China is constructing a massive artificial intelligence platform known as "Supermind" to monitor and collect data on scientists and researchers globally, aiming to secure technological advancements for its industrial and military sectors. This initiative is part of China's broader strategy to dominate the global technology race against the United States, with significant investments, including $280 million mostly from the Shenzhen government. "Supermind" will provide access to hundreds of millions of scientific papers and patents, and identify over 130 million scholars worldwide, leveraging AI to support China's national ambition to become a leading power in science and technology by 2049. This development is paralleled by U.S. efforts to enhance open-source intelligence gathering through AI, highlighting the intensifying competition between the two countries in technological advancements and intelligence capabilities. The platform's integration with security and intelligence organizations emphasizes its role in China's strategic planning and talent recruitment for future technological breakthroughs.
Source: Newsweek
The episode from "MW Presents," featuring Zoran Postic of the City of Vaughan, delves into how local government is embracing technological innovation to enhance municipal services. Under the leadership of Postic and the support of Mayor Bevilacqua, Vaughan is pioneering in areas like smart waste management with QR code-enabled garbage bins and AI-driven salt usage for winter road maintenance, resulting in significant cost savings and improved service delivery. These initiatives are part of Vaughan's broader strategy to prioritize citizen experience, staff engagement, and operational performance, all while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The success of these programs demonstrates the potential for other municipalities to adopt similar innovative approaches to public service.
Source: Municipal World Inc.
The article discusses the increasing integration of artificial intelligence in city government operations, emphasizing its benefits in improving efficiency and decision-making, while also highlighting the risks and ethical considerations. Key points include the value of AI in tasks like drafting resolutions and data analysis, the potential for bias and discrimination in AI systems, and the importance of verification and transparency in AI's use. The National League of Cities and the AAAS co-hosted an event to explore these topics, stressing the need for responsible AI use and guidelines for its application in municipal work. It showcases examples like the City of Boston's interim guidelines for AI usage and the City of Wentzville's pilot program, demonstrating AI's potential for cities of all sizes when implemented with caution and accountability.
Source: National League of Cities (NLC)
The article explores the complex debate surrounding the societal implications of open foundation models, which are AI models with publicly available weights, in the context of current tech policy discussions. It introduces a comprehensive framework for assessing the marginal risks associated with these models, distinguishing between their benefits, like innovation acceleration and increased transparency, and their potential risks, such as biosecurity, cybersecurity, and disinformation threats. The framework emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of these models' unique properties and their ability to distribute decision-making power, reduce market concentration, and enable scientific advancements. However, it also highlights the challenges in monitoring and moderating their use once released. The analysis suggests that previous studies often do not adequately assess the marginal risk, calling for more grounded research in this area as both AI capabilities and societal defenses continue to evolve.
Source: Stanford
The AI Democracy Projects' investigation into the reliability of AI models for providing election-related information revealed significant inaccuracies and misleading responses from leading AI technologies. Despite the high stakes of accurate election information, AI models such as OpenAI's GPT-4, Google's Gemini, and others failed to provide correct answers to basic questions about voting regulations, including attire at polls and voter registration processes. With over half of the AI responses rated as inaccurate and a substantial number deemed incomplete or harmful, the study highlights the current limitations and dangers of relying on AI for critical democratic functions. This examination underscores the need for continuous improvement in AI accuracy and responsibility, especially as these technologies become more integrated into public information systems. The findings call into question AI developers' commitments to information integrity and the necessity for more reliable AI interactions in the context of elections.
Source: Proof News
The Generative AI Adoption Index by KPMG in Canada reveals a significant uptick in the use of generative AI in Canadian workplaces, with a 32% annual growth rate observed one year after the public launch of ChatGPT. Despite the evident benefits of generative AI in enhancing work quality and fostering innovation, there's a growing concern over its misuse and the potential risks involved, such as data breaches and the input of sensitive information. Nearly half of the users reported not verifying the accuracy of AI outputs, highlighting a gap in risk management amidst rapid adoption. The report underscores the importance of developing private, in-house platforms to mitigate these risks and suggests that organizations must urgently address these challenges to leverage generative AI responsibly and securely.
Source: KPMG
Elon Musk has initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, accusing them of deviating from the company's original mission of developing artificial intelligence to benefit humanity broadly. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, argues that OpenAI has become a closed-source subsidiary primarily serving Microsoft's profit motives, contrary to the nonprofit objectives set when Musk co-founded the company in 2015. This legal battle between two major tech figures emerges amidst growing excitement and concern over AI's future, highlighting significant shifts in OpenAI's direction and partnerships, including Microsoft's recent investment and collaboration with Mistral AI. Musk's legal action seeks to realign OpenAI with its founding humanitarian mission and addresses broader tensions in the AI field, where Musk has also announced his AI venture, xAI.
Source: CNBC