Your weekly briefing on all things AI

This week we see real-time examples of how fast AI is being made accessible, not just for the average person to use, but even for the average person to build! New LLMs are popping up, and new tools are turning Average Joes into AI programmers. These technologies are providing an unprecedented power to create incremental value, and the sky is the limit.

💪 Musk’s New Toy: Meet Grok. Grok is a witty chatbot designed do be a “spicier” competitor to ChatGPT.

🦾 GPT Made to Order: OpenAI just released a platform and marketplace for building and showcasing new GPT powered bots.

🛠️ Gen. AI tools in the Hands of Billions: LinkedIn, who recently hit 1 Billion users, and Youtube, who has about 2.7 Billion users, have both announced generative AI tools coming to platform soon.

🎣 1,265% Increase in Phishing Scams: ChatGPT, among other chatbots, have become a beloved tool of scammers looking to more successfully con victims.

This week's stories spotlight a world where AI is accessible to the masses, for better or for worse.

📰 AI in the News

AI Showdown: Musk's Grok Challenges ChatGPT in Wit and Wisdom

Elon Musk's xAI has unveiled Grok, a new AI chatbot poised to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT. Grok, still in its prototype phase, is already being hailed by Musk as the superior chatbot, potentially setting the stage for an intriguing battle of AI wits.

Grok, named after a term from Robert Heinlein's 1961 novel "Stranger in a Strange Land," signifies deep, intuitive understanding. This aligns with the chatbot's design, which incorporates real-time data from Musk's X social media platform, aiming to provide the most current and context-aware responses.

Pricing models for both AI chatbots vary, with ChatGPT offering a free tier and a $20 monthly subscription for advanced features, while Grok's access is currently limited to X Premium+ subscribers at $16 a month.

The key differentiator may lie in their data sources and language models. ChatGPT's model, trained on data up to September 2021, relies on a vast array of internet sources. Grok's model, Grok-1, leverages real-time data for more up-to-date responses, which Musk claims makes it smarter than ChatGPT's GPT-3.5.

Musk's vision for Grok extends beyond just smart responses; he promises a chatbot with a sense of humor, offering witty and sarcastic retorts, contrasting with ChatGPT's more straightforward replies. This personality trait could be a game-changer in user engagement.

As the AI chatbot landscape evolves, the Grok vs. ChatGPT rivalry highlights the rapid advancements and competitive spirit driving the industry forward. With both platforms backed by influential tech personalities, the race to develop the most engaging and intelligent AI companion continues to heat up. Full Story

Customizing AI: OpenAI Unveils Tailored ChatGPTs

OpenAI has introduced a groundbreaking development in AI customization with the launch of GPTs—custom versions of ChatGPT designed for specific tasks or environments. These tailored AI models can be created by anyone without coding expertise, allowing for a personalized AI experience in daily life, work, or at home. Users can now instruct their GPTs to perform a variety of tasks, from learning board game rules to teaching math or designing stickers.

The initiative is part of OpenAI's broader vision to democratize AI technology, making it more accessible and useful for a wider audience. With the upcoming GPT Store, creators will be able to share their GPTs with the world, potentially earning revenue based on usage. OpenAI emphasizes privacy and safety in this rollout, ensuring that user data remains under user control and that GPTs adhere to strict usage policies.

As AI continues to integrate into various aspects of life, OpenAI's GPTs represent a significant step towards more personalized, efficient, and user-friendly AI tools. The implications for businesses, educators, and everyday users are substantial, as this technology opens new doors for innovation and customization in the AI space. Full Story

More Stories

• The UK is investing $273 Million in an AI supercomputer (link)

• LinkedIn (>1 Billion users) launches new AI reading and writing tools (link)

• Emotionally charged prompts can improve LLM outputs (link)

• Factory is making “Droids” that make software (link)

• Department of Defense released their AI adoption plans (link) 

• AWS let’s customers rent NVIDIA GPUs for quick AI projects (link)

• Read 11 fundamental ways AI is changing the Real Estate Industry (link)

• Google’s AI weather forecasting model delivers accurate 24-hour forecasts (link)

• Alibaba unveils GPT-4 competitor (link)

• Scarlett Johansson takes legal action against an AI app that used her likeness in advertising (link)

• Youtube to test generative AI features (link)

• Artists are fighting back AI image models with new techniques to “poison” their data (link)

• 1265% increase in phishing email attacks since Q4 2022 (link)

• AI video generator Runway released upgrades with unmatched quality (link)

• Stability AI launches a text-to3D model to generate “draft quality” 3D models in minutes (link)

💡 Industry Insights

🏥 Healthcare

Apple's Health Innovations: The tech giant is poised to enhance its health monitoring capabilities, with plans to introduce AI-driven features for detecting hypertension and sleep apnea in upcoming versions of the Apple Watch and AirPods. This move signifies Apple's deepening commitment to health technology. (link)

AI vs. Diabetes: Forbes reports on the transformative impact AI is having on diabetes care, showcasing how technology is becoming a pivotal tool in managing and combating this widespread health challenge. (link)

VA's AI Challenge: The Department of Veterans Affairs is tackling healthcare worker burnout with a $1 million AI tech competition, aiming to leverage innovative solutions to improve the well-being of its workforce. (link)

🏠 Real Estate

Predictive Real Estate: AI-driven predictive analytics are revolutionizing the real estate industry, offering unprecedented insights into market trends and buyer behavior, and setting new standards for property valuation and investment strategies. (link)

🔐 Cyber Security

AI-Enabled Cybercrime Surge: A report from The Decoder reveals a dramatic 1265% increase in phishing emails, underscoring the dark side of generative AI as it becomes a potent tool for cybercriminals. (link)

⚖️ Legal

Johansson's AI Stand: Scarlett Johansson takes legal action against an AI app for using her likeness without consent, spotlighting the emerging legal challenges surrounding AI and intellectual property rights. (link)

📈 Venture Deals

• Shield AI soars with $200 million raise, hitting a $2.7 billion valuation to scale military autonomous tech. (link)

• Yahoo spin-out Vespa buzzes with $31 million investment from Blossom. (link)

• Abridge secures $30 million to propel its generative AI across US healthcare. (link)

• Arteria AI clinches $30 million to craft cutting-edge documentation infrastructure for finance giants. (link)

• CentML lands $27 million to turbocharge AI model efficiency, with Nvidia in the mix. (link)

• Cranium secures $25 million to safeguard the burgeoning AI landscape. (link)

• Guidde grabs $15.6 million to revolutionize software learning with AI-driven video. (link)

• Eve raises $14 million, debuting a "personalized" AI legal assistant to shake up the legal tech scene. (link)

• Sprout.ai blooms with £5.4 million seed round for automating insurance claims. (link)

• Nortech AI nets €2.5 million, steering AI-driven optimizations into the maritime sector. (link)

🛠️ Latest AI Tools

• GrantAssistant.ai is a grant writing co-pilot

• InVideo.io helps you generate scripts, create scenes, and add voiceovers

• Gamma.app helps you create a working presentation, document, or webpage that you can refine and customize

• Botpress.com helps you build ChatGPT chatbots surprisingly fast

• Shiny.School is a resource for bite-sized tutorials

• Gems.so connects you to all your entire team's documented knowledge

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