# The Rapid Evolution of AI: A Deep Dive into Technology's Future
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Chapter 1: Introduction to AI's Rapid Progression
Artificial Intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace. The recent debates surrounding FaceApp and its implications in various sectors like Technology, Healthcare, and Education highlight this evolution. I typically delve into AI developments in my series "Tech Diaries," but the sheer volume of significant AI news this week warranted a separate discussion.
One notable highlight was the AI-driven photo-editing application known as FaceApp. Owned by the Russian company Wireless Lab, this app has been around since 2017. However, it gained immense popularity last week with its new feature that allows users to glimpse their future selves. My social media feeds were inundated with users sharing their 'Now & Then' images—tempting as it was, I resisted the urge to create an older version of myself.
What are the concerns surrounding FaceApp? Initial reports indicate that the app has amassed over 150 million images of users’ faces since its inception. According to its terms of service, FaceApp can utilize this extensive database in various ways. Given the existing issues with Deepfakes on social media, this raises significant ethical questions. Nevertheless, the company has reassured users that it typically deletes most images from its servers within 48 hours and does not share data with external parties.
Interestingly, larger companies like Google and Flickr, along with face-editing apps such as FaceTune, have amassed even larger photo databases without facing similar scrutiny. This raises concerns about the American political landscape, where any new technology linked to Russia or China tends to evoke fear. Some Democratic lawmakers have even called for an FBI investigation into FaceApp, echoing similar inquiries related to Deepfakes.
Even if there are malicious intents behind these technologies, the proliferation of public media online suggests that such databases will continue to emerge. These applications underscore our growing willingness to relinquish control over our digital information. Now, let’s explore some exciting advancements in AI.
Chapter 2: Innovations in AI Technology
Invisibility Cloaks
My only prior knowledge of invisibility cloaks came from the Sci-Fi series "Star Trek," where alien factions like the Klingons and Romulans could conceal their spaceships. Thanks to AI, researchers are now nearing the creation of garments with extraordinary properties that could render the wearer undetectable. These so-called metamaterials are engineered from artificial atoms, possessing unique structural characteristics.
In March, researchers from Boston University developed a novel material that allows light and air to pass through while blocking sound. Recently, South Korean scientists have introduced an AI capable of designing new metamaterials with specific optical attributes.
Pohoiki Beach
Chip manufacturer Intel has recently launched new AI processors that can handle data at speeds 1,000 times faster than traditional chips. This initiative, referred to as Pohoiki Beach, features a system equipped with 64 Loihi AI processors designed to mimic brain functions in terms of learning and energy efficiency. Potential applications for these chips include enhancing the control of prosthetic limbs on uneven surfaces and creating precise digital maps for self-driving cars. By the end of 2019, this hardware is projected to simulate 100 million neurons.
Smart Algorithms for Medical Discovery
While we've seen remarkable progress in healthcare over recent years, the development of new drugs often requires significant financial investment and time, with a high rate of failure. Researchers are now experimenting with AI for drug discovery. An AI known as Smart Algorithms for Medical Discovery (SAM), developed by Flinders University in Australia, has independently produced a promising new flu vaccine.
DeepCubeA
Who hasn't tried their hand at solving a Rubik's Cube, that colorful, three-dimensional puzzle that has baffled many for decades? An AI system named DeepCubeA, developed by the University of California at Irvine, has managed to solve the puzzle in just over one second, surpassing the previous human record by more than two seconds. This AI employs a reinforcement-learning algorithm devised by scientists and mathematicians. Remarkably, DeepCubeA completed the puzzle without any prior knowledge of the game, accomplishing it in only 20 moves, compared to the 50 moves typically needed by skilled human solvers.
AI Immersive Classroom
It’s well-known that the best way to learn a language is through conversation or immersion in a speaking environment. In collaboration with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, IBM Research has developed a virtual classroom that leverages AI and VR technologies. Students can engage in real-time interactions, such as bargaining with street vendors in Beijing or ordering food at restaurants. This experimental course aims to evaluate the effects of immersive environments on language learning.
As discussions on the ethics and morality of AI continue, the capabilities of this technology are expanding rapidly.
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