The Comunicano for Tuesday November 5th 2024

Picture a world where AI is everywhere—from your local polling booth to the U.S. defense strategy playbook. Meta’s Llama AI model is now part of the national security ensemble, helping defense agencies analyze intelligence with open-source flair. The catch? While Meta touts transparency, rivals like OpenAI keep their tech under lock and key. And while Meta’s Llama works openly, experts debate the wisdom of throwing such a powerful tool into public defense, especially with whispers of China doing the same…..Not all AI is eager to jump into every task, however. Researchers at UC San Diego and Tsinghua University have created an AI that raises its own hand when in doubt. This model knows when it needs a human—like a high-tech lifeguard asking for backup. This capability could prove invaluable in high-stakes areas like autonomous driving or medical diagnostics, where hesitation, not hubris, is key….AI is even entering the polling arena, with the startup Aaru using AI avatars to predict voting outcomes in battleground states. Early models show Kamala Harris in the lead, though experts caution that outdated data could skew results. The approach is bold, signaling a potential future where digital doppelgängers, not people, represent voters' voices….Amid these advancements, legal tensions simmer. Take Perplexity AI, which extended an olive branch to The New York Times during a union strike despite ongoing legal disputes over alleged content scraping. This move highlights the tightrope AI companies walk between innovation and intellectual property rights….Meanwhile, OpenAI's own drama unfolded with a leak of its new o1 model, demonstrating visual analysis capabilities that stirred public interest. As OpenAI contemplates a move to for-profit status, it's clear they’re playing in the big leagues now, eyeing capital as they expand….Apple, always in on the action, has integrated ChatGPT Plus directly into iOS for a smoother user experience. Not stopping there, Apple is testing the waters with smart glasses to challenge Meta’s Ray-Bans, and they’re even rolling out an enhanced Find My feature, allowing travelers to share lost AirTag locations with airlines—an innovation for lost luggage and beyond….Then there’s Tesla, whose latest Smart Summon update left one unfortunate owner stranded, proving that even the most advanced tech sometimes just… fails. On a brighter note, Deutsche Telekom has launched a Bitcoin mining project using surplus renewable energy—a high-tech answer to wasted power.

So, in this whirlwind world of AI, robotics, and renewable tech, every player—from the Pentagon to Prime Video—has a role in shaping our digital future. And if you get stranded? Well, there’s an app for that… or at least, there will be soon, but until then, there’s THE COMUNICANO!!!

Andy Abramson

AI Watch

You Have Your Orders—Meta has allowed its AI model Llama to be used by U.S. defense and government agencies for national security applications, marking a notable entry of private tech in public defense. This open-source AI approach contrasts with restrictions by competitors like OpenAI, raising concerns over data access and control, particularly as China reportedly adapts similar technologies for military uses. While Meta highlights its stance on open innovation, the integration of AI in defense remains contentious, balancing advancement in security applications with potential geopolitical and ethical challenges surrounding technology proliferation.

I Can Help—Researchers at UC San Diego and Tsinghua University have enhanced AI's ability to detect when it should "ask for help" by identifying tasks it cannot confidently complete. This advance addresses a common challenge in AI: effectively determining when human intervention is necessary, particularly in complex or uncertain scenarios. By integrating a self-assessment model, the AI can pause its actions if uncertain and request human guidance. This approach could make AI applications safer and more effective in fields requiring high reliability, such as autonomous driving, medical diagnostics, and industrial automation.

And The Winner Is—Aaru, an AI polling startup founded by young entrepreneurs, has used AI-driven avatars ("agents") to predict outcomes in key 2024 battleground states. These bots simulate voter behavior by analyzing demographic and news consumption patterns, producing results that suggest a narrow victory for Kamala Harris. Aaru's model polls AI agents, rather than humans, potentially offering a cost-effective and rapid alternative to traditional polling. Despite the novel approach, experts like those from Harvard warn of errors if models use outdated data. Aaru's approach marks a shift, indicating a future where AI might play a dominant role in polling.

AI Can Help—Perplexity AI, an AI startup backed by Jeff Bezos, offered assistance to the New York Times amidst its tech union strike. Perplexity, recently embroiled in legal disputes with the Times over alleged unauthorized use of content, is known for its advanced AI-driven search capabilities. The company's gesture could be seen as an attempt to mend relations following a cease-and-desist letter from the Times, which demanded Perplexity halt data scraping of its content. The startup’s offer highlights ongoing tensions between AI firms and media organizations over content usage rights.

