NVIDIA surprises

WELCOME

I’m not going to lie.

Some of these AI tools are incredibly powerful. The chatbot that NVIDIA just released is impressive. You install a Large Language Model locally on your computer and you point it at your local files and you can ask questions about your data.

I’m a bit of a music fan and I keep my electronic concert tickets in a folder somewhere deep down on my hard drive.

So I asked this chatbot what concerts I went to in 2014 and how much I paid in total for the tickets. Not only did it find the tickets and extract the info, it also got into one of my Outlook archives and got some information there and remembered that one of the tickets was a gift. And it substracted the amount from the total.

I was baffled.

The applications for this are really interesting - but it also raises concerns.

Welcome to the Blacklynx Brief !

AI NEWS
NVIDIA gets into the Chatbot game

• At this year's Super Bowl, AI took center stage in the commercial breaks, showcasing everything from Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant to Google's 'Guided Frame' feature for aiding visually impaired users in photography. Meanwhile, Illumination's 'Despicable Me 4' and BodyArmor poked fun at AI's limitations with humorous takes, and Etsy highlighted its AI-powered gift-finding feature. The diverse array of AI-themed ads underscores the technology's growing mainstream appeal and the mixed feelings surrounding its impact — a sentiment not even a foot-washing ad could cleanse
  

• Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI, is making big moves to increase the world's ability to make chips for AI by trying to get a whopping $5-7 trillion. He's talking to big investors like the UAE and wants to work with chip companies to make sure there are enough chips for AI in the future. Altman's plans are huge, as he wants OpenAI to be the main buyer of these chips, but he might face challenges due to concerns about foreign tech's influence. It's a bold step that shows he believes having enough supplies is key to making advanced AI.

• Researchers at Google DeepMind and Cornell University have created a new way for AI to understand long videos better. Their method, named MC-ViT, uses a special "memory" to keep track of past video parts, making it easier for the AI to remember and refer to earlier events. This approach is inspired by how humans remember things and has shown top-notch results in recognizing actions and answering questions in videos, all while using less computing power. This breakthrough is important because it helps AI get better at making sense of the real world through videos, using less resources.

• Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, shared his view at the World Government Summit in Dubai, saying that advancements in computing could make AI much cheaper than the $7 trillion Sam Altman plans to spend on chip production. Huang believes faster chips will make AI less expensive and stressed the importance of countries using their own cultural data to create "sovereign AI." He also thinks the cost of AI data centers will double to $2 trillion in the next five years. Meanwhile, Nvidia's market value hit $1.8 trillion, overtaking Amazon. Huang's comments suggest he sees a future where efficiency trumps sheer computing power in AI development
  

• Gen Z is embracing AI as a tool to boost their careers, unlike older generations who often worry about its impact on jobs. A report by Handshake shows that a third of 2024 graduates and more than half of those studying tech plan to use AI in their work. About 48% of Gen Z believes AI will help them by making it easier to access information quickly, and LinkedIn profiles for Gen Z have seen a 75% increase in AI skills. Also, a majority of Gen Z and millennials are more excited than worried about AI, seeing it as a positive addition to their work lives. This shows that Gen Z views AI as a natural part of their career development, similar to how past generations adapted to computers and smartphones
  

• OpenAI is testing a new feature for ChatGPT that lets it remember information from past conversations to make future chats more personalized and useful. Users have control over this memory, being able to delete specific details, clear all memory, or turn off the feature completely. This means ChatGPT can get better at understanding a user's preferences and needs over time. The test is starting with a small group of users, both free and paid, with plans to expand later. This move is a big step towards making chatbots feel more like talking to a human who remembers previous interactions, all while keeping the user in charge of their data.
  

• Nvidia has launched "Chat with RTX," a free chatbot demo that works on Windows RTX computers. This chatbot can search through your documents, videos, and more, right on your computer, giving you quick answers without needing the internet. It keeps your data private by storing it on your device instead of in the cloud. You can even get information from YouTube videos just by sharing the link. This tool is a big deal because it lets people use advanced chatbots without sharing their data online, and it could make more people interested in buying RTX PCs.
  

• OpenAI is rumored to be working on a new search tool that could compete with big names like Google, thanks to its partnership with Microsoft. This new search engine might use Bing's search technology and include ChatGPT's smart conversation abilities. It could offer a new way to search the web, focusing more on understanding and context rather than just keywords and links. Although it's not confirmed, this move could change how we search online, making it more intuitive. But it's still a question if people will switch from Google to this new search tool, as previous attempts to change search habits haven't had much impact.

