Google rebrands Bard AI to Gemini and launches a new app and subscription

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In this edition of our daily newsletter, we delve into the latest developments across the AI and tech landscape, highlighting Google's strategic move with the rebranding of Bard to Gemini, introducing a powerful new app and subscription model aimed at enhancing AI-driven productivity. We also cover the U.S. Government's proactive steps towards AI safety with the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute and Consortium, aimed at setting new AI regulations and ensuring ethical AI deployment. The impact of generative AI on political campaigning is vividly illustrated through Indonesia's presidential elections, showcasing a shift in electoral strategies. Additionally, we touch upon Russia's ambition to close the AI technology gap with the West, despite facing significant hurdles. Google's release of the advanced Gemini Ultra AI tool signifies a leap forward in generative AI capabilities, while concerns over U.S. venture capital investments in blacklisted Chinese AI companies spotlight the intricate interplay between technology, national security, and ethics in the global AI race.

Sliced:

• 🆕 Google rebrands Bard AI to Gemini and launches a new app and subscription

• 🏛️ Feds Launch AI Safety Institute and Consortium to Set AI Rules

• 🗳️ Generative AI may change elections this year. Indonesia shows how

• 🌍 Vladimir Putin wants to catch up with the West in AI

🆕 Google rebrands Bard AI to Gemini and launches a new app and subscription

Google announced the rebranding of Bard to Gemini, introducing a new app and subscription model, signaling a significant push into AI-driven tools. This rebrand aligns with the suite of AI models that power the assistant, now accessible via a dedicated Android app and within the iOS Google app. Google aims to offer a comprehensive AI agent capable of performing a wide array of tasks, emphasizing the future integration of these tools into daily tasks and productivity enhancement. The subscription, Gemini Ultra 1.0, available through Google One, represents a step towards more sophisticated AI interactions, including enhanced capabilities in Gmail, Docs, and other Google services, with a focus on contextual understanding and task automation. This move reflects Google's broader strategy to compete in the AI space, offering advanced tools across more than 150 countries, albeit initially in English, with plans for multi-language support.

🏛️ Feds Launch AI Safety Institute and Consortium to Set AI Rules

The U.S. Government announced the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI) and the supporting Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) to develop safe AI technologies. AISI, under the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and directed by Elizabeth Kelly, aims to create new AI regulations following President Biden's executive order. AISIC brings together AI creators, users, and researchers to establish AI safety standards. The consortium launched with 200 members, including major tech companies, to address AI's societal and economic impacts and ensure safe and ethical AI development and deployment.

🗳️ Generative AI may change elections this year. Indonesia shows how

The Indonesian presidential elections showcase a pivotal transformation in political campaigning through the extensive use of generative AI. Prabowo Subianto's campaign leveraged an AI-generated, appealing cartoon avatar to connect with the young electorate, significantly altering his public image to appear more relatable and endearing. This novel approach, utilizing AI for creating engaging content and managing social media presence, marks a groundbreaking shift in electoral strategies, emphasizing the profound impact of AI technologies on shaping political narratives and voter engagement.

🌍 Vladimir Putin wants to catch up with the West in AI

Vladimir Putin is determined to bridge the AI technology gap between Russia and the West. He views leading in AI as crucial to ideological competition with the West, especially given the prominence of Western AI technologies like ChatGPT. The Russian government has banned ChatGPT and is developing its alternatives, including Sber's GigaChat and Yandex's integration of AI into its services. Despite these efforts, Russia faces significant challenges, including a tech brain drain, sanctions limiting access to advanced technology, and a lack of investment, which hinders its ability to compete with Western AI advancements.

🛠️ AI tools updates

Google’s Gemini Ultra AI has been released

Google has introduced Gemini Ultra AI, a generative AI tool that surpasses GPT-4 in performance, as part of its efforts to enhance AI capabilities. For a $20 monthly subscription, users gain access to this advanced AI across various Google apps. This move reflects Google's commitment to developing more sophisticated AI assistants capable of complex tasks, including coding and creative collaboration, marking a significant step in AI technology evolution.

💵 Venture Capital updates

US venture capital firms accused of funding blacklisted Chinese AI companies

A report from the House select committee on China has accused at least five U.S. venture capital firms of investing over $3 billion in blacklisted Chinese AI and semiconductor companies, allegedly aiding the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance and oppression efforts. The report calls for robust sector-based restrictions on outbound investment in China, emphasizing national security and human rights imperatives, and suggests legislation to generally prohibit investments in sanctioned Chinese firms. Some U.S. firms have not divested from these investments, despite previous encouragements from the U.S. government to engage in business with China.

🫡 Meme of the day

⭐️ Generative AI image of the day

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