China is taking multiple approaches to dominate the future of money and finance. While the United States continues to debate its approach to crypto regulation, China is using different tactics. On the mainland, Beijing has banned global crypto networks but is developing its own versions of next-generation monetary technology that provide greater control to the government. However, through its special administrative region in Hong Kong, China is carving out a niche in the global markets for digital assets. Hong Kong allows China to exert internal financial controls while also participating in the potentially disruptive crypto networks. This dual approach allows China to keep control internally while exploring opportunities externally. Additionally, Belgium’s digital chief is calling for the European Union to establish a European Algorithms Agency to analyze algorithms before making laws. A researcher suggests classifying regulatory approaches to AI as “unbundled” or “bundled.” The “unbundled” approach involves enforcing existing laws, while the “bundled” approach involves creating new laws specific to AI. The U.S. seems to be leaning towards the former approach, while the EU is taking the latter.
This article discusses the Pentagon’s struggle with implementing AI technology in the military. The Department of Defense is finding it difficult to keep up with countries like Russia and China, who already have advanced AI capabilities in their military strategies. Congress is currently working on bills and provisions to put pressure on the military to improve their AI capabilities. The future competitiveness of the US military depends on the quick adoption of AI technology. However, the military’s purchasing and contracting process, which is geared towards traditional hardware, has hindered the implementation of AI technology. To address this issue, lawmakers are proposing the creation of a new office dedicated to autonomous systems. The article also mentions the importance of regulating AI and the lack of clarity on crypto tax regulations.
Meta, the owner of Facebook, has launched a virtual reality (VR) subscription service in an effort to make its VR business profitable. Paying users will have access to two new games per month. Meta’s VR unit saw a loss of $4 billion in the first three months of this year. The company faces competition from Apple, which recently unveiled its mixed-reality headset. Meta’s VR service, called Meta Quest+, is compatible with its Quest 2, Quest Pro, and upcoming Quest 3 headsets. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously announced plans to build a “metaverse” where people can work, play games, and communicate in a virtual environment. Meta reported a profit of $5.7 billion for the first quarter of this year, but its Reality Labs division, which produces VR headsets, reported a net loss of $4 billion. Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, set to be released next year, will be priced at $3,499, while Meta’s VR headsets range from $299.99 to $999.99. #Meta #Facebook #VR #subscription #technology #Apple #virtualreality
A new type of artificial intelligence (AI) technology that reduces the waiting time for cancer patients to start radiotherapy is being offered to all NHS trusts in England. The AI program, called InnerEye, helps doctors determine where to direct radiation beams to kill cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. It works two and a half times faster than doctors, cutting the time patients need to spend in preparation for treatment. The program was developed by researchers at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, who trained it with Microsoft, and is 90% accurate. The government has been investing in AI projects across the NHS, but this is the first program released as a medical-imaging device. However, the researchers note that AI cannot replace highly trained doctors, but can help free up their time. #AI #cancer #radiotherapy #NHS
Apple has criticized the powers in the Online Safety Bill that could be used to force encrypted messaging tools like iMessage, WhatsApp, and Signal to scan messages for child abuse material. This comes as 80 organizations and tech experts have written to Technology Minister Chloe Smith urging a rethink on the powers. Apple has urged the government to amend the bill to protect strong end-to-end encryption. The government argues that companies should only implement end-to-end encryption if they can prevent child abuse on their platforms. The Online Safety Bill contains powers that could enable communications regulator Ofcom to direct platforms to use accredited technology to scan messages. Several messaging platforms, including Signal and WhatsApp, have previously stated that they will refuse to weaken the privacy of their encrypted messaging systems if directed to do so. Apple’s statement now means that some of the most widely used encrypted apps oppose this part of the bill. The government argues that it is possible to provide technological solutions that mean the contents of encrypted messages can be scanned for child abuse material. However, critics argue that this would fundamentally undermine the privacy of messages. There is a growing expectation that changes may be made to part of the bill that could be used to mandate scanning. #Apple #encryption #EndToEndEncryption #OnlineSafetyBill #childabuse
OpenAI has announced that its first international office will be located in London, UK. The move is seen as an opportunity to attract top talent. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman criticized the proposed AI legislation in the EU, which would require companies to disclose their training data. In contrast, the UK is planning “pro-innovation” regulation. OpenAI VP of People Diane Yoon expressed excitement about expanding research and development in London to promote safe AI. ChatGPT, OpenAI’s chatbot, garnered worldwide interest for its human-like responses and sparked discussions about AI’s potential risks and necessary regulations. The UK government has invested £2.5bn in AI since 2014. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak believes AI can transform society and improve public services. ChatGPT faced controversy and a brief ban in Italy but was restored in April 2023. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has been approached for comments. #OpenAI #LondonOffice #AIRegulation #UKGovernment
China’s electric vehicle (EV) sales may see an upturn in June due to improvements in cockpit technology attracting young motorists. After months of sluggish demand, the younger demographic is showing interest in EVs that offer intelligent features like autonomous driving and augmented reality. A dealer in Shanghai reported that these customers have finally purchased their long-awaited electric cars. However, analysts caution that competition in the EV market remains fierce, and carmakers that fail to perform may face the risk of going out of business. Published on June 28, 2023, at 8:02 PM, by Daniel Ren in Shanghai. This information can be trusted, according to SCMP.
