Beginners in AI

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Welcome to this week's edition of Beginners in AI, where we explore the latest trends, tools, and news in the world of AI and the tech that surrounds it.

This week, we look into how AI is making waves across industries: from Elon Musk's consumer-focused AI app to tools helping influencers streamline their content creation. Discover how AI-generated voices are transforming audiobooks one person at a time, why companies are pivoting from Bitcoin mining to AI cloud services, and what actress Cate Blanchett has to say about AI's impact on creativity and everyday life.

AI TOP STORY
AI PREDICTIONS IN NEUROSCIENCE HIGHER THAN HUMAN SCIENTISTS

What Happened?

Researchers at University College London (UCL) have conducted a groundbreaking study, revealing that large language models (LLMs; ChatGPT for example) can predict neuroscience research outcomes more accurately than human experts. The study showed LLMs hitting a stunning 81% accuracy, while top neuroscientists only managed 66%.

What It Means

In simpler terms, AI has outpaced the brightest human minds in understanding and predicting neuroscience trends. This isn't just a small win; it's a monumental leap. Imagine a machine that can read and interpret complex brain research better than the experts who have spent years in the field. It’s like AI just aced the world’s toughest neuroscience exam with flying colors.

Why It’s Important

This story isn't just for scientists. It's a glimpse into a future where AI could revolutionize medical research, leading to faster discoveries and potentially life-saving treatments. For the everyday person, it means quicker access to medical breakthroughs and more accurate diagnoses. Who knows? The next big medical advancement could come from an AI’s prediction. Read More

OTHER NEWS IN TECH AND AI

Influencer AI-sist: AI meets social media monetization
OnlyFans and Fanvue are leaning into AI tools for influencer management. From personalized content suggestions to analytics for maximizing subscriber revenue, creators can now focus on building their brands with less manual effort. Not to mention that some of these adult influencers may use AI generated images and avatars in place of or in addition to their own images.
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GenFM Radio: A voice for every reader
ElevenLabs introduces GenFM, a new AI feature for ElevenReader, allowing users to customize audiobook narrations with near-human voices. The feature offers personalization and quality that makes traditional audiobook platforms seem outdated. This continues the trend of regular people getting access to increasingly advanced tools for self-publishing, editing, and marketing.
Read More

Core Shift: From Bitcoin Mining to AI Data Centers
Core Scientific, based in Austin, Texas, has shifted its focus from Bitcoin mining to AI data centers, seeking more stable and predictable returns. The company signed a significant deal with CoreWeave, leasing 500 megawatts of data center space for AI cloud services, expected to generate $8.7 billion over 12 years. Bitcoin is up 152% this year, coming close to breaking 100,000 for a single coin.
Read More

AI Spotlight: Cate Blanchett Weighs In
Actress Cate Blanchett expressed her concerns about artificial intelligence, calling it "incredibly destructive" and raising alarms about its potential effects on the everyday individual. In a recent interview, Blanchett highlighted how AI's rapid advancement could reshape industries and creativity, leaving lasting impacts on the average person. It’s interesting to note that the movie industry itself seems to be embracing parts of AI while the music industry rebels.
Read More

Consumer AI: Musk's Next Big Bet
Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, is reportedly gearing up to release a consumer-focused app. This app is expected to integrate cutting-edge generative AI features with a user-friendly interface, potentially competing with established players like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Speculation suggests the app will prioritize real-time data integration, offering unique insights and responses tailored to user preferences. The AI is currently available to consumers on Musk’s social media platform X under the name Grok.
Read More

TECH TERMS TO KNOW

Explainable AI (XAI) : A branch of AI that focuses on making AI systems and their decisions understandable to humans. It involves creating tools and models that show how and why an AI made a particular prediction or choice.

Most AI systems act like "black boxes," making decisions that are difficult for humans to interpret. Explainable AI helps improve trust, accountability, and transparency in AI applications used in critical areas like healthcare, finance, and law enforcement.

This term might sound familiar. Elon Musk named his AI development company xAI.

TOOL SPOTLIGHT (non-sponsored)

Langotalk is a language learning platform that offers 24/7 immersive practice through AI-powered conversations, helping users overcome social anxiety and practice at their own pace. The platform provides personalized chat interactions, grammar review capabilities, and continuous availability for practice, making it particularly useful for people living abroad or those seeking conversation practice without relying on others.

Operating on a subscription model with a 7-day trial, Langotalk serves both individual learners and language teachers by creating engaging conversations that help build natural fluency. It’s main competition is Duolingo, which got a huge boost earlier this year when they incorporated their own AI software into the app.

COURSE
Join the growing community of AI enthusiasts starting from the ground up right here

ROBOTICS AND AI

Tesla has unveiled an upgraded version of its Optimus robot, showcasing a more advanced robotic hand capable of intricate movements. The demo included the robot performing detailed tasks like gripping and sorting objects, demonstrating potential real-world applications. However, the catch: the demo was teleoperated(with a human controlling it), sparking ongoing debate about the current level of autonomy in Tesla’s robotics projects.

While the demo impressed with its engineering, critics argue the lack of fully autonomous capabilities shows the technology is still in its infancy. Tesla remains optimistic, stating that these milestones are big steps toward building humanoid robots that can one day serve as general-purpose assistants in homes and workplaces.

This story highlights the exciting, albeit cautious, progress in robotics. For consumers, it underscores the gradual but steady march toward practical humanoid robots in everyday life. Tesla is aiming to sell this at 20,000 per robot by 2026.

TRY THIS PROMPT (copy and paste)

I am [your profession or interest, e.g., a digital marketer, teacher, software developer, small business owner]. Help me create a [specific task, e.g., a content plan, lesson plan, project outline, marketing strategy] for [specific purpose, e.g., engaging my audience, teaching middle schoolers about geography, launching a new app, increasing sales]. Provide actionable steps, examples, and tools I can use, and suggest any AI or tech tools that might help me streamline the process."

Example:
"I am a small business owner. Help me create a marketing strategy for increasing sales during the holiday season. Provide actionable steps, examples of promotions I can run, and recommend any AI tools that can help me with customer outreach or ad creation."

DID YOU KNOW?

In 2020, an AI system called AlphaFold, developed by Google’s DeepMind, made headlines by solving a problem that has perplexed scientists for decades: accurately predicting the 3D shapes of proteins based on their amino acid sequences.

Why This Was So Big?

• Biological Significance: Proteins are essential to virtually all biological processes, and understanding their structure is crucial for drug discovery, disease understanding, and biotechnology advancements.

• Speed and Accuracy: AlphaFold achieved high accuracy in the Critical Assessment of protein Structure Prediction (CASP) competition, outperforming traditional methods that often took years to yield results.

AI ASSISTED IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Thank you for reading. We’re all beginners in something. With that in mind, your questions and feedback are always welcome and I read every single email!

-James

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