The future of research is AI 🧬

Sakana AI’s ‘AI Scientist’ Rewrites the Rulebook for Research

Move over, human scientists. There’s a new researcher in town—and it doesn’t wear a lab coat. 

Sakana AI’s latest innovation, the “AI Scientist,” is shaking up the world of research. This autonomous AI can generate ideas, conduct experiments, and even pen research papers, all without human intervention. 

This isn’t science fiction. The AI Scientist has already proposed a new hypothesis on protein folding, a problem that has puzzled biologists for decades. Its approach suggested that specific protein misfolds could be predicted using AI-driven pattern recognition—an insight that could lead to breakthroughs in treating diseases like Alzheimer’s.

But that’s not all. The AI Scientist also designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of a new compound in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The results: a testing protocol that human researchers had overlooked. Early results from this AI-designed experiment show promise, with the compound displaying higher efficacy than existing treatments in preliminary trials.

Ethical considerations: While these contributions are groundbreaking, they also raise significant ethical questions. 

• What happens if AI outperforms human scientists? 

• Could the reliance on AI in research reduce critical thinking and creativity among human researchers? 

• And most importantly, how do we ensure AI-driven research is conducted responsibly and ethically?

xAI’s Grok-2 Sparks a New Wave of AI Image Controversies

Elon Musk’s xAI is back in the spotlight with Grok-2. Its latest chatbot does more than just chat—it creates images. But this new capability is already stirring the pot. 

A double-edged sword: Grok-2’s image-generation abilities showcase both the promise and peril of advanced AI.

• Unlocking creativity: Grok-2 is a game-changer for creative industries. Imagine generating high-quality, bespoke images in seconds with just a few prompts. This could revolutionize fields like graphic design, marketing, and digital content creation, where speed and originality are paramount.

• The dark side: Grok-2 has already been used to generate unflagged, fake images of political figures, including some pretty inflammatory ones. The absence of safeguards means Grok-2 can easily be misused to create misleading or harmful content. In a world where misinformation is already rampant, the ability to produce realistic yet fake images could further blur the lines between truth and deception.

Google’s Pixel 9: AI Features That Make a Difference

When Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series at its recent launch event, the focus was on practical innovation. Google integrated AI into the Pixel 9 to enhance everyday tasks and interactions. 

The stand-out features?

• Smarter photography tools: The Pixel 9’s camera is powered by some of the most advanced AI we’ve seen in a smartphone. Take Add Me, for example. After your friends take a shot, you can step in front of the camera, and the Add Me feature seamlessly inserts you into the group photo, making it look like you were there all along.

• Enhanced voice interaction: The Gemini Live assistant brings voice interaction to a new level by understanding in real time what’s on your screen. Ask it about a video you’re watching or a document you’re editing, and it will provide relevant information without needing additional input.

• AI-driven performance: The Pixel 9 handles multiple tasks smoothly, whether you’re gaming, working, or just browsing, and it uses AI to summarize phone calls.

• SAG-AFTRA secures AI voice rights with Narrativ.

• Claude introduces prompt caching for faster responses.

• Artists strengthen legal battle against Stability AI and Midjourney.

• iPhones join the referee team in English soccer with AI offside detection.

• Fei-Fei Li’s AI startup gains $100M boost from NEA, hitting a $1 billion valuation.

• California pushes forward with AI regulation, while Silicon Valley sounds the alarm.