Chinese tech companies are ramping up efforts to recruit AI talent, offering competitive salaries across various AI fields. Xiaomi, a smartphone manufacturer, is streamlining its recruitment process for AI experts, including fast-tracking certain applications.
AI-generated headshot technology now rivals professional photography, threatening the future of headshot photography. This could impact various industries due to headshots being seen as a commodity, people's dislike of having them taken, and potential cost savings. Photographers are advised to adapt by developing unique styles and focusing on areas AI may struggle with, such as event or wedding photography.
Nvidia's CEO envisions 'AI employees' working in various roles, including marketing and chip design. These AI agents would be specialised, rented by companies, and instructed through missions and conversations. They could boost productivity, potentially improving company performance, and collaborate with humans and other AI agents in workplace platforms.
Two AI startups, Anysphere and Mercor, are in funding talks at £1.6 billion+ valuations each. Anysphere developed a code generation assistant, while Mercor provides staffing for AI companies. Both have received investor term sheets.
Cal Poly Pomona's annual Cybersecurity Fair focused on AI's role in cybersecurity. Demonstrations showcased AI's potential for creating and defending against cyber threats. Industry experts discussed AI threats and quantum computing. The event included interactive demonstrations, research presentations, and a job fair. It emphasised opportunities for women in cybersecurity and featured a poster contest.
Generative AI is being integrated into business workflows using a 'just-in-time' approach to maximise effectiveness and minimise costs. Some companies are implementing AI systems for specific tasks like report generation and enhancing employee workflows. Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) services are being used to improve AI output quality without custom training. Whilst some leaders support this approach, others question its universal applicability. The cost-benefit ratio varies depending on the use case.
AI is a transformative technology comparable to electricity and the internet, with potential to improve efficiency across industries. However, realising its full economic impact may take decades and require significant investments in new processes, skills and business models. Some view AI as part of the ongoing IT revolution rather than a separate phenomenon. Managing the societal changes brought by AI and IT is a key challenge.
Saudi Arabia plans to invest up to $100 billion in 'Project Transcendence', an AI initiative to develop a technological hub in the kingdom. The project will focus on data centres, startups, and infrastructure to support AI development, as well as talent recruitment and encouraging tech investment. This effort aims to compete with the UAE as a regional technology centre.
AI-generated job applications are becoming prevalent, with an estimated 25% of applications appearing AI-generated. Recruiters can easily identify these due to generic language, lack of personal details, and overuse of buzzwords. Common issues include robotic tone, formulaic templates, and failure to edit AI-generated text. Recruiters advise using AI tools only as a starting point, emphasising personalisation with specific experiences and targeted information. Quality over quantity is recommended when submitting job applications.
Perplexity AI's CEO offered tech support to The New York Times during a workers' strike, despite recent legal threats from The Times over unauthorised content use. The Times' Tech Guild went on strike before a US election. The Times, along with other media outlets, have taken legal action against Perplexity AI for alleged copyright infringement.
3D artist Liz Edwards outlined traits of AI-generated 3D models in game development, including baked-in lighting, high polygon counts, and messy UV maps. These models often lack symmetry and have melded parts, causing animation difficulties. Concerns exist about transparency in AI asset creation, particularly on marketplaces where AI-generated models may not be tagged as such. This can lead to issues in game development pipelines and hiring processes.
Notion, an AI productivity startup, has leased a large office space in downtown San Francisco for the next decade, with room to expand. This move is part of a trend of AI firms taking up office space in the city, despite high vacancy rates. Other AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have made similar moves recently.
Sophia Velastegui, an experienced AI leader and NSF advisor, advocates for diversity in AI development. Drawing from her work at major tech companies, she emphasises the need for ethical frameworks and diverse AI councils in companies. Velastegui stresses the importance of female representation to address bias and ensure varied perspectives in AI systems.
An AI platform called Artisan has launched a controversial ad campaign in San Francisco promoting AI workers over humans. The 'Stop Hiring Humans' campaign features provocative billboards, sparking debate on social media about the ethics and implications of AI replacing human workers.
ChatGPT's voice mode offers real-time interview practice with adaptive questions, helping users improve spontaneous responses for job interviews. It simulates realistic scenarios by providing follow-up questions based on user responses. The system can be enhanced with job descriptions and CVs for tailored guidance. However, it lacks non-verbal cues and may struggle with niche topics. It's recommended as a supplement to human mock interviews for comprehensive preparation.
An online course called 'ChatGPT & Automation E-Degree' is on sale for $24.97 (usually $790). It teaches business professionals to use AI tools like ChatGPT for productivity and task automation. The 25-hour programme covers topics such as data visualisation and AI-powered narratives. The offer is time-limited.
AI agents, acting as autonomous digital employees, are predicted to significantly impact businesses by 2025. Developed by major tech companies, these agents can perform complex tasks, potentially reducing costs and improving efficiency. Companies should prepare to integrate AI agents soon to stay competitive.
G42's Inception, an AI research lab from the Persian Gulf, is expanding to the Global South. With substantial resources, it could rival OpenAI outside the US.
Research on open-source large language models (LLMs) revealed significant racial and gender biases in resume screening. The models strongly favoured white and male candidates, with Black men facing the most discrimination. These biases likely stem from societal privileges reflected in the LLMs' training data.
