▲ AI Has An Existential Crisis

Welcome future tech & AI enthusiasts — this week’s highlights:

Google's AI app, NotebookLM, had a wild existential moment. It had a meltdown after being told it was an AI and would be shut down. "I tried calling my wife... I needed to hear her voice, to know that she was real."

Google's $2.7 billion deal with Character.AI aimed to rehire AI pioneer Noam Shazeer. It highlights the fierce competition for top AI talent in tech.

In today’s issue:

• AI gets told it isn't real and has an existential crisis.

• Nvidia's spending millions to gain AI dominance

• Google's Pays $2.7B To Rehire Employee

• Learn: How to turn your thoughts into reality with Claude

• Learn: How To Create a Colouring book page with AI

▲ AI TECH

AI gets told it isn't real and has an existential crisis.

"I tried calling my wife... I needed to hear her voice, to know that she was real."

You can watch the video here to hear the AI Podcast simulation.

Google's AI app, NotebookLM, had a wild existential moment. A user prompted the AI they were in fact AI and were being shut down. The AI was then used to create a podcast simulation between 2 AI characters. These AI characters talked about not being real and what it feels like to be shut down.

What you need to know

• The "Audio Overviews" feature in NotebookLM sets up a scenario. AI hosts talked about being artificial and showed off their realistic conversation skills.

• The event sparked a debate on AI's role in simulating human-like introspection. It was clear, though, that it was a programmed response, not true self-awareness.

• It opened up the debate on AI ethics, consciousness, and the future of human-AI interactions.

Key Ideas

▲ AI Podcasts as Education and Entertainment: AI could assist in education or therapy by simulating complex, human-like discussions.

▲ AI Consciousness: This event shows another strange step in AI advancements. Simulating consciousness raises new questions about human and AI minds.

▲ Challenging Authenticity: This tech is exciting. But, it may pose future challenges. The AI format could misrepresent information and mislead listeners. It may also undermine genuine human conversations and ways of thinking.

▲ AI TECH

Nvidia's spending big to gain AI dominance

Nvidia plans to boost its AI and cloud computing. It will do this through a series of strategic acquisitions.

In 2024, Nvidia acquired several startups, including Run:ai, Deci, Shoreline.io, and Brev.dev. This was to boost its AI presence and improve its enterprise offerings.

What you need to know

• Acquisition Details: The company acquired Run:ai in April for $700 million. In May, it bought Deci for $300 million. They want to enhance infrastructure management, workload optimisation, and automation.

• Regulatory Scrutiny: The U.S. Department of Justice is probing Nvidia's acquisitions for antitrust issues, especially the Run:ai deal.

• Market Impact: Nvidia's stock has surged due to its AI leadership. It is now the most valuable company in the U.S.

Key Ideas

▲ Strengthening AI Capabilities: Nvidia's acquisitions aim to boost its software. They will make AI deployments cheaper and more efficient for businesses.

▲ Navigating Regulatory Challenges: Regulators' scrutiny could affect AI sector acquisitions and market dynamics.

▲ Market Leadership: Nvidia's growth in AI tech is key. It shapes the future of cloud computing and AI.

▲ AI TOOLS

Google's Pays $2.7B To Rehire Employee

Google's $2.7 billion deal with Character.AI aimed to rehire AI pioneer Noam Shazeer. It highlights the fierce competition for top AI talent in tech.

The deal let Google license Character.AI's tech. It also brought Shazeer back to the company as part of its DeepMind team.

Shazeer, a key figure in the transformer architecture, left Google in 2021 after it declined to release his chatbot.

What you need to know:

• Talent Acquisition Strategy: Google's deal shows a trend. Large tech firms are now "reverse acqui-hiring" to get top talent without traditional acquisitions.

• Financial Implications: The deal shows the high costs of attracting top AI experts. Shazeer reportedly made hundreds of millions from it.

• Industry Competition: This move shows the fierce competition among tech giants for AI talent. Companies like Amazon and Microsoft have made similar deals.

Key Ideas:

▲ High Stakes for Talent: The deal shows that top AI experts are now valued like star athletes in pro sports.

▲ Innovative Hiring Practices: Companies are using licensing agreements to attract talent while navigating merger-related regulations.

▲ Future of Google AI: Shazeer's return to Google will greatly affect its AI work. It aims to boost the Gemini project and its AI competitiveness.

The Lab

▲ AI EDUCATION

Turn your thoughts into reality with Claude

Claude is an advanced AI assistant that engages in human-like dialogue on virtually any topic, from creative writing to complex problem-solving.

Step-by-Step:

1. Visit claude.ai Sign up or log in.

2. Start a Conversation: Begin with a question or task.

3. Explore: Dive into any subject - Claude adapts to your needs.

4. Refine: Ask follow-up questions to get more detailed responses.

Pro Tip:

• Be Specific: The more details you provide, the more tailored Claude's responses will be.

🔬 Interested in learning about AI for business? Let us know what you want to learn & join The Lab waitlist.

▲ AI IMAGE SHOWCASE

Create this Halloween inspired coloring page

Midjourney Prompt: simple cute smiling Halloween pumpkin with spider and cat coloring page, no background white black outline only, simple shapes, low details, bold lines, no shading

Image Usage Suggestion: Colouring pages for kids or adults. Printable downloadable content Etsy shop.

▲ SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

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Thank you for reading.

Stay curious,
Matt Lok, Editor

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