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Today:

• Microsoft and OpenAI $100 Billion Stargate AI Supercomputer

• OpenAI Unveils Sora AI Video Generator to Hollywood Executives

• NYC to Deploy Controversial AI Gun Detection Tech

• Amazon Kindle Lock Screens Flooded with Ads for AI-Generated Books

• SydeLabs Secures $2.5M Seed Funding for Intent-Based AI Firewall Guard

Microsoft and OpenAI Plot $100 Billion Stargate AI Supercomputer

Microsoft and OpenAI are teaming up for a colossal project dubbed "Stargate," aiming to construct a $100 billion AI supercomputer. This venture involves millions of specialized server chips and could set a new standard for data center scale and investment. 

Microsoft would spearhead financing for the U.S.-based initiative, which envisions multiple installations over six years. The collaboration underscores the substantial resources required to advance AI computing capabilities. With "Stargate," the companies aim to revolutionize AI infrastructure, propelling technological advancements in the coming years.

THE INFORMATION

OpenAI shows off Sora AI video generator to Hollywood execs

OpenAI is wooing Hollywood bigwigs with its Sora AI video generator, showcasing its potential to streamline movie production. CEO Sam Altman and COO Brad Lightcap pitched Sora to industry giants like Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery. Sora, a generative AI model, creates intricate videos from simple prompts, stirring excitement and debate over its impact. 

While studios see potential cost savings, they stress the need for further development. OpenAI's cautious approach aligns with Hollywood's ongoing negotiations on AI usage. Despite enthusiasm, specifics on Sora's release and capabilities remain undisclosed, leaving its integration into filmmaking uncertain.

ARS TECHNICA

New York City will introduce controversial AI gun detection technology amid subway crime crisis

New York City plans to combat subway crime by implementing AI gun detection technology amid a surge in violence. Mayor Eric Adams aims to launch a 90-day pilot program utilizing AI systems to identify firearms. Evolv Technologies Inc., a Massachusetts-based weapons detection firm, has been selected for the initiative, despite previous criticisms of its technology's reliability. 

While some view the use of such surveillance as dystopian, proponents argue for enhanced safety measures. The pilot will operate under surveillance oversight regulations, requiring transparency in its implementation and impact assessment.

SILICONANGLE

Amazon Kindle Lock Screens Are Showing Ads for AI-Generated Books

Amazon Kindle devices are now displaying ads for AI-generated books, causing frustration among users accustomed to seeing personalized recommendations. These AI-generated titles, often with derivative cover art, are flooding the Kindle lock screens, replacing ads for popular books and targeted recommendations. Users have expressed annoyance on social media, questioning the sudden influx of these AI-generated books. 

While Amazon has removed some of these titles, concerns remain regarding the quality control of content on the platform. This development highlights the growing influence of AI-generated content and its impact on digital advertising and consumer experience.

FUTURISM

SydeLabs raises $2.5M seed to develop an intent-based firewall guard for AI

SydeLabs, a Cali startup, scores $2.5M to beef up its AI security game. With AI driving modern business, SydeLabs aims to tackle emerging threats with a real-time firewall. Its suite of solutions, including SydeBox for stress-testing AI apps and SydeGuard for real-time protection, stands out in the market. 

The startup already flags 10,000+ vulnerabilities, offering a promising start. With fresh funding, it plans to ramp up R&D and launch new products. In a landscape rife with deepfake concerns, SydeLabs aims to stay ahead, competing with players like Lakera and Prompt Security with superior accuracy and performance.

VENTUREBEAT

🧠RESEARCH

GaussianCube: Structuring Gaussian Splatting using Optimal Transport for 3D Generative Modeling

GaussianCube introduces a structured approach to Gaussian Splatting (GS) for 3D generative modeling, overcoming challenges posed by the unstructured nature of traditional GS. Through a modified fitting algorithm and Optimal Transport, Gaussians are arranged into a predefined voxel grid, enabling the use of standard 3D U-Net for diffusion generative modeling. Demonstrated on ShapeNet and OmniObject3D, GaussianCube achieves state-of-the-art results, highlighting its potential as a versatile 3D representation.

TextCraftor: Your Text Encoder Can be Image Quality Controller

TextCraftor proposes fine-tuning the CLIP text encoder used in diffusion-based text-to-image generative models like Stable Diffusion, instead of replacing it with other large language models. This approach substantially improves performance in quantitative benchmarks and human assessments, enabling controllable image generation through interpolation of fine-tuned text encoders. Additionally, TextCraftor can be combined with UNet fine-tuning to further enhance generative quality.

