Elon Musk’s fight for the future of AI

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Elon Musk’s fight for the future of AI

“Not quite how I would tell the story, but very accurate for an observer who only saw part of the puzzle.” - Elon Musk

Musk's passion for AI safety led him to co-found OpenAI in 2015 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring AI benefits humanity. However, his focus on AI safety caused a rift with OpenAI in 2018, leading him to pursue various AI-related projects independently, including Neuralink and xAI, a company he recently founded to develop safe AI.

Musk's concerns about AI safety stem from the exponential growth of computer intelligence and the potential for AI to develop uncontrollably. He believes that AI should be closely tied to humans, and this belief has driven projects like Neuralink, which aims to connect human brains to computers. Musk's involvement in AI extends to his companies, such as Tesla and Twitter, where he aims to gather data that can contribute to AI development. Ultimately, his mission is to ensure the preservation of human consciousness and guide AI to pursue truth and understanding about the universe while safeguarding humanity's place within it.

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Harvard Medical School launching A.I. Medicine Ph.D.

The Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) at Harvard Medical School is launching an Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Ph.D. track, set to begin in the fall of 2024. The program aims to train talented computational students at the intersection of AI and medicine. It will equip them with the skills needed to leverage large biomedical datasets and cutting-edge AI techniques to drive innovation in healthcare, ultimately improving both the quality and equity of health outcomes.

A distinctive feature of the AIM program is its co-mentorship model, providing students with both methodological and clinical mentorship. Each student will select a technical mentor and a hospital-based clinical mentor, promoting knowledge exchange and enhancing the translational impact of their work. Additionally, AIM students will engage in clinical coursework at Harvard Medical School and participate in hospital rotations alongside medical students and fellow Ph.D. trainees from Harvard and MIT. This program represents a significant step in preparing the next generation of leaders in AI-driven healthcare.

Meta's AI teams feeling the GPU crunch

Meta is grappling with internal turmoil in its AI research lab, Fundamental AI Research (FAIR). Key AI researchers have left Meta due to disputes over the allocation of computing resources within FAIR. These departures reveal a broader issue of resource limitations and internal tensions that are affecting the AI industry as a whole.

The conflict arose as Meta rushed to release its large language models to compete with breakthroughs from other tech giants. However, limited computing power led to clashes among FAIR teams, particularly between a mostly US-based team working on OPT-175B and a Paris-based team developing the Llama model.

Despite Meta's public acclaim for releasing LLAMA and Llama 2, tensions among researchers and engineers within FAIR persist, stemming from a shift in FAIR's mission from open-ended AI research to product prioritization. The struggle for computing resources is a common challenge faced by tech giants in the rapidly evolving field of generative AI, making it difficult to retain top AI talent.

A.I. generated song submitted for Grammy consideration

Earlier this year, a mysterious artist named Ghostwriter released an unauthorized track that used AI voice effects to mimic Drake and the Weeknd. The song, "Heart on My Sleeve," was taken down from official music platforms, but it went viral on social media, inspiring others to experiment with AI music.

Behind the scenes, Ghostwriter began discussions with music industry players about AI's potential. They even attended a meeting with the Recording Academy, responsible for the Grammy Awards. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, was impressed by Ghostwriter's work and reached out.

They've also submitted "Heart on My Sleeve" for Grammy consideration. The project aims to raise awareness about AI voice filters and create a platform for artists to control and profit from their licensed voices. It's a step toward the future of music, blending technology and creativity while protecting artists' interests. CEO Harvey Mason Jr. in an interview with The New York Times, “it’s absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.”