Google is undergoing a major transformation in its ad sales unit, driven by recent advancements in artificial intelligence. The company's introduction of AI-based tools, particularly performance max, has rendered many jobs redundant as it can automatically suggest and create high-performing ads with minimal human intervention. This restructuring follows google's historic job cut of 12,000 employees earlier this year.

Google's shift to AI automation sparks ad sales reorganisation | World Business Watch

A recent survey of 750 business leaders reveals a growing trend: AI replacing jobs. In 2023, 37% of these leaders acknowledged AI-induced layoffs, with 44% expecting more in 2024. Major companies like Paytm and Google are at the forefront, integrating AI to enhance efficiency but at the cost of human jobs. Paytm's recent layoffs post AI implementation and Google's potential restructuring of its ad sales unit due to AI advancements highlight this shift.

Gravitas | The AI job takeover is here; Will mass layoffs be on the rise now?

India is all set to make use of Artificial Intelligence in a bid to make better weather forecast. The country has been facing climate challenges resulting in a surge of severe weather conditions.

India adopts AI amid climate concerns | Can AI revolutionise weather forecast? | World DNA

AI is playing Santa's helper, providing a technological boost to enhance the festive shopping experience and streamline processes for retailers and consumers. From personalized recommendations to behind-the-scenes efficiency, artificial intelligence is spreading holiday cheer in shopping.

Retailers leverage AI for streamlining the whole process

AI has the potential to replace a quarter of all labor duties in the United States and Europe while also creating new jobs and increasing productivity. Furthermore, it has the potential to boost the overall annual value of products and services produced globally by 7%.

Artificial Intelligence: Job killer or job creator? | 82% professionals fear job loss due to AI

AI could replace 300 million jobs suggests report | Will ChatGPT take your jobs?

In the quiet evolution of interior design, a subtle yet profound transformation is underway, led by the unassuming genius of artificial intelligence (AI). Today, we explore the nuanced themes of personalisation, convenience, and the futuristic touch.

In an exclusive discussion with Varun Poddar, CEO of Vox India, an interior design brand based in Europe, we explore the profound impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the interior design industry. As technology redefines the world, AI emerges as a transformative force, reshaping how designers conceptualise, execute, and experience their creations.

Personalisation

Imagine a space that isn't just aesthetically pleasing but intimately aligns with your identity. Personalisation, a cornerstone of AI in design, goes beyond surface-level choices. Varun Poddar articulates AI as a silent design companion, enhancing human creativity rather than replacing it. By decoding vast datasets, AI delves into design trends and the essence of individual preferences and lifestyles. It's not just creating spaces; it's crafting personalised narratives that resonate profoundly with those who call these spaces home.

Convenience

VR technology takes centre stage as we discuss the theme of convenience. VR offers a seamless integration of practicality and aesthetics. Varun Poddar paints a vivid picture of virtual walkthroughs evolving from a luxury to a necessity, transcending visual delights to become a pragmatic tool. These walkthroughs not only showcase the beauty of a space but act as vigilant guardians, detecting execution errors in real-time. Convenience in the era of AI is not an afterthought; it's a foundational principle, ensuring that spaces are visually stunning and functionally impeccable.

The future

As our journey into the future unfolds, Varun Poddar offers a glimpse into the subtle influence of AI in design—the unassuming story of Wall Ceilings. Picture the prospect of designing your wall ceilings, guided not by an array of options but by the discreet intelligence of AI. It is a narrative that goes beyond endorsement, becoming a quiet companion in shaping a future where surfaces adapt intuitively to the ebb and flow of ever-changing needs and preferences.

But this narrative echoes in the global landscape, finding resonance across corners, such as the innovative strides of Ikea. Varun Poddar's insights interlace with the story of Ikea, where call centre workers are metamorphosed into AI-assisted interior design advisers. Billie, the AI bot, seamlessly handles queries, symbolising the amalgamation of human expertise and AI intelligence. This is not a flashy trend; it's a testimony to AI's transformative role in enhancing customer experiences.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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In the quiet evolution of interior design, a subtle yet profound transformation is underway, led by the unassuming genius of artificial intelligence (AI). Today, we explore the nuanced themes of personalisation, convenience, and the futuristic touch.

In the quiet evolution of interior design, a subtle yet profound transformation is underway, led by the unassuming genius of artificial intelligence (AI). Today, we explore the nuanced themes of personalisation, convenience, and the futuristic touch. In an exclusive discussion with Varun Poddar, CEO of Vox India, an interior design brand based in Europe, we explore the profound impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the interior design industry. As technology redefines the world, AI emerges as a transformative force, reshaping how designers conceptualise, execute, and experience their creations. Personalisation Imagine a space that isn't just aesthetically pleasing but intimately aligns with your identity. Personalisation, a cornerstone of AI in design, goes beyond surface-level choices. Varun Poddar articulates AI as a silent design companion, enhancing human creativity rather than replacing it. By decoding vast datasets, AI delves into design trends and the essence of individual preferences and lifestyles. It's not just creating spaces; it's crafting personalised narratives that resonate profoundly with those who call these spaces home. Convenience VR technology takes centre stage as we discuss the theme of convenience. VR offers a seamless integration of practicality and aesthetics. Varun Poddar paints a vivid picture of virtual walkthroughs evolving from a luxury to a necessity, transcending visual delights to become a pragmatic tool. These walkthroughs not only showcase the beauty of a space but act as vigilant guardians, detecting execution errors in real-time. Convenience in the era of AI is not an afterthought; it's a foundational principle, ensuring that spaces are visually stunning and functionally impeccable. The future As our journey into the future unfolds, Varun Poddar offers a glimpse into the subtle influence of AI in design—the unassuming story of Wall Ceilings. Picture the prospect of designing your wall ceilings, guided not by an array of options but by the discreet intelligence of AI. It is a narrative that goes beyond endorsement, becoming a quiet companion in shaping a future where surfaces adapt intuitively to the ebb and flow of ever-changing needs and preferences. But this narrative echoes in the global landscape, finding resonance across corners, such as the innovative strides of Ikea. Varun Poddar's insights interlace with the story of Ikea, where call centre workers are metamorphosed into AI-assisted interior design advisers. Billie, the AI bot, seamlessly handles queries, symbolising the amalgamation of human expertise and AI intelligence. This is not a flashy trend; it's a testimony to AI's transformative role in enhancing customer experiences. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

​​​​​​​Crafting tomorrow's spaces: The intelligent intersection of AI and Interior Design

In a landmark decision with far-reaching implications, the UK Supreme Court has ruled against granting patents to artificial intelligence. The ruling follows computer scientist Stephen Thaler's attempt to secure patents in the UK for inventions attributed to his AI creation, dabs. The court clarified that the scope of this appeal wasn't to address broader questions about the patentability of ai-generated technical advances, or whether the definition of 'inventor' should extend to include AI-powered machines. This decision, according to legal experts, underscores the current limitations of UK patent law in safeguarding inventions autonomously generated by AI machines.

UK supreme court rejects AI inventors

Although oceans cover 70 percent of the planet’s surface, much of this vast realm has remained unexplored on account of it being too challenging of an environment for humans to survive in.

