot, Gauss, that will co-exist with Google's Gemini on Samsung's Android devices. 

The event will also feature the first look into their “Galaxy AI” ecosystem, poised to redefine smartphone AI and elevate the tech experience.

Can’t wait for this one 👀

Read more: Gizmodo

3️⃣ OpenAI Ireland

OpenAI updated its terms of use and privacy policy in Europe to mitigate regulatory risk in the European Union.

OpenAI Ireland Limited, the company's recently established Dublin-based subsidiary, is now the controller for users in the European Economic Area and Switzerland. 

Here’s what this means: 

• The update aims to simplify privacy oversight under the General Data Protection Regulation’s (GDPR) one-stop-shop mechanism, limiting unilateral actions by watchdogs in other EU states.

• The move also aligns with OpenAI's goal of defending its data practices by justifying them as "necessary for legitimate interests and those of third parties and broader society."

• UK users will remain under the jurisdiction of OpenAI's US-based entity, excluding them from the shift to Ireland.

Read more: TechCrunch

4️⃣ Articul8

Intel announced the formation of an independent company named Articul8 AI, dedicated to commercializing its AI software endeavors. 

Here’s the TL;DR: 

• The company is a brainchild of Intel's collaborative efforts with Boston Consulting Group, where Intel pioneered a generative AI system capable of interpreting text and images, integrating open-source and proprietary technology. The system was tailored for BCG's data centers to address concerns related to privacy and security.

• The company will focus on tackling the challenges of transitioning GenAI from concept to production in a sustainable, safe, and cost-effective manner.

• The company will have an independent board of directors to ensure autonomy in decision-making, with Intel being a shareholder.

Read more: Yahoo Finance

5️⃣ Fighting loneliness

Loneliness is a serious problem affecting ~56 million Americans aged 65 and older. 

To help address this, Intuition Robotics has developed ElliQ, an AI-powered companion designed to alleviate the loneliness and isolation older Americans feel.

Here are some deets: 

• Resembling a small table lamp, ElliQ engages users in human-like conversations, remembering their interests and tailoring future chats. 

• It tells jokes, plays music, provides inspirational quotes, offers virtual city and museum tours, leads exercises, and even serves as a medication and hydration reminder.

• In emergencies, it can contact relatives, friends, or doctors.

Results: Users of ElliQ interact with the bot over 30 times daily, with over 90% reporting lower levels of loneliness.

Read more: The Seattle Times

6️⃣ Ways AI can help fight climate change

AI is becoming an increasingly important tool for companies working on climate change solutions. Here are four ways AI is making an impact. 

• Methane Monitoring: Kayrros, a climate analytics firm, is deploying AI to analyze satellite data, unveiling global methane emissions daily.

• Forest Fire Detection: Berlin-based startup Dryad employs AI-powered sensors to recognize specific gases released during organic material combustion, allowing for early detection.

• Controlled Burns: USC's Information Sciences Institute developed AI-powered smart assistants that provide critical information for safe, controlled burns.

• Green Tech Mining: Governments and companies are leveraging AI to reduce the time and resources needed to identify areas with high mining potential for minerals like cobalt, lithium, and copper.

Read more: NPR

7️⃣ AI threats in 2024

Cybersecurity expert Mikko Hyppönen recently identified some AI threats looming over 2024.

• Deepfakes: Deepfake fraud attempts skyrocketed by 3,000% in 2023. Hyppönen advocates for a low-tech defense, like implementing safe words during video calls to counter deepfake scams.

• Deep Scams: AI can now give individuals the power to scam 10,000 people simultaneously instead of 3 or 4, dramatically increasing the pool of potential victims. 

• AI-Generated Malware: AI is no longer just detecting malware; it's creating it. This is made worse by “worms” harnessing LLMs to rewrite code, making detection challenging.

• AGI: Hyppönen believes that AGI could become the second most intelligent being on the planet, emphasizing the need for strong alignment with human goals and maintaining control.

Read more: The Next Web

8️⃣ AI’s impact on the law

In his year-end report, Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged that AI tools will reshape how judges operate, emphasizing the evolving role of AI in legal cases. 

Despite this nationwide AI frenzy, Roberts still believes that human judges will always be needed, citing the need for nuanced human judgment that machines cannot fully replicate.

Recognizing the risk of AI infringing on privacy and dehumanizing the legal process, he hinted at the balance required to leverage AI's benefits without compromising individual rights.

He also acknowledged the increasing reliance on AI in legal research, foreseeing a future where AI becomes integral to accessing essential information for legal professionals and the public.

Read more: Axios

9️⃣ Stay away from STEM

Nobel Prize-winning economist Christopher Pissarides cautioned the younger generation against focusing solely on STEM fields, asserting that AI's dominance might render these technical skills obsolete. 

He advises that younger generations should balance their educational pursuits with "empathetic" and creative abilities, citing the potential self-destruction risk in careers that contribute to advancing AI, only to be replaced by it later.

He also predicts that roles involving personal care, communication, and good social relationships will be the least likely to be replaced by technology. 

Read more: Yahoo Finance

🔟 New antibiotics

I may sound like a broken record here, but I’ll say it again - AI’s impact on medicine will be its defining legacy. 

Case in point: After nearly six decades, scientists have used AI to discover a new class of antibiotics that targets drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a notorious bacterium claiming thousands of lives annually.

By training an expanded deep learning model on 39,000 compounds and evaluating their antibiotic activity against MRSA, the researchers were able to address the complex neural connections driving the AI.

To refine their selection, three additional deep-learning models assessed compound toxicity in human cells, resulting in a screening of 12 million commercially available compounds. 

The outcome: AI identified promising antibiotic candidates, showcasing two potent compounds capable of reducing MRSA populations in laboratory experiments and mouse models.

Read more: Euro News

🤑 AI Fundraising News

• Perplexity AI raises $70M in funding to develop its AI-powered search engine that offers a chatbot-like interface for natural language queries.

• Shield AI raises $100M in Series F funding and $200M in debt to develop an AI pilot that enables teams of intelligent aircraft to operate and complete missions autonomously in high-threat environments without the need for remote operators or GPS.

• Lumian raises $3.2M in Pre-Seed funding to deploy AI to improve companies' energy efficiency.

• Robin AI raises $26M in Series B funding to build an AI platform for the legal sector that can assist with various legal tasks, leveling the playing field between big and small law firms.

• Devoted Health raises $175M in Series E funding to offer healthcare services to older adults, including Medicare Advantage health plans, partnerships with providers, and its in-house virtual and at-home care provider, Devoted Medical.

• Aqua Security raises $60M in funding to decrease attacks across the entire cloud-native application lifecycle in a single, integrated platform.

🛠️ AI Tools to Check Out

• Wized: Create the perfect resume for your next job using AI. Check them out!

• Kendal AI: Craft social media posts and art with AI in seconds. Check them out!

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That's an interesting take! What do you think? 🤔