The ChatGPT Observer

?? Welcome to this week's edition of The ChatGPT Observer ??

Hello everyone! In this week's edition, we delve into the highlights from Google Cloud Next 2024. This event showcased significant updates in Google's AI technologies and their integration with Workspace and cloud technology.

What we’re covering:

• The launch of Gemini 1.5 Pro: Discover its advanced capabilities.
• Enhancements in Vertex AI: Simplifying the development of AI applications.
• New features in Google Workspace: Boosting productivity and enhancing security.
• Specialised AI-driven agents: Tailored to meet various business needs.
• Updates to Code Assist: Enhancing support for developers.

In addition, we will explore a compelling report by McKinsey, enjoy a humorous take on AI in a new video, and discuss how AI is poised to transform our work and lives. We will also bring you the latest ChatGPT announcements and news from around the world.

Join us as we explore these innovations and assess their potential impact across industries.

Stay curious and enjoy reading!

??This Week's Spotlight: AI @ Google Cloud Next 2024

Google Cloud Next 2024 took place from Apr 9-11, 2024 at Michelob Ultra Arena, featuring a broad array of presentations focused on new advancements in cloud technology, particularly around AI and security. The event highlighted Google's continuous innovation in AI applications and infrastructure, alongside announcements of new products and partnerships.

The Google Cloud Next 2024 keynote showcased several significant announcements in generative AI:

1. Advanced AI Deployments: Over 1,000 product advancements were introduced across Google Cloud and Workspace.
2. Infrastructure Expansion: Google's infrastructure expansion, including new regions and subsea cables, supports the broader deployment of AI technologies, ensuring faster and more secure data processing.
3. Generative AI Capabilities: Enhancements in AI models now enable more complex tasks like scanning large codes, translating across languages, and supporting AI in various professional tools like Google AI Studio and Vertex AI.
4. Generative AI Impact: Google highlighted the real-world applications of generative AI across different sectors, including its use in creating more efficient processes, enhancing user engagement, and solving intricate problems.

Gemini 1.5 Pro

Gemini 1.5 Pro brings new improvements that make it a powerful AI tool. Here are its key updates:

• 1 Million Token Context Window: Gemini 1.5 Pro now supports processing up to 1 million tokens, enhancing its ability to handle extensive data

• Multimodal Capabilities: Enhanced to process and analyse inputs across different data types including text, images, audio, and video.
• Cross-Modality Analysis: The model can now perform tasks that involve cross-modality data analysis, such as searching audio and video content efficiently.
• Improved Performance: Dramatic improvements in performance, particularly in tasks requiring long-context understanding.
• Public Preview: Gemini 1.5 Pro has been moved into public preview, allowing broader access to its capabilities.
• Integration with Google Search: Allows Gemini to ground its responses with factual data sourced directly from Google Search, reducing errors and enhancing response quality.

Vertex AI

Vertex AI is Google Cloud's advanced AI platform designed to streamline the creation, deployment, and management of machine learning models. It offers tools and functionalities that make it easier for developers to build AI-driven applications by providing integrated machine learning services from data preparation to model building and evaluation. Vertex AI supports both custom and pre-trained models, making it a versatile solution for various AI tasks.

Key announcements include:

• Enhanced Model Accessibility: Over 130 accessible models in the Vertex AI Model Garden, including new versions of Gemini and partner models like Claude from Anthropic.
• Augmented AI Capabilities: Introduction of features that combine generative AI with retrieval techniques to deliver high-quality, personalised responses.
• ImageGen: Enhanced with features for creating dynamic and photorealistic images from textual descriptions. Newly introduced capabilities include generating animations and implementing digital watermarking to ensure the authenticity and security of generated content.
• Enhancing AI Prompt Management: Vertex AI introduces advanced Prompt Management tools to streamline AI development. Features include Automatic Side by Side comparisons, which evaluate and refine responses to each prompt, Rapid Evaluation for quick model testing, and Track Changes, ensuring detailed oversight and collaboration on prompt modifications.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace has unveiled a suite of powerful new features designed to enhance productivity, streamline communication, and bolster security across its platform. Here’s a closer look at the top enhancements that are making Google Workspace more dynamic and user-friendly:

