Sir Paul McCartney has announced his return to the stage with the ‘Got Back’ tour, featuring a highly anticipated performance of the last Beatles song, Now and Then. The song, which includes vocals from the late John Lennon, was completed with the help of AI technology and marks a poignant moment in Beatles history.
Now and Then was created using Lennon’s vocals from an old cassette tape, recovered and refined using AI. McCartney and fellow Beatle Ringo Starr worked together on the project, adding guitar parts from the late George Harrison. The song, originally left unfinished in 1977, has now been brought to life, with McCartney singing alongside Lennon’s voice.
The tour will kick off in Montevideo, Uruguay, before moving through South America and Europe, with two dates at Manchester’s Co-op Live and two final shows at London’s O2 Arena in December. McCartney, who last played in the UK at Glastonbury four years ago, has expressed excitement about returning to his home country to end the tour.
Despite some complaints from Liverpool fans over the absence of a hometown gig, McCartney remains enthusiastic about his UK shows. He described the upcoming performances as a ‘special feeling’ and looks forward to closing out the year with a celebration on home soil.
Recent research reveals that OpenAI’s ChatGPT remains the most sought-after AI tool, with nearly 25 million searches from US users each month. Despite its immense popularity, Google’s Gemini follows far behind in second place, receiving just 1.5 million searches.
Although Gemini struggled earlier in the year, public interest has been growing. This uptick might be tied to its association with Google’s AI-powered Pixel 9 phones, which launched after the data was collected. Gemini’s appearance on Android devices could further boost its profile.
Other popular AI tools trail significantly behind, with Microsoft’s Copilot in third place, generating 368,000 searches monthly. Perplexity and Brave Search round out the top five. Interestingly, AI models like Character.ai and Claude failed to make the top 15 in searches.
Superside’s study demonstrates the clear user preference for established AI models. While the interest in AI continues to rise, a few dominant players seem to capture the majority of attention.
OpenAI has launched several new tools aimed at making it easier for developers to create applications powered by its AI technology. Among the key innovations is a real-time tool that allows developers to build AI voice applications using a single set of instructions, streamlining what was previously a multi-step process.
The startup, supported by Microsoft, also introduced a fine-tuning tool that enables developers to improve AI model responses using both text and images. This enhancement boosts capabilities like visual search and object detection, potentially benefiting sectors such as autonomous vehicles.
OpenAI has forecast a rapid rise in revenue, expecting to generate $11.6 billion next year, driven by businesses building their own AI apps using its technology. With competition from tech giants like Google heating up, OpenAI is focused on rolling out advanced tools to retain its edge in the generative AI race.
Other newly unveiled features include a method for smaller AI models to learn from larger ones, and a ‘Prompt Caching’ system that can reduce development costs by reusing previously processed text, cutting expenses by up to half.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a social media moderation programme ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The initiative is designed to protect players and fans from toxic online content. More than 60 players have already joined, with further onboarding expected.
To safeguard mental health and promote inclusivity, the ICC has partnered with GoBubble. Together, they will use a combination of AI and human oversight to monitor harmful comments on social media platforms. The service will operate across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, with the option for players to use it on their own accounts.
The technology is designed to automatically detect and hide negative comments, including hate speech, harassment, and misogyny. By doing so, it creates a healthier environment for teams, players, and fans to engage with the tournament which will be held in Bangladesh.
Finn Bradshaw, ICC’s Head of Digital, expressed his satisfaction with the programme’s early success. Players and teams have welcomed the initiative, recognising the importance of maintaining a positive digital atmosphere during the tournament.
A team of researchers from the Robot Learning Lab in London has developed an innovative way to train robots using AI-generated images. The system, named Genima, fine-tunes Stable Diffusion to map out robot movements, guiding them in both virtual and real-world environments. This research is set to be presented at the Conference on Robot Learning next month.
Genima aims to improve robots’ ability to complete tasks, such as picking up objects or folding laundry. The system uses images as both input and output, helping robots better understand the tasks they’re performing and reducing errors, like moving into walls. It could revolutionise training for a wide range of robots, from mechanical arms to driverless cars.
Researchers successfully tested Genima on 25 simulated and nine real-world tasks, with average success rates of 50% and 64% respectively. While these numbers aren’t perfect, the team is optimistic that the use of video-generation AI models could boost speed and accuracy, making future applications more efficient.
The versatility of Genima is promising, with the potential to be applied to many different kinds of robots. Its ability to use image data for decision-making could lead to smarter, more capable machines in everyday life and industry.
Google is ramping up its AI efforts in India, aiming to integrate its Gemini AI model across various products to cater to the world’s most populous nation. The move, announced at Google’s 10th event in India, focuses on enhancing search, visual recognition, and language processing features, with special attention to voice commands and support for multiple Indian languages.
To further this, the company is launching its AI assistant, Gemini Live, initially in Hindi, with plans to expand support for eight more Indian languages soon. Google is also rolling out generative AI tools for search in regional languages such as Bengali, Marathi, and Telugu, alongside expanding its visual search capabilities, particularly through video-based searches, to enhance the user experience.
