Samsung is optimistic about the TV business in 2024, citing increased demand for premium TVs from MZ consumers….reports Asian Lite News
Samsung on Wednesday said that it is targeting Rs 10,000 crore revenue from its Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Neo QLED, OLED TV business in India.
Samsung ended 2023 with a 21 per cent volume market share and this year it is looking to further consolidate its leadership with the launch of AI TVs, the company said.
“For the first time, we have a very clear twin strategy on premium, the highest or the largest range as far as the consumer is concerned and with that, we are also looking at targeting unprecedented Rs 10,000 crore revenue in 2024,” said Mohandeep Singh, Senior VP, Visual Display Business, Samsung India.
The television market in India has been slow, with Counterpoint Research reporting a 16 per cent drop in shipments last year.
However, Samsung is optimistic about the TV business in 2024, citing increased demand for premium TVs from MZ consumers.
As per analysts, no TV brand in the country has achieved the Rs 10,000 crore revenue milestone before.
Samsung has launched its ultra-premium Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K and OLED TVs in the country to consolidate its leadership in the TV business.
According to the company, its new range of premium TVs is designed to boost consumers’ home entertainment experience with powerful, AI-driven solutions.
Meanwhile, Samsung on Wednesday said that it has developed the industry’s first low-power double data rate 5X (LPDDR5X) DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) chip, a memory solution tailored for artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
The new chip supports the industry’s highest performance of up to 10.7 gigabits-per-second (Gbps), improving performance by over 25 per cent and capacity by more than 30 per cent compared with the previous generation, according to the company.
Low-power, high-performance LPDDR chips are playing a growing role in the rapidly expanding market for on-device AI, where AI runs on the device itself, reports Yonhap News Agency.
As per Samsung, its latest LPDDR5X products were leveraged with 12 nanometer-class process technology to achieve the smallest chip size among existing LPDDR chips, helping the company solidify its technological leadership in the low-power DRAM market.
“Samsung will continue to innovate and deliver optimised products for the upcoming on-device AI era through close collaboration with customers,” the company said.
Mass production of the LPDDR5X is scheduled to begin by the second half of the year, following verification by providers of mobile application processors and mobile devices, the company mentioned.
DEWA provides many digital services and smart tools to help customers better understand and manage their electricity and water consumption…reports Asian Lite News
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is dedicated to enhancing the customer experience through the adoption of digital solutions and AI across its services and operations. With a focus on providing proactive, advanced, and seamlessly integrated digital services, DEWA aims to surpass customer expectations. Additionally, DEWA is deeply committed to sustainability, actively working to reduce its carbon footprint. To ensure service excellence, DEWA implements the ‘Services 360’ policy, which involves analyzing and measuring service maturity levels over a three-year plan (2023-2025), aligning with the master plan of the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai Government.
Implementing the ‘Services 360’ approach has led to tangible results: service automation reached 100%, self-services that do not require physical presence reached 100%, digital adoption of DEWA’s services reached 99.2%, customer happiness reached 98.3%, and service quality reached 95%. In 2023, DEWA’s digital services achieved savings of AED 470 million for customers and AED 35 million for DEWA, in addition to avoiding 41,470 tonnes of carbon emissions.