1. Google Vids: An AI-powered video creation app that simplifies video production, offering tools for storyboard creation, editing, and automatic scene selection with stock videos and music.
2. AI Meetings and Messaging Add-on: Features automated note-taking and real-time language translation in meetings, enhancing communication and collaboration across global teams.
3. AI-Powered Security Add-on: Implements AI to classify and protect sensitive files across Google Drive, ensuring data security with privacy-preserving AI models.
4. Gemini in Google Chat: Gemini AI is now integrated into Google Chat, enriching communication with intelligent, context-aware responses. It can catch you up on long conversation, summarise decisions, and be a real-time creative partner.
5. Messaging Interoperability with Slack and Teams: Through partnership with Mio, this feature enables seamless messaging across Google Chat, Slack, and Microsoft Teams, enhancing communication across different platforms.
6. Voice Prompting and Instant Polish in Gmail: Utilises voice input for drafting emails and the "Help me write" feature to transform rough notes into polished emails quickly.
7. Workspace Add-on Framework: Facilitates the integration of custom AI agents into everyday applications like Docs and Gmail, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.

These enhancements significantly broaden the functionality of Google Workspace, making it a more powerful tool for business communication, collaboration, and security management.

Agents

Agent are AI-driven tools specialised to perform a variety of tasks, providing assistance and automation to businesses across sectors. Below is an overview of different types of agents, each tailored to meet specific operational needs, complete with real-world applications:

• Customer Agents provide service and support to customers, often seen in the form of chatbots, product recommendation systems, and virtual shopping assistants. Mercedes-Benz, for instance, uses these agents to offer in-vehicle support, significantly improving customer interactions and satisfaction.
• Employee Agents assist employees with daily tasks and workflows by automating routine activities, managing schedules, and providing decision support. This boosts productivity within organisations, as evidenced by HCA Healthcare's use of these tools to enhance shift transitions and patient care.
• Creative Agents support the creative process, aiding in content creation and design. Marketers and designers use these AI tools to generate ideas, create visual content, or write copy. Carrefour's marketing team, for example, leverages these agents to quickly launch innovative campaigns.
• Data Agents analyse large datasets to extract insights and make predictions, playing a crucial role in business decision-making, trend identification, and customer behaviour prediction. Walmart utilises these systems to optimise product listings and gain valuable market insights.
• Code Agents are designed to assist with software development, helping to automate code generation, debugging, and test writing. This streamlines the development process and improves code quality, as seen with Wayfair's developers who use these agents to speed up environment setup.
• Security Agents focus on cybersecurity tasks, monitoring networks for threats, analysing security risks, and responding to incidents. Palo Alto Networks employs these AI systems to enhance their threat detection and response capabilities, bolstering their cybersecurity measures.

These agents represent Google's stride towards an AI-augmented future in various business sectors, each tailored to specific operational needs.

Gemini Code Assist

• Enhanced Functionality: Gemini Code Assist has been significantly improved to assist developers in managing extensive codebases efficiently. With the integration of Gemini 1.5 Pro, it now supports a context window of up to 1 million tokens, facilitating better understanding and management of large-scale code modifications.
• Performance Improvements: The updates bring increased speed and accuracy in environment setup, unit test coverage, and overall developer satisfaction, making it a robust tool for software development.
• Enterprise Adaptability: Gemini Code Assist is designed to be flexible and can operate across various platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, supporting diverse enterprise environments and ensuring compliance with data residency requirements.

?? Around the Web

This week, there's been a lot of exciting news and updates about ChatGPT, keeping us all on our toes! Here are some must-know highlights from the flood of information available.

? New Features:

• GPT-4 Turbo in Paid ChatGPT: OpenAI introduces GPT-4 Turbo to its paid ChatGPT plans, including Plus, Team, Enterprise, and the API. This update enhances writing, mathematical, logical, and coding capabilities, offering more direct and conversational responses. It also has the knowledge of internet data up until December 2023.

??In the News:

