AI Weekly Digest - September 9 2024

News, views and innovations from the global artificial intelligence sector. LinkedIn newsletter readers can also sign up to an enhanced email edition of the AI Weekly Digest - published every Friday. You can subscribe for free.

UK/US/EU and Israel sign first international treaty on AI

The UK,?EU, US and Israel have signed the first international treaty on artificial intelligence - a move designed to prevent misuses of the technology including spreading misinformation or using biased data. The legally binding agreement requires states to implement safeguards against any threats posed by AI to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The treaty - the framework convention on artificial intelligence - was drawn up by international human rights organisation the Council of Europe.

OpenAI: ChatGPT weekly users double in 10 months to top 200m

OpenAI?said?ChatGPT's?weekly user numbers have doubled in the past 10 months to top 200m. CEO Sam Altman said: "People are using our tools now as a part of their daily lives, making a real difference in areas like healthcare and education - whether it's helping with routine tasks, solving hard problems, or unlocking creativity."

Clearview AI fined €30.5m for 'illegal database' of billions of faces

The Netherlands’ Data Protection Agency (DPA) has fined facial recognition startup Clearview AI €30.5m for creating an “illegal database” of billions of photos of faces. It also banned Dutch companies from using Clearview’s services, and said?Clearview “has not objected to this decision and is therefore unable to appeal against the fine”. The agency added that building the database and insufficiently informing people whose images appear in it amounted to serious breaches of European Union General Data Protection regulations. DPA chairman Aleid Wolfsen said: “Facial recognition is a highly intrusive technology, that you cannot simply unleash on anyone in the world. If there is a photo of you on the internet - and doesn’t that apply to all of us? - then you can end up in the database of Clearview and be tracked... This is not a doom scenario from a scary film. Nor is it something that could only be done in China.”?

Ruling rejected as 'unlawful, devoid of due process and unenforceable'

However, Clearview chief legal officer, Jack Mulcaire, hit back at the DPA's ruling, calling it “unlawful, devoid of due process and [therefore] unenforceable”. He said?Clearview does not fall under EU data protection regulations, adding: “Clearview AI does not have a place of business in the Netherlands or the EU, it does not have any customers in the Netherlands or the EU, and does not undertake any activities that would otherwise mean it is subject to the GDPR."

NYT, FT, Condé Nast exclude their data from Apple AI training

Groups including The?New York Times, Financial Times, The Atlantic, Vox Media and Condé Nast have excluded their data from Apple’s AI training, less than three months after the iPhone-maker introduced an opt-out tool. The Applebot-Extended crawler enables Apple to index sites as normal, while excluding the data from AI training.

New York Times could collect $7.5bn from OpenAI copyright case

The Verge calculated The New York Times could collect $7.5bn if it wins its copyright violation case against OpenAI, as it accuses the ChatGPT developer of illegally ingesting 10m articles, each of which carries a statutory $750 penalty.

AI being used to publish news - and protect reporters

Colombian news organisation?Connectas, led by director Carlos Huertas, is using AI to help publish news from a dozen independent media outlets in Venezuela and at the same time protect reporters from a government clampdown on journalists. The two newest anchors are generated using artificial intelligence. Huertas said: "We decided to use artificial intelligence to be the 'face' of the information we're publishing, because our colleagues who are still out doing their jobs are facing much more risk." He went on: "Here, using artificial intelligence is... almost like a mix between technology and journalism," helping to "circumvent the persecution and increasing repression" from the government as there would be no one who could face arrest. Reporters Without Borders said at least 10 journalists have been arrested in Venezuela since mid-June and eight remain imprisoned on charges, including terrorism.

Nvidia shares fall 9.5%, wiping $279bn off market cap

Shares in AI chips giant Nvidia closed down 9.5% last Tuesday, wiping $279bn off its market cap, as part of a broader Wall Street sell off. The main index of 30 leading US chipmakers ended the day down 7.8%.

Meta corporate customers utilising Llama models

Meta?said corporate customers including Goldman?Sachs and?AT&T?are using its Llama Artificial Intelligence models for business functions including customer service, document review and computer code generation.

OpenAI may amend corporate structure to become more 'investor-friendly'

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is reportedly in discussions over changing its corporate structure to become more 'investor-friendly'. This, the FT reported, comes as as it pushes ahead with a?multibillion-dollar funding round. The AI start-up is said to have spoken to investors about restructuring, three people involved in those conversations said, although a final form has not yet been agreed.

Google tech vice-president cautious over AI's economic benefits

Google senior vice-president for research, technology and society, James Manyika, expressed caution about AI's possible economic benefits, telling the FT: "Right now, everyone from my old colleagues at McKinsey Global Institute to Goldman Sachs are putting out these extraordinary economic potential numbers - in the trillions - [but] it’s going to take a whole bunch of actions, innovations, investments, even enabling policy...?The productivity gains are not guaranteed. They’re going to take a lot of work.” Tony Blair famously forecast that doctors and nurses would be replaced by AI, but Manyika said: "In most of those cases, those professions will be assisted by AI. I don’t think any of those occupations are going to be replaced by AI, not in any conceivable future.”

Reports: Character.AI lays off 5% of staff

Character.AI has reportedly laid off at least 5% of staff at the chatbot startup. The Information cited a person briefed by company leaders. The same source later said: "We are refocusing the company to ensure all roles align with our new direction to build personalised AI products."

Safe Superintelligence raises $1bn at a valuation of $5bn - despite no product

Safe Superintelligence, the AI start-up established by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever to build 'safe' large language models, has raised $1bn at a valuation of $5bn despite not currently having a product.?Sutskever, who left OpenAI in May after leading a failed coup against CEO Sam?Altman, said: "We’ve identified a new mountain to climb that’s a bit different from what I was working on previously. We’re not trying to go down the same path faster. If you do something different, then it becomes possible for you to do something special."

Nvidia denies reports of DoJ subpoena over chip dominance

Artificial intelligence chip designer Nvidia denied reports it has been subpoenaed by the US Department of Justice amid concerns over its dominance in the AI chip market. However, it said it was “happy to answer questions regulators may have about our business”. The statement followed reports that Nvidia had received a subpoena from antitrust officials, seeking evidence that it violated competition laws. A spokesman said: “Nvidia wins on merit, as reflected in our benchmark results and value to customers, and customers can choose whatever solution is best for them... We have inquired with the US Department of Justice and have not been subpoenaed.”

Google unveils Gmail Q&A

Google has rolled out a new feature - Gmail Q&A - which enables Android users to chat with its Gemini AI assistant about their emails. The tool is available to Gemini or Google One AI Premium subscribers.

Chinese AI operators 'hampered by Huawei chip issues'

Efforts by Chinese tech groups to match the US in AI are reportedly been hampered by performance issues dogging Huawei's chips, with the units unable to match the Nvidia processors they are replacing.

Revamped Alexa devices 'to be powered by Anthropic's?Claude'

Reuters said it understands the revamped Alexa devices?Amazon?is due to launch in October will be powered by?Anthropic's?Claude artificial intelligence models rather than in-house technology.

Rufus shopping assistant makes UK debut

Amazon?has rolled out Rufus, its AI-powered shopping assistant, to the UK for the first time.