Bard Extensions for Gmail, Docs, Maps & More

Today:

Google's new Bard extensions link Gmail, Docs, Maps, and more to its AI chatbot

Google's stepping up its game with their Bard AI tool! They just announced that Bard can now link up with big apps like Gmail, Docs, Maps, and even YouTube. Imagine planning a trip and in one chat, you ask Bard to check everyone's schedules, find flights, get you directions, and show videos of your destination. Or if you're job hunting, Bard can pull up your resume and help you whip up a cover letter. The best part? This feature is optional and Google says it won't peek at your personal stuff for ads or to teach Bard.

Wanna try? Open Chrome, head to extensions, and turn on Bard for apps like Maps, Gmail, or YouTube. If you ask Bard something and it's unsure, it'll even double-check its answer online. And if you're working with someone, you can share a Bard chat link with them, so you both can dig into topics together.

Google's been working hard on making Bard smarter. It's now built on their latest model, which they say is more intuitive and accurate. So, whether you're brainstorming, chatting in different languages, or need coding help, Bard's got your back!

READ THE ARTICLE ON ZDNET

DeepMind is using AI to pinpoint the causes of genetic disease

Google's DeepMind has created an AI that can predict which DNA changes might lead to diseases. This tool, named AlphaMissense, builds off their previous project, AlphaFold, which was all about predicting protein shapes. Instead of letting folks download the entire model, DeepMind's only sharing a bunch of their predictions – they're playing it safe to make sure no one misuses the model on non-human DNA (imagine someone crafting a superbug or something!).

Some experts are hyped, saying this tech could help diagnose mysterious diseases. But others think DeepMind's overselling how accurate their tool is – after all, a computer guess isn't the same as a surefire medical test.

And while some think DeepMind's being overly cautious about the safety risks, the company's sticking to its guns, saying they've had experts weigh in and they're not taking any chances.

READ THE ARTICLE ON MIT

TikTok debuts new tools and technology to label AI content

TikTok's rolling out new features to let creators slap a label on videos made or tweaked with AI. Why? To help users know if what they're watching is the real deal or juiced up by a computer. If you've got an eye for deepfakes or other AI magic tricks, TikTok's got your back: you'll see a little message under the username telling you it's AI-generated.

Even if AI just touched up the video a bit, creators can flag it. TikTok ain't gonna penalize anyone for not labeling, unless it's something already breaking their fake media rules. They're also working on a way to automatically spot AI in videos, though they're keeping mum on the nitty-gritty so folks can't cheat the system.

READ THE ARTICLE ON TECHCRUNCH

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is building an expensive new AI GPU cluster for medical research

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are dropping big bucks on a monster computer setup for medical research. Think of it like putting 1,000 of the best graphics cards together to study healthy and sick cells. The hope? By using artificial smarts, they can figure out how our bodies react to illnesses and new meds.Like testing a "video game cell" to see what goes down.

This gear can cost a pretty penny, often too pricey for many brainiacs. But Chan and Zuckerberg's project wants to share it, so more scientists can team up and speed things up. The new system will be one of the largest of its kind for nonprofit work, but still won't top some big-business setups. The folks buying the gear are part of CZI’s Biohub Network, which is all about tackling major science mysteries over the next decade or so. The setup crew? A team based in San Francisco.

READ THE ARTICLE ON THE VERGE

Intel enters AI-powered PC race with its first EUV-made chip

Intel's jumping into the AI game for PCs, looking to spice up a stale market and duke it out with Nvidia. They're adding a special AI brain—called a neural processing unit—right in the computer to make it smarter. The goal? Mass-produce computers that can do cool stuff like super-accurate voice-to-text and even generate images from what you say.

This new chip, called Meteor Lake, also marks a big tech leap for Intel. They're using a new fancy method to make the chip, catching up with rivals like Taiwan's TSMC and Samsung. Intel's also shaking up how they build the chip itself, breaking it down into smaller parts and then stitching them back together, which lets 'em save time and money.

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BioticsAI wants to improve prenatal ultrasound scans with AI

BioticsAI, a new startup, has an AI tool that makes ultrasound scans of babies more accurate. Think of it as spell-check for ultrasounds – it checks the images, spots issues, and even creates reports for doctors.

Why does this matter? In lots of places, there aren't enough experts to do these ultrasounds, and mistakes can get made. This tool is a game-changer – doctors won't have to spend ages writing reports, and it's super accurate, like 96%! Plus, it can be added to old ultrasound machines without breaking the bank.

While there are other companies doing similar things, BioticsAI focuses mainly on the second trimester – when most problems get spotted. They've got big dreams, too. Today, it's about baby scans, but tomorrow, they could be helping in other areas like women's health. Cool, right?

READ THE ARTICLE ON TECHCRUNCH

New AI tools are helping doctors screen for mental health conditions

In the UK and U.S., new AI tools are helping doctors get a better handle on mental health conditions. A British startup called Limbic has an "e-triage" tool that's already screened over 210,000 patients for common issues like depression and anxiety. It's quick and accurate, and it's making doctors' lives easier by giving them the info they need to decide how urgently a patient needs help.

Another American startup, Kintsugi, uses AI to analyze short voice clips to pick up signs of depression or anxiety. These AI tools are helping clear up the jam at the doctor's office by speeding up diagnoses and letting doctors focus on treatment.