• Spotify Launches AI Playlist Feature in Beta for Premium Users: The music streaming giant announced a new feature, AI Playlist, that creates playlists for users from text prompts.
• ANAO Develops AI Use Guidelines, Restricts ChatGPT for Official Business: The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) is crafting new guidelines for AI usage among its staff, clarifying that ChatGPT is not approved for official tasks. The policy aims to adhere to the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework, ensuring robust risk management and security controls.
• OpenAI's Altman Showcases ChatGPT Enterprise in Global Corporate Pitch: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been actively pitching ChatGPT Enterprise to Fortune 500 executives worldwide, aiming to expand corporate use and diversify revenue streams. The pitch includes exclusive access to the latest AI models and personalised product customisations, distinguishing it from Microsoft's offerings despite their partnership.
• ChatGPT vs. Gemini vs. Perplexity: The definitive AI chatbot battle of 2024: A review of AI chatbots — Google Gemini, OpenAI ChatGPT, and Perplexity AI — reveals their strengths and weaknesses in answering marketing queries. While Gemini and ChatGPT provide similar, basic recommendations, Perplexity stands out with its source-cited, detailed responses and visual aids, enhancing user trust and understanding in the AI-assisted marketing landscape.
• ChatGPT vs. Gemini: Which AI chatbot won our 5-round match? In a comprehensive showdown, ChatGPT and Google Gemini were tested across five diverse categories to determine the superior AI chatbot. While both showed strengths, Gemini generally provided more accurate and relevant responses, especially in food, finances, and creativity, securing its position as the preferred AI assistant in this matchup.
• Baidu says its ChatGPT-like Ernie bot exceeds 200 million users: Baidu CEO Robin Li announces that the company's AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, has reached over 200 million users. At Baidu's AI Create conference, new AI development tools were showcased, enhancing the integration of AI in various applications.
• Meta Releases Llama 3: A Suite of More Powerful and Accessible AI Language Models: Meta Llama 3, a highly capable new generation large language model, is now available, featuring advanced reasoning and state-of-the-art performance across multiple benchmarks. It's set to enhance AI applications globally with improved accessibility and robust safety tools.

??Use Cases

• The McKinsey report on "Generative AI and the Future of New York" highlights how generative AI (gen AI) could significantly influence productivity and the job landscape in New York. It notes that while New York City has seen a decline in labor productivity growth, gen AI could reverse this trend by enabling automation and enhancing worker creativity. By 2030, Gen AI is expected to automate up to 2.4 billion work hours in the region, which could contribute to productivity gains vital for the region's GDP growth amid challenges like an aging workforce and high job churn rates. Additionally, the use of gen AI across various business functions could unlock significant economic benefits, potentially adding $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually when applied globally across industries.
• Study Reveals ChatGPT Outperforms Project Management Students in Error Detection: A comparative study by Paul Boudreau highlighted ChatGPT's efficiency in identifying errors in project scope documents, significantly outpacing project management students both in speed and accuracy. While students identified unique errors missed by ChatGPT, the AI's rapid response and comprehensive detection demonstrate its potential utility in project management.
• Leveraging ChatGPT for Academic Excellence: Dritjon Gruda explores three significant ways generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, assists in academic writing, peer review, and editorial processes. By enhancing clarity, offering diverse perspectives, and refining content, ChatGPT proves to be a valuable tool for academics aiming to improve the quality and coherence of their work.
• Morgan Stanley Enhances Advisor Support with AI-Powered Chatbot: Morgan Stanley collaborates with OpenAI to deploy AI@MS, an AI chatbot for its 16,000 financial advisors, boosting productivity and precision in client service. While AI@MS prioritises accuracy over flair, it offers significant time savings and enhanced access to internal data, aligning with broader AI integration goals within the firm.
• Klarna Early Gamble on ChatGPT and AI Tech Could Amount to $40 Million in?Profit: Klarna integrates OpenAI's ChatGPT to revolutionise shopping experiences, enhancing customer interactions and internal efficiencies. This AI-driven transformation has accelerated service times and improved profit projections, while boosting employee engagement with generative AI tools across the company.
• AI's Pervasive Impact on Education: Benefits, Challenges, and Detection Dilemmas: AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly used by students for schoolwork, prompting schools to adopt AI detection software with mixed success. Despite challenges in accuracy and potential biases, some educators advocate integrating AI into learning, highlighting both the complications and transformative potential of AI in education.
• America Needs to Prepare for the Biotech Revolution: Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt argues that the next major technological revolution is in biotechnology. Advancements fueled by AI could transform medicine, agriculture, and more. He calls for major investments and safeguards to ensure America remains a global biotech leader.
• Limitless Pendant: The AI Wearable That Could Change Meetings Forever: The newly launched Limitless Pendant offers a unique approach to AI wearables, focusing on enhancing productivity in meetings through audio recording and AI-driven transcription. Priced competitively with robust privacy features, this device also supports seamless integration with popular communication tools, potentially revolutionising the way professionals manage meeting data.

??Ethan Mollick: How Will AI Change Us? Just Asking Questions Podcast.

