Moments in 2023 Where AI Blew My Mind

Hey there! Ever had those moments where you feel like you've suddenly jumped into the future? That's exactly how I've been feeling with all these crazy AI advancements lately. It's like I'm living in a sci-fi novel, and I can't help but go "holy s***" every time I see something new.

You know what's wild? Cristóbal Valenzuela , who runs RunwayML (more on that later), put it perfectly:

And, because things are moving so fast, it’s easy to lose track of those impactful moments. So, I decided to compile a collection that underscored AI’s impact on me. This isn't a ranked list or anything – just my raw thoughts. Your "wow" moments might be different, and that's cool.

1. ChatGPT, The Real Chat Bot

Let's start with the biggie: ChatGPT. This thing is like talking to a super-smart friend who knows everything. It's not just typing into a computer – it feels like a real conversation. Whether you're looking for a poem, some code, or deep thoughts on life, ChatGPT's got you covered.

If you don't know what ChatGPT is at this point, I might wonder where you've been. But no judgment here—just take this as your cue to catch up. Here's a link to get you started .

Trust me, it's worth it.

2. Google DeepMind Lyria, Making Music Magic

Okay, this one's crazy. Google DeepMind dropped Lyria, and it's changing the music game. They've got two main experiments: Dream Track and Music AI Tools. I watched a video of Music AI Tools with my son Adam (he's an amazing pianist, by the way). We saw this musical genius, Louis Bell, create a whole song just by humming. I turned to Adam and joked, "Hey, I can probably do what you do now." He just laughed and said, "Sure, Dad." We both know my musical talent is... well, let's just say AI can't fix everything!

Want to know more about Lyria? Check it out here .

3. Midjourney, Words into Art

My wife introduced me to Midjourney, and it's been a game-changer for my visuals. Look at my LinkedIn articles – almost all the images are from Midjourney. It's amazing how you can just describe what you want and boom! You've got stunning visuals. It's made graphic design fun and accessible, even for artistically challenged folks like me.

Interestingly, Midjourney works through Discord, which is this platform gamers use to chat. It's become a hub for all sorts of creative communities now.

Curious?

Learn more about Midjourney, click here .

Learn more about Discord, click here .

4. RunwayML, Bringing Pictures to Life

RunwayML (or just Runway) is another mind-blower. It's like Midjourney on steroids – you can create images and videos with words, but you can also use your own pictures and videos as a starting point.

I live in this gorgeous mountain town, and I thought it'd be fun to animate a picture of a nearby mountain using Runway. Check out what it did:

The quality's a bit reduced because of LinkedIn, but you get the idea. It's hard to describe how cool it feels to use this tech. Give it a shot yourself – they've got free and paid versions.

You can find out more about Runway here .

5. Klick Labs AI, Detecting Diabetes Through Voice

Now, this one's straight out of a sci-fi movie. Scientists at Klick Labs figured out how to use AI to detect Type 2 diabetes just by listening to your voice. No needles, no blood tests - just 10 seconds of you talking into your phone. How wild is that?

They did this study with 267 people, some with diabetes and some without. These folks recorded themselves saying a specific phrase six times a day for two weeks. That's over 18,000 voice samples! The researchers then looked at 14 different aspects of these recordings to spot the differences between diabetic and non-diabetic voices.

Imagine a future where checking for diseases is as easy as making a phone call. It's a total game-changer for healthcare.

Want to dig deeper?

You can read more about this breakthrough here .

6. Microsoft 365 Copilot, New Digital Companion

Remember when Microsoft announced 365 Copilot? It feels like ages ago now, but it was a big deal. Microsoft's basically trying to be the 'Copilot company', sticking this AI helper into everything they make.

The first time I saw Copilot creating documents, presentations, and spreadsheets like it was no big deal, I was floored. It was my first real peek at a future where AI is just... there, helping us out all the time. It's nuts to think about how this is going to change the way we work.

If you want to see what's new with this, check out the Microsoft Ignite 2023 event. Trust me, it's worth a watch.

7. AI Giving Voice to the Voiceless

This one hit me right in the feels. There's this woman, Ann, who had a stroke at 30 that left her severely paralyzed. She couldn't even breathe on her own. But now, she's working with researchers to develop this incredible brain-computer interface.

Get this - it can turn her brain signals into speech and facial expressions on a digital avatar. The system can decode these signals into text at almost 80 words per minute. That's huge compared to her current 14 words-per-minute device.

For me, this really shows how AI can make life better for people who face huge challenges. It's like we're inching closer to a world where everyone can express themselves freely.

You can read more about this breakthrough here .

