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3 weeks ago
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of artificial intelligence firm OpenAI, published a cryptic blog post on Sept. 23, apparently celebrating that “deep learning worked” and claiming that humanity was on the precipice of an era of unimaginable prosperity. The CEO also boasted that his company’s technology would be capable of creating more powerful versions of itself within a matter of decades that will accelerate humanity’s scientific progress “across the board.” Altman announces the dawn of the “Intelligence Age”. Deep learning worked Altman’s premise appears to be based on the recent debut of the company’s “o1” AI model, which is purportedly capable of reasoning through problems that its previous models struggled to solve. Many of the company’s detractors have claimed that deep learning, the specific type of AI that powers models such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, can’t be scaled to create human-level artificial intelligence. In his latest blog post, however, Altman skewers that idea outright: “In 15 words: deep learning worked, got predictably better with scale, and we dedicated increasing resources to it.” Per Altman, this appears to mean humanity is on the brink of an area of a new “Intelligence Age” where AI systems will begin to solve Earth’s biggest problems. “Although […]
3 weeks ago
Shell Plc has ditched plans to build a low-carbon hydrogen plant on Norway’s west coast due to a lack of demand, Reuters reported on Monday. “We haven’t seen the market for blue hydrogen materialize and decided not to progress the project,” a Shell spokesperson has told Reuters. Shell’s announcement comes hot on the heels of a similar move by oil and gas giant, Equinor ASA. Last week, the Norwegian state-owned multinational energy company announced that it will not move forward with plans to build a pipeline to carry hydrogen from Norway to Germany with partner RWE (OTCPK:RWEOY), citing a lack of customers as well as an inadequate regulatory framework. Equinor was to build hydrogen plants that would enable Norway to send up to 10 gigawatts per annum of blue hydrogen to Germany. “We have decided to discontinue this early-phase project. The hydrogen pipeline hasn’t proved to be viable. That also implies that hydrogen production plans are also put aside,” an Equinor spokesman told Reuters. Over the past decade, climate experts have touted the outsized role that hydrogen could play in helping the planet limit catastrophic global warming. Indeed, net-zero models have forecast that hydrogen could provide as much as 20% […]
3 weeks ago
EU regulatory overreach has gone from a Brexiteer conspiracy theory and source of ridicule to something that EU leaders themselves acknowledge and are trying to address. But when it comes to AI, they’re already behind, says James Price If you’ve bought a plastic drinks bottle in recent months, you may have noticed a maddening change – the lid can no longer be detached from the rest of the bottle. You may find this rather annoying; you may even pretend to yourself that you like the increase in spills and mess in order to help save the environment. Regardless, it represents one of the major regulation-led innovations emanating from the European Union. At the same time, the United States has fostered companies that have created large language models like ChatGPT, self-driving cars, drones, commercial space walks, and many, many other things that I’m not smart enough to understand. This shocking gap in competitiveness across Europe has, like many ideas, gone from a crazy Brexiteer conspiracy theory and source of ridicule to something that EU leaders themselves acknowledge and are trying to address. This has come to a head with the recent publication of former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s long-awaited report into […]
3 weeks ago
Diriyah made history on Saudi Arabia’s 94th National Day by setting a Guinness World Record for the largest display of artificial-intelligence (AI) assistant devices. The show, featuring over 500 Amazon Echo devices and Alexa voice assistants, was part of Diriyah’s celebrations of the country’s national day, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. The SPA quoted from a Diriyah Gate Development Authority news release which stated that the Echo devices were orchestrated to harmonize Saudi Arabia’s national anthem and other patriotic songs at Bujairi Terrace. Officials from the Guinness World Records’ authority were on hand to witness the extraordinary feat. “Congratulations on achieving the Guinness World Records title for the largest display of virtual assistant devices,” said Kanzy El-Defrawy, the Guinness World Records’ senior adjudicator. “Diriyah has consistently been at the forefront of introducing cutting-edge entertainment to the people of Saudi Arabia, and this achievement reflects your relentless drive to fuse artificial intelligence with cultural celebrations.” The DGDA’s chief executive Jerry Inzerillo said: “This historic moment underscores Saudi Arabia’s innovative spirit and Diriyah’s commitment to preserving and promoting our rich heritage and culture.” Raf Fatani, Amazon’s regional general manager of Alexa in the Middle East and North Africa, said the […]
3 weeks ago
Modern vehicles have GPS tracking, cameras, microphones, and other optical sensors connected to the internet. If Chinese-made software and hardware were integrated into these vehicles, then there’s a genuine risk America’s highways could be flooded with rolling spying machines. The Biden-Harris administration is getting tougher on China ahead of the November elections to show the American people that they mean business with Beijing. A newly proposed rule from the US Commerce Department reveals the potential to ban Chinese-made software and hardware in vehicles connected to the internet. Here’s more from the White House: Today, President Biden is announcing strong action to protect America from the national security risks associated with connected vehicle technologies from countries of concern. The Department of Commerce is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would, if finalized as proposed, prohibit the sale or import of connected vehicles that incorporate certain technology and the import of particular components themselves from countries of concern, specifically the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia. The announcement is the next step in a process President Biden announced in February, 2024. This NPRM incorporates public feedback submitted in response to the Department’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) issued on March 1, 2024, […]