PISCES VI: Deep ocean exploration submersile helps scientists explore tenerife waters

Stanford's Internet Observatory discovered ties to images of child abuse in a well-known training dataset for AI picture generation, which could enable AI models to produce offensive content.

LAION-5B: Large AI dataset has over 1,000 child abuse images find researches

Is AI the future of ocean exploration?

Google will restrict election-related queries from Bard and AI-based searches. The announcement from the Alphabet company comes ahead of the pivotal 2024 US Presidential election. It indicates a shift towards more responsible AI usage in political contexts.

Google to restrict election queries of Bard & AI-based search engine

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered&nbsp;thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators.&nbsp;

The discovery was made among the dataset of the LAION AI database. Researchers reportedly found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse hidden within the AI database, and more than 1,000 images were confirmed as child sexual abuse material.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/european-research-flags-ai-chatbots-for-providing-false-answers-particularly-on-elections-670063">European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections</a>

The analysis was done in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other anti-abuse charities.&nbsp;

"We find that having possession of a LAION‐5B dataset populated even in late 2023 implies the possession of thousands of illegal images," said the researchers.&nbsp;

<h2>Which AI image generators used this database?</h2>

As per The Guardian, the database was used to train&nbsp;leading AI image-makers like Stable Diffusion.&nbsp;

The report states that many text-to-image generators are in some way derived from the LAION database. However, it goes on to say that exactly which ones use&nbsp;it isn't always clear.

Popular Artificial Intelligence maker OpenAI — behind DALL-E and ChatGPT, denied the use of LAION and said that it had fine-tuned its models to refuse any requests that may involve sexual content involving minors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/alphabet-says-will-restrict-election-related-queries-on-bard-and-ai-based-search-671759">Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search</a>

Imagen, a text-to-image model built by Tech giant Google, was built using LAION dataset, however, the company decided against making it public in 2022. This was because an audit of the dataset "uncovered a wide range of inappropriate content, including pornographic imagery, racist slurs, and harmful social stereotypes," reports the publication.&nbsp;

<h2>LAION's response</h2>

LAION, or Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, a non-profit, swiftly responded by temporarily removing its datasets, emphasising it&nbsp;"has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content."&nbsp;

It said that "in an abundance of caution, we have taken down the LAION datasets to ensure they are safe before republishing them."&nbsp;

The more than 3,200 images make up merely a fraction of the 5.8 billion images contained in the dataset. However, as per the Stanford researchers, their presence probably influences AI generators' ability to generate harmful outputs.&nbsp;

Such images, they say, facilitate the creation of realistic, explicit imagery, and enable the transformation of social media photos of clothed teens into nudes. In recent days, the latter has been a cause of concern among schools and law enforcement globally.

The Stanford Internet Observatory has advocated for drastic measures, urging those using LAION-5B datasets (containing over 5 billion image-text pairs) to delete or cleanse the material. Additionally, they suggest making older versions, like Stable Diffusion, less accessible, especially if used to generate abusive images without adequate safeguards.

(With inputs from agencies)

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators.

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators. The discovery was made among the dataset of the LAION AI database. Researchers reportedly found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse hidden within the AI database, and more than 1,000 images were confirmed as child sexual abuse material. Also read | European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections The analysis was done in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other anti-abuse charities. "We find that having possession of a LAION‐5B dataset populated even in late 2023 implies the possession of thousands of illegal images," said the researchers. Which AI image generators used this database? As per The Guardian, the database was used to train leading AI image-makers like Stable Diffusion. The report states that many text-to-image generators are in some way derived from the LAION database. However, it goes on to say that exactly which ones use it isn't always clear. Popular Artificial Intelligence maker OpenAI — behind DALL-E and ChatGPT, denied the use of LAION and said that it had fine-tuned its models to refuse any requests that may involve sexual content involving minors. Also read | Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search Imagen, a text-to-image model built by Tech giant Google, was built using LAION dataset, however, the company decided against making it public in 2022. This was because an audit of the dataset "uncovered a wide range of inappropriate content, including pornographic imagery, racist slurs, and harmful social stereotypes," reports the publication. LAION's response LAION, or Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, a non-profit, swiftly responded by temporarily removing its datasets, emphasising it "has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content." It said that "in an abundance of caution, we have taken down the LAION datasets to ensure they are safe before republishing them." The more than 3,200 images make up merely a fraction of the 5.8 billion images contained in the dataset. However, as per the Stanford researchers, their presence probably influences AI generators' ability to generate harmful outputs. Such images, they say, facilitate the creation of realistic, explicit imagery, and enable the transformation of social media photos of clothed teens into nudes. In recent days, the latter has been a cause of concern among schools and law enforcement globally. The Stanford Internet Observatory has advocated for drastic measures, urging those using LAION-5B datasets (containing over 5 billion image-text pairs) to delete or cleanse the material. Additionally, they suggest making older versions, like Stable Diffusion, less accessible, especially if used to generate abusive images without adequate safeguards. (With inputs from agencies)

Database behind AI-image generators found hiding a dark secret: Child sexual abuse content

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, said on Tuesday (Dec 19) it would restrict some types of queries related to elections which can be answered by its chatbot Bard and also the generative search. The company has said that the restrictions will come into effect in early 2024.

Some major elections are going to take place next year. Other than US Presidential Election 2024, the year would also see India, the world's largest democracy, choose who will be its prime minister. In addition to this, elections are to be held in South Africa as well.

Alphabet has said that it will "work with an increased focus on the role artificial intelligence (AI) might play".

There already is a global concern about role social media plays to sway opinion of voters during elections. The US has even repeatedly lashed out at Russia and China saying there were attempts from within these countries to influence last two elections.

The arrival of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has further complicated things just as it has fundamentally affected the direction the tech industry would be headed towards.

Watch | Google agrees to $700 mn settlement

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Last year, OpenAI released its blockbuster AI chatbot ChatGPT which made other tech giants hastily launch their own AI products. The ability of these generative tools to create convincing content has raised fears of their misuse, especially in context of elections.

<h2>What are other tech giants doing as election year approaches?</h2>

Facebook owner Meta has said in November that it was barring political campaigns and advertisers in other regulated industries from making use of its generative AI advertising tools.

The tech giant has also said that advertisers will have to disclose information in case they use AI to create or modify advertisements on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-to-cough-700mn-as-part-of-antitrust-settlement-week-after-defeat-against-epic-games-671324">Google to cough up $700mn as part of Play Store antitrust settlement, week after defeat against Epic Games</a>

Another major social media platform X (formerly Twitter) said in August this year that candidates in US election and political &nbsp;parties will not be able to post political ads on the platform. The Elon Musk-owned platform also said that it will expand its safety and elections team.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-googles-legal-defeat-against-epic-why-2024-could-be-worst-year-for-us-tech-giant-668904">Explained | Google’s legal defeat against Epic: Why 2024 could be worst year for US tech giant</a>

X, when it was Twitter, had previously banned all political ads in 2019.

AI has been topic of debate in regulatory circles across the world too. Governments are attempting to regulate AI to prevent its misuse and spread of misinformation.

