Snøhetta breaks ground on Charlotte library with “translucent prow” — from dezeen.com by Ellen Eberhardt
The library is five storeys with a warped, glass facade
Mystery Abounds in Lee Madgwick’s Uncanny Paintings of Derelict Buildings — from thisiscolossal.com Grace Ebert and Lee Madgwick
Also for another creative/fun item, see:
Photos of Everyday Activities Reveal the Humor of Perspective and Serendipitous Alignments — from thisiscolossal.com by Grace Ebert and Anthimos Ntagkas
On 07/07/2023,
in active learning, architecture, Canada, colleges, community colleges, education technology, experimentation, faculty/staff, higher education, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, universities,
by Daniel Christian
Presenting to the Association of University Architects — from darcynorman.net by D’Arcy Norman, PhD
Excerpt:
Recently, I had the absolute pleasure to be invited to co-present at the 67th Annual Association of University Architects Conference, conveniently hosted this year in Calgary, and even more conveniently having one day’s sessions housed within the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. Our Vice Provost Teaching and Learning, Dr. Leslie Reid, was invited to share her experience in leading the Taylor Institute, and she brought in Dr. Natasha Kenny and myself to round out the session.
In planning for the session, we decided early on that we didn’t want to do A Presentation™. There would not be slides and slides of text, and no bullet points. We wanted to tell stories, and to learn from the ~100 expert university architects from across North America about how they approach the challenges we’ve faced in the last few years.
We broke the storytelling portion of the session into 3 parts:
- Universality: Building for all or building for some (Leslie)
- Planning: Tension between form and function (Natasha)
- Flexibility: How to be flexible about flexibility (D’Arcy)
On 07/06/2023,
in 21st century, architecture, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, copyright/ownership/NFTs, design, Europe, future, game-changing environment, health, India, platforms, skills, society, sociology, the downsides of how people use tech, tools, UK, United States,
by Daniel Christian
Introducing Superalignment — from openai.com
We need scientific and technical breakthroughs to steer and control AI systems much smarter than us. To solve this problem within four years, we’re starting a new team, co-led by Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, and dedicating 20% of the compute we’ve secured to date to this effort. We’re looking for excellent ML researchers and engineers to join us.
Excerpts (emphasis DSC):
How do we ensure AI systems much smarter than humans follow human intent?
…
Currently, we don’t have a solution for steering or controlling a potentially superintelligent AI, and preventing it from going rogue. Our current techniques for aligning AI, such as reinforcement learning from human feedback, rely on humans’ ability to supervise AI. But humans won’t be able to reliably supervise AI systems much smarter than us, and so our current alignment techniques will not scale to superintelligence. We need new scientific and technical breakthroughs.
…
Our goal is to build a roughly human-level automated alignment researcher. We can then use vast amounts of compute to scale our efforts, and iteratively align superintelligence.
From DSC:
Hold up. We’ve been told for years that AI is at the toddler stage. But now assertions are being made that AI systems are smarter than humans — much smarter even. That said, then why is the goal of OpenAI to build a roughly human-level automated alignment researcher if humans aren’t that smart after all…? Which is it? I must be missing or misunderstanding something here…
OpenAI are jumping back on the alignment bandwagon with the brilliantly-named Superalignment Team. And you guessed it – they’re researching alignment of future superintelligent AIs. They reckon that AI can align other AI faster than humans can, and the plan is to build an AI that does just that. Head-spinning stuff…
Ben’s Bites
Plus…
Who else should be on this team? We certainly don’t want a team comprised of just technical people. How about including rabbis, pastors, priests, parents, teachers, professors, social workers, judges, legislators, and many others who can help represent other specialties, disciplines, and perspectives to protect society?
Authors file a lawsuit against OpenAI for unlawfully ‘ingesting’ their books — from theguardian.com by Ella Creamer; via Ben’s Bytes
Mona Awad and Paul Tremblay allege that their books, which are copyrighted, were ‘used to train’ ChatGPT because the chatbot generated ‘very accurate summaries’ of the works
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How AI is Transforming Workplace Architecture and Design — from workdesign.com by Christian Lehmkuhl
London Futurists | Generative AI drug discovery breakthrough, with Alex Zhavoronkov — from londonfuturists.buzzsprout.com
Alex Zhavoronkov is our first guest to make a repeat appearance, having first joined us in episode 12, last November. We are delighted to welcome him back, because he is doing some of the most important work on the planet, and he has some important news.
In 2014, Alex founded Insilico Medicine, a drug discovery company which uses artificial intelligence to identify novel targets and novel molecules for pharmaceutical companies. Insilico now has drugs designed with AI in human clinical trials, and it is one of a number of companies that are demonstrating that developing drugs with AI can cut the time and money involved in the process by as much as 90%.
