All the Latest on AI Safety and Apple Vision Pro
Emerging Tech Roundup — April 5
The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.
This week in tech: The US and UK signed a massive agreement on AI safety, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut are heavily embracing AI, ChatGPT can now be used without an account, Yahoo acquired news discovery platform Artifact, 200+ musicians signed a letter against irresponsible AI use, Apple introduced “spatial” Personas for Vision Pro headsets, and Oura’s new feature detects early changes in user’s health.
US and UK Sign Landmark Agreement on Testing Safety of AI
(Financial Times, April 1)
The US and UK have signed a groundbreaking agreement on artificial intelligence, marking the first formal collaboration between nations to test and assess risks from emerging AI models. The deal emphasizes pooling technical knowledge and talent to address AI safety concerns amid calls for greater regulation. This partnership enables the exchange of expertise between the UK’s AI Safety Institute and its US counterpart, aiming to evaluate private AI models and navigate the potential impacts of advanced technologies.
Taco Bell and Pizza Hut Are Going ‘AI-First,’ Yum’s New Tech Chief Says
(Wall Street Journal, April 1)
Yum Brands is embracing an “AI-powered” future for its fast-food empire, with artificial intelligence influencing operations across Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Habit Burger Grill restaurants. The company has significantly ramped up its investment in technology and automation, with approximately 45% of its sales now digital. As fast-food chains navigate challenges like rising labor costs and inflation, many are turning to AI to enhance sales and streamline operations, marking a significant shift towards technology-driven solutions in the industry.
You Can Now Use ChatGPT Without an Account
(Engadget, April 1)
OpenAI has initiated instant access to ChatGPT without requiring users to create an account, aiming to broaden accessibility while also potentially incentivizing users to subscribe for advanced GPT-4 access. This move allows users to engage with the GPT-3.5 model freely, with some restrictions such as limited prompts and blocked image generations to mitigate potential misuse. Users can opt out of contributing to data training by toggling off the “Improve the model for everyone” option in the settings, offering a measure of control over their interactions with the AI.
Yahoo Announces the Acquisition of Artifact, the News Discovery Platform Created by Instagram Cofounders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger
(Business Wire, April 2)
Yahoo has acquired Artifact — the AI-driven news aggregation platform founded by Instagram’s cofounders — with plans to integrate its technology across Yahoo properties, including the Yahoo News app. By leveraging Artifact’s proprietary AI-powered personalization technology, Yahoo aims to enhance the news discovery experience for its millions of users globally. This acquisition aligns with Yahoo’s commitment to delivering trusted news and information while offering a more tailored and personalized content experience, with Artifact’s technology bringing curated news stories to the forefront.
Nicki Minaj, Billie Eilish, Katy Perry and Other Musicians Sign Letter Against Irresponsible AI
(Tech Crunch, April 2)
As AI-generated music becomes increasingly sophisticated and mainstream, companies like Adobe and Stability AI have started working on AI music generators that use licensed or royalty-free music. A coalition of 200 musicians — including Billie Eilish, Bob Marley Estate, and Imagine Dragons — penned an open letter urging tech companies to respect human creativity and refrain from undermining it with AI music generation tools. The artists highlight concerns about the unauthorized use of their work to train AI models, paving the way to a future where the privacy, identity, and livelihoods of big and small musicians are protected.
Apple Vision Pro’s Persona Feature Gets Collaborative
(Tech Crunch, April 2)
Apple has introduced “spatial” Personas for Vision Pro headsets, enhancing collaboration by placing virtual avatars in the user’s physical space via on-board sensors. Although an update has improved their realism, Apple acknowledged they are still a work in progress, with users experiencing a mix of fascination and unease resembling the uncanny valley effect.
Oura’s Experimenting With a Feature to Detect Early Changes in Your Health
(The Verge, April 3)
Oura has introduced a new feature called Oura Labs, allowing users to experiment with cutting-edge functionalities, including Symptom Radar, designed to detect early signs of physiological strain. Symptom Radar tracks and alerts users about changes in key biometrics such as temperature, respiratory rate, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. The feature is not meant for illness diagnosis, but rather to aid users in understanding their body’s signals, with Oura hinting at the future potential for large-scale illness monitoring.
