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Google’s Genesis Tool Raises Concerns in News Industry
Google is reportedly working on a groundbreaking AI tool called Genesis, designed to write news stories. Major news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, have been approached with the tool as a “personal assistant” for journalists, automating certain tasks. Genesis can analyze current events and generate news content, raising concerns about its potential impact on journalism’s artistry and accuracy. Google responded by stating that the tool is meant to aid journalists, not replace them. Meanwhile, news publishers experiment with AI tools to keep up with the 24/7 news cycle, amid criticism and scrutiny towards tech companies’ role in the news industry.
Tech Giants Sign White House Safety Pledge
Seven prominent tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, have signed a safety pledge with the White House. The agreement entails allowing independent security experts to test AI systems before public release and sharing data on system safety with the government and academics. The firms also commit to developing methods to mark content created by AI, such as watermarking images, videos, and text. As concerns grow over the potential risks posed by generative AI, experts call for regulations to govern companies developing such systems. This pledge marks a significant step towards fostering responsible AI governance.
Google’s Bard Chatbot Expands Language Support
Google’s chatbot, Bard, now supports over 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish, in addition to English, Japanese, and Korean. The expansion aims to enhance user experience and accessibility for a global audience. While users can drop images into Bard for analysis or captioning, this feature is currently available only in English. The move demonstrates Google’s continuous efforts to leverage AI in its products and services.
Meta and Microsoft Collaborate on Llama 2 AI Engine
Meta, the company behind the Llama large language model, has partnered with Microsoft to make Llama 2 available for free commercial and research use. Large language models power generative AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. This collaboration further solidifies Meta’s presence in the AI tech landscape, as Microsoft integrates Llama 2 into Azure AI and Windows.
AP Licenses Archive to ChatGPT Amid Legal Scrutiny
The Associated Press has licensed its extensive text archive of news stories to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, marking a notable step in the relationship between AI companies and publishers. The deal comes amidst legal challenges against ChatGPT for unauthorized use of copyrighted content to train its chatbot. While the AP currently does not use generative AI in its news stories, the licensing agreement indicates a potential shift in content creation methods for media organizations.
AI Surveillance Raises Privacy Concerns
AI technology’s application in surveillance has sparked privacy concerns in two instances. New York City’s subway system is employing AI-surveillance software to capture the faces of fare evaders, aiming to reduce financial losses from ticket avoidance. However, privacy advocates worry about the potential misuse of collected data. Similarly, AI technology, including Automatic License Plate Recognition, was used to track a drug trafficker’s driving behavior in New York. While effective in law enforcement, such mass surveillance practices raise questions about privacy and civil liberties.
