Artificial Intelligence is dominating conversations around the world. Leading tech companies are working towards offering the best of AI technologies. However, the debate surrounding their resourcefulness and potential threats is refusing to abate.
Google, Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI have been making headlines for various developments in the field of AI. From nations considering banning ChatGPT to new players experimenting with generative AI, this week has seen several big developments.
Here is a breakdown of top developments in the domain of AI.
Alibaba & Huawei take the plunge
Even as the world is marvelling at OpenAI’s sensational chatbot ChatGPT, one nation that has been cautious ever since its launch is China. Resultantly, millions of Chinese users have been snatched away from the opportunity to try their hands at ChatGPT. Now, all that is about to change.
Chinese multinational technology firm Alibaba is reportedly gearing up to launch a large-scale model on April 11 during its 2023 Cloud Summit event in Beijing. Several news outlets have reported that Alibaba’s research wing DAMO Academy is reportedly working on incorporating a large-scale model into its smart speaker and intelligent personal assistant – Tmall Genie. The new model is reportedly Alibaba’s rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
On the other hand, Huawei will soon unveil its new Pangu AI Model series. The generative AI model from the smartphone maker will reportedly be launched at the Artificial Intelligence Large Model Technology Summit Forum. The Pangu AI series contains Natural Language Processing models and meteorological large models. After Baidu made its mark with ERNIE Bot, now Alibaba and Huawei are about to stir Silicon Valley which has an edge in the generative AI domain.
Microsoft’s latest additions
Microsoft this week brought its nifty Bing Chat to Android smartphones via its SwiftKey, an AI-powered keyboard. Although there has been no confirmation about the update on SwiftKey for iOS, iPhone users are eagerly awaiting for it to happen.
With the latest development, those using SwiftKey will be able to use Bing Chat from anywhere on their phone, moreover, they would also be able to rewrite entire texts from within the keyboard.
In another development, the company also brought its DALL-E powered AI Image Creator to Edge users on desktop. Also known as the Bing Image Creator, the feature lets users generate images from text prompts.
Germany mulls banning ChatGPT
Last week, Italy became the first Western nation to ban OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The ban was an outcome of data security concerns. Now, new developments indicate that Germany may be on its way to banning the sensational chatbot. Germany’s concerns came to light after an interview with the German Commissioner of Data Protection Ulrich Kelber was published in the Handelsblatt newspaper. Kelber was quoted as saying that Germany too could follow Italy and take similar action against ChatGPT.
Kelber reportedly said that Germany’s regulators have reached out to their Italian counterparts and have requested additional information concerning the ban. It is also learned that privacy regulators in France and Ireland have reached out to Italian regulators to review their findings.
Meta’s new AI Model
On April 6, Meta released its Segment Anything Model (SAM) that allows AI to extract objects from images and videos with just a click. “Prompts specifying what to segment in an image allow for a wide range of segmentation tasks without the need for additional training,” wrote the company in its blog post.
According to Meta, SAM uses advanced computer vision technology that allows computers to analyze and comprehend images or videos just as how humans perceive them with their eyes.
OpenAI on AI and Safety
The San Francisco-based AI powerhouse took its official blog to share its approach to AI and safety. Since ChatGPT is now accessible to millions, OpenAI said that it is prioritising risks and working towards integrating safety.
“Our users around the world have told us that ChatGPT helps to increase their productivity, enhance their creativity, and offer tailored learning experiences. We also recognize that, like any technology, these tools come with real risks—so we work to ensure safety is built into our system at all levels,” read the opening lines of the blog.
The company said that it will ensure safe AI systems through testing feedback and learning from real-world use. It will improve safeguards and refine systems. Protecting children with age requirements and preventing harmful content are among its top priorities. The company also said that it will work towards minimising personal information in training datasets.
US President Joe Biden on dangers of AI
Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden met with the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to discuss the potential risks and opportunities of AI. The President highlighted the significance of AI in addressing challenges related to disease and climate change but also emphasised its threat to society, economy, and national security.
Biden said that tech companies are responsible for ensuring that their products are safe before making them public. He also called for the need to limit personal data collection, ban targeted advertising on children and prioritise health and safety in product development.
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First published on: 08-04-2023 at 17:26 IST
