Robots shake a leg

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Today we will discuss-

• 🤖Elon Musk unveils Optimus-Gen 2 with remarkable features

• 🤓Pope calls for a global treaty to regulate AI technology

• 🙌Google introduces an advanced AI model for healthcare workers

• 😱 11 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?

Elon Musk introduces Optimus-Gen 2 robot which can squat, dance, boil eggs

📻News - Elon Musk, on 13 December, introduced a revolutionary robot, Optimus-Gen 2. It is Tesla's third humanoid robot, the first two being Bumblebee, which was unveiled in September 2021, and Optimus-Gen 1, which came out in March 2023.

This latest iteration shows significant improvements in speed, dexterity, and overall capabilities, showcasing rapid progress in less than a year.

🤔But what’s special about this robot?

• Compared to its predecessor, Optimus-Gen 1, the robot boasts a 30% increase in walking speed and a 10-kilogram weight reduction. This translates to smoother, more agile movements, as evidenced by the robot's impressive ability to perform squats.

• Its brand-new 11-degree-of-freedom hands, equipped with tactile finger sensors, allow for delicate manipulation. Imagine a robot carefully boiling an egg without crushing it – that's the level of precision we're talking about.

• Another key advancement is the enhanced full-body control, made possible by in-house actuators and sensors, an actuated neck with two degrees of freedom, and foot force torque sensing. These improvements contribute to the robot's remarkable balance and control.

While Optimus-Gen 2 remains a prototype, its advancements offer a glimpse into a future where robots seamlessly integrate into our lives, performing tasks with efficiency, precision, and perhaps even a touch of finesse.

Pope Francis calls for a legally binding global treaty to regulate AI

📰News - In his annual message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis has made a strong plea for an international treaty to regulate the development and use of artificial intelligence.

Highlighting the potential dangers of AI-powered weapons systems, the Pope urged world leaders to work together to ensure that this powerful technology is used for good, not harm.

👴What exactly did the Pope say? Titled "Artificial Intelligence and Peace," Pope’s message emphasized the global reach and impact of AI, arguing that international cooperation was essential to ensure its responsible development and deployment.

Specifically, Pope Francis called for a legally binding treaty that would establish ethical guidelines and best practices for the development and use of AI. This treaty, he argued, should prohibit the use of AI in autonomous weapons systems, emphasizing the importance of human control over such potentially destructive technologies.

The Pope's call for an AI treaty is not the first, but it carries significant weight given his global influence and moral authority. His message comes at a time of growing concern about the potential risks of AI, including job displacement, privacy violations, and the misuse of AI for malicious purposes.

Google launches new AI model MedLM to support healthcare workers

👩‍⚕️News - Google introduced a powerful tool: MedLM. This family of generative AI models is specifically designed to assist medical professionals in various tasks. Thus, marking a significant step towards integrating AI into healthcare.

MedLM takes its foundation from Med-PaLM 2, a Google model that aces medical exams with "expert-level" performance. This expertise translates into two versions of MedLM: a robust model for tackling complex healthcare challenges and a more adaptable one for handling diverse tasks across the board.

🧐Who are the early adopters? Major healthcare players are already putting MedLM to the test. HCA Healthcare, a large hospital operator, is using the technology to help physicians draft patient notes in emergency departments. This frees up valuable time for doctors to focus on patient interaction and potentially improves documentation accuracy.

Meanwhile, BenchSci, a life sciences company, has integrated MedLM into its "evidence engine." This empowers them to identify, classify, and rank promising new biomarkers, potentially accelerating medical research and drug discovery.

Currently, MedLM is only available to select Google Cloud customers in the U.S. who have been granted access through Vertex AI, Google's managed AI development platform. However, Google plans to expand access internationally and to a wider range of users shortly.

👩🏼‍💻What else is happening?

• UK Minister stresses global approach for AI regulations

• Media company Axel Springer and OpenAI launch global partnership

• Microsoft unveils 2.7B parameter language model Phi-2

• The Netherlands and South Korea step up strategic partnership including cooperation on semiconductors

• Intel to launch processors that could boost its position in AI boom

👻Did you know?

• Google-owned AI DeepMind can beat most Starcraft 2 players and compete with the best.

• According to different studies, there are more male employees in AI-related jobs than females. At least 71% are men.

• As per the Statista Research Department, China's AI-driven economic growth is projected to outpace the rest of the world, with a 26.1% contribution to GDP by 2030. North America and the United Arab Emirates are expected to follow with 14.5% and 13.5% contributions, respectively.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. Altersnap - A mobile application that allows users to take selfies and create altered photos

2. LogoPicture AI - An online tool that allows users to create optical illusion art with their logos

3. FinWise - A financial management tool that helps users manage their profiles and money effectively

4. Mindie - Allows users to have conversations with anything they encounter on the web, such as YouTube videos, blog posts

5. Levytation - An AI and data consultancy service for small businesses

6. AI Pricing Optimizer - A tool that uses artificial intelligence to analyze and improve pricing strategies

7. Viroll - An AI-powered video editing tool that helps users create highlight clips from their videos

8.  Chekable - An AI-powered platform that provides services for checking the patentability of inventions

9. Book Witch - A Software as a Service platform that allows users to generate e-books from a simple description

10. AI Perfect Assistant - A tool designed to enhance Microsoft Word by automating various writing tasks

11. Religo - A platform that allows users to explore their religion's teachings, interact with the community, and access resources

📷AI-generated influencers

• Kizuna AI holds the distinction of being the pioneer VTuber (Virtual Youtuber) since her debut in 2016. As an animated character, she captivates millions of fans through YouTube live streams and video uploads.

• Anna Cattish is a Russian animator and illustrator and is a part of the honkfu visual label that creates specialty animation and character-based imagery. The virtual influencer has gained close to 472,000 followers on Instagram.

• Kyra, a virtual influencer emerged onto the scene in January 2022 as India’s very first digital sensation. Since her debut, Kyra, also known as Kyraonig, has quickly become a digital icon, with notable appearances on the digital cover of Travel and Leisure, India, and a growing list of brand endorsements that include Amazon Prime Video, boAt, and John Jacobs.