AI Bytes Newsletter Issue #11

Welcome to the 11th Edition of the AI Bytes Newsletter, where we continue to navigate the fascinating intersection of human creativity and machine intelligence. A heartfelt thank you to Dave George for joining us in our latest episode, offering invaluable insights from his journey as a CEO and entrepreneur that are not to be missed. This week, we uncover groundbreaking innovations like biped.ai, which promises enhanced mobility for the visually impaired, and address pressing ethical considerations in AI development, especially concerning children. Our toolbox section introduces a must-have AI tool, and Rico's Roundup navigates the complex dialogue around AI in mental health. With updates on the latest in AI technology, ethical debates, listener interactions, and Mike's deep dive into building an AI policy, this edition is packed with content designed to enrich your understanding and spark curiosity. Join us as we embark on this ongoing adventure through the realms of AI's potential and challenges!

The Latest in AI

A Look into the Heart of AI

Featured Innovation

At Antics.tv, we are always on the lookout for the great advancements in AI that empower the disabled to become more independent. Enter biped.ai, a revolutionary mobility harness that's changing the game for the visually impaired. Designed to be worn over the shoulders, biped.ai is equipped with wide-angle cameras, a high-performance computer, and a battery, all integrated to create a system that identifies dangers, provides guidance, and describes surroundings through AI. This device not only detects obstacles with precision but also offers GPS navigation and scene descriptions, making mobility safer and more accessible for those without sight.

Feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive, with Stuart Beveridge from Seescape stating, "I honestly don't think I have ever purchased anything that has so much potential to be life-changing." This sentiment echoes biped.ai's ambition to become the ultimate mobility solution, complementing traditional aids like white canes and guide dogs. With over 250 beta-testers and a collaboration with the Honda Research Institute, biped.ai represents a significant leap forward in using technology to create inclusive environments and enhance the quality of life for the visually impaired.

If you’ve seen a game changing innovation and want to share it with us, hit us up at [email protected]!

Ethical Considerations & Real-World Impact

The recent call by researchers from the University of Oxford for a more nuanced inclusion of ethical principles in AI development, particularly concerning children, underscores a pressing need in the technology sector. In their study published in Nature Machine Intelligence, the Oxford Martin Programme on Ethical Web and Data Architectures team has pinpointed a critical oversight in the current framework of AI ethics: the insufficient consideration of children's unique developmental stages, needs, and rights. This oversight extends to the lack of involvement of children and their guardians in the development process, minimal child-centered evaluations, and the absence of a coordinated approach to crafting AI principles that genuinely benefit the younger population.

The ethical implications of this technological gap are profound. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives, the risk of exposing children to biased or harmful content grows, necessitating a shift towards AI systems that are not only safe but are also designed with the input and best interests of children in mind. The recommendations put forth by the research team, including increased stakeholder involvement, direct support for AI system developers, and the establishment of child-centered legal and professional accountability mechanisms, offer a path forward. By prioritizing the development of AI that caters to the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of children, as emphasized by Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, we can ensure that the technological advancements of tomorrow are both ethical and beneficial for all members of society, especially the most vulnerable.

Tools

The Toolbox for Navigating the AI Landscape

AI Tool of the Week - Descript

Hey everyone Mike here! This week we’re going to give one of the original AI tools we use some love, Descript! We use Descript to edit every podcast and every video we release. Some of the features Descript offers are: AI Voices, AI Editing, Filler Word Removal, AI powered green screen and these are only a few.

If you’ve got a suggestion on tools we should check out, email us at [email protected] and let us know.

Rico's Roundup

Critical Insights and Curated Content from Rico

Skeptic's Corner: AI in Mental Health: Navigating the Promise and Pitfalls

Mike and I have frequently discussed on our show the numerous benefits of AI, touching on its potential to alleviate loneliness, tackle mental and medical issues, and even grant abilities that some might not have been born with or have lost due to illness. Now, we're seeing a new development that aligns with our predictions: AI stepping into the realm of mental health assistance. However, the skeptic in me feels a bit uneasy because, as much as AI offers, it's not something we can fully trust just yet. But let's give credit where it's due: AI possesses capabilities beyond our human limits, especially in enhancing the work of medical professionals by aiding in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

This leads us to the current topic: the role of AI in mental health. It's a complex field. On one side, AI chatbots and virtual therapists are breaking down barriers, offering new forms of support to those who might have found traditional therapy inaccessible. Yet, this innovation is not without its challenges. There are valid concerns about data privacy, the true empathetic understanding of AI, and the potential overshadowing of human connection in therapy.

