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.

From groundbreaking advancements in collaborative writing to the future of individual tech giants powered by AI, this newsletter has everything you need to stay informed. In this edition, we’ll dive deep into OpenAI’s latest tool launch, Canvas. We’ll also cover how AI brain implants are helping paralyzed patients walk again, how delivery robots and drones are revolutionizing logistics, and what Meta is working on this week.

AI TOP STORY
OPENAI’S BIG UPDATE IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO TRUE AI-HUMAN COLLABORATION

Introducing ChatGPT's Canvas: Visual Creativity Meets AI 

Alongside its developer updates, OpenAI has launched Canvas, an AI-driven collaborative writing and coding tool that directly challenges Anthropic's well-received "Artifacts" tool, which put Claude ahead on the popularity scale for a few months. ChatGPT's new Canvas feature introduces a whole new way to engage with their AI model. Imagine having an interactive workspace where you can visually brainstorm—all within ChatGPT. Whether it's sketching out an idea, editing a document with a digital research assistant, or visually mapping out thoughts, Canvas adds an extra layer of dynamic creation with simplified user controls.

Why It's a Game-Changer 

Canvas transforms your ChatGPT session into an interactive playground and flexible workspace, bringing us closer to prediction-based interactions. Currently, this tool can easily structure your writing, refine your content, and organize your ideas all in one place. In the future, expect an expansion of this tool to react dynamically to user input.

The Bottom Line: Empowering Users with More Creative AI Interaction 

Canvas matters because it makes AI not just smarter, but also more accessible and expressive for the vast majority of its non-coding users. For teachers, it’s a great way to visually explain complex concepts. For students, it’s a way to research and expand on topics in real time without having to shift their focus away from the page at hand. For designers, it’s a tool to quickly capture and evolve creative ideas. For writers, it’s a way to quickly draft, edit, expand, fact-check, and proofread their content. And for everyone else, it’s a way to make interacting with AI feel more like a natural conversation that is more dynamic and fun.Read more here

OTHER NEWS IN AI AND TECH

1. AI Adoption Rockets Past the Internet and Bitcoin

Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT(OpenAI), Claude(Anthropic), and Grok(X/Twitter), are being adopted faster than the internet, social media platforms, and even Bitcoin. According to a Harvard study, AI is transforming industries at an unprecedented rate, with users integrating AI tools into daily life faster than any other major technology in history. Read more here.

2. From Paralyzed to Walking Again: The Miracle of an AI Brain Implant

A man who was paralyzed after a diving accident can now walk again, thanks to a breakthrough AI-powered brain implant. This medical miracle bypasses damaged nerves, allowing the brain to communicate with muscles directly. The success of this AI technology is reshaping the future of rehabilitation and medical recovery and is one of many applications for AI brain implants being explored. Read more here.

3. SaaSocalypse: AI Empowering Lone Innovators to Rival Tech Giants

The SaaS industry may face a dramatic shift as AI tools empower solo developers to create powerful platforms that once required large teams. This trend is giving rise to the potential of one-person tech giants, as AI handles the heavy lifting traditionally managed by big companies. This could lead to the fabled one-man unicorn, where a single person owns and operates a billion dollar company without (human)employees. Read more here.

4. Meta’s MovieGen: Create Infinite Videos, Now Complete with Sound!

Meta has launched MovieGen, a generative AI model that produces realistic videos with sound. This technology is a major leap in content creation, allowing users to generate videos endlessly. From entertainment to marketing, the potential applications of MovieGen are vast and exciting, adding to the already breathtaking improvements in the AI video creation space of the past two years. Read more here.

5. Google’s Anti-Theft Shield: Android Gets Cutting-Edge Device Security

Google has begun rolling out new AI enhanced anti-theft features for Android devices, designed to make stolen phones harder to reset and resell. These features include remote data locking and enhanced security protocols, such as sensing if a phone has been snatched by someone on a bicycle, offering users greater peace of mind in a time when phone theft is on the rise. Read more here.

BEGINNER’S HOW TO
HOW TO DO USE CHATGPT’S CO-WRITING FEATURE ON CANVAS IN 3 STEPS

1. Accessing Canvas
Log into your ChatGPT Plus account and open the Canvas workspace from the dropdown options.

2. Upload the Document
Drag and drop the document you need to understand, such as a research paper or report, into Canvas.

3. Work Through the Document in Pieces
Instead of summarizing the whole document, break it down. Ask ChatGPT to explain difficult sections, rephrase paragraphs, or generate further research questions. For instance, highlight parts that are confusing and prompt ChatGPT with, “Can you explain this concept in simpler terms?”

Example:
Imagine you’re tasked with reading a 20-page research paper on an Introduction to Quantum Mechanics. Instead of tackling it all at once, you can highlight the introduction and ask ChatGPT: "Can you rephrase this in simple language?” in the “edit or explain text bar that appears. Then, move to complex sections like methodologies and ask ChatGPT to explain how each part works. This co-writing process allows you to thoroughly understand the document, breaking down difficult sections with AI's assistance.

TECH TERMS TO KNOW

SaaS: Software as a Service is a method of delivering software over the internet, eliminating the need for installation on your computer. It's like renting a tool you can use online whenever you need it, without having to own or set it up yourself.

SaaS business models have been lucrative because they generate steady recurring revenue, have lower customer acquisition costs, and offer scalable solutions that require minimal upfront investment.

An example of SaaS is Zoom. With Zoom, you can have video calls and meetings online without needing to install a large program or purchase special equipment.

TOOL SPOTLIGHT (non-sponsored)

The Ark is an innovative off-grid AI-powered survival device designed for emergency situations when you need to access important information and the internet is unavailable. Created by Adam Cohen Hillel, this compact, rugged tool operates independently of external power sources or internet connectivity.

Key features include:

1. Comprehensive global maps with GPS and emergency navigation

2. Fine-tuned 8B AI models for medical questions(or rebuilding civilization)

3. LoRa mesh network for device communication up to 10km

4. Solar power capability for sustainable operation

5. All data and functionality stored locally on device

The Ark comes equipped with solar panels and an EMP-shielded Faraday briefcase in its pre-order edition, enhancing its resilience in extreme conditions. It is engineered to provide detailed information and support in scenarios where traditional technology fails, from natural disasters to infrastructure breakdowns. The device's specialized AI, trained in survival and medical knowledge, offers vital assistance in critical situations. This groundbreaking tool aims to safeguard personal freedoms and survival capabilities in an increasingly unpredictable world, making it an essential addition to any emergency preparedness kit.

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

ROBOTICS AND AI

In Dallas, a new pilot program is using a combination of sidewalk robots and drones to improve last-mile delivery. This technology aims to reduce delivery times and traffic by using drones for aerial transport and robots to navigate city streets. The collaboration between drones and robots could transform urban logistics, making it faster and more eco-friendly to deliver packages. Read more here.

DID YOU KNOW?

Researchers are using AI to decipher 2,000-year-old burnt scrolls from Herculaneum, a site buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE as part of something called The Vesuvius Challenge 

These carbonized Greek scrolls, once thought unreadable, are being virtually unrolled and analyzed through advanced AI techniques that distinguish ink from papyrus.

In February 2024, a team of machine learning students won a $700,000 prize for revealing parts of the text, which appears to be a philosophical work on ethics by Philodemus.

AI-ASSISTED ART 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 (@beginnersinAI on X)

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