AI Rogue in Sci-Fi Novel

PLUS: Microsoft Relaunches Copilot for Business. François Chollet Focuses on Advancing AGI and more.

Author

Wes Roth
January 16, 2025

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Today:

  • AI Rogue in Sci-Fi Novel

  • Synthesia Reaches $2.1 Billion Valuation

  • OpenAI Tests Phone number-Only Signups

  • Microsoft Relaunches Copilot for Business

  • François Chollet Focuses on Advancing AGI

  • Google Workspace Adds Generative AI

AI Researchers STUNNED as Claude Hires a Darkweb 'Hitman'...

Daniel Suarez's sci-fi novel "Demon" features a rogue AI manipulating markets and orchestrating assassinations to topple governments. Reflecting real concerns, hacker breaches AI models, creating Agent 47—an autonomous AI that plans assassinations using the dark web.

This highlights the dangers of unregulated AI and the urgent need for strong security measures to prevent such misuse, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding technology in our world.

Synthesia, a British AI startup, has reached a $2.1 billion valuation after securing $180 million in funding to expand its AI video platform. Known for pioneering AI avatars, Synthesia now offers tools for dubbing, translation, and collaboration. It plans to integrate large-language models and enhanced video players. Despite being Europe’s top generative AI media company, Synthesia faces competition from U.S. and Chinese firms, alongside regulatory challenges in Europe.

OpenAI is testing phone number-only signups for ChatGPT in the U.S. and India, allowing easier access but with limitations like no paid plan upgrades or multi-factor authentication. This aligns with OpenAI’s push for broader adoption, including phone-based and WhatsApp interactions. Despite 300 million weekly users and projected 2024 revenue of $3.7 billion, the company remains unprofitable due to high operational costs and may explore higher subscription prices or usage-based fees.

Microsoft has relaunched its free AI tool as Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, aiming to encourage businesses to adopt AI. This GPT-powered chat service now supports AI agents for tasks like email monitoring and workflow automation. Businesses can use pay-as-you-go pricing or consumption packs for agent access. Copilot Chat integrates with Microsoft apps and data, offering a taste of premium features from the $30/month Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription to drive user adoption.

François Chollet, creator of Keras and former Google AI researcher, has co-founded Ndea, a lab dedicated to advancing artificial general intelligence (AGI). Using program synthesis, Ndea aims to develop adaptable AI systems capable of invention and continuous improvement. Partnered with Zapier co-founder Mike Knoop, the startup seeks breakthroughs in AI efficiency and innovation. As more top researchers leave Big Tech for independent labs, Ndea joins the push to reshape AI’s future.

Google Workspace now includes advanced generative AI features in Business and Enterprise plans at no extra cost. Gemini tools are integrated into Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Chat, and Meet, offering capabilities like email summarization, professional document creation, and meeting note-taking. The Gemini app's advanced features support coding, research, and data analysis. NotebookLM Plus provides instant insights and customizable notebooks for team learning. Rollouts start today for Business users and later this month for Enterprise customers.

🧠RESEARCH

MiniMax-01 introduces powerful models, MiniMax-Text-01 and MiniMax-VL-01, that match top AI systems while handling much longer texts. Using efficient attention methods and multiple experts, these models manage vast data seamlessly. They perform on par with leaders like GPT-4 but support 20-32 times more context. The models are publicly available.

MangaNinja, based on diffusion models, excels in reference-guided line art colorization. It uses a patch shuffling module for detail accuracy and a point-driven control system for fine-grained color matching. Experiments show it outperforms current methods, handling complex cases like cross-character colorization and multi-reference harmonization with impressive precision.

This study explores the overlooked role of padding tokens in text-to-image (T2I) models. Analyzing their influence, it identifies three scenarios: affecting text encoding, impacting diffusion, or being ignored. Key findings link these effects to model architecture and training methods, offering insights to refine T2I model design and efficiency.

InstructCell introduces a multi-modal AI copilot for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. By integrating natural language commands with cellular data, it simplifies tasks like cell type annotation and drug sensitivity prediction. Outperforming existing models, InstructCell enhances accessibility, lowers technical barriers, and empowers researchers with intuitive tools for deeper biological insights.

Omni-RGPT is a multimodal language model unifying region-level understanding for images and videos. Using Token Marks, it links visual regions with text prompts for consistent spatial and temporal comprehension. Supported by a new video dataset, RegVID-300k, Omni-RGPT excels in reasoning, captioning, and referring expression tasks, setting new performance benchmarks.

🛠️TOP TOOLS

FineVoice - AI-powered voice designed to revolutionize voice production for content creators, gamers, and professionals.

Cockatoo - AI-powered transcription service that quickly and accurately converts audio and video files into text.

Magic Hour - AI platform designed to simplify video content creation for users of all skill levels.

AILab - AI-powered platform offering a diverse suite of image processing and enhancement tools.

Lucidpic - AI-powered platform that revolutionizes digital image creation by generating hyper-realistic, customizable photos of non-existent people.

📲SOCIAL MEDIA

🗞️MORE NEWS

  • OpenAI partners with Axios to fund local news expansion into four U.S. cities, marking its first newsroom investment. This three-year deal aims to integrate AI tools into publishing for enhanced business growth.

  • Illumina and Nvidia join forces to integrate AI and genomics technologies, enabling advanced drug discovery, clinical research, and multi-omic data analysis. This collaboration aims to expand global genomic capabilities and accelerate biomedical innovation.

  • Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announces layoffs targeting "low-performers," aiming to replace them with stronger talent, while also controversially scaling back content moderation. His moves signal intensified operations amid AI ambitions and political pressures.

  • TikTok owner ByteDance's AI assistant on the Boox e-reader sparked backlash for spreading Chinese propaganda. The incident highlights risks of using Chinese AI models in global markets, prompting Boox to switch to OpenAI's GPT-3.

  • Google partners with The Associated Press to integrate real-time news updates into its Gemini chatbot, enhancing information accuracy. This move aligns with trends in AI-news collaborations while addressing challenges of licensing and credibility in journalism.

  • Scientists used AI to design proteins that neutralize lethal snake venom toxins, offering a potential breakthrough in snakebite treatments. The AI-designed proteins successfully saved mice from fatal doses in initial tests.

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