At the end of the day, I am glad to see the advancements come to this area and know that it has the ability to help many who have had difficulty finding the help they needed previously, as well as possibly lowering costs to them. While I like the idea of increasing availability, my fear is that the diagnosis may not always be spot on, or that AI is used to begin policing people (as I have stated in other areas before) in a manner that further removes the human element from healthcare. We always talk on the show about how AI cannot be without the human element, but know that there is some cause for concern when it comes to people's over-dependency on AI. For now, I will rejoice in the fact that AI can help folks, but will retain my skeptical side about the cost in the long run.

Must-Read Articles

Listener's Voice

In this week's Listener's Voice, Thomas inquires, "How is AI transforming healthcare diagnostics?"

Great question, Thomas! In a recent AI Roundtable discussion that Mike and I hosted, one of our panelists highlighted the burgeoning benefits of technology that can diagnose or assist doctors in pinpointing ailments more accurately. AI is at the forefront of this transformation, enhancing the accuracy, speed, and efficiency of disease identification. AI provides assistance to staff so they may act as a supercharged diagnostician, capable of sifting through vast datasets from medical imaging to genetic information, uncovering patterns imperceptible to human eyes. This cutting-edge technology supports healthcare professionals by enabling quicker, more precise diagnoses, from early-stage cancer detection to predicting potential heart failures.

However, integrating AI into healthcare diagnostics isn't without its challenges, including ethical dilemmas surrounding machine-based decision-making in patient care and stringent requirements for data protection. Furthermore, although these technologies are rapidly advancing, their full implementation across the healthcare sector is anticipated to take some time due to the exhaustive testing, regulatory approvals, and integration challenges within existing healthcare frameworks.

So, Thomas, AI's role in healthcare diagnostics is indeed transformative, presenting innovative tools for precision medicine while carefully addressing the intricate process of weaving technology into the fabric of patient care. We, too, are excited to see what the future holds for AI being implemented into the medical fields and how it impacts overall human health in the long run.

Thank you for writing in!

Catch us on the next episode of Artificial Antics, where we'll explore even further into the technology that's reshaping our world. And hey, don't forget to follow us on X.com/@anticslab for more insights and discussions. See you in the lab!

Mike's Musings

Tech Deep Dive

Mike breaks down a complex AI tool or concept into understandable terms.

Hey all this is Mike from Artificial Antics! On Episode 10 of the podcast, we talked to CEO and Entrepreneur Dave George. One of the subjects that came up is the importance of creating an AI policy for your employees. Dave also mentioned some of the challenges and how he got started with the AI policies for his businesses.

This inspired me to want to share my experiences and top tips on how to approach designing and deploying a business AI policy.

First off, I’m not a lawyer, so take all of this with a grain of salt, that said, here are some starting points and strategies to help you along the way:

Define Scope and Purpose: Clearly outline the purpose of the policy, what it covers, how it will be implemented, and who will administer it.

It may be wise to state in your AI policy that anyone using AI chatbots must first take a company training module and pass the comprehension test. I liken this to making sure someone has done the chainsaw safety training/read the safety instructions before pulling the cord on their new chainsaw.

Determine whether or not your company wants a permissive policy, a restrictive policy or something in between. Determine what the limits of usage and rules of engagement are.

Example of Permissive case:

Acceptable Use:

• For general-knowledge questions meant to enhance your understanding on a work-related topic.

• To brainstorm ideas related to projects you are working on (while still ensuring that sensitive data is not included).

• To create formulas for Excel spreadsheets or similar programs.

• To develop or debug code, to be verified before deployment.

• To draft an email or letter

Unacceptable Use:

• Copying and pasting, typing, or in any way submitting company or customer identifying information of any kind into the AI chatbot.

Example of Restrictive case

Acceptable Use:

• Limited Automation: AI can be employed strictly for non-critical, repetitive tasks that do not involve personal data processing or decision-making that affects users or employees. This includes basic data sorting or operational efficiency tasks with no privacy implications.

