Welcome to the Daily AI News podcast. This week, AI News. Well, let's just say it was a wild ride.
We've got lawsuits, energy concerns, and even a chatbot telling a grad student to die.
Yeah, wild. So let's just dive right into everything you need to know.
You know, that chatbot incident, that's really why everyone's talking about AI safety right now.
These large language models, they're essentially algorithms trained on tons of data, right?
They're supposed to be helpful and informative. But as they get more and more complex, while
the chances of them doing something unexpected or even harmful, yeah, it just keeps going up.
Yeah, it makes you think about how these things are trained, right? What are the safeguards?
I mean, Google's saying the chatbot's response was nonsensical. But for the student and his sister,
he was pretty disturbing. And you know, this isn't just some random one-off thing. We've seen
similar things with other chatbots. Like there's that lawsuit against character.ai, where a bot
supposedly encouraged a teenager to, well, you know. Right, exactly. And even chatGPT,
which everyone knows, even that's had issues with hallucinations, making things up or just giving
out wrong information. So we really need more transparency with AI development. People need
to know how these models work, what they can and can't do, and what's being done to reduce the risks.
Absolutely. And it's not just about like preventing harm. There's also the question of bias
and misinformation and how it could impact people who are already vulnerable, you know,
like people with mental health issues. It's almost like the more powerful these AI systems get,
the more we have to worry about the ethical side of things. Yeah, that's a key point for sure.
It can't just be about, you know, technological advancement. We need strong ethics guiding AI
development. It's finding the right balance between like innovation and responsibility.
And to do that, we need developers and policymakers and the public. We all need to be talking to each
other. Yeah, for sure. So sticking with this AI and humans thing, let's look at what's going
on with the media. It kind of feels like a tug of war between AI companies and, well, regular media
outlets over content, right? Yeah, you could say that. It's a battle over information like who
controls it and how it's used. AI companies, they need a lot of data to train their models. And news
articles are a great source for that. But of course, media companies are worried about how their content
is being used, especially when it comes to copyright and losing money, obviously. Yeah, and the meta
Reuters deal is a good example of that. Met is paying Reuters so they can use their news content to,
I think it's to answer questions people ask on Instagram or WhatsApp. Yeah, this is the first
deal Met has made with a big news publisher. So it could be like a model for how these
relationships will work in the future. Yeah, it's interesting, because this deal shows the different
approaches media companies are taking. Like the New York Times is very protective of their content.
They're suing open AI and Microsoft saying it's copyright infringement and unfair competition.
They're arguing that these AI chatbots are stealing their work and making money from it without,
you know, giving them credit or paying them. So it's like there's a Sufras club and a Siners club
in the media world. Outlets like the Financial Times, the Atlantic and Condé Nast, they've all
signed licensing deals with AI companies. Maybe they see it as a way to adapt to how things are
changing. Yeah, and the reasons for doing that probably depend on their business models. The
New York Times, they rely a lot on subscriptions, right? So they're more worried about anything
that might make people stop subscribing or take away their income. But, you know, publications
that have other sources of money like licensing or if they're owned by bigger companies,
they might be more open to these deals because they see them as a new way to make money.
It's a tricky situation, right? On one hand, you have to protect intellectual property and make
sure journalists can make a living. But then on the other hand, there's this new technology that
could totally change how we get news and information. It's complicated. There's no easy answer.
Yeah, and it makes you think about the future of journalism. Will these AI tools help journalists
and make their work reach more people? Or will they just make the media landscape more fragmented,
you know, where good reporting gets lost in all the AI-generated stuff?
It's definitely something to think about. All right, let's switch gears to another big AI story.
Elon Musk and his battle with open AI. Things are getting really heated with this new lawsuit.
Right. Remember, Musk started open AI back in 2015. The goal was to develop AI that was safe and
beneficial, you know, artificial general intelligence. But he left the company later because he didn't
agree with the direction they were going in. Now he's saying that open AI has abandoned its
original mission, that it's become too focused on making money, especially after partnering with
Microsoft. And he's not holding back at all. This new lawsuit, it names some big players as
defendants, Microsoft, Reed Hoffman, D Templeton. And it also adds Siobhan Zillas, who works at
Neuralink and, well, has kids with Musk, and his own AI company, XAI, and plaintiffs.