Google Maps is also being revamped for the Indian market, with new AI-generated summaries and improved local business discovery features. Additionally, the company has introduced several AI-powered tools for merchants, allowing them to easily build engaging online profiles and offer deals through their Google Business Profiles.
Google’s AI push in India is part of its broader strategy to tap into the country’s vast user base and help businesses thrive in the digital era. The company has proposed frameworks to enhance India’s AI adoption, estimating that AI could unlock $4 trillion in economic value for the nation by 2030.
The US Commerce Department announced its plan to allocate $100 million to promote the use of AI in developing sustainable semiconductor materials. This funding initiative is part of a broader effort overseeing $52.7 billion designated for US chip manufacturing and research, aimed at strengthening the country’s position in the semiconductor industry.
The new funding will support universities, national laboratories, and private sector companies in creating AI-driven autonomous experimentation methods. By harnessing the capabilities of AI, the initiative seeks to streamline and expedite the development of innovative semiconductor materials that are less resource-intensive, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable manufacturing process.
With the semiconductor industry facing increasing pressure to reduce environmental impact, this investment represents a significant step towards integrating advanced technologies to foster sustainable practices. The Commerce Department’s focus on AI in this sector underscores the potential for transformative advancements that can meet both economic and environmental goals, helping to secure a more resilient supply chain for the future.
As global investors like Thrive Capital and Tiger Global invested $6.6 billion in OpenAI, the company is seeking more than just capital; it wants assurances that these investors will avoid funding five perceived competitors. The list includes rivals such as Anthropic, Elon Musk’s xAI, and Safe Superintelligence (SSI), co-founded by OpenAI’s Ilya Sutskever. These companies are in a race to develop large language models, which require substantial financial backing.
OpenAI is also focusing on AI applications, with firms like the search startup Perplexity and enterprise search company Glean highlighted as part of its strategy. This move reflects OpenAI’s intent to broaden its offerings for enterprises and end users. The company has ambitious revenue targets, aiming to increase its earnings from $3.7 billion this year to $11.6 billion by 2025, signalling a strong push for growth in the competitive AI landscape.
While OpenAI’s request for exclusive commitments from investors is not legally binding, it underscores the company’s strategy to capitalise on its strong market position in a highly competitive environment where securing funding is crucial. Typically, venture capitalists steer clear of investing in direct competitors, but OpenAI’s approach is somewhat atypical. The situation is further complicated by late-stage investors like SoftBank and Fidelity, which have invested in both xAI and OpenAI, blurring the lines in the competitive landscape. This dynamic highlights the challenges and complexities investors face in navigating the rapidly evolving AI sector.
OpenAI’s request does not affect its past investors or their existing investments but could influence future fundraising efforts for both OpenAI and its listed competitors. The Financial Times and Wall Street Journal were among the first to report on the names of the companies involved.
As the European Union implements the world’s first comprehensive regulations on artificial intelligence (AI), human rights groups are raising alarms over exemptions for AI use at Europe’s borders. The EU’s AI Act, which categorises AI systems by risk level and imposes stricter rules for those with higher potential for harm, is set to take full effect by February 2025. While it promises to regulate AI across industries, controversial technologies like facial and emotion recognition are still permitted for border and police authorities, sparking concern over surveillance and discrimination.
With Europe investing heavily in border security, deploying AI-driven watchtowers and algorithms to monitor migration flows, critics argue these technologies could criminalise migrants and violate their rights. Human Rights activists warn that AI may reinforce biases and lead to unlawful pushbacks of asylum seekers. Countries like Greece are testing ground for these technologies and have been accused of using AI for surveillance and discrimination, despite denials from the government.
Campaigners also point out that the EU’s regulations allow European companies to develop and export harmful AI systems abroad, potentially fueling human rights abuses in other countries. While the AI Act represents a step forward in global regulation, activists believe it falls short of protecting vulnerable groups at Europe’s borders and beyond. They anticipate that legal challenges and public opposition will eventually close these regulatory gaps.
Bank of Montreal (BMO) has appointed Kristin Milchanowski as its chief AI and data officer, effective October 15. Formerly with EY, Milchanowski will lead the bank’s AI initiatives, focusing on data, robotics, and analytics. This new role builds on BMO’s ongoing investments in AI, aiming to enhance data management and governance while fostering a culture of innovation.
The financial sector views AI as a major opportunity, with potential uses like streamlining compliance tasks and enhancing customer service. However, integrating AI brings challenges, especially for firms managing sensitive data. Analysts suggest that AI-driven solutions could simplify processes and improve data-driven decision-making across the industry, offering significant benefits to financial services.
As AI adoption expands, US regulators seek public feedback to ensure these technologies foster fair and equitable access to financial services. Earlier this year, Morgan Stanley emphasised AI’s transformative potential, noting it could save financial advisers up to 15 hours of work per week, highlighting the significant impact AI could have on the industry.
