Microsoft’s AI superpower

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Today we will discuss-

• 🏃‍♂️EU rushes AI Act amid innovation vs. regulation debate

• ⚡Gen AI supercharges Microsoft's cybersecurity

• 🎶Music fans worldwide speak out on AI

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

All this and more - Let's dive in!

👩‍🍳What’s cooking in the newsroom?

EU struggles to finalize AI Act amidst emerging differences on innovation vs. regulation

♨️News - EU member states and legislators are currently working on finalizing the last details of the EU’s AI Act draft proposal by the European Commission, aiming to reach an agreement by 6 December.

However, striking a balance between innovation and regulation, particularly in the case of overseeing foundational models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, is proving to be a significant challenge.

🕵️‍♂️What's been going on behind the scenes? Last week, France, Germany, and Italy jointly proposed narrowing down the AI regulations for foundation models, focusing only on transparency requirements. This proposal was backed by Business group DigitalEurope (whose members include the likes of Google, Apple) and 32 European digital associations, who expressed concerns about over regulation of foundation models, fearing it could hinder innovation. 

On 28 November, Google’s chief legal officer, Kent Walker, emphasized the need for a balance between innovation and regulation in the EU’s AI act, echoing the pleas of the businesses and tech groups. 

On the other hand, Amnesty International, a part of a group of civil organizations who have long advocated for the EU to introduce AI rules protecting human rights, stated that tech companies have been pushing the idea of a trade-off between innovation and regulation for years, using it as a way to avoid real accountability and strong regulation, adding that the EU should not stumble at this last obstacle. 

Microsoft security exec hails generative AI as cybersecurity’s ultimate ‘superpower’

☕News - In an interview on 28 November, Microsoft’s security executive Vasu Jakkal said that generative AI has become essential to the company’s cybersecurity business.

This, after Microsoft launched Security Copilot AI earlier this month. The company’s AI-powered cybersecurity assistant uses AI to analyze vast amounts of data for threat detection.

👨‍💻How has AI transformed cybersecurity though? Jakkal highlighted that cybercrimes are becoming increasingly sophisticated and advanced due to AI, with instances like four thousand password attacks per second becoming a commonality. Despite the challenges, she emphasized that AI has also played a crucial role in defending such threats at machine speed and scale, calling it a ‘superpower’ for the field.

Furthermore, she noted that Microsoft is currently in the process of training its AI models to detect threats related to geopolitics— A growing concern amid escalating tensions arising from the AI race between the U.S. and China.

In separate but related efforts, Microsoft has committed £2.5bn to develop AI infrastructure in the UK. This move is aimed at bringing more data centers and AI chips to drive AI applications across the country.

79% of music fans believe human creativity is essential in AI era

👨‍🎤News - On 28 November, IFPI, the global representative of the music recording industry, shared findings on the views of music fans worldwide towards AI. 

With feedback from over 43,000 individuals spanning 26 countries, this report stands as the most detailed music study to date. This year’s edition introduced a section on AI, acknowledging the opportunities and challenges posed by this rapidly advancing technology.

🎼What were the key findings? 

• Among fans aware of generative AI’s capabilities, approximately 79% believe that human creativity remains essential in the music creation process.

• Moreover, 76% of respondents believed that an artist's music or vocals should not be used by AI without permission.

• Additionally, 74% agreed that AI should not be employed to clone or mimic artists without proper authorization.

• 73% of fans expressed the importance of transparency, agreeing that an AI system should openly disclose the music it has used. 

In a statement, IFPI’s CEO, Frances Moore, emphasized that the organization’s survey provides a timely reminder for policymakers as they consider the implementation of standards for responsible and safe AI.

👩🏼‍💻What else is happening?

• Merriam-Webster picks ‘Authentic’ as Word of the year in AI era

• UAE's Minister of AI advocates inclusive AI governance at India Global Forum Dubai

• Europe has more AI talent than U.S, study finds

• AWS transcribe now supports 100 languages with generative AI

• Unilever launches AI research lab in Toronto

📺AI-based series

• Emergence (2019-2020) - The series kicks off with a small-town police chief discovering a mysterious girl at a plane crash site. The narrative takes a compelling turn when the girl's connection to a secret government AI experiment is revealed, sparking exploration into the ethical implications of creating sentient AI beings.

• Code 404 (2020-2021) - A comedy crime thriller that revolves around DI John Major, a detective brought back to life with AI technology after his death. With his return to the force, the series explores the challenges of integrating human and artificial elements in law enforcement, creating a mix of crime-solving and comedic situations.

• Eve no Jikan (2008-2009) - An anime set in a future where robots are a common part of daily life, but only as household workers. The story unfolds in a hidden cafe where humans and robots interact on equal terms, challenging societal norms. The series explores themes of AI consciousness, and the ethical implications of human-robot relationships, offering a thought-provoking narrative.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. Brilliant - Level up your CS and logic skills in as little as 5 minutes a day with thousands of quick, visual, interactive lessons you can try for free**

2. Notice - A content management tool that allows users to create and publish various types of web content

3. Trace - A tool that allows users to convert text into SwiftUI code for designing app interfaces

4. Instabooks - An AI-powered tool that generates personalized AI textbooks on any topic

5. ReplaiGPT - An AI-powered email reply tool that generates personalized responses using pre-defined context

6. Summarize.one - A tool that allows users to summarize long pieces of text quickly and efficiently

7. MeetSurvey - A tool that allows users to analyze survey results using artificial intelligence

8. GPT Prompt Engineer - A tool that uses GPT-4 and GPT-3.5-Turbo to generate and test prompts for specific tasks

9. Logomeld - A tool that allows users to elevate their logos into masterpieces

10. Heights - An online platform that helps creators build and monetize their knowledge through courses

11. Pawmenow - Your AI dog-friendly travel planner generator for a hassle-free vacation with your furry friend

🧏‍♂️Unusual AI use cases

• Noise sculpting - AI algorithms modify environmental sounds in urban spaces, creating more pleasant auditory environments by reducing noise or generating soothing background sounds. For example, in office environments, these algorithms can identify and neutralize distracting background noises, enhancing concentration and productivity for workers.

• Sign language interpretation - AI-powered devices can translate sign language into spoken language in real-time, facilitating communication between hearing-impaired individuals and those who do not understand sign language. 

• Tattoo designs - By analyzing personal preferences, cultural symbols, and artistic styles, AI algorithms can generate one-of-a-kind tattoo designs. Tailored to individual tastes, these creations become unique and meaningful expressions of personal identity and storytelling. 

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