Breaking Language Barriers: Meet Meta's Massively Multilingual Speech AI

Today:

Meta’s open-source speech AI recognizes over 4,000 spoken languages

Alright folks, buckle up. Here's the skinny: A heap of languages are on the brink of biting the dust, and current tech just ain't cutting it. But fret not, the eggheads at Meta are throwing down a fix using artificial intelligence (AI).

In a nutshell, they've drummed up some AI models they call Massively Multilingual Speech (MMS) models. These whiz-bangs can understand and yammer in more than 1,100 languages, which is ten times what previous tech could handle. Plus, they can recognize over 4,000 languages, a whopping forty-fold upgrade. These babies are poised to get chatty in everything from VR to messaging services, opening a whole new world of jabbering in your chosen tongue.

And get this: Meta's not hogging the fun. They're open-sourcing the models and code so others can build on it, playing their part in saving the world's languages and making us all feel a tad cozier.

Now, here's where they pulled a rabbit out of the hat: gathering all that audio data. The solution? Holy texts, like the Good Book, that come in a gaggle of languages. They whipped up a dataset from New Testament readings in over 1,100 languages. Even though these readings are religious and often male-voiced, the tech doesn't show any favoritism or get all preachy on us.

What's next? These tech whizzes are dreaming big. They aim to expand the MMS to cover even more languages and navigate the tricky waters of dialects, a task that's stumped speech tech till now.

That's the story folks, you can learn more about this MMS marvel if you fancy.

READ THE ARTICLE ON META.

Amazon is building an AI search experience

Alright, here's the skinny. Amazon's got its thinking cap on and it's planning a big shindig with artificial intelligence. Yup, the Big A, king of "buy-it-now" buttons, is gearing up to jazz up its platform with some AI-powered pizzazz.

Job postings out in the wild tell us that Amazon wants to hire some folks who can soup up their search function using AI. We're not just talking about sprucing things up a little - they're planning a whole new show. They want to roll out an interactive, chatty search experience, which honestly sounds a whole lot friendlier than typing in a search bar.

So, instead of you wading through a sea of toasters, washing machines, and whatnot, the new AI-powered search could serve up a platter of customized responses. It could even reel off suggestions from big-shot reviewers, which sounds pretty sweet.

Most of us start our shopping spree on Amazon anyway. But there's a hitch: ads. Lots of 'em. And people ain't too fond of 'em. Here's hoping this AI facelift could shake things up and make 'em less of a bother.

When asked about the whole shebang, Amazon played coy. All we got from their spokesperson was that they're "significantly investing in generative AI." Well, that's clear as mud.

Now, there's a big elephant in the room here - data privacy. There's been a whole hullabaloo about data misuse, but the big brains are saying that blockchain could put that problem on ice. It could offer data authenticity, micro-payments for data usage, and create accountability. Sounds pretty nifty, but only time will tell how this plays out.

So there you have it, folks. The future of product searching might be getting a high-tech makeover. Stay tuned.

READ THE ARTICLE ON COINGEEK.

OpenAI is exploring collective decisions on AI, like Wikipedia entries

Alright, here's the scoop. OpenAI's head honcho Greg Brockman is playing around with ideas to get everyone in on the AI decision-making process. Instead of the typical Silicon Valley "we know best" approach, they're looking to make it more democratic, like how Wikipedia functions. They're also pushing for global regulations to keep AI on a short leash and make sure it doesn't turn into some kind of sci-fi horror flick.

Since the launch of ChatGPT, their AI that spins a yarn better than some authors I know, it's become a big hit and a big worry. It's the fastest-growing app ever, but its knack for creating really convincing fakes has got people twitching their curtains.

Taking a leaf out of Wikipedia's book, and inspired by the International Atomic Energy Agency, OpenAI wants to set up some checks and balances to keep an eye on AI. They're also toying with the idea of a global agreement to limit AI's rapid growth, kind of like curbing a teenager's screen time.

Meanwhile, OpenAI's main man Sam Altman has been bouncing ideas off U.S. lawmakers and is now off to Europe to do the same. His proposals include licensing the creation of super sophisticated AI models, because, well, just like cars, these things can cause some real mayhem if driven recklessly.

READ THE ARTICLE ON REUTERS.

Intel gives details on future AI chips as it shifts strategy

Intel's got a new game plan in the AI chip race, tossing out juicy tidbits about their upcoming 'Falcon Shores' chip. Unveiled in Germany, it's expected to pack 288 gigabytes of memory and support 8-bit floaty number stuff. Why does that matter? Well, AI models these days are getting fatter than a Thanksgiving turkey, and businesses are hunting for chips that can keep up.