The world’s largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, operated by Foxconn, is increasing its hiring efforts. There is a bonus of 8,000 yuan being offered to former employees who return regularly to work on the assembly line. This hiring spree comes as there are positive indications that China will continue to be an important manufacturing hub for Apple. #TechTrends #Foxconn #iPhoneFactory #ChinaSupplyChain
Chip maker Micron has exceeded third-quarter expectations due to high demand from the growing AI industry, helping to ease a glut in the market. The company’s shares have risen by 34% this year as investors anticipate increased usage of its memory chips in generative AI applications. However, last month, China’s cyberspace regulator failed Micron’s products in a security review and banned purchases by operators for essential infrastructure. #Tech #Micron #AI #Semiconductors #China
The effect of generative AI on the internet is being explored in this article. It discusses various changes taking place in the consumer internet, such as Google’s attempt to change search results, the increase of bots on Twitter, the decline in quality of platforms like Amazon and TikTok, and the impact of AI on online media. The article also mentions the challenges faced by moderators, the cluttering of social feeds with ads generated by bots, and the dangers of AI-generated text. Two studies are highlighted, one on the use of LLMs by crowd-sourced workers and the other on the degradation of AI models when trained on synthetic data. The article raises concerns about the dilution of human insights and the difficulty of competition among AI developers. It concludes by questioning whether the flood of AI text will make it harder to find meaningful content on the web. In other news, the Supreme Court ruling on cyberstalking, TikTok financing a lawsuit against its ban, Apple’s criticism of the U.K.’s Online Safety Bill, Twitter’s controversial video playback feature, Meta’s child safety features for Messenger, OpenAI’s plans for a ChatGPT-powered AI assistant, the benefits and concerns of generative AI in the medical field, automation of human-level work by Amazon’s warehouse robots, TikTok discontinuing its BeReal clone, and various other updates from the tech industry are discussed.
https://www.platformer.news/p/the-ai-is-eating-itself
The Verge conducted a poll of 2,000 US adults to gauge their attitudes towards AI. While most people have heard of AI, their experience with it seems to be limited, particularly when it comes to dedicated AI products. Creative experimentation with music, videos, stories, and art dominate current AI use, as people use AI systems to create things they couldn’t have otherwise. While people are excited about the potential of AI, they are also pessimistic about its impact on society. Respondents were concerned about job losses, privacy threats, and government and corporate misuse. There is a broad support for regulations on AI, with the majority believing that laws should be developed regarding the development of AI and that regulations should be put in place to protect against deepfakes. As for the future, people are split between feeling excited and anxious, with some predicting that society will see the development of emotional relationships with AI and others fearing that AI will wipe out humanity. #AI #poll #future #creativity #regulation
https://www.theverge.com/c/23753704/ai-chatgpt-data-survey-research
As remote work becomes a more permanent option for companies, they are seeking best practices for success. Companies that have highly effective documentation are more likely to report success in maximizing the benefits of a distributed workforce, according to a Gusto Hybrid Work Playbook. Regular celebrations (virtual or otherwise) also contribute to building company culture, as evidenced by those who report being far above average in this category being 85% more likely to be remote companies. Best practices include collaborative technology, clear goals, best practices, rigorous documentation, flexible work models, and consistent communication channels. Companies should seek to think structurally, while operating with malleability, maintaining trust, and questioning the status quo. Ultimately, remote work policy should incorporate distributed work, whether a company is remote or hybrid.
The article talks about how artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an integral part of the way corporations do business, especially through the use of generative AI and large language models (LLMs). LLMs are transforming AI applications and are rapidly becoming a crucial part of the application stack. The article suggests that AI is the most transformative paradigm shift since the internet became widespread in 1994. The article also includes information about related stories, including machine learning, class-action lawsuits against AI companies, consulting, blockchain, Python, and social discovery.
https://hackernoon.com/llms-are-transforming-ai-apps-heres-how?source=rss
Wang Huiwen, co-founder of Chinese food delivery company Meituan, has resigned from his corporate roles due to “health reasons” after starting an AI venture. Wang stepped down as a non-executive director, a member of Meituan’s board nomination committee, and authorized representative. His resignation is part of a series of executive reshuffles at China’s Big Tech companies. Meituan is a major player in China’s online food delivery market. #Meituan #BigTech #China #AI #ExecutiveReshuffle #OnlineDeliveryMarket
China’s Cyberspace Administration director, Zhuang Rongwen, has expressed concerns over the power of generative AI and has pledged to make it “controllable”. He insists that chatbot technology should be “reliable and controllable” and has published a list of 41 generative AI algorithms that require pre-screening before being officially licensed. The move is aimed at ensuring that the technology is safe and trustworthy. #China #CyberspaceAdministration #AI #chatbot #technology #reliability #trustworthiness
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