Data Science

Does generative AI pose a threat to the rich tapestry of human expression? Are we on an inevitable path toward digital monoculturalism? This essay was written in the fall of 2016. Considering how quickly generative AI content creation tools and copilots are being woven into the fabric of our lives, now would be a very good time to start thinking about what our human-created cultures truly mean to us. Continue Reading →

IMAGE: Vintage American anti-capitalist poster, circa 1938. Source: r/antiwork A few years ago, I received an invitation to walk in the Labor Day Parade. It got me thinking about labor law as an alternative path to meaningful data privacy regulation. Today, as we begin to think hard about how to approach AI regulation, I started Continue Reading →

A prevailing misconception suggests that generative AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, possess an almost mystical ability to provide answers to intricate business queries. "How can I sell more widgets in Wyoming?" seems like a simple question, but without the right data, even the most advanced AI systems won't help you. At the heart of this misconception is an overestimation of AI's capabilities. While generative AI is undeniably powerful, it cannot conjure insights from thin air. The adage "Garbage in, garbage out" remains as relevant as ever. In the context of AI, this translates to "You can't analyze data you don't have." Continue Reading →

A federal judge recently upheld a decision by the US Copyright Office denying a copyright registration for an artwork created solely by artificial intelligence. This ruling brings up important questions about the applicability of copyright law to creative works generated by AI systems without direct human involvement. Continue Reading →

As we stand on the precipice of an overwhelmingly AI-driven financial world, we must ask ourselves: Are we prepared for the potential fallout? Gary Gensler, the SEC chair, has sounded the alarm bells, suggesting that AI could be at the heart of future financial crises. His insights, drawn from a paper he penned in 2020, shed light on the risks of AI in financial markets and the limitations of regulatory bodies in addressing these challenges. Continue Reading →

Meta AI has introduced AudioCraft, a text-to-music AI model that does an impressive job of composing, arranging, orchestrating, and playing in a wide range of musical styles. Not only can it create or mimic a melody, but it also engineers and produces fully finished work, some of which is already suitable for commercial use – and this is only V1. Imagine where the state-of-the-art will be a year from now. Continue Reading →

In a stunning display of AI prowess, Meta AI has introduced AudioCraft, a single-stop code base that does an impressive job of composing, arranging, orchestrating, producing and playing music. AudioCraft is not just an AI that can mimic a melody. It's a sophisticated system that can create music, sound effects, and even handle audio compression. Continue Reading →

At CES 2017, wearing complexity as a badge of honor, Mark Fields (Ford Motor Company CEO) told a room full of tech analysts and reporters that the onboard computers in a Ford GT 25 were running 10 million lines of code – more than Lockheed used in an F-35 fighter jet. He proudly announced that all Ford motor vehicles were going to be, "computers on wheels." Continue Reading →

Can you name the three most famous Impressionist artists? Or describe the color palette and techniques that define Color Field Painting or Naive Art? Your ability to answer these questions will have a big impact on your experience with text-to-image generators like Midjourney. But what if you haven’t been to art school or spent years studying art history? Continue Reading →

Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has open-sourced LLAMA 2, its advanced AI model. Zuck might be onto something here. Let's explore what LLAMA 2 brings to the table, its potential applications, and the implications of this open-source move for the AI community at large. Continue Reading →