It's a Tangle Web, that's for sure. Yeah, one of the main arguments in the lawsuit is that open AI
is trying to stop competition, especially from companies like Musk's XAI. They say that open AI
is too close to Microsoft, that it's basically a merger. And that this gives them an unfair
advantage in terms of resources, infrastructure, and information. So they're saying open AI is
using Microsoft to shut out rivals and become the biggest player in the AI field. It's a pretty big
accusation. It'll be interesting to see what happens with this lawsuit. This case could really
change things for open AI, for how AI develops, and even for the tech industry overall. It brings
up issues of antitrust, intellectual property, and the balance between innovation and competition.
It's definitely a high-stakes situation with a lot going on. Speaking of a lot going on,
let's talk about something that doesn't get enough attention. All the power these AI systems need to
roll. It's easy to get excited about AI without thinking about, you know, the practical stuff,
like how much electricity it uses. We're seeing this huge increase in demand for power, mostly
because of data centers, which are basically the foundation of AI. These data centers are like
giant warehouses full of servers. And they process and store all that data that AI needs for training
and operation. In Gartner, they're a big research and advisory company. They're saying there could
be a power crisis in the AI industry. They're predicting that by 20, 27, 40% of data centers
that are already out there, they'll have problems getting enough power. That's a huge problem. And
it could affect a lot of things. Definitely. The need for power is growing faster than utility
companies can keep up. It's not just about building more data centers. It's about having the
infrastructure to actually deliver all that electricity reliably and in a sustainable way.
Right. And if there's not enough power, prices could go up. That would make AI products and
services more expensive, and it could slow down innovation. Plus, there are environmental concerns
too. Exactly. Data centers already have a big carbon footprint. And if we have to rely on power
plants that use fossil fuels to meet the demand, well, that's just going to make the climate crisis
worse. So the future of AI is really tied to the future of energy. We need to find ways to make AI
development more sustainable economically and environmentally. That's why Gartner is telling
organizations to be proactive. They're saying assess the risks of power shortages, figure out how
much more you'll have to pay for power in the future, and look into other approaches that use less
energy. Right. Makes sense. So we were talking about the global chip shortage earlier. It really
shows how complicated the semiconductor industry is and how fierce the competition is for technological
dominance. You're absolutely right. And that brings us to a fascinating story that's happening
right here in the US. It's almost like a modern day, great American microchip mobilization
with Intel leading the charge. Yeah. Intel's plan to build this massive chip manufacturing site in
Ohio. It's a story with a lot of twists and turns. And it all started with a woman named Mary
Springowski, a UAW worker who had this amazing vision. Back in 2016, she was recovering from an
injury and she started researching industries that use a lot of water. And she found out that making
microchips was at the top of the list. She realized that her hometown, Lorraine, Ohio, it's right on
Lake Erie. So they have all the fresh water that chip makers need. And they're worried about having
enough water. It's incredible how she saw this opportunity. Not just for her town, which had
been hit hard by factories closing, but for the whole US chip making industry. Back then,
most chips were being made overseas, especially in Taiwan. And people were getting worried about
relying on just one place, especially with all the geopolitical tensions. And Mary didn't just,
you know, sit on this idea. She spent years trying to get Lorraine noticed, emailing CEOs of chip
companies, posting on social media, trying to get someone to see what she saw. She's amazing.
And then in 2021, with the global chip shortage causing all these problems,
Mary decided to reach out directly to Pat Gelsinger, the CEO of Intel.
It was perfect timing. Gelsinger had just come back to Intel after working at VMware. And he wanted
to make Intel great again, you know, bring chip manufacturing back to the US. He was really pushing
for the government to give money to support domestic chip production, saying it was important
for national security and for the economy. And Mary's email explaining why Lorraine was a good
place for this. It arrived at just the right time. They had a meeting online. And even though Intel
ended up choosing a different spot in Ohio, Mary's efforts definitely played a part in bringing this
huge project to the state. It shows how much one person can do. Sometimes all it takes is someone
with a vision and the willpower to make it happen. That's a great story, definitely.
