🗞️ AI News Recap

Hey TEDchats Fam!

Happy Monday! Think of AI like a digital carnival, complete with a dizzying array of rides and attractions. But here's the twist – it's the world's biggest amusement park, and every day, they're adding new roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and funhouses. Without a recap, it's like visiting the park without a map, leaving you wondering which ride to hop on and where the cotton candy stand is. Let's navigate this AI amusement park together and uncover what happened in the past week!

🐇 QUICK BITES — THE PAST WEEK

Nvidia's Chip Exports to China Blocked!

Nvidia, an AI industry giant valued at over $1 trillion, faced setbacks due to export restrictions on its H100 chip to China. In response, they introduced the H800 chip, but further U.S. restrictions now block its export, impacting their foothold in the Chinese market. These restrictions aim to enhance national security, focusing on concerns about the People's Republic of China (PRC) military modernization (read more). While Nvidia remains optimistic about global demand, industry associations caution against unilateral controls potentially alienating overseas customers (read more).

Amazon’s Massive Upgrades to Robotics Systems

Amazon revolutionizes the receiving, processing, and delivering of customer orders with robotics. This includes the Sequoia system for inventory processing, and the bot Digit for warehouse navigation and item handling. But, how does this affect Amazon's human workforce? While robotics raise job displacement concerns, Amazon pledges collaboration, with robots like 'Digit' aiding in repetitive tasks like tote recycling. Sequoia emphasizes worker safety with ergonomic workstations (read more).

Chinese Zhipu AI Raises $340 Million to Fuel AI Race

Zhipu AI, a dynamic player in China's AI landscape, has claimed to secure an impressive 2.5 billion yuan ($340 million) in financing this year. The company, which emerged from Tsinghua University, is a significant contributor to the global AI race. Zhipu's milestone coincides with mounting geopolitical tensions and semiconductor restrictions, prompting a shift towards local investments in yuan-denominated funds. This development underscores the evolving dynamics of AI innovation and financial support, as major tech and venture capital players in China unite behind Zhipu's vision (see more).

Microsoft's CEO Praises AI in Annual Letter

In his annual letter to shareholders, Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, highlights the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). He's unequivocal in stating that AI is the most significant computing advancement in over a decade. Despite Microsoft's past endeavors in mobile, search, and hardware, it's AI that has them riding the innovation wave. According to Nadella, this next generation of AI will reshape businesses and software, marking a significant shift where Microsoft is taking the lead (read more).

Waymo's Waymax Transforms Autonomous Driving

Waymo, a pioneer in autonomous vehicles, introduces Waymax—a game-changing simulator for autonomous driving research. It's designed for training intelligent agents, using actual perception data and emphasizing realism over scripted behaviors, focusing on complex real-world behaviors among road users (read more).

Driver-less Vehicles to Hit Japan

In 2026, Cruise's robotaxi service will expand to Japan, its second international market after Dubai. Owned by General Motors (GM), Cruise's move is more than tech; it addresses Japan's driver shortage due to an aging population. Honda, a major investor, and GM collaborate on this autonomous vehicle venture, showcasing their partnership.

OpenAI Announces AI Image Detector

OpenAI has made a tool that can identify pictures created by its DALL-E art machine. It apparently works well, catching almost 99% of such pictures (see more - 36:45). But OpenAI isn't sure if they should share this tool with everyone yet. The big question: How do we label a picture as "made by AI" if it's been edited a lot? As OpenAI thinks this over, the tool's release remains up in the air.

NYC Mayor Uses Multiple AI Voices

NYC Mayor Eric Adams uses AI for multilingual automated calls, known as robocalls, sparking debate. While some are surprised to hear him speak in various languages, critics find it misleading. Adams defends the move, stressing the need for inclusive communication (see more).

Startup Tape It Launches AI Denoiser

Tape It, the innovative startup known for its AI-powered instrument detection, has taken a leap forward. This week, they introduced an AI denoiser, available as a free web app. This studio-quality noise reduction solution is powered by AI, not limited to speech, and holds the potential to revolutionize audio recording (read more).

YouTube’s Secret Voice Cloning Tool

YouTube dives into music's future with an AI voice cloning tool. According to a recent Bloomberg report, the streaming platform is in talks with music companies to acquire rights to use their songs for training this innovative tool. Yet, big-name artists like Drake, John Legend, and Selena Gomez have announced a general worry about AI mimicking their singing styles.

Meta’s New Mixed Reality!

After the Meta Quest 3 headset release, early adopters are taking it to the streets, showing off its capabilities in various settings. Users can be seen wearing the device, referring to it as "mixed reality," and interacting with their surroundings. Notably, the device offers full-color, low-latency passthrough video for a seamless experience. However, privacy and ethics concerns have arisen, reminiscent of the skepticism faced by Google Glass users, who were dubbed "Glassholes."

Google's New Language Learning Feature

In a strategic move to help language learners improve their English-speaking skills, Google is set to challenge Duolingo with its latest Search feature. Rolling out in select countries, including Argentina, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Venezuela, this new tool offers interactive speaking practice for users translating to or from English. With brief practice sessions lasting 3 to 5 minutes, Google Search provides personalized feedback and even offers daily reminders to encourage continuous improvement (read more).

Deepfake Detection Startup Secures $15 million

Reality Defender, a deepfake detection startup, secured $15 million in a Series A funding round. Founded by ex-Goldman Sachs VP Ben Colman, the firm leads in deepfake detection tech. With a threefold rise in video deepfakes this year, they are advancing detection algorithms and preparing for emerging AI content generation threats, aiming to safeguard media integrity against deceptive AI content (see more).

🧰 AI TOOLBOX — RECAP 

👋 GET READY

As we wrap up this digital carnival of AI updates, consider it as moving from one thrilling ride to the next. We've enjoyed the current attractions, but there's so much more to explore. What exciting tech adventures await us on the next visit? Stay tuned for our next newsletter!