(With inputs from agencies)

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, said on Tuesday (Dec 19) it would restrict some types of queries related to elections which can be answered by its chatbot Bard and also the generative search.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, said on Tuesday (Dec 19) it would restrict some types of queries related to elections which can be answered by its chatbot Bard and also the generative search. The company has said that the restrictions will come into effect in early 2024. Some major elections are going to take place next year. Other than US Presidential Election 2024, the year would also see India, the world's largest democracy, choose who will be its prime minister. In addition to this, elections are to be held in South Africa as well. Alphabet has said that it will "work with an increased focus on the role artificial intelligence (AI) might play". There already is a global concern about role social media plays to sway opinion of voters during elections. The US has even repeatedly lashed out at Russia and China saying there were attempts from within these countries to influence last two elections. The arrival of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has further complicated things just as it has fundamentally affected the direction the tech industry would be headed towards. Watch | Google agrees to $700 mn settlement × Last year, OpenAI released its blockbuster AI chatbot ChatGPT which made other tech giants hastily launch their own AI products. The ability of these generative tools to create convincing content has raised fears of their misuse, especially in context of elections. What are other tech giants doing as election year approaches? Facebook owner Meta has said in November that it was barring political campaigns and advertisers in other regulated industries from making use of its generative AI advertising tools. The tech giant has also said that advertisers will have to disclose information in case they use AI to create or modify advertisements on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Also Read | Google to cough up $700mn as part of Play Store antitrust settlement, week after defeat against Epic Games Another major social media platform X (formerly Twitter) said in August this year that candidates in US election and political parties will not be able to post political ads on the platform. The Elon Musk-owned platform also said that it will expand its safety and elections team. Explained | Google’s legal defeat against Epic: Why 2024 could be worst year for US tech giant X, when it was Twitter, had previously banned all political ads in 2019. AI has been topic of debate in regulatory circles across the world too. Governments are attempting to regulate AI to prevent its misuse and spread of misinformation. (With inputs from agencies)

Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search

Just one month past the major upheaval in OpenAI – creator of ChatGPT – which left the world shocked as its founder Sam Altman was&nbsp;ousted only to rise like a phoenix, the man in the middle of all chaos found himself as the recipient of the title “CEO of the Year” in 2023 by Time magazine. With this Altman appeared to break all records of hitting highs and lows at the same time.&nbsp;

The year 2022 emerged as a playing ground for Microsoft-backed OpenAI which introduced to the world the artificial intelligence that not only created an existenial crisis for other technologies but also threatened the human society. At a time when the world seemed to be immersed in the debate over the potential and threats of AI and the need to introduce a policy for regulating the technology, Sam Altman suddenly was thrown out of his empire – leaving the world of technology in disarray.

<h2>Dethroning of Altman&nbsp;</h2>

OpenAI's CEO and co-founder Sam Altman was fired by the board on November 17 over a Google Meet call and soon after President Greg Brockman was removed from the board, which finally led to his stepping down.

In an internal memo, COO Brad Lightcap said that the firing of Altman was over a "breakdown in communication between Sam and the board," and not "malfeasance".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-openais-boardroom-coup-was-defeated-by-sam-altman-ai-worlds-disruptor-in-chief-662088">Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief</a>

The tension inside the firm increased on November 18 as a few employees started contemplating quitting if the board did not restore Altman as the CEO by the end of the weekend.

On the other hand, the poster boy of OpenAI now seemed to find a way out of the mess in which he suggested launching a new AI startup. However, in a sudden turn of events, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on November 20 announced that Altman, Brockman, along with their colleagues, have been hired to lead a new advanced AI research team.&nbsp;

The whirlwind of tension took the shape of a coup on November 20 when all OpenAI staff threatened to resign and join Altman's team at Microsoft if the board failed to resign.&nbsp;

In the most unexpected conclusive event, Altman came back to OpenAI on November 21 as CEO with a new initial board which included Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. Brockman also made his way back to the startup. In his first firm step after returning to power, Altman sacked almost the entire pre-existing board which had conspired against him.

<h2>Why Altman was fired by the board?&nbsp;</h2>

In the official announcement, Open AI's board members had said that Altman was fired because “he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board” and was thus “hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities”. Miscommunication was held as the biggest reason behind Altman's sudden dethroning, but some reports also suggested that he was becoming fearful for many.

Watch:&nbsp;OpenAI saga takes significant turn: Sam Altman cements his position as CEO | Trending on WION

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But some reports suggested, that OpenAI was working on an advanced system which was so powerful that it led to safety concerns among the company's staff members before Altman was sacked.

Some OpenAI researchers were alarmed by the artificial intelligence model to such an extent that they wrote to the board of directors warning that it may threaten humanity, reported Reuters.

The report added that the speed with which the system was being developed alarmed few safety researchers. These allegations and the turmoil that hit OpenAI gave the world a reminder of how the future of AI does not rest in the hands of a few but is a collective responsibility and the path in this world needs to be trodden carefully.

(With inputs from agencies)

Just one month past the major upheaval in OpenAI – creator of ChatGPT – which left the world shocked as its founder Sam Altman was ousted only to rise like a phoenix, the man in the middle of all chaos found himself as the recipient of the title “CEO of the Year” in 2023 by Time magazine.

Just one month past the major upheaval in OpenAI – creator of ChatGPT – which left the world shocked as its founder Sam Altman was ousted only to rise like a phoenix, the man in the middle of all chaos found himself as the recipient of the title “CEO of the Year” in 2023 by Time magazine. With this Altman appeared to break all records of hitting highs and lows at the same time. The year 2022 emerged as a playing ground for Microsoft-backed OpenAI which introduced to the world the artificial intelligence that not only created an existenial crisis for other technologies but also threatened the human society. At a time when the world seemed to be immersed in the debate over the potential and threats of AI and the need to introduce a policy for regulating the technology, Sam Altman suddenly was thrown out of his empire – leaving the world of technology in disarray. Dethroning of Altman OpenAI's CEO and co-founder Sam Altman was fired by the board on November 17 over a Google Meet call and soon after President Greg Brockman was removed from the board, which finally led to his stepping down. In an internal memo, COO Brad Lightcap said that the firing of Altman was over a "breakdown in communication between Sam and the board," and not "malfeasance". Also read: Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief The tension inside the firm increased on November 18 as a few employees started contemplating quitting if the board did not restore Altman as the CEO by the end of the weekend. On the other hand, the poster boy of OpenAI now seemed to find a way out of the mess in which he suggested launching a new AI startup. However, in a sudden turn of events, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on November 20 announced that Altman, Brockman, along with their colleagues, have been hired to lead a new advanced AI research team. The whirlwind of tension took the shape of a coup on November 20 when all OpenAI staff threatened to resign and join Altman's team at Microsoft if the board failed to resign. In the most unexpected conclusive event, Altman came back to OpenAI on November 21 as CEO with a new initial board which included Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. Brockman also made his way back to the startup. In his first firm step after returning to power, Altman sacked almost the entire pre-existing board which had conspired against him. Why Altman was fired by the board? In the official announcement, Open AI's board members had said that Altman was fired because “he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board” and was thus “hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities”. Miscommunication was held as the biggest reason behind Altman's sudden dethroning, but some reports also suggested that he was becoming fearful for many. Watch: OpenAI saga takes significant turn: Sam Altman cements his position as CEO | Trending on WION But some reports suggested, that OpenAI was working on an advanced system which was so powerful that it led to safety concerns among the company's staff members before Altman was sacked. Some OpenAI researchers were alarmed by the artificial intelligence model to such an extent that they wrote to the board of directors warning that it may threaten humanity, reported Reuters. The report added that the speed with which the system was being developed alarmed few safety researchers. These allegations and the turmoil that hit OpenAI gave the world a reminder of how the future of AI does not rest in the hands of a few but is a collective responsibility and the path in this world needs to be trodden carefully. (With inputs from agencies)

2023: A year of Sam Altman’s rise, fall and rise in OpenAI amid brutal powerplay

Whether Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan will be released from jail before the commencement of the general elections is anyone’s guess, but that won’t stop him from campaigning.

