The ChatGPT Observer Edition 32
Zeyad Sweidan
Senior Leader | Program & Project Management | Agile Coach | Relationship Focused | Systems & Technology | Business Intelligence | System Integration | Data Governance & Security
If you're short on time, here's your one-minute summary of this week's key AI news and advancements:
?? Top Story: Tesla's "We, Robot" event showcased major AI advancements, unveiling updates to Robotaxi, Optimus Robot, and the new Robovan.
?? Key Statistics: 40% of Americans aged 18 to 64 have used generative AI, with 24% using it for work in the past week.
?? This Week's Spotlight: Google DeepMind's AlphaFold wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry for breakthrough in protein structure prediction.
?? ChatGPT & OpenAI News: OpenAI plans to integrate SearchGPT into ChatGPT by end of 2024. OpenAI partners with Hearst to display content from leading magazines and newspapers.
?? Corporate AI Developments: Nvidia's Blackwell AI processors sold out for next 12 months. Adobe launching tool to protect creatives from AI use. Meta AI expanding to 21 new markets. ByteDance shifts to AI for content moderation, laying off hundreds of TikTok employees.
?? AI Innovations: Hailuo introduces Image-to-Video feature. Pyramid Flow launches as open-source AI video generator. Zoom to launch AI avatars that talk for you in 2024. HeyGen introduces Avatar Looks for customisable AI avatars, Penn State researchers develop AI-powered electronic tongue for food and drink identification. Apple launches Depth Pro AI for 3D vision from 2D images.
?? AI Applications: Uber to launch OpenAI-powered AI assistant for EV questions in 2025. Walmart testing own LLM called Wallaby. Amazon developing AI shopping agents. Wimbledon to replace line judges with electronic system in 2025.
? Responsible AI: Study reveals ChatGPT's hidden racial biases. Investigation finds popular car brands collecting and sharing driver data. New Gmail security alert for 2.5 billion users amid AI-driven hack threat.
?? AI Learning: 1st International Olympiad in AI sees high participation from nearly 40 countries. Meta offers free course on Multimodal Llama 3.2.
?? For more details, read the full newsletter!
Tesla held its "We, Robot" event in Los Angeles, showcasing major advancements in AI-driven autonomous technology. Elon Musk unveiled exciting updates to Tesla’s Robotaxi, Optimus Robot, and the new Robovan, reinforcing the company's vision of an AI-powered future for transportation and robotics.
The event marked a significant moment for Tesla, as it continues to push the boundaries of AI integration into daily life and transportation.
Major Announcements
Robotaxi (Cybercab)
Robovan
Optimus Robot
Challenges and Future Vision
Musk emphasised Tesla’s mission to create a future dominated by autonomous vehicles, aiming for millions of units annually by 2030. However, there are challenges ahead:
Tesla's "We, Robot" event is a pivotal moment in the company’s journey toward AI-driven transportation and robotics, with profound implications for the future of AI-powered vehicles and automation.
Watch more: We, Robot | Tesla Robotaxi Unveil
AI Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry for AlphaFold's Protein Prediction Breakthrough
Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, along with David Baker from the University of Washington, were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking work on AlphaFold. This AI system predicts the 3D structure of proteins, solving a 50-year-old biology challenge. AlphaFold’s predictions have revolutionised fields from drug discovery to sustainability by accelerating research and solving complex protein folding problems with unprecedented accuracy. Read more: VentureBeat
These numbers highlight the growing integration of AI into both work and personal life and its potential impact on productivity in the U.S. economy. Read more: NPR.Org
SearchGPT to Launch in ChatGPT This Year, Challenging Google
OpenAI plans to integrate its AI search engine, SearchGPT, into ChatGPT by the end of 2024. This feature will allow users to access live data, links to external websites, and personalized search results, making ChatGPT a direct competitor to Google. SearchGPT, which began as a prototype in July, provides more conversational and tailored responses compared to traditional search engines. With ChatGPT’s growing user base, this development could disrupt Google’s dominance in the search market. However, concerns remain about privacy, accuracy, and how the model cites sources. Read more: Tom's Guide
OpenAI Partners with Hearst to Display Content from Leading Magazines and Newspapers
OpenAI announced a partnership with Hearst, allowing its AI products like ChatGPT and SearchGPT to display content from over 20 magazine brands, including Cosmopolitan, Esquire, and Elle, and more than 40 newspapers such as the San Francisco Chronicle. This partnership, part of a growing trend of media outlets collaborating with AI startups, will ensure Hearst's content is properly cited and linked back to the original sources. The deal follows similar agreements OpenAI has made with Condé Nast and News Corp., as publishers seek ways to navigate AI's rise while protecting their intellectual property. Read more: CNBC
MLE-bench: Benchmark for AI Engineering
OpenAI has introduced MLE-bench, a new benchmark designed to measure AI agents' performance on machine learning engineering tasks. It involves 75 Kaggle competitions, which test key ML engineering skills like training models, dataset preparation, and running experiments.
