DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Google’s AI chatbot Bard had an inaccurate response in public demo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Google’s much-hyped new AI chatbot tool Bard, which has yet to be released to the public, is already being called out for an inaccurate response it produced in a demo this week. Bard’s blunder highlights the challenge for Google as it races to integrate the same AI technology that underpins Microsoft-backed ChatGPT into its core search engine. In trying to keep pace with what some think could be a radical change spurred by conversational AI in how people search online, Google now risks upending its search engine’s reputation for surfacing reliable information. Like ChatGPT, Bard is built on a large language model, which is trained on vast troves of data online in order to generate compelling responses to user prompts. The executive said AI technology would pave the way for the “next frontier of our information products.”

☆ Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon preview
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Mike Andronico | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon fleshes out the franchise’s backstory in the form of a pastel-colored adventure that challenges you to control two characters at once as you solve puzzles and take down enemies. Bayonetta Origins, which casts you as a young girl named Cereza (who, spoiler alert, would eventually become Bayonetta) is decidedly not that. The takeawayNintendoI came into my Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon demo with mild expectations, and came out itching to spend more time with Cereza and Cheshire. If you own a Nintendo Switch, it should be on your radar — even if you’ve never played a Bayonetta game before. Bayonetta Origins is up for preorder now and hits stores on March 17, and we’re already looking forward to playing more.

☆ Google CEO Sundar Pichai says users will be able to interact directly with AI features in its search engine 'very soon'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

He said on the Thursday call that AI "is the most profound technology" the company is working on. Its CEO, Sundar Pichai, told investors on Thursday that AI "is the most profound technology" the company is working on. Pichai said on Thursday that the tech giant was planning to make its language models, starting with Google's Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), available for users to "engage directly" with. "Very soon, people will be able to interact directly with our newest, most powerful language model as a companion to Search, in experimental and innovative ways," he said. Google also reportedly plans to demo a version of Google Search with AI chatbot features this year.

☆ Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra hands-on and how to preorder
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Mike Andronico | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The S23 Ultra seems like a conservative upgrade on the surface, cramming a faster processor and some quality-of-life updates into a familiar design. Here’s what we think about the Galaxy S23 Ultra after getting our hands on one for a few hours. Galaxy S23 Ultra price and preordersThe Galaxy S23 Ultra is available for preorder now starting at $1,200 with 256GB of storage and in your choice of Phantom Black, Cream, Green or Lavender, with units set to ship on Feb. 17. Same slick design with a wild new cameraMike Andronico/CNNWe wouldn’t blame you for mistaking the Galaxy S23 Ultra for last year’s model at a quick glance. Just like its predecessor, the S23 Ultra feels great to hold, with flat edges that give it some extra grip over the curvier S23 and S23+.

☆ A Chick-fil-A restaurant's traffic got so bad that city officials ordered it to be demolished and plan to build a new drive-thru-only location
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chick-fil-A restaurants average $8 million a year in sales. The city's solution to the restaurant's traffic-clogging line was to add more drive-thru lanes and eliminate the dining room. The two drive-thru lanes wrap the restaurant, according to the proposal approved by the Charlotte City Council last month. A Chick-fil-A in Charlotte, North Carolina, is being rebuilt as a drive-thru only restaurant to address traffic in the retail center. "Chick-fil-A restaurants in Charlotte always strive to be a good neighbor and have been strong supporters of their local communities."

☆ The history of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, which Elon Musk helped found before parting ways and criticizing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

OpenAI released an early demo of ChatGPT in December, and the conversational chatbot quickly went viral on social media. ChatGPTWithin five days the chatbot had over one million users, as people took to social media to share examples of ChatGPT's many capabilities — from casual conversation to essay writing and coding. The artificial intelligence company that created it is now backed by Microsoft, but has a long history with some of Silicon Valley's biggest names. Sources:Entrepreneur, Insider

The slogan reads "No to the Macron's pension reform". In what could prove a prolonged standoff, unions and their members are seeking to minimise the impact on personal finances already strained by the worst cost of living crisis in decades. French unions generally do not have permanent strike funds to help members cope, though some will set up occasional kitties financed by donations for a specific cause. While it is generally used to cover legal fees and compensate workers in local strikes, members are now clamouring for it to help cover lost pay during the pension strikes. However, even before the cost of living crisis, French unions have struggled to resist government reform plans in the decades since massive strikes in 1995 successfully forced a conservative government to drop a pension overhaul.

☆ ChatGPT creator rolls out ‘imperfect’ tool to help teachers spot potential cheating
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Two months after OpenAI unnerved some educators with the public release of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that can help students and professionals generate shockingly convincing essays, the company is unveiling a new tool to help teachers adapt. OpenAI on Tuesday announced a new feature, called an “AI text classifier,” that allows users to check if an essay was written by a human or AI. Public schools in New York City and Seattle have already banned students and teachers from using ChatGPT on the district’s networks and devices. OpenAI now joins a small but growing list of efforts to help educators detect when a written work is generated by ChatGPT. Some companies such as Turnitin are actively working on ChatGPT plagiarism detection tools that could help teachers identify when assignments are written by the tool.

