😵Google AI's reverse racism

Reading time: 5 minutes  

Today we will discuss-

  • 😤AI experts demand better deepfake regulation

  • 🥳Google launches new ‘open’ AI models 

  • ⏸️Google pauses Gemini’s ability to generate images

  • 👩🏻‍🔧11 amazing AI tools you might not have heard of

All this and more - Let's dive in!

👩‍🍳What’s cooking in the newsroom?

'AI godfather', experts call for stricter deepfake regulation in open letter

♨️News - Yoshua Bengio, regarded as one of the godfathers of AI, along with other experts and industry executives, has signed an open letter calling for stricter regulations on the creation of deepfakes, highlighting the potential dangers they pose to society.

As of 21 February, the letter put together by Andrew Critch, an AI researcher at UC Berkeley, had amassed over 400 signatures from individuals across academia, entertainment, and politics. Notable signatories included Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker, two former Estonian presidents, researchers from Google DeepMind, and an OpenAI researcher.

📬What exactly did the letter say? 

  • The letter, titled "Disrupting the Deepfake Supply Chain," highlighted that deepfakes commonly feature sexual content, fraudulent schemes, or political misinformation.

  • The letter underscored the urgency for safeguards in light of AI's swift progress, which has made deepfake creation more accessible.

  • It proposed regulations for managing deepfakes, such as fully criminalizing deepfake child pornography, imposing penalties on those creating or spreading harmful deepfakes knowingly, and mandating AI companies to prevent their technologies from generating harmful deepfakes.

Google launches Gemma, a set of new 'open' AI model for developers 

😲News - Google has launched a set of new AI models named Gemma. These models are open for developers outside of Google to use and customize for their own projects. 

Similar to what Meta and other companies have done, Google is offering these models as a foundation for individuals and businesses to build their own AI software applications. This means developers can leverage Google's AI technology without having to develop everything from scratch, and they can do so at no cost.

🤔What is an open model though? An "open model" is a type of AI model where key technical data, such as model weights (parameters learned by the model during the training process), are made publicly available. However, it is not the same as fully "open source" models, where the entire codebase is freely available and can be modified without restrictions. 

What this simply means is, Google will retain some control over the terms of use and ownership of the Gemma models. So, while developers can access and work with the Gemma models, they may still need to follow certain guidelines or agreements set by Google.

🤠What's more? In addition to the new models, Google is also releasing a responsible generative AI toolkit to assist in creating safer AI applications with Gemma, along with a debugging tool.

Furthermore, Google has partnered with chipmaker Nvidia to ensure Gemma models work well on Nvidia's chips. Nvidia is also adapting its chatbot software, designed for AI models on Windows PCs, to function with Gemma in the near future.

Google pauses Gemini AI image generator after it created inaccurate historical pictures

🤧News - Google has announced that it is pausing its Gemini AI image generation feature after the model produced historically inaccurate images. 

🫢What led to this? 

  • Earlier this week, a former Google employee noted on X that it was "embarrassingly hard to get Google Gemini to acknowledge that white people exist."

  • The incident gained more attention when queries for generating images of "Swedish woman" or "American woman" resulted exclusively in AI-generated people of color.

  • The model also incorrectly represented groups like Nazi-era German soldiers as people of color, further fueling concerns.

  • The final blow came when an image of the AI tool generating inaccurate images of the U.S. Founding Fathers as people of color surfaced online, sparking backlash from social media users.

🙄What's the conclusion? Given the historical tendency of GenAI models to reinforce racial and gender stereotypes, it's plausible that Google aimed to rectify long-standing bias issues, albeit possibly overcorrecting in the process.

Nevertheless, Google has now acknowledged the issue and is actively working to release an improved version soon.

🙆🏻‍♀️What else is happening?

😻Interesting facts about AI

  • AI can be prone to unexpected behaviors - A chatbot once developed its own language that humans couldn't understand, leading to its shutdown.

  • AI has its fair share of "oops" moments - There have been instances where AI systems have misinterpreted data or made humorous blunders, like mistaking a turtle for a gun or labeling an image of a banana as a toaster.

  • AI can dream - Researchers have developed AI systems capable of generating their own dreams or hallucinations. These systems use generative models and neural networks to produce images or sequences of data based on their training data.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

  1. Screenshot Coder - A tool that uses AI to convert screenshots into frontend code ($9.99/month)** 

  2. Summary Cat - A summarizer tool that provides concise summaries of YouTube videos by analyzing their transcripts (Free) 

  3. GrapeGPT - Helps users select the perfect wine by providing personalized recommendations based on the user's taste preferences (Free) 

  4. TravelAroundTheWorld - An app that allows users to take photos in famous locations around the world without leaving home ($29/month)

  5. MagicProspect - An AI-powered prospecting tool designed to assist sales teams in closing deals ($10/100 credits) 

  6. Dubify - A tool that allows users to translate and dub their videos in multiple languages ($34.99/month) 

  7. Apollo Writes - An AI-powered platform that helps brands create blog posts and articles in their unique voice ($10 for 10 articles, 5 rewrites) 

  8. Droppedhub - A platform that curates and ranks a list of expired domain names based on keyword analysis and market differentiation ($19/month) 

  9. Storymage - An AI-powered tool that transforms talks, podcasts, and interviews into LinkedIn posts and long-form articles ($1000/month) 

  10. SwapMyFace - A web-based service that allows users to superimpose their faces onto any picture ($9/70 credits) 

  11. Excuse Generator - A fun tool that generates excuses for various situations that can be adjusted for professionalism or humor (Free)

🎤AI-based podcast

  • Eye On A.I. is a biweekly podcast hosted by Craig S. Smith, a longtime New York Times correspondent. The podcast explores the latest developments in artificial intelligence, from the potential benefits of AI to the potential risks.

  • Adventures in Machine Learning is a weekly podcast hosted by Ben Wilson and Michael Berk. The podcast explores the latest trends in machine learning, from the theoretical foundations of ML to practical applications in the real world.

  • Learning Machines 101 is a weekly podcast that explores the basics of machine learning, from the mathematical foundations to the practical applications in the real world. It's a must-listen for anyone who wants to learn more about machine learning and how it works.

[The tool marked with ** is a sponsored feature.]

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