Thandiwe Muriu Confronts Notions of Value in Her Vividly Disguised Portraits — from thisiscolossal.com by Grace Ebert
“Santa Monica” by Photographer Francesca Forquet — from booooooom.com by Francesca Forquet
On 08/25/2023,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Amazon, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, business, career development, communications, copyright/ownership/NFTs, corporate / business world, digital audio, digital video, engineering, Facebook / Meta Platforms, Google, music, Natural Language Processing (NLP), NVIDIA, platforms, political science, productivity / tips and tricks, society, the downsides of technology, tools, vendors, vision/possibilities, voice recognition / voice enabled interfaces, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
ElevenLabs’ AI Voice Generator Can Now Fake Your Voice in 30 Languages — from gizmodo.com by Kyle Barr
ElevenLabs said its AI voice generator is out of beta, saying it would support video game and audiobook creators with cheap audio.
According to ElevenLabs, the new Multilingual v2 model promises it can produce “emotionally rich” audio in a total of 30 languages. The company offers two AI voice tools, one is a text-to-speech model and the other is the “VoiceLab” that lets paying users clone a voice by inputting fragments of theirs (or others) speech into the model to create a kind of voice cone. With the v2 model, users can get these generated voices to start speaking in Greek, Malay, or Turkish.
…
Since then, ElevenLabs claims its integrated new measures to ensure users can only clone their own voice. Users need to verify their speech with a text captcha prompt which is then compared to the original voice sample.
From DSC:
I don’t care what they say regarding safeguards/proof of identity/etc. This technology has been abused and will be abused in the future. We can count on it. The question now is, how do we deal with it?
Introducing SeamlessM4T, the first all-in-one, multilingual multimodal translation model.
This single model can perform tasks across speech-to-text, speech-to-speech, text-to-text translation & speech recognition for up to 100 languages depending on the task.
Details ??
— Meta AI (@MetaAI) August 22, 2023
Google, Amazon, Nvidia and other tech giants invest in AI startup Hugging Face, sending its valuation to $4.5 billion — from cnbc.com by Kif Leswing
But Hugging Face produces a platform where AI developers can share code, models, data sets, and use the company’s developer tools to get open-source artificial intelligence models running more easily. In particular, Hugging Face often hosts weights, or large files with lists of numbers, which are the heart of most modern AI models.
While Hugging Face has developed some models, like BLOOM, its primary product is its website platform, where users can upload models and their weights. It also develops a series of software tools called libraries that allow users to get models working quickly, to clean up large datasets, or to evaluate their performance. It also hosts some AI models in a web interface so end users can experiment with them.
The global semiconductor talent shortage — from www2.deloitte.com
How to solve semiconductor workforce challenges
Numerous skills are required to grow the semiconductor ecosystem over the next decade. Globally, we will need tens of thousands of skilled tradespeople to build new plants to increase and localize manufacturing capacity: electricians, pipefitters, welders; thousands more graduate electrical engineers to design chips and the tools that make the chips; more engineers of various kinds in the fabs themselves, but also operators and technicians. And if we grow the back end in Europe and the Americas, that equates to even more jobs.
Each of these job groups has distinct training and educational needs; however, the number of students in semiconductor-focused programs (for example, undergraduates in semiconductor design and fabrication) has dwindled. Skills are also evolving within these job groups, in part due to automation and increased digitization. Digital skills, such as cloud, AI, and analytics, are needed in design and manufacturing more than ever.
The chip industry has long partnered with universities and engineering schools. Going forward, they also need to work more with local tech schools, vocational schools, and community colleges; and other organizations, such as the National Science Foundation in the United States.
Our principles for partnering with the music industry on AI technology — from blog.youtube (Google) by Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube
AI is here, and we will embrace it responsibly together with our music partners.
- Principle #1: AI is here, and we will embrace it responsibly together with our music partners.
- Principle #2: AI is ushering in a new age of creative expression, but it must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.
- Principle #3: We’ve built an industry-leading trust and safety organization and content policies. We will scale those to meet the challenges of AI.
Developers are now using AI for text-to-music apps — from techcrunch.com by Ivan Mehta
Brett Bauman, the developer of PlayListAI (previously LinupSupply), launched a new app called Songburst on the App Store this week. The app doesn’t have a steep learning curve. You just have to type in a prompt like “Calming piano music to listen to while studying” or “Funky beats for a podcast intro” to let the app generate a music clip.
If you can’t think of a prompt the app has prompts in different categories, including video, lo-fi, podcast, gaming, meditation and sample.
