Welcome to our latest blog post, where we'll be diving into some of the biggest news stories from the world of technology. From new operating systems to cutting-edge AI technology, there's been plenty of exciting developments in recent weeks. So sit back, relax, and join us as we take a journey through the latest and greatest stories from the world of tech.
1. Microsoft Windows 11’s work with AI
Microsoft is set to launch an update to its Windows 11 operating system on Tuesday, which features its latest AI-powered Bing capabilities. The update will place the new AI tool front and center on the taskbar, providing users with easy access to its features. The AI tool can be accessed from the Windows search box, allowing users to perform web queries, access files and settings. The search bar is used by over half a billion users each month, making it prime real estate for the new feature.
Despite recent controversy surrounding Bing's AI chatbot, which provided inaccurate and emotionally reactive responses, Microsoft remains confident in the product. In fact, the company is doubling down on AI, likening the changes coming to the PC to the way the keyboard and mouse transformed computer interaction.
The AI-powered Windows 11 features include automatic framing and the reduction of background noise during video calls. Microsoft has also automated some of its accessibility tools, such as live video captions. The company's efforts in AI have grown, with a recent "multibillion dollar" investment in OpenAI, the company behind the viral AI chatbot tool, ChatGPT.
The Bing integration is just one of several notable updates coming to Windows 11. Microsoft is also taking steps to improve the Windows experience for Apple and Samsung users. For Apple users, the new update will allow them to receive iOS alerts and messages directly on their Windows 11 devices. Android users have been able to receive messages on Windows devices since 2018, but Apple has been reticent to open up its iMessage APIs to vendors like Microsoft.
Meanwhile, for Samsung device users, Microsoft is making it easier to activate their phone’s personal hotspot with a single click from within the Wi-Fi network list on their PC. The company is also adding a Recent Websites feature that allows users to transfer their browser sessions from their smartphone to their Windows PC.
Overall, Microsoft's latest update is a significant vote of confidence in AI, and it's clear that the company is committed to its continued development. As AI continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how it transforms the Windows experience and computing as a whole.
2. Meta – Generative AI group
Generative AI is quickly becoming a focal point for social media giants. Meta has formed a new product group dedicated to incorporating generative AI into all of its products to create "delightful experiences." Meanwhile, Snap has launched a new chatbot powered by OpenAI's GPT technology.
According to a recent Facebook post by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the teams working on generative AI will be brought together to focus on developing AI personas for WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram filters, and advertising formats. In the short term, the focus will be on creating expressive and creative tools, while the longer-term goal is to develop AI personas that can assist people in various ways.
Snap's My AI for Snapchat is a chatbot available to paid subscribers, powered by the latest version of ChatGPT. The bot can be used for content creation, organization, and recommendations, among other things.
The move by Meta and Snap is part of a broader trend among big tech companies to position themselves in the rapidly growing field of generative AI. Many major players, including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, are investing heavily in this space. However, there have been setbacks, such as Microsoft and Alphabet's recent blunders, which wiped billions off their value.
Snap has taken the unusual step of apologizing in advance for any issues that may arise with My AI, as it is prone to making mistakes and may be tricked into saying just about anything. While the chatbot is designed to avoid biased, incorrect, harmful, or misleading information, it's important to exercise caution and not rely on it for sensitive information or advice.
As AI continues to become increasingly prevalent in our lives, it's crucial for companies to develop responsible and ethical AI solutions that prioritize user safety and well-being.
3. Informatica – AI Tool designed for Marketers
Informatica, the enterprise cloud data management specialist, has launched a new cloud data integration service called Informatica Cloud Data Integration-Free and PayGo. This innovative service is aimed at helping data practitioners and non-technical users, such as those in marketing, sales, and revenue operations teams, to quickly build data pipelines in just a few minutes. It enables operations teams to easily load, integrate, and analyze high-quality data related to campaigns, pipelines, forecasts, and revenues.
The Informatica Cloud Data Integration-Free and PayGo service is the second release in a series that began with the Informatica Data Loader launch in May 2022. Together, these releases offer the only free data loading and integration solutions that are natively built to provide intelligent cloud data management services for all data-driven use cases. They support all major data warehouses and lake solutions, including Amazon Redshift, Azure Synapse, Databricks Delta Lake, Google BigQuery, and Snowflake.
With Informatica Cloud Data Integration-Free, users can process up to 20 million rows for ELT or reach 10 processing hours for ETL, per month, whichever comes first. Meanwhile, Informatica Cloud Data Integration-PayGo comes with essential customer support and SOC2 compliance, and there is no limit on processing rows or hours of usage. Users only pay for what they use with a credit card.
4. AI in Medicine - Organ Transplantation
A new technology known as Organ Quality Assessment (OrQA) has been developed to assess the quality of organs for donation. With the help of Artificial Intelligence, the technology aims to evaluate the quality of an organ in a similar way to facial recognition.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has contributed over £1 million in funding to develop the new technology. The OrQA software could revolutionize the transplant system and potentially save lives while also saving tens of millions of pounds.
Transplantation is the best treatment for patients with organ failure, but unfortunately, some organs cannot be used due to concerns that they may not function properly once transplanted. The OrQA software has been designed to "score" the quality of the organ and support surgeons in assessing whether the organ is healthy enough to be transplanted.
The software uses machine learning algorithms, which are trained using thousands of images of human organs. This enables it to assess images of donor organs more effectively than what the human eye can see. Ultimately, the surgeon could take a photo of the donated organ, upload it to OrQA, and get an immediate answer as to how best to use the donated organ.
It is estimated that the technology could result in up to 200 more patients receiving kidney transplants and 100 more receiving liver transplants per year in the UK. This is great news for the nearly 7,000 patients awaiting organ transplants in the UK.
The project is being supported by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), Quality in Organ Donation biobank, and an NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit to deliver research for the NHS. It also involves academics from the Universities of Oxford and New South Wales.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recent developments in the world of AI offer a glimpse into the incredible potential of technology to positively impact our lives. From enhanced user experiences and streamlined data management to revolutionary advancements in medical care, these innovations demonstrate the power of technology to create meaningful change. As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, we can look forward to a future where technology is not just a tool, but a transformative force that makes the world a better place for all.
