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- Japan’s police to deploy AI-powered drones in disaster-hit areas to deter looters
Japan’s police to deploy AI-powered drones in disaster-hit areas to deter looters
Also: Apple is expected to debut the first generative AI iPhone at its September 9 event
AI KATANA
August 27, 2024
Morning!
In today's newsletter: Japan's police will deploy AI-powered drones to prevent looting in disaster-stricken areas, enhancing crime deterrence in vulnerable regions. Sustainable Metal Cloud introduces an immersion cooling system that cuts data center energy use by 50%, addressing the growing power demands fueled by AI. Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 16, the first iPhone with generative AI features, at its September 9 event. OpenAI, Adobe, and Microsoft back a California bill requiring watermarks on AI-generated content to improve digital transparency. Hobbyists discover a technique to insert custom fonts into AI-generated images, opening new creative possibilities but raising ethical questions. Lastly, VCs are recalibrating their AI investment strategies, prioritizing startups with real-world impact and sustainable business models over those riding the AI hype wave.
Sliced for you in this newsletter:
🇯🇵 Japan’s police to deploy AI-powered drones in disaster-hit areas to deter looters
📉 This Nvidia partner says it can cut data center energy use by 50% as AI boom strains power grid
📱 Apple is expected to debut the first generative AI iPhone at its September 9 event
🧑⚖️ OpenAI, Adobe and Microsoft support California bill requiring watermarks on AI content
🔠 Hobbyists discover how to insert custom fonts into AI-generated images
Japan’s police are set to deploy AI-powered drones in areas affected by natural disasters to help deter looters, providing a new tool in the fight against crime during such vulnerable times. These drones are designed to cover large disaster-hit areas and utilize AI to identify suspicious behavior, such as individuals moving between damaged buildings and carrying items. Once identified, the drones will relay this information to officers on the ground, who can then respond accordingly. This initiative is expected to significantly enhance the ability of law enforcement to monitor and protect disaster-stricken zones, ensuring greater coverage and quicker response times in preventing theft and safeguarding evacuated properties.
Sustainable Metal Cloud, a company specializing in data center technology, has developed an innovative immersion cooling system that significantly reduces energy consumption, addressing the increasing power demands driven by the AI boom. This system, which submerges servers in a synthetic oil that efficiently dissipates heat, can cut energy use by up to 50% compared to traditional air cooling methods. Additionally, the technology is 28% cheaper to install than other liquid-based solutions and allows for high-density GPU hosting, crucial for supporting advanced platforms like Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell processors. The company is expanding its reach beyond Singapore and Australia, with plans to enter markets like Thailand and India, and is backed by significant funding from major partners including Nvidia and Deloitte. As AI continues to drive the expansion of data centers globally, Sustainable Metal Cloud’s solution offers a scalable and eco-friendly option that could play a critical role in the industry’s future.
Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 16 at its September 9 event, which is expected to be the first iPhone with embedded generative AI features. The event, themed “It’s Glowtime,” will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park. While details about the “glowtime” theme remain unclear, AI is anticipated to play a significant role in the new device. This follows Apple’s June announcement at its Worldwide Developers Conference, where it introduced several generative AI tools under the brand “Apple Intelligence.” These include personalized Genmoji and a smarter Siri that can answer complex queries. The iPhone 16 is predicted to be the first device fully designed with AI integration in mind, although some features may also be available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Despite the innovation, analysts like Angelo Zino from CFRA Research suggest the rollout of these features will be gradual, with some enhancements, like the improved Siri, possibly delayed until 2025. This gradual approach is seen as an evolutionary step for Apple, rather than a revolutionary one, in the smartphone market.
OpenAI, Adobe, and Microsoft have voiced their support for a California bill, AB 3211, which mandates that AI-generated content be labeled with watermarks. This bill, which is poised for a final vote in August 2024, requires that AI-generated photos, videos, and audio clips include watermarks in their metadata. While some AI companies already embed such data, the bill also stipulates that large platforms like Instagram must label AI content in a way that is easily understandable to the general public. Initially, major tech companies opposed the bill, citing concerns about its feasibility, but subsequent amendments have led to their endorsement. This move highlights growing efforts to enhance transparency and authenticity in digital content amidst the rapid advancement of AI technologies.
Hobbyists have discovered a way to insert custom fonts into AI-generated images using the Flux AI image synthesis model. This technique, which leverages LoRA (low-rank adaptation), allows users to train AI models to replicate specific fonts and embed them into generated scenes. Previously, AI models struggled with rendering accurate text, often producing gibberish. However, Flux has improved the ability to integrate “in-world text,” enabling more precise text placement within AI-generated images. While this method is seen as overkill for simple font rendering, it opens new creative possibilities for AI enthusiasts, who are now experimenting with various typefaces, including those inspired by the Y2K aesthetic and the Cyberpunk 2077 video game. Despite its novelty, the technique raises questions about its practicality and ethical considerations, particularly concerning the environmental impact of AI and the use of training data without content owner consent.
🧑🏽💻 AI Jobs
🛠️ AI tools updates
Napkin is a new AI tool designed to create quick and relevant visualizations from text input. By typing or pasting text related to a presentation, teaching material, or any content you’re working on, Napkin generates various visualizations such as flow charts, mind maps, and process diagrams within seconds. Users can customize these visuals by adjusting colors, icons, and text before exporting them in formats like PNG, SVG, or PDF. Currently, the tool is free to use during its beta phase, with potential premium features expected in the future. Napkin is particularly useful for enhancing presentations, clarifying complex concepts in meetings or classes, and adding explanatory visuals to newsletters or blog posts.
💵 Venture Capital updates
Venture capitalists (VCs) are reassessing their AI investment strategies as the initial hype begins to wane. With many companies from the early AI boom now needing additional funding, VCs are becoming more cautious, focusing on traditional business metrics like customer retention and acquisition costs rather than being swayed by impressive, yet potentially fleeting, revenue figures. Investors are showing interest in AI applications with robust real-world impact, particularly in sectors like robotics, autonomous vehicles, and highly regulated industries such as healthcare and financial services, where integration with existing systems and compliance with regulations are crucial. However, there's growing skepticism toward startups that rely heavily on AI buzzwords without demonstrating real customer value. As the market matures, VCs are moving away from backing companies that merely build on popular platforms like OpenAI and are instead seeking opportunities in areas with proprietary data and significant barriers to entry, signaling a shift toward more grounded and sustainable AI ventures.
🫡 Meme of the day
⭐️ Generative AI image of the day
Before you go, check out Nvidia launches AI agent blueprints to allow enterprises to build their own AI apps.