A Generative AI Primer — from er.educause.edu by Brian Basgen
Understanding the current state of technology requires understanding its origins. This reading list provides sources relevant to the form of generative AI that led to natural language processing (NLP) models such as ChatGPT.
Three big questions about AI and the future of work and learning — from workshift.opencampusmedia.org by Alex Swartsel
AI is set to transform education and work today and well into the future. We need to start asking tough questions right now, writes Alex Swartsel of JFF.
- How will AI reshape jobs, and how can we prepare all workers and learners with the skills they’ll need?
- How can education and workforce leaders equitably adopt AI platforms to accelerate their impact?
- How might we catalyze sustainable policy, practice, and investments in solutions that drive economic opportunity?
“As AI reshapes both the economy and society, we must collectively call for better data, increased accountability, and more flexible support for workers,” Swartsel writes.
The Current State of AI for Educators (August, 2023) — from drphilippahardman.substack.com by Dr. Philippa Hardman
A podcast interview with the University of Toronto on where we’re at & where we’re going.
On 06/02/2023,
in 21st century, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, business, computer science, corporate / business world, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, engineering, programming,
by Daniel Christian
DC: A heads up to us as emerging techs continue to hit the radar. We need to ask “should we build this?” or “how should we build this to ensure benefits to society?” — & not just build/develop things because we can. AI offers powerful pros as well as cons. https://t.co/JcrZqzDhzH
— Daniel Christian (he/him/his) (@dchristian5) June 1, 2023
On 05/10/2023,
in 21st century, emerging technologies, engineering, ethics, Facebook / Meta Platforms, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, morals/values, robotics, society, the downsides of technology, United States,
by Daniel Christian
ChatGPT scams are the new crypto scams, Meta warns — from engadget.com by Karissa Bell
Meta plans to roll out new “Work Accounts” for businesses to guard against hacks.
Excerpt:
As the buzz around ChatGPT and other generative AI increases, so has scammers’ interest in the tech. In a new report published by Meta, the company says it’s seen a sharp uptick in malware disguised as ChatGPT and similar AI software.
In a statement, the company said that since March of 2023 alone, its researchers have discovered “ten malware families using ChatGPT and other similar themes to compromise accounts across the internet” and that it’s blocked more than 1,000 malicious links from its platform. According to Meta, the scams often involve mobile apps or browser extensions posing as ChatGPT tools. And while in some cases the tools do offer some ChatGPT functionality, their real purpose is to steal their users’ account credentials.
AI Is Reshaping the Battlefield and the Future of Warfare — from bloomberg.com by Jackie Davalos and Nate Lanxon
In this episode of AI IRL, Jackie Davalos and Nate Lanxon talk about one of the most dangerous applications of artificial intelligence: modern warfare
Excerpt:
Artificial intelligence has triggered an arms race with the potential to transform modern-day warfare. Countries are vying to develop cutting-edge technology at record speed, sparking concerns about whether we understand its power before it’s deployed.
From DSC:
I wish that humankind — especially those of us in the United States — would devote less money to warfare and more funding to education.
On 05/09/2023,
in 21st century, Amazon, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, Asia, computer science, corporate / business world, disruption, emerging technologies, engineering, future, game-changing environment, global / globalization, Google, legislatures / government / legal, Microsoft, NVIDIA, United States, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
As Rob Toews points out in his recent article out at Forbes.com, we had better hope that the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) builds out the capacity to make chips in various countries. Why? Because:
The following statement is utterly ludicrous. It is also true. The world’s most important advanced technology is nearly all produced in a single facility.
What’s more, that facility is located in one of the most geopolitically fraught areas on earth—an area in which many analysts believe that war is inevitable within the decade.
The future of artificial intelligence hangs in the balance.
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) makes ***all of the world’s advanced AI chips.*** Most importantly, this means Nvidia’s GPUs; it also includes the AI chips from Google, AMD, Amazon, Microsoft, Cerebras, SambaNova, Untether and every other credible competitor.
— from The Geopolitics Of AI Chips Will Define The Future Of AI
out at Forbes.com by Rob Toews
Little surprise, then, that Time Magazine described TSMC
as “the world’s most important company that you’ve
probably never heard of.”
From DSC:
If that facility was actually the only one and something happened to it, look at how many things would be impacted as of early May 2023!
On 04/23/2023,
in 21st century, Augmented Reality (AR), communications, creativity, design, engineering, XR - extended reality,
by Daniel Christian
Cleveland Cavaliers Turn Their Arena Into An AR Arcade — from vrscout.com by Kyle Melnick
.