Key Takeaways:
Read more: OpenAI MLE-bench
Meta AI Expands Globally to Compete with ChatGPT
Meta AI is expanding to 21 new markets, including the U.K., Brazil, and other countries in Latin America and Asia, in a bid to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The chatbot, which currently has nearly 500 million monthly active users, will support languages such as Arabic, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese. With this rollout, Meta AI aims to be available in 43 countries and a dozen languages by the end of 2024. Additionally, Meta AI will be integrated into Ray-Ban Meta glasses in the U.K. and Australia. Read more: Fast Company
Adobe Launches Tool to Protect Creatives from AI Use
Adobe is introducing a free web app in early 2025 to help creatives protect their work from being used in AI models. The Content Authenticity app allows users to add metadata, like creator information, to images, videos, and audio. It also provides an easy way to opt out of having their content used to train AI models, though only supported AI developers, like Spawning, currently honour this feature. The app integrates with Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps and will make it easier for artists to apply protections to multiple files. While the initiative is promising, it remains voluntary, and its success depends on widespread adoption by other AI companies. Read more: The Verge
?????? Zoom to Launch AI Avatars That Talk for You in 2024!
Zoom is set to release a feature that lets you create AI avatars of yourself to deliver messages on your behalf. With just an initial video recording, Zoom’s AI will replicate your look and voice, allowing your avatar to deliver messages using Zoom's Clips feature. This will be part of Zoom’s AI Companion add-on, costing $12 per month. Zoom is taking steps to prevent misuse with advanced authentication and watermarking technology. Read more: The Verge
????HeyGen Introduces Avatar Looks for Ultimate Creativity!
HeyGen has launched its exciting Avatar Looks feature, allowing you to customise your avatar with unlimited styles after a single verification! You can now upload unlimited footage and switch backgrounds, outfits, stances, and camera angles to make your videos even more dynamic. With 50+ new avatars and 400+ new footage clips, your creativity has no limits. Explore endless possibilities and elevate your video content! Read more: Joshua Xu on X | Try it now: HeyGen
?? Imagen 3 Now Available for All Gemini Users Globally!
Gemini has launched Imagen 3, its most advanced image generation model yet, offering higher photorealism, better instruction-following, and fewer artifacts for an exceptional creative experience. This release brings powerful, high-quality image generation to users worldwide, making your visual projects more stunning than ever. Read more: Gemini on X
Google Gemini to Get AI Image Generator Upgrade to Rival DALL-E
Google is enhancing its Gemini AI image generator with new editing tools, allowing users to make precise tweaks to generated images, such as changing specific elements like hats or accessories. Currently available in the Android beta (v15.40.31.29), the feature aims to compete with other top AI generators, including ChatGPT’s DALL-E. While the edits are not always perfect in the beta version, this upgrade is a significant step toward improving Google’s AI image capabilities. The full release will provide a more comprehensive assessment of its performance. Read more: TechRadar
Nvidia's Blackwell AI Processors Are Sold Out for Next 12 Months
Nvidia's new Blackwell AI processors are already sold out for the next 12 months, reflecting strong demand and a long-term AI investment cycle. CEO Jensen Huang confirmed that production is on schedule, aiming for volume production by Q4 2024. Analysts remain bullish on Nvidia stock (NVDA), which is approaching a buy point of 140.76. Nvidia's AI innovations are transforming industries like healthcare, cybersecurity, and manufacturing. Read more: Investors
ByteDance Shifts to AI for Content Moderation, Laying Off Hundreds of TikTok Employees
ByteDance is laying off hundreds of TikTok employees, primarily in Malaysia, as the company shifts toward AI-driven content moderation. While under 500 people are affected, U.S. employees remain unaffected. TikTok plans to invest $2 billion in trust and safety efforts globally in 2024, with 80% of violative content now removed through automated technologies. The move follows earlier layoffs this year in Ireland, operations, and marketing teams. Read more: TechCrunch
Amazon’s Flexible AI Strategy: "Any Model You Want" Approach
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is focusing on flexibility, cost-efficiency, and security rather than investing heavily in proprietary AI models, unlike competitors Google and Microsoft. AWS CEO Matt Garman emphasises that customers prefer to build on multiple AI models, leveraging their own data for unique differentiation. With custom-built silicon supporting AI, AWS offers competitive pricing and performance through its Bedrock platform, which allows customers to choose from a variety of models. AWS also supports Nvidia's AI workloads, highlighting the strength of its infrastructure. Read more: Axios
Hailuo Launches Image-to-Video Feature!
