Canada's AI struggle

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Today we will discuss-

👨‍🔬 Rapid AI development raises cyberattack threats, warns GCHQ
😺Microsoft and others develop AI for small businesses
⚡Canada's AI uptrend faces upskilling hurdles, IBM highlights
😱9 amazing AI tools you might not have heard of

All this and more - Let's dive in!

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👩‍🍳What’s cooking in the newsroom?

Britain’s spy agency warns that AI rise will lead to an increase in cyberattacks

📰News - Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving, and with its rise comes a growing concern: its potential to empower cybercriminals. A recent report by Britain's GCHQ spy agency warns that AI tools could soon make it easier for even unskilled hackers to launch devastating cyberattacks.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, predicts a surge in cyberattacks over the next two years, fueled by AI. This includes a potential spike in ransomware attacks, where criminals lock up computer systems and demand payment for their release.

🤖The report highlights two key concerns:

Lower barrier to entry for unskilled hackers: AI tools could automate tasks like crafting convincing phishing emails or documents, making it easier for even novice attackers to cause harm.
Enhanced capabilities for state-backed hackers: Governments with advanced AI capabilities could develop more sophisticated malware and launch more targeted attacks against critical infrastructure.

While the full scope of the AI-powered cybercrime threat is still unclear, the NCSC report underlines the urgency of developing robust cybersecurity defenses. Governments and businesses alike need to invest in AI-powered security solutions and train their employees to spot and avoid cyberattacks.

Microsoft and others are making new tools to help small businesses capitalize on AI

🗞️News - The landscape of small businesses is transforming with the increasing prevalence of generative artificial intelligence software. Entrepreneurs are leveraging AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard, and others to enhance various aspects of their operations, ranging from checking grammar in emails to elevating marketing copy and conducting research for business plans.

👨‍🏫Who is helping these small businesses? Notably, larger companies are stepping up to facilitate the integration of AI into small businesses in more advanced ways. Microsoft's Copilot, for instance, has emerged as a powerful tool allowing users to instruct software to perform tasks such as summarizing emails or Teams meetings, identifying key themes in documents, and even drafting emails in a conversational tone within Outlook. Recently expanded to be accessible to all companies, including solopreneurs with no employees, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is available at a monthly cost of $30 per employee.

👩‍💻What’s more? In a parallel move, MasterCard is piloting a groundbreaking product named MasterCard Small Business AI, designed to assist small business owners in analyzing data and accessing resources for business growth. The product draws information from MasterCard's content library, along with data licensed from media companies focused on inclusivity, such as Blavity Media Group and TelevisaUnivision. The tool is set to undergo a pilot phase in the U.S. later this year, with plans for international markets shortly.

AI adoption in Canada rising, but upskilling remains a hurdle, IBM report finds

📻News - While global AI adoption remains stable, Canada is experiencing a surge, with a 3% increase in just six months. This rise, from 34% in April 2023 to 37% in November 2023, is driven by early adopters who see the technology's potential to boost efficiency and cut costs.

A new study by IBM Canada surveyed over 2,000 IT professionals in large organizations across various countries. It revealed that:

Early adopters are leading the charge: 35% of Canadian enterprises are already using AI and plan to invest more.
Many are still exploring: 48% of Canadian companies are considering adopting AI but haven't taken the plunge yet.
Accessibility and cost reduction are key drivers: Increased availability of AI tools, cost savings, and automation potential are the top motivators for AI adoption.

However, despite the enthusiasm, a significant roadblock hinders further acceleration: a lack of qualified talent. Limited AI skills and expertise are the biggest barrier for 41% of organizations, both those exploring and already using AI.

💁The talent gap manifests in three key ways:

Skills mismatch: 21% of companies lack existing employees with the skills to handle new AI and automation tools.
Hiring challenges: 17% struggle to find new hires with the necessary AI expertise.
Untapped potential: Only 25% are actively training or reskilling their workforce to bridge the AI skills gap.

👩🏼‍💻What else is happening?

🗓️Historic Moments

1972: Developed by Edward Shortliffe, Stanford University's clinical expert system -MYCIN aided doctors by diagnosing diseases through AI-generated recommendations. This marked a milestone in early AI expertise replication.
2002: Torch, an open-source library for machine learning, was released. It provided a wide range of algorithms for data scientists to use freely, somewhat similar to GitHub.
2018: Alibaba, sometimes referred to as "the Amazon of China," introduced an AI that outscored humans on the Stanford University reading and comprehension test.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

Chatwebby - An AI chatbot builder that allows users to create customized chatbots without coding knowledge
Zendesk AI - An AI-powered tool that enhances customer service by providing personalized support and automating tasks
We Are Learning - A tool that allows users to create high-quality immersive learning content in minutes
SocialBook - A tool that uses AI technology to transform ordinary photos into captivating and fun cartoons
EarningsEdge - An investment analysis tool that provides insights and analysis on market-moving events
ComicifyAI - A tool that transforms images into comic-style illustrations using AI
Hai News - An AI-powered news interaction tool that transforms the way users access and engage with news
SmartBird - An AI assistant that helps users draft emails, social media posts, and messages quickly
StoriAI - An AI-powered platform that helps businesses create and publish branded content effortlessly

🎮AI-based games

Alien: Isolation - It is a survival horror game set in the Alien universe. You play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, as she investigates the disappearance of her mother on the space station Sevastopol. The game is praised for its atmosphere, suspense, and faithful recreation of the Alien universe.
Halo: Combat Evolved - It is a first-person shooter game where you play as Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced supersoldier. The game's AI is used to create a sense of atmosphere and immersion, making you feel like you are actually in the game world.
Rocket League - A vehicular soccer game where you control rocket-powered cars to hit a ball into the opponent's goal. Here, AI has been used to create challenging and intelligent opponents, as well as to provide training tools for players.

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