Hey, everyone, and welcome back for another Deep Dive.
You ready to talk some AI?
Because things are moving faster than ever.
Always.
It's crazy.
We're diving into a huge pile of reports and tech news
today, even digging into some academic papers.
Sounds like fun.
Oh, it is.
So what's on the agenda for today's Deep Dive?
We're cutting through the hype to bring you, the listener,
all of the most significant AI developments right now.
You know, kind of like a backstage pass to the AI revolution.
Right, I get it.
And to help us break it all down,
we have our AI expert back by popular demand again.
Are you ready to unpack all of this?
Yeah, let's do it.
All right, so one of the big things people are talking about
is the state of AI report for 2024.
It's packed with insights.
But the thing that really stood out to me
was the AI field is becoming a lot more well competitive.
Yeah, that was a big takeaway for me, too.
Like, remember when GPT-4 came out, the tech behind chat GPT,
everyone thought OpenAI had basically won the game.
It did feel that way for a minute there.
Right, it was huge.
But this report suggests that while GPT-4
was a total game changer, it wasn't a game-ender.
Yeah, other companies and even open source models
are catching up.
And for those listening, that's a really good thing.
Because more competition means faster innovation,
more creative approaches, and hopefully even more AI tools
will become available to everyday people like us,
not just the tech giants.
It's true.
AI could become a lot more accessible.
Exactly.
It's kind of like the Wild West out there right now,
but in a good way.
Definitely.
But this report isn't just about who's
building the biggest and best AI model.
It also points out some huge changes in what these models are
actually being designed to do.
Like, it's not just about writing poems
or composing jingles anymore.
It's about planning and reasoning.
It's true.
The focus has definitely shifted.
Which is interesting, because that changes everything.
Instead of just being able to write a poem,
AI could soon be planning those big research projects,
analyzing data from those projects,
and even suggesting completely new hypotheses.
Yeah.
It would be like having a super powered research assistant.
But on a scale we can barely imagine.
OK.
I have to admit that's pretty amazing,
and maybe a little intimidating.
Just a little.
But it seems like this move towards planning and reasoning
is pushing AI beyond the digital world
in some really unexpected ways.
The report specifically mentions things like math, biology,
and even neuroscience.
It's true.
And that's where things get really interesting.
Because we're not just talking about solving some equation
or understanding biological processes.
We could be talking about using AI
to solve the mysteries of the human brain.
Exactly.
Imagine what we could learn about consciousness memory,
even perception.
That's both fascinating and a little unnerving.
I agree.
It's where the science fiction starts to feel very real.
Yeah, no kidding.
But imagine the possibilities AI helping us develop
new treatments for brain injuries,
or maybe unlocking the secrets of Alzheimer's.
Who knows?
Maybe we could even upload our consciousnesses.
OK, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Right.
Of course.
It's still early days, but the potential is definitely there,
which I guess is what makes all of this so exciting and, well,
a little bit daunting at the same time.
It's true.
There's always another side to the coin.
Yeah.
And speaking of daunting, the report
touches on something that's been in the news a lot lately.
The whole AI arms race specifically
between the US and China.
Yeah, it's a big top of the conversation these days.
It seems that even with all the sanctions
to limit China's access to those advanced AI chips,
Chinese labs are still managing to develop
some crazy, powerful models.
It's true.
And it's something we need to pay attention to.
Because now we're not talking about just one country taking
the lead in AI development.
It's becoming a multipolar world with all of the opportunities,
and frankly, the risks that come with that.
It's a whole new world order.
It really is, because this isn't just
about technological advancements anymore.
This is about global power and who gets
to shape the future of AI.
It's true.
And that's something that should concern everyone, not just
governments and corporations.
We're talking about potentially reshaping everything
from how the global economy works to the future of warfare
to how we live our daily lives.
Yeah, no doubt.
This is definitely a lot to think about.
But on a more personal level, I think
it's important to remember that AI isn't just
happening in some far off lab or government facility.
It's making its way into our lives right now
in some pretty incredible ways.
It's true.
AI is already all around us.
Like, have you heard about what AMD's been doing?
I'm curious.
What have they been up to?
Well, get this.
They're putting AI directly into their rise in chips.
Wow.
So we're talking laptops, smartphones, everything.
Yeah, exactly.
OK, maybe not toasters yet, but you get the idea.
You're right.
It shows how fast AI is becoming part of our everyday
technology.
And this is a big deal, because these AI power chips could
totally change how our devices work.
We could be talking about faster, more efficient,
and more capable devices than ever before.
It's like giving our devices a brain boost.
And it's not just about speed.
We could see much better battery life,
because AI will be handling things locally
instead of in some massive data center.
It's amazing.
Think about the possibilities.
