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☆ How AI images of cats and ducks powered the pet-eating rumor mill
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Is A Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The rumor mill about immigrants attacking household pets got its start in thinly sourced anecdotes shared at government meetings and on social media. Some of the images shared by social media users were openly prejudiced, showing Black people chasing after cats. These images and videos often create a more engaging and shareable post — regardless of whether they’re based in truth. There were cats holding military-style rifles to defend themselves, cats holding up political signs, cats and ducks sitting side-by-side, AI-generated humans holding cat-related signs and cats and ducks being cuddled by Trump. At least two of the widely viewed AI videos of Trump and animals were made using the software of Chinese AI startup MiniMax, according to watermarks on the videos.

Persons: Donald Trump, Elon Musk’s, Trump, Kamala Harris, A.J, Bauer, ”, ” Bauer, they’ve, Harris, ” Imran Ahmed, ” Ahmed, Jack Posobiec, Posobiec, Black, Jimmy Kimmel’s, Eric Swalwell, “, ” Trump, Alice Marwick, ” Marwick, we’ve, MiniMax Organizations: University of Alabama, Adobe, Local, Trump, Center, Judiciary, Republicans, Data & Society, Marwick, Consumers Locations: Springfield , Ohio

☆ China is building its own AI at a rapid pace
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Chinese tech giants are racing to catch up with US firms like OpenAI in the AI arms race. Over 40 AI models have been approved for public use by the government, per local news reports. China has tight controls on AI , with tech companies required to "adhere to socialist values." Unlike their US rivals, Chinese companies that develop their own chatbots face political as well as technological challenges. That has meant that many of the country's most advanced AI models have a tendency to avoid sensitive topics, such as the status of Taiwan.

Persons: —, Ernie, OpenAI's, Bytedance, China's, Ernie Bot Organizations: Service, Reuters, Baidu, Google, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Bloomberg Locations: China, Taiwan

☆ 2023 has been an AI feeding frenzy, here are the startups that attracted the most investment this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Despite an overall slump in startup funding, 2023 saw a scramble among investors to pour money into AI and machine learning startups. And the company's star still appears to be rising, despite a messy leadership struggle that recently spilled into public view. Meanwhile OpenAI's perennial rival Anthropic attracted multi-billion dollar investments from both Google and Amazon to fund a competing AI model known as Claude. At the same time legacy companies from John Deere to accounting firm PwC played up their AI bona fides to capitalize on the hype. The list doesn't include startups who have not publicly released the amount of their funding rounds.

Persons: OpenAI, Anthropic, Claude, Databricks, John Deere, PwC, Fresh Organizations: Microsoft, Google, Alpha, Technology, Monogram, Sigma, Lambda, Helsing, Metals, Eagle Eye, Amelia, Asimov, Farmers Business, Harbinger, Prins, Silo, Mistral, Alto, AMP, Management Software, Universal, Coro, Kodiak Robotics, Aerospace, Defense, Sana, Corti, Kyte, Mitra, Tech, Boss Digital Technology, Halcyon, & $ Locations: PitchBook

☆ Baidu CEO says more than 70 large AI language models released in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 5 (Reuters) - More than 70 large artificial intelligence language models with over 1 billion parameters have been released in China, Baidu Inc (9888.HK) CEO Robin Li told an industry event in Beijing on Tuesday. Baidu joins several other Chinese companies that launched AI chatbots last week after securing regulatory approval for mass market releases. These include facial recognition firm SenseTime (0020.HK) and AI startups Baichuan Intelligent Technology, Zhipu AI, and MiniMax. Li said the latest version of Baidu's AI chatbot, Ernie 3.5, has processing speed twice that of the previous version with 50% improved efficiency.

Persons: Aly, Robin Li, Baidu, Li, Ernie, Yelin Mo, Brenda Goh, Muralikumar Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, Rights, Baidu Inc, HK, Technology, Baidu, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Rights BEIJING, Beijing

☆ China's government-approved AI chatbots were released to the public this week. Baidu's chatbot Ernie reportedly says a Chinese military takeover of Taiwan is possible.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Aaron Mok | Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Chinese government recently approved several generative AI chatbots for public use. Baidu's new Ernie AI chatbot weighed in on the future of Taiwan. Zhipu, from shopping-platform Meituan, gave the best results, he said, though "all the Chinese bots have catching up to do." On Taiwan: When the reporter asked these AI bots whether Taiwan is a country, Ernie declared that a Chinese military takeover of Taiwan is possible, according to the report. When the reporter asked these AI bots whether Taiwan is a country, Ernie declared that a Chinese military takeover of Taiwan is possible, according to the report.

Persons: Ernie AI chatbot, Baidu's, Ernie, Baidu, SenseTime's SenseChat, Bytedance's, Zheping Huang, Tencent's, SenseTime, Xi Jinping Organizations: Bloomberg News, Morning, Baidu, Reuters, Bloomberg Locations: Taiwan, China

☆ China Kunlun Tech subsidiary set for AI firm stake buy, $400 mln capital boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 15 (Reuters) - Kunlun Tech (300418.SZ) is planning a $400 million capital boost for a subsidiary expected to buy a stake in an artificial intelligence firm via a share issue, as Chinese tech firms ramp up efforts to develop rivals to Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT. Kunlun Tech said late on Wednesday its holding subsidiary Star Group Interactive Inc has agreed to acquire the entire equity in Singularity AI Technology Limited, which is working with Kunlun on a large language model, via share issue. After the acquisition, Star Group will receive another $400 million from its biggest shareholder, a wholly owned unit of Kunlun Tech, the filing showed. Singularity AI reported a net loss of 23.7 million yuan ($3.32 million) in the first three months of 2023 and 10.9 million yuan in full year 2022, the filing showed. ($1 = 7.1470 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Kane Wu; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: ChatGPT, Roxanne Liu, Kane Wu, Toby Chopra Organizations: Kunlun, Microsoft, Alibaba, Huawei, Tech, Star Group Interactive Inc, AI Technology Limited, Singularity AI Holdings, Star Group, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Kunlun Tech

MiniMax was founded in 2021 by some former employees of SenseTime (0020.HK), including Yan Junjie - a former vice president at the Chinese AI firm, two other people said. Wang Huiwen, co-founder of on-demand service giant Meituan (3690.HK), said he has founded a new AI company called Beijing Lightyear Technology with $50 million from investors. Google China's former chief, Kai-Fu Lee, has unveiled his new startup - Project AI 2.0. Wang Xiaochuan, founder of China's No.2 search engine Sogou, said in April that he had founded Baichuan Intelligence with a startup capital of $50 million. Its other early investors include China's Yunqi Partners and Future Capital, statements from the venture capital funds show.

Persons: MiniMax, Yan Junjie, Wang Huiwen, Kai, Fu Lee, Wang Xiaochuan, China's, MiHoYo, Charlie Chai, ERNIE Bot, Chai, Roxanne Liu, Josh Ye, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Microsoft, HK, Huawei, Baidu, Beijing Lightyear Technology, Google, Baichuan Intelligence, China's Yunqi Partners, Future, 86Research, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, miHoYo, Hong Kong

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