Hailuo has introduced its new Image-to-Video feature, setting a new standard in creative video generation. Here’s what makes Hailuo’s Image2Video experience truly exceptional:
Try it now: Hailuo AI | Check Examples on X
Pyramid Flow: A High-Quality, Open-Source AI Video Generator Launches!
Pyramid Flow is a new open-source AI video generator that creates high-quality 5- to 10-second videos quickly and efficiently. Developed by top researchers from Peking University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and Kuaishou Technology, it uses a pyramidal flow matching technique to cut down processing costs while maintaining video quality. Offering an alternative to expensive proprietary tools like Runway, it's an exciting option for developers and creators. Read more: VentureBeat
领英推荐
AI and Electronic Tongue: A Taste of Innovation
Penn State researchers developed an electronic tongue, powered by a neural network, capable of identifying food and drink samples with over 95% accuracy. Using game theory, they decoded how the AI made decisions based on subtle sensor data. Originally applied to liquids like milk and juice, this tech could extend to medical diagnostics and other industries, revolutionising quality control. Read more: Penn State University
Napkins.dev: Transform Wireframes into Code Using Llama 3.2 AI
Napkins.dev is revolutionising app development by using Llama 3.2 vision AI to convert wireframes into functional code instantly. Developers can upload a screenshot of their design, and within moments, receive generated code in frameworks like React and Tailwind. This open-source tool saves time and encourages collaboration within the developer community, streamlining the transition from design to application. Read more: Testing Catalog
Apple’s Depth Pro AI: Revolutionising 3D Vision
Apple has launched Depth Pro, an AI model that generates detailed 3D depth maps from single 2D images in just 0.3 seconds, without relying on traditional camera data. Its speed, precision, and ability to provide real-world measurements make it ideal for various industries, including augmented reality and autonomous vehicles. This open-source model offers flexibility and efficiency, positioning Apple as a leader in AI-driven depth perception.
Read more: VentureBeat
Octomind: Revolutionising Web Application QA with AI
Octomind is an AI-powered end-to-end (e2e) testing tool designed to automate the quality assurance (QA) process for web applications. Here’s a breakdown of its key features and benefits:
Key Features:
AI-Driven Test Generation:
Test Execution & Debugging:
Integration & Flexibility:
Key Advantages:
Amazon to Slash Delivery Costs and Times by 25% with Robotics:
Amazon's new fulfilment centre in Shreveport, spanning over 3 million square feet, uses advanced AI and robotics to boost efficiency. The Sequoia system can store over 30 million items, and the Sparrow robotic arm handles over 200 million unique products. These technologies cut fulfillment times by 25% and require 30% more employees for skilled roles in maintenance and engineering. Amazon aims to modernize its global network with these innovations. Read more: About Amazon
Amazon Envisions AI Shopping Agents for the Future
Amazon is developing AI agents capable of making shopping decisions for customers. The company has already introduced AI-generated shopping guides and chatbot “Rufus” to recommend products. Future AI agents could automatically add items to customers' carts or even purchase products based on their preferences, without them having to ask. These AI systems, powered by Amazon’s large language model, are trained on vast retail data. While AI shopping agents hold great potential, challenges remain in ensuring precision and reliability. Amazon hopes to enhance its AI’s shopping capabilities, aiming for more seamless customer experiences. Read more: Wired
