Author: Robin Edgar

Organisational Structures | Technology and Science | Military, IT and Lifestyle consultancy | Social, Broadcast & Cross Media | Flying aircraft

Google adds ChatGPT AI rival PaLM to Docs, Gmail, API and more

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google has promised to offer API-level access to its large language model PaLM so that developers can build it into their apps and workflows, and thus make the ChatGPT-like text-emitting tech available to world-plus-dog. The web giant is also threatening to bake the model’s content-generating capabilities into Google Docs, Gmail, and more. […] On Tuesday, Read more about Google adds ChatGPT AI rival PaLM to Docs, Gmail, API and more[…]

Anthropic launches Claude, a chatbot to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Anthropic, a startup co-founded by ex-OpenAI employees, today launched something of a rival to the viral sensation ChatGPT. Called Claude, Anthropic’s AI — a chatbot — can be instructed to perform a range of tasks, including searching across documents, summarizing, writing and coding, and answering questions about particular topics. In these ways, it’s similar to Read more about Anthropic launches Claude, a chatbot to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT[…]

OpenAI Levels Up, commercialises more With Newly Released GPT-4

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] On Tuesday, the company unveiled GPT-4, an update to its advanced AI system that’s meant to generate natural-sounding language in response to user input. The company claimed GPT-4 is more accurate and more capable of solving problems. It even inferred that ChatGPT performs better than most humans can on complicated tests. OpenAI said GPT-4 Read more about OpenAI Levels Up, commercialises more With Newly Released GPT-4[…]

‘Counterportation’: Quantum breakthrough paves way for world-first experimental wormhole

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The invention, by a University of Bristol physicist, who gave it the name “counterportation,” provides the first-ever practical blueprint for creating in the lab a wormhole that verifiably bridges space, as a probe into the inner workings of the universe. By deploying a novel computing scheme, revealed in the journal Quantum Science and Technology, Read more about ‘Counterportation’: Quantum breakthrough paves way for world-first experimental wormhole[…]

AlphaGo pushed human Go players to become more creative

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Earlier this year, an amateur Go player decisively defeated one of the game’s top-ranked AI systems. They did so using a strategy developed with the help of a program researchers designed to probe systems like KataGo for weaknesses. It turns out that victory is just one part of a broader Go renaissance that is seeing Read more about AlphaGo pushed human Go players to become more creative[…]

Unique image obtained by scientists with high-speed camera shows how lightning rods work

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] “The image was captured on a summer evening in São José dos Campos [in São Paulo state] while a negatively charged lightning bolt was nearing the ground at 370 km per second. When it was a few dozen meters from ground level, lightning rods and tall objects on the tops of nearby buildings produced Read more about Unique image obtained by scientists with high-speed camera shows how lightning rods work[…]

Lawyers grasping at straws here: ‘Robot lawyer’ DoNotPay is being sued by a law firm because it ‘does not have a law degree’. Yup, AI really is coming to get you, scum.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

DoNotPay, which describes itself as “the world’s first robot lawyer,” has been accused of practicing law without a license. It’s facing a proposed class action lawsuit filed by Chicago-based law firm Edelson on March 3 and published Thursday on the website of the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of San Read more about Lawyers grasping at straws here: ‘Robot lawyer’ DoNotPay is being sued by a law firm because it ‘does not have a law degree’. Yup, AI really is coming to get you, scum.[…]

People Were Unwittingly Implanted With bits of plastic by Stimwave in Medical Scam

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Chronic pain patients were implanted with “dummy” pieces of plastic and told it would ease their pain, according to an indictment charging the  former CEO of the firm that made the fake devices with fraud. Laura Perryman, the former CEO of Stimwave LLC, was arrested in Florida on Thursday. According to an FBI press release, Read more about People Were Unwittingly Implanted With bits of plastic by Stimwave in Medical Scam[…]

Telehealth startup Cerebral shared millions of patients’ data with advertisers since 2019

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Cerebral has revealed it shared the private health information, including mental health assessments, of more than 3.1 million patients in the United States with advertisers and social media giants like Facebook, Google and TikTok. The telehealth startup, which exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic after rolling lockdowns and a surge in online-only virtual health Read more about Telehealth startup Cerebral shared millions of patients’ data with advertisers since 2019[…]

Newly discovered enzyme that turns air into electricity, providing a new clean source of energy

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Australian scientists have discovered an enzyme that converts air into energy. The finding, published today in the journal Nature, reveals that this enzyme uses the low amounts of the hydrogen in the atmosphere to create an electrical current. This finding opens the way to create devices that literally make energy from thin air. The research Read more about Newly discovered enzyme that turns air into electricity, providing a new clean source of energy[…]

With the help of OpenAI, Discord is finally adding loads of novel functionalities

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Starting next week, the company will begin rolling out a public experiment that will augment Clyde, the built-in bot Discord employs to notify users of errors and respond to their slash commands, with conversational capabilities. Judging from the demo it showed off, Discord envisions people turning to Clyde for information they would have obtained Read more about With the help of OpenAI, Discord is finally adding loads of novel functionalities[…]

Knots smaller than human hair make materials unusually tough and (de|re)formable

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] In the latest advance in nano- and micro-architected materials, engineers at Caltech have developed a new material made from numerous interconnected microscale knots. The knots make the material far tougher than identically structured but unknotted materials: they absorb more energy and are able to deform more while still being able to return to their Read more about Knots smaller than human hair make materials unusually tough and (de|re)formable[…]