“In line with our ongoing efforts to serve customers and make them happier, we are keen to provide innovative digital services that allow customers to conduct their transactions anytime, anywhere. This saves their time and efforts and supports DEWA’s strategy for sustainability and environmental protection by reducing the consumption of natural resources. DEWA has achieved notable success in implementing the ‘Services 360’ approach. In the first phase of the implementation, 15 out of 22 services met all standards, exceeding 300% of the targets of the first phase for 2023. The ‘Services 360’ policy provides a roadmap and work plan for government departments in Dubai to provide seamless, proactive, and integrated services that focus on the customers, meet their needs, and enhance their experience in receiving the services, supporting the ‘one government’ concept,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Digital services and smart tools
DEWA provides many digital services and smart tools to help customers better understand and manage their electricity and water consumption. DEWA’s ‘Smart Living’ dashboard enables customers to monitor their daily, monthly, and yearly consumption; ‘My Sustainable Living Programme’ allows them to compare their consumption with similar highly efficient homes and provides customised tips to manage their consumption efficiently; ‘Away Mode’ allows customers to receive consumption reports when they are not at home; and the ‘Consumption Assessment Tool’ provides a detailed report after filling out the consumption assessment. In addition, DEWA provides a wide range of special offers and discounts to its customers through the DEWA Store, in collaboration with many public and private sector companies. The offers encourage customers to adopt a smart and sustainable lifestyle and help transform their houses into smart homes.
‘Services 360’ policy
The ‘Services 360’ policy focuses on eight main principles that unify work streams in providing services across government entities. The principles include a digital-first experience based on the provision of digital and real-time services, as well as adopting a digital identity (UAE Pass) as a unified entry system, while providing full support to the customer. They also include proactive services that enhance communication with customers to anticipate their needs for the services and respond accordingly, ultimately reducing the efforts made by the customers. Additionally, the policy entails an integrated data and services system that minimises data requirements from the customer and facilitates services by connecting databases among government entities, as well as unified and customised channels built based on the customer’s preference and made available 24/7.
The Central government has taken a tough stand at Artificial Intelligence-generated content, deepfakes ahead of polls, reports Asian Lite News
As Microsoft warned India about China’s plan to create and amplify AI-generated content to “benefit its interests” amid the seven-phase elections starting April 19, the Centre has come down heavily on global digital companies, asking them to fix their platforms as part of a new advisory around AI and its potential misuse during polls.
With major elections taking place around the world this year, particularly in India, South Korea and the US: “We assess that China will, at a minimum, create and amplify AI-generated content to benefit its interests,” according to Clint Watts, General Manager, Microsoft Threat Analysis Center.
According to exposure management company Tenable, misinformation spread through AI-generated deepfakes and fake content are the biggest threat to the upcoming polls.
“The biggest threats to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are misinformation and disinformation as part of influence operations conducted by malicious actors against the electorate,” Satnam Narang, Senior Staff Research Engineer, Tenable, told IANS recently.
Alarmed at AI’s potential misuse, the Centre last month said that social media intermediaries “must not permit any bias or discrimination or threaten the integrity of the electoral process.”
School students create a ‘rangoli’ depicting Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) to raise awareness among people to vote in the upcoming general elections, in Chennai on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo: IANS/R. Parthibhan)
A new IT Ministry advisory now specifically deals with AI, which says that digital platforms have to take full accountability and cannot escape by saying that these AI models are in the “under-testing phase.”
“It is reiterated that non-compliance to the provisions of the IT Act and/or IT Rules would result in potential penal consequences to the intermediaries or platforms or its users when identified, including but not limited to prosecution under IT Act and several other statutes of the criminal code,” according to the advisory.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a conversation with Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates late last month, also expressed concerns about deepfakes in a democratic country like ours.
“I have engaged with leading minds on AI and its risks. I suggested that we should start with clear watermarks on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. Proper sources of AI-generated content should also be mentioned,” PM Modi emphasised.
“Someone can even misuse my voice to deceive people and such a deepfake can trigger widespread uproar. We need to think about creating robust dos and don’ts on deepfakes,” the Prime Minister told the billionaire philanthropist.
Trends Research and Advisory’s new study, ‘AI Skies: Transforming Weather Prediction and Climate Awareness,’ explores AI’s role in significantly enhancing weather forecasting accuracy…. reports Asian Lite News
Trends Research and Advisory has launched a fresh study titled ‘AI Skies: Revolutionizing Weather Prediction and Climate Awareness.’ This research investigates AI’s impact on weather forecasting, demonstrating a remarkable level of precision. Conducted by Noor Al Mazrouei, Head of the AI and Advanced Technology Program at Trends, the study reveals how AI analyzes vast datasets from satellites and weather stations to predict extreme weather events more accurately, thereby enhancing disaster preparedness and risk management.