Watch This Space: New Field of Spatial Finance Uses AI to Estimate Risk, Monitor Assets, Analyze Claims — from blogs.nvidia.com
When making financial decisions, it’s important to look at the big picture — say, one taken from a drone, satellite or AI-powered sensor.
The emerging field of spatial finance harnesses AI insights from remote sensors and aerial imagery to help banks, insurers, investment firms and businesses analyze risks and opportunities, enable new services and products, measure the environmental impact of their holdings, and assess damage after a crisis.
Secretive hardware startup Humane’s first product is the Ai Pin — from techcrunch.com by Kyle Wiggers; via The Rundown AI
Excerpt:
Humane, the startup launched by ex-Apple design and engineering duo Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, today revealed details about its first product: The Humane Ai Pin.
…
Humane’s product, as it turns out, is a wearable gadget with a projected display and AI-powered features. Chaudhri gave a live demo of the device onstage during a TED Talk in April, but a press release issued today provides a few additional details.
He Spent $140 Billion on AI With Little to Show. Now He Is Trying Again. — from wsj.com by Eliot Brown; via Superhuman
Billionaire Masayoshi Son said he would make SoftBank ‘the investment company for the AI revolution,’ but he missed out on the most recent frenzy
“Stunning”—Midjourney update wows AI artists with camera-like feature — from arstechnica.com by Benj Edwards; via Sam DeBrule from Machine Learnings
Midjourney v5.2 features camera-like zoom control over framing, more realism.
What is AIaaS? Guide to Artificial Intelligence as a Service — from eweek.com by Shelby Hiter
Artificial intelligence as a service, AIaaS, is an outsourced AI service provided by cloud-based AI providers.
AIaaS Definition
When a company is interested in working with artificial intelligence but doesn’t have the in-house resources, budget, and/or expertise to build and manage its own AI technology, it’s time to invest in AIaaS.
Artificial intelligence as a service, or AIaaS, is an outsourced service model AI that cloud-based companies provide to other businesses, giving them access to different AI models, algorithms, and other resources directly through a cloud computing platform; this access is usually managed through an API or SDK connection.
The Rise of the AI Engineer — from latent.space
Boost ChatGPT with new plugins — from wondertools.substack.com by Jeremy Caplan
Wonder Tools | Six new ways to use AI
.
A series re: AI from Jeff Foster out at ProvideoCoalition.com
- AI Tools Part 1: Why We Need Them
- AI Tools Part 2: A Deeper Dive
- AI Tools Part 3: The Current State of Generative AI Tools
The AI upskilling imperative to build a future-ready workforce — from businessinsider.com
Excerpts:
Skill development has always been crucial, but recent technological advancements have raised the stakes. We are currently in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, where automation and breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionising the workplace. In this era of quick change and short half-life of skills, upskilling shouldn’t be an afterthought. Instead, reskilling and upskilling have to evolve into requirements for effective professional development.
To understand the significance of upskilling for your career trajectory, it is important to recognise the ever-evolving nature of technology and the rapid pace of digital transformation. Business Insider India has been exploring how businesses and thought leaders are driving innovation by educating their staff on the technologies and skills that will shape the future.
On 05/11/2023,
in A/V -- audio/visual, architecture, Legal operations, legislatures / government / legal, tools, training / L&D, UK, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision/possibilities, visualizing information, XR - extended reality,
by Daniel Christian
VR system to be used to prepare crime victims for court — from inavateonthenet.net
Excerpt:
An innovative VR system is being used to help victims of crime prepare for giving evidence in court, allowing victims to engage with key members of the judicial process virtually.
The system, designed by Immersonal, is to be rolled out across 52 Scottish courts over the next year, with the technology also being piloted in the Hague as part of the International Criminal Court. The aim is to dissuade the fears and discomfort of victims and witnesses who may be unfamiliar with the court process.
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.
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Here’s another interesting item for you…one that also may eventually be XR-related:
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Cubo Design Architects celebrates traditional Japanese craft in Tokyo home — from dezeen.com by Jon Astbury
On 04/13/2023,
in 21st century, architecture, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, computer science, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, design, education technology, emerging technologies, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, learning, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, Natural Language Processing (NLP), simulations, skills, society, tools, training / L&D, vision/possibilities, voice recognition / voice enabled interfaces,
by Daniel Christian
AutoGPT might be the next big step in AI.
