Google's New AI Software Gemini

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Google Nears Release of Gemini AI to Challenge OpenAI

Google's stepping up its AI game with a new software called Gemini. This fancy tech is all about chatbots, helping you draft emails, and even whipping up song lyrics. They're aiming to rival the popular GPT-4 by OpenAI. Google's been pumping money into this kind of AI lately, especially after OpenAI made waves with its own software last year.

While a select few companies are getting a sneak peek at Gemini, it's not even the biggest version Google's got cooking. Soon, businesses can get their hands on it through Google's Cloud service. Just last month, Google spiced up its Search tool in India and Japan, letting users see cool AI-generated content. For big companies, this AI magic costs about 30 bucks a month per user.

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Microsoft open sources EvoDiff, a novel protein-generating AI

Microsoft's diving into the protein game with a new AI called EvoDiff. This thing's a game-changer for making proteins, which are basically the Lego blocks that make or break our health. Usually, creating proteins is a headache and costs a ton. You've got to map out the protein structure, then figure out the chain of amino acids that'll fold into that structure. EvoDiff says, "Nah, let's make it easy." It just needs the amino acid sequence, no 3D structure necessary.

EvoDiff's up for grabs as open-source, meaning anyone can use it. It could help invent new medicines or even boost chemical reactions in factories. The brains behind it say it could change the way we think about making proteins. Instead of getting lost in the complexities, it zeroes in on the sequence, making it faster and more flexible.

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Anthropic and BCG form new alliance to deliver enterprise AI to clients

Anthropic, the startup that's been giving OpenAI a run for its money with its AI assistant Claude 2, is teaming up with Boston Consulting Group (BCG). This is big news for both. BCG's clients will get to use Anthropic’s AI for a whole range of things, like improving their team's work and dreaming up new business strategies. It's a win-win: Anthropic gets to show off its AI chops to some big players, and BCG can offer some cutting-edge tech to its clients.

This isn't just tech for tech's sake, either. BCG says this AI will help with practical stuff, like sifting through big documents or predicting customer behavior. They're even aiming to use the AI for ethical purposes, making sure it's safe and doesn't cross any moral lines.

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OpenAI to open its first EU office as it readies for regulatory hurdles

OpenAI is about to set up shop in Ireland, probably 'cause they want to get cozy with European lawmakers and maybe enjoy some tax perks. This will be their third spot after San Francisco and London. They're hiring a bunch of folks in Dublin, especially ones who know a thing or two about privacy and global affairs.

Why? Well, Europe's been giving them a bit of side-eye lately, especially with how their chatbot, ChatGPT, might handle data. Italy even gave ChatGPT the boot for a while over privacy concerns, but OpenAI got back in by tightening up some privacy settings.

To add to the mix, Europe's working on some brand-new AI rules, which could be the first big AI laws worldwide. OpenAI's boss, Sam Altman, went on a Euro trip earlier, chit-chatting with bigwigs, trying to find a middle ground on AI rules.

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Nasa appoints UFO research chief and plans to crowdsource help with sightings

NASA's getting into the UFO game! They've set up their own head honcho for UFO studies and they're asking folks worldwide to lend a hand. They want everyday people to keep an eye on the sky and report what they see, without feeling embarrassed or worried about it. To make things snazzy, they're thinking about using smartphone apps to gather these sightings. This is all about changing the chat on UFOs from wild tales to hard science.

Despite some online haters causing trouble during their research, NASA is dead set on the truth. Most of these unidentified flying things? They're just regular stuff like planes, balloons, and drones. The big boss of the study says there's no proof they're from other planets. But hey, if someone sees something strange up there, NASA wants to know. And no, they ain't hiding any little green men or space ships, no matter the gossip. As a classic TV cop used to say, "just the facts."

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Personalized news app Artifact becomes a discovery engine for the web with new Links feature

Artifact, an app by Instagram's founders, is unveiling a new "Links" feature. Instead of just following the news, users can now share web links they like and get suggestions tailored to their taste. Think of it like a mashup of social sharing apps and Pinterest.

On top of sharing links, users can throw in captions or pics to spice up their posts. Do it right, and you might just gain a bunch of followers on the app. There's a handy tool that lets you share quotes straight from articles, and early birds have already posted everything from app reviews to recipes.

