Welcome to the Daily AI News Podcast.
We're diving deep into AI today.
Everything from shopping agents
to some semiconductor surprises
and a pretty big development in photonic processing.
It's a lot to cover.
It is.
It's really an exciting time to be in AI.
So many things happening, breakthroughs, surprises,
and really impacting so many industries.
Yeah.
So let's unpack all of this,
starting with, I guess, the race
to create these AI shopping agents.
And what's so fascinating about these
is that this could completely change
the way we shop online.
I mean, imagine, instead of us browsing the web
and comparing prices, we've got AI that's doing it for us.
Find me a Beth Deals and handling the entire checkout process.
Well, that's what Proplexity is trying to do.
They actually just launched an AI shopping agent,
specifically for their paying customers in the US.
And what's amazing is their agent
can actually navigate websites, find the products,
look at prices, and even complete the purchase.
That's wild.
So TechCrunch actually tested it out.
They had it by toothpaste, which is interesting.
And the way it works is the agent
kind of scrapes retail websites looking for the best deal.
And then the checkout, get this, the checkout
happens right within the Proplexity app.
So you don't actually pay the retailer directly.
You pay Proplexity.
And then they use that money to buy the item
from the retailer on your behalf.
It's a really unique approach, you know?
But it raises some questions about who really
controls that purchase and how are retailers
going to react when they're essentially
being cut out of the loop.
Exactly.
And this is still early, right?
It's early technology.
So naturally, there's going to be some bumps in the road.
In fact, the TechCrunch test actually
failed the first time because the toothpaste was sold out.
Oh, wow.
That's interesting.
That really highlights the complexities
that these shopping agents face.
I mean, navigating websites, dealing without a stock items,
and ensuring the whole process is secure.
That's a lot to manage.
For sure.
And I wonder about the impact this
will have on traditional retailers and advertisers, right?
I mean, if these AI agents become the go-to way to shop,
then what happens to their business models, which
rely heavily on storefronts and targeted ads?
Oh, absolutely.
This could be a major disruption and probably will
lead to pushback as these industries try to adapt.
It'll be interesting to see what happens.
Definitely.
And it looks like Proplexity is not alone in this,
you know, race to build these agents.
Other companies like Rabbit and Anthropic,
they're trying different things to build their own versions
of AI shopping agents.
That's right.
And what's interesting is they're actually training their AI
agents to mimic human behavior on websites,
to try to avoid detection and basically get around those
barriers retailers put up to block bots.
Right.
It's like an AI arms race.
It's fascinating.
One side is trying to outsmart the other.
It really makes you think about where
the line blurs between actual human interaction
online and AI, right?
Especially since these agents are even getting better
at solving those TAMPY TCHAs, which are designed
to tell humans apart from bots.
Yeah.
TAMPY TCHAs are interesting.
I mean, what happens when AI gets better at proving
it's human than humans are?
You know, websites are going to have
to come up with even more sophisticated ways
to check for personhood.
That's a great point.
And let's not forget about privacy, right?
So, they've got a lot of complexity.
They've mentioned that they use human checkers
to sort of oversee what the AI agent is doing,
which means someone is actually seeing
your purchase information, your billing address,
and all that.
That's right.
And they don't really explain much
about these human checkers.
Who are they?
What kind of access do they have?
Those are pretty valid concerns.
I think as these AI agents get more integrated
into our lives, these privacy questions
are going to become even more important.
Right.
OK, let's switch gears now.
You know, the semiconductor industries,
seeing some big shakeups, Intel's CEO stepping down
after the company, you know, kind of struggled
to keep up with this whole AI boom.
That was a big one.
It was.
I mean, you know, Intel has been such a powerhouse
in the chip market for years.
But maybe, you know, their focus on CPUs
put them at a disadvantage.
Because AI, it really relies more on GPUs, which
are what NVIDIA makes.
And those are better suited for the kind of complex
computations that AI needs.
That makes sense.
And keeping with this whole semiconductor theme,
the US has expanded these export controls, you know,
on Chinese tech companies.
A lot of them make chip making equipment.
It's a big deal.
Because it really reflects how important AI
and all these related technologies
are becoming, you know, geopolitically.