CYBERSECURITY NEWS
The Half of France Gets Exposed

• In January 2024, ransomware attacks across various sectors, including healthcare, government, and education, decreased, with 242 victims reported, marking the lowest figure since February 2023. This decline could be attributed to recent law enforcement actions against ransomware gangs, which historically provide only short-term disruption as groups often regroup. Despite the overall decrease, some countries saw stable or increased numbers of victims, indicating that ransomware groups might be focusing on regions with higher profit potential.

• A ransomware attack targeted an IT platform used by Romanian hospitals, with 25 facilities reporting encrypted data and an additional 75 disconnected from the internet as a precaution. The attackers have demanded a ransom of 3.5 bitcoin, approximately $170,000, to decrypt the data. This incident highlights the vulnerabilities in healthcare IT systems and underscores the importance of enhanced cybersecurity measures and the ethical dilemmas faced by institutions in responding to ransom demands.

• The U.S. is putting up a $10 million bounty for dirt on the Hive ransomware squad, aiming to take down the cybercrooks who've been on the low since the FBI crashed their party last year. This mega reward is part of Uncle Sam's latest cyber-swat strategy, targeting anyone even thinking about joining Hive's digital shenanigans. With the FBI having previously snatched Hive's keys, ransomware ransoms took a nosedive in 2022, showcasing the big dent the feds are putting in cybercrime wallets through their Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

• Ivanti's hit with another software hiccup, revealing a new glitch (CVE-2024-22024) in its security gateways that needs a quick fix.

• In late January, a cyberattack in France compromised the data of over 33 million people, about half the country's population, as reported by the Commission Nationale Informatique et Libertes (CNIL). The breach, affecting two health insurance companies, Viamedis and Elmer's, poses significant risks of fraud and other cybercrimes due to the scale and nature of the data exposed. The incident is under investigation for GDPR compliance, with potential fines up to EUR20 million or 4% of global turnover for the companies involved, and raises concerns about the possibility of sophisticated scams or further criminal activities.

PODCAST TIP OF THE WEEK
Serial - Season 1 (Yes , I know it’s old)

If you're on the hunt for a podcast that masterfully combines investigative journalism, true crime, and compelling storytelling, then the first season of "Serial" is an essential listen. Hosted by Sarah Koenig, this groundbreaking series takes listeners on a deep dive into the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, a high school student in Baltimore County, Maryland, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed.

What sets "Serial" apart is Koenig's meticulous approach to the case. Over the course of the season, she revisits the events leading up to and following Lee's disappearance and death, interviewing key figures, exploring alternate suspects, and questioning the reliability of the evidence that led to Syed's life sentence. The podcast is a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations, challenging listeners to consider the complexities of the legal system, the intricacies of human relationships, and the haunting question of truth and justice.

"Serial" is not just a true crime podcast; it's a thought-provoking exploration of narrative journalism that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about this case. It's perfect for listeners who love to delve into the details, appreciate thorough reporting, and enjoy being taken on a narrative journey that blurs the lines between past and present, guilt and innocence.

Find the show here

BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK
Lyn Alden - Broken Money (2023)

If you want to learn more about money - this is the book for you. The book takes us through the history of money but not from a sociological standpoint but rather through the lens of an engineer.

We get to see how money came into existence and slowly morphed into our current financial system. It then examines what is wrong with the current FIAT system.

The second part of the books deals with Bitcoin and examines how Bitcoin could be the future of finance.

The thing I like the most about the book is that it doesn't really take sides. It just offers Bitcoin up as a possible solution but also looks at the downside.

All in all - it's 500 pages of true learning about money. I read a lot of things I didn't know yet, so warmly recommended this one.

Buy it here.

Goodreads Link

AI PRODUCTIVITY TIP OF THE WEEK
Motion

Today, I want to tell you about Motion. Motion with an M , not Notion, the tool I hate with a vengeance.

Motion is an interesting tool - sure it’s quite pricey (33$ as an individual per month) but it might be very interesting for teams.

What it does is that you feed it your tasks, your deadlines, your current calendar and then it will schedule those tasks on to your schedule.

I’ ve been using the 7 day trial and I can see this indeed generating a magnificent boost in productivity.

Closing Thoughts

That’s it for us this week.

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