Obama's two cents on AI

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Today we will discuss-

• 📜EU Council proposes requirements for foundation AI models

• 🦾Amazon gears up to compete with OpenAI, Google

• 🎙️Barack Obama speaks up on AI regulations

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

All this and more - Let's dive in!

👩‍🍳What’s cooking in the newsroom?

EU council proposes new rules for foundational models such as OpenAI's GPT-4

♨️News - The Spanish presidency of the EU Council of Ministers has outlined a set of obligations for foundation models as part of the discussions regarding the upcoming EU AI Act.

🧐What are these obligations? First, let's discuss how foundational models have been defined. Under the proposal, foundational models have been described as an AI model trained on extensive amounts of data, one that is capable of performing tasks such as generating videos, text, images, conversing in natural language, and performing computations, including generating computer code. 

Coming to the obligations, these models must follow transparency rules. This simply means that the developers of such models need to provide AI system providers with clear technical documentation about what the capabilities and limitations of their models are. 

Additionally, they will have to provide proof that these models have been trained in compliance with the EU's laws. 

Notably, the Spanish presidency has also proposed a governance structure to oversee foundation models. This includes the establishment of a scientific panel to oversee the obligations on foundation models. Moreover, the proposal indicates that the European Commission would have exclusive powers to conduct audits on foundation models to assess compliance with the AI Act. 

Amazon invests millions on new AI model 'Olympus' to compete with OpenAI, Google

👨‍💻News - Amazon is investing millions in the development of a new large language model (LLM). The company aims to compete with top models such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard. 

This move is aimed at enhancing the appeal of Amazon's offerings on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Particularly for enterprise clients in search of high-performance models. 

😁Do we have any details yet?

• The model, codenamed "Olympus," is rumored to have 2 trillion parameters, potentially making it one of the largest models under development. In comparison, OpenAI's most powerful model, GPT-4, is reported to have one trillion parameters.

• While there is no specific release timeline yet, it is expected that AWS could announce Olympus as early as December. Moreover, the model will outperform Titan, a smaller model that AWS currently offers to its cloud customers.

• Additionally, Olympus is also expected to enhance features in the Alexa voice assistant on devices like the Echo. 

Earlier this year, Amazon announced plans to boost investments in LLMs and generative AI models. Since training such models comes with significant costs, the company had to reduce investments in the fulfillment and transportation aspects of its retail business.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama shares his views on AI's potential, regulations

☕News - In a recent interview, former U.S. President Barack Obama said that AI is a highly promising technology that has the potential to reshape the U.S. economy significantly.

He claimed that AI could lead to major medical breakthroughs, new possibilities in education, and solutions to energy and greenhouse gas problems. However, he also noted that alongside its potential for great innovation, AI could cause harm if misused. 

🤓What's more? Addressing the recent executive AI order signed by President Biden, he pointed out that the order's broad scope highlights the uncertainty surrounding the various challenges that may emerge from AI. 

Recognizing that we may end up with a powerful AI that could be misused, he emphasized that this should not be the reason for adopting anti-tech regulations that might hinder innovation. Instead, he suggested implementing balanced safeguards to address the foreseeable risks linked to advanced AI systems. 

Furthermore, he suggested that while we are still discovering AI's capabilities, all regulatory frameworks must remain flexible to effectively address emerging challenges.

👩🏼‍💻What else is happening?

• Japanese government considers implementing third-party authentication system to tackle generative AI risks

• Generative AI could solve the UK's health crisis, says Health Foundation’s chief executive

• Huawei's new AI chip 'Ascend910B' to rival to Nvidia's dominance

• Researchers warn we could run out of data to train AI by 2026

• British AI firm develops an AI system that can negotiate contracts without human involvement

🤩AI life hacks

• Writing assistants - Employ AI-driven writing assistants to enhance your writing prowess. Grammarly and ProWritingAid are two popular examples that go beyond correcting grammar and spelling errors, offering suggestions to improve sentence structure, clarity, and overall style.

• AI meeting assistants - If you've ever had to review meeting minutes and compose a summary email, you know it can be time-consuming and tedious. AI meeting assistants can help by seamlessly capturing your meetings' audio, video, and slides, efficiently generating summaries, allocating action items, and crafting follow-up emails.

• Use AI to focus on work - AI productivity trackers can reduce distractions and maximize time spent in deep work. These tools can analyze user behavior to predict when the user might engage in deep work. During this time, the AI mutes all incoming notifications, preventing a loss of focus. This can help users stay focused and productive, even in the face of constant distractions.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. Brilliant - Gain a comprehensive understanding of AI and develop the quantitative skills in math and computer science with hands-on, interactive lessons**

2. Chatd - A tool that allows users to interact with their documents and obtain helpful insights and answers to their questions

3. Circleback - An AI-powered tool that takes meeting notes and generates action items automatically

4. AnyMoji - An app that allows users to create custom emojis using artificial intelligence

5. Fermi - An AI assistant that summarizes customer reviews of hotels, helping users make informed decisions

6. Sqlephant - An AI-powered SQL development companion tool that offers various features to simplify SQL development tasks

7. NeedsMoreBoom - A tool that allows users to reimagine their favorite movie scenes in director Michael Bay's signature explosive style

8. TravelPlanBooker - An AI-assisted online travel platform that helps users plan their trips hassle-free

9. Swivl - A video tool that helps teachers improve their teaching practices through coaching, self-reflection, and collaboration

🏺Historic moments

• 1950: Alan Turing published the Turing Test, a benchmark that compared a machine's intelligence to human-like responses. This pivotal event sparked debates on machines mimicking human behavior.

• 1956: John McCarthy, a computer scientist, coined the term "artificial intelligence" during the Dartmouth Workshop. This was a milestone, formally establishing AI as a distinct field of study and research.

• 1973: Mathematician Prof. Sir James Lighthill delivered a critical assessment of AI in the UK. He believed machines could only achieve "experienced amateur" chess skills. His report led to funding cuts and ultimately triggered the AI winter, marked by widespread skepticism regarding AI's potential.

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