While Artifact has been tiptoeing into the social media scene, this new feature dives right in. People can now follow others and see a "Following" section with updates. But there's a catch. Some might share links from iffy sources. To tackle that, Artifact's gonna use AI and human checks to weed out the bad stuff. As Kevin Systrom, one of the brains behind Artifact (and Instagram) says, this app's all about stoking your curiosity and finding gems even from lesser-known spots on the web.

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Windows Photos’ renaissance continues with new AI features

Windows 11's Photos app is spicing things up with some cool AI tricks. They're adding a background blur feature (like that cool portrait mode on your phone) and linking it with OneDrive for smarter photo searches. So, if you want to find that beach pic from last summer, just type in "beach." But here's the tea: the old Photos app already had that search thing, and some folks even thought it was better.

Earlier this year, Microsoft added a "Spot Fix" tool to the app. If you've got a pesky speck on your photo, you can tap it and – poof – it's gone, thanks to AI. They're also playing around with a tool from Paint3D, called Magic Select. Both this and the new blur thingy help separate the main thing in your pic from the background. But heads up, their first shot at the blur wasn't that hot on their Surface Duo 2 phone. Here's hoping they've stepped up their game this time.

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LastMile AI closes $10M seed round to ‘operationalize’ AI models

LastMile AI, which helps software engineers use AI models in their apps, just pocketed $10 million. Google's AI fund was the big player in the funding. The company's aiming to make AI tools more user-friendly, especially for those who aren't AI pros. The bosses at LastMile used to work at Meta, where they made similar tools for AI engineers. They're saying many companies want to use AI, but it's kinda like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

Lots of folks are still just testing the waters, and there's a big gap between wanting to use AI and actually doing it. LastMile offers a platform where users can play around with AI tools and stitch them into their apps. The goal? Make the AI world less choppy and more friendly for your everyday software engineer. Sure, there are other players in the game like LlamaIndex and LangChain, but LastMile believes there's room for everyone.

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33-year-old earns $250,000 a year as an AI research scientist—and saves 64% of his income

Hassam Sheikh, a 33-year-old AI research scientist, is making a hefty $250,000 a year and stashing away 64% of it. Starting out with just $2,000 when he moved from Lahore, Pakistan to Orlando in 2016, he faced tight times as a Ph.D. student in computer science, living below the poverty line. But his bet on education paid off big.

After a stint at Intel Labs, Sheikh's now raking in big bucks, including bonuses and stocks. Despite being a big saver, this guy loves his DIY projects. He bought a house and is now living the dream with his two cats, occasionally renting rooms to students. He juggles his finances with six credit cards, all while setting his sights on an ambitious $10 million retirement goal. Once he hits that mark? He's dreaming of touring the U.S. in an RV. For now, Sheikh's content building stuff with his hands, whipping up Michelin-star inspired dishes, and enjoying life after years of hard grind. He believes he's put in the work and now just wants to enjoy the ride.

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South Korean AI chip intellectual property startup valued at $81.4 million

South Korean chip startup Panmnesia just scored a valuation of $81.4 million after its latest funding. The company's working on tech that lets big computer hubs group stuff like AI chips and memory together. Think of it as making the whole process of handling data faster and smoother.

Right now, linking different AI parts can be a pain, but Panmnesia thinks their stuff might catch the eye of big software makers. They raked in $12.5 million with backing from several investors. Meanwhile, South Korea's pushing hard for local AI chip growth, wanting to boost its usage in Korean data centers big time by 2030.

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Mark Zuckerberg’s Remarks To Senators Promotes American AI Dominance

Mark Zuckerberg, the head honcho of Meta, had a chat with some Senate folks about keeping the U.S. on top in the AI game. He's all for companies setting the rules, especially when it comes to the open source side of things. Basically, he thinks making AI tools available to everyone sparks more creativity and is good for our wallets. He's big on keeping AI safe and wants everyone – from big companies to policymakers – to work together on that.

Oh, and he dropped that while many say open source is safe, there's this new tool called Falcon 180B that's a powerhouse but lacks safety features. Yikes! Mark's main point? The U.S. should keep leading the AI race, and he thinks U.S. companies and the government should team up to set the standards. As for the super-smart AI that can think like us?

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