Project Gemini Unveiled; Meta and IBM form open-source alliance

🚀Project Gemini Unveiled. Link

• Google launched Project Gemini, an AI model with human-like behavior, on December 6.

• The rollout includes immediate integration of less sophisticated versions (Nano and Pro) into Google's Bard chatbot and Pixel 8 Pro smartphone.

• "Bard Advanced," a more capable version, is slated for an early 2024 release, boasting enhanced multitasking and initial English language support.

• Gemini enters the competitive AI landscape, particularly challenging OpenAI's GPT-4, amid ongoing concerns about job loss and ethical implications.

🤖Klarna freezes hiring because AI can do the job instead. Link

• Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski implements a hiring freeze, excluding engineers, signaling a shift towards AI reliance.

• No layoffs are planned this time; instead, the company refrains from active recruitment, anticipating AI's capacity to handle tasks traditionally performed by humans.

• Klarna joins other companies, like IBM, in leveraging AI for efficiency, raising concerns about job displacement.

• Siemiatkowski envisions building consumer-facing AI features, transforming Klarna into a "personal finance assistant" and reducing the need for additional human hires.

🤝Meta and IBM form open-source alliance to counter big AI players. Link

• Meta and IBM have formed the AI Alliance with 50 companies, universities, and other entities to promote responsible, open-sourced AI, positioning themselves as competitors to OpenAI and other leaders in the AI industry.

• The alliance includes major open-sourced AI models like Llama2, Stable Diffusion, StarCoder, and Bloom, and features notable members such as Hugging Face, Intel, AMD, and various educational institutions.

• Their goals include advancing open foundation models, developing tools for responsible AI development, fostering AI hardware acceleration, and educating the public and regulators about AI's risks and benefits.

📈 US crypto industry lobby spending on track for new record in 2023. Link

• The cryptocurrency industry is on track to set a new record in federal lobbying spending in 2023, having spent $18.96 million in the first three quarters, surpassing the $16.1 million spent in the same period in 2022.

• Major crypto firms like Coinbase, Crypto.com, the Blockchain Association, and Binance are leading the lobbying efforts, focusing on repairing reputations and influencing legislation favorable to the industry.

• The efforts include combating regulatory scrutiny, especially from the SEC, and pushing for the approval of a bitcoin ETF, with notable progress in the House of Representatives on crypto-related bills.

💬Amazon's AI reportedly suffering 'severe hallucinations' and 'leaking confidential data'. Link

• Amazon's new AI chatbot Q is reportedly experiencing severe hallucinations and leaking confidential data, including AWS data center locations and unreleased features, raising concerns among employees.

• Despite these issues, Amazon maintains that no security problems were identified and plans to continue refining Q, which is designed as an enterprise-level competitor to tools like ChatGPT.

• Internal documents highlight Q's potential for harmful or inappropriate responses, such as outdated security information, a common risk associated with large language models.

Today’s recommendation,

• Fresh Salmon - Helping you master B2B Demand Creation and Audience Building for market dominance!

• Innovating with AI - Fast-track your AI automations with our free no-code toolkit

• Boardroom - one-stop shop for the day’s biggest stories in the business of sports, music, and entertainment

• RAREMINTS - Web 3 / Tech / Business. Your daily DYOR.

Thank you for subscribing to DataPragmatist. We have something brewing up and I am excited about it. Stay tuned, more information in coming weeks.