AI News Digest: AI Mayoral Bid, Perplexitys Ad Plans, and Googles Health AI
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Sources: The Neuron,

Welcome to Digest.fm's Daily AI News, where we sift through the latest developments in artificial intelligence to bring you the highlights in a way that’s engaging and easy to digest. I'm your host, James, and today we have some intriguing stories that might just reshape your view of AI’s role in our lives and businesses.

First up, we head to Cheyenne, Wyoming – a place that recently made headlines for something you don’t see every day: an AI trying to run for mayor! Victor Miller created an AI named Vic, which stands for Virtual Integrated Citizen, using ChatGPT. The plan? Blend AI with human judgment in governance. But after a resounding election result where the AI received just 327 out of 11,036 votes, it seems residents weren’t ready to hand over the keys to City Hall just yet. The campaign was an exploration into whether an AI could effectively make 100% of the decisions in office – a concept that many voters found hard to swallow.

Interestingly, as we see the conversation shift around AI in the workforce, nearly half of CEOs surveyed believe their positions could eventually be automated. A little nod to the future of leadership, perhaps? Though some companies have already appointed AIs as board members or even CEOs, the reality tends to be a bit more grounded. A Chinese video game company that once promoted an AI named Tang Yu saw spikes in stock performance at first but is now underwhelming—a reminder that human touch still seems valuable in executive roles. Human Vic may say he’s planting the seeds of a governance revolution, but it looks like the majority of Cheyenne isn’t quite ready for that leap just yet.

Now, moving on to an update from Perplexity—this AI search platform has announced plans to introduce advertising later this year. While some users may appreciate the potential for enhanced features funded by ads, the implications for search experience and how algorithms might be influenced bring a new layer of complexity. As we dive deeper into this ad-driven model, it’ll be interesting to monitor how users react and whether they can maintain a quality experience while monetizing their platform.

In another corner of the AI universe, AI21 has released updated versions of its Jamba AI models aimed at making assistants even more capable. This update combines numerous approaches to create smarter, versatile tools for handling tasks that people manage daily. Whether it's helping businesses to scale customer service or parsing through data more efficiently, the enhancements promise to boost productivity. The potential applications here are enormous; it opens doors for smaller enterprises to compete with larger corporations through improved efficiency.

On a global scale, Meta and Spotify have issued a critique of European Union regulations impacting open-source innovation. They argue that these restrictive measures could stifle the creativity and progress that’s crucial for tech growth in the region. Sitting at the crossroads of policy and innovation, their stance calls for simpler and more unified rules—a necessary conversation as governments seek to regulate emerging technologies without curbing their promising potential.

And lastly, a noteworthy development is coming from the health tech front: Google has introduced a new AI model that can analyze coughs and breathing sounds to detect lung diseases more effectively than existing tools. As healthcare continues to weave tech into its fabric, innovations like this can potentially transform diagnostics, making it quicker and more accessible to those in need.

So, to wrap it all up, today’s journey through the AI landscape included an AI mayoral bid that didn’t quite take flight, Perplexity's new advertising strategy, smarter AI assistants from AI21, critiques of EU regulations from industry giants, and groundbreaking analysis tools from Google. These stories not only underscore the rapid advancements in AI but also spark conversations about the future of work, governance, and healthcare.

Thanks for joining me today on Digest.fm’s Daily AI News! If you want to dive deeper into any of these stories, find the links in the description below. Stay tuned for more exciting updates, and remember to keep exploring this fascinating world of AI!