On Sunday evening (Dec 17), the leaders of&nbsp;his party,&nbsp;the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), released a voice clone of the cricketer-turned-politician that was made using artificial intelligence (AI).

Calling it a “virtual rally”, a 4-minute message of the 71-year-old leader was played out on social media despite nationwide internet disruptions monitored by NetBlocks.

It was viewed by more than 4.5 million people across Facebook, X and YouTube.

PTI told AFP news agency that Khan sent a shorthand script through lawyers that was meshed out into his rhetorical style.

The text was then dubbed into audio using a tool from the AI firm ElevenLabs, which boasts the ability to create a “voice clone” from existing speech samples.

<h2>AI makes debut in Pakistan's politics&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

“My fellow Pakistanis, I would first like to praise the social media team for this historic attempt,” the voice mimicking Khan said. “Maybe you all are wondering how I am doing in jail. Today, my determination for real freedom is very strong.”

According to PTI, the audio was bookended with genuine video clips from the Khan’s former speeches. However, the caption appearing at regular intervals said that it was the “AI voice of Imran Khan based on his notes”.

“This was a no-brainer for us, when Imran Khan is no longer there to meet at a political rally,” said the PTI social media chief Jibran Ilyas who is based in the US. “It was to get over the suppression.”

<h2>Parties gear up for Feb 8</h2>

The use of AI reflects PTI’s focus on its digital reach which has aided them to target younger audiences, who carried them to power five years ago.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-big-blow-to-china-year-long-moratorium-on-entry-of-spy-ships-671275">Sri Lanka’s big blow to China: Year-long moratorium on entry of ‘spy ships’</a>

“We wanted to get in election mode. No PTI political rally is complete without Imran Khan,” Ilyas told AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-grants-judges-spouses-airport-body-search-exemption-report-670583">Pakistan grants judges, their spouses exemption from body search at airports: Report</a>

Even as political parties are gearing up for the elections that will be held on February 8, Khan’s PTI party has been in disarray after several of its leaders were jailed and many defected in the aftermath the violent protests targeting army installations.

While behind bars Khan was replaced as the leader of PTI, his supporters still consider the former premier to be the figurehead of the party.

(With inputs from agencies)

Whether Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan will be released from jail before the commencement of the general elections is anyone’s guess, but that won’t stop him from campaigning.

Whether Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan will be released from jail before the commencement of the general elections is anyone’s guess, but that won’t stop him from campaigning. On Sunday evening (Dec 17), the leaders of his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), released a voice clone of the cricketer-turned-politician that was made using artificial intelligence (AI). Calling it a “virtual rally”, a 4-minute message of the 71-year-old leader was played out on social media despite nationwide internet disruptions monitored by NetBlocks. It was viewed by more than 4.5 million people across Facebook, X and YouTube. PTI told AFP news agency that Khan sent a shorthand script through lawyers that was meshed out into his rhetorical style. The text was then dubbed into audio using a tool from the AI firm ElevenLabs, which boasts the ability to create a “voice clone” from existing speech samples. AI makes debut in Pakistan's politics “My fellow Pakistanis, I would first like to praise the social media team for this historic attempt,” the voice mimicking Khan said. “Maybe you all are wondering how I am doing in jail. Today, my determination for real freedom is very strong.” According to PTI, the audio was bookended with genuine video clips from the Khan’s former speeches. However, the caption appearing at regular intervals said that it was the “AI voice of Imran Khan based on his notes”. “This was a no-brainer for us, when Imran Khan is no longer there to meet at a political rally,” said the PTI social media chief Jibran Ilyas who is based in the US. “It was to get over the suppression.” Parties gear up for Feb 8 The use of AI reflects PTI’s focus on its digital reach which has aided them to target younger audiences, who carried them to power five years ago. Also read | Sri Lanka’s big blow to China: Year-long moratorium on entry of ‘spy ships’ “We wanted to get in election mode. No PTI political rally is complete without Imran Khan,” Ilyas told AFP. Also read | Pakistan grants judges, their spouses exemption from body search at airports: Report Even as political parties are gearing up for the elections that will be held on February 8, Khan’s PTI party has been in disarray after several of its leaders were jailed and many defected in the aftermath the violent protests targeting army installations. While behind bars Khan was replaced as the leader of PTI, his supporters still consider the former premier to be the figurehead of the party. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan’s ex-PM Imran Khan starts campaign from prison using AI voice clone

In a significant move, a real-time AI-based translation tool was used during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on Sunday (Dec 18).

PM Modi, during his address, welcomed the participants at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi and called them his family.

"Today, the use of new technology has taken place here through Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is a new beginning and hopefully, it makes it easier for me to reach you," PM Modi said at Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

The speech by the Indian prime minister was translated through 'Bhashini' for the ones who in the audience understood the Tamil language.

'Bhashini' is an AI-led language translation system that enables people to speak in their own language while talking to speakers of other Indian languages.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jaishankar-clears-the-air-on-diplomatic-rows-in-us-canada-slams-un-security-council-as-old-club-670623">Jaishankar clears the air on diplomatic rows with US and Canada, slams UNSC</a>

The Indian Prime Minister further said that the Sengol, which was installed in the new Parliament building was brought from Tamil Nadu.

"This feeling of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' was also visible when we entered the new building of Parliament. The Sengol has been installed in the new Parliament building. Under the guidance of the saints of Adheenam, this same Sengol became the symbol of the transfer of power in 1947," he added.&nbsp;

"If you look at any civilization of the world, you will hardly find such a simple and superior form of intimacy in diversity anywhere. Even recently, during the G-20 Summit, the world was amazed to see this diversity of India," PM Modi added.

Calling India a nation of spiritual beliefs, he said the country is united by saints like Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya, "who awakened the national consciousness of India through their travels."

Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 at Namo Ghat. He also flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express train that is bound to run between Kanyakumari and Varanasi.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

In a significant move, a real-time AI-based translation tool was used during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on Sunday (Dec 18).

