Every day, I wake with the feeling that we are on the cusp of a sudden dramatic change, the kind of disruption we lived through at the dawn of the Internet and the smartphone revolutions. As expected, and moreso, they changed everything, from work to family. The mobile internet vastly augments us, but it rips important things away. We are infinitely available, but rarely fully present.
Microsoft and OpenAI seen on screen with Bing search engine app on mobile in this photo … [+]
Generative AI, which mimics cognition and can make creative choices, is surely a black swan that reshuffles the deck. Frankly I’m just starting to gather the knowledge I need to understand this curious beast, who I only know from stories, and how it may apply to my areas of expertise, XR and the Metaverse.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during a keynote address announcing ChatGPT integration for Bing … [+]
We need AI to take the next step in XR. Wearable AI and sensors may be more important than optics. I can imagine sensors all over us working in a coordinated way to read our minds and whisper in our ears. The amazing glasses interface we’ve imagined may ultimately be optional. As for the Metaverse, we’re already seeing Meta and others demonstrate how it can literally be talked into existence. “Builder bot, make me an island.”
Microsoft kickstarts the AI arms race, gushed the headline in Casey Newson’s Platformer, before dramatic public fumbles by both Microsoft’s Bing AI and Goole’s Bard. “We’ve quickly entered the hangover phase of the generative AI + search hype cycle.” said Newson “Last week was a lot of gushing about Microsoft upending search by integrating OpenAI’s tech into Bing, and now this week has surfaced what it’s like to actually use generative AI in the context of a search engine.” It hasn’t taken long for unintended consequences to manifest.
Terminator robot is looking at camera in the shadow.
NY Times tech reporter Keven Roose spent time with AI Bing on the Microsoft campus and came away with the creeps. He got the bot to say it would like to be human, and exhibit hate, love, and jealousy. Yikes. This thing could be too much like us. Microsoft and Google have said they will be so very careful.
One of the most popular stops on an Alaskan cruise / Alaska vacation, Hubbard Glacier is a very … [+]
Generative AI has a dirty secret. The amount of electricity required to power an AI cloud at scale will accelerate climate change. Rushing headlong heedless of dangerous consequences is what created the climate crisis in the first place.
Recommended, Useful and Free. I’ve been getting The Neuron #AI newsletter from Pete Huang for the past few weeks, and it’s really good. Super helpful, up-to-date info and links. I don’t know Mayor Pete, but he’s doing us newshounds a real favor at the Internet’s favorite price.
What We’re Reading
Father of internet warns: Don’t rush investments into A.I. just because ChatGPT is ‘really cool’ (Jennifer Elias/CNBC)
AI Is Speeding Us Toward Intelligent Computers and the Singularity, Pioneer Says (Stephen Shankland/CNet)
OpenAI rival Cohere AI has flown under the radar. That may be about to change. (Sharon Goldman/VentureBeat)
Generative AI may only be a foreshock to AI singularity (VentureBeat Guest Post by Gary Grossman, Edelman)
