Author: The Horizon

NYC ends trial run of Times Square subway’s security robot

The New York Police Department’s high-tech experiment involving the Knightscope K5 robot at the Times Square subway station has come to an end. The 400-pound machine was deployed in a pilot last year to enhance commuter safety but had limited practical capabilities.

Google releases GenAI tools for music creation

Google has released MusicFX, an upgrade to its music-generating tool, MusicLM. With the ability to create tunes and music loops of up to 70 seconds in length, this model promises higher-quality and faster music generation. Now available to the public via Google’s AI Test Kitchen app, MusicFX uses text prompts to craft personalized tracks, providing […]

Google reveals another text-to-image generative AI tool, ImageFX

Google is introducing updates to its generative AI tools, including ImageFX, MusicFX, and TextFX, with improvements in speed, quality, and usability. The new ImageFX interface features “expressive chips” to facilitate quick experimentation with image creation and ideas.Changes in Imagen 2 model have led to advancements in generating high-quality AI images while addressing safety concerns and […]

Google Maps is getting “supercharged” with generative AI

Google Maps is integrating generative AI to provide personalized recommendations based on large language models and user insights, initially available in the US and later in other countries.   The generative AI will use sophisticated language models to analyze Maps’ detailed information about more than 250 million places and trusted insights from the community to […]

Antitrust enforcers admit they’re in a race to understand how to tackle AI

Antitrust enforcers in the U.S. and the EU are grappling with the challenges posed by the rise of generative AI and the dominance of Big Tech in the digital economy. The conference in Brussels featured discussions on the potential regulatory responses to these issues, highlighting the need for vigilance and proactive measures to address market […]

Google Bard gets image generation and a more capable Gemini Pro to take on ChatGPT

Google’s Bard AI chatbot is being updated to include image generation capabilities and the more capable Gemini Pro, making it a more globally accessible and helpful AI collaborator.   Google is experimenting with ImageFX, a new image generation tool, and expanding the availability of Gemini Pro to over 40 languages across more than 230 countries […]

An AI Just Learned Language Through the Eyes and Ears of a Toddler

Researchers used videos from a toddler’s life to train an AI, called Child’s View for Contrastive Learning (CVCL), to understand language. The AI learned to link words to visual concepts with just a tiny portion of one child’s life experience.   The AI was tested on its ability to recognize and link words to images, […]

Amazon launches Rufus, an AI-powered shopping assistant

Amazon’s new AI shopping assistant, Rufus, is trained on the company’s product catalog, customer reviews, community Q&As, and information from across the web. Rufus aims to be a one-stop shop for all shopping needs, providing advice, product comparisons, and recommendations.   Amazon is heavily investing in generative AI across the company, with plans to improve […]

Tim Cook confirms Apple’s generative AI features are coming “later this year”

Apple is working on generative AI software features that will be released later this year, making iOS 18 potentially the biggest update in the operating system’s history.   CEO Tim Cook teased about the ongoing work in artificial intelligence, indicating that AI will shape the future of Apple’s software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. […]

Meta’s OK-Robot performs zero-shot pick-and-drop in unseen environments

The cutting-edge of robotics and AI is being pushed even further with the introduction of an open-knowledge-based framework called OK-Robot, which combines pre-trained machine learning models and robotic systems to perform tasks in unfamiliar environments.   OK-Robot’s framework seamlessly integrates vision-language models with robotics primitives, as well as newer models developed by the VLM and […]

Europcar says someone likely used ChatGPT to promote a fake data breach

Someone in a hacking forum claimed to have 48 million Europcar customer records for sale, but Europcar and industry experts believe it to be fake data, potentially generated by ChatGPT or a similar tool. The forum user failed to provide evidence for the legitimacy of the data, and the analysis revealed inconsistencies and fake information […]

ChatGPT’s new @-mentions bring multiple personalities into your AI convo

OpenAI has introduced a new feature in ChatGPT that enables users to incorporate custom AI personalities, called GPTs, into any conversation using the @ symbol. This feature allows for a level of teamwork within ChatGPT, making collaboration with a team of AI agents a step closer to reality.   GPTs were initially introduced as a […]

AI and blockchains might need one another to evolve, according to new report

Over the past few years, significant technological advancements have occurred in the artificial intelligence and blockchain industries. These sectors, while at different stages of widespread acceptance, are encountering challenges that the other could potentially address. According to a new report from TenSquared Capital (10SQ), AI may benefit more from blockchain than the other way around. […]

Fortnite’ Fail: Epic Games Scrambles to Remove Racist AI-Generated Images

Epic Games responds to outcry over racist AI-generated images uploaded to Fortnite, promising to remove offensive content and take action against violators. Users of the popular battle royale game have been creating their own maps and sharing playable experiences, leading to the upload of problematic content. Epic Games is facing challenges in moderating user-generated content […]

Elon Musk’s Neuralink has its first human patient… and competition

Neuralink, the brain-computer company founded by Elon Musk, achieved a significant milestone as it successfully implanted a device in a live human patient for the first time. Musk reported that the patient is recovering well, and the data from the implant shows promise. This development comes after U.S. authorities granted approval for human clinical trials […]

OpenAI Says ChatGPT Probably Won’t Make a Bioweapon

OpenAI recently conducted a study on the effectiveness of GPT-4 in creating a bioweapon and found that its AI poses only a slight risk in aiding someone to produce a biological threat. The assessment involved 50 biology experts with PhDs and 50 university students, divided into control and treatment groups, to evaluate the impact of […]