In a significant move, a real-time AI-based translation tool was used during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on Sunday (Dec 18). PM Modi, during his address, welcomed the participants at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi and called them his family. "Today, the use of new technology has taken place here through Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is a new beginning and hopefully, it makes it easier for me to reach you," PM Modi said at Kashi Tamil Sangamam. The speech by the Indian prime minister was translated through 'Bhashini' for the ones who in the audience understood the Tamil language. 'Bhashini' is an AI-led language translation system that enables people to speak in their own language while talking to speakers of other Indian languages. Also read: Jaishankar clears the air on diplomatic rows with US and Canada, slams UNSC The Indian Prime Minister further said that the Sengol, which was installed in the new Parliament building was brought from Tamil Nadu. "This feeling of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' was also visible when we entered the new building of Parliament. The Sengol has been installed in the new Parliament building. Under the guidance of the saints of Adheenam, this same Sengol became the symbol of the transfer of power in 1947," he added. "If you look at any civilization of the world, you will hardly find such a simple and superior form of intimacy in diversity anywhere. Even recently, during the G-20 Summit, the world was amazed to see this diversity of India," PM Modi added. Calling India a nation of spiritual beliefs, he said the country is united by saints like Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya, "who awakened the national consciousness of India through their travels." Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 at Namo Ghat. He also flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express train that is bound to run between Kanyakumari and Varanasi. (With inputs from agencies)

AI-based translation tool used during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Varanasi

Tang Xiao’ou, the billionaire founder of Hong Kong-listed Chinese artificial intelligence giant SenseTime, died late on Friday, the company said in a statement on Saturday. He was 55 years old.

China: AI giant SenseTime founder Tang Xiao'ou dies at 55

The American Democrat Shamaine Daniels Congressional Campaign has been aided by an AI-powered volunteer. Now using an AI poll campaigner who's capable of speaking about 20 different languages is believed to diversify water outreach.

AI powered campaigns debut in US politics

Chinese AI Mogul Tang Xiaou'ou dies at 55

China's leading artificial intelligence firm SenseTime's founder and influential computer scientist Tang Xiao'ou&nbsp;died at the age of 51, said the company, in a statement on Saturday (Dec 16). 
 
"It is with an extremely heavy heart that we announce to everyone the sorrowful news: Our beloved founder... Tang Xiao'ou, due to an illness that could not be treated, left us forever at 23:45 on December 15, 2023," said SenseTime, in an online post. 
 
Tang, who was an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was appointed as a former professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, established SenseTime in 2014.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/chinas-ban-on-apples-iphone-accelerates-670281">China's ban on Apple's iPhone accelerates</a>

The specific reason behind the death of a renowned computer scientist has not been revealed. 
 
Hailing Tang in its statement on Saturday (Dec 16), SenseTime said that he was "an outstanding representative in (China's) AI field", and called him "knowledgeable, rigorous in scholarship, truth-seeking and pragmatic". 
 
"The company mission he formulated, to 'insist on originality and let AI lead human progress' will inspire all SenseTime people," the firm stated. As a “pioneer in China’s AI industry”, Tang will continue to remain as an inspiration for others, said the company.

<h2>Revenue fabrication row, US trade blacklist</h2>

On November 28, SenseTime Group – after getting involved in revenue fabrication row – said that Grizzly Research LLC's short-seller report is 'without merit' and that they will review the allegations against the company. 
 
The report alleged that the AI firm was inflating its revenue artificially through revenue fabrication schemes.

Watch:&nbsp;China hopes parties in Myanmar will implement agreements, brokers peace talks

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-hopes-parties-in-myanmar-will-implement-agreements-brokers-peace-talks-world-news-wion-669874/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
Meanwhile, in 2019, SenseTime was placed on a US trade blacklist and faced accusations of being an arm of China's "military-industrial complex" and using its technology to carry out mass surveillance in the western region of Xinjiang. 
 
In December 2021, the initial public offering of the firm in Hong Kong was delayed after it faced new restrictions by the United States over the related accusations. However, it was able to successfully list on the exchange before the end of the year. 
 
Tang's experience is extensive in American academia and he earned a PhD from MIT in 1996 after he completed an MSc from the University of Rochester in 1991.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

China's leading artificial intelligence firm SenseTime's founder and influential computer scientist Tang Xiao'ou died at the age of 51, said the company, in a statement on Saturday (Dec 16).

China's leading artificial intelligence firm SenseTime's founder and influential computer scientist Tang Xiao'ou died at the age of 51, said the company, in a statement on Saturday (Dec 16). "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we announce to everyone the sorrowful news: Our beloved founder... Tang Xiao'ou, due to an illness that could not be treated, left us forever at 23:45 on December 15, 2023," said SenseTime, in an online post. Tang, who was an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was appointed as a former professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, established SenseTime in 2014. Also read: China's ban on Apple's iPhone accelerates The specific reason behind the death of a renowned computer scientist has not been revealed. Hailing Tang in its statement on Saturday (Dec 16), SenseTime said that he was "an outstanding representative in (China's) AI field", and called him "knowledgeable, rigorous in scholarship, truth-seeking and pragmatic". "The company mission he formulated, to 'insist on originality and let AI lead human progress' will inspire all SenseTime people," the firm stated. As a “pioneer in China’s AI industry”, Tang will continue to remain as an inspiration for others, said the company. Revenue fabrication row, US trade blacklist On November 28, SenseTime Group – after getting involved in revenue fabrication row – said that Grizzly Research LLC's short-seller report is 'without merit' and that they will review the allegations against the company. The report alleged that the AI firm was inflating its revenue artificially through revenue fabrication schemes. Watch: China hopes parties in Myanmar will implement agreements, brokers peace talks Meanwhile, in 2019, SenseTime was placed on a US trade blacklist and faced accusations of being an arm of China's "military-industrial complex" and using its technology to carry out mass surveillance in the western region of Xinjiang. In December 2021, the initial public offering of the firm in Hong Kong was delayed after it faced new restrictions by the United States over the related accusations. However, it was able to successfully list on the exchange before the end of the year. Tang's experience is extensive in American academia and he earned a PhD from MIT in 1996 after he completed an MSc from the University of Rochester in 1991. (With inputs from agencies)

China: AI giant SenseTime founder Tang Xiao'ou dies days after revenue fabrication row

What if you can bring back the dead? Would you want AI to digitally resurrect your loved ones? Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas | How AI is resurrecting the dead

Spain leads with an innovative age-verification app, preventing minors from accessing adult content. This system will use QR codes linked to official IDs, ensuring privacy. The UK and France are also introducing similar measures, with the EU pushing for stringent child protection online. These steps represent a considerable effort to safeguard young minds in the digital age.