OpenAI Watch

Not So Secret—OpenAI's upcoming o1 model, temporarily leaked online, showcases impressive reasoning abilities, particularly with images. During the brief leak, users noted its "chain of thought" capability, enabling it to analyze visual details step-by-step, such as interpreting a SpaceX launch image. Unlike earlier GPT versions, o1 aims to handle both visual and textual information, marking a significant shift toward multimodal processing. OpenAI has fixed the access issue, but the leak confirmed o1's potential, sparking interest as it promises new applications in image analysis and problem-solving.

Change In Status—OpenAI is reportedly in early discussions with the California attorney general's office to restructure itself as a for-profit company, a shift from its initial non-profit origins. This potential change aims to secure more robust investment, allowing OpenAI to grow and compete more directly in the AI sector. Bloomberg reports that this shift might also involve providing equity stakes to key executives like CEO Sam Altman. This move aligns with a trend among other AI organizations moving towards for-profit structures, highlighting the increasing commercialization and capital requirements in the AI industry.

Apple Watch

A Marriage of AIs—Apple’s latest iOS 18.2 developer beta introduces a convenient way to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus directly from the Settings menu. Priced at $19.99 per month, ChatGPT Plus offers expanded features, including more access to OpenAI's GPT-4o model. Users can also monitor their daily usage of ChatGPT’s enhanced capabilities, which could make the upgrade appealing for frequent users. Apple’s integration of ChatGPT Plus through Settings raises questions about potential revenue sharing. Additionally, Apple is reportedly discussing a similar integration with Google’s Gemini AI. The update, expected to roll out in early December, also brings new AI features like Visual Intelligence and Genmoji.

Let’s See What Apple Can Do—Apple's recent employee survey on smart glasses suggests its interest in developing a competitor to Meta's Ray-Ban glasses. The internal survey, part of Apple’s usual process for exploring new markets, is assessing features employees value in current smart glasses, such as cameras, AI integration, and audio capabilities. Potential Apple smart glasses might incorporate Siri, health functions, and music playback, akin to enhanced AirPods. While AR glasses are still in development due to high costs, simpler smart glasses could help Apple expand its wearables lineup sooner.

Lost and Found—In iOS 18.2, Apple is enhancing its Find My app with a "Share Item Location" feature that allows users to temporarily share the location of a missing AirTag with an airline or a trusted contact. This is particularly helpful for lost luggage at airports, enabling staff or contacts to access the AirTag's location. The shared link works across both Apple and non-Apple devices—opening in the Find My app on Apple devices, or a web page with the AirTag's last known location on others. The link expires after a week or once the item is recovered. Users can monitor link views and add contact details for easy communication with those who find the item. This builds on Apple's recent expansion of location sharing, allowing for temporary assistance without needing manual revocation of access.

Robots Watch

No More Tin Man—Physical Intelligence, a robotics AI start-up, has raised $400 million, led by Jeff Bezos, Thrive Capital, and Lux Capital, with additional backing from OpenAI and other investors, placing its valuation at around $2 billion. The start-up aims to develop a versatile "brain" for robots, named π0 (pi-zero), which can adapt to various tasks across different machines, from folding laundry to table clearing. Unlike specialized robotics software, Physical Intelligence pursues a generalist model requiring vast real-world data. Co-founded by robotics experts from Google and Berkeley, the company aims to revolutionize robotics in a way similar to how GPT models transformed AI-driven language processing.

Wikipedia Watch

Only In India—India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting recently issued a notice to Wikipedia, questioning its status as an intermediary due to concerns about alleged biases and inaccuracies. The government cited repeated complaints about skewed narratives on sensitive issues and noted that a small group of editors might hold significant influence over Wikipedia's content. This action follows a defamation lawsuit from ANI, which claims Wikipedia described it as a "propaganda tool" for the government. The Delhi High Court has asked Wikipedia to reveal information about certain users responsible for disputed edits, heightening debates around free speech and content regulation in India.

Tesla Watch

Help. I’m Stuck—A recent Tesla software update for its "Actually Smart Summon" feature left one owner unable to retrieve his car from a tight parking spot. After the update, the summon function, which he relied on for years, now fails due to new error messages and detection issues. Tesla customer support and local service centers have been unable to provide a rollback or fix. This situation highlights challenges with autonomous features, where updates can disrupt established functionality, underscoring the need for reliable automation, especially when users depend on these features for specific daily needs.

The Car Will See You Now—Tesla's latest software update enhances its blind spot warning by adding a new safety feature: if an object is detected when an occupant tries to open a door (e.g., a passing cyclist or car), the system will flash a light, sound an audio alert, and prevent the door from opening initially. This feature is particularly useful for on-street parking, aiming to reduce accidents involving car doors and passing traffic. The update underscores Tesla's commitment to bolstering driver and pedestrian safety through incremental improvements in its autonomous features.

