AI News (July 2024)

The Morning After: Mark Zuckerberg is surprisingly angry about closed platforms

In a fireside chat on Monday between NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the SIGGRAPH 2024, the latter dropped the f-bomb. After exchanging leather jackets (apparently two billionaires can’t get custom-made jackets that fit), the two talke…

X’s Grok chatbot is misleading voters about the presidential election

The US is in the middle of another hotly contested and seemingly close presidential election. This election is also happening in this new age of widespread access to artificial intelligence and easily disseminated misinformation. Minnesota Secretary of State …

US officials announce the takedown of an AI-powered Russian bot farm

US officials and their allies have identified and taken down an artificial intelligence-powered Russian bot farm comprised of almost 1,000 accounts, which spread disinformation and pro-Russian sentiments on X. The Justice Department has revealed the the schem…

The Morning After: US officials help take down AI-powered Russian bot farm with nearly 1,000 fake X accounts

US officials and their allies have identified and taken down an artificial intelligence-powered Russian bot farm comprising almost 1,000 accounts. These accounts were able to spread disinformation and pro-Russian sentiments across X, formerly Twitter. The Jus…

AI’s Energy Demands Are Out of Control. Welcome to the Internet’s Hyper-Consumption Era

Generative artificial intelligence tools, now part of the everyday user experience online, are causing stress on local power grids and mass water evaporation.

The Paris Olympics Will Show Us the Future of Sports on TV

This summer’s Games are going to look bigger and better and louder than ever, thanks to key innovations in the broadcast booth and in the cloud.

Meta’s New Llama 3.1 AI Model Is Free, Powerful, and Risky

The newest version of Llama will make AI more accessible and customizable, but it will also stir up debate around the potential pitfalls of releasing AI without guardrails.

New Jersey’s $500 Million Bid to Become an AI Epicenter

The Garden State has enacted a hefty new tax credit specifically for AI businesses. But tax incentives—particularly around data centers—haven’t always created large numbers of jobs.

OpenAI Touts New AI Safety Research. Critics Say It’s a Good Step, but Not Enough

The company announced a new technique to make the workings of its systems more transparent, but people familiar with OpenAI say more oversight is needed.

Google DeepMind’s Game-Playing AI Tackles a Chatbot Blindspot

Google’s new advance combines a large language model with a self-learning AI. The technique could address some shortcomings with AI—although there’s a catch.

OpenAI Slashes the Cost of Using Its AI With a “Mini” Model

With competing models—including many free ones—flooding the market, OpenAI is announcing a cheaper way to use its AI.

The AI-Powered Future of Coding Is Near

Tech companies—including OpenAI—are developing a new generation of AI assistants that can not only write code but debug, organize, and critique it, too.

Toyota Pulls Off a Fast and Furious Demo With Dual Drifting AI-Powered Race Cars

Algorithms designed to handle a car after it loses traction could potentially intervene on behalf of human drivers.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Is Ready to Implant a Second Volunteer

In a livestreamed update on X, Elon Musk and Neuralink executives gave an update on its next study participant—and the company’s next-generation brain implant.

A North Korean Hacker Tricked a US Security Vendor Into Hiring Him—and Immediately Tried to Hack Them

KnowBe4 detailed the incident in a recent blog post as a warning for other potential targets.

Go Read This: The Verge’s favorite reads from all over the web

These are the best reads on the web about technology, science, entertainment, gaming, and more, curated by the staff of The Verge.

The first all-quadriplegic esports team levels the playing field

Director Jess Jacklin talks to The Verge about her new documentary and how she entered the world of competitive esports.

Disney’s Internal Slack Messages Reportedly Leak in 1 Terabyte Tranche From Hacktivists

The threat actor behind the alleged breach claims it is a “hacktivist” group dedicated to defending artists from generative AI.

America’s Cyber Security Agency Picks Its First Head of AI

The pick comes at a time when CISA’s head has compared the new technology to nuclear weapons.

OpenAI Partners With Los Alamos Lab to Save Us From AI

Los Alamos warns that ChatGPT-4 can provide information “that could lead to the creation of biological threats.”

5 Ways That AI Is Actually Useful Right Now

Are you unsure on you can use AI help you in your day-to-day? Here are some great uses cases to leverage AI in your daily work flow.

Senate Unanimously Passes Anti-Deepfake Porn Bill

In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, the Defiance Act, an anti-deepfake port bill, passed unanimously in the Senate today.

Oklahoma, Alabama Now Have AI-Powered Vending Machines That Sell Bullets

In a questionable new trend, supermarkets in the South now seem to be selling bullets right out of a dispenser.

ChatGPT Basically Sucks at Diagnosing Patients

Presented with complex medical scenarios, ChatGPT gave the wrong answer more than half the time and often missed crucial information.