Scaling Core Earnings Measurement with Large Language Models
This study explores the use of large language models (LLMs) to estimate core earnings, a key metric for assessing a firm's profitability from core business activities. The increasing complexity of financial disclosures and non-recurring items affecting GAAP net income make this task more difficult. By analyzing 10-K filings from U.S. public companies (2000-2023), the authors tested two prompting strategies: a baseline approach and a structured "sequential" method. The sequential approach, which identifies and aggregates unusual losses and gains, yielded a valid core earnings measure that outperforms traditional GAAP metrics in predicting future earnings. The study demonstrates the potential of LLMs to improve financial analysis while highlighting challenges such models may face. Read more: SSRN
Uber to Launch OpenAI-Powered AI Assistant for EV Questions in 2025
Uber will launch an AI assistant powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o to help drivers with electric vehicle (EV) questions starting in 2025. The assistant will initially answer queries like where to charge EVs and which models to buy, with plans to expand its capabilities over time. Drivers will access the chatbot from the Uber driver app, which will provide personalized responses based on location and government incentives. Uber is also introducing an “EV mentorship program,” offering rewards to experienced EV drivers who mentor others. This initiative is part of Uber’s broader push toward promoting EVs and sustainability. Read more: TechCrunch
Using Generative AI for Copywriting in A/B Testing
Kath Pay shares how her agency uses generative AI (ChatGPT) for creating email A/B test variants. Named "Chad," their AI assistant helps craft email copy tailored to different customer personality types. This approach, called "holistic testing," tests entire emails, not just elements like subject lines. Chad assists in writing copy variants aligned with hypotheses and then refines them based on feedback. Kath highlights four tips for effective AI usage: investing time to perfect prompts, using paid AI services for privacy, grounding prompts in hypotheses, and treating AI like a team member. Read more: MarTech
AI-Powered Ads: A 29-Day Journey with Over 13,000 Images!:
David Blagojevi?'s project involved generating 13,212 AI-crafted images over 29 days to create a speculative ad campaign. Inspired by ancient Greece and Japan, the project blended traditional beauty with modern luxury, requiring extensive AI work, VFX, and 3D modeling. This exploration highlights AI’s potential in advertising while advocating ethical practices in image usage.
Wimbledon to Replace Line Judges with Electronic System in 2025
Wimbledon will replace traditional line judges with an AI-powered electronic line-calling system from 2025. This marks a significant shift after 147 years of human officiating at the Grand Slam. The system, known as Hawk Eye Live, will ensure more accurate and faster decisions, eliminating the need for video reviews. While the Australian and US Opens have already adopted electronic line calling, Wimbledon’s decision ends a long-standing tradition. Chair umpires will still be present to manage matches, but the iconic sight of line judges will disappear. Read more: Al Jazeera
Walmart bets on multiple AI models with new Wallaby LLM
Walmart is testing its own large language model (LLM) called Wallaby, designed to enhance customer service and employee interactions. Trained on Walmart's vast data, Wallaby promises to deliver natural responses aligned with the retailer's core values. Walmart is exploring AI to improve supply chain management, employee assistance, and personalized customer experiences. Wallaby joins a suite of AI models as Walmart expands its technological footprint in retail operations.
