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  • #73. 🎥YouTube could give Google an AI edge | 🔥CA burning up | 🚁United Airlines' EVTOL SF-SFO hoppers

#73. 🎥YouTube could give Google an AI edge | 🔥CA burning up | 🚁United Airlines' EVTOL SF-SFO hoppers

PLUS: EU's plan to regulate AI | EU AI Act | meteorologist telling Congress about climate change | Texas' heatwave | Fiat 600e | Volvo Trucks new safety features

🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

  • Google is using YouTube data to train its next large language model, Gemini, which may give it an edge over competitors due to ownership of the platform.

  • OpenAI reportedly used YouTube data in secret to train some of its AI models, including GPT-4.

  • Potential implications include Google developing software to block rivals from using YouTube data, and concerns about Google's power may increase among antitrust regulators.

  • YouTube's rich data from video content, voice-overs, and metadata can enhance conversational AI and provide insights into user behavior.

  • OpenAI plans to introduce a multimodal version of GPT-4 in 2024 due to a hardware shortage.

  • Industry experts see potential for video-trained models to revolutionize AI capabilities due to the depth of world knowledge encoded in video.

  • The European Union plans to regulate AI, with a draft law suggesting all AI-generated content be marked and categorized by risk level.

  • High-risk AI systems, especially those predicting social behavior, may face bans, while lower risk systems like ChatGPT would be minimally impacted.

  • Companies selling risky AI applications in Europe may need to meet strict requirements, provide risk management, and be transparent about data usage.

  • OpenAI's head, Sam Altman, initially threatened to leave Europe due to regulatory concerns but later retracted, calling for clarity in AI regulation.

  • The proposed EU law, which needs approval from all member states and the EU Parliament, wouldn't come into force until 2025.

  • Some institutions, such as the Fraunhofer Institute, are considering introducing an "AI certificate" to certify AI applications, enhancing public trust in high-stakes applications like autonomous cars or surgical robots.

  • The European Union's AI Act, which bans real-time facial recognition and places transparency requirements on generative AI tools, has been approved by lawmakers, moving towards becoming law.

  • The Act will now undergo the "trilogue" stage, where officials will negotiate to reach a compromise between the versions of the law favored by the EU Parliament, executive branch, and member states.

  • High-risk AI applications, such as those used in employment, border control, and education, will have to adhere to safety requirements like risk assessments, transparency, and logging.

  • The Act also imposes transparency requirements and risk assessments on "foundation models" - powerful AI systems trained on large datasets, such as those used by OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.

  • A late attempt to remove the ban on real-time facial recognition was rejected, and AI tools used by law enforcement and border forces may face exemption debates in the next stage.

  • Some experts believe the Act lacks restrictions on the amount of computing power AI systems can use, which could pose potential risks as more powerful AI systems are developed.

🤖🔥🤯 COOL AI TOOLS, APPS, VIDEOS, PODCASTS, LINKS, AND MORE!

🌡️ CLIMATE CHANGE & CLEAN ENERGY

  • California has experienced three of its five deadliest fires on record in the past six years, attributable to climate change.

  • A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences links human-caused warming to the increase in the state's summer fires over the past 50 years.

  • The study finds climate change is responsible for almost all the additional burned area during these fires.

  • Using data from 1971 to 2021, researchers created a model to distinguish the effects of human-caused warming from natural temperature fluctuations.

  • The research indicates that wildfires, worsened by climate change, are a global issue and will likely intensify over time.

  • The researchers predict that the trend of increasing burned area will continue in the coming decades.

  • Rep. Eric Sorensen, a former TV meteorologist, is the first such professional to be in Congress in over 40 years, and uses his background to communicate climate science to his constituents.

  • Despite the political divisiveness of climate change, Sorensen successfully incorporated the topic into his broadcasts, helping his audience, including farmers, understand the impact.

  • Sorensen believes it's essential to communicate climate change effectively without alienating viewers, evidenced by a positive audience response when he did so.

  • As a member of the Agriculture Committee, Sorensen opposes potential moves by Republicans to dismantle sustainable agriculture programs, and advocates for strengthening crop insurance programs.

  • He supports the reauthorization of the Weather Act, emphasizing the need for disaster readiness and ensuring people understand the science to make informed decisions.

  • Sorensen applies his science communication skills to his role in Congress, stressing the importance of people accessing accurate information to avoid making poor decisions.

  • MIT climate scientist Dr. Daniel Gilford attributes the Texas heatwave, predicted to be Austin's hottest June 14-20 period on record, to climate change.

  • Climate Central's new tool, the Climate Shift Index, indicates that the current high temperatures are at least five times more likely due to climate change.

  • The tool compares the frequency of temperatures in Austin's history in both the unaltered past climate and the current human-altered climate.

  • Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution, have increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, intensifying heat trapping and raising global temperatures.

  • While the urban heat island effect contributes to Austin's warmer temperatures compared to rural surroundings, Dr. Gilford states both urban and rural areas are warming at the same rate.

  • Gilford encourages conversations about climate change to foster collective solutions, emphasizing that climate change is a collective issue.

🚗 AUTONOMOUS & ELECTRIC VEHICLES

  • Fiat previewed its new electric subcompact crossover, the 600e, set to be formally introduced later this year.

  • The 600e's design is similar to Fiat's existing 500e model, with retro-styled exterior lighting.

  • The new EV is expected to utilize the updated CMP modular platform, debuted last year under the Europe-only Jeep Avenger subcompact crossover.

  • This platform is expected to eventually make its way to the U.S. with the 600e, and later under an upcoming Alfa Romeo subcompact crossover in 2024.

  • Fiat's 600e may feature a 156 HP motor driving the front axle in 2WD trim, with a 54 kWh battery offering approximately 200 miles of range.

  • The 600e is anticipated to be a mainstream EV that could propel Fiat towards commercial success in the U.S. market.

  • Volvo Trucks is introducing new safety systems for its vehicles to increase the safety of cyclists, pedestrians, and facilitate drivers' work.

  • Among the new safety tech features are the Front Short Range Assist system, designed to detect pedestrians and cyclists in the truck's low-visibility area, and a door-opening warning system to detect approaching pedestrians, cyclists, or vehicles from behind.

  • The systems use front and radar cameras to provide audio and visual warnings to the driver in case of an imminent collision risk.

  • Volvo Trucks developed these features to comply with the EU's updated General Safety Regulation (GSR) policy, which aims to increase road safety and save lives.

  • The new safety systems are expected to meet or exceed the new GSR rules that will come into effect in July 2024, providing reassurance to fleet buyers.

  • United Airlines and Eve Air Mobility plan to launch the first electric commuter flights in the San Francisco Bay area, utilizing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

  • United Airlines has invested in eVTOL companies, including Archer Aviation and Eve Air Mobility, with plans to fly electric air taxis in Chicago using Archer's Midnight Aircraft.

  • The partnership aims to bring Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to San Francisco, working with local officials and infrastructure providers to prepare for the deployment of eVTOLs.

  • Eve Air Mobility's eVTOL is fully electric, capable of carrying up to four passengers and a pilot for a range of up to 60 miles, with significantly lower costs and emissions compared to traditional transportation options.

  • United Airlines is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and has made investments in electric aircraft to achieve its sustainability goals, including electric planes from Heart Aerospace.

🎉 THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY!

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