The US is basically trying to limit China's access
to advanced tech because they're concerned it could be used
in ways they don't agree with.
And this isn't just political, right?
It's having a real economic impact, too.
We've seen, like, Japanese chip makers share prices go up,
because they could benefit from these restrictions.
And then on the other side, Chinese companies
are facing, you know, limitations.
And their share prices are going down.
It's a high stakes game for sure.
AI is not just changing technology.
It's reshaping global politics, too.
It's incredible to see how far reaching AI's influence is.
OK, let's shift focus now and look
at what's happening closer to home, specifically in the US.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives
are proposing these studies on how AI will affect
financial services and housing.
This is interesting.
It's good to see them being proactive, you know,
trying to get ahead of any potential problems
instead of reacting to them later.
And these studies, they're going to involve some key players,
like the Federal Reserve and the FDIC.
That's great.
But what exactly are they going to be looking into?
Well, they'll be looking at how banks are using AI for things
like fraud detection and preventing money laundering.
They're also going to look at, you know,
whether our current privacy laws are enough for this,
you know, AI-driven world.
That's crucial, right?
Because as AI gets more embedded to these industries,
we need to make sure it's not going to hurt consumers
or the market overall.
OK, now for a really exciting development in AI hardware.
Scientists have created this photonic processor
that could make AI computations ridiculously fast
and energy efficient, too.
This is huge, because, you know,
traditional computer hardware, while powerful,
it just can't handle the really complex computations needed
for advanced AI.
Photonic hardware, though, it uses light,
which makes it way faster and more efficient.
And this new photonic chip, it's impressive.
It can perform all the key computations
for a deep neural network, right on the chip.
Before, they needed off-chip electronics,
which slowed things down, but not anymore.
Can you explain what a deep neural network is
and why this is such a big deal?
Sure, so a deep neural network,
it's basically an AI model, kind of like the human brain.
It has these layers of interconnected nodes
that process information so the AI can learn
and make decisions.
And by doing all the computations on the chip,
you get these massive improvements in speed and efficiency.
It's like opening up a whole new world for AI applications.
So what kind of real-world applications
are we talking about?
I mean, the possibilities are endless.
Faster and more energy-efficient deep learning
could revolutionize things like LiDAR,
which is used in self-driving cars.
Or scientific research that needs to process tons of data.
Even high-speed telecommunications
could benefit from this.
Wow, so we're talking about a wide range of industries
that could be transformed by this.
Oh, absolutely.
And the best part, they used commercial foundry processes
to make this chip, which means it could be mass-produced
and easily integrated with existing electronics.
It's not just a lab experiment,
it has real potential to change things.
That's incredible.
Sticking with AI hardware,
AWS announced some big changes to their data center strategy
at their redot-invent conference.
Yeah, they're going all in on liquid cooling
for their AI servers,
especially for the ones that use their own tranium chips
and NVIDIA's accelerators.
Liquid cooling is really smart for high-performance computing,
especially for tough AI workloads,
because it's just much more efficient
than traditional air cooling.
Yeah, and they're not stopping there.
They're simplifying their designs, too.
Like for servers and server racks,
both the electrical and mechanical stuff,
it'll make things more efficient,
less likely to have outages,
and that's cruel for keeping those AI systems running smoothly.
It makes sense.
Data centers have to evolve
to handle these increasingly sophisticated AI applications,
and it looks like AWS is taking the lead
by investing in the infrastructure
that's needed for the next generation of AI.
It really is mind-blowing
to see all these areas being impacted by AI,
from the chips themselves
to the massive data centers that house them.
But with all this happening at once,
these shopping agents becoming real,
the geopolitical stuff around semiconductors,
governments trying to figure out AI's impact,
and these incredible breakthroughs in hardware,
where do you think it's all headed?
What excites you the most and what worries you?
It's the question, isn't it?
We're at this point where AI's potential benefits and risks
are becoming more and more clear.
It's exciting and a little scary at the same time.
I think it really comes down to how we choose to develop
and use these powerful technologies.
Well, we'll definitely be watching closely as things unfold.