Intel's trying to play catch up with Nvidia and AMD, who've been ruling the roost in AI chips. Intel's own contender, Ponte Vecchio, had more delays than a rainy day at the airport, leaving them pretty much out of the game.

Despite the speed bumps, Intel's been busy filling an order for Argonne National Lab's Aurora supercomputer, boasting it outperforms Nvidia's latest and greatest. But their next chip, Falcon Shores, isn't hitting the market until 2025, by which time Nvidia will probably have more new toys to show off.

Jeff McVeigh, one of the big cheeses at Intel, said they're taking their time to get the next chip right, after scrapping their old strategy of marrying graphics chips with their main processing chips. McVeigh told Reuters, "While we dream of having the best of both, it's like hoping for a unicorn that craps rainbows. Offering separate parts lets you mix and match, as well as pick your poison with vendors."

Side note: apparently McVeigh is no longer just keeping the supercomputer chip group seat warm. Good for him.

READ THE ARTICLE ON REUTERS.

TCS Announces Generative AI Partnership with Google Cloud and New Offering for Enterprise Customers

Well, folks, get a load of this: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) just decided to throw in their lot with Google Cloud, and boy, they're stirring up something big. They've cooked up a new dish called TCS Generative AI, and they're plating it up on Google Cloud's table to help businesses soup up their operations and race towards growth like greased lightning.

Picture this: TCS, the big honcho with years of experience and a bag full of AI-powered tricks, teams up with the mighty Google Cloud to dream up custom-built business solutions. They're not just whistling Dixie, they're aiming to give businesses the tools to grab generative AI by the horns and lasso in some transformation and growth.

Now, this ain't their first rodeo. They've been tinkering with a heap of AI solutions, from retail to manufacturing and beyond. They're now knocking their heads together with clients to figure out how generative AI can fit their business like a glove. It's like bringing a switchblade to a fistfight – a secret weapon to tackle specific business challenges.

They're not playing solo. They're inviting clients to brainstorm, quickly sketch out promising ideas, and roll out full-scale solutions – and all that jazz with a quick turn-around. This jamboree is set to take place in their co-innovation hubs scattered all over from New York to Tokyo.

Let me tell you, TCS ain't been sitting on their hands. They've been ramping up their cloud tech expertise like nobody's business. They've got 25,000 engineers Google Cloud certified, and a whopping 50,000 associates trained up in AI. And they're aiming for another 40,000 Google Cloud Generative AI skill badges by year's end, all ready to support this new offering.

TCS is no slouch when it comes to transforming businesses, and they're chomping at the bit to apply generative AI to create innovative solutions. But don't take my word for it, both the bigwigs at TCS and Google Cloud are all aboard and rooting for this partnership to overcome industry-specific hurdles using generative AI. It's a match made in heaven, if I've ever seen one.

So there you have it. TCS and Google Cloud are hitching their wagons together, and the result is a whole kit and caboodle of services and solutions, aimed to keep businesses humming along nicely in this ever-changing digital world. Let's see where this trail leads, shall we?

READ THE ARTICLE ON TCS.

Google’s AI-powered Flood Hub disaster alert system is now available in 80 countries

Alright, here's the scoop, folks. Our good buddy Google, always the whiz kid on the block, has been flexing its brainy AI muscles to lend a helping hand against that old pain in the neck, floods. With their new toy, Flood Hub, they've been sending out early bird warnings to folks living on flood-prone turf, giving them a heads-up before the waters start knocking at the door.

This ain't small potatoes either. Floods rack up a whopping $10 billion in damages worldwide each year and mess with the lives of about 250 million people. Last year, Google rolled out this gizmo in India and Bangladesh, giving them a week's notice instead of the measly 48-hour warning they were used to. Before the year was out, they'd stretched their reach to 20 countries.

Now, here's the kicker. Flood Hub has expanded its VIP list to 80 countries, roping in some new pals from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. That's another 60 countries now covered, potentially helping around 460 million people dodge the flood bullet.

In the pipeline, they're looking to plant this valuable info in places you'd likely peek at in a pinch, like Google Search and Maps. But, there's a catch. For now, they're only tracking river floods, leaving out flash floods and coastal events. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

And if you're wondering about their other tricks, Google has been dabbling in wildfire tracking as well, using more of that fancy AI stuff and satellite pictures. This show is already on the road in Mexico, the US, Canada, and parts of Australia. So, while we're all waiting for the next superhero blockbuster, it seems Google is already in the business of saving the world. How about that for a plot twist?

READ THE ARTICLE ON ANDROID POLICE.

