The Artificial Intelligence Podcast

The CIA is leveraging generative artificial intelligence to enhance operations and stay ahead of adversaries. The agency's first chief technology officer, Nand Mulchandani, is leading the effort to develop AI applications that augment human capabilities, rather than replace them. The CIA is creating its own generative AI platform, similar to Chat GPT, to help analysts process vast amounts of data and spark creative thinking. Ho...

Google has unveiled its sixth-generation Tensor Processing Unit, called Trillium, which boasts significant improvements in performance and energy efficiency compared to its predecessors. The new chip offers 4.7 times more peak compute performance, doubled high-bandwidth memory, and enhanced inter-chip communication, making it capable of handling AI tasks faster and more efficiently. It's also 67% more energy-efficient than the ...

This week, South Korea is hosting a significant gathering focused on the risks and regulation of artificial intelligence, building on the work started at last year's inaugural AI safety conference in Britain. The Seoul summit aims to mitigate the threats posed by cutting-edge artificial intelligence systems, including algorithmic bias and existential risks to humanity. Delegates from over two dozen countries will attend, includ...

A new federal assessment warns that artificial intelligence programs pose a significant threat to the democratic system of elections, particularly with the 2024 election cycle approaching. Next-generation technologies can be exploited to influence and sow discord in elections by creating or sharing altered or deepfaked pictures, videos, or audio clips. The Department of Homeland Security analysis outlines how generative AI tools ca...

JPMorgan Chase is taking a leading role in AI adoption in the banking sector with a new initiative to provide prompt engineering training to all new employees, preparing them for the future of artificial intelligence. This move is expected to have a significant impact on the bank's operations, with AI set to greatly affect its 60,000 developers and 80,000 operations and call-center employees. The bank has been at the forefront ...

Open AI has partnered with Reddit, gaining real-time access to the social media platform's vast user-generated content to improve its Chat GPT technology. In return, Reddit will use Open AI's advanced language models to develop innovative features. The deal also makes Open AI an advertising partner on Reddit, expanding its reach. While some users have raised concerns, the partnership is seen as a significant step forward fo...

AI-generated news anchors are being used to spread disinformation and propaganda, with China at the forefront of this trend. A recent example in Taiwan featured a fake news anchor attacking the outgoing president, Tsai Ing-wen. Experts warn that as the technology becomes more accessible, AI-generated deepfake news anchors will continue to spread, potentially influencing elections and sowing confusion among voters.

Scientists have developed a novel machine-learning framework that can automatically map out phase diagrams for novel physical systems without requiring large, labeled training datasets. This physics-informed approach leverages generative artificial intelligence models to estimate the probability distribution of measurement statistics in a physical system, creating a classifier that can determine the phase of a system given certain ...

Open AI, a leading artificial intelligence research organization, has dissolved its Superalignment team, which aimed to mitigate long-term risks associated with advanced AI systems. The team was established just a year ago and was supposed to dedicate 20% of the company's computing power over four years. The departure of two high-profile leaders, Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, who were instrumental in shaping the team's miss...

The US is harnessing artificial intelligence to transform modern warfare, with companies like Palantir and Govini leading the way in producing high-tech weapon systems. Recently, they showcased their cutting-edge technology to top military brass, demonstrating AI's ability to process vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently. AI can help with targeting and logistics, and even deter wrongdoing and prevent war if the US remain...

A recent survey has found that 78% of Americans are concerned that artificial intelligence will be used to manipulate or distort voters' perceptions of candidates in the 2024 election. They worry that AI will create fake social media accounts, videos, and targeted content to discourage certain demographics from voting. Most respondents believe AI will be used to generate fake accounts and drive conversations on social media, an...

NASA has appointed its first chief AI officer, David Salvagnini, to develop and coordinate the agency's AI programs. With a 21-year career in the US Air Force and experience in engineering programs, Salvagnini is well-equipped to lead NASA's AI endeavors. The agency's use of AI dates back decades, but with rapid advancements, a dedicated leader is necessary to ensure responsible use and development. Salvagnini will deve...

The energy consumption of American AI data centers is expected to rival the output of new US solar farms, driven by the significant energy required to operate generative AI like Chat GPT. Estimating AI energy usage is complex, but Goldman Sachs' analysis of Virginia's commercial power consumption suggests a 37% increase from 2016 to 2023, likely due to data center growth. AI data centers currently account for 0.5% of US pow...

Google's demonstration of its call-scanning AI technology has sparked concerns among privacy and security experts, who warn that it could pave the way for centralized censorship and surveillance. The technology, powered by Gemini Nano, scans voice calls in real-time for conversational patterns associated with financial scams, but experts say it could be repurposed for social surveillance, monitoring, and blocking of certain act...

Researchers at Delft University of Technology have developed a drone that uses neuromorphic image processing and control, inspired by animal brains, to fly autonomously. This approach enables the drone to process data up to 64 times faster while consuming three times less energy compared to traditional graphic processing units. The technology has the potential to enable tiny, agile drones for various applications, such as crop moni...

Colorado and Connecticut are pioneering efforts to regulate artificial intelligence, introducing groundbreaking bills to prevent AI-driven discrimination in crucial services like healthcare, employment, and housing. These bills come as over 40 states consider more than 400 AI-related bills, highlighting the challenges of governing this powerful technology. While Connecticut's effort stalled due to the governor's concerns ab...

The US and China held their first-ever dialogue on artificial intelligence in Geneva, discussing the risks and management of AI. US officials expressed concerns about China's misuse of AI, while China rebuked the US over restrictions and pressure on the technology. Both sides recognized the opportunities and risks posed by AI, including its potential for digital surveillance and disinformation. The talks aim to keep communicati...

A California-based startup, Atomic Canyon, is utilizing the world's fastest supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop an AI tool that could revolutionize the nuclear power sector. The AI tool aims to efficiently assist nuclear companies in applying for construction and operating licenses, saving millions of dollars and countless hours. With access to the Frontier supercomputer, Atomic Canyon's technology wil...