AI just catalyzed a new scientific era

Plus: Google and Apple's AI upgrades

Happy Friday! Word on the street is that OpenAI is adding search to its feature mix on Monday. 👀 The company is reportedly preparing to launch a ChatGPT search tool, which will source information from the internet and provide citations. And if the competition wasn’t obvious enough, this development comes right before Google's anticipated AI announcements at its I/O developer conference.

Do you think we’ll still be using Google’s basic search functions in a year? Or is this the start of an AI-powered search revolution? Hit reply and let me know your thoughts.

Google DeepMind Drops Huge AlphaFold Update

Google Deepmind

We’re now one step closer to understanding life’s biggest mysteries—down to the molecular level. On Wednesday, Google DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs dropped a massive update to AlphaFold, their machine learning model that predicts protein structures. 

Some context: Since 2018, AlphaFold has been leading the charge in predicting protein structures—a crucial step for scientists to take advantage of proteins’ unique traits. With AlphaFold 3, scientists can now model:

  • Highly-accurate biomolecular structures and behaviors of DNA, RNA, ligands, and ions

  • Chemical modifications for proteins and nucleic acids

How it works: Simply provide a list of molecules, and AlphaFold 3 can render the 3D structure and simulate interactions with other biomolecules. This update shows a staggering 50% improvement in prediction accuracy compared to previous models. 

And there’s more: The new AlphaFold Server is a free, web-based tool that allows researchers to access this technology. Within the server, researchers can generate structure predictions within seconds, compared to the months or even years required for experimental methods.

  • The catch? The server has some restrictions about what can be modeled, particularly for drug candidate molecules. 

Why it matters: These last few weeks, we’ve seen cosmic leaps of AI in the biological sciences—and AlphaFold is no exception. AlphaFold 3 is more than protein prediction modeling: It’s a disruptive tool that could revolutionize drug discovery and materials science research.

Google and Apple Announce Back-to-Back AI-Powered Releases

Apple

It’s been a big week for AI enablement. Apple and Google unveiled new devices geared towards AI. Let’s break them down:

Apple's M4 chip: Apple’s latest M4 chip is coming to the new iPad Pro and promises to revolutionize how iPadOS handles AI tasks. Here’s what’s new:

  • Neural Engine: Capable of 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS), it’s Apple's most powerful Neural Engine yet (faster than the neural processing unit of any AI processing unit today).

  • Second-Gen 3nm Tech: Features a 10-core CPU (four performance cores, six efficiency cores), delivering up to 1.5x faster CPU performance than the M2 chip in the previous iPad Pro.

According to Apple, the M4 is “extremely well-suited for the latest applications leveraging AI.” Sounds like Apple is getting ready to future-proof its devices for AI.

Google's Pixel 8a: The Google Pixel 8a is here, powered by the Tensor G3 chip and loaded with AI features. Let’s walk through a couple: 

  • Gemini AI Assistant: A built-in AI assistant that lets you brainstorm ideas, write notes, and plan trips on the go.

  • Circle to Search: Circle, scribble, or tap on images, text, or videos to search without switching apps.

The Tensor G3 processor makes Pixel 8a the first A-series device with native access to Gemini. This means that, out of the box, the Pixel 8a can deliver more relevant responses to AI actions.

Why it matters: These releases from Apple and Google highlight how AI capabilities are going mainstream, with everyday devices designed to power AI features.

AI Website Builder = Game Changer

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Ready for AI to save you time and create your perfect website? Get 50% off any plan for 12 months.

OpenAI Shakes Up Content Rights

OpenAI’s use of public data has been a hot-button topic. Multiple publishers have sued OpenAI for using their content, and OpenAI’s Sora allegedly broke YouTube’s terms of service by using its videos for training data.

It’s clear: The company hasn’t had the best track record with content creators and owners. And now? They’re seeking redemption through new tools and partnerships.

The proposed tool: OpenAI announced that it’s currently developing Media Manager, a tool that will let creators control how their content is used in AI research and training.

  • Set to launch in 2025, this first-of-its-kind tool will identify copyrighted text, images, and audiovisual content across multiple sources.

And a partnership: On the same day that OpenAI announced its new “approach to data,” the company shared a freshly inked partnership with Dotdash Meredith, known for brands like People and Better Homes & Gardens.

  • Per the agreement, Dotdash licenses its content for training ChatGPT while leveraging OpenAI’s models to enhance its in-house ad tools.

Why it matters: Both Media Manager and the Dotdash partnership show that OpenAI is starting to take training data more seriously, providing guardrails and writing deals that pay for content. Whether the company is trying to keep the lawsuits at bay or genuinely seeks to empower creators, things are moving in a positive direction. 

As a creator myself, I’m keeping a close eye on how this will all play out, but I’m hopeful OpenAI can lead the charge. 

  • Sam Altman says AI's economic impact is a top concern.

  • Microsoft is building a $3.3 billion data center at the former Foxconn site.

  • Sperm whale ‘alphabet’ discovered, thanks to machine learning.

  • Daimler’s driverless semi trucks will hit the road in 2027.

  • New Apple Photos app to utilize generative AI for image editing.

  • X launches Stories, delivering news summarized by Grok AI.

More important AI news: Dive deeper into this week’s hottest AI news stories (because yes, there are even more) in my latest YouTube video:

Why did Logan Kilpatrick leave OpenAI for Google amidst the AI surge? On the latest episode of The Next Wave, we sit down with Kilpatrick himself to learn about his pivotal shift to Google, his insights on the evolution of AI, the ethics of open-source models, and more:

There’s a new ChatGPT competitor…and it’s not what you think it is. I’m breaking down everything you need to know about the mysterious gpt2-chatbot:

And there you have it! With OpenAI tackling content rights and eyeing Google’s search throne… well—let’s just say things are about to get interesting. 

—Matt (FutureTools.io)

P.S. This newsletter is 100% written by a human. Okay, maybe 96%.