So Intel announces this massive investment in Ohio, billions of dollars, tons of jobs,
a whole new mega site for making chips. But then, like we were talking about earlier,
the company starts losing a lot of money. People start wondering if they can really pull this off.
Right. And that's when we start seeing these super loads going across Ohio, carrying giant pieces
of equipment for Intel's new factories. These super loads are amazing. They're moving parts that
weigh hundreds of thousands of pounds. They have to close roads, move utility lines. It's a huge
operation. Like moving a small skyscraper piece by piece. And people were fascinated by them. They
tracked them online, took pictures, even had parties as they went by. It became this symbol
of progress, like a real sign that U.S. chip manufacturing was coming back.
But it also showed the economic differences within the state. The super loads traveled from
Portsmouth, which has really struggled with the opioid epidemic, and lost a lot of its industry,
all the way to the wealthy suburbs of Columbus, where Intel's building its site.
It made people wonder who would really benefit from this chip boom. And if the jobs and the
revitalization would reach the people who needed it most. Yeah, good point. So let's talk about Pat
Gelsinger, the guy in charge of all this. He's an interesting guy. He started working at Intel
when he was only 18. And he saw the company become a giant in the PC era. Gelsinger was a big part of
Intel's early success. He was even the chief architect of the first processor with over a
million transistors. But he left the company in 2009. And while he was gone, Intel made some bad
decisions. They missed out on the whole mobile phone thing. They famously said no to making chips
for the iPhone. And they didn't really get into AI, which let Nvidia become the leader in making
those specialized chips that AI needs. Yeah, those were big mistakes. And it let other companies
catch up and eventually led to Intel's decline. But then in 2021, Gelsinger came back. He wanted
to make Intel great again. He had this vision of Intel not just designing and making its own chips,
but also becoming a big foundry. That means they would make chips designed by other companies,
kind of like TSMC, the biggest one out there. It was a bold plan. And it needed a lot of money.
That's where the Xi PS Act came in. Gelsinger was really involved in lobbying for that law. He said
that the government needed to support the US chip industry. If it wanted to be competitive globally,
he said it was about national security, the economy and being a leader in technology.
And he got what he wanted. The TGPS Act, it passed in 2022. And it gave billions of dollars to
chip makers, including Intel. Gelsinger became a famous guy. People called him a hero of American
innovation and a key player in trying to stop China from becoming too powerful in tech. Intel
was building new factories, making deals with big tech companies, even getting contracts from the
Pentagon. But then just when things were looking great, reality hit. Intel announced those huge
financial losses. Their stock price crashed. They started laying people off. And people started to
doubt if Gelsinger could actually do what he said he would do. It was a big turn of events.
The company that was supposed to lead the US chip comeback was suddenly struggling to survive.
And all of this was happening while those superloads were moving across Ohio,
carrying those important pieces of equipment to a future that was suddenly a lot less certain.
It's kind of crazy, right? You have this symbol of progress moving forward while the company behind
it is facing a crisis. It shows just how complicated this industry is, the huge investments, the
competition, and how unpredictable technology can be. For sure. To really get how big of a
challenge Intel is facing, we need to look at the town where they're building their mega site,
New Albany, Ohio. It's a town with a unique history, a town that was basically created from nothing.
And it shows both the potential and the dangers of American ambition.
New Albany is a really interesting place. It was basically made by Leslie Wexner,
the billionaire who started the limited and victorious secret. He wanted to build this
perfect community that was like going back in time. With strict rules about architecture,
lots of Georgian style buildings, white picket fences, a very controlled and traditional feel.
It's like Colonial Williamsburg meets a big corporation. And it attracted wealthy people,
fancy businesses. And eventually big tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Metta,
they all build data centers in the New Albany International Business Park.