☆ Mercedes-Benz says it has achieved Level 3 automation, which requires less driver input, surpassing the self-driving capabilities of Tesla and other major US automakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mercedes-Benz announced it will introduce its Level 3 autonomous driving system in Nevada. Unlike a Level 2 system, which requires constant supervision from the driver as the vehicle steers and accelerates, Level 3 automation gives drivers more leeway. When The Drive's test pilot put a camera in front of his face, Mercedes's autonomous driving system disengaged. Some critics have also accused the company of misleading its customers by calling the company's autonomous driving system "Full Self-Driving." Spokespersons for Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, and SAE did not respond to a request for comment.

☆ A woman is going viral on TikTok for calling out objectifying comments after a prospective work client accidentally shared his Zoom screen
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Zoom, prospective clients accidentally shared their screens with objectifying messages about Sharpe. She called them out in a viral TikTok, and is using her newfound virality to spark conversation. "If we're going to continue to work together, I want to work with a woman sales representative," Sharpe said in the TikTok video, which has 7.5 million views. Sharpe told Insider she let the meeting run on for 15 minutes before she decided to call out the comments. Sharpe shared a screenshot of the apology in a follow-up TikTok, which stated that the vendor could not provide a "skilled enough" woman to assist her.

☆ Google plans to demo a version of its search engine with AI chatbot features and launch 20 new products, following ChatGPT 'code red,' report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Google is planning to demonstrate an AI version of its search engine, The New York Times reported. The New York Times reported that Google had been shaken out of its routine, following the launch of OpenAI's chatbot. Google plans to unveil more than 20 new products and demo a version of Google Search with AI chatbot features this year, The Times reported, citing a presentation it had seen and two people familiar with the plans. AI experts, search experts, and current and former Google employees told Insider's Tom Dotan that ChatGPT was unlikely to be a replacement for Google search just yet because of concerns about its inaccurate responses. The Times reported that safety, tackling misinformation, and ensuring factual accuracy were some of Google's key priorities for the chatbot search demo.

☆ Amazon's drone delivery unit hit with layoffs just as 10-year-old project finally launches
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Two employees said Carbon, who replaced Prime Air co-founder Gur Kimchi, was hired to turn Prime Air into a real business with a sensible budget. Sources with knowledge of Prime Air said cuts in the drone delivery business were expected considering the division's many struggles. Monica Williams, a College Station resident, poses with a Prime Air drone at a community event in July. College Station residents also expressed concern about the prospect of drones harming the deer, foxes and birds that are native to the area. "As we continue to expand, we will update you when drone delivery is available for your household."

☆ We got an exclusive look at the pitch deck Y Combinator alum Howdy, a workplace hiring startup, used to raise $18 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Howdy is a workplace staffing startup that matches developers in Latin America with jobs in the US. Now, the company has raised a total of $18 million for its Series A round and extension. Howdy also offers mentorship services for its developers to help bridge any cultural gap they may have at their new workplace. Greycroft also participated in the round, Samira told Insider. Check out the 31-slide pitch deck that Howdy used to raise $18 million:

There were new twists on foldable devices, cars that changed colors and smart ovens that live streamed dinners. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty ImagesBMW unveiled a wild color-changing concept car with 260 e-panels that can change up to 32 colors. During a demo, different parts of the car, including the wheel covers, flashed in varying hues and swirls of colors. A new look for foldable phonesSamsung's Flex Hybrid Display concept folds and slides SamsungSome companies offered a new twist on the foldable phone concept. The lock, which will cost $300, will be available for purchase late this spring, according to a company press release.

☆ A Swedish company is looking to solve fashion's sustainability problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Tania Bryer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailA Swedish company is looking to solve fashion's sustainability problemEach year millions of clothes are produced, worn, and discarded, often ending up in landfills or being incinerated. To solve this, Swedish company Renewcell has found a way to recycle old textiles to create new fibers, creating a circular and sustainable model. CNBC's Tania Bryer traveled to its demo plant to find out more.

☆ This $3,000 self-driving stroller isn't as terrifying as it sounds. It's basically a nanny on wheels.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Canadian startup Glüxkind is selling a self-driving baby stroller called the Ella AI for $3,300. Ella AI was displayed at the 2023 Consumer Electronic Show and is slated to be available in April. Parents can also activate hands-free strolling, which allows the stroller to drive itself when a baby wants to walk or be held. For additional support, the Glüxkind stroller has a built in a "rock-my-baby" mode which automatically rocks the stroller for a comforting effect when the stroller is not in motion. Check out a demo of the Ella AI:

☆ A $3,300 self-driving stroller is at this year’s CES. Are parents ready?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Hang onto your baby bonnets: Self-driving technology is coming to strollers. Canadian-based baby gear startup Gluxkind was showing off its Ella AI Powered Smart Stroller at this year’s CES, the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas that offers some of the most cutting edge – and out-there – new technologies. The smart stroller offers much of the same tech seen in autonomous cars and delivery robots, including a dual-motor system for uphill walks and automatic downhill brake assist. The Ella stroller is able to drive itself for hands-free strolling – but only when a child is not inside. Deliveries of the stroller are expected to begin in April 2023, according to the company website.

