James Vincent

Former Senior Reporter

AI startup Anthropic wants to write a new constitution for safe AI

James VincentMay 9, 2023

Meta open-sources multisensory AI model that combines six types of data

James VincentMay 9, 2023

AI-generated music isn’t just a copyright hazard.

It may also enable streaming fraud, reports The Financial Times, where bots are directed to target tracks to generate revenue.

Spotify has removed tens of thousands of AI-generated songs uploaded to its service by startup Boomy because of suspected “artificial streaming.” (Though Spotify did not confirm this.) It’s another example of generative AI enabling misuse by creating a flood of content.

Spotify ejects thousands of AI-made songs in purge of fake streams

[The Financial Times]

James VincentMay 4, 2023

Google chatbot Bard reportedly coming to Pixel devices as a widget.

That’s according to 9to5Google, citing lines of code in upcoming apps. Right now, Bard is only available via a browser, whereas Microsoft’s Bing app is available on iOS and Android. This would be a big upgrade. Says 9to5Google:

“[T]he Bard AI is set to arrive on Android in the near future, complete with a homescreen widget. At this time, we don’t know whether Bard will be integrated into the Google Search app or arrive as a standalone app.”

Expect to hear more at Google I/O next week.

Google working to bring Bard AI to Pixel phones as a homescreen widget

[9to5Google]

James VincentMay 4, 2023

UK regulators are investigating large-scale AI models like GPT-4.

The UK’s competition watchdog, the CMA, is conducting a review of “AI Foundation Models” — large-scale AI systems like OpenAI’s GPT-4. The regulator has highlighted potential issues like the use of AI to create “false or misleading information,” and aims to publish a report by early September.

So far, the UK has shied away from new AI regulations, so it’s unlikely the CMA’s review will lead to much action. However, the regulator has been acting feisty recently, and other countries like the US are drafting their own guidelines.

UK's antitrust watchdog announces initial review of generative AI

[TechCrunch]

James VincentMay 3, 2023

PornHub cuts off Utah. Utah discovers VPNs.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Source: Google Trends / Cultural Currents.

James VincentMay 3, 2023

Edtech shares tumble at the prospect of AI tutors.

US edtech firm Chegg issued a revenue warning on Monday, noting that “significant spike in student interest” in ChatGPT was cutting into its sales. Panic then rippled across the sector, with shares in Duolingo, Pearson, and Udemy falling, reports the FT. It’s a brief scare, but ChatGPT isn’t specifically marketed as a tutor, and edtech firms are now scrambling to build their own AI teachers.

Education companies’ shares fall sharply after warning over ChatGPT

[Financial Times]

James VincentMay 2, 2023

Writers are striking and AI rights are on the table.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted to strike this morning, and though low pay is the main incentive, there’s another contentious issue: AI. The WGA wants to protect members so their work is not used by Hollywood studios to train AI tools that replace them. As Vox explains, it’s a fight that will likely be replicated across many industries in the years to come.

The looming threat of AI to Hollywood, and why it should matter to you

[Vox]

James VincentMay 2, 2023

Why chatbots aren’t the future of computer interfaces.

A clear and convincing argument from developer and designer Amelia Wattenberger. As with voice assistants like Siri, chatbots lack affordances (they don’t tell us what they’re capable of) and require too much work to get the right results. But — and it’s an important but — that doesn’t mean the underlying tech isn’t itself useful. It just takes thought and care to implement it.

Why Chatbots Are Not the Future of Interfaces

[wattenberger.com]