And then Intel comes along, promising billions of dollars and thousands of jobs.
Question is, will all this tech money benefit the whole state of Ohio? Or will it just stay in
the already wealthy areas around Columbus and leave other communities behind?
That's a good question. Like we saw with those super loads going across the state.
There's a big difference between the towns in the south that are struggling.
And the booming suburbs in central Ohio.
Exactly. You have places like Portsmouth and Lorraine. They've been hit hard by factories
closing and the economy going down. And then you have New Albany with its perfect lawns,
big houses, and a feeling of wealth. That seems totally separate from the problems
other places are facing. It makes you think about how wealth is spread around,
how technology affects different communities, and what the government can do to make sure
economic growth helps everyone. And it's in this complex situation that Intel's
megacite is being built. They said they would create thousands of jobs.
But by late 2024, not many of those manufacturing jobs had actually appeared.
And with Intel losing money, people are wondering if they can really keep their promises.
It's a story that's still going on. The future of Intel, the Shia PS Act,
and US chip manufacturing are all up in the air.
It really is.
So while all this is happening, with all these investments in super loads moving across Ohio,
Intel is facing a lot of pressure from investors who are worried about all the money they're
losing. So what happened next? Did Intel manage to turn things around?
Well, it's too early to say for sure. But there have been some good signs.
Intel has been working hard to make deals with big tech companies,
who really need the kinds of chips Intel is making.
Like custom AI chips. I remember reading about how they got deals with Amazon and Microsoft.
Exactly. Those partnerships are a big deal. They show that Intel can make the advanced
chips that are needed for things like machine learning and cloud computing.
And it's not just private companies. They also got a multi-billion dollar contract with the Pentagon
to build chips for the US military.
Wow, that's huge. Sounds like Pat Gelsinger's gamble might be paying off.
But they're still competing with big global players like TSMC,
who are also investing a lot in manufacturing in the US.
Definitely. The chick industry is super competitive. It's a constant race to be the best and come up
with new things. But these recent things that have happened suggest that Intel is on the right track.
And that the US is making progress in trying to bring back chip making.
That's good to hear. But I keep thinking about those different pictures of Ohio.
The towns like Portsmouth and Lorraine that are struggling.
And the rich suburbs around Columbus where Intel's mega site is.
It makes you wonder what will happen to those communities.
That's a really important question. The hope is that Intel's investments will spread out.
That they'll bring jobs and opportunities not just to New Albany,
but to the areas around it too. But it's really important to make sure that this
growth helps everyone and that the benefits are shared fairly.
Right. It's not just about creating jobs. It's about creating good jobs that pay well
and can support families. Jobs that can help those communities.
And it's about investing in education and training.
So that people have the skills they need to succeed in this industry that's changing so fast.
I think what makes this whole story so interesting is that it's not just about chips and companies
competing. It's about people and places. It's about Mary Sprungowski, the worker who had this
vision and didn't give up on our community. It's about Pat Gelsinger, the CEO who's taking a big
risk to try to save a company and an industry. And it's about the workers, the families,
the communities whose lives are being changed by all this technology.
It reminds us that technology isn't just about ones and zeros. It's about people.
And it's about the choices we make as a society.
About how we want to develop and use these powerful tools.
Exactly. And I think the main takeaway from this deep dive into AI, chips, and power is that we're
at a turning point. The decisions we make now, the things we choose to invest in, the values we hold
on to, they're all going to have a huge impact on how technology develops and how it affects society.
It's a call to action for all of us to join these conversations, to deal with the complexity,
and to work together to make sure that the future of technology is one that benefits everyone.
I totally agree. The future is being written out and it's up to us to shape it in a way that's ethical,
sustainable, and fair.
Thanks for listening to the Daily AI News Podcast and stay tuned for more.
Yeah, it really is a nail biter.
So while all this is happening with all these investments in superloads moving across Ohio,
Intel is facing this like wave of pressure from investors, right? They're worried about all the
money Intel's losing. So what happened next? Did Intel manage to turn things around?