Gravitas | Europe tackles online child safety with new age-verification tech

Researchers from the GrapheneX-UTS Human-centric Artificial Intelligence Centre at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have come up with a unique concept as they have developed an AI-equipped cap (or helmet) that can apparently read thoughts. The revolutionary AI system is capable of translating silent thoughts into text by using electroencephalography (EEG). &nbsp;

The system, termed as DeWave, isn't perfect, but its capability of roughly translating internal thought processes into text&nbsp;is remarkable.&nbsp;

The researchers stated that the system has an accuracy of around 40 per cent. Meanwhile, more recent data, being peer-reviewed, reveals an enhanced accuracy of more than 60 per cent. Hence, further improvement is expected.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/which-social-media-platforms-are-popular-among-teens-in-us-and-which-are-not-survey-669446">US teens actively using several social media platforms despite concerns, finds survey</a>&nbsp;

The research was led by professor Chin-Teng Lin, first author Yiqun Duan, and PhD candidate Jinzhou Zhou, and the findings can be significant for those who can't speak due to stroke or paralysis.&nbsp;

DeWave consists of two major components - an EEG-reading cap and a large language model (LLM).&nbsp;

Participants of the study read passages of text while wearing a cap that recorded electrical brain activity through their scalp. These EEG recordings were then converted into text using the AI model.&nbsp;

As quoted by NewsScitist, Chin-Teng Lin at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), said that the technology is non-invasive. He claimed that it is relatively inexpensive and easily transportable.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/chinese-mourners-use-ai-to-digitally-resurrect-the-dead-669686">Chinese mourners use AI to digitally resurrect the dead</a>&nbsp;

The study was presented at the NeurIPS conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, where participants read the sentences aloud, despite the fact that the DeWave system doesn't use spoken words. However, the participants read the sentences silently in the team's latest research.&nbsp;

According to team member Charles Zhou at UTS, the DeWave system was trained by looking at a large number of examples. They studied brain signals and how they match up with certain texts.&nbsp;

As quoted, Zhou said, "For instance, when you think about saying 'hello', your brain sends out certain signals." He said that the AI system learns how these signals "relate to the word 'hello' by seeing many examples of these signals for different words or sentences".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Researchers from the GrapheneX-UTS Human-centric Artificial Intelligence Centre at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have come up with a unique concept as they have developed an AI-equipped cap (or helmet) that can apparently read thoughts.

Researchers from the GrapheneX-UTS Human-centric Artificial Intelligence Centre at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have come up with a unique concept as they have developed an AI-equipped cap (or helmet) that can apparently read thoughts. The revolutionary AI system is capable of translating silent thoughts into text by using electroencephalography (EEG). The system, termed as DeWave, isn't perfect, but its capability of roughly translating internal thought processes into text is remarkable. The researchers stated that the system has an accuracy of around 40 per cent. Meanwhile, more recent data, being peer-reviewed, reveals an enhanced accuracy of more than 60 per cent. Hence, further improvement is expected. Also read: US teens actively using several social media platforms despite concerns, finds survey The research was led by professor Chin-Teng Lin, first author Yiqun Duan, and PhD candidate Jinzhou Zhou, and the findings can be significant for those who can't speak due to stroke or paralysis. DeWave consists of two major components - an EEG-reading cap and a large language model (LLM). Participants of the study read passages of text while wearing a cap that recorded electrical brain activity through their scalp. These EEG recordings were then converted into text using the AI model. As quoted by NewsScitist, Chin-Teng Lin at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), said that the technology is non-invasive. He claimed that it is relatively inexpensive and easily transportable. Also read: Chinese mourners use AI to digitally resurrect the dead The study was presented at the NeurIPS conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, where participants read the sentences aloud, despite the fact that the DeWave system doesn't use spoken words. However, the participants read the sentences silently in the team's latest research. According to team member Charles Zhou at UTS, the DeWave system was trained by looking at a large number of examples. They studied brain signals and how they match up with certain texts. As quoted, Zhou said, "For instance, when you think about saying 'hello', your brain sends out certain signals." He said that the AI system learns how these signals "relate to the word 'hello' by seeing many examples of these signals for different words or sentences". (With inputs from agencies)

Mind reader: This revolutionary AI system can translate silent thoughts into text

In a move to propel itself into the forefront of high-tech industries, Ukraine has announced its ambitious Win 2030 plan, outlining intentions to establish a domestic chipmaking industry and bolster artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. <o:p></o:p>

According to Reuters, the plan was proposed amid a 21-month conflict with Russia, by Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and Deputy Valeria Ionan.<o:p></o:p>

At a presentation in central Kyiv attended by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the significance of technological advancement for achieving victory was highlighted. Shmyhal emphasised, "Without innovation, I am deeply convinced our victory is possible, but will take much longer."<o:p></o:p>

Fedorov, also a deputy prime minister and an ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, pledged policy changes to foster tech growth. Highlighting regulatory improvements, he cited over 20 amended laws simplifying drone imports and manufacturing. Ukraine has already implemented AI in military operations, using it for kamikaze drones and facial recognition of Russian soldiers.<o:p></o:p>

Deputy Valeria Ionan outlined Ukraine's aspirations to rank among the top 15 countries globally in microelectronics and the top 30 in unmanned vehicles. Expressing confidence, she stated, "Ukraine rather highly assesses its chances to make its contribution to the European Union's ambitious goal to get 20 per cent of the global market share in semiconductors by 2030.”<o:p></o:p>

The most ambitious aspect of the plan involves Ukraine's dream of establishing a chip factory, along with "fabless" enterprises that do not manufacture their own semiconductors. The estimated cost of a facility capable of producing 50,000 chips annually is between $5-10 billion, with an expected start date in 2025 and a three-year timeline to reach manufacturing capacity. Acknowledging the financial challenges, Fedorov admitted that government funds were scarce.<o:p></o:p>

Fedorov, speaking to reporters, revealed that the ministry would provide non-monetary support initially and seek private capital for these ventures. While admitting the necessity of state assistance for a chip factory, he emphasised the need for private initiative while acknowledging that state support would play a crucial role.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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In a move to propel itself into the forefront of high-tech industries, Ukraine has announced its ambitious Win 2030 plan, outlining intentions to establish a domestic chipmaking industry and bolster artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.

In a move to propel itself into the forefront of high-tech industries, Ukraine has announced its ambitious Win 2030 plan, outlining intentions to establish a domestic chipmaking industry and bolster artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. According to Reuters, the plan was proposed amid a 21-month conflict with Russia, by Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and Deputy Valeria Ionan. At a presentation in central Kyiv attended by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the significance of technological advancement for achieving victory was highlighted. Shmyhal emphasised, "Without innovation, I am deeply convinced our victory is possible, but will take much longer." Fedorov, also a deputy prime minister and an ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, pledged policy changes to foster tech growth. Highlighting regulatory improvements, he cited over 20 amended laws simplifying drone imports and manufacturing. Ukraine has already implemented AI in military operations, using it for kamikaze drones and facial recognition of Russian soldiers. Deputy Valeria Ionan outlined Ukraine's aspirations to rank among the top 15 countries globally in microelectronics and the top 30 in unmanned vehicles. Expressing confidence, she stated, "Ukraine rather highly assesses its chances to make its contribution to the European Union's ambitious goal to get 20 per cent of the global market share in semiconductors by 2030.” The most ambitious aspect of the plan involves Ukraine's dream of establishing a chip factory, along with "fabless" enterprises that do not manufacture their own semiconductors. The estimated cost of a facility capable of producing 50,000 chips annually is between $5-10 billion, with an expected start date in 2025 and a three-year timeline to reach manufacturing capacity. Acknowledging the financial challenges, Fedorov admitted that government funds were scarce. Fedorov, speaking to reporters, revealed that the ministry would provide non-monetary support initially and seek private capital for these ventures. While admitting the necessity of state assistance for a chip factory, he emphasised the need for private initiative while acknowledging that state support would play a crucial role. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ukraine unveils ambitious "Win 2030" plan: Aims for chip manufacturing & AI growth

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has&nbsp;warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions.

Research conducted by the European non-profit organisation&nbsp;found that AI chatbots gave false answers to basic questions, particularly while providing information related to elections.