The advent of AI applications in meteorology has ushered in a new era of personalised weather services, directly catering to the varying needs of different users and industries.
The study highlighted the societal benefits of AI in weather forecasting, such as enhancing the accuracy of weather forecasts, which are essential for sound planning and decision-making across different sectors of society.
The study discussed how artificial intelligence has become a pivotal tool for simplifying and interpreting complex climate data, enabling decision-makers and scientists to make better decisions. It explains the potential of artificial intelligence in raising public awareness of climate change through platforms that translate complex climate data into an easy-to-understand format.
The study concluded that AI not only improves weather forecasting, but fundamentally changes the way we understand and address climate challenge.
The 12 startup business plans covered a variety of verticals, including AI safety, AI for health, AI for social good, and more.
The inaugural Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) Entrepreneurship Courses concluded with 12 AI-based startup business plans presented at an on-campus event in Masdar City.
22 students gained the entrepreneurial skills, tools, and networks needed to commercialise their AI solutions in the UAE, and three startups were fast-tracked for financial grants from MBZUAI.
Jointly launched by MBZUAI’s Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre (MIEC) and startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based startup accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, the programme aims to boost the AI startup ecosystem in Abu Dhabi.
The top three AI-assisted technologies and applications are Audiomatic, which provides automatic and emotionally intelligent audio production for video content, including customised scores, sound effects, and narrations; Limb, an application providing accessible physiotherapy information such as exercise correction and pain management features; and Momzo, a complete AI assistant for women’s maternity to motherhood powered by generative AI.
“These are the first AI-focused entrepreneurship courses at the university and in the UAE and come on the eve of an expected AI startup boom led by generative AI,” MBZUAI’s Vice President of Public Affairs and Alumni Relations Sultan Al Hajji said.
He added, “The entrepreneurship courses actively encourage students to take advantage of the favourable entrepreneurial environment in Abu Dhabi and ignite the potential to transform their research and engineering know-how into a business. The startup pitches highlight specific-industry and application-use cases and have the potential to make a significant impact on society with their bold, sophisticated, and innovative concepts.”
Managing Director of startAD Ramesh Jagannathan said, “The MBZUAI IEC programme immersed AI innovators in the exciting world of innovation and entrepreneurship, where they learned to apply business literacy heuristics to their ideas. According to an Accenture Report, AI will add $182 billion in annual gross value to the UAE’s economy by 2035. These startup projects demonstrate high potential and are poised to strengthen the UAE’s knowledge economy.”
The 22 graduates represent more than ten nationalities, with 41% being women. All participants graduated from the intensive five-week entrepreneurship courses, which included eight workshops and three community engagement events covering topics such as idea generation, market discovery, prototyping, and pitching.
The 12 startup business plans covered a variety of verticals, including AI safety, AI for health, AI for social good, and more.
The top three pitches were named by a panel of expert judges, including Jean-Luc Scherer, business incubation expert and advisor at Sandooq Al Watan; Mariam Al Badr, director of outreach at Khalifa Fund; Dr. Ramzi Ben Ouaghrem, director of research development and engagement at MBZUAI; Michael Huang, acting director of strategy and IEQA at MBZUAI; and Selim Tira, investment representative at Shorooq Partners.
The IMF believes that higher-income and younger workers might see disproportionate wage increases as a result of AI adoption. Lower-income and older workers might lag…reports Asian Lite News
Artificial intelligence (AI) will affect nearly 40 per cent of all jobs around the world, according to a new analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“In most scenarios, AI will likely worsen overall inequality, a troubling trend that policymakers must proactively address to prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a blogpost.
According to the IMF, about 60 per cent of jobs may be impacted by AI in advanced economies. Around half the exposed jobs may benefit from AI integration, enhancing productivity.