Marc Andreessen Thinks AI Could ‘Save’ Comedy

The tech money man thinks that jokes written by algorithm are the future of funny.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Review: A Good Laptop With Lackluster AI Capabilities

Lenovo and Qualcomm team up to make an otherwise great laptop stymied by lackluster AI and underwhelming battery life.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Review: A Good Laptop With Lackluster AI Capabilities

Lenovo and Qualcomm team up to make an otherwise great laptop stymied by lackluster AI and underwhelming battery life.

Elon Musk’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Tesla CEO Elon Musk started the week off feeling himself. That changed as the week continued.

Silicon Valley Royalty Put on the MAGA Hat and Open Their Wallets

The unhinged moneymen of Silicon Valley are all in on MAGA. Offended? They say it’s strictly business.

AI Learning From Its Own Nonsense Might Just Self-Destruct, Experts Warn

A recent study highlights the increasing risk of AI model collapse due to self-training, emphasizing the need for original data sources and careful data filtering.

Sam Altman-Funded Study Finds UBI Won’t Save Us From AI

A new study funded by the OpenAI CEO found that basic income can help pay the bills, but far from a solution to AI taking everyone’s job.

How Small Teams at Intuitive Machines Are Solving Big Lunar Challenges

Intuitive Machines CTO Tim Crain spoke to Gizmodo about the new space race and what it will take to return to the Moon.

Is a Universal Basic Income System Even Possible?

The titans of AI say they’re coming for your job, but UBI will solve everything. Do they have a point?

There Are So Many New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books Releasing in August

Feast your eyes on 61 fantastical new titles, including tales from James S.A. Corey, Nnedi Okorafor, Nathan Ballingrud, and so many more.

SheerLuxe defends use of AI influencer

The lifestyle magazine has been criticised after it described an artificial intelligence influencer as a “new member” of the team.

‘The ick’ and ‘boop’ newest entries in dictionary

The new additions are among more than 3,200 words and phrases introduced this year.

Video games strike rumbles on in row over AI

Video game performers are concerned that generative AI could be used to reproduce their voices.

UK must be ready for war in three years, says Army head

General Walker used his first speech in his role to warn of threats posed by an “axis of upheaval”.

Can we change how our brains age? These scientists think it’s possible

Lara Lewington searchs for the tech secrets that researchers hope will unlock eternal youth.

OpenAI reportedly nears breakthrough with “reasoning” AI, reveals progress framework

Under new classification, Level 2 AI can perform “human-level problem solving.”

Elon Musk claims he is training “the world’s most powerful AI by every metric”

One snag: xAI might not have the electrical power contracts to do it.

Are Google’s 22 reasons for upgrading to the Pixel 9 Pro convincing enough?

Google released a teaser with 22 reasons to upgrade to the Pixel 9 Pro, but there isn’t much substance in the cryptic YouTube Short.

Google will soon let everyone know if their information is on the dark web

Google is shutting down its One VPN service, but dark Web reports will live on as a standalone feature for all Google account owners.

We tried Google Vids, the new AI-powered video generator in Workspace Labs

The feature was previewed at Cloud Next 2024, and it’s now rolling out for beta testers.

Apple Used Google Tensor Chips to Develop Apple Intelligence

Apple used Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) developed by Google instead of Nvidia’s widely-used graphics processing units (GPUs) to construct two critical components of Apple Intelligence.

The decision is detailed in a new research paper published by Apple…

New ‘Friend’ Necklace Offers AI Companionship

AI wearables like the Rabbit R1 and the AI Pin have attempted to capitalize on the popularity of artificial intelligence and have largely flopped, but that isn’t stopping the creator of a new wearable device called Friend.

Friend is an AI necklace that…

How to Get AI to Be Your Personal Narrator Online

Here’s how you can hear articles read out loud in various voices — including your own.

Samsung Is Already Working on the Next-Gen Galaxy Ring Ahead of Unpacked

The tech giant appears to be experimenting with a more square-shaped ring as a follow-up to its first version.

All I Wanted Was a New Couch but AI Gave My Living Room a Versailles Makeover

Want to save money on an interior designer? Try a disembodied one, and watch what happens.

I Tried AI to Make a Personalized Cartoon. The Results Were Comical

Could I use ChatGPT and Dall-E to make a short, personalized animation for my family that actually made sense? Check out the hilarious results.

Best Press Events, Conferences and Trade Shows, Rated by CNET

At CNET we go to a lot of events in person, and some are better than others. Here’s our insider take, complete with ratings, by the editors who went.

Motorola Razr Plus Review: A Blast From the Past With Modern Twists

The 2024 Razr Plus boasts big improvements and significant changes, making it one of the most enjoyable phones I’ve used in a long time.

