AIR#142 - July 27, 2024

Good morning, AI aficionados! As you sip your morning coffee, get ready to dive into today's edition of AIR: The AI Recon. Kicking things off is Google’s mind-bending experiment with digital 'primordial soup,' where self-replicating code offers fresh insights into the origins of life. It's like a sci-fi movie come to life, and if you're intrigued by the mysteries of existence, this is a must-read. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s much-anticipated SearchGPT has launched, but not without a few hiccups. Errors in the tool have sparked a conversation about the reliability of AI-generated information—definitely a story for those keen on the evolving landscape of AI search engines.

But that's not all! In a fascinating twist, AI assistants like Siri are starting to 'Sherlock' apps, integrating services directly and shifting user loyalty from individual apps to the assistant itself. This development could redefine our interaction with digital ecosystems, making it essential reading for tech enthusiasts and business strategists alike. On a more practical note, “Deep Learning Interviews” is here to save the day for job seekers, offering hundreds of solved AI job questions to help you ace your next interview. Whether you're a student gearing up for the job market or a seasoned professional looking to stay sharp, this resource is a goldmine.

And for a touch of the uncanny, lawmakers are embracing AI in unprecedented ways. Jennifer Wexton made history by using an AI voice clone to address Congress, showcasing how AI can offer solutions even in the most formal settings. This story underscores the transformative power of AI in our daily lives and governance. 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

AI: The Ultimate Sherlocking?
AI assistants like Siri may "Sherlock" apps, integrating services directly and shifting user loyalty from individual apps to the assistant.

Lawmaker Uses AI Voice Clone to Address Congress
Lawmaker Jennifer Wexton used an AI voice clone to address Congress due to a speech-impairing illness, marking a historic first.

China's Robotaxis Outpace Tesla's
China's Baidu robotaxis are outpacing Tesla, though riders still need to find designated pick-up and drop-off spots.

Great Rotation Trade: Investors Dump AI Giants for Hidden Gems
Investors shift from AI giants to lesser-known stocks as concerns rise over big tech sustainability and market dynamics.

Anthropic accused of 'egregious' data scraping
AI start-up Anthropic accused of aggressive data scraping, violating site rules, and causing disruptions to web publishers.

AI Robot Paints Nails Faster Than Humans
AI robot manicures nails in 10 minutes, faster than humans. Flawless polish, 30 shades. Book now for quick, convenient nail care!

Grok Secretly Uses Your Twitter Data by Default—Here's How to Disable It
X is using your Twitter data to train Grok by default. Disable it via web app settings under Privacy and safety.

China Is Closing the A.I. Gap with the United States
China is rapidly closing the AI gap with the US, leveraging open-source tech to compete and innovate faster.

Engineering

[Paper] Deep Learning Interviews: Solved Job Questions in AI
"Deep Learning Interviews" offers hundreds of solved AI job questions to help students and job seekers ace their interviews.

OpenAI's SearchGPT Launches with Errors
OpenAI's new SearchGPT tool launched with errors, highlighting ongoing issues with AI-generated misinformation.

LLaMa 3.1: Tool Calls Now Supported
LLaMa 3.1 supports tool calls, improving reasoning and multilingual capabilities. It rivals GPT-4o, especially the 70B variant.

Building an LLM Chat & Task Bot with Durable Execution
Build a chatbot with Restate to handle tasks like reminders and price checks, leveraging durable execution for reliable performance.

Neural Networks and Deep Learning [Book by Michael Nielsen]
Learn the core concepts of neural networks and deep learning with Michael Nielsen's free online book. Perfect for image, speech, and NLP tasks.

[GitHub] Rezolva: Minimal, Dependency-Free Entity Resolution by joshmeek
Rezolva: Minimal, dependency-free Python library for simple, flexible entity resolution. Easy integration, zero dependencies.

[GitHub] Data Neuron: Open-Source AI Data Analyst via CLI
Meet Data Neuron: an open-source AI data analyst via CLI. Supports multiple databases and LLMs for efficient querying and reporting.

Google Colab AI: Data Leakage Bug Fixed, But Risks Persist
Google Colab fixed a data leak bug but risks persist with prompt injections, posing threats like phishing and data exfiltration.

A Designer's Journey with Claude 3.5's New Artifacts Feature
Designer tests Claude 3.5’s Artifacts; faces challenges with Radix but builds a quick React-based prototype. AI tools show promise for design.

LeanDojo: Theorem Proving with Language Models and Lean Copilot
LeanDojo uses AI to assist in theorem proving, suggesting tactics/premises and searching for proofs in Lean. Now with a ChatGPT plugin!

[Paper] DiLoCo: Distributed Low-Communication Training of Language Models
New DiLoCo method trains language models efficiently on poorly connected devices, reducing communication by 500x while maintaining performance.

AI-Driven Test-Driven Development: A Deep Dive into ChatGPT's Role in Modern Coding
Exploring ChatGPT for coding reveals mixed results: promising speed but frequent errors. Effective for some, but not a universal game-changer.

Academic

Google creates self-replicating digital life from 'primordial soup'
Google's digital 'primordial soup' creates self-replicating code, offering insights into the origins of life.

AI Existential Risk Probabilities Are Too Unreliable to Guide Policy
AI existential risk probabilities are too speculative for policy guidance, potentially misleading decisions on AI development and regulation.

"Copyright Traps" Could Reveal If AI Scraped Your Work
"Copyright traps" let writers detect if AI models have scraped their work, aiding in the battle against unauthorized data use.

Fast, Accurate Climate Modeling with NeuralGCM by Google Research
Google's NeuralGCM revolutionizes climate modeling with faster, more accurate weather and climate predictions, running efficiently on TPUs.

Biden Administration Announces Major New AI Actions, Gains Voluntary Commitment from Apple
Biden Admin announces new AI actions; Apple joins voluntary commitments, advancing AI safety, security, and innovation.

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