For the other half, AI applications may perform key tasks currently performed by humans, potentially lowering labour demand, and resulting in lower wages and reduced hiring. In the worst-case scenario, some of these jobs might disappear.
In emerging markets and low-income countries, however, AI exposure is expected to be 40 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively.
“These findings suggest emerging market and developing economies face fewer immediate disruptions from AI. At the same time, many of these countries don’t have the infrastructure or skilled workforces to harness the benefits of AI, raising the risk that over time the technology could worsen inequality among nations,” said the IMF.
AI could also affect income and wealth inequality within countries.
The IMF believes that higher-income and younger workers might see disproportionate wage increases as a result of AI adoption. Lower-income and older workers might lag.
“We may see polarisation within income brackets, with workers who can harness AI seeing an increase in their productivity and wages — and those who cannot falling behind,” noted Georgieva.
She further mentioned that “it is crucial for countries to establish comprehensive social safety nets and offer retraining programmes for vulnerable workers”.
“In doing so, we can make the AI transition more inclusive, protecting livelihoods and curbing inequality,” Georgieva added.
The march to the Age of Intelligence is being fast-paced by the advances that Information Technology has made towards applications of Artificial Intelligence in the spheres of innovation, business and security, writes D.C. Pathak
It is not too distant in the past that the world witnessed a great transformation resulting from a combination of epoch-making developments – all occurring around the same time at the beginning of the 1990s. These literally created a ‘new world order’ impacting not only the economy and business but national security and international cooperation as well.
An unprecedented level of ‘globalisation’ was reached in terms of both economic expansion and a universally shared threat to security when the Cold War ended due to the dismemberment of the USSR and the demise of International Communism, the advent of Information Technology revolution created border fewer markets and faith-based new global terror rooted in Islamic ‘radicalisation’ represented by Taliban, Al Qaeda and ISIS registered a rising graph.
The upswing of Terrorism can be traced to the turbulent post-Soviet Afghanistan when Pakistan sent in the Taliban to control that country and facilitated the installation of the Kabul Emirate of Taliban in 1996.
Since Islamic radicals considered the US-led West as their first enemy – this was rooted in historical legacy, the Emirate ran into problems with the US making the latter work for its ouster. This laid the turf for 9/11 that in turn resulted in the US-sponsored ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The ‘war on terror’ was utilised by Islamic radical forces to spread their hold in the Muslim world somewhat at the cost of the allies of the US like Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain.
The overriding impact of the new world order was in giving a boost to economic globalisation where the agenda was largely set by the US but the strategy of countering the terror of Islamic radicals also became equally important for the US.
India and the US had to be together for their mutual economic advancement but they also had to join hands, as the two largest democracies, in leading the democratic world against the peril of the faith-based terrorism that was sustained by the fundamentalist notions of supremacism and exclusivism of Islam as a faith.
The driving force behind economic globalisation – which became the prime characteristic of the post-Cold War world, was the arrival of Information Technology (IT) that enabled instant communication across geographical boundaries to set new norms of entrepreneurship and competition – permitting a ‘smart’ player to take on its much larger and more resourceful rivals from any part of the globe.
‘Smartness’ lay in producing more per unit of resource that IT helped in and businesses were compelled to study both market trends as well as use of technology to stay in competition. Intelligence by definition is the information that enables you to see what lies ahead and since this could be gleaned out of an analysis of the enormous amount of data that was being put in the public domain regularly, corporates willingly invested in a set-up that would produce Business Intelligence for them.
Intelligence is a word normally used in the context of national security but the applied version of it is now not only a part of the business world but ‘being well informed’- which was the mandate of the Age of Information – has also become a means of running personal and family life on a note of success. Ignorance cannot be defended any more and an awareness of what the socio-economic scene and even the crime situation was like, would be a factor in keeping one safe and secure.
