AI Bytes Newsletter Issue #16

Welcome to the 16th Edition of the AI Bytes newsletter! We're excited to bring you the most up-to-date AI news and happenings, cutting through the noise to highlight key developments. This week, we examine the ethical challenges of AI-powered security systems like PaintCam Eve and explore Meta's LLama 3, a notable contender in the large language models space known for its efficiency in handling complex queries. We also feature character.ai, an innovative tool that enhances interactions with AI using voice. Plus, don’t miss the latest from our Skeptic's Corner and Mike's Musings, where we simplify complex AI topics. Join us as we continue our journey, learning and teaching about the transformative potential and implications of AI. Grab your favorite cup of coffee and let's get started!

The Latest in AI

A Look into the Heart of AI

Featured Innovation

Meta’s LLama 3 release and Meta AI.

Meta's LLama 3 joins the competitive field of large language models like GPT-4 and Claude 3 Opus, boasting significant efficiency despite having fewer parameters. LLama 3's advanced tokenizer and grouped query attention make it particularly adept at multilingual and complex query handling. Each model in this crowded space offers unique strengths, making them suitable for different tasks, from deep analytical capabilities to robust multilingual performance.

For a detailed look at the capabilities and comparisons of Meta's LLama 3, you can read the full article here.

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

Now THIS is just one of the many real-world impacts that are both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Enter the PaintCam Eve, a security system with the autonomy to launch paintballs and tear gas at perceived threats. This innovation signals a significant shift in home security dynamics. On one hand, it introduces a more proactive approach to deterring intruders; on the other, it stirs up a host of ethical and legal concerns. The capability of these machines to deploy force autonomously was traditionally reserved for human judgment. This transition may necessitate a reevaluation of the legal frameworks that govern personal safety and defense measures.

Moreover, as these autonomous systems become more integrated into everyday security protocols, they could drastically alter societal norms surrounding privacy and safety. While intended to enhance security, they also present risks such as false positives and potential for misuse. The prospect of security devices making split-second decisions to use potentially harmful measures against neighbors, guests, or pets is particularly alarming. As we lean increasingly towards these advanced systems for our safety, the implications for privacy and the necessity for strict regulations to prevent misuse will undoubtedly spark significant debate, reshaping our conventional understanding of security and privacy.

AI Tool of the Week

The Toolbox for Navigating the AI Landscape

character.ai

This week, we’re highlighting character.ai. This AI tool allows you to chat with your childhood superhero, brainstorm ideas or plan a trip all in one user interface. One thing that we like about character.ai over ChatGPT’s custom GPTs (at least on the web version) is that it allows for you to interact with voice (both for the prompt and the responses) without using your phone app. I’m certain OpenAI will add that at some point, and for now it’s a nice touch!

character.ai gives you the ability to define a Name, Greeting, Description and more. It also allows you to “Keep Character definition private”.

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

Skeptics Corner: AI Voice Cloning: A Cautionary Tale of Ethics and Misuse in Education

In our last episode, I expressed the dangers of AI Voice Cloning and expressed how nefarious actors would soon be using these technologies to frame others for crimes or what have you. Here we are, not even a month later, and this incident occurs to underscore that issue.

A physical education teacher and athletic director at Pikesville High School in Maryland, Dazhon Darien, was arrested under accusations of using artificial intelligence to create a fake audio recording. The recording falsely portrayed the school principal, Eric Eiswert, as making racist and antisemitic remarks. This episode of AI misuse not only highlights the ethical dilemmas but also underscores the potential for significant social disruption.

The authorities reported that Darien crafted the AI-generated audio to sound like Principal Eiswert disparaging Black and Jewish communities. This manipulation was seemingly motivated by personal grievances between Darien and Eiswert, related to work performance and contract renewal disputes. The audio went viral, causing substantial community uproar and leading to Eiswert's administrative leave, showing the powerful impact and swift spread of disinformation.

The Baltimore County Police Chief, Robert McCullough, confirmed that the audio was fabricated using AI technology after a forensic analysis found traces of AI-generated content. The investigation also linked the email used to disseminate the fake audio to Darien, revealing premeditation and misuse of school resources to access AI tools for creating the harmful content.

One of the many pitfalls we had discussed on the podcast was not only the damage that can be done by the actor but also the person being judged by a jury of one's peers who are unfamiliar with AI, voice cloning, or technologies that can perform such tasks so effortlessly. While AI offers transformative opportunities for innovation and convenience, it also presents new avenues for criminal activities and ethical abuses. The ease with which individuals can now fabricate believable media will, of course, catalyze a discussion (or several) on the urgent need for regulatory frameworks to address these technologies.

As AI continues to evolve, so too does the necessity for vigilance and responsibility in its application. We must advocate for and develop measures that safeguard against the malicious use of AI while continuing to educate the public about its potential risks and realities. Only through deliberate action and informed policy can we hope to mitigate the potential harms of AI, ensuring it serves to enhance societal well-being rather than undermine it.

Must-Read Articles

Listener's Voice

In this week’s Listener's Voice, Laurie writes, ”My husband, traumatized by yard work yesterday, wrote lyrics and had AI make it into a song…https://suno.com/song/a4f4a8ed-0fce-4093-b450-d1066036b1e5”.

Laurie, this is hilarious and too real! Thanks for inspiring us to take a deeper look at suno.com, it may just end up as our AI Tool of the Week in the next Edition!

Mike's Musings

Tech Deep Dive

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

For this week’s deep dive, we’re going to ‘delve’ 😉 into Model Collapse. A while back, I wrote an article on this and wanted to resurface this because this is a serious issue that folks need to know about.

Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to talk through anything, you can reach me at [email protected] 

Mike's Favorites

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

Introducing Perplexity’s Enterprise Pro

It’s no secret that we’re fans of Perplexity AI. I use Perplexity every day as a full Google replacement. The speed at which Perplexity helps me gather and refine lots of information is staggering.

As someone who’s seen a huge value in ChatGPT Team, I’m excited to announce that Perplexity has launched a new tier called Enterprise Pro, targeting organizations to enhance their team productivity.

Key Features of Enterprise Pro:

1. Efficiency: Accelerates research processes with powerful search capabilities.

2. Security: Implements robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data.

3. Integration: Seamlessly works with other platforms such as NVIDIA, Zoom, and Databricks, facilitating a unified workflow.

4. Knowledge Sharing: Equips all departments with up-to-date insights and tools, promoting uniform expertise across the organization.

Enterprise Pro is designed to transform the workplace by integrating advanced AI capabilities, thus addressing the need for more collaborative and secure digital environments. Read more in my article below:

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]

Connect & Share

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Thank You!

Thanks to our listeners and followers! Continue to explore AI with us. More at Artificial Antics (antics.tv).

Quote of the week: "Those who know AI and know their job well, will upskill and thrive - Mike"