Real World AI: A Weekly Peek into Today’s Tech
Table of Contents
Welcome back to this week’s edition of our AI news blog, where cutting-edge technology meets real-world challenges and opportunities. In this issue, we spotlight an innovative AI development from Meta, as they roll out a new AI assistant across major social platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, offering users new ways to interact and create. Meanwhile, the translation industry stands on the brink of transformation, with a recent survey revealing deep concerns among translators about how generative AI technologies might impact their livelihoods.
Additionally, we take to the skies with the U.S. Air Force to examine the first successful AI-piloted dogfight—a milestone that not only marks a significant advancement in autonomous flight technology but also raises important questions about the future of aerial combat. We’ll explore these compelling stories and more as we explore how artificial intelligence continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in both our daily lives and global industries.
AI in the News
Researchers have used artificial intelligence techniques to massively accelerate the search for Parkinson’s disease treatments. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, designed and used an AI-based strategy to identify compounds that block the clumping, or aggregation, of alpha-synuclein, the protein that characterizes Parkinson’s.
Cisco debuts new AI-focused security system after $28 billion deal to buy Splunk. Cisco has launched HyperShield, a new security product that uses AI to protect applications, devices, and data across data centers, clouds, and physical locations.
Meta’s new AI assistant is rolling out across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger: The assistant can answer questions, create animations and generate images, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a video. Meta AI was built on the company’s latest large language model called Meta Llama 3, which was also announced this week.
Survey finds generative AI proving major threat to the work of translators: While AI tools have been used by some translators to support their work, three-quarters of those surveyed believe the emerging technology will negatively impact their future income.
US Air Force confirms first successful AI dogfight: An autonomously controlled aircraft faced off against a human pilot in a test last year.
The First AI Gadgets Are a Cautionary Tale: Reviewers were impressed by aspects of the device’s design but complained about short battery life and a tendency to overheat. The biggest problem was that the device’s core functionality — the AI part — just didn’t work that well. It was slow, unreliable, and conceptually sort of broken.
Cool Tools
Brilliant – Bite-sized, interactive lessons in AI, data, programming, and beyond.
EditApp – Create and modify images on mobile devices.
UiMagic – Transforms text into responsive websites.
Stunning – Answer questions about your business and AI crafts a website tailored to your business needs.
Mytales – AI-powered story generator.