Speaking of things to watch, Microsoft,
you know, the company behind Windows and Office,
they're back in the spotlight,
facing antitrust scrutiny again.
Yeah, the FTC is launching a pretty big investigation
into their business practices,
especially their cloud computing business.
Microsoft's been down this road before.
Remember that big showdown
with the Department of Justice back in the 90s?
Right, what's different this time around though?
This time, the FTC is digging deeper
into their core businesses, cloud computing, AI,
cybersecurity, it's a much more extensive look
at how they operate.
And all of this is happening with the Biden administration,
which has been much tougher on antitrust issues,
especially with big tech companies.
The outcome of this is gonna have a big impact
on Microsoft and the whole tech industry.
It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.
Welcome back to the Daily AI News Podcast.
We're diving back into the latest in AI,
the breakthroughs, the challenges, all of it.
You know, before we jump back in, I gotta say,
all this talk about antitrust investigations and big tech,
it's kind of heavy, you know?
Can we maybe like switch to something
a little more optimistic,
something about how AI can actually be used for good?
Oh, absolutely.
It's easy to get caught up in all the complexities
and the what-ifs of AI,
but we can't forget that it has incredible potential
to really make our lives better.
And one area where we're seeing that is healthcare.
Yeah, I've heard a lot about AI and healthcare,
but what exactly is it doing to make a difference?
Well, researchers are using AI to develop new drugs,
to diagnose diseases earlier,
and even to personalize treatment plans.
It's pretty amazing.
So instead of just relying on doctors
to analyze everything,
AI can go through all this medical data,
find patterns, see things that humans might miss.
Exactly.
AI is proving to be really good
at analyzing medical images, like X-rays and MRIs.
It can help doctors spot tumors and other abnormalities
much more accurately and quickly.
That's incredible.
It's like having a second set of eyes,
but super powered eyes, looking at those images.
That's a great way to put it.
And AI is not just about finding problems,
it's helping to develop solutions too.
It's playing a huge role in drug discovery.
By analyzing massive data sets of genes and proteins
and chemical compounds,
AI can help researchers pinpoint promising drug candidates,
which could speed up the development of new treatments.
So AI is not just about creating new treatments,
but it's also changing how healthcare is delivered.
Exactly.
Think about AI-powered chatbots.
They can answer patients' questions, schedule appointments,
even provide basic medical advice.
That's a game changer,
especially for people in remote areas
or people who have a hard time getting to a doctor.
It could make healthcare accessible to so many more people.
You got it.
Improving access is a major benefit of AI in healthcare.
It can free up doctors to focus on more complex cases,
and it can give basic care and information
to people who might not otherwise get it.
And AI is also making a big impact on education, right?
Definitely.
AI is being used to personalize education
and make it more accessible.
One exciting development
is these AI-powered tutoring systems.
Oh yeah, I've heard about those.
It's like having your own personal tutor 24-7.
How do they work?
They're really sophisticated.
They can actually adapt to each student's individual needs
and provide personalized instruction and feedback,
just like a human tutor would.
And they can even figure out where students are struggling
and give them extra help in those areas.
This could be revolutionary for students
who don't have access to traditional tutoring
or who learn better with more personalized instructor.
And don't forget about the potential for AI
to create educational resources that anyone can use,
no matter where they live, what language they speak,
or how they learn best.
That's amazing.
AI could make it possible for anyone
to learn anything anywhere.
It's like education without limits.
It really is.
But of course, like any powerful technology,
we have to be aware of the downsides too.
One of the big concerns with AI is bias.
Yeah, bias is a big issue.
Can you explain how that might show up in AI systems?
Well, if AI systems are trained on data
that already has biases, they can actually
perpetuate and even amplify those biases.
And that could lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes,
especially in areas like hiring, lending,
even criminal justice.
So it's not enough to just build these powerful AI systems.
We have to make sure they're trained on data
that's diverse and fair, so they don't just repeat
the same biases we see in society.
Exactly.
And that brings us to another worry, job displacement.
As AI gets smarter, it's going to automate a lot of jobs
that humans do now.
That's a valid concern.
What kinds of jobs are most at risk?
It's hard to say for sure, but jobs
that involve a lot of repetitive tasks or data analysis,
those are probably the most vulnerable.