Imagine AI-powered apps that can translate languages
in real time, even without an internet connection.
Or have it a smartphone that can personalize your news feed
based on your mood.
You could use things like your typing speed or how you scroll.
OK, that's getting a little scary.
But you're right.
AI could make personalized tech a lot more, well, personal.
Definitely.
Yeah.
But it's not all about smartphones and apps.
Think about the potential impact on other industries.
It's true.
The possibilities really are endless.
But with all this talk about AI in our everyday lives,
we also need to talk about the potential downsides.
And this report doesn't shy away from that.
Yeah, there are definitely two sides to every coin.
Exactly.
On one hand, AI could lead to these amazing breakthroughs
in medicine or help us build smarter cities.
But then you have things like this new AI tool.
It's called Pro KYC.
You familiar with it?
Yeah, it's a pretty disturbing example of what
happens when AI is used for bad.
Basically, it creates fake IDs and videos that are so real,
they've even tricked some major cryptocurrency exchanges.
It's kind of terrifying.
How can we even tell what's real anymore
if the experts are being fooled?
That's the big question, isn't it?
As AI gets more advanced, so do the tools for deception.
It's like we won't even be able to trust our own eyes.
In a way, yeah.
We're talking about potentially undermining
what we consider to be real evidence.
It could change everything from online security
to how we conduct elections.
It's a lot to think about, that's for sure.
But I don't want to get too boom and gloom here.
We've talked about some of the risks.
But AI also has the potential to do some really incredible good
in the world, like in health care, for instance.
Absolutely.
Health care is right for an AI revolution.
Because it's not about replacing doctors and nurses
or anything.
It's about giving them better tools
so they can help more people.
Exactly.
Like imagine AI helping doctors analyze medical images
and spot things that even the most trained eye could miss.
Or what if AI could analyze all of the research data out there
and match patients to clinical trials?
You would be huge.
And for doctors and nurses who are already stretched thin,
AI could help automate those tedious tasks.
Like all of the paperwork.
Yeah, exactly.
Giving them more time to actually spend with their patients.
That's the dream.
Giving health care professionals the time
to actually do what they do best, which is care for people.
And this idea of AI as an amplifier, not a replacement.
It's not just health care.
We're seeing it everywhere.
It's true.
It's like giving humans superpowers,
or at least a really helpful sidekick.
But while we're talking about all the amazing things
that AI could do, let's go back to the state of AI
report for a second.
Because one thing it points out is that even though there's
all this hype and all this money pouring into AI,
the future of a lot of these AI companies
is still uncertain.
Yeah, it reminds me of the dot-com bubble.
Not everyone is going to make it.
Right.
And for our listeners, it's really important to remember.
Because it's not just about who's got the coolest demo
or the biggest promises anymore.
It's about which AI companies are actually
solving real problems.
Exactly.
We need to separate the hype from the company's
building real solutions.
It's about separating the signal from the noise.
And trust me, there's a lot of noise out there.
But before we wrap up, I just have
to share this one last thing.
It's unbelievable.
AI has helped scientists discover over 160,000
new virus species.
That just shows how much we don't know.
It's incredible.
It really is.
And these aren't all scary viruses either.
Most of them are harmless to humans.
In fact, they play a vital role in ecosystems
all over the planet.
It's like opening up a whole new world.
And it's all thanks to AI.
And to me, that's what makes this so exciting.
Yeah.
We're not just building machines.
We're using them to better understand our world.
And that journey of discovery is just beginning.
You know, it makes you wonder, what else
is out there waiting to be found?
What will we discover next?
It really makes you think, what else is out there?
What haven't we even thought to look for yet?
Exactly.
That's what I love about this field.
We're constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
And to me, that's the biggest takeaway
from this whole state of AI report.
It's not just a progress report.
It's a call to action.
Absolutely.
Because AI isn't just something happening
in the background anymore.
It's going to touch every aspect of our lives.
And we have a choice to make.
Are we going to be passive bystanders?
Or are we going to help shape how this technology is used?
Because it's not just up to the engineers and the policymakers.
It's up to all of us.
Exactly.
We need to be informed.
We need to ask tough questions.
And we need to demand that AI is used for good.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
It's about making sure AI benefits everyone,
not just a select few.
Well said.
All right, so to wrap things up today,
we've talked about the incredible advancements in AI,
the potential benefits, and the risks.
And most importantly, what it all means for us.
It's a lot to digest.
It is.
But the future of AI is being written right now.
And hopefully our deep dive today has given you
some things to think about.
And maybe even inspired you to get involved.
Absolutely.
Because the future is unwritten.
And who knows?
Maybe some of you listening will be the ones writing
the next chapter in the AI revolution.
That's it for this deep dive.
We'll see you next time.