💫 AI is going supernova

AI is watching the skies

A collective of international universities, led by Northwestern, has detected a supernova using an AI-powered automated system.
Dubbed Bright Transient Survey Bot (BTSbot), the system doesn’t need people to help find exploding stars; as Northwestern notes, humans have spent more than 2,000 hours over the last six years trying to identify supernovae, but BTSbot will make the whole process much quicker. The institute also says the AI system will help mitigate against human error.
Now we just need AI to help us find aliens.
Northwestern | Link to story.

Google has got your back

Generative AI is cool and all, but what if you get sued for inadvertently trampling over someone else’s copyright? Fear not, Google is here to protect you.

The Mountain View-based tech giant has announced it will help to defend those facing copyright lawsuits relating to AI-generated content. The company says it will come to the aid of users who find themselves in legal hot water for using its AI tools, provided they can show they didn’t intentionally infringe on others' copyrights.

Google’s commitment covers both AI training and outputs. It follows similar moves by Microsoft, Adobe, and others who have also said they will protect users from AI litigation.

Legal Dive | Link to story.

Targeting the moments

YouTube has announced Spotlight Moments - an AI feature that lets advertisers automatically run ads alongside videos connected to cultural moments. In real-world terms it means marketers will be able easily pair their ads alongside popular videos covering topics like Christmas or the Olympics.

Google-owned YouTube has also revealed broader availability for its Video Reach and Video View offerings - tools that make use of AI to help advertisers better target their content.

While Google is many things to many people, the lion’s share of its revenue comes from ads, so it’s likely we’ll see more AI products like Spotlight Moment going forward.

Search Engine Journal | Link to story.

Musk’s mission to get in your head

Vox has profiled Neuralink, Elon Musk’s AI brain-chip implant company.
The report notes Neuralink has secured FDA approval for human testing, and has recently begun recruiting those living with paralysis for trials.

Vox notes Musk’s stated goal is to not just to help the physically disabled, but to someday “achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence.” However, former Neuralink employees say animal tests show there is a real risk of damage to the brain.

Other experts quoted in the report suggest invasive brain-chip implants could be unnecessary, as existing technologies already allow for interfacing with the brain.

Vox also cites the privacy concerns that are inherent in merging a person’s inner thoughts with chips, citing instances of the Chinese government mining data from caps that scan workers’ brainwaves.

Vox | Link to story.