Well, it's still kind of early to say for sure, but there have been some good signs.
Intel's been really hustling to secure deals with these big tech companies,
you know, the ones that are hungry for the kinds of chips Intel makes.
Like custom AI chips, right? I think I read somewhere that they landed deals with Amazon and Microsoft.
Exactly. Those partnerships are huge. It shows that Intel can actually produce those advanced chips.
The ones needed for things like machine learning and cloud computing.
And it's not just the private sector either. They also snagged a multi-billion-dollar contract
with the Pentagon to build chips for the military.
Whoa, that's a big deal. It sounds like Pat Gelsinger's gamble might be starting to pay off.
But they're still up against some serious competition from global players like TSMC, right?
They're also putting a lot of money into manufacturing in the U.S.
Absolutely. The chip industry is insanely competitive. It's like a constant race to innovate and stay ahead of everyone else.
But these recent developments, they kind of suggest that Intel's on the right path
and that the U.S. is making some headway in rebuilding its chip-making capacity.
It's good to hear that for sure. But I can't help but think back to those contrasting images of Ohio, you know.
The struggling towns like Portsmouth and Lorraine, and then the affluent suburbs around Columbus
where Intel's megasite is, it makes you wonder, what's in store for these different communities?
That's a really important question. The hope is that Intel's investments will create a ripple effect, right?
Bringing jobs and economic opportunities not just to New Albany, but to the surrounding regions as well.
But it's crucial to ensure that this growth is inclusive, that the benefits are spread out fairly.
Yeah, I agree. It's not just about creating any jobs. It's about creating good-paying jobs.
Jobs that can support families and revitalize communities.
And it's also about investing in education and training programs
so that people can get the skills they need to succeed in this industry,
especially since it's changing so rapidly.
You know, what I find really compelling about this whole story is that it's not just about chips and companies battling it out.
It's about people and places. It's about Mary Sprungowski, the UAW worker who had this vision
and just wouldn't give up on her community. It's about Pat Gelsinger, the tech CEO,
who's making this huge bet to try to save a company and an entire industry.
And it's about the workers, the families, the communities, whose lives are being shaped by these technological advancements.
It's good reminder that technology isn't just about, you know, the technical stuff. It's about people.
And it's about the choices we make as a society about how we want to develop and use these incredibly powerful tools.
Exactly. And I think the key takeaway from this deep dive into AI, chips, and shifting power
is that we're at a crossroads, a crucial moment, the decisions we make now, the things we prioritize, the values we hold dear.
They're all going to have a massive impact on the direction technology takes and how it affects society.
It's a call to action for everyone, really, to be part of these conversations, to wrestle with the tough questions,
and to work together to make sure that the future of technology is one that benefits all of humanity.
And I couldn't agree more. The future is being written right now. And we have the power to shape it in a way that is ethical, sustainable, and equitable.
It's a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in shaping the future of technology.
So as we wrap up this deep dive into AI, chips, and shifting power, what are some key things our listeners should keep in mind?
Well, I think the first thing is that AI is here to stay. It's already transforming so many aspects of our lives,
and it's only going to become more pervasive and powerful in the years to come.
And with that power comes a lot of responsibility.
Exactly. We need to be thoughtful and deliberate about how we develop and deploy AI, and we need to make sure that it's used for good, not for harm.
It's like we were talking about earlier. It's not just about the technology itself. It's about the values that guide its development and the choices we make about how to use it.
Couldn't agree more.
And as we've seen with the chip industry, the competition for technological dominance is fierce, and the stakes are high.
Definitely. The decisions we make now about investing in domestic chip manufacturing and supporting innovation and AI and other key technologies,
they'll have a huge impact on our economic competitiveness and national security.
And ultimately, it's about people, the workers, the families, the communities, whose lives are being shaped by these technological advancements.
For sure.
It's up to all of us to make sure that the future of technology is one that benefits everyone.
Well said.
Thanks for joining us on this deep dive. And remember to stay engaged, stay informed, and stay curious.
The future of technology is in our hands.