Daily AI NEWS - June 1, 2024
Google, OpenAI, and Education

Google's AI Overview has recently been under scrutiny after returning "odd, inaccurate", or unhelpful results, such as suggesting to add glue to pizza and eat rocks. Liz Reid, the Head of Google Search, acknowledged these errors in a blog post, explaining that while fixes are being implemented, the limitations of generative AI mean such mistakes might be unavoidable.

Following the viral spread of these AI mishaps, Google is now placing more restrictions on the AI Overview feature. The adjustments aim to ensure more accurate responses, though Reid's explanations suggest that certain inaccuracies may continue to persist due to the intrinsic nature of the technology.

OpenAI has reported halting five covert influence operations over the past three months that exploited its AI models for deceptive online activities. These operations, originating from Russia, China, Iran and Israel, aimed to manipulate public opinion.

OpenAI's inaugural report highlights the misuse of AI by actors from countries like Russia and China to disseminate propaganda, albeit inefficiently. The report underscores the growing concern over AI in influence campaigns.

Meanwhile, OpenAI board members Bret Taylor and Larry Summers defended CEO Sam Altman against criticisms from former directors, emphasizing his highly forthcoming nature amidst the challenges.

The Tribeca Film Festival will debut five short films made by AI, utilizing OpenAI’s Sora model to transform text inputs into video clips. This event marks the first use of such technology at the festival.

The first streaming service for AI-generated TV shows has launched, providing a platform for users to create their own TV content. This novel approach aims to democratize TV production using advanced AI tools.

Fable Studios' new AI-powered tool, Showrunner, allows users to direct, star in, and earn money from their own TV shows, marking a significant shift in media creation. Meanwhile, Vox Media and The Atlantic have joined a growing list of media organizations partnering with OpenAI.

OpenAI is bringing ChatGPT to college campuses across the country. On Thursday, the company announced ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT built specifically for students, academics, and faculty. "ChatGPT Edu is designed for schools that want to deploy AI more broadly."

Perplexity is rolling out a feature called Pages, which lets users type a potential topic into a prompt box, and its model does the research, writing, and creation of a report. This tool turns research into visually dynamic content.

Apple will reportedly let Siri interact with your iPhone apps, and down the road, it will also be able to execute multiple tasks in one go with iOS 18 updates.

Gen AI tools are rapidly enhancing phishing emails, making them more advanced, harder to detect, and significantly more dangerous. Recent research revealed that 60% of participants fell victim to AI-automated phishing, matching the success rates of traditional methods.

In a related concern, over two-thirds of British MPs and almost half of EU MEPs have had their email addresses leaked on the dark web. New research from cybersecurity firm Proton, in partnership with Con, highlights the growing risk as election seasons approach in the UK and EU.