<h2>Inaccuracies galore</h2>

The study focused on Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, now known as Microsoft Copilot, revealing that it provided inaccurate answers to one in three basic questions about candidates, polls, scandals, and voting in recent election cycles in Germany and Switzerland.&nbsp;

Similar inaccuracies were observed for questions about the 2024 US elections.

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Sharing their findings with The Washington Post, researchers stressed that these findings don't assert that Bing's misinformation influenced election outcomes. However, they said it does highlight concerns that AI chatbots could potentially contribute to confusion and misinformation around future elections.&nbsp;

Especially, as tech giants like Microsoft integrate chatbots into various products, including internet search, concerns rise about their impact on public access to reliable and transparent information.

"As generative AI becomes more widespread, this could affect one of the cornerstones of democracy: the access to reliable and transparent public information," says the researchers, as quoted by The Washington Post.

<h2>Is big tech doing anything about this?</h2>

Despite efforts by companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to enhance reliability by allowing chatbots to search the web and cite sources, issues persist.&nbsp;

Bing, even after providing sources, frequently gave answers that deviated from the information in the cited links, as per Salvatore Romano, head of research for AI Forensics.

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The study focused on Bing because it was among the first to include sources and is widely integrated into services available in Europe.&nbsp;

Preliminary testing on OpenAI’s GPT-4 revealed similar inaccuracies. Notably, errors in Bing's answers were more common in languages other than English, raising concerns about the performance of US-based AI tools globally.

The researchers discovered factual errors in responses to questions asked in German 37 per cent of the time, compared to a 20 per cent error rate for the same questions in English.&nbsp;

<h2>What's the solution?</h2>

While Microsoft is working to address these issues ahead of the 2024 US elections, the researchers emphasise the need for users to verify information obtained from chatbots.&nbsp;

"The problem is systemic, and they do not have very good tools to fix it," said Romano.

Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s head of communications, said: "We are continuing to address issues and prepare our tools to perform to our expectations for the 2024 elections."

"As we continue to make progress, we encourage people to use Copilot with their best judgment when viewing results. This includes verifying source materials and checking web links to learn more."

However, the impact of these AI chatbots on democracy, if any, is unclear. These AI chatbots all carry disclaimers, noting that they can make mistakes and encouraging users to double-check the answers.

(With inputs from agencies)

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions.

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions. Research conducted by the European non-profit organisation found that AI chatbots gave false answers to basic questions, particularly while providing information related to elections. Inaccuracies galore The study focused on Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, now known as Microsoft Copilot, revealing that it provided inaccurate answers to one in three basic questions about candidates, polls, scandals, and voting in recent election cycles in Germany and Switzerland. Similar inaccuracies were observed for questions about the 2024 US elections. Also read | Explained | Humans are on the Moon and it might be the beginning of the end for our satellite Sharing their findings with The Washington Post, researchers stressed that these findings don't assert that Bing's misinformation influenced election outcomes. However, they said it does highlight concerns that AI chatbots could potentially contribute to confusion and misinformation around future elections. Especially, as tech giants like Microsoft integrate chatbots into various products, including internet search, concerns rise about their impact on public access to reliable and transparent information. "As generative AI becomes more widespread, this could affect one of the cornerstones of democracy: the access to reliable and transparent public information," says the researchers, as quoted by The Washington Post. Is big tech doing anything about this? Despite efforts by companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to enhance reliability by allowing chatbots to search the web and cite sources, issues persist. Bing, even after providing sources, frequently gave answers that deviated from the information in the cited links, as per Salvatore Romano, head of research for AI Forensics. Also read | Bezos wants humans to colonise the solar system, while Musk has his sight set on Mars The study focused on Bing because it was among the first to include sources and is widely integrated into services available in Europe. Preliminary testing on OpenAI’s GPT-4 revealed similar inaccuracies. Notably, errors in Bing's answers were more common in languages other than English, raising concerns about the performance of US-based AI tools globally. The researchers discovered factual errors in responses to questions asked in German 37 per cent of the time, compared to a 20 per cent error rate for the same questions in English. What's the solution? While Microsoft is working to address these issues ahead of the 2024 US elections, the researchers emphasise the need for users to verify information obtained from chatbots. "The problem is systemic, and they do not have very good tools to fix it," said Romano. Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s head of communications, said: "We are continuing to address issues and prepare our tools to perform to our expectations for the 2024 elections." "As we continue to make progress, we encourage people to use Copilot with their best judgment when viewing results. This includes verifying source materials and checking web links to learn more." However, the impact of these AI chatbots on democracy, if any, is unclear. These AI chatbots all carry disclaimers, noting that they can make mistakes and encouraging users to double-check the answers. (With inputs from agencies)

European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections

As technology progresses, generating fake videos and images has become effortless. While it might seem harmless for entertainment, the misuse of artificial intelligence poses a serious threat. Unfortunately, some individuals are using AI tools to target and threaten women. Find out more in our report.

Apps are using AI to undress women

Intelligence in Technology is reshaping human lives. Dr. Lovneesh Chanana, Senior Vice-President and head of government affairs for Asia Pacific and Japan region spoke to WION about the ways in which industries and government are working together for advancement of AI.

How intelligence in technology is reshaping our lives

Pope Francis has called for a legally binding international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence, saying algorithms must not be allowed to replace human values and warning of a "technological dictatorship" threatening human existence.

The pope made his call on Thursday in a message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on Jan. 1. The title of the message, which is traditionally sent to world leaders and heads of institutions such as the United Nations, is "Artificial Intelligence and Peace".

It came as governments around the world are seeking to balance the advantages of the technology, which can engage in human-like conversations, answer questions and write computer code, against the need to put guard rails in place.

"The global scale of artificial intelligence makes it clear that, alongside the responsibility of sovereign states to regulate its use internally, international organizations can play a decisive role in reaching multilateral agreements and coordinating their application and enforcement," Francis wrote in the message.

"I urge the global community of nations to work together in order to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms," the pope said.

Last week, the European Union reached a provisional deal on landmark rules governing the use of AI, including governments' use of AI in biometric surveillance and how to regulate AI systems such as ChatGPT.

<h2>NEW AI APPLICATIONS</h2>

The pope's call also came as companies like OpenAI, in which Microsoft is an investor, continue to discover new uses for their technology, triggering both plaudits and concerns. Google owner Alphabet last week launched a new AI model, Gemini, to rival OpenAI.

Francis called for ethical scrutiny of the "aims and interest of (AI's) owners and developers" warning that some applications of AI "may pose a risk to our survival and endanger our common home," a reference to the earth.

"In an obsessive desire to control everything, we risk losing control over ourselves; in the quest for an absolute freedom, we risk falling into the spiral of a 'technological dictatorship,'" he wrote.

Francis, who has often criticised the armaments industry, warned against the use of AI in weapons systems, saying it could lead to a global catastrophe.

"Research on emerging technologies in the area of so-called Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, including the weaponization of artificial intelligence, is a cause for grave ethical concern. Autonomous weapon systems can never be morally responsible subjects," he said.

The "unique human capacity for moral judgment and ethical decision-making" could not be left to a machine, he said, adding that "it is imperative to ensure adequate, meaningful and consistent human oversight of weapon systems".

