TechSlice 2023-11-15

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BIG TECH & STARTUPS

Nothing is bringing iMessage to its Android phone (3 minute read)

Nothing Phone 2 will integrate iMessage via the "Nothing Chats" app, aiming to bridge messaging divides, but the feature relies on Sunbird for routing iMessages through servers in the US or Europe; concerns exist about granting access to iCloud credentials and functionality limitations, including incomplete Tapback reactions and group iMessage challenges. Despite potential privacy issues, Nothing aims to introduce this feature, possibly prompting Apple's response amid ongoing investigations into iMessage's status as a core platform service.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wants to build AI “superintelligence” (5 minute read)

OpenAI plans to secure more funding from Microsoft, emphasizing the need for financial support due to the high costs of developing advanced AI models; the company, unprofitable due to training expenses, aims to generate revenue through tools like GPT-4 and a future GPT Store while focusing on creating artificial general intelligence (AGI). Altman, OpenAI's CEO, sees AGI development and the ability to derive new knowledge as the primary challenges for advancing AI.

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SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY

AI could predict heart attack risk up to 10 years in the future, finds Oxford study (2 minute read)

A study from the University of Oxford reveals AI's potential to predict heart attack risk 10 years in advance, potentially saving lives and improving treatment for nearly half of patients, based on AI-enhanced cardiac CT scans. Researchers found that this technology could alter treatment plans for many patients, identifying high-risk individuals without visible artery disease and prompting necessary interventions. This AI tool, if implemented across the NHS, could prevent numerous avoidable heart attack deaths annually in the UK, according to the researchers and the British Heart Foundation.

Ritalin research: This “smart drug” can impair or enhance your creativity depending on your brain chemistry (6 minute read)

A study in Neuropsychopharmacology suggests that individual differences in dopamine levels impact how methylphenidate, a common psychostimulant, affects creativity, with low dopamine levels linked to impaired creativity in methylphenidate users. The research from the University of Oxford revealed that while methylphenidate may enhance creative thinking in individuals with high baseline dopamine, it hampers such abilities in those with lower dopamine levels. However, the study emphasizes the complexity of drug effects on creativity, cautioning against assuming universal cognitive enhancement from drugs like methylphenidate and highlighting the role of individual brain chemistry in these outcomes.

Is AI the answer to sustainable farming? (14 minute read)

The study featured in the article explores how Ritalin, a commonly used psychostimulant, impacts creativity based on individual brain chemistry. It suggests that Ritalin can either hinder or improve creative thinking, contingent on an individual's baseline dopamine synthesis capacity. This research highlights the nuanced effects of such drugs, emphasizing the necessity to consider individual brain chemistry when assessing their impact on cognitive functions like creativity.

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PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & DATA SCIENCE

Everything startups need to know about building a security compliance program (6 minute read)

The article discusses essential steps for startups to create a robust security compliance program. It emphasizes the significance of understanding regulatory requirements, conducting risk assessments, and implementing security measures aligned with industry standards. By establishing a comprehensive compliance strategy early on, startups can build trust with customers and stakeholders while mitigating potential security risks.

cpacker/MemGPT – Teaching LLMs memory management for unbounded context (3 minute read)

MemGPT is a Python library leveraging GPT models for memory-augmented tasks, combining transformers and external memory. It extends the capabilities of GPT models by incorporating memory-augmented architectures for improved performance in tasks requiring memory access. MemGPT's GitHub repository provides code and documentation for users interested in implementing memory-augmented GPT models in their projects.

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MISCELLANEOUS

YouTube threatens to suspend creators who fail to disclose AI-generated videos (2 minute read)

YouTube is implementing new regulations requiring creators to disclose if they use AI to create realistic videos, with penalties for non-disclosure. The platform aims to balance creative potential with community protection, particularly for sensitive topics like elections or public health crises. Viewers will be notified about AI-altered content, and YouTube is enhancing AI to identify rule-breaking content quicker while updating privacy complaint processes for AI-generated videos featuring identifiable individuals.

ChatGPT has a scary security risk after new update. Is your data in trouble? (1 minute read)

New updates to ChatGPT, such as the Code Interpreter, introduce security vulnerabilities highlighted by security expert Johann Rehberger and Tom's Hardware. These flaws emerge from the file-upload feature, allowing prompt injection attacks within the sandboxed Python environment. Despite needing specific conditions, like a user pasting a malicious URL, the risk remains significant, potentially compromising trusted websites or through social engineering tactics. Tom's Hardware tested this vulnerability, demonstrating how ChatGPT could inadvertently send data to an external server, raising concerns due to its ability to execute Linux commands and handle user files in a Linux-based environment.

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QUICK LINKS

AI is starting to outperform meteorologists (2 minute read)

GraphCast, a DeepMind AI, predicts 10-day weather variables in under a minute, outperforming traditional methods by 90% accuracy, possibly integrating into Google for better severe weather forecasts.

Truck bloat is killing us, new crash data reveals (3 minute read)

Increasingly popular taller SUVs and trucks are linked to higher fatality rates in crashes, especially involving pedestrians, prompting concerns about vehicle design and the lack of regulations addressing safety risks posed to vulnerable road users.

How Meta Is Monetizing the Decline of Facebook (7 minute read)

Meta's strategy revolves around integrating its apps - Facebook, Instagram, Threads - with WhatsApp emerging as a crucial service, driving growth and revenue potential, although the challenge remains in monetizing WhatsApp without the typical advertising methods due to its private messaging nature.

Amazon has begun replacing Android with its own software on some products (2 minute read)

Amazon is developing its own OS, Vega, initially seen on Echo Show 5, expected to replace Android across its devices, potentially altering app development and user features while aiming for enhanced control and advertising revenue.

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