Here’s why Karpathy recently said “AutoGPT is the next frontier of prompt engineering”
AutoGPT is the equivalent of giving GPT-based models a memory and a body. You can now give a task to an AI agent and have it autonomously come up… pic.twitter.com/mYIJm2IEZy
— Lior? (@AlphaSignalAI) April 11, 2023
AutoGPT, less noise more signal
This is where you should pay attention
Here is why ?
— Linus (???) (@LinusEkenstam) April 11, 2023
AutoGPT is the next BIG thing in AI.
Seems like a new *groundbreaking* update comes out every hour.
Here are a few examples just from the past 24 hours: ?
— Barsee ? (@heyBarsee) April 12, 2023
AutoGPT is the next big thing in AI— from therundown.ai by Rowan Cheung
Excerpt:
AutoGPT has been making waves on the internet recently, trending on both GitHub and Twitter. If you thought ChatGPT was crazy, AutoGPT is about to blow your mind.
AutoGPT creates AI “agents” that operate automatically on their own and complete tasks for you. In case you’ve missed our previous issues covering it, here’s a quick rundown:
-
- It’s open-sourced [code]
- It works by chaining together LLM “thoughts”
- It has internet access, long-term and short-term memory, access to popular websites, and file storage
.
From DSC:
I want to highlight that paper from Stanford, as I’ve seen it cited several times recently:.
- Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior
Joon Sung Park, Joseph C. O’Brien, Carrie J. Cai, Meredith Ringel Morris, Percy Liang, Michael S. Bernstein
.
From DSC:
And for a rather fun idea/application of these emerging technologies, see:
- Quick Prompt: Kitchen Design — from linusekenstam.substack.com by Linus Ekenstam
Midjourney Prompt. Create elegant kitchen photos using this starting prompt. Make it your own, experiment, add, remove and tinker to create new ideas.
…which made me wonder how we might use these techs in the development of new learning spaces (or in renovating current learning spaces).
From DSC:
On a much different — but still potential — note, also see:
A.I. could lead to a ‘nuclear-level catastrophe’ according to a third of researchers, a new Stanford report finds — from fortune.com by Tristan Bove
Excerpt:
Many experts in A.I. and computer science say the technology is likely a watershed moment for human society. But 36% don’t mean that as a positive, warning that decisions made by A.I. could lead to “nuclear-level catastrophe,” according to researchers surveyed in an annual report on the technology by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered A.I., published earlier this month.
AutoGPTs are improving at a blazingly fast speed and could soon transform the face of business.
Here's what you need to know:
— Nathan Lands (@NathanLands) April 12, 2023
On 04/03/2023,
in A/V -- audio/visual, architecture, Augmented Reality (AR), design, emerging technologies, experimentation, future, innovation, learning spaces, tools, vendors, vision/possibilities, XR - extended reality,
by Daniel Christian
High drama, visual spectacle, and versatility combine at Cava Arcari by David Chipperfield Architects — from ignant.com by Devid Gualandris
Image © Simon Menges
Image © Simon Menges
On 01/17/2023,
in 21st century, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, architecture, Augmented Reality (AR), creativity, design, ideas, tools, user experience (UX), vendors, vision/possibilities, XR - extended reality,
by Daniel Christian
Future of Design – 3D Dragon on Building Example
via @Billboards3D #innovation #3D #tech #technology #iot #architecture #digital #art #mixedreality #mr #ar #dl #AugmentedReality #design #digitalart #5G #ai #digitalmarketing #ml #Creative #creativity #CES pic.twitter.com/gve0pxqQKF
— Fred Steube (@steube) January 11, 2023
On 10/26/2022,
in 21st century, Africa, architecture, art, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, assessment, Australia, blended learning, Canada, collaboration, communications, communities of practice, creativity, design, Design Thinking, digital audio, digital storytelling, digital video, drama/theater, education, education technology, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, entrepreneurship, ethics, Europe, experimentation, global / globalization, health, India, innovation, K-12 related, languages and translation, leadership, learning ecosystem, marketing/social marketing, mathematics, morals/values, more voice more choice more control, multimedia, music, online learning, personalized/customized learning, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, professional development, programming, project-based learning, reading, real-world assignments, robotics, social media, society, storytelling, strategy, student-related, teachers, tools, UK, United States, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
HundrED Global Collection 2023 — from hundred.org
Meet the 100 most impactful innovations that are changing the face of education in a post-COVID world.
Excerpt:
The year 2022 has been a year to look to the future, as the global education conversation moves again toward themes of education transformation and the futures of education. The 100 innovations selected for this year’s global collection are impacting the lives of over 95 million students worldwide. The collection highlights the important role of teachers in education innovation; the continued need for students to develop 21st century skills, including social and emotional learning; an increasing focus on student wellbeing and mental health; and equity in education.