☆ I got into Y Combinator as a solo founder and left with a $4.5 million investment. Here's how I got in on my second try and what it was like.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kathryn Cross is the founder of Anja Health, a cord blood bank that freezes stem cells for future disease treatment purposes. I first heard about the startup accelerator Y Combinator when I was studying at Wellesley College and taking entrepreneurship classes at MIT. Many of the founders living in the house were in Y Combinator, and they told me how beneficial it was. I left my job with Publicis Sapient in June 2021 to begin working full-time for Anja Health. Did you go through Y Combinator and have a story to tell?

☆ It's time to revive the 'pink-slip parties' of the early 2000s
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

First: Remember "pink-slip parties"? Now, 20-some years later, pink-slip parties are being floated as a way to ameliorate the pain felt by recently laid-off tech workers. Pink-slip parties originated with the dot-com bubble burst, when laid-off employees would gather to commiserate, laugh, drink, and meet prospective hiring managers. Hemming began running regular meetups for laid-off tech workers — misery loves company, after all — giving them an opportunity to network. She shared her thoughts on everything from the current hiring landscape to the benefits of pink-slip parties for younger generations.

☆ YouTube's $2.5 billion deal with the NFL could rock streaming TV advertising in 2023. Experts predict 4 things that will impact the flow of ad dollars next year.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Ryan Joe | Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Streaming TV ad spend will surge in 2023. The foundation is set for streaming TV advertising to be a huge growth area in 2023. The global media agency Magna Global predicted in its recent forecast that streaming TV ad spend in the US will surge 32.7% next year. Here's what experts — including advertisers, content owners, TV measurement firms, and analysts — think will impact the flow of dollars in streaming TV advertising next year. More advertisers will buy streaming TV ads — and pay higher rates — because of live sports2022 was a boom year for live sports in streaming TV.

☆ Tesla under investigation by NHTSA for two more crashes that may have involved Autopilot or FSD
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla offers a standard driver assistance package called Autopilot in all its new cars today. Another recent crash added to NHTSA's list involved a 2020 Tesla Model 3, the company's entry-level sedan. According to data obtained from NHTSA by CNBC, the agency is looking into at least 41 crashes involving Tesla vehicles where automated features such as automatic emergency braking, or more extensive driver assistance system features included in Autopilot, FSD, and FSD Beta were involved. The California DMV has accused Tesla of engaging in false advertising around its driver assistance systems. Amid tough economic conditions, Tesla has recently offered steep discounts on its cars in the US, Canada, Mexico and China.

☆ 2 coders made a teleprompter AI that suggests smart things to say during your work meetings
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two coders shared a demo of Tele-Prompt, an AI that generates things to say during work meetings. Tele-Prompt uses natural language processing to suggest sales advice and slogans meant to inspire. The company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, announced the AI had attracted 1 million users five days after its launch. Coder Georgi Gerganov, for instance, revamped the Tele-Prompt so that the bot can run on an iPhone, according to a demo he tweeted. As technology continues to advance, Gross tweeted that AI language models are "a really interesting area of exploration."

☆ Bill Gates upbeat on climate innovation, even if 1.5C goal out of reach
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Katy Daigle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The software-developer-turned-philanthropist was nevertheless upbeat about climate innovation - ticking off numerous areas advancing low-carbon technologies with funding from the Breakthrough Energy Group, which Gates founded in 2015. Gates has invested more than $2 billion toward climate technologies, including direct air capture, solar energy and nuclear fission. Breakthrough Energy, however, operates separately from the Gates Foundation charity. But any Breakthrough Energy profits are funneled back into the group or to the foundation. He did not elaborate on the DAC companies' plans.

☆ ‘Something to Talk About’ songwriter Shirley Eikhard dies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK — Shirley Eikhard, the singer-songwriter who supplied songs for Cher, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, Chet Atkins and found lasting fame penning Bonnie Raitt‘s Grammy-winning 1991 hit “Something to Talk About,” has died. Eikhard died Thursday at Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville, Ontario, due to complications from cancer, said publicist Eric Alper. The blues-rock smash hit “Something to Talk About” was written in 1985 and Eikhard had offered it to Murray and other artists, who all declined to record it. Then years later Raitt left a message on Eikhard’s phone saying she she’d just recorded it. Raitt said later she’d discovered the song on a demo Eikhard had sent and admired it.

☆ John Carmack, the consulting CTO for Meta's virtual-reality efforts, is leaving. 'I wearied of the fight'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Ashley Stewart | Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Carmack joined Oculus in 2013 as CTO, prior to its acquisition by Facebook. John Carmack, the consulting CTO for Meta's virtual-reality efforts, is leaving, according to two people familiar with the company. Overall, Carmack said he simply "wearied of the fight" with Meta, formerly known as Facebook, which acquired Oculus in 2014. Despite being one of the best known and more popular VR headsets on the market, Meta changed the name of the brand last year to Meta Quest. During Meta's developer conference in October, Carmack hosted a solo hour-long talk about the company's Oculus or Quest headset.

Search resuls for: "Demo"

25 mentions found