Canada’s AI woes

October 24, 2023

Reading time: 5 minutes  

Today we will discuss-

  • 🫡Godfathers of AI call for global action on AI risks

  • 🤓Canva launches AI tools for classrooms

  • 😵50% of Canadians fall for fake AI news

  • 😱11 amazing AI tools you might not have heard of

All this and more - Let's dive in!

👩‍🍳What’s cooking in the newsroom?

Top AI experts urge governments, companies to address AI risks

♨️News - A group of top AI experts, including two 'godfathers' of AI, have warned about the potential threat to social stability posed by powerful AI systems. In a letter shared on 24 October, the experts urged governments to hold AI companies legally responsible for any preventable harm caused by their AI products.

The letter, released just a week prior to the international AI Safety Summit, outlines steps that governments and companies should take to address AI risks. These include, allowing independent auditors access to AI labs and establishing a licensing system for the development of cutting-edge models.

🌍What is the global position on this? Leaders around the world are actively working to tackle AI risks and improve safety. Some notable events are:

  • In July, UN Secretary-General António Guterres proposed a new UN entity to govern AI development, emphasizing the need for universal AI governance.

  • Last month, the European Commission Chief called upon partner nations, tech companies, and independent experts to form a global panel to ensure the safe and ethical use of AI.

  • The U.S. too held the AI Insight Forum, bringing together major tech companies and civil rights advocates to discuss AI risk management.

Canva introduces new 'Classroom Magic' AI tools for students, teachers

👨‍🎓News - Canva, the online graphic design platform, has unveiled a new range of AI educational products for primary and secondary schools within its Canva for Education platform. This marks the first instance of a company introducing AI-powered tools on a large scale in the education sector.

These new AI tools, now available to Canva's 50 million education users, were developed to streamline lesson planning and boost student creativity.

👩‍🏫What are these new tools and how will they help? Canva's Classroom Magic offers a host of design and curriculum tools that bridge the AI knowledge gap. These include:

  • Magic Write: This tool serves as a copywriting assistant. It assists students in drafting, simplifying ideas, and revising work. It also helps teachers create lesson plans, simplify concepts, and generate ideas swiftly.

  • Magic Grab Images: Helps to produce complete images and artwork in various design styles.

  • Magic Animate: Enables one-click automatic animations for any lesson plan or assignment.

  • Translate: Provides multilingual lesson support, making teaching and learning accessible in every language.

Additionally, Magic Switch and Magic Grab Text assist teachers in converting classroom materials into digital formats, offering flexibility for online teaching.

>50% of Canadians struggle with AI-generated fake news: Survey

👩‍💻News - A recently published survey by The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) revealed that over half of all Canadians don't feel confident in their ability to differentiate between AI-generated fake news and content produced by humans.

The survey, involving 1,525 Canadian adults, was conducted by Maru Public Opinion.

😳What are the other key highlights from the survey? 

  • The survey found that 58% of Canadians believe they have come across misleading or false information online and on social media in the last six months, which they believe was generated by AI.

  • 71% were of the opinion that the government will be unable to effectively regulate companies that produce AI-generated content for online use and on social media.

  • Moreover, only 22% said that they had experimented with AI to create content for work, school, or personal use.

😯Why is this important? In an era where AI can generate highly convincing fake content, the spread of misinformation poses a severe threat to society. The survey highlights the importance of improving media literacy and regulating AI content to ensure the public gets accurate and reliable information.

👩🏼‍💻What else is happening?

🎃Unusual AI use cases

  • Halloween costumes - AI-powered apps can suggest creative Halloween costume ideas based on your preferences and available materials. They can also allow users to virtually try on Halloween costumes, helping them choose the perfect outfit.

  • Personalized lullabies - AI can create personalized lullabies by learning from various music styles, allowing it to craft soothing melodies inspired by diverse genres and musical traditions. These lullabies are crafted based on individual preferences such as a child's favorite themes and can be a calming aid for bedtime.

  • Social experiments - AI can assist in designing social experiments by analyzing vast datasets to identify trends, patterns, and potential variables, helping researchers create more informed and impactful experiments in sociology, psychology, and other social sciences.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

  1. Sista.AI - An AI fitness coach that helps individuals achieve their fitness goals through personalized workout plans

  2. Catbird - A multi-model image generator that allows users to generate images from dozens of models with just one prompt

  3. PDFPal.ai - An AI-powered tool that allows users to interact with PDF documents using natural language conversations

  4. OctiAI - An advanced prompt generator designed for various AI models like ChatGPT and MidJourney

  5. TwGPT - An open-source browser extension that uses AI to help Twitter users respond to tweets more efficiently

  6. MindwellAI - An AI-powered mental health tool that offers virtual self-care support

  7. EVITA.ai - A personal singing coach that offers comprehensive vocal training, character analysis, and thespian insights

  8. Realtor Blogs - A tool that uses AI to generate high-quality blog articles specifically for the real estate industry

  9. SalesBop - An AI-powered sales coach that helps salespeople and managers improve their performance

  10. RoomDeco.ai - An AI-powered interior design tool that allows users to redesign their interiors in seconds

  11. Pawsome Namer - A tool that helps pet owners find cool names for their pets

🎞️AI-based movies

  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) - The film explores the questions of what it means to be human, and whether or not AI can ever truly achieve consciousness. It is a thought-provoking and often heartbreaking film that has been praised for its visual beauty and its exploration of complex themes.

  • iBoy (2017) - A British science fiction thriller film about a teenage boy who is implanted with a computer chip that gives him superhuman abilities. It is a thrilling and action-packed story with a strong message about the dangers of technology.

  • Zoe (2018) - In the near future, a scientist falls in love with a synthetic human he created. The film explores the nature of love, identity, and what it means to be human. It is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant film that is sure to stay with you long after you watch it.

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