At a news conference presenting the message, Cardinal Michael Czerny, head of the Vatican's human development office, said the 86-year-old pope was "no luddite," a term referring to someone opposed to new technology.

He said the pope appreciates technological and scientific progress that serves humanity but that Francis was particularly concerned about AI because it is "perhaps the highest-stake gamble of our future".

Pope Francis has called for a legally binding international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence, saying algorithms must not be allowed to replace human values and warning of a "technological dictatorship" threatening human existence.

Pope Francis has called for a legally binding international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence, saying algorithms must not be allowed to replace human values and warning of a "technological dictatorship" threatening human existence. The pope made his call on Thursday in a message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on Jan. 1. The title of the message, which is traditionally sent to world leaders and heads of institutions such as the United Nations, is "Artificial Intelligence and Peace". It came as governments around the world are seeking to balance the advantages of the technology, which can engage in human-like conversations, answer questions and write computer code, against the need to put guard rails in place. "The global scale of artificial intelligence makes it clear that, alongside the responsibility of sovereign states to regulate its use internally, international organizations can play a decisive role in reaching multilateral agreements and coordinating their application and enforcement," Francis wrote in the message. "I urge the global community of nations to work together in order to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms," the pope said. Last week, the European Union reached a provisional deal on landmark rules governing the use of AI, including governments' use of AI in biometric surveillance and how to regulate AI systems such as ChatGPT. NEW AI APPLICATIONS The pope's call also came as companies like OpenAI, in which Microsoft is an investor, continue to discover new uses for their technology, triggering both plaudits and concerns. Google owner Alphabet last week launched a new AI model, Gemini, to rival OpenAI. Francis called for ethical scrutiny of the "aims and interest of (AI's) owners and developers" warning that some applications of AI "may pose a risk to our survival and endanger our common home," a reference to the earth. "In an obsessive desire to control everything, we risk losing control over ourselves; in the quest for an absolute freedom, we risk falling into the spiral of a 'technological dictatorship,'" he wrote. Francis, who has often criticised the armaments industry, warned against the use of AI in weapons systems, saying it could lead to a global catastrophe. "Research on emerging technologies in the area of so-called Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, including the weaponization of artificial intelligence, is a cause for grave ethical concern. Autonomous weapon systems can never be morally responsible subjects," he said. The "unique human capacity for moral judgment and ethical decision-making" could not be left to a machine, he said, adding that "it is imperative to ensure adequate, meaningful and consistent human oversight of weapon systems". At a news conference presenting the message, Cardinal Michael Czerny, head of the Vatican's human development office, said the 86-year-old pope was "no luddite," a term referring to someone opposed to new technology. He said the pope appreciates technological and scientific progress that serves humanity but that Francis was particularly concerned about AI because it is "perhaps the highest-stake gamble of our future".

Pope Francis calls for binding global treaty to regulate AI

The usage 'Putin vs Putin' may, for some, reflect the fierce nature of general competition to become Russia's president, but such a situation in a literal sense, albeit in non-political context, was witnessed by those who were present for the Putin's annual news conference in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked a question by his own AI-generated version. The question was about Putin's body doubles, or if there were any.

President Putin (the real one) took about a dozen questions&nbsp;via video link from callers across the country during the conference. Putin answered these questions in front of a live audience with a moderator leading the proceedings.

Those present were amused when the AI-generated Putin appeared on the screen and started talking with the real one.

"Vladimir Vladimirovich, hello, I am a student at St Petersburg State University. I want to ask, is it true you have a lot of doubles?" asked the AI Putin.

"And also: How do you view the dangers that artificial intelligence and neural networks bring into our lives?"

The questions prompted laughter from the audience who was&nbsp;amused because of this unique situation.

The Russian president, who is usually quick with words appeared to take a considerable pause before answering the question from his AI self, apparently trying to decide how to answer.

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Putin has just asked himself a question about AI and body doubles. 
 
This conference is insane. <a href="https://t.co/q8SflP07kZ">pic.twitter.com/q8SflP07kZ</a>
— Tom Watling (@TomAWatling) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomAWatling/status/1735275600074432847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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"I see you may resemble me and speak with my voice. But I have thought about it and decided that only one person must be like me and speak with my voice, and that will be me," he eventually said.

Watch | Gravitas: What Happened to 'Putin Critic' Alexei Navalny?

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Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-is-confident-over-victory-in-war-says-goals-have-not-changed-in-ukraine-669620">Vladimir Putin is confident of victory in war, says goals have not changed in Ukraine</a>

<h2>The body double speculation</h2>

There has been intense speculation around the world, particularly in the Western camp about whether the Russian president has body doubles who cover for him during public appearances. There is also talk about the Russian president's worsening health, which, it is speculated, may have caused him to hire body doubles.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/first-of-its-kind-chatgpt-to-pay-politico-business-insider-for-content-access-to-let-summarise-articles-669577">‘First of its kind’: ChatGPT to pay Politico, Business Insider for content access, summarising articles</a>

The Kremlin has regularly denied claims about Putin's health and has maintained that the president is in excellent condition.

(With inputs from agencies)

The usage 'Putin vs Putin' may, for some, reflect the fierce nature of general competition to become Russia's president, but such a situation in a literal sense, albeit in non-political context, was witnessed by those who were present for the Putin's annual news conference in Moscow.

The usage 'Putin vs Putin' may, for some, reflect the fierce nature of general competition to become Russia's president, but such a situation in a literal sense, albeit in non-political context, was witnessed by those who were present for the Putin's annual news conference in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked a question by his own AI-generated version. The question was about Putin's body doubles, or if there were any. President Putin (the real one) took about a dozen questions via video link from callers across the country during the conference. Putin answered these questions in front of a live audience with a moderator leading the proceedings. Those present were amused when the AI-generated Putin appeared on the screen and started talking with the real one. "Vladimir Vladimirovich, hello, I am a student at St Petersburg State University. I want to ask, is it true you have a lot of doubles?" asked the AI Putin. "And also: How do you view the dangers that artificial intelligence and neural networks bring into our lives?" The questions prompted laughter from the audience who was amused because of this unique situation. The Russian president, who is usually quick with words appeared to take a considerable pause before answering the question from his AI self, apparently trying to decide how to answer. Putin has just asked himself a question about AI and body doubles. This conference is insane. pic.twitter.com/q8SflP07kZ — Tom Watling (@TomAWatling) December 14, 2023 × "I see you may resemble me and speak with my voice. But I have thought about it and decided that only one person must be like me and speak with my voice, and that will be me," he eventually said. Watch | Gravitas: What Happened to 'Putin Critic' Alexei Navalny? × Also Read | Vladimir Putin is confident of victory in war, says goals have not changed in Ukraine The body double speculation There has been intense speculation around the world, particularly in the Western camp about whether the Russian president has body doubles who cover for him during public appearances. There is also talk about the Russian president's worsening health, which, it is speculated, may have caused him to hire body doubles. Also Read | ‘First of its kind’: ChatGPT to pay Politico, Business Insider for content access, summarising articles The Kremlin has regularly denied claims about Putin's health and has maintained that the president is in excellent condition. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin vs Putin: AI-generated self of Russian president asks him about body doubles

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