Collaborative Intelligence Week in Review - 02Feb2024
Best business article(s) I read this week…
AI will not take everyone’s job
The author argues that, despite a long history of humans worrying about technology-driven job losses (at the macro level, not the individual level), this has never come to pass. He argues that AI will be no different.
Best technical article(s) I read this week…
Using Generative AI for Economic Research
The author demonstrates an entire workflow for using LLMs to support economic research. It is a general model anyone can follow to assist with research on any topic.
Other item(s) of note…
Neuralink implants the first brain chip in a human
CI technologies are both exhilarating and perplexing, as this item demonstrates. Are you willing to implant technology to improve your performance? Will there have to be separate categories of performance evaluation for people who are and are not technology-enhanced? There are a lot of interesting questions to grapple with as we continue down the Collaborative Intelligence path.
German start-up claims ‘memcapacitors’ will replace transistors and improve AI performance
Semron, a German startup, is developing “3D-scaled chips” that use electrical fields rather than electrical currents to perform calculations. The company claims this advancement will enable AI models to run locally on smartphones, earbuds, VR headsets, and other mobile devices.
Generative AI identifies “potent” cancer inhibitors
Insilico Medicine's AI-driven generative biology and chemistry engine helped the company identify inhibitors for certain types of cancer. This article describes the entire development process, including the use of other ML technologies downstream.
Several companies are using generative AI to teach AI skills to employees
This Wall Street Journal article describes how companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Cisco are using generative AI tools to create custom learning solutions to upskill employees on AI.
New generative AI can mimic handwriting
The creators see value in this technology for people who are no longer able to write, using it to decode illegible handwriting from, for example, physicians’ notes, etc. They are also concerned that it can be used to mimic peoples’ signatures on legal documents, creating a different class of deepfakes. As I wrote above, these technologies are exhilarating and perplexing. (This item was forwarded by a reader. If you find things of interest related to this newsletter’s themes, please forward them.)
AI chatbot helps students with their homework
I have had several discussions with educators about AI’s impact on student learning and their ability to judge student performance. There’s a divide between those who embrace it and argue that educators need to rethink how to teach students to succeed and those who are concerned that overreliance on AI will hinder intellectual development. What do you think?
Coolest thing I saw…
Autonomous machine for snow removal and lawn maintenance
This was announced at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show. It is appealing due to its focus on tasks most of us would rather outsource. It is also a harbinger of things to come.