How Audi Used AR Tech To Build Its New Concept Car — from vrscout.com by Kyle Melnick
.
Celebrate Earth Day With An Out-Of-This-World VR Film — from vrscout.com by Kyle Melnick
On 03/21/2023,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, art, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, business, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, creativity, design, emerging technologies, engineering, entrepreneurship, Facebook / Meta Platforms, future, game-changing environment, generational differences, Holographic comms, human-computer interaction (HCI), immersion, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, IT in HE, languages and translation, media/film, Metaverse, multimedia, Natural Language Processing (NLP), new business models, NVIDIA, online media, pace of change, personalized/customized learning, platforms, society, technology (general), tools, United States, user experience (UX), vendors, Virtual courts and law firms, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, visualizing information, web-based collaboration, Web3, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
Explore Breakthroughs in AI, Accelerated Computing, and Beyond at GTC — from nvidia.com
The Conference for the Era of AI and the Metaverse
Addendums on 3/22/23:
Generative AI for Enterprises — from nvidia.com
Custom-built for a new era of innovation and automation.
Excerpt:
Impacting virtually every industry, generative AI unlocks a new frontier of opportunities—for knowledge and creative workers—to solve today’s most important challenges. NVIDIA is powering generative AI through an impressive suite of cloud services, pre-trained foundation models, as well as cutting-edge frameworks, optimized inference engines, and APIs to bring intelligence to your enterprise applications.
NVIDIA AI Foundations is a set of cloud services that advance enterprise-level generative AI and enable customization across use cases in areas such as text (NVIDIA NeMo™), visual content (NVIDIA Picasso), and biology (NVIDIA BioNeMo™). Unleash the full potential with NeMo, Picasso, and BioNeMo cloud services, powered by NVIDIA DGX™ Cloud—the AI supercomputer.
From DSC:
For all you folks out there who like to fish, you have to check this out! (Though I don’t think even this high-tech fishing rod could help me out.)
A modified excerpt:
Handy Geng [shows off his] latest build: a multifunctional fishing rod with an ice-breaking shovel on one end, a smartphone-controlled motorized reel, accent lighting, and the ability to detect when a fish is on the hook. It also works as a pot stand for cooking your fresh catch.
On 12/17/2022,
in Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), biology, career development, chemistry, corporate / business world, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, engineering, experimentation, future, innovation, mathematics, Michigan, science, society, sociology, STEAM-related, student-related, United States, universities, vision/possibilities, workplace, youth,
by Daniel Christian
Female scientists challenge stereotypes | Not the Science Type — from 3M.com
Female scientists challenge stereotypes and blaze paths for future generations in this 3M-produced docuseries
Excerpt:
STEM education has an access issue: let’s change that.
Around the world, people believe the we need more people in STEM careers. Eighty-seven percent of people believe we need to do more to encourage and retain girls in STEM education. At the same time, barriers remain – 73% of people believe underrepresented minorities often lack equal access STEM education.
Not The Science Type gets to the heart of access and gender inequity in STEM education and STEM fields. This four-part docuseries features four female scientists who are challenging stereotypes and confronting gender, racial and age discrimination as they rise to prominence.
Not The Science Type highlights four brilliant minds, showcasing women who break down boundaries within their fields – biology, engineering and science and technology-based applications.
.
While each woman has taken a different path to pursue scientific excellence, they are bound by the common experience of feeling excluded, or “not the type” in traditionally homogenous fields.
Mind-blowing structure relocation projects
by @gigadgets_#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #MI #Robotics #MachineLearning #FutureOfWork #Engineering #Innovationcc: @terenceleungsf @jamesmarland @wil_bielert @ronald_vanloon pic.twitter.com/N1ydzba6TZ
— Ronald van Loon (@Ronald_vanLoon) December 4, 2022
This is how the Panama Canal works
pic.twitter.com/jo35rWZJE9— Tech Burrito (@TechAmazing) December 4, 2022
A cardboard escalator
pic.twitter.com/XkXV0GPlRx— Tech Burrito (@TechAmazing) December 7, 2022
On 11/20/2022,
in 21st century, adjunct faculty, Alternatives, business, business side of he, career development, change, changing business models, computer science, cost of getting a degree, design, Design Thinking, engineering, experimentation, faculty, flipping -- inverted learning, future of higher education, higher education, ideas, instructional design, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, new business models, real-world assignments, research, staying relevant, teaching & learning, United States, universities, user experience (UX), vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
Can a Group of MIT Professors Turn a White Paper Into a New Kind of College? — from edsurge.com by Jeffrey R. Young
Excerpt:
A group of professors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology dropped a provocative white paper in September that proposed a new kind of college that would address some of the growing public skepticism of higher education. This week, they took the next step toward bringing their vision from idea to reality.