• Performance Analytics: AI usage is permissible for analyzing system performance metrics only if the data is anonymized and aggregated, ensuring no individual user or employee can be identified. This restricts AI's role to improving system efficiency without compromising privacy.

• Security Threat Analysis: AI can be utilized to identify security threats, but only under strict regulations that prevent any form of individual tracking or profiling. The AI systems must be designed to flag generic threats and vulnerabilities without analyzing or storing personal data.

• AI in Development Environments: AI tools and systems can be used within development environments for code optimization, error checking, and other non-user-facing tasks. These applications must not influence product decisions or user data processing.

Unacceptable Use:

• No Personalized User Profiling: Completely prohibit the use of AI for creating personalized profiles of users or employees based on their behavior, preferences, or any form of personal data analysis.

• Ban on Autonomous Decision-Making: Explicitly forbid the use of AI for any autonomous decision-making that affects users, employees, or business operations.

• Prohibition of Predictive Behavior Analysis: AI must not be used for predicting individual behaviors or outcomes based on data analysis. This includes applications in marketing, customer service, or employee performance assessments, safeguarding against potential biases and privacy infringements.

• Zero Tolerance for External Data Exploitation: Enforce a ban on using AI to analyze or exploit data acquired from external sources, especially without clear, informed consent.

• Strict Control Over AI Experimentation: Limit AI research and experimentation strictly to controlled environments with no live user data. Any AI development project must undergo rigorous ethical review and approval processes, ensuring compliance with the highest standards of safety and ethics.

A good place to start with the Unacceptable Use section is to include the things that are already in your employee handbook. These can typically be found in sections like:

1. Business Ethics and Professional Conduct

2. Employee Conduct

3. Company Information and Property

4. Privacy

5. NOTE: These could vary in your organization

Don’t be afraid to create a first draft of the document and run it past your HR person, COO, legal team etc. If you have an AI committee these would also be the people to work on and review this first draft.

Ensure that once you have the AI policy you promote and spread awareness about it. It would also be prudent to design a small quiz with the basics for everyone to take to confirm comprehension after reviewing the document.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help! As Dave mentions in the episode, he had an entrepreneur friend provide their policy to him and used it as a starting point. Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to talk through anything, you can reach me at [email protected] 

Check out the full episode below for some additional insights from Dave:

Mike's Favorites

Sharing personal recommendations for AI books, podcasts, or documentaries.

ITEXPO 2024 - CEO Insights: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Generative AI for Business

This week, I wanted to highlight a video that our guest on the Artificial Antics podcast. The guests and moderator had a lot to say on the landscape of AI and practical insights for CEOs and business folks alike.

Goda Go’s Recent take on the madness of the AI tool hype cycle

As someone who’s always got their eye on AI, what Godo Go mentions below really resonates with me. One thing that everyone can do is to slow down a bit and let things settle especially when it comes to AI tools. Now, I’m not saying to bury your head in the sand, I’m just saying that there is a distinct possibility that what’s big news this week will be the shadow of a chasm wall next week. AI tools are constantly being iterated and there’s a very real arms race happening. For quite some time, I kind of just chuckle when I see a headline like “GPT4 vs Gemini Ultra - The “ChatGPT Killer”?”, sure, that’s cool. I may may read the article to understand the changes, but the fact of the matter is a lot of the time, hype is hype and folks want clicks.

Thanks for checking out my favorites section and if you have something you like to share, talk about or ask, hit me up at [email protected]

Contact Us

Got a product, service, or innovation in the AI and tech world you're itching to share? Or perhaps you have a strange, hilarious, or uniquely entertaining experience with AI tools or in the AI space? We at Artificial Antics are always on the lookout for exciting content to feature on our podcast and in our newsletter. If you're ready to share your creation or story with an enthusiastic audience, we're ready to listen! Please reach out with a direct message on X.com or send us an email. Let's explore the possibility of a thrilling collaboration together!

Closing

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Thank You

This week we want to give a special thanks to Dave George from GreenStar Marketing and P2P Consulting. We had a fantastic time talking to Dave on Episode 10 of the Artificial Antics show, it was great to hear Dave’s take on the AI landscape as a CEO and entrepreneur.

During the episode, Dave had many insights including quite a few from the Generative AI conference panel he was on “AI: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”.

Quote of the week: Make decisions based on data, not feelings.