Photographer Eugenio Marongiu has harnessed the power of OpenAI’s unreleased text-to-video model, Sora, to create Surreal Elderhood, a project blending absurdity and vivid realism. As an alpha tester for the model, Marongiu explored its potential to transform his artistic workflow, which traditionally involved animating images manually after creating them.
The Sora model enabled Marongiu to accelerate this process, although the bulk of his time remained devoted to conceptualising, testing, and editing. The project took about two days to complete, showcasing Sora’s potential to streamline complex creative tasks. Despite its promise, the technology remains challenging to use and has drawn controversy for its broader implications.
While critics highlight the limitations and ethical concerns of such AI tools, artists like Marongiu continue to push creative boundaries, exploring the intersections of technology and imagination. The ongoing experimentation with AI like Sora hints at its transformative possibilities in art and beyond.
At its re:Invent 2024 conference, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced groundbreaking tools aimed at addressing common issues in generative AI, including hallucinations. The new Automated Reasoning Checks service verifies the accuracy of AI-generated content by cross-referencing customer-provided information. This tool is integrated into AWS’s Bedrock platform and allows users to refine models with “ground truths” for better reliability, though it shares similarities with earlier offerings from Microsoft and Google.
AWS also introduced Model Distillation, a feature for Bedrock that enables users to transfer capabilities from larger AI models to smaller, more cost-efficient ones. While this helps lower costs, it comes with limitations, such as requiring models from the same family and a slight dip in accuracy. Additionally, Bedrock now offers a multi-agent collaboration feature, which lets customers assign AI agents specific subtasks, improving efficiency in larger projects.
These innovations reflect AWS’s commitment to staying ahead in the competitive AI space. The new features aim to address industry-wide concerns about AI’s reliability and cost while expanding Bedrock’s capabilities for customers like PwC, whose VP of AI and data, Swami Sivasubramanian, highlighted significant growth in the platform’s user base over the past year.
Cate Blanchett has voiced her concerns about the societal implications of AI, describing the threat as ‘very real.’ In an interview with the BBC, the Australian actress shared her scepticism about advancements like driverless cars and AI‘s potential to replicate human voices, noting the broader risks for humanity. Blanchett emphasised that AI could replace anyone, not just actors, and criticised some technological advancements as ‘experimentation for its own sake.’
While promoting Rumours, her new apocalyptic comedy film, Blanchett described the plot as reflective of modern anxieties. The film, directed by Guy Maddin, portrays world leaders navigating absurd situations, offering both satire and a critique of detachment from reality. Blanchett highlighted how the story reveals the vulnerability and artificiality of political figures once removed from their structures of power.
Maddin shared that his characters emerged from initial disdain but evolved into figures of empathy as the narrative unfolds. Blanchett added that both actors and politicians face infantilisation within their respective systems, highlighting parallels in their perceived disconnection from the real world.
Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest, is trialling an advanced AI system named ‘Amy’ to assist air traffic controllers in managing its crowded airspace. Handling nearly half a million flights annually, Heathrow aims to improve safety and efficiency through real-time data and advanced tracking capabilities provided by the AI system.
Amy integrates radar and 4K video data to give controllers a detailed visualisation of aircraft positions, even when out of sight. Designed by NATS, the UK’s air traffic management agency, the system offers vital information such as flight numbers and aircraft types, helping controllers make faster, more informed decisions. After testing on over 40,000 flights, NATS plans to fully operationalise a ‘digital contingency tower’ by 2027 to ensure backup in emergencies.
Despite its promise, experts caution against over-reliance on AI. They highlight potential limitations, such as insufficient contextual judgment and challenges in handling unexpected scenarios. Colin Rigby from Keele University emphasised that AI should complement human operators rather than replace them.
The adoption of similar AI-driven solutions is being explored by major airports worldwide, including those in Singapore, New York, and Hong Kong, signaling a shift toward digital transformation in air traffic management.
A team from Johns Hopkins and Stanford has trained robotic systems to perform surgical tasks with human-like precision. Using a da Vinci Surgical System, the researchers applied ‘imitation learning,’ where robots observe recorded surgical videos to replicate complex movements like suturing and tissue manipulation. This innovative method eliminates the need for manual programming and allows robots to learn from the combined expertise of skilled surgeons.
The AI-powered system combines imitation learning with advanced machine learning techniques, enabling it to convert visual data into precise robotic actions. Not only does it perform surgical tasks proficiently, but it can also self-correct in real time, such as retrieving a dropped needle without human intervention. Such adaptability could reduce complications and enhance patient outcomes.