For more information, download the full Global Collection 2023 report.
You can also browse the innovation pages of the selected innovators here.
.
From DSC:
Here’s an excerpt of the email I received today from EducationHQ out of Australia — though I think it applies here in the United States as well:
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Amplify and value teachers’ voice in education policymaking: researchers — from educationhq.com
Amplify and value teachers’ voice in education policymaking: researchers
Excerpt:
Monash University’s Teachers’ Perceptions of their Work Survey has revealed teachers’ waning satisfaction in their role and highlighted their…
Also from educationhq.com
Teachers changed my life: Trauma-informed education shows kids they matter — from educationhq.com by Beck Thompson
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Nonprofit Bringing Businesses to Life in the Classroom — to the Tune of $400,000 — from the74million.org by Tim Newcomb
Making candles out of crayons, building birdhouses, fashioning furniture: Real World Scholars has helped 50,000 students become entrepreneurs
Not much entices a second grader to skip out on recess to get back to schoolwork. But excitement around a classroom-run business can do just that, especially when it means creating candles out of crayons and selling them in the local community.
Students design their ideal urban home in My ArchiSchool exhibition — from dezeen.com
Excerpt:
Promotion: fifty-two students presented digital designs and architectural models of their ideal home as part of Hong Kong-based education institute My ArchiSchool’s latest exhibition. As part of the exhibition, My ArchiSchool students were asked to design their ideal home within an urban environment. The exhibition, which took place on 2 October 2022 at the Sky100 on the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong, showcased photomontages of digital designs presented alongside physical models.
5 Resources that help students become digital citizens — from rdene915.com by Rachelle Dene Poth
Excerpt:
We need to create opportunities for students to become more digitally aware and literate, and to be responsible when using technology. There are many ways to do this, depending on our content area and grade level. We can model best practices for our students, bring in a specific digital citizenship curriculum to guide them through their learning, or use digital tools and resources available to have students explore and create.
Helping students learn to safely navigate what has become a highly digital world is something that we are all responsible for. Students need to be aware of the impact of their posts online, how to create and manage social accounts and protect their information, and how to properly access and use resources they obtain through technology.
3 Reasons School and District Leaders Should Get on Social Media — from edweek.org by Marina Whiteleather
Excerpt:
School and district leaders can—and should—be using social media in their work.
That’s the message shared by Stephanie McConnell, a superintendent in the Hawkins Independent School District in Texas, and Salome Thomas-El, a K-8 principal in Delaware, during an Education Week K-12 Essentials forum on Oct. 13.
At the event, McConnell and Thomas-El provided insights and advice for school leaders who are hesitant to post on certain social platforms or unsure how to use them.
On 10/16/2022,
in architecture, business, corporate / business world, design, learning spaces, library / librarians, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
The New Library at Magdalene College by Niall McLaughlin Architects wins 2022 Stirling Prize — from dezeen.com by Lizzie Crook
Lessons From Higher Education To Guide Office Design — from allwork.space
The design successes and struggles of colleges and universities provide useful insight for organizations planning space for hybrid and coworking offices.
On 09/27/2022,
in 3D, architecture, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, communications, graphics, NVIDIA, United States, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Video games dreamed up other worlds. Now they’re coming for real architecture — from fastcompany.com by Nate Berg
A marriage between Epic Games and Autodesk could help communities see exactly what’s coming their way with new construction.
Excerpt:
Video games and architectural models are about to form a long overdue union. Epic Games and design software maker Autodesk are joining forces to help turn the utilitarian digital building models used by architects and designers from blocky representations into immersive spaces in which viewers can get a sense of a room’s dimensions and see how the light changes throughout the day. For both designers and the clients they’re designing for, this could help make architecture more nimble and understandable.
The AutoCAD model (top) and Twinmotion render (bottom) [Images: courtesy Autodesk]
Integrating Twinmotion software into Revit essentially shortens the time-sucking process of rendering models into high-resolution images, animations, and virtual-reality walkthroughs from hours to seconds. “If you want to see your design in VR, in Twinmotion you push the VR button,” says Epic Games VP Marc Petit. “You want to share a walkthrough on the cloud, you can do that.”
From DSC:
An interesting collaboration! Perhaps this will be useful for those designing/implementing learning spaces as well.
On 09/06/2022,
in architecture, collaboration, learning, learning spaces, library / librarians, society, UK, United States,
by Daniel Christian
And the winner is ….. Library of the Year 2022 — from designinglibraries.org.uk
Congratulations to Missoula Public Library in the United States which was announced as Library of the Year at the IFLA 2022 conference in Dublin, in July.
Also see:
Missoula’s new library — from missoulapubliclibrary.org