EV Watch

Get A Faster Charge—Yoshi Mobility has launched a mobile DC fast charging unit for EVs, dubbed a "supercharger on wheels." This service targets fleet operators and individual EV owners in locations lacking charging infrastructure, offering rapid 240 kW charging through mobile units on GM BrightDrop Zevo 600s. After pivoting from fuel delivery, Yoshi focuses on mobile EV solutions for major clients, aiming to expand its mobile charging fleet across the U.S. The service provides rapid deployment within 10 days for contracted customers and aims for full commercial operations by early 2025.

Space Watch

Ahead, Warp Speed—NASA reports progress toward achieving a warp drive, a concept for faster-than-light travel first theorized by Miguel Alcubierre. Recent work by Dr. Harold White and his team explores creating "warp bubbles" using modified physics to reduce energy needs, potentially making warp drive more feasible. The technology, while distant, could revolutionize space travel. Efforts include the White-Juday Warp Field Interferometer to detect minute warp bubbles and further study how to circumvent light-speed limitations through space-time manipulation, bringing humanity closer to realizing interstellar travel envisioned in science fiction like *Star Trek*.

Bitcoin Watch

A Mining We Will Go—Deutsche Telekom, Europe’s telecom giant, has launched a Bitcoin mining project using excess renewable energy in collaboration with Bankhaus Metzler. Located in Germany, the initiative aims to leverage surplus energy, often wasted due to grid limitations, by converting it into Bitcoin through mining. This project supports grid stability by utilizing “digital monetary photosynthesis.” Operated by Deutsche Telekom's MMS and Metis Solutions, it showcases a unique synergy between energy management and cryptocurrency, with Bankhaus Metzler overseeing financial aspects. This pilot could pave the way for similar energy-to-crypto projects, enhancing renewable energy efficiency.

Amazon Watch

Time To See More—Amazon Prime Video has introduced AI-driven X-Ray Recaps, which provide spoiler-free summaries of shows and episodes directly on screen. Powered by Amazon's AI tools like Bedrock and SageMaker, this feature gives viewers personalized, minute-specific recaps, making it easy to follow complex plots or catch up on missed episodes. Initially launched for U.S. Fire TV users, the service covers all Amazon MGM Originals, such as The Boys and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, with plans for broader device support later. X-Ray Recaps aim to enhance viewing by offering seamless, digestible insights into ongoing storylines.

Meta Watch

It Doesn’t End—Meta has extended its ban on new political ads on Facebook and Instagram beyond Election Day in the U.S., a policy originally set to expire on Tuesday. Without specifying an end date, Meta stated that the restriction would remain "until later this week." Ads that had previously run before October 29 are still allowed, with limited editing options related to scheduling, budgeting, and bidding. The ban, similar to Meta’s 2020 policy, aims to mitigate the spread of unchallenged claims post-election. Google also announced a post-election pause on political ads, notifying advertisers it would lift the pause after polls close.

Netflix Watch

The Party’s Over—Netflix will remove nearly all of its interactive specials by December 1, 2024, citing a shift in focus to other gaming technologies. Only four titles will remain: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls, and You vs. Wild. Netflix’s decision reflects its evolving strategy as it phases out older interactive content to prioritize mobile and cloud gaming efforts. This move is part of a broader overhaul of its user interface and support for emerging tech capabilities.

A Taxing Matter—Netflix's offices in France and the Netherlands were searched as part of a coordinated investigation into suspected tax fraud and money laundering. The searches at Netflix’s Paris and Amsterdam locations were conducted by French and Dutch authorities, overseen by France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) and supported by Eurojust, which facilitated cross-border judicial cooperation. This probe, which began in November 2022, examines accusations of tax fraud, undeclared work, and money laundering, particularly regarding Netflix’s tax practices from 2019 to 2021. Allegedly, Netflix had been directing French revenues through the Netherlands to reduce tax liabilities.

Travel Watch

When Unlimited Really Isn’t—A TikToker claims Hertz charged him $10,000 after he drove 25,000 miles in a month, despite a rental agreement promising "unlimited mileage." In a viral video, the customer argues with Hertz staff, who counter that “unlimited” doesn’t cover extreme mileage, despite no clear limit in the contract. The dispute raised questions about Hertz’s definition of “unlimited mileage,” with viewers siding with the customer and urging legal action. Hertz has not commented, but this case highlights the fine print issues around so-called “unlimited” mileage in rental agreements.

Take Off Time—Travel experts recommend early morning flights for fewer delays and smaller airport crowds, while midday flights are ideal for a relaxed start. Evening flights are typically cheaper and work well for travelers seeking budget-friendly options. Tuesdays and Wednesdays offer lower fares due to reduced demand, and October and February are favored months, balancing pleasant weather and affordable tickets. This guidance helps travelers optimize flight timing for convenience, cost, and overall experience.