Lifeboat Foundation

AI has already started replacing voice agents’ jobs. Now, companies are exploring ways to replace the existing computer-generated voice models with synthetic versions of human voices. Truecaller, the widely known caller ID service, is the latest to take this approach with its announcement that it will now allow customers to use its AI-powered Assistant to answer phone calls in their own voice.

The new experience comes via a partnership with Microsoft that allows the Swedish company to use the Redmond giant’s Personal Voice technology, introduced in November as part of Azure AI Speech.

By using Microsoft’s Personal Voice, Truecaller’s Assistant, available to paid users, will be able to replicate users’ voices in order to greet and respond to callers. This is in addition to the preset system-generated voice options available to users through the digital assistance feature that helps answer phone calls for you, screen unknown calls, take messages, respond on your behalf or even record the call.

The transcript features an interview with renowned science fiction author Isaac Asimov, discussing his predictions and visions for the future of space exploration, computers, robotics, and humanity’s role in shaping that future. It touches on concepts like permanent space settlements, harnessing solar power, the increasing importance of computers and AI, the impacts of robotics on jobs, and taking an optimistic yet cautionary view of technological progress. It also covers some earlier inaccurate and exaggerated predictions about robots replacing humans, as well as actual technological developments in 1982 like artificial hearts and fusion reactors. The overall theme is Asimov’s hopeful but measured outlook on future scientific and technological advancements.

On the day of the ChatGPT-4o announcement, Sam Altman sat down to share behind-the-scenes details of the launch and offer his predictions for the future of AI. Altman delves into OpenAI’s vision, discusses the timeline for achieving AGI, and explores the societal impact of humanoid robots. He also expresses his excitement and concerns about AI personal assistants, highlights the biggest opportunities and risks in the AI landscape today, and much more.

(00:00) Intro.
(00:50) The Personal Impact of Leading OpenAI
(01:44) Unveiling Multimodal AI: A Leap in Technology.
(02:47) The Surprising Use Cases and Benefits of Multimodal AI
(03:23) Behind the Scenes: Making Multimodal AI Possible.
(08:36) Envisioning the Future of AI in Communication and Creativity.
(10:21) The Business of AI: Monetization, Open Source, and Future Directions.
(16:42) AI’s Role in Shaping Future Jobs and Experiences.
(20:29) Debunking AGI: A Continuous Journey Towards Advanced AI
(24:04) Exploring the Pace of Scientific and Technological Progress.
(24:18) The Importance of Interpretability in AI
(25:11) Navigating AI Ethics and Regulation.
(27:26) The Safety Paradigm in AI and Beyond.
(28:55) Personal Reflections and the Impact of AI on Society.
(29:11) The Future of AI: Fast Takeoff Scenarios and Societal Changes.
(30:59) Navigating Personal and Professional Challenges.
(40:21) The Role of AI in Creative and Personal Identity.
(43:09) Educational System Adaptations for the AI Era.
(44:30) Contemplating the Future with Advanced AI

Continue reading “Sam Altman talks GPT-4o and Predicts the Future of AI” »

At the end of the day it just got too expensive to make games, and too risky to release bad ones. Not to mention the political nonsense. AI is now in the wings poised for a take over game development. Will of mostly taken over around 2030. And, it will quickly be back to the old days.

There’s one topic that’s stayed on my mind since the Game Developers Conference in March: generative AI. This year’s GDC wasn’t flooded with announcements that AI is being added to every game — unlike how the technology’s been touted in connection with phones and computers. But artificial intelligence definitely made a splash.

Enthusiasm for generative AI was uneven. Some developers were excited about its possibilities, while others were concerned over its potential for abuse in an industry with shattered morale about jobs and careers.

Continue reading “Generative AI Is Coming for Video Games. Here’s How It Could Change Gaming” »

Amazon has developed new robots, such as Digit and Sequoia. These robots make it easier and safer to complete monotonous tasks. Sequoia assists Amazon’s warehouses with order processing and inventory management.

