In a post on X, Altman said he was struck by how inauthentic Reddit discussions about OpenAI’s Codex programming tool felt, despite knowing the product’s growth was real. “I assume it’s all fake/bots,” he wrote, blaming both automated accounts and user behaviour shaped by AI-like communication patterns.

He added that incentives around engagement and monetisation make platforms more vulnerable to astroturfing, where fake accounts post in support of companies or products.

Altman’s comments come amid speculation that OpenAI may be developing its own social platform, though the company has not confirmed such plans.

Data from security firm Imperva suggests bots now make up more than half of global internet traffic. “AI Twitter and AI Reddit feel very fake in a way they didn’t a year or two ago,” Altman said.

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TECHDIGEST– Google and Microsoft announced impressive earnings driven by the growing excitement over artificial intelligence (AI). Microsoft’s profits and sales soared, reaching the highest levels ever for the 48-year-old company.

Cloud-based services, heavily reliant on AI, played a significant role in Microsoft’s success, with cloud sales growing by 21 percent year-on-year. Similarly, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported profits that exceeded market forecasts, with digital advertising revenue picking up and its cloud business experiencing growth.

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Microsoft’s success was attributed to the release of ChatGPT, which provided an AI boost to its Microsoft 365 product. However, despite the excitement around AI, it was noted that the full benefits may take a few years to materialize. On the other hand, Google’s earnings were primarily driven by its core business of digital advertising, which generated revenue of $58.1 billion, surpassing analysts’ expectations.

While Microsoft has been investing in AI-powered features for its Bing search engine, Google’s search still holds approximately 90 percent of the global market share. However, both companies continue to compete in the AI space, with Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly back at the company’s headquarters to drive further AI development.

Overall, the tech giants’ financial results demonstrate the growing impact of AI in driving revenue growth and innovation across various sectors. As they continue to leverage AI technologies, the industry eagerly anticipates their next steps in this rapidly evolving landscape.

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TECHDIGEST– AI Assistants Empower Visually Impaired Individuals with Enhanced Descriptions of the World.

Chela Robles, who lost her sight in both eyes, celebrates her 38th birthday with a visit to One House, her favorite bakery in Benicia, California. Seeking a connection to the world she can no longer see, she enlists the help of Ask Envision, an AI assistant utilizing OpenAI’s GPT-4 multimodal model.

This integration of language models into assistance products for the visually impaired offers detailed visual descriptions and promotes independence. Other apps, such as Be My Eyes and Microsoft’s SeeingAI, have also adopted GPT-4, revolutionizing the user experience for visually impaired individuals.

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Envision’s integration of GPT-4 allows its users to receive more comprehensive descriptions of images. The AI assistant can now summarize text in photos and provide answers to follow-up questions, enabling tasks like reading menus, identifying prices, accommodating dietary restrictions, and exploring dessert options. Richard Beardsley, an early tester, appreciates the hands-free option offered by Google Glass, as it allows him to use the service while simultaneously managing his guide dog and cane. GPT-4’s capabilities and effortless usability make a significant difference, according to Sina Bahram, a blind computer scientist.

While the integration of AI into assistive technologies offers tremendous benefits, concerns persist. Danna Gurari, a computer science assistant professor, highlights the vulnerability of blind individuals relying on the accuracy and completeness of GPT-4. She acknowledges the potential for “hallucinations” or the generation of false information by image-to-text models. Although blind individuals appreciate having access to information, Gurari emphasizes the risks of decision-making based on unreliable AI descriptions, particularly in critical scenarios such as misidentifying medication.

In conclusion, the integration of GPT-4 into AI assistants has brought about a significant transformation in the lives of visually impaired individuals. By providing enhanced visual descriptions and improving accessibility, these technologies empower users to engage with the world more independently. However, challenges remain in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated information to prevent potential harm or misleading guidance for blind individuals.

READMORE ON HOW AI Could Change How Blind People See the World

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TECHDIGEST- Recent reports suggest that Microsoft is considering preventing other companies from using data from its search engine, Bing, to enhance their AI chatbots. The move comes amid allegations that some companies have been using Bing’s data to augment their own chatbots.

Microsoft has reportedly issued warnings to two Bing-powered search engines, cautioning them that their access will be terminated if they continue to use the data for their chatbots.

While the identity of the companies involved in the dispute has not been disclosed, it’s worth noting that several search engines, including Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and You.com, rely on Bing for their search functionality.

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Microsoft considers the use of Bing’s search index to augment AI chatbots a breach of contract and may sever its agreements with the search engines in question.

While licensing agreements with Microsoft allow search engines to utilize Bing’s data to enhance their search capabilities, Microsoft deems the use of its search index as raw material for AI chatbots as crossing the line. The Verge has pointed out that both DuckDuckGo and You.com have recently launched their AI-powered products. DuckDuckGo’s DuckAssist tool generates brief summaries from sources like Wikipedia for specific searches, while You.com’s AI chat function provides users with answers to their queries. Neeva has also released an AI-driven tool that generates annotated summaries.

It’s uncertain whether Microsoft has taken any action against the search engines accused of violating its contract. However, with rival companies like Google entering the AI chatbot arena and developing their versions of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft may be seeking to keep its search data exclusively reserved for use by its Bing chatbot. The Bing chatbot is already equipped with OpenAI’s latest and most advanced language model, the GPT-4, which can perform a diverse range of functions, including answering questions, generating summaries, writing code, and even creating social media posts. Microsoft has stated that it will work with its partners directly and provide any information needed to find a path forward.

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