But we also have to remember that AI will create new jobs too,
especially in things like AI development, data science,
and AI ethics.
So it's not as simple as AI taking over all the jobs.
It's more like a shift in what skills are needed, right?
Right.
We have to adapt to these changes
and learn the skills that will be
valuable in an AI-driven workplace.
So what are the most important skills in this new world?
Skills like creativity, critical thinking, problem
solving, and being able to work well with technology
will be essential.
And we'll have to be lifelong learners,
always updating our skills and knowledge
to keep up with AI's rapid advancements.
It's not just about technical skills.
It's about being able to adapt and learn new things
throughout your career.
Exactly.
And speaking of adapting, let's go back to retail for a minute.
Remember we talked about those AI shopping agents
like Perplexity?
Well, guess who's joining the party?
Amazon.
No surprise there.
They're an e-commerce giant.
Of course, they're going to explore AI in this space.
What are they up to?
Well, they've been testing their own AI chatbot called Rufus.
And the word is they're trying to turn Rufus
into a full-blown AI shopping assistant that
can help customers with checkout and everything.
So they're kind of taking the same approach as Perplexity,
trying to make online shopping easier with AI.
Do you think this will lead to even more competition
in this area?
It could, yeah.
It'll be interesting to see how Amazon's approach compares
to Perplexity's.
Will they offer similar features?
Will they handle the privacy concerns differently?
We'll have to wait and see.
It's a good reminder that AI is constantly changing.
And what's cutting edge today might be old news tomorrow.
Speaking of things that can change quickly,
let's talk about another risk with AI.
We talked about bias and jobs.
But what about AI being used for bad stuff?
That's a crucial concern for sure.
AI is a powerful tool.
And like any tool, it can be misused.
Cyber security experts are really
worried about AI being used to create more sophisticated
cyber attacks.
That's scary.
How could AI be used in those kinds of attacks?
Well, imagine AI being used to automatically find
witnesses in software or to create super convincing phishing
attacks that trick people into giving away
their personal information.
So it's not just about AI taking our jobs.
It's about AI being used to steal our data
and disrupt our lives online.
Right.
And as AI gets even smarter, it's
going to be harder to tell the difference between real human
behavior and AI generated behavior,
which means attackers could hide more easily
and avoid getting caught.
That sounds like a nightmare for cybersecurity professionals.
It's definitely a challenge.
They're going to have to develop new tools and techniques
to fight back against AI-powered attacks.
It's like a constant arms race with both sides
trying to outsmart each other.
It's a good reminder that while we're excited about AI's
potential, we can't ignore the risks.
And it's not just about protecting ourselves
from cyber attacks.
We also have to think about AI being used for surveillance
and control.
Absolutely.
Governments and companies are using more and more AI-powered
systems to monitor people and collect data on their behavior.
And that raises serious questions about privacy
and civil liberties.
It sounds like something out of a discopian movie.
I know it sounds dramatic, but it's a real concern.
We need clear rules and regulations
for how AI is used in these situations.
We have to make sure these systems aren't used to take away
our basic rights and freedoms.
Transparency and accountability are crucial.
We need to know how these systems are being used,
who has access to the data, and what safeguards are in place
to protect our privacy.
You're right.
It's about finding the right balance,
using AI's power while protecting our rights and freedoms.
It's not easy, and it requires everyone to work together.
Researchers, developers, policymakers, the public.
OK, let's move on to something a little lighter.
How about AI in art and creativity?
That's a fascinating area.
AI is being used to create art, music, literature.
And it sparked a big debate about what creativity really is
and whether AI can be truly creative.
Yeah, some people say AI is just a tool for artists to use,
while others think AI can actually create
original and innovative art on its own.
Where do you stand on that?
It's a tough one.
We've seen some amazing AI-generated art and music,
like that AI painting that sold for a ton of money at auction.
So AI can definitely create things we recognize as art,
but can it really be creative in the same way a human is?
That's still up for debate.
It feels like AI is making us rethink
what it means to be creative.
It is.
It's pushing us to ask fundamental questions about art,
authorship, imagination.
It's a really exciting time to be exploring where art
and technology intersect.