8. Microsoft Copilot for Dynamic 365, Mixed Reality

Remember all those cool AR gadgets in 90s sci-fi movies? Well, we're living it now with Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides. It's like turning the real world into an AI playground for workers.

It's easier to see than explain, so definitely check out the video if you can. But imagine being able to look at something and have AI instantly give you all the info you need about it. It's like having a super-smart assistant right in your field of vision.

You can read more information about Dynamics 365 Copilot here .

9. GitHub + AI

I watched the GitHub Universe 2023 event live, and let me tell you, it was mind-blowing. GitHub's gone full AI, and it's changing the game for software development.

With GitHub Copilot, developers can now use plain English to interact with their coding environment. Need to write a unit test? Just ask. Looking for bugs? Copilot's got your back. And get this - it even has advanced security features that can spot and fix common vulnerabilities like SQL injections.

My favorite part was Scott Hanselman's demonstration. Not only did he have an awesome shirt, but he broke down the science behind LLMs in a way that was both entertaining and educational. My wife and I were cracking up throughout his talk.

This is the future of coding, folks - faster, more intuitive, and more secure.

You can read more about the GitHub Universe 2023 event here .

10. Palantir AI Platform

Okay, this one's a bit intense. Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) is like something straight out of a Terminator movie. They've got this AI that can help with military operations, and it's both impressive and kind of scary.

I watched a demo where an operator used a ChatGPT-style assistant to respond to a combat situation. The AI was suggesting things like deploying drones and jamming enemy communications. It was a stark reminder that AI isn't just for fun stuff - it's going to play a big role in serious, potentially life-or-death situations too.

I'm not putting any links for this one - you can Google it if you want to know more.

11. Google DeepMind GraphCast, Advanced Forecasts

Weather's getting crazy these days, right? Well, Google DeepMind's got something that might help. It's called GraphCast, and it's shaking up medium-range weather forecasting.

This AI can predict weather up to 10 days in advance, and it's even better than the current gold standard. But here's the cool part - it's especially good at predicting extreme weather events. We're talking earlier warnings for cyclones, spotting atmospheric rivers that could cause floods, and predicting extreme temperatures.

As a parent, climate change keeps me up at night sometimes. But innovations like this give me hope. Maybe we can't stop the storms, but at least we might be able to see them coming.

Read more about GraphCast here .

12. Humane Ai Pin

This next one is a bit of a mixed bag, but it's an important 'wow' moment because it is the first real example of an AI-centric product. This device and similar, yet to be announced devices, do not make a complelling arugmenet to replace or carry around an additional device as to your phone. The Ai Pin is priced at $699 with a $24 monthly subscription. Kind of insane to me. The Ai Pin doesn't have apps; instead, it offers AI experiences, working with AI-powered services from major tech players like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Slack, and Tidal.

If you want to see more, you should watch the product launch video above. I believe this represents the future, not the immediate one. Yet, we need pioneers like Humane to take the initial steps to pave the way.

Check out their website here .

13. Adobe Sneak Projects

My wife and I had a blast watching the AdobeMAX 2023 event. Two projects really caught my eye: Project Fast Fill and Project See Through.

Project Fast Fill

Project Fast Fill is like magic for video editing. You can replace textures in videos just by describing what you want. It's mind-blowing how it adapts to complex surfaces and changing lighting.

Project See Through

Project See Through is a photographer's dream come true. It can remove unwanted reflections from images - you know, like when you're trying to take a picture through a window and all you see is your own reflection? This AI can fix that, and even keep the reflection as a separate image if you want it.

While these tools are amazing, they also make me a bit uneasy. It's getting easier and easier to modify content, and that could be a problem in the wrong hands. Still, the potential for creativity is incredible.

Check out the Adobe MAX 2023 announcements here .

14. AI-Powered Customer Service

Last but not least, let me tell you about Bland.ai . This thing can create AI-powered customer service agents with realistic-sounding voices. What's cool is you can try it out for free on their website just by putting in your phone number.

I gave it a shot and asked the AI to sell me rainwater and then velcro. I was blown away by how quickly it adapted and came up with persuasive stories. It even argued that the rainwater I could find outside (it was raining at the time) wasn't as good as their "specialized" product.

Talk about a smooth talker!

It's impressive, but it also makes me think about how businesses might interact with customers in the future.

You can try it yourself here .

And that's a wrap on my 14 (or 15, counting Adobe's double feature) mind-blowing AI moments. Each one shows just how fast and drastically AI and tech are changing our world.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not reflect those of my employer. This content is based on my personal insights and research, undertaken independently and without association to my firm.