Read more: VentureBeat
Cbus Super Secures Landmark AI Provisions in New Enterprise Agreement
Workers at superannuation fund Cbus Super have secured new protections against AI disruptions in their latest enterprise agreement. The agreement, which runs until June 2027, requires the company to consult with employees on AI-related impacts and notify those whose roles are significantly affected. With provisions for five days of consultation time if a job is impacted by AI, this deal sets a new "gold standard" for AI worker protections in Australia's financial sector. The agreement also improves conditions for female workers, including new reproductive and parenthood leave. Read more: The Australian
AI’s Nobel Moment and Geoffrey Hinton’s Warning
Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, recognised for his work on neural networks, has raised concerns about the future risks of artificial intelligence. While AI is revolutionising fields like healthcare and productivity, Hinton warns that it could surpass human intelligence and become uncontrollable, potentially leading to the subjugation of humanity. His concerns follow the announcement that two Google DeepMind researchers won a Nobel Prize in chemistry for using AI to predict novel proteins, highlighting AI’s increasing role in scientific breakthroughs. Read more: ABC News | The Australian
ChatGPT Shows Facial Recognition, Gender Detection, and Age Estimation Capabilities
A recent study reveals that ChatGPT can recognize facial identities, perform gender detection, and estimate ages with significant accuracy. Researchers from the Idiap Research Institute and other institutions found that, despite safeguards preventing direct biometric data responses, ChatGPT can be prompted to bypass these restrictions and perform biometric tasks. Using datasets of real and synthetic faces, ChatGPT was tested on facial recognition, age estimation, and gender detection, showing promising results. The study also highlights concerns about the vulnerability of LLMs in safeguarding sensitive biometric information. Read more: Biometric Update
ChatGPT and AI Tools Show Hidden Racial Bias Against African American English
A recent study reveals that ChatGPT and other AI tools exhibit hidden racial biases, especially toward speakers of African American English (AAE). While the AI models describe Black individuals positively in general, they use negative words like "suspicious" or "aggressive" to describe people using AAE. Researchers from Oxford and other institutions found that these biases, reflecting societal prejudices, could lead to serious real-world consequences, such as harsher legal or employment outcomes. The study highlights the need for more extensive efforts to address covert biases in AI systems. Read more: Science News Explores
Popular Car Brands Are Collecting and Sharing Your Data
A recent investigation by Choice found that 7 out of 10 popular car brands in Australia are collecting and sharing driver data, including braking patterns, vehicle location, and even voice recognition data. Kia and Hyundai, for instance, sell voice data to AI software training companies. Tesla, Australia’s top electric car brand, has also been found to collect and share invasive video footage. Privacy advocates are calling for law reforms to limit data collection to what is "fair and reasonable." Concerns are also growing about how this data could be misused, with some highlighting risks for domestic abuse survivors. Read more: ABC News
AI Copilot Sparks Debate Over Work-Life Balance in Australia
A growing “tug of war” has emerged between employees and management over how to use the time saved by AI tools like Microsoft's Copilot. Companies like Telstra have embraced AI to reduce repetitive tasks, freeing up time for staff. While Telstra's AI integration has saved millions and increased productivity, employees—especially engineers—worry that relying on AI feels like “cheating.” The debate centres on whether saved time should go back to the company or be used for better work-life balance. AI adoption is transforming many Australian businesses, with over 1100 companies now using Copilot. Read more: The Australian
New Gmail Security Alert for 2.5 Billion Users Amid AI-Driven Hack Threat
Google has issued a new security warning for its 2.5 billion Gmail users due to a sophisticated AI-driven phishing attack targeting account credentials. The attack uses realistic AI-generated voices and fake recovery requests to manipulate users into revealing sensitive information. Google has launched the Global Signal Exchange in response, partnering with global anti-scam agencies to share intelligence and combat scams at scale. Read more: Forbes
1st International Olympiad in AI Records High Participation from Nearly 40 Countries
The inaugural International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) will see high-school students from almost 40 countries gathering in Burgas, Bulgaria, from August 9-15, 2024. The event, organized by five Bulgarian founders, aims to showcase the best students' AI skills in fields like Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Computer Vision. Google is the event’s platinum sponsor, and scholars from leading universities are involved in task creation.
The founders highlighted the rapid development of AI as a driving force behind the Olympiad. They hope to inspire discussion on the ethical implications of AI while offering young participants the chance to build lifelong connections. Read more: IOAI Official
Multimodal Llama 3.2: Learn AI Innovation with Meta's Latest Model
Explore Meta’s cutting-edge Llama 3.2 model in this free course, focusing on image classification, vision reasoning, and tool use. Taught by Amit Sangani, Senior Director of AI Partner Engineering at Meta, the course dives into Llama 3.2’s new features, multimodal prompting, custom tool-calling, and the Llama Stack for building AI applications. Ideal for Python enthusiasts, it covers training models, advanced image reasoning, and building on Llama's open-source AI tools. Learn more: DeepLearning.AI
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As we explore the captivating world of AI technologies, it's important to note that the content of this article is a product of human effort, enhanced by AI tools and additional resources. We have made sure to properly attribute and link all referenced articles to their original sources. For the visuals: