Welcome to the Daily AI News Podcast.
We're diving deep into AI agents today
and how AI regulation is changing.
Yeah, it's a really interesting time for AI right now.
It is.
Things are moving so fast.
Yeah, we've got some pretty cool sources to look at.
Yeah.
New AI agents like Magnetic One from Microsoft
and Jarvis AI from Google.
And then of course the implications
of the recent US elections on AI regulations.
Definitely a lot to unpack there.
Yeah, for sure.
You know, it's exciting to watch AI evolve
from just a simple tool to more of a real collaborator,
something that can handle those complex real world tasks.
Yeah.
But the more advanced these AI agents get,
the more we need to think about how we manage them.
For sure how we regulate them.
Exactly.
Keep everything safe, responsible.
So let's start with Magnetic One.
This new multi-agent system from Microsoft.
Sounds good.
It's designed to automate those complex tasks.
Ordering food, ranging deliveries all through a system
of these specialized AI agents.
It's really fascinating how they've structured Magnetic One.
They have this orchestrator agent
that's basically like the project manager, you know?
Okay.
It delegates tasks to four specialized sub agents.
Okay.
Web surfer, file surfer, coder, and computer terminal.
So each one has a specific role.
Exactly.
And they all work together to get the job done.
Kind of like a team of specialists,
each with their own skill set.
So like web surfer would browse the internet.
Right.
File surfer digs through files, coder writes code.
Yeah.
And computer terminal interacts with like a console shell.
Exactly.
Like if you needed to book a flight, for example.
Okay.
The orchestrator would tell web surfer
to go find the best deals based on your criteria.
File surfer might check your travel preferences
from the past.
Then coder fills out all the forms
and computer terminal makes sure the payment
goes through securely.
Wow.
All these agents working together
is what lets magnetic one tackle
these more complex tasks.
Yeah, they used to need a person to do them.
Exactly.
That's pretty incredible.
It is.
So how does magnetic one stack up
against other AI agents that are out there?
Okay.
Like the ones from Anthropic.
Well, one big difference is how much access it has
to your computer.
Okay.
Magnetic one can actually interact
with your computer's command line interface.
Oh, God.
Which opens up a ton of possibilities for automation.
Yeah, a bit.
But it also brings up some security issues.
Of course, yeah.
Which Microsoft is trying to address
by recommending things like containerization
and limiting its access to the internet.
Okay.
They're really stressing the importance
of human oversight.
Right.
Which is super important
as these systems become more powerful.
Yeah, it's not just about making a super intelligent AI.
Right.
But about doing it responsibly.
Absolutely.
And another thing to think about
is the language model it uses.
Okay.
The magnetic one currently runs on GPT-4,
which is a large language model, or LLM.
Okay, I've heard that term LLM.
Yeah.
But what makes it so important for these AI agents?
Think of it like the brain of the AI agent.
Okay.
It's what allows it to understand
and generate text that sounds like a person wrote it.
So without a good LLM, like GPT-4,
it wouldn't be able to understand our commands.
Right.
Or process information.
Or even respond in a way that makes sense.
Exactly.
Basically, the better the LLM, the smarter the AI.
You got it.
And magnetic one isn't limited to just GPT-4, right?
That's right.
Microsoft has said that other LLMs could be used to.
Yeah, as long as they have strong reasoning capabilities.
Okay, so staying on the topic of AI agents,
let's talk about Google
and their highly anticipated Jarvis AI.
Okay.
It's Google's answer to the demand for AI
help with web browsing.
Right.
They're trying to work inside the Chrome browser
to automate things like online shopping, booking flights,
or even research.
So it's like your own personal assistant for the internet.
Exactly.
I remember hearing rumors about Jarvis a while ago.
Seems like things are finally moving forward.
I think there was even a little mishap with the release.
Oh yeah, there was that accidental leak of a prototype
on the Chrome extension store.
They took it down quickly,
but it gave us a little peek into what they're working on.
I'm really curious to see how it compares
to other AI agents.
Yeah.
Like Anthropics, and that rumored one from OpenAI.
Yeah, it seems like everyone is jumping
on the AI agent train these days.
Yeah, it's a testament to how powerful this tech can be.
For sure.
We're moving towards a future where AI agents
are just seamlessly integrated into our digital lives,
taking care of all sorts of tasks for us.
Yeah, freeing up our time for other things.
That sounds nice.
It does.
But the more we rely on these AI agents,
the more we have to think about regulations
and ethical stuff.
Yeah, absolutely.
And speaking of regulation,
that's been a big topic lately.
Oh yeah.
Especially when it comes to using AI and hiring.
Definitely, AI is popping up everywhere
and hiring these days from screening resumes
and picking candidates to doing interviews
and even keeping an eye on how employees are doing.
It seems like a lot of companies are using it
to make hiring more efficient.
Yeah.
But I wonder what people think about it.
There's definitely some hesitation.
I bet.
A recent Pew Research Center survey
showed that most people in the US are against using AI
to make final hiring decisions.
Makes sense.
They're worried about things like fairness, transparency,
and bias in these AI systems.
Yeah, those are all valid concerns.
We've seen examples where AI systems
just end up perpetuating existing biases.
Right, and that leads to unfair outcomes.
Exactly like the case of Laura Cummings.
I don't think I'm familiar.
She's a qualified candidate who thinks
she was unfairly screened out by an AI resume tool.
Oh wow.
This really highlights the black box problem with AI.
Yeah, it's hard to understand
how these systems make their decisions.
Right, which makes it tricky to hold them accountable.
And to make sure they're being fair.
Exactly.
So it seems like companies want to use AI
to make hiring easier.
Yeah.
But they also need to make sure it's done ethically.
For sure.
So what can companies do to address these concerns?
That's the big question.
Well, first they need to educate themselves
about potential biases in these AI systems
and understand the ethics of using them in hiring.
Makes sense.
Then they should do thorough risk assessments
to identify and fix any potential biases in their AI tools.
So kind of like a checkup for their AI.
Exactly.
And finally, they need to test these systems internally
really rigorously to make sure they're working properly
and not discriminating against anyone.
So transparency and accountability are super important
when it comes to this new world of AI-driven hiring.
Absolutely.
And government regulation could play a big role too.
Okay, how so?
We'll take the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act,
for example.
It goes into effect in July 2025.
Okay.
And it aims to regulate
automated decision-making processes.
Including the ones used in hiring.
Right, so this could be a good step towards
fairness and transparency in AI hiring.
So it sounds like both companies and policymakers
have a responsibility here.
Definitely.
To make sure AI is used ethically and fairly.
But what about the job seekers?
Yeah.
Is there anything they can do to adapt to this new landscape?
Absolutely.
They need to know that AI is being used more and more
in hiring.
Okay.
And take steps to make their applications AI-friendly.
Like what kind of steps?
Well, things like optimizing their resumes
and cover letters with relevant keywords.
Okay.
AI-powered tools to improve their writing
and how they present themselves.
So job hunting in the age of AI requires some new skills.
It really does.
It's a whole new ball game.
Okay.
Shifting gears a bit.
Okay.
Let's talk about another challenge in the AI world.
AI hallucinations.
Right.
Those instances where AI systems generate
false or misleading information.
Yeah.
Which can be a real problem when we're relying on them
for accurate insights.
It's a big concern for sure.
AI hallucinations are a major roadblock
to building trust in these systems.
Right.
Like when your AI assistant suddenly tells you
to eat rocks or glue pizza together.
Yeah. Exactly.
That's funny, but also a little alarming.
It shows the limits of current AI.
And the need to keep improving it.
Exactly.
I remember reading about those examples.
Yeah.
It makes you question how reliable AI really is.
Right.
Especially when we're using it for important stuff.
So what are companies doing to tackle this problem?
Companies like Microsoft are working on solutions.
Okay. Good.
They've filed a patent for something called
a response augmenting system or RAS.
RAS.
Yeah. Think of it like a built in lie detector for AI.
A lie detector for AI.
That's interesting.
Right.
How does that work?
So RAS is designed to double check the information
that an AI generates.
Okay.
It compares it to external sources
to make sure it's accurate.
Kind of like a fact checker built right into the system.
Exactly.
So if the AI starts hallucinating,
RAS can flag it and provide more reliable information.
Right.
That will help reduce the risk of AI spreading misinformation.
Okay. That sounds promising.
Are there any other tools or strategies in development?
Definitely.
Microsoft also has Azure AI content safety.
Okay.
Which is focused on detecting and filtering out harmful
or inappropriate content that AI generates.
So it's like a safety net.
Yeah.
To catch those problematic outputs
before they get out there.
So it's a multi-pronged approach.
Yeah.
Improving the AI to reduce hallucinations.
Right.
And putting safety measures in place
to catch any that slip through.
Exactly.
It's all about making AI as accurate, reliable,
and trustworthy as possible.
Speaking of trust and reliability.
Yeah.
The recent US election brought up some interesting questions
about the role of AI in providing election information.
It did.
A lot of AI labs decided to stay away
from election predictions.
Really?
Because they were worried about hallucinations
and spreading misinformation.
I can see why.
But one company, Perplexity,
decided to go for it.
Perplexity?
Yeah.
They're known for their AI powered search engine
and chatbot.
Okay.
During the election, they used their chatbot
to give real time election insights.
Wow, that's bold.
It was.
Especially considering how much attention is on elections.
Oh wow.
So how did they do?
Yeah.
Were they able to provide accurate information?
They actually did a pretty good job.
Their strategy was to rely on solid data sources.
Okay.
Like democracy works and the associated press.
So they weren't trying to predict the outcome themselves.
Right.