FlowX.ai raises $35M for its AI-based approach to application integration

Alrighty, so Salesforce has tossed its hat into the ring with this Einstein GPT (just a fancy name for some neat AI features) beta for the Field Service app. It's like giving field service workers a new set of shiny tools. So who gets to play with these new toys? Well, pretty much everyone who's got some boots on the ground. Nurses, technicians, contractors, you name it.

With this fancy tech, your everyday nurse can spend less time jotting down notes and more time doing what they do best. And the geniuses behind this? Salesforce and a trio of their buddies, OpenAI, Cohere, and Anthropic.

This AI is like a multi-tool Swiss army knife for the Field Service app, helping to juggle tasks, manage gear, and make travel a breeze, all while polishing the customer experience. And the cherry on top? It's got part-timers covered too, letting folks know when the occasional contractors are around.

Here's a new buzzword for you: "service swarming." This means bringing in the whole gang to tackle customer issues or work orders right there on Slack. There's also the ability to build custom mobile experiences, like a virtual treasure hunt for spare parts or a timesheet manager.

Einstein GPT also does a good job of passing the baton between workers, keeping everyone in the loop about the last visit to a site. Plus, it can suggest products to the customer based on their previous needs. It's all part of squeezing every drop of value out of a site visit.

What's more, there are guides and instructions tailored to specific tasks. So, if you're stuck in the field, just pull up your personal AI tutor. The data for these guides comes straight from your own CRM data, which could include stuff like weather, maps, or product knowledge.

But that's not the end of the road for AI in field service, according to Eammano. Lots of smaller companies are still finding their feet with digitization, and she sees potential for AI to help drive automation. Also, AI could be a guardian angel of sorts, making sure technicians stay safe with real-time monitoring.

Fast forward to the future, and you might see more customer self-service or a mix of humans and bots in technician teams. But don't fret, it's not about replacing jobs; it's about giving a helping hand where needed.

They're also giving a facelift to their Data Cloud and Flex Worker Management. Basically, field technicians get better data to prevent machinery from giving up the ghost, and managers get to play chess with their workers, sending the right people to the right place at the right time. All in all, Salesforce is looking to bring a bit of futuristic AI magic to the grit and grind of field service work.

READ THE ARTICLE ON TECHCRUNCH.

Google Policy Agenda Reveals AI Regulation Wishlist

Alright, here we go. Google, everyone's favorite search engine and "do no evil" tech giant, decided to put pen to paper and outline their vision for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). They even included some suggestions for Uncle Sam and other world governments on how to regulate the tech industry.

So what's the lowdown? Google has this three-part mantra for AI: Opportunity, Responsibility, Security. That's their game plan.

On the 'Opportunity' end, they're sweet-talking governments into creating a playground for AI. More investments in research, developing a legal framework that doesn't put AI in a straitjacket, and building an army of AI-ready workforce.

When it comes to 'Responsibility', they're basically asking for a three-way partnership between governments, corporations, and non-governmental organizations to ensure AI doesn't turn rogue. They’re all about developing AI in a way that doesn’t scare the living daylights out of people.

Now, Google's stance on regulation might raise a few eyebrows. It's more or less "Hey, go easy on the regulations, would ya?" They think too many rules might curb innovation and hurt the industry. They're also a bit iffy about transparency, thinking it might lead to compromises in accuracy, security, and privacy.

There's a bit of a juggling act here – they want governments to weigh up efficiency, productivity, transparency, and all that jazz. Feels like the classic tug of war between companies wanting to cut loose and governments trying to keep everyone safe.

The document does dish out some pretty sensible ideas though. Google suggests that regulatory bodies get their act together and come up with some AI-specific guidelines. They even propose the adoption of ISO 42001 – a standard developed by folks with more than a decade in the tech industry.

On 'Security', Google acknowledges the dark side of AI – it can be exploited for disinformation, misinformation, and all sorts of cyber mischief. So they're asking governments to get a move on and invest in R&D to keep the bad guys at bay. And they’re pushing for strategies to tackle election interference, sharing info on security flaws, and developing an international trade control framework for dealing with naughty AI research and development.

Google is all for streamlining government adoption of AI. They're encouraging more investment, breaking down data silos, and championing the power of human-machine teaming. Sounds pretty futuristic, doesn't it?

The bottom line here is that Google’s AI Policy Agenda presents a mixed bag. It throws up legitimate concerns about over-regulation and the need for consistent rules. But the fact that the parties helping shape the AI standards are all cozy Silicon Valley insiders does raise some eyebrows. The big question is, whose interests are they really representing?

But hey, don't take my word for it. Read the horse's mouth yourself - Google’s Policy Agenda for Responsible AI Progress.

