AIR#128 - July 13, 2024

Good morning, AI aficionados! As you sip your morning coffee, get ready to dive into today's edition of AIR: The AI Recon. Leading the headlines is the exciting launch of AuraFlow v0.1, an open-source rival to Stable Diffusion 3. This new flow-based model for text-to-image generation reaffirms the resilience and innovation of the open-source community. If you're a developer or creative, this is a must-read to see how AuraFlow is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in AI-driven art.

But that's not all! Ex-Meta scientists have unveiled ESM3, a groundbreaking AI model designed to create new proteins. This promises significant advancements in medicine and sustainability, marking a new frontier in biotechnology. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs is stirring the pot with its bold claim that AI is overhyped, expensive, and unreliable. This critical perspective is sure to spark debate among investors and tech enthusiasts about the true value and future of AI.

And for a touch of the uncanny, scientists have developed a robot controlled by a mini-brain grown in vitro, blending biology and robotics in a way that feels straight out of a sci-fi novel. This fascinating development opens up new possibilities for bio-computer integration and is a captivating read for anyone interested in the future of robotics. Whether you're here for groundbreaking tech updates, ethical debates, or the latest industry buzz, today's edition is packed with stories that will both intrigue and challenge you. So, sit back, sip your coffee, and let's delve into the dynamic world of artificial intelligence together!

Business

A.I. Has Become a Technology of Faith
AI's future is sold on faith, promising grand health solutions like Thrive AI Health, despite current limitations.

Copied Act would make removing AI watermarks illegal
New COPIED Act makes removing AI watermarks illegal, protecting journalists and artists from unauthorized AI use.

🔥 Goldman Sachs: AI Is Overhyped, Expensive, and Unreliable
Goldman Sachs warns AI is overhyped, costly, and unreliable, questioning if the investment will ever pay off despite current stock gains.

SoftBank Acquires UK Chipmaker Graphcore in AI Expansion
SoftBank acquires UK chipmaker Graphcore to boost AI capabilities, aiming to rival Nvidia and AMD in AI chip market.

OpenAI Nears Breakthrough with "Reasoning" AI, Reveals Progress Framework
OpenAI unveils a 5-tier system to track AI progress, nearing a breakthrough in "reasoning" AI, aiming to attract investors.

U.S. Military to Award $3B AI-Driven Intelligence Contract
U.S. military to award $3B AI contract for Indo-Pacific threat monitoring, integrating data from ground, aerial, and space platforms.

Engineering

[Paper] Cradle: Empowering Foundation Agents for General Computer Control
Cradle framework enables AI to control any computer task using screenshots, keyboard, and mouse, excelling in games and software.

🔥 AuraFlow v0.1: Open-Source Rival to Stable Diffusion 3
AuraFlow v0.1 is here! The largest open-source flow-based model for text-to-image generation, reaffirming open-source AI's resilience!

[GitHub] Dropbase: AI-Powered Python Web App Builder by DropbaseHQ
Dropbase accelerates web app development with AI, offering local-first, self-hosted solutions for flexible and customizable coding.

[Paper] WildGaussians: 3D Gaussian Splatting in the Wild
WildGaussians enhances 3D Gaussian Splatting for real-time, photorealistic scene reconstruction in challenging, dynamic environments.

[Paper] StreamVC: Real-Time Low-Latency Voice Conversion
StreamVC enables real-time, low-latency voice conversion on mobile, preserving content and prosody while matching target timbre. Ideal for calls.

OpenAI Developing Advanced Reasoning Tech 'Strawberry'
OpenAI is developing 'Strawberry,' a new AI tech to enhance reasoning, aiming for human-like planning and deep research capabilities.

Meta to Release 405B-Parameter Llama 3 Model on July 23
Meta to launch 405B-parameter Llama 3 model on July 23, capable of understanding and generating images and text.

AI Integration Is Coming to Firefox
Firefox tests AI chatbot integration in its Nightly build to boost productivity and maintain user choice and privacy.

Scientists Build Robot Controlled by a Brain in a Jar
Scientists create a robot controlled by a mini-brain grown in vitro, marking a breakthrough in bio-computer integration.

[GitHub] Zero Dependency Safetensors Loading and Storing in C++
Zero-dependency C++ library for loading and storing Safetensors with LibTorch, supporting large file sizes and metadata.

[GitHub] MikeyBeez's RAGAgent Enhanced with Fabric
OTTO, an AI chat agent for macOS, now uses Fabric for enhanced, pattern-based conversations. Dive into an AI adventure! 🚀

Evaluating 2024 Frontier Model Capabilities Pt.01 — Klu
Frontier LLMs score high on benchmarks but only pass 28% of practical tasks. Task-specific prompts boost success, highlighting the need for prompt engineering.

Academic

🔥 Ex-Meta Scientists Unveil Massive AI Protein Design Model
Ex-Meta scientists launch ESM3, a powerful AI model for designing new proteins, promising breakthroughs in medicine and sustainability.

MIT Study: Large Language Models' Reasoning Abilities Overestimated
MIT study finds large language models excel in familiar tasks but struggle with novel scenarios, overestimating their reasoning abilities.

The Israel Defense Forces' AI in Gaza: Speed Over Accuracy
IDF's use of AI in Gaza prioritizes speed over accuracy, raising concerns about increased civilian casualties and ethical implications.

AI Models Flunk Basic Visual Tests, Lag Behind Human Accuracy
State-of-the-art AI models struggle with simple visual tasks that humans find easy, highlighting significant capability gaps.

Ultra-detailed Brain Map Reveals Neurons Encoding Word Meanings
Scientists create ultra-detailed brain map showing neurons encoding word meanings, hinting at universal brain word categorization.

The Only Ethical Model for AI Is Socialism
AI built on public data should be governed by collective ownership, not private entities, to ensure ethical and equitable use.

[Paper] Generative AI Boosts Individual Creativity but Reduces Collective Novelty
Generative AI boosts individual creativity but makes collective content less diverse, leading to more similar stories.

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