They were more about gathering and presenting info
from trusted sources.
That seems like a smarter approach.
It was.
And while there were a few small hiccups
and some minor hallucinations,
overall, their chatbot provided pretty accurate
and reliable election information.
That's impressive.
Definitely more so than some other AI chatbots out there.
It's interesting to see how they were able to use AI
for real time election insights
without spreading misinformation.
It is.
It makes you wonder about the future of AI in elections.
Definitely.
Well, we see more companies doing this in the future.
Right.
And how will it change how we consume
and interpret election info?
It's something to think about as AI continues to evolve.
For sure.
So we've talked about AI agents and AI in hiring.
Right.
And even AI hallucinations.
Now let's switch gears to the food industry.
Okay.
I was reading about a company called Profile Print.
That's using AI to revolutionize
how we assess the quality of food ingredients.
Profile Print is a cool example of how AI is being used
to solve real world problems in the food industry.
Yeah, it sounds it.
They've developed a system that uses wave detectors
and AI analysis to create digital fingerprints
of food ingredients.
Digital fingerprints?
That sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie.
It does, right?
How does that work?
It's actually pretty clever.
They shine a special light wave onto the food ingredient.
Okay.
And then they analyze how the light interacts
with the molecules in the ingredient.
This creates a unique spectral signature.
Okay.
Basically a digital fingerprint.
Right.
That captures all this detailed information
about the ingredients, chemical makeup and quality.
So they're using light to identify
the unique characteristics of each ingredient.
That's it.
I see.
So what are the benefits of this tech?
Well, for one, it makes quality control
way more streamlined.
Okay.
Instead of relying on human inspectors
to check ingredients.
Which can take a long time and be prone to errors.
Exactly.
Profile Prince tech gives you a fast
and objective assessment of quality.
That could save companies a lot of time and money.
For sure.
And it ensures that their ingredients are consistent.
That's great.
Are there any other advantages?
Definitely.
It also helps reduce food waste.
Okay.
By identifying bad or low quality ingredients early on,
companies can avoid using them in their products.
And that minimizes waste
and makes the industry more sustainable.
Exactly.
So it's not just about efficiency
but about sustainability too.
For sure.
Maybe most importantly, it helps ensure food safety.
Okay.
By detecting contaminants or things
that shouldn't be in the ingredients.
Uh huh.
Profile Prince tech can stop those substances
from getting into the food supply.
Right.
Protecting consumers from potential harm.
Exactly.
So it's a win-win-win.
It is.
Proved efficiency.
Uh huh.
Reduced waste.
Yep.
And enhanced food safety.
That's right.
Are there any specific examples
of how this is being used?
They've been very successful in the coffee industry.
Coffee?
Yeah.
Their technology can identify defective coffee deans.
Which are hard to spot with the human eye.
Exactly.
So they're helping coffee producers
make sure their beans are high quality.
Right.
Which means a better cup of coffee for us.
So next time I'm enjoying a good cup of coffee,
I might have AI to think.
You just might.
And Profile Prince isn't the only company using AI
to transform the food industry.
There are others.
There's a whole wave of innovation happening.
Like what?
Well, there's a company called Aeromics.
Aeromics.
Yeah.
They're using AI to digitally capture
and reproduce flavors and scents.
Wow.
That sounds like something straight out of Willy Wonka.
It does, doesn't it?
And then there's Brightseed.
Brightseed.
They're using AI to figure out the hidden health
benefits of plants.
Oh wow.
They analyze tons of plant compounds
to find the ones that might have medicinal
or nutritional properties.
So that could lead to like new natural remedies
and healthier food.
Exactly.
AI is really impacting every part of the food industry.
It really is.
From how food is produced and quality control
to developing new products.
And even discovering new health benefits.
It's pretty amazing.
So we've talked about AI agents that can help us online.
Yeah.
And AI that's changing how companies hire people.
And AI hallucinations.
Right.
And even AI-powered taste testers.
And digital flavor creators.
It's clear that AI is rapidly changing the world.
Yeah.
It's an exciting time.
It is.
But like we've been talking about,
it's super important to approach these developments
thoughtfully and responsibly.
I completely agree.
We need to make sure AI is used ethically
and for the good of everyone.
Right.
AI gets more powerful and becomes a bigger part of our lives.
It's up to all of us to guide its development
and make sure it's used in a way that benefits everyone.
Well said.
We need to ask the hard questions.
Yeah.
Think about the potential consequences
and work together to create a future where AI serves humanity.
Not the other way around.
Exactly.
This deep dive has been really insightful.
It has.
We've seen just how much potential AI has.
But also how important it is to be careful.
Absolutely.
We need ethical guidelines and open discussions.
For sure.
To navigate this new technological frontier.
It's a journey we're all on together.
Yeah.
And the choices we make now will shape the world of tomorrow.
For sure.
Thanks for listening to the Daily AI News podcast.
And stay tuned for more.