Mesh2NeRF: Direct Mesh Supervision for Neural Radiance Field Representation and Generation

Mesh2NeRF introduces a method to derive ground-truth radiance fields directly from textured meshes for 3D generation tasks. Unlike traditional approaches that suffer from artifacts and under-fitting issues, Mesh2NeRF provides accurate supervision for training generative models. It achieves significant improvements in various tasks, including view synthesis and conditional generation, demonstrating its effectiveness and versatility.

FlexEdit: Flexible and Controllable Diffusion-based Object-centric Image Editing

FlexEdit introduces a flexible and controllable object-centric image editing framework to address limitations in previous methods, offering realistic results and enhanced control in object manipulation. Utilizing iterative adjustments of latents and adaptive masking, it seamlessly blends new content into target images while preserving background integrity. Extensive experiments demonstrate its superiority over advanced text-guided editing methods, with a curated evaluation test suite and novel metrics for object-centric editing assessment.

DreamPolisher: Towards High-Quality Text-to-3D Generation via Geometric Diffusion

DreamPolisher introduces a Gaussian Splatting method with geometric guidance for high-quality text-to-3D generation. Addressing shortcomings in prevailing methods, it ensures cross-view consistency and intricate detail from textual descriptions. Through a two-stage process involving geometric optimization and refinement, DreamPolisher produces consistent and realistic 3D objects aligned closely with textual semantics.

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🗞️MORE NEWS

Skyflow raises $30M more as AI spikes demand for its privacy business

Skyflow, a data privacy startup, secures a $30 million Series B extension led by Khosla Ventures. The funding reflects the rising demand for its privacy solutions fueled by AI advancements. Skyflow's expansion into AI-related services underscores the critical role of data protection amid growing data usage and regulatory scrutiny. TECHCRUNCH

MineOS aims to illuminate the AI ‘black box’ for enterprise

MineOS introduces an AI Asset Discovery and Risk Assessment module to address the opacity of artificial intelligence in enterprises. Amid concerns about AI governance, MineOS aims to provide visibility into AI systems, enabling companies to map their AI landscapes, comply with regulations, and manage risks. Despite competition, MineOS's privacy-focused approach may position it as a leader in AI governance. VENTUREBEAT

AI hallucinates software packages and devs download them – even if potentially poisoned with malware

AI-generated software packages, mistakenly incorporated by businesses, pose a security risk as developers download them, potentially exposing systems to malware. Security researcher Bar Lanyado found instances where fake packages, imagined by AI, were adopted by companies like Alibaba. Such packages, if malicious, could lead to catastrophic consequences. Lanyado's study reveals persistent AI-generated package names, highlighting a significant security concern. THE REGISTER

Orchard vision system turns farm equipment into AI-powered data collectors

Orchard Robotics has developed an AI-powered data collection system for agricultural use, particularly focusing on apple crops initially. Their system utilizes cameras attached to existing farm equipment to capture detailed information about each tree, including the number of buds/fruits and their distribution. This data is then analyzed using AI to create precise maps of the crops, enabling farmers to gain insights into their crop's health and productivity. The company recently secured a $3.2 million seed round led by General Catalyst to further develop their technology and expand their market reach. TECHCRUNCH

Generative AI develops potential new drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Stanford Medicine researchers develop SyntheMol, an AI model, to design six potential drugs combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria like Acinetobacter baumannii. Unlike previous AI attempts, SyntheMol generates feasible compounds and recipes for lab synthesis, offering a promising solution to combating antibiotic resistance, a global health crisis claiming nearly 5 million lives annually. STANFORD MEDICINE

That viral AI-generated influencer is based on a real person. And she’s fine with the ads

The viral video featuring an AI-generated influencer sparked debates about AI's advancements and consent. It turns out the woman depicted, Ariel Marie, willingly lent her likeness and voice to Arcads for gig projects on Fiverr. Despite concerns, Marie sees it as an opportunity without threatening her career. FAST COMPANY

Here’s Proof the AI Boom Is Real: More People Are Tapping ChatGPT at Work

The surge in ChatGPT usage at work signals the real impact of AI, despite recent skepticism. Pew Research Center data highlights a significant increase in its adoption for professional tasks, akin to past tech disruptions like spreadsheets. This trend suggests a transformative shift in how we work and collaborate, propelled by advancements in AI technology. WIRED