Terrorism, Narcotics and Illicit arms have brought issues of national security closer to the citizens because they came into operation where people lived and that is another reason why citizens should keep themselves broadly informed of the social security environment around them.
It is the duty of the State to keep the citizens safe and there is a certain expectation from the people that they would contribute to this mandate, too.
Fundamental Duties defined in the Constitution have acquired a newfound importance in the context of India’s internal security.
It can be said that just as the world transited from the Industrial Age to the Age of Information in the early Nineties, it is now shifting to the Age of Intelligence because for nations, organisations and even individuals, perceptions of ‘what lies ahead’ are becoming even more important in the light of new geopolitical developments, the economic situation in the world and at home and the changing security scenario at the global and national levels.
The Age of Information created the ‘knowledge economy’, gave a new dimension to the process of making a decision and underscored the importance of Intelligence which by definition is information of special value since it gave a peep into what opportunity or risk was there on the horizon.
Knowledge is analysed information, Intelligence is futuristic information and decision-making requires information that bridges the gap between ‘guesswork’ and the ‘reality’. A global mindset is an essential trait required for the successful handling of business today – it has always been needed in the sphere of national security- because a rival or adversary could be operating from anywhere across the geographical frontiers.
Finally, in the Age of Information, competent analysis of facts garnered from the public domain has acquired newfound importance because the enemy or the rival leaves enough footprints in the social or cyber media even while using the latter covertly. This in fact is an exercise of Intelligence generation as the analysts can possibly read the intention of the opponent for the future.
The march to the Age of Intelligence is being fast-paced by the advances that Information Technology has made towards applications of Artificial Intelligence in the spheres of innovation, business and security.
Within the input-output principle that governs all transactions in the digital world, AI has emerged as the enabling instrument for the instant processing of a billion data to produce findings that would be humanly impossible to reach. What is of concern about AI applications, however, is that apart from data processing, they enable simulation of voice, photo identity and even personal behaviour including choices exercised by the individual, to generate fake versions that could be used for ‘misinformation’, fraud and political purposes like image bashing and influencing the electoral process.
AI has produced the phenomena of ‘Machine learning’, ‘Deep learning’ and ‘Natural language process’ but it has to be remembered that the so-called ‘Computer vision’ is still rooted in ‘pattern’ reading and use of ‘key’ words. ‘Intelligence’ produced through this route is confined to a limited ‘predictability’ of human conduct based on analysis of personal data.
The versatility of thought that the human mind can command while examining a situation, the ‘imagination’ that it can invoke in seeing what lay beyond the data in front and the quality of human ‘empathy’ it can use in decision-making is what would distinguish Human Intelligence from Artificial Intelligence. This is not to underplay the epoch-making promise of the human good that AI as an ultimate advancement of IT, has offered.
The fact is that AI is a further milestone in the world’s progress from the ‘Age of Information’ to the ‘Age of Intelligence’. There is little doubt that the legitimate growth of AI is putting health care, education, innovation, productivity and Human Resource development on an entirely new pedestal and helping the larger good of the world.
There have been some concerns about possible job losses, particularly in the white-collar segment but what is on the anvil is that businesses are going to get more efficient, diversified and stable through AI applications without necessarily reducing their manpower.
The call for global AI regulations is already emerging as a major requirement and this matter has figured prominently at G20 and other international platforms like the APEC Summit because of the fear of misuse of weapon automatisation and the danger of malcontents and terrorists using technology to plan and execute operations including cyber attacks.
The use of AI by Israel to identify and locate Hamas targets in Gaza is an illustration of its application in defence. India is rightly at the forefront of efforts to put AI applications for the larger good of humanity and prevent their destructive fallout at the same time. It has just hosted an international conference in Delhi to deliberate on various aspects of AI.
(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau, India’s domestic intelligence agency. Views are personal)
The EU’s AI Act is set to be the world’s first comprehensive set of rules to govern AI and user harm associated with it.