Why Nvidia just got a rare stock downgrade

“We would be buyers again, but only on prolonged weakness,” NewStreet Research analyst Pierre Ferragu said of Nvidia stock.

The stage is set for 2 rate cuts this year, but investors need to be careful adding more exposure to the stock market, JPMorgan strategy chief says

The data is pointing to two rate cuts this year, but stocks are in for a “significant correction,” JPMorgan Asset Management’s David Kelly said.

Utility bills are getting cheaper, but AI could spoil the party

The rise of Ai requires power-draining infrastructure. The buildout could add to utility costs for consumers, BofA said.

Apple Agrees to Follow President Biden’s AI Safety Guidelines

Apple has committed to a set of voluntary AI safeguards established by President Joe Biden’s administration, joining other tech giants in a move to ensure responsible AI development (via Bloomberg).

Apple is now part of the a group of influential technol…

Apple’s Q3 2024 Earnings Call Takeaways

Apple today held an earnings call for the third fiscal quarter of 2024 (second calendar quarter), with Apple reporting its best June quarter to date, with revenue higher than expected. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri provided some insight into A…

‘Body Electric’: If a bot relationship feels real, should we care that it’s not?

Experts say friendships can be good for health. What are the implications if those relationships are fabricated by artificial intelligence?

AI brings soaring emissions for Google and Microsoft, a major contributor to climate change

The tech giants both report surges in greenhouse gas emissions as they double-down on adding artificial intelligence to all of their products.

After more than a year of negotiations, SAG-AFTRA video game performers are on strike

Union actors and performers in SAG-AFTRA declared a strike against video game firms over artificial intelligence. Among other things, they’ve stop voice acting and stunts that appear in video games.

He created Oculus headsets as a teenager. Now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

Palmer Luckey launched his first tech company as a teenager. He sold it to Facebook for $2 billion. Now he’s making AI weapons the Pentagon is buying for itself and also sending to Ukraine.

Research shows AI can boost creativity for some, but at a cost

Amateur writers using AI tools produced stories that were deemed more creative, but the research suggests the creativity of the group overall went down.

Biden drops out of the 2024 race and endorses Harris. What’s next for Democrats?

President Biden has ended his bid for reelection and has officially endorsed Vice President Harris, who says she plans to win the nomination. Republicans are preparing their campaign against her.

Chinese companies offer to ‘resurrect’ deceased loved ones with AI avatars

Startups are catering to mourners who want a way to communicate with their lost loved ones — or at least digital likeness of them.

How Israel tried to use AI to covertly sway Americans about Gaza

A new report by an Israeli watchdog group ties an Israeli firm to a covert online campaign intended to sway crucial Democratic lawmakers to continue backing Israel’s campaign in Gaza.

A coup, fake signatures and deepfakes are the latest conspiracy theories about 2024

The flurry of unverified rumors, speculation, and conspiracy theories comes as people are reeling from an onslaught of high-stakes political upheaval in a matter of days.

Five things to know about JD Vance’s connections to tech billionaires

Vance, who has become a darling to the Silicon Valley elite, made inroads in tech and venture capital circles during a stint in San Francisco. Now, Vance is tapping that network to supercharge the Trump re-election bid.

The economic mind of JD Vance

The Republican vice presidential candidate represents a sharp break from the Republicanism of yesteryear.

US Urges Vigilance By Tech Startups, VC Firms on Foreign Funds

The US is warning homegrown tech startups and venture capital firms that some foreign investments may be fronts for hostile nations seeking data and technology for their governments or to undermine American businesses. From a report: Several US intelligence a…

Google Gemini 1.5 Pro Leaps Ahead In AI Race, Challenging GPT-4o

An anonymous reader quotes a report from VentureBeat: Google launched its latest artificial intelligence powerhouse, Gemini 1.5 Pro, today, making the experimental “version 0801” available for early testing and feedback through Google AI Studio and the Gemini…

Microsoft Investigated by UK Over Ex-Inflection Staff Hires

Microsoft’s investment into Inflection AI will get a full-blown UK antitrust probe, after the watchdog said it needed to take a closer look at the hiring of former employees from the artificial intelligence startup. From a report: The Competition and Markets …

The Data That Powers AI Is Disappearing Fast

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: For years, the people building powerful artificial intelligence systems have used enormous troves of text, images and videos pulled from the internet to train their models. Now, that data is drying …

Elon Musk Will Discuss $5B Tesla Investment in X’s ‘Grok’ Chatbot Company xAI

Elon Musk recently posted on X.com that his satellite internet service Starlink is now operating on over 1,000 aircraft — and “is now active in a Gaza hospital with the support of the United Arab Emirates Israel.” But on Tuesday, Musk posed this question to h…