3 weeks ago
More Americans than ever are turning to the so-called gig economy—providing services ranging from taxi services to grocery deliveries, often through App-based digital platforms—either on the side or as a career. The marketplace, however, is no longer the “subsidized fantasy land” it once was, one former gig worker says. An analyst described pursuing gig work as a career as “the biggest mistake of your life.” Several app-based drivers say the pay now is barely worth the effort. Others say there are issues such as lack of transparency around net pay. Sergio Avedian, 57, a part-time driver in the Los Angeles area, told The Epoch Times workers are told they are making a certain hourly wage, but the amount is often misleading. In reality, workers are paid only for time spent with a passenger or package in the car. So if gig workers spend an average of 15 minutes fulfilling a task and the rest of the hour either looking for or driving to a job, they are paid only for a quarter of the time they actually work. Eddie Doyle, 36, a writer and content creator in the Philadelphia area who is mostly retired from driving for Uber and Lyft, […]
3 weeks ago
UAE airlines are operating their flights to Lebanon as scheduled, and are monitoring the tensed situation which has escalated between Israel and Hezbollah. UAE carriers clarified that they would follow the instructions issued by the authorities of the respective countries with regards to carrying pagers and walkie-talkies. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways issued a statement saying, “Etihad Airways is currently operating its normal flight schedule to and from Beirut. We monitor all global security situations minute by minute. Safety is always our highest priority and we would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so.” A flydubai spokesperson also said the carrier “follows all directives issued by the local authorities”. Earlier this week, hand-held radios that were carried by Hezbollah members exploded, resulting in death and injuries of multiple people. The blasts have caused international concerns about how devices can be manipulated to harm the public. On September 19, travellers flying to and from Lebanon’s Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport were prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on flights following the mass attack on Hezbollah’s communication devices this week. In light of the attack, Qatar Airways also announced a ban on carrying pagers and walkie-talkies onboard Lebanon flights. “Following the directive received from the Directorate General […]
3 weeks ago
Professional networking platform LinkedIn has confirmed that it automatically uses personal user data to train artificial intelligence (AI) models without first informing its members. The California-headquartered company said in a Sept. 18 blog post that it has updated the privacy policy element of its terms of service to include language clarifying how it uses the information shared with it “to develop the products and services of LinkedIn and its affiliates, including by training AI models used for content generation (‘generative AI’) and through security and safety measures.” The platform said that there is an opt-out setting for members when it comes to using their data for generative AI training. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, which has invested heavily in OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT. According to the FAQ section of the platform’s website, the AI models used to power generative AI features may be trained by LinkedIn or another provider, such as Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service. The networking site said it uses generative AI for features such as its writing assistant and for suggesting posts or messages. Personal data such as user posts, usage information, inputs and resulting outputs, language preferences, and any feedback they may provide is among the data processed and used to train AI, LinkedIn […]
3 weeks ago
Dubai is all set to host its first phone-free meetup this Sunday, September 22. A Dubai café in Jumeirah will be turned into a no-device zone as visitors will unplug from their phones and reconnect with others in a non-digital space. This digital detox is conceptualised by Offline Club from The Netherlands, which has partnered with Seva Café to bring their growing offline community movement to Dubai. Upon entering the café, phones would be handed over and given back only at the end of the session. Without any digital distractions, visitors are free to read a book, paint, write, or do any other activity they enjoy; or simply strike conversation with a stranger. The first part of the meetup will have time for solo engagement, followed by an interactive social session and a sound healing experience in the café’s garden. “It is going to be a special evening, where people can step back in time and enjoy the simple pleasure of being fully present – no phones, no screens, just great company and a relaxed setting,” Andrea Stefanelli, one of the co-founders of The Offline Club, told Khaleej Times. First phone-free hangout The club had its first such hangout around seven […]
3 weeks ago
Saudi Arabia ranked 2nd among Group of Twenty (G20) countries in the United Nations Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII), showcasing notable advancements in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure and the efficacy of governmental efforts to bolster e-government. The TII is a composite measure assessing the progress of telecommunications infrastructure development globally and serves as a key component of the E-Government Development Index (EGDI). The EGDI evaluates the overall efficacy of countries’ initiatives, with a focus on robust communication infrastructure crucial for the successful execution of e-government initiatives, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Telecommunications infrastructure plays a vital role in fostering economic growth by attracting foreign investments and fostering innovation. Moreover, services in this realm contribute to improving education and healthcare, advancing social development, enhancing quality of life, and promoting sustainable development within the Kingdom
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