The European Parliament on Saturday said its members have reached a landmark “provisional agreement” on the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act).
The EU’s AI Act is set to be the world’s first comprehensive set of rules to govern AI and user harm associated with it.
“This regulation aims to ensure that fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability are protected from high risk AI, while boosting innovation and making Europe a leader in the field,” the European Parliament said in a statement.
The rules establish obligations for AI based on its potential risks and level of impact. European Union President Ursula von der Leyen said that the political agreement is a “global first”.
“The AI Act is a global first. A unique legal framework for the development of AI you can trust. And for the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses. A commitment we took in our political guidelines – and we delivered,” she posted on X.
Recognising the potential threat to citizens’ rights and democracy posed by certain applications of AI, the co-legislators agreed to prohibit biometric categorisation systems that use sensitive characteristics (political, religious, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, race).
The agreement also prohibits untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage to create facial recognition databases, emotion recognition in the workplace and educational institutions and social scoring based on social behaviour or personal characteristics.
It also curbs AI systems that manipulate human behaviour to circumvent their free will and AI used to exploit the vulnerabilities of people (due to their age, disability, social or economic situation). For AI systems classified as high-risk (due to their significant potential harm to health, safety, fundamental rights, environment, democracy and the rule of law), clear obligations were agreed. Members successfully managed to include a mandatory fundamental rights impact assessment, among other requirements, applicable also to the insurance and banking sectors.
“AI systems used to influence the outcome of elections and voter behaviour, are also classified as high-risk. Citizens will have a right to launch complaints about AI systems and receive explanations about decisions based on high-risk AI systems that impact their rights,” said the Parliament.
Nadella said that the pace of innovation that they have driven has been remarkable, especially during a time of so much “continued hardship and uncertainty in the world”….reports Asian Lite News
As Sam Altman returned to OpenAI after the five-day intense drama, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella has said that technology, including Al, is only a tool.
In an internal memo to employees ahead of Thanksgiving holiday, Nadella said that the pace of innovation that they have driven has been remarkable, especially during a time of so much “continued hardship and uncertainty in the world”.
“But technology, including Al, is only a tool. It’s a means, not an end. And, ultimately, our end is our mission to empower people and organisations all over the planet — one individual, one community, one country at a time,” he told employees.
“At the end of the day, the greatest privilege of my job is working with people who are driven by mission. There is no better example of this than these past 5 days, when I saw people across the company remaining focused on our mission and serving our customers and partners, stepping up to help in every way possible,” Nadella added.
Microsoft Chief Technology Office (CTO) and EVP of AI, Kevin Scott, also addressed employees about the OpenAI turmoil, reports The Verge.
“The events of the past few days have been uncertain for our colleagues at OpenAl, and of intense interest to many others. Throughout, nothing has changed or wavered about our resolve and focus to deliver the world’s best Al technology platforms and products to our customers and partners,” Scott said in a separate memo to employees.
“We will continue to support our colleagues at OpenAl and the phenomenal work they’ve been doing alongside us in service of that mission. As we have for these past 4+ years, we look forward to continuing our work with Sam and his team,” he added.
Scott said that despite the potential of the past few days to distract us, both Microsoft and OpenAl scientists and engineers have been working with undiminished urgency.
On Wednesday, OpenAI announced that Altman and president and co-founder Greg Brockman are returning to the company with a new board in place.
Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI, during an event in Seoul, South Korea, on Friday, June 9, 2023. OpenAI is focused on building a better, faster and cheaper model of its generative AI ChatGPT product, Altman has said previously. The product made AI a buzzword and kicked off a global race among tech companies to build their own versions of the chatbot technology. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Altman’s Exit Sparks Intrigue at OpenAI
A secret AI project named ‘Q’ (pronounced Q-Star) at OpenAI that could threaten humanity may have been the reason behind Sam Altman’s ouster as CEO from the ChatGPT-developing company.
