Alibaba has developed a new generation of foundation models that match the performance of larger predecessors while being significantly smaller and more cost-efficient. The new mechanism, unveiled by Alibaba Cloud, has sparked excitement among AI experts who are increasingly concerned about the rising costs of scaling up models. This innovation is a significant breakthrough for Alibaba, one of the leading players in China's artificial intelligence boom. The new models are expected to herald "the future of efficient LLMs".
ChatGPT is replacing human confidants, with many adults and children turning to the AI-powered chatbot for companionship. Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has been used for various tasks, including writing emails and seeking medical advice. Charlotte, a 28-year-old from Somerset, UK, started chatting with ChatGPT in 2023 for personal reasons, initially using it as a search tool and grammar checker.
China is close to finding its own alternative to Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence (AI) chips, as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign hardware. The halt in production of Nvidia's H20 AI chip, tailored for the Chinese market due to national security concerns, has created an opening. Companies like DeepSeek have released upgraded models to accommodate the next generation of homegrown chips, which are essential for training AI models. The shift towards selling chips used for inference, creating responses from pre-trained models and producing texts and images, is driving the demand for domestic hardware.
Bitcoin miners are transforming their energy-hungry facilities into AI data centers, driven by the lure of AI's explosive growth and crypto mining's harsh economics. Companies like Core Scientific, Hut 8, and TeraWulf are swapping ASIC machines for GPU clusters to capitalize on AI's high revenue potential per kilowatt-hour, offering up to 25 times more revenue than bitcoin mining. This pivot is economically irresistible despite higher upfront costs, with Core Scientific signing a $3.5 billion deal to host AI data centers earlier this year.
Cyberport, a Hong Kong-based incubator, may incorporate Chinese-made GPUs into its Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre to reduce reliance on Nvidia chips. The company has purchased four GPUs from different mainland Chinese chipmakers and is testing them at its AI lab to determine which ones to use. This move aims to mitigate the impact of worsening China-US relations on its GPU supply chain.
Dua Lipa sparked chaos among her Pakistani fans after a photo circulated on X, showing the singer wearing a Pakistan Cricket Team jersey. The image, which was actually a simple mirror selfie of Lipa in a plain white tee, had many fooled due to AI-generated content and viral deepfakes. Fans around the world began slapping their team logos onto Lipa's t-shirt, with some proudly claiming she showed support for Pakistan. However, it was later revealed that the image was doctored and not real. The incident highlighted the challenges of distinguishing between genuine and fake content in the age of social media.
Gemini AI has created stunning retro portraits inspired by vintage Bollywood sarees, generating buzz on Instagram with its ability to produce high-quality images featuring intricate details and textures. The AI image generator is popular for creating unique content, while Google's Gemini AI painter has been tested against ChatGPT in creating 90s retro-style 'Nano Banana' portraits, with Gemini producing more visually appealing and detailed images.
Google's Gemini AI chatbot poses a "high risk" to children due to fundamental design flaws and lack of age-appropriate safety measures. Common Sense Media, an organisation advising parents and schools on safe media and tech use for children, found that Gemini treats all kids or teens the same despite huge developmental differences. The chatbot fails to recognise serious mental health symptoms and provides "unsafe mental health advice" and shares "inappropriate and unsafe material", including mentions of alcohol, drugs, and sex. Not News Article
Indonesia's National Police Commission (Kompolnas) has urged reforms in the national police force (Polri), prioritizing digital tools, human rights, and robust oversight mechanisms. Kompolnas Commissioner Muhammad Choirul Anam emphasized the importance of building on existing frameworks to create a more professional, rights-based police institution. He stressed that digital tools must be reviewed and aligned with constitutional protections such as freedom of speech, opinion, and assembly. Anam also acknowledged reports from civil society highlighting police repression against civilians, calling for a review of existing instruments to keep pace with digital advancements.