This breakthrough accelerates the path toward autonomous robotic surgery. Researchers believe robots can now learn new procedures in days rather than months. While full autonomy in surgery remains a future goal, this advancement marks a significant step toward safer and more accessible healthcare worldwide.
The PongBot, a cutting-edge AI-powered tennis robot, is revolutionising solo tennis practice. Unlike traditional ball machines, this smart device uses a clip-on sensor to track your court position and adjusts its shots in real-time. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, it simulates match conditions by varying ball speed, spin, and placement, offering a dynamic training experience anytime.
Players can personalise their sessions via the PongBot app, which features up to 300 preprogrammed drills and custom sequences. With speeds of up to 80 mph and an eight-hour battery life, the AI robot provides intense training tailored to skill level. Advanced AI match training makes it feel like playing against a real opponent, pushing players to improve their game.
Initially funded through a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, the PongBot comes in two models priced at $699 and $899. With seamless integration with smart devices like Apple Watch and support from tech giant Qualcomm, this high-tech training partner is set to ship in December, perfect for off-season practice.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture in the United States, offering solutions to longstanding challenges like labor shortages and rising costs. With US farms dwindling from 6.8 million in the 1930s to just 1.9 million in 2023, AI-powered technologies are stepping in to improve crop yields, resource efficiency, and food production. Experts emphasise AI’s ability to analyse massive amounts of data, guiding decisions on irrigation, fertilisation, and pest control to maximise productivity.
Despite its potential, adoption remains limited, with only 27% of US farmers currently using emerging technologies like AI. However, investment is projected to grow significantly, from $2B in 2024 to over $5B by 2028. Researchers at institutions like the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems are exploring applications from robotics to controlled indoor environments, which enable year-round farming and climate adaptability for crops like grapes.
While high upfront costs and accessibility remain hurdles, proponents believe AI can accelerate agricultural innovation and foster collaboration among farmers. By combining advanced tools and shared data, AI could help build a more sustainable food system and support the delivery of fresh, nutritious produce to underserved areas.
Uber is expanding its gig worker ecosystem with a new initiative aimed at data labeling and AI annotation. The new division, called Scaled Solutions, provides services not only for Uber’s internal needs but also for outside clients like self-driving car company Aurora Innovation and game developer Niantic. This move highlights Uber’s effort to diversify beyond its core ride-hailing and delivery businesses.
The company has started recruiting contractors across multiple countries, including the US, Canada, and India. Scaled Solutions aims to tap into the booming demand for data annotation services, a critical component for training AI models. The initiative positions Uber in a growing market dominated by companies like Scale AI, which recently secured a $1B funding round at a $13.8B valuation.
Uber’s entry into data labeling reflects its push to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AI world. By leveraging its gig workforce model, the company could establish a foothold in this high-demand sector while diversifying its revenue streams.
Zoom, once synonymous with video conferencing during the pandemic, is pivoting to redefine itself as an ‘AI-first work platform for human connection.’ The company has dropped ‘Video’ from its name, now operating as Zoom Communications Inc., as part of its broader strategy to move beyond video services and compete with tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Slack.
Amid declining growth following its pandemic-era boom, Zoom has expanded its offerings to include a comprehensive suite of tools under its Zoom Workplace solution, featuring team chat, email, and productivity apps. CEO Eric Yuan envisions AI as the cornerstone of this transformation, with tools designed to automate routine tasks and create ‘digital twins’ for users, freeing up time and enabling a four-day workweek.
In October, Zoom introduced its upgraded AI companion, which offers advanced summarisation and assistance capabilities. Yuan emphasises that leveraging AI for smarter, hybrid work solutions will be critical to keeping Zoom relevant as workers return to offices and competition in the enterprise software market intensifies.
Actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck has weighed in on the ongoing debate over AI in the entertainment industry, arguing that AI poses little immediate threat to actors and screenwriters. Speaking to CNBC, Affleck stated that while AI can replicate certain styles, it lacks the creative depth required to craft meaningful narratives or performances, likening it to a poor substitute for human ingenuity.
Affleck, co-founder of a film studio with fellow actor Matt Damon, expressed optimism about AI’s role in Hollywood, suggesting it might even generate new opportunities for creative professionals. However, he raised concerns about its potential impact on the visual effects industry, which could face significant disruptions as AI technologies advance.
Strikes by Hollywood unions last year highlighted fears that AI could replace creative talent. Affleck remains sceptical of such a scenario, maintaining that storytelling and human performance remain uniquely human domains that AI is unlikely to master soon.