From Sci-Fi To State Law: California’s Plan To Prevent AI Catastrophe

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: California’s “Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act” (a.k.a. SB-1047) has led to a flurry of headlines and debate concerning the overall “safety” of large artificial i…

MIT Robotics Pioneer Rodney Brooks On Generative AI

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: When Rodney Brooks talks about robotics and artificial intelligence, you should listen. Currently the Panasonic Professor of Robotics Emeritus at MIT, he also co-founded three key companies, including Rethi…

In a First, Federal Regulators Ban Messaging App From Hosting Minors

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Washington Post: Federal regulators have for the first time banned a digital platform from serving users under 18 (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source), accusing the app — known as NGL — of exagg…

HPE Set For Unconditional EU Nod For $14 Billion Juniper Deal

According to Reuters, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is expected to secure unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $14 billion acquisition of networking gear maker Juniper Networks. From the report: HPE announced the deal in January, underscoring the ru…

Investors Pour $27.1 Billion into AI Startups, Defying a Downturn

“For two years, many unprofitable tech startups have cut costs, sold themselves or gone out of business,” reports the New York Times.

“But the ones focused on artificial intelligence have been thriving.”
Now, the AI boom that started in late 2022, has becom…

Video Game Performers Will Go On Strike Over AI Concerns

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: Hollywood’s video game performers voted to go on strike Thursday, throwing part of the entertainment industry into another work stoppage after talks for a new contract with major game studios brok…

Edward Snowden Skeptical of Politicians at Bitcoin Conference – and Public Ledgers

Former U.S. president Donald Trump spoke at Nashville’s Bitcoin Conference on Saturday.

But he wasn’t the only one there making headlines, according to a local newspaper called the Tennesseean:

Republican Sens. Cynthia Lummis and Tim Scott pledged their re…

Chinese AI Stirs Panic At European Geoscience Society

Paul Voosen reports via Science Magazine: Few things prompt as much anxiety in science and the wider world as the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the rising influence of China. This spring, these two factors created a rift at the European Geos…

Former Tesla, OpenAI Exec Andrej Karpathy Founds ‘AI Native’ Education Startup

In a post on X today, Andrej Karpathy announced that he is “starting an AI+Education company called Eureka Labs.” Karpathy taught deep learning for computer vision at Stanford University, left to co-found OpenAI in 2015 and then moved on to direct artificial …

More Than 40% of Japanese Companies Have No Plan To Make Use of AI

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Nearly a quarter of Japanese companies have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) in their businesses, while more than 40% have no plan to make use of the cutting-edge technology, a Reuters survey showed on Thu…

What Is the Future of Open Source AI?

Tuesday Meta released Llama 3.1, its largest open-source AI model to date. But just one day Mistral released Large 2, notes this report from TechCrunch, “which it claims to be on par with the latest cutting-edge models from OpenAI and Meta in terms of code ge…

AI risks destroying jobs. Tech leaders think they have the answer.

Figures including Sam Altman think a form of universal basic income, or UBI, could be a solution if artificial intelligence starts destroying jobs.

Hundreds of Taco Bell drive-thrus are set to be AI-run by the end of this year

Taco Bell’s parent comapany is taking a rapid approach to rolling out new AI tech in drive-thru lanes across hundreds of franchises.

OpenAI is reportedly nearing AI systems that can reason. Here’s why that could be a cause for concern.

OpenAI recently shared a new five-level classification system for AI systems with employees, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Nicolas Cage says he’s ‘terrified’ of AI: ‘They’re just going to steal my body and do whatever they want with it’

In November 2023, Nicolas Cage told Yahoo Entertainment that his Superman cameo in “The Flash” was different from what he had filmed.

Apple appears to have just shunned Nvidia again

Apple’s latest research paper revealed its use of Google chips for training iPhone AI, seemingly instead of Nvidia’s GPUs.

Apple just bought itself some time

Apple’s iPhone sales saw a slight decline, but the company beat Wall Street’s expectations on overall profit as it builds its AI plans.

Samsung really wants to outsmart Apple in the Galaxy-iPhone battle

Samsung is about to reveal a bunch of new AI features for its smartphones just weeks after Tim Cook revealed Apple Intelligence.

Meta’s going to spend like crazy on AI in the next year — and investors don’t hate it

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is going to spend even more on building its AI capacity over the rest of the year, he said. Investors cheered.

Pricing is really weird lately

Wildly varying prices are coming to everyday items — and it’s driving Americans crazy.

In the age of AI, there’s no future for workers content with being code monkeys — and they know it

AI is reducing the need for software engineers, and software engineers know that they need to do more than just code to stay relevant in the AI era.

AI, immigration, and rich people will save the US economy from a recession, Wall Street strategist says

“A restrictive Fed won’t stop the music this time around because the economy’s moving to a new rhythm,” Michael Arone said.