READ THE ARTICLE ON SEARCH ENGINE JOURNAL.

OpenAI leaders propose international regulatory body for AI

Hold onto your hats, folks. OpenAI, the big kahuna in artificial intelligence, is saying we need a global cop to keep an eye on AI—kind of like what we have for nuclear power. They're convinced AI's progressing too darn fast for the old guard to handle.

Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever, the top dogs at OpenAI, claim we need some teamwork among AI pioneers to ensure these smarty-pants systems aren't let loose without supervision. Can't have robots taking over the world, now can we?

The company's saying, "AI ain't gonna police itself," suggesting the need for an International Atomic Energy Agency of the AI world. This new sheriff in town wouldn't just bust down the doors of rule-breakers but would set up rules and keep track of who's playing nice.

The plan? Keep tabs on how much juice we're pumping into AI research. It's like checking the speedometer on a race car, making sure it's not breaking the sound barrier. OpenAI hints that smaller outfits might get a free pass—wouldn't want to squash the little guys and their bright ideas.

Timnit Gebru, a sharp AI mind, agrees: companies aren't gonna put themselves in time-out. We need an outside force to keep things in check, not just folks chasing the almighty dollar.

OpenAI's stirring the pot, calling for some proper management of AI beyond just political posturing. Sure, they're vague about the details, like someone trying to build IKEA furniture without the manual. But at least they're kickstarting the conversation, eh?

As of now, they're not exactly ready to hit the brakes on their own AI endeavors, because, well, they still want to make their buck and help society (in that order). Plus, they're wary of the sneaky players flooring it on the AI highway. I guess we'll just have to see where this road takes us.

READ THE ARTICLE ON TECHCRUNCH.

Bill Gates says A.I. could kill Google Search and Amazon as we know them

Well, butter my biscuit and call it a day, y'all! Billy Gates, you know, that Microsoft guy, is raising the alarm. He reckons artificial intelligence (AI) is gonna make Google and Amazon look like a busted wagon wheel.

This ain't no everyday chatter-bot he's talking about. This fancy-dancy AI personal assistant is gonna learn our habits, sort out our chores, and even catch up on our reading, so we don't have to. Ain't that something?

Now hold your horses, it ain't all smooth sailing. Billy boy reckons it's a coin toss if this tech revolution is going to come from some new-kid-on-the-block startup or one of the big tech honchos. Naturally, he's rooting for his own team, Microsoft. But he's also got his eye on a spry little upstart called Inflection.

But don't go thinking you can put your feet up and let AI do all the work just yet. This future-tech ain't ready for the prime time. Until then, companies are messing around with things like ChatGPT, the same sort of thing you and I are doing right now.

As for the health sector, Billy sees AI as a shot in the arm, speeding up new drug development. He's confident we're close to rustling up some good medicine for diseases like Alzheimer's. Human trials? Maybe in a decade.

And for the working folks? Well, there's good news and bad. Fancy AI is likely to shake up the office jobs, while robots could be putting the blue-collar crew out of work. "As we invent these robots," he said, "we just need to make sure they don't get Alzheimer's." Well, isn't that a knee-slapper?

READ THE ARTICLE ON CNBC.

Fake viral images of an explosion at the Pentagon were probably created by AI

Hold onto your horses, folks! That photo of the Pentagon in flames that sent Twitter into a tailspin? Pure hogwash. Nothing more than a tech trickster's idea of a prank.

Monday morning, folks were losing their minds over a picture of the Pentagon smokin' like a faulty grill on the Fourth of July. Even Wall Street had a minor panic attack. But the Department of Defense and Arlington County fire department were quick to shut down the party, tweeting, "Chill out, y'all. There's no explosion or threat at the Pentagon."

The picture, looking as real as apple pie, was likely the handiwork of artificial intelligence. Bunch of smart folks, like Nick Waters from Bellingcat, pointed out the weird stuff in the photo – like buildings blending into fences like a bad Picasso. So, not exactly the Mona Lisa of digital manipulation.

Not long after, the net was suddenly full of phony photos of the White House going up in smoke too. You'd think the whole of DC was having a barbecue party!

A bunch of these tall tales came from Twitter accounts with blue checks - used to mean you're legit, but these days, all you gotta do is cough up cash for a Twitter Blue subscription and you're in the club. Even a mock-up Bloomberg News account and the Kremlin's own Russian news service, RT, fell for the ruse.

RT, however, did have the decency to hit the delete button later. As for fake Bloomberg? Sent to the Twitter naughty corner – account suspended. And Twitter's response when asked for a comment? A poop emoji. Sounds about right, doesn't it?

READ THE ARTICLE ON NPR.