It’s not uncommon for tech roles to now receive hundreds or thousands of applicants. Round after round of layoffs since late 2022 have sent a mass of skilled tech workers job hunting, and the wide adoption of generative AI has also upended the recruitment process, allowing people to bulk apply to roles. All of those eager for work are hitting a wall: overwhelmed recruiters and hiring managers.

WIRED spoke with seven recruiters and hiring managers across tech and other industries, who expressed trepidation about the new tech—for now, much is still unknown about how and why AI makes the choices it does, and it has a history of making biased decisions. They want to understand why the AI is making the decisions it does, and to have more room for nuance before embracing it: Not all qualified applicants are going to fit into a role perfectly, one recruiter tells WIRED.

Recruiters say they are met with droves of résumés sent through tools like LinkedIn’s Easy Apply feature, which allows people to apply for jobs quickly within the site’s platform. Then there are third-party tools to write résumés or cover letters, and there’s generative AI built into tools on sites of major players like LinkedIn and Indeed—some for job seekers, some for recruiters. These come alongside a growing number of tools to automate the recruiting process, leaving some workers wondering if a person or bot is looking at their résumé.

We’re beginning to see the early stages of that trend pick up pace: In 2022, 34% of job tasks were completed by machines versus 66% by humans, according to the World Economic Forum’s “The Future of Jobs Report 2023”. By 2027, that ratio is expected to increase to 43% of tasks completed by machines and 57% by humans.

“On the one hand, yes, it’s scary to envision a world in which almost no job is safe from automation or from robotics. But the important thing to keep in mind is that through this kind of creative destruction process, while jobs will certainly be lost in some areas, there also will be jobs that will be gained.”

Despite those concerns, investors are looking for ways to bet on the growth of robotics. And according to the International Federation of Robotics, they don’t have to look very far. The US is home to the most suppliers that manufacture service robots and is well-positioned to cater to the rapidly growing global demand for robotics. The annual installation of industrial robots is expected to grow by about 30%, from 553,000 installations in 2022 to 718,000 in 2026.

In the shadows of the digital age, a quiet revolution unfolds, reshaping the landscape of work with every passing moment. Artificial intelligence (AI), once the fodder of science fiction and speculative thought, now infiltrates every facet of our professional lives, often in ways so subtle that its impact goes unnoticed until it’s too late. This silent shift sees AI not just complementing human efforts but outright replacing them, leaving a trail of obsolescence in its wake. Thus, let’s delve into the stark realities of AI’s encroachment on human jobs, exploring the future landscape of employment and the duality of its impact, through a lens that does not shy away from the grim nuances of this transition.

Across industries, AI’s efficiency, relentless work ethic, and precision have made it an irresistible choice for employers. From manufacturing lines where robotic arms assemble products with inhuman speed and accuracy, to sophisticated algorithms that manage stock portfolios, outperforming their human counterparts, the signs are clear. AI doesn’t just work alongside humans; it often works instead of them. The adoption of AI in tasks ranging from customer service bots handling inquiries with unsettling empathy, to AI-driven analytics predicting market trends with eerie accuracy, showcases a reality where human involvement becomes increasingly redundant.

As AI continues to evolve, the future of human employment navigates a precarious path. On one hand, new realms of jobs and careers will emerge, focusing on managing, enhancing, and leveraging AI technologies. On the other, the specter of widespread job displacement looms large, a testament to the inexorable march of progress that waits for no one.

On this day in 1976: Apple was founded.

Apple Inc., originally named Apple Computer, Inc., is a multinational corporation that creates and markets consumer electronics and attendant computer software, and is a digital distributor of media content. Apple’s core product lines are the iPhone smartphone, iPad tablet computer, and the Macintosh personal computer. The company offers its products online and has a chain of retail stores known as Apple Stores. Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne created Apple Computer Co. on April 1, 1976, to market Wozniak’s Apple I desktop computer,^[2] and Jobs and Wozniak incorporated the company on January 3, 1977,^[3] in Cupertino, California.