All right, before we wrap up this part,
let's go back to the future of work in an AI-driven world.
We talked about it a bit earlier.
Yeah, it's a topic that deserves a lot more attention.
AI's impact on jobs is one of the biggest things
we have to think about.
Some experts are saying AI will take away tons of jobs
as it automates tasks that humans do.
Others say it will create new jobs and opportunities.
What do you think?
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
AI won't eliminate all jobs, but it'll definitely
change what work looks like and what skills you need to succeed.
So instead of being afraid of robots taking over,
we should focus on adapting to these changes
and getting ready for the jobs of the future.
Exactly.
It's about lifelong learning, developing skills
that can be used in different jobs
and figuring out how to work effectively with AI systems.
The jobs of the future might look different,
but we'll still need human creativity, problem solving
skills, and ingenuity.
That's a more hopeful way to think about it
amidst all the uncertainty.
Yeah, it's about recognizing that we have the power
to shape how AI develops and how it's used in our lives.
And we have a responsibility to make sure it benefits everyone.
It's a good reminder that even though AI is powerful,
we're not just along for the ride.
We can shape the future of work and make sure everyone
has a chance to thrive in this AI-driven world.
Welcome back to the Daily AI News Podcast.
It feels like we've been springing through the world of AI
so much happening so fast.
It's hard to even keep up.
It has been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn't it?
AI shopping agents, photonic processing breakthroughs,
those debates about antitrust and ethics.
It's a lot to take in, even for those of us
who follow this stuff all the time.
It really is.
AI is already touching so many parts of our lives.
Healthcare, education, finance, cybersecurity, even art.
And we talked about how it's going to change the future of work
with new opportunities and new challenges.
It's definitely complex and changing fast.
It's hard to say exactly what the future holds.
But one thing's for sure, AI is here to stay.
And it's going to keep shaping our world in big ways.
So looking ahead, what should we be paying attention to?
What are the big trends?
Well, I'm really excited about how AI is going to combine
with other new technologies.
Like imagine the possibilities when you put AI together
with the power of quantum computers.
That's mind-blowing.
We could see breakthroughs in drug discovery, new materials,
even understanding the universe better.
The possibilities are endless.
And what about AI revolutionizing health care?
We could have personalized medicine
based on each person's genes.
Treatments that are specifically designed for you
so they work better and have fewer side effects.
That's the dream of personalized medicine.
And AI is the key to making it happen.
AI can look at huge amounts of genetic data,
find patterns, and predict if someone
is likely to get certain diseases
and how they'll respond to different treatments.
It's about moving away from one-size-fits-all health care
and having treatments that are as unique as each person.
Those are just two examples.
But they show how powerful it can be when AI evolves
and combines with other game-changing technologies.
It's pretty exciting to be alive right now
and see all this happening.
It is exciting.
But we also have to be responsible.
We have to develop and use AI in a way that's ethical,
that aligns with our values as a society.
AI can be a force for good, but only if we use it wisely.
That's so important.
We have to make sure AI benefits everyone,
not just a few people.
We talked about bias in AI systems
and how important it is to be transparent and accountable
in how those systems are built and used.
Those are concerns we can't ignore.
I agree.
We need researchers, developers, policymakers,
and the public to keep talking to each other
and working together.
We have to think about the ethics of AI
at every step of the way.
Asking the tough questions and making sure that AI
is used to create a world that's fairer, more just,
and sustainable for everyone.
And we have to invest in education and training
so people are ready for the changes AI
will bring to the workforce.
We need to give people the skills they need
to thrive in a future where humans and AI work together,
each one using their strengths.
Exactly.
It's about giving people the power
to embrace the opportunities that AI brings
while also understanding and managing the risks.
It's a future with both promise and uncertainty,
but it's gonna be fascinating to see what happens.
Well, thanks for joining us for this deep dive
into the world of AI.
It's been a whirlwind of information, insights,
and thought-provoking conversation.
And as always, stay tuned for more
from the Daily AI News Podcast,
where we'll keep exploring the always changing world
of artificial intelligence.
Until next time.
Thanks for listening to the Daily AI News Podcast,
and stay tuned for more.