November 19, 2023

OpenAI jettisons CEO Sam Altman for dishonesty

Board Chairman Greg Brockman will also leave his role as a result of the shakeup. OpenAI initially stated that Brockman would remain in his role as president, but shortly after the announcement of the reshuffling, he announced that he would quit the company entirely. The company’s CTO, Mira Murati, will take over as interim CEO, according to OpenAI, and the board will begin to conduct a formal search for a permanent replacement. Brockman will report to Murati, the company noted. Ritu Jyoti, group vice president for worldwide AI and automation research at IDC, called the shakeup “astonishing,” noting that Altman had been present at many public events, even in the days before his ouster, and that there was no sense of trouble in the offing for the CEO. “I’m sure the board has taken the right decision,” she said. “But it’s quite unexpected.”" Brockman and Murati were both promoted to their former roles in May 2023. Brockman has been closely involved in both broad strategy for the company as well as personal coding contributions, and has focused on training “flagship AI systems” since assuming the role of president.

Microsoft and Meta quizzed on AI copyright

The Lords were keen to hear what the two experts thought about open and closed data models and how to balance risk with innovation. Sherman said: “Our company has been very focused on [this]. We’ve been very supportive of open source along with lots of other companies, researchers, academics and nonprofits as a viable and an important component of the AI ecosystem.” Along with the work a wider community can provide in tuning data models and identifying security risks, Sherman pointed out that open models lower the barrier to entry. This means the development of LLMs is not restricted to the largest businesses – small and mid-sized firms are also able to innovate. In spite of Microsoft’s commitment to open source, Larter appeared more cautious. He told the committee that there needs to be a conversation about some of the trade-offs between openness and safety and security, especially around what he described as “highly capable frontier models”. “I think we need to take a risk-based approach there,” he said.?

The deepfake dilemma: Detection and decree

Deepfake technology poses significant challenges in legal proceedings, particularly in criminal cases, with potential repercussions on individuals' personal and professional lives. The absence of mechanisms to authenticate evidence in most legal systems puts the onus on the defendant or opposing party to contest manipulation, potentially privatizing a pervasive problem. To address this, a proposed rule could mandate the authentication of evidence, possibly through entities like the Directorate of Forensic Science Services, before court admission, albeit with associated economic costs. In India, existing laws offer some recourse against deepfake issues, but the lack of a clear legal definition hampers targeted prosecution. The evolving nature of deepfake technology compounds the challenges for automated detection systems, leading to increased difficulty, particularly in the face of contextual complexities. This poses a significant threat to legal proceedings, potentially prolonging trials and heightening the risk of false assumptions.

The data skills gap keeps getting bigger. Here's how one company is filling it

The key message, says Moore, is that Bentley's apprenticeship program is adding data talent to the IT skills pool and it's helping to foster a community of like-minded professionals. "We've got a group of people who've gone through the program. It's not just one school leaver going to a corner of an office and not being sure how to fit in," he says. "I've now got people on first, second, third, and fourth years of degrees. That depth of talent means there's always someone to ask for help and support. There's a great community." Moore says Bentley recruits the students and then places them with a university. "I'm keen first and foremost that they're coming to Bentley and they're adding value. They're connecting with the brand, sustainability, and inclusivity that we offer -- and a lot of people are resonating with that idea." When it comes to recruiting talent for the program, Moore says he's put a lot of effort into going to schools. He typically looks for a solid grade in math, as both the degree and the work at Bentley are "stats-heavy".

What are the Benefits of DevOps?

CI/CD is a cornerstone of DevOps. Continuous integration involves frequently integrating code changes into a shared repository, where automated tests are run to catch integration issues early. Continuous Deployment takes this a step further by automating the deployment of code changes to production environments. This automated pipeline reduces the risk of human error and ensures that the latest code is always available to users. ... DevOps encourages a focus on quality and reliability throughout the development process. Automated testing, part of the CI/CD pipeline, ensures that new code changes do not introduce regressions or bugs. This leads to more stable and reliable software, as issues are caught and resolved before they reach production. ... DevOps heavily relies on automation tools to streamline processes. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) treats infrastructure setup as code, allowing developers to define and manage infrastructure using version-controlled files. This approach eliminates manual setup, reduces inconsistencies and accelerates environment provisioning.

A Roadmap to True Observability

Ultimately, true observability empowers teams to deliver more reliable, responsive, and efficient applications that elevate the overall user experience. In order to achieve "true" observability, it's important to understand the Observability Maturity Model. This model outlines the stages through which organizations evolve in their observability practices, acting as a roadmap. Here, we'll describe each maturity stage, highlight their advantages and disadvantages, and offer some practical tips for moving from one stage to the next. ... After understanding the Observability Maturity Model, it's essential to explore the multifaceted approach companies must embrace for a successful observability transition. Despite the need to adopt advanced tools and practices, the path to "true" observability can demand significant cultural and organizational shifts. Companies must develop strategies that align with the observability maturity model, nurture a collaborative culture, and make cross-team communication a priority. The rewards are quite substantial — faster issue resolution and improved user experience, making "true" observability a transformative journey for IT businesses.

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