That next step was holding a virtual forum that brought together a who’s who of college innovation leaders, including presidents of experimental colleges, professors known for novel teaching practices and critical observers of the higher education space.
The MIT professors who authored the white paper tried to make clear that even though they’re from an elite university, they do not have all the answers. Their white paper takes pains to describe itself as a draft framework and to invite input from players across the education ecosystem so they can revise and improve the plan.
IDEAS FOR DESIGNING An Affordable New Educational Institution
The goal of this document is simply to propose some principles and ideas that we hope will lay the groundwork for the future, for an education that will be both more affordable and more effective.
…
Promotions and titles will be much more closely tied to educational performance—quality, commitment, outcomes, and innovation—than to research outcomes.
On 10/25/2022,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, Asia, Blockchain, change, chemistry, data related items, emerging technologies, engineering, Europe, future, health, law schools, Legal operations, legislatures / government / legal, robotics, technology (general), the downsides of technology, trends, United States, user experience (UX), Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning,
by Daniel Christian
7 Technologies that are Changing Healthcare — from digitalsalutem.com by João Bocas
In this article we are going to talk about the seven technologies that are changing healthcare:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Blockchain
- Virtual Reality
- Robots
- Mapping technologies
- Big Data
- Neurotechnology
This startup 3D prints tiny homes from recyclable plastics — from interestingengineering.com by Nergis Firtina; with thanks to Laura Goodrich for this resource
/2022/08/22/image/png/wSxqwE19L3sKdFwuPdKfsfzJ5ixmzUJWXJ8Ox6Ir.png)
Satellite Billboards Are a Dystopian Future We Don’t Need — from gizmodo.com by George Dvorsky; with thanks to Laura Goodrich for this resource
Brightly lit ads in orbit are technologically and economically viable, say Russian scientists. But can we not?
South Korea to Provide Blockchain-based Digital Identities to Citizens by 2024 — from blockchain.news by Annie Li; with thanks to Laura Goodrich for this resource
Excerpt:
South Korea plans to provide digital identities encrypted by blockchain with smartphones to citizens in 2024 to facilitate its economic development., Bloomberg reported Monday.
The South Korean government stated that with the expansion of the digital economy, the ID embedded in the smartphone is an indispensable emerging technology to support the development of data.
From DSC:
Interesting to see blockchain show up in the first item above on healthcare and also on this item coming out of South Korea for digital identities.
The Bruce Willis Deepfake Is Everyone’s Problem — from wired.com by Will Bedingfield; with thanks to Stephen Downes for this resource
There’s a fight brewing over how Hollywood stars can protect their identities. But it’s not just actors who should be paying attention.
Excerpts:
Yet the question of “who owns Bruce Willis,” as Levy put it, isn’t only a concern for the Hollywood star and his representatives. It concerns actors unions across the world, fighting against contracts that exploit their members’ naivety about AI. And, for some experts, it’s a question that implicates everyone, portending a wilder, dystopian future—one in which identities are bought, sold, and seized.
“This is relevant not just to AI contracts [for synthetic performances], but any contract involving rights to one’s likeness and voice,” says Danielle S. Van Lier, assistant general counsel, intellectual property and contracts at SAG-AFTRA. “We have been seeing contracts that now include ‘simulation rights’ to performers’ images, voices, and performances. These contract terms are buried deep in the boilerplate of performance agreements in traditional media.”
Addendum on 10/26/22:
- Blockchain and the Future of Medical Technology: Trends in Medicine — from intelligenthq.com
On 09/12/2022,
in digital photography, engagement / engaging students, engineering, journalism, K-12 related, presentations, productivity / tips and tricks, professional development, robotics, universities,
by Daniel Christian
Diving into Drones – How your journalism program can use DJI drones to enhance your visuals — from jeadigitalmedia.org by Spencer O’Daniel
Excerpt:
Here’s our journey to getting started in the drone world and how our visuals took off (no pun intended) when we listened to the students and began actively using the drones in the field to cover stories in our surrounding community. Buckle up-I’m not an expert on drones by any means but here’s some information to get you started in the drone world.