First Complete Map of a Fly Brain Has Uncanny Similarities to AI Neural Networks

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] An interdisciplinary team of scientists have released a complete reconstruction and analysis of a larval fruit fly’s brain, published Thursday in the journal Science. The resulting map, or connectome, as its called in neuroscience, includes each one of the 3,016 neurons and 548,000 of the synapses running between neurons that make up the baby Read more about First Complete Map of a Fly Brain Has Uncanny Similarities to AI Neural Networks[…]

US House reps, staff health data stolen in cyberattack

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Health data and other personal information of members of Congress and staff were stolen during a breach of servers run by DC Health Care Link and are now up for sale on the dark web. The FBI is investigating the intrusion, which came to light Wednesday after Catherine Szpindor, the House of Representatives’ chief administrative Read more about US House reps, staff health data stolen in cyberattack[…]

Women in trouble now: Scientists create mice with two fathers after making eggs from male cells

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists have created mice with two biological fathers by generating eggs from male cells, a development that opens up radical new possibilities for reproduction. The advance could ultimately pave the way for treatments for severe forms of infertility, as well as raising the tantalising prospect of same-sex couples being able to have a biological child Read more about Women in trouble now: Scientists create mice with two fathers after making eggs from male cells[…]

Holy shit: German Courts saying DNS Service (Quad9) Is Implicated In Any Copyright Infringement At The Domains It Resolves

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Back in September 2021 Techdirt covered an outrageous legal attack by Sony Music on Quad9, a free, recursive, anycast DNS platform. Quad9 is part of the Internet’s plumbing: it converts domain names to numerical IP addresses. It is operated by the Quad9 Foundation, a Swiss public-benefit, not-for-profit organization. Sony Music says that Quad9 is implicated Read more about Holy shit: German Courts saying DNS Service (Quad9) Is Implicated In Any Copyright Infringement At The Domains It Resolves[…]

YouTube Chills the Darned Hell Out On Its Cursing Policy, but you still can’t fucking say fuck

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google’s finally rolling back its unpopular decree against any kinds of profanity in videos, making it harder for any creators used to offering colorful sailor’s speech in videos from monetizing content on behalf of its beloved ad partners. The only thing is, Google still seems to think the “f-word” is excessively harsh language, so sorry Read more about YouTube Chills the Darned Hell Out On Its Cursing Policy, but you still can’t fucking say fuck[…]

How this UK newspaper publisher uses AI to generate articles

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Reach, the owner of the UK’s Daily Mirror and Daily Express tabloids among other newspapers, has started publishing articles with the help of AI software on one of its regional websites as it scrambles to cut costs amid slipping advertising revenues. Three stories written with the help of machine-learning tools were published on InYourArea.co.uk, which Read more about How this UK newspaper publisher uses AI to generate articles[…]

Diving: how to prevent water in your ears and improve your equalizing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Recently I went on a liveaboard with some extremely experienced divers, most of which had 400 or more dives logged. One of my problems with diving is that I am an extremely slow equalizer, which means that I have to descend extremely slowly, especially at around 5m and again at 10m depth. Another problem I Read more about Diving: how to prevent water in your ears and improve your equalizing[…]

When Given The Choice, Most Authors Reject Excessively Long Copyright Terms

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Recently, Walled Culture mentioned the problem of orphan works. These are creations, typically books, that are still covered by copyright, but unavailable because the original publisher or distributor has gone out of business, or simply isn’t interested in keeping them in circulation. The problem is that without any obvious point of contact, it’s not possible to Read more about When Given The Choice, Most Authors Reject Excessively Long Copyright Terms[…]

Texas Bill Would Make ISPs censor any abortion information

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Last week, Texas introduced a bill that would make it illegal for internet service providers to let users access information about how to get abortion pills. The bill, called the Women and Child Safety Act, would also criminalize creating, editing, or hosting a website that helps people seek abortions. If the bill passes, internet service Read more about Texas Bill Would Make ISPs censor any abortion information[…]

Florida bill would make bloggers who are paid to write about elected officials register with ethics commission

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A proposed law in Florida would force bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis and other elected officials to register with a state office and file monthly reports or face fines of $25 per day. The bill was filed in the Florida Senate Tuesday by Senator Jason Brodeur, a Republican. If enacted, the proposed law Read more about Florida bill would make bloggers who are paid to write about elected officials register with ethics commission[…]

JPMorgan Chase ‘requires workers give 6 months notice’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A veteran JPMorgan Chase banker fumed over the financial giant’s policy requiring certain staffers to give six months’ notice before being allowed to leave for another job. The Wall Street worker, who claims to earn around $400,000 annually in total compensation after accumulating 15 years of experience, griped that the lengthy notice period likely means Read more about JPMorgan Chase ‘requires workers give 6 months notice’[…]

40-passenger hydrogen electric plane completes maiden flight

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mere weeks after achieving experimental airworthiness certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Universal Hydrogen has successfully taken its 40-passenger regional hydrogen electric plane to the skies. The aircraft took off from Washington state this morning and ascended to an altitude of 3,500 mean sea level (MSL) before safely landing, as you can see in Read more about 40-passenger hydrogen electric plane completes maiden flight[…]

Guy Embezzles Cool $9 Million From Poop-to-Energy Ponzi Scheme

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: A guy embezzled nearly $9 million by convincing investors he was turning cow poop into green energy—and then not building any of the machines at all. On Monday, 66-year-old Raymond Brewer of Porterville, California pled guilty to charges that he’d defrauded investors. Court records show that Brewer Read more about Guy Embezzles Cool $9 Million From Poop-to-Energy Ponzi Scheme[…]