This episode of the "Just Asking Questions" podcast, titled "How Will AI Change Us?", explores the significant and transformative impact of artificial intelligence on society. Here's a breakdown of the key takeaways:

The Transformative Power of AI

• Impact Across Sectors: AI is revolutionising various fields including business, art, and how we perceive truth, by enabling the creation of digital clones and AI-generated content. This transformation has profound implications for both personal and professional spheres.

AI in Business

• Revolutionising Practices: Professor Ethan Mollick discusses how AI is transforming business practices and education, highlighting its role in enhancing predictive capabilities—a key driver of the current AI boom.

Ethical and Social Implications of AI

• Addressing Concerns: The podcast addresses potential ethical issues such as the misuse of AI in creating deepfakes and its application in sensitive areas like journalism and personal privacy. A balanced debate on the benefits versus ethical dilemmas of AI is also presented.

Human in the Loop (HITL)

• Concept and Application: HITL involves AI proposing solutions while humans oversee and make final decisions. This iterative feedback loop enhances AI learning. It's utilised in fields such as autonomous vehicles, content moderation, medical diagnosis, and military operations.
• Benefits and Challenges: The approach improves AI accuracy and ensures ethical decision-making. However, it can introduce decision-making bottlenecks, highlighting the need for efficient integration.

Impact of Technology on Professions: From Excel to AI

• Historical Context and Future Outlook: Just as Excel augmented, rather than replaced, accountants by increasing efficiency and capabilities, AI is poised to similarly enhance professions across various sectors.
• Workforce Transformation: The adoption of AI will shift skill requirements towards adaptability and ethical technology use, potentially creating new job roles and industries as AI integration deepens.

AI's Role in Levelling the Professional Playing Field

• Democratisation of Expertise: AI levels access to expert knowledge, automates routine tasks, and facilitates personalised learning, which can transform decision-making processes, especially for less experienced professionals.
• Workforce Dynamics: AI may alter workforce dynamics by emphasising soft skills and continuous learning. While it narrows performance gaps, there will still be a high demand for top performers who can innovate and strategically leverage AI capabilities.

These insights reflect a comprehensive view of AI's potential to augment human capabilities, reshape professional landscapes, and prompt important ethical discussions, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI advancements.

??When AI Takes Jobs and Makes Every Day a Weekend

Jon Stewart weighs in on whether AI is coming for human jobs: When AI Takes Jobs and Makes Every Day a Weekend" Jon Stewart talks about how AI might take our jobs in the future. He jokes about how AI is supposed to help us, but it could also mean fewer jobs for people. Stewart introduces a funny new job title, 'prompt engineer', which really means someone who asks questions to AI. He questions what work will be left for us if AI does everything. It's a funny look at a future where we might not have to work, thanks to AI.

??Additional Training Materials

Explore Free Resources:

• 5 moments you might have missed from Google Cloud Next ‘24: Discover the five overlooked moments from Google Cloud Next '24, including strategic expansions in AI technology, new collaborative initiatives, advanced cloud solutions, breakthroughs in machine learning, and impactful sustainability commitments that are shaping the future of tech.
• 101 real-world gen AI use cases featured at Google Cloud Next ’24: At Google Cloud Next ‘24, industry leaders showcased how generative AI enhances business operations. Customer agents, developed using Google Cloud AI solutions, now provide seamless cross-channel support, integrating voice and video for personalized service. Companies like ADT and Alaska Airlines are creating advanced AI-driven customer experiences, enhancing engagement and loyalty.
• Google Introduces New AI-Powered Innovations and Security Enhancements in Workspace: Google announces new generative AI capabilities within Workspace, including the video creation app 'Google Vids' and AI-driven meetings and messaging for enhanced collaboration and security. Gemini's integration across Workspace tools aims to streamline workflow and protect sensitive data, supporting users across various sectors with more dynamic, efficient, and secure operations.
• How To Use Gemini 1.5 Pro (Complete Guide) Gemini 1.5 Beginner Tutorial
• Gemini 1.5 Pro - Coding Assistant with 1M tokens

Happy learning!

??? We'd Love to Hear from You!

Did you find this edition insightful? Like, share your thoughts, and ask us anything.

Stay curious, and until next time, enjoy exploring the vast possibilities AI offers.

"As we dive into and express our fascination with AI technologies, it’s appropriate to mention that the contents of this article were created by humans and augmented by AI tools and other resources. We have ensured that the sources of all referenced articles are appropriately linked to their original sources."