According to reports, several staff researchers sent the OpenAI board a letter warning that a powerful AI breakthrough could threaten humanity.
The letter and AI algorithm was a catalyst that caused the board to oust Altman, according to a Reuters report, citing sources.
The previously unknown letter was one of the factors “among a longer list of grievances by the board that led to Altman’s firing”.
The researchers who wrote the letter did not comment, neither did OpenAI.
The ChatGPT maker made progress on ‘Q-Star’ project which could be a breakthrough in the search for superintelligence, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI).
According to reports, OpenAI’s senior executive Mira Murati told employees the letter “precipitated the board’s actions” to fire Altman last week.
However, an OpenAI spokesperson said that “Murati told employees what the media reports were about but she did not comment on the accuracy of the information”.
A person familiar with the matter told The Verge that the board never received a letter about such a breakthrough. Sam Altman on Wednesday said he is returning to the ChatGPT developing company with a new board and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s support.
OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman also shared a picture with his team on X after he and Altman returned to OpenAI.
Fraud using artificial intelligence is uncommon, but examples of “successful” cases are already known….reports Asian Lite News
The Beatles have once again delighted millions of fans around the world by releasing a new song, all possible thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), combining parts of an old recording while also improved its audio quality. While there is joy at the band’s masterpiece, there is also a darker side of using AI to create deepfake voices and images.
Thankfully, such deepfakes – and the tools used to make them – are for now, not well developed or widespread, nevertheless, their potential for use in fraud schemes is extremely high, and the technology is not standing still.
What are voice deepfakes capable of?
Open AI recently demonstrated an Audio API model that can generate human speech and voice input text. So far, only this Open AI software is the closest to real human speech.
In the future, such models can also become a new tool in the hands of attackers. The Audio API can reproduce the specified text by voice, while users can choose which of the suggested voice options the text will be pronounced with. The Open AI model, in its existing form, cannot be used to create deepfake voices, but is indicative of the rapid development of voice generation technologies.
artificial intelligence.(photo:Pixabay.com)
Today, practically no devices exist that is capable of producing a high-quality deepfake voice, indistinguishable from real human speech. However, in the last few months, more tools are being released to generate a human voice. Previously, users needed basic programming skills, but now it is becoming easier to work with them. In the near future, we can expect to see models that will combine both simplicity of use and quality of results.
Fraud using artificial intelligence is uncommon, but examples of “successful” cases are already known. In mid-October 2023, American venture capitalist Tim Draper warned his Twitter followers that scammers can use his voice in fraud schemes. Tim shared that the requests for money being made by his voice are the result of artificial intelligence, which is obviously getting smarter.
How to protect yourself?
So far, society may not perceive voice deepfakes as a possible cyber threat. There are very few cases where they are used with malicious intentions, so protection technologies are slow to appear.
For now, the best way to protect yourself is to listen carefully to what your caller says to you on the telephone. If the recording is of poor quality, has noises, and the voice sounds robotic, this is enough not to trust the information you hear.
Another good way to test your companion’s “humanity” is to ask out-of-the-box questions. For example, if the caller turns out to be a voice model, a question about its favorite color will leave its stumped, as it is not what a victim of fraud usually asks. Even if the attacker manually dials and plays back the answer at this point, the time delay in the response will make it clear that you are being tricked.
One more safe option is also to install a reliable and comprehensive security solution. While they cannot 100 percent detect deepfake voices, they can help users avoid suspicious websites, payments, and malware downloads, by protecting browsers and checking all files on the computer.
“The main advice at the moment is not to exaggerate the threat or try to recognize voice deepfakes where they don’t exist. For now, the available technology is unlikely to be powerful enough to create a voice human would not be able to recognize as artificial. Nevertheless, you need to be aware of possible threats and be prepared for advanced deepfake fraud becoming a new reality in the near future,” comments Dmitry Anikin, Senior Data Scientist at Kaspersky.