READ THE ARTICLE ON AXIOS

Accenture Invests in Writer to Accelerate Enterprise Use of Generative AI

Accenture, a big-name consulting firm, has invested in Writer, a platform that uses AI to help companies create and manage content. Writer aims to make businesses more productive by automating tasks in various departments like customer support, sales, and marketing.

Accenture started using Writer's tech in 2021 and now plans to offer it to their clients. The investment is part of Accenture's bigger plan to spend $3 billion on AI and data capabilities. Writer will also join Accenture's Project Spotlight, a program that helps startups grow by connecting them with big companies. Both parties are pretty stoked about using AI to jazz up how content gets created and shared. Financial details weren't disclosed.

READ THE ARTICLE ON ACCENTURE

Bird Buddy, the AI-powered bird feeder startup, now lets anyone use its app to birdwatch

Bird Buddy, known for its smart bird feeders, just dropped a cool new feature. Now, instead of buying their hardware, you can check out live streams of birds from around the globe right on their app. Think of it as birdwatching on your phone, from places like Hawaii to Kenya. Already own a Bird Buddy? They've got new gadgets to attract more birds to your yard. Plus, the company's releasing a subscription for some extra perks and even plans to start selling birdseed soon.

The CEO's pumped about helping folks connect with nature, especially those without a yard or feeder. So far, there are 150k Bird Buddy feeders out there recognizing a whopping 1k bird species. Cool, right? 🐦📱🌍.

READ THE ARTICLE ON TECHCRUNCH

OpenAI Hustles to Beat Google to Launch ‘Multimodal’ LLM

Google and OpenAI are neck and neck in a race to drop the next big thing in tech: multimodal large-language models. Basically, these tools can handle both pics and words. Imagine drawing a website design and this tool whips up the actual code for you. Or it can tell you what's up with those complex charts, so you don’t need to bug your tech-savvy buddy.

Google’s nearly there with their version called GEMINI. But OpenAI, with a little backing from Microsoft, is hustling to launch their own version, GPT-VISION, built off their GPT-4 model. They teased us with this back in March, but only let one company use it. Now, they're gearing up for a bigger launch.

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Nearly half of CEOs believe AI could replace their own jobs, says new poll—and 47% say that’s a good thing

Heads up! About half of the big bosses think robots might snag their gigs, and almost as many are cool with it, a recent edX poll found. So, is your job safe? Top dogs seem to think their jobs will change big time thanks to AI, focusing more on the big ideas than the boring stuff.

But here's the twist: They think close to half of their teams aren’t ready for this future. Your coworkers? Only 1 in 5 think robots will take over their work. Big point? It ain’t the robots you should worry about—it’s the folks learning AI faster than you.

Jobs wanting AI know-how are booming, and they're paying fat stacks. Gen Z's catching on, with over half beefing up their AI game. EdX's main man, Anant Agarwal, says it straight: Don't stress about AI taking your job. Worry about your coworker out-learning you. So, feeling ready for the AI revolution? Time to step it up!

READ THE ARTICLE ON CNBC

Artificial Intelligence for Accelerating Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals

Bigwigs from various countries, the United Nations, and major tech companies gathered in New York to talk about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help achieve the UN's big goals for a better world. These goals include things like better healthcare, food security, and tackling climate change. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft showed off AI projects focused on doing good. They also promised money and resources to train people and kickstart more such projects.

Officials also talked about the need to use AI carefully. They don't want only rich countries to benefit or for AI to make existing problems like inequality worse. The U.S. pledged $15 million to promote responsible AI use globally. Spain is going all in with an 8 billion euro fund to support AI startups. The UK is putting £1.07 million into a fund that uses AI to predict and deal with crises. Japan, Google, and others also made specific commitments.

Everyone agreed that working together—governments, companies, and other groups—is the way to go. The aim is to make sure AI benefits folks around the world, especially in developing countries.

READ THE ARTICLE ON US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

The 10 Most Important AI Trends For 2024 Everyone Must Be Ready For Now

AI's gonna be everywhere—work, home, you name it. We've still gotta figure out some rough patches like trust issues, bias, and all that legal mumbo jumbo.

Forget chatbots; now we're talking about AI that can create videos and even music. Basically, telling what's real from fake is gonna be a big deal. Ethically speaking, folks are working hard to make sure AI doesn’t go off the rails or play favorites.

AI's gonna handle the boring stuff so human agents can tackle the real brain-benders. Work-wise, whether you're a lawyer or a doc, AI's got your back for the grunt work, making you better at what you do. AI's also showing up in everyday apps, from Google to Snapchat, to make 'em smarter and more user-friendly.

Coding's getting easier too. You don't need to be a tech whiz to whip up an app, thanks to tools that basically write the code for you. Job-wise, new roles are popping up that don't require you to be a computer nerd. But if you are, there’s plenty of work for you, too.

Now, for the real sci-fi stuff: quantum computing. It's super-fast and it's starting to team up with AI for even cooler things. Job tip: know your AI or risk getting left in the dust. Companies are pushing for this, and if yours isn't, there are loads of online resources to get you up to speed.

Lastly, lawmakers are finally waking up to the AI game. Expect new laws aiming to keep AI in check while still letting innovation happen.

So, in a nutshell, AI in 2024 is a big, spicy mix of innovation, ethics, and real-world smarts. Keep your eyes peeled!

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