Author: The Horizon

Entrust is buying AI-based ID verification startup Onfido, sources say for more than $400M

In a high-stakes tale of acquisitions and tech triumph, the digital identity verification space is abuzz with news of Onfido’s impending acquisition by Entrust, a move that could shake the industry’s foundations. Sources whisper of a hefty sum north of $400 million changing hands, signaling an era-defining union. As regulatory hoops are maneuvered through, the […]

Nicki Minaj, Who’s Used AI, Decries Use of AI

Nicki Minaj, amidst her ongoing feud with Megan Thee Stallion, has surprisingly joined forces with a motley crew of artists to back the ‘No Artificial Intelligence Fake Replicas And Unauthorized Duplications Act.’ This bill, introduced in the House of Representatives, aims to regulate AI voice replicas and protect individuals from nonconsensual deepfakes. While advocating for […]

Embattled Sheriff Caught Posting AI-Generated Headlines About How She’s Awesome

Philadelphia’s Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, known for winning reelection last November, faced a shocking revelation as her campaign’s positive press turned out to be the work of AI. The _Philadelphia Inquirer_ uncovered that the numerous articles boosting Bilal’s image were actually crafted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Despite being elected in 2019 with promises to cleanse the sheriff’s […]

AI breakthrough enables scientists to read Roman scrolls once buried by Mount Vesuvius

The Vesuvius Challenge, a historic endeavor initiated by University of Kentucky researcher Brent Seales, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and investor Daniel Gross, has unraveled fascinating insights from the ancient Herculaneum scrolls after a volcanic eruption and two thousand years. This international effort combined CT scans, machine learning, and tech expertise to decipher the scrolls […]

AI vision and autonomous lifeboats could be the future of sea rescue

Sam Mayall, a seasoned sailor, founded Zelim in 2017 to revolutionize remote-controlled search and rescue operations at sea, aiming to prevent accidents and save lives. Zelim’s AI-powered person-overboard detection technology, ZOE, has a 90% accuracy rate in real-time tracking of individuals, vessels, and objects in stormy seas, enhancing safety around offshore assets. In addition to […]

Google reportedly rebranding Bard to Gemini, adding ‘Advanced’ subscription service

Google has rebranded its AI assistant from Bard to Gemini, emphasizing accessibility to Google AI for all users across supported countries and languages. With the introduction of Gemini Advanced, users can access Google’s latest AI advancements, including the powerful Ultra 1.0 model, for complex tasks like coding and logical reasoning. The new Gemini app aims […]

EU member states approve world-first AI law

The European Union has approved the world’s first comprehensive AI regulation, known as the AI Act, after negotiations among all 27 member states. France, Germany, and Italy had reservations, with France being the last holdout before finally agreeing to the deal.   The AI Act aims to provide harmonized rules for artificial intelligence while ensuring […]

Bumble’s new AI tool identifies and blocks scam accounts, fake profiles

Bumble is launching a new AI-powered feature called Deception Detector to combat spam, scams, and fake profiles on its platform, with impressive initial testing results. Its deception Detector aims to automatically block 95% of identified spam or scam accounts and has already reduced user reports of malicious content by 45% within two months. Bumble’s research […]

‘DignifAI:’ 4chan Is Editing Pictures to Clothe Women

In a surprising twist on digital innovation, some individuals have taken it upon themselves to combat the trend of “nudifying” apps by leveraging technology to dress women who are depicted as “undignified.” This unique initiative aims to challenge societal norms and promote respect and empowerment for women in the digital realm. The striking DignifAI profile […]

Roblox breaks language barriers with AI-based real-time chat translation

Roblox, a popular gaming platform, has introduced an AI-powered real-time chat translation feature in 16 languages, revolutionizing global communication within the gaming community. This innovative technology allows users to seamlessly converse in their preferred language, transcending linguistic barriers and enhancing inclusivity on the platform.   The chat translation feature, based on Roblox’s proprietary artificial intelligence, […]

Microsoft in deal with Semafor to create news stories with aid of AI chatbot

In a savvy strategic move, Microsoft partners with media start-up Semafor to utilize AI chatbots in journalism, unveiling their initiative with a weighty investment in a breaking news feed named ‘Signals’. The collaboration aims to offer multiple global perspectives on significant stories through human-written posts leveraging AI as a research tool.   This bold move […]

Human resources gets AI upgrade with ADP Assist

Human resources (HR) professionals are facing increasing demands in today’s evolving workplace landscape, fueled by fragmentation and remote work scenarios.   ADP, a leading HR and employee benefits software systems provider, has launched ADP Assist, a generative AI-powered chatbot tool aimed at assisting HR managers with common queries and tasks.   ADP Assist offers features […]

Deepfake Video Call Scams Finance Bro Out of $25 Million

Welcome to the age of digital deception! In a jaw-dropping heist straight out of a Hollywood thriller, a finance worker in Hong Kong was conned into wiring over $25 million to scammers posing as his colleagues and company CFO in a sophisticated deepfake video call. The employee, initially suspicious of phishing attempts, fell victim to […]

Zuck Brags About How Much of Your Facebook, Instagram Posts Will Power His AI

Meta, formerly Facebook, is using users’ public posts on Instagram and Facebook to train powerful AI tools, making their social media profiles one of the most valuable datasets globally. Mark Zuckerberg boasted about Meta’s vast library of user-generated content during an earnings call, emphasizing the immense value of personal data in training AI models like […]

Rebellions lands $124M to develop its new AI Rebel chip with Samsung

Rebellions, a South Korean AI chip startup, has secured $124 million in a Series B funding round, with strategic investors such as KT, Temasek’s Pavilion Capital, Korea Development Bank, Korelya Capital, and DG Daiwa Ventures participating. The funding will be used to develop its third AI chip, Rebel, and to ramp up production of its […]

FBI enlists Amazon Rekognition AI surveillance tech

The FBI plans to use Amazon’s Rekognition cloud service to extract information and insights from lawfully acquired images and videos, with the project in the “initiation” phase listed as code-named Tyr.   Amazon’s Rekognition service offers various capabilities, including facial recognition, object detection, and identifying inappropriate content in images and videos.   While Amazon previously […]

Tech Layoffs Not Tied to Economic Struggles, but AI Investments

Tech layoffs are a strategic move by companies to realign priorities and invest in AI, rather than a sign of economic struggles.   Despite recent layoffs, tech stocks are at all-time highs and the unemployment rate remains low, reflecting investor confidence in these strategic moves.   Investments in AI are central to the tech industry’s […]

Open-source PixArt-δ image generator spits out high-resolution AI images in 0.5 seconds

Move over Stable Diffusion, because PixArt-δ is giving you a run for your money. This new open-source image generator is faster, more accurate, and churns out high-resolution images with breathtaking speed. Researchers from Huawei Noah’s Ark Lab, Dalian University of Technology, Tsinghua University, and Hugging Face have collaborated to present PixArt-δ, a robust text-to-image synthesis […]