If you’re interested in AI and want the latest news and discoveries, you’re in the right place. I’ll be posting daily updates about AI, highlighting the top stories in the field. I am summarizing those news in easy-to-understand language, so you don’t spend most of your time finding relevant AI news articles.
Today we have some interesting AI news, that you are gonna love. From missed stock opportunities to major progress in the fight against COVID, AI is showing its ability to change our world. With Zoom introducing new features, and OpenAI partnering with Canva, there’s a lot happening in the AI world. Plus, don’t miss out on Qualcomm’s latest moves as Nvidia becomes the leading independent chip company. Explore the AI innovations that are shaping our future right now!
1 AI Growth Stock Down 77%
The world of cybersecurity is facing a staggering challenge. Consulting powerhouse McKinsey & Company predicts that by 2025, cyberattacks could inflict damages totaling an enormous $10.5 trillion.
Even more startling is the gap between necessary and actual spending on cybersecurity. Despite needing an estimated $2 trillion spent on protection measures, businesses in 2022 only invested around $168 billion.
Enter the tech heroes of our times: AI-driven cybersecurity firms, with SentinelOne standing out as a notable champion. They’re harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to ward off threats faster and more efficiently than humans can.
In a landscape where cyber threats have evolved from taking over 44 days to mere hours to wreak havoc, AI is crucial.
With SentinelOne‘s AI-powered Singularity platform, threats are detected in real-time, eliminating the need for human interference, and even offers unique features like the one-click rollback.
SentinelOne has even introduced Purple AI, a generative AI chatbot reminiscent of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Purple AI aids managers by assessing cybersecurity health and hunting down potential threats.
However, despite this necessity, the economic downturn has dampened corporate enthusiasm and investment in cybersecurity.
While SentinelOne initially faced a dip in its projected revenues, the following quarter showed promising growth, outpacing giants like CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks.
The business landscape appears to be recognizing SentinelOne’s value, with its customer base growing significantly.
Lastly, in an interesting twist for potential investors, SentinelOne’s stock has dipped by a whopping 77% from its 2021 high, making it an attractive buy.
Especially when comparing its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio with rivals like CrowdStrike, SentinelOne emerges as an alluring prospect.
The increasing regulations, like the recent one from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission demanding prompt disclosure of cyber incidents by publicly traded companies, will likely make advanced cybersecurity tools even more indispensable. Given all these factors, SentinelOne’s stock could be a hidden gem in the volatile market, poised for a potential rebound if they continue to deliver on their promises.
AI-generated COVID drug enters Phase I clinical trials
Artificial intelligence is making waves in the healthcare industry by aiding in the creation of new treatments.
Insilico Medicine, a biotech company with bases in both Hong Kong and New York City, has proudly announced that its AI-engineered drug for treating COVID-19 has commenced Phase I clinical trials.
This drug, which is taken orally, isn’t a vaccine but a treatment designed to be an alternative to the only existing COVID-19 medication, Paxlovid.
Paxlovid, while effective, has its drawbacks. Some people experience a “rebound” where they test negative post-treatment but soon after test positive again.
Another side effect named “Paxlovid mouth” describes the displeasing taste the medicine leaves in users’ mouths.
Furthermore, as COVID-19 evolves, Paxlovid-resistant strains might emerge. Here’s where Insilico’s innovation shines — their new drug has been effective against such strains, lasts longer, and provides stability.
To craft this novel treatment, Insilico employed its PandaOmics platform to identify the target protein in the coronavirus.
They then utilized their proprietary Chemistry42 platform to produce molecules targeting that protein.
One particular molecule, ISM3312, was deemed effective by early 2020, leading the company to patent it.
Notably, this drug is potent against multiple coronavirus strains, including SARS and MERS, and promises ease in large-scale production.
Currently, ISM3312 is undergoing tests against the EG.5 COVID variant, with trial results anticipated by 2023’s end.
Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov, Insilico’s CEO, passionately speaks about the vital role of generative AI in advancing drug discovery, emphasizing its potential to preempt future pandemics.
Meanwhile, Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency medicine physician not affiliated with the research, reminds the medical community of the importance of staying informed about such AI-generated drugs. He underscores the significance of ongoing trials and data, while also expressing optimism about the potential ISM3312 holds for patients.
In essence, this new drug symbolizes the convergence of advanced technology and medical science, offering renewed hope in the fight against evolving health challenges like COVID-19. But, as always, the final word will come after rigorous testing and analysis.
Zoom rebrands and introduce new generative AI features
Zoom, in an effort to stay competitive in the videoconferencing market, is revamping and rebranding several of its AI features, notably transforming “Zoom IQ” into the “AI Companion.”
This shift follows recent criticism over Zoom’s terms of service, which suggested the platform could use customer videos to train its AI.
Zoom clarified that customer data will not be used for AI training. The rebranded AI Companion will integrate with various Zoom services and will have the capability to interact conversationally with users by 2024, helping them fetch information from past meetings, summarize content, and even give real-time feedback during meetings.
However, users can disable these features. The AI Companion will also enhance Zoom Team Chat, Zoom Whiteboard, and Zoom Mail with features like chat summaries, image generation, and AI-driven email suggestions.
Separately, “Zoom IQ for Sales” has been renamed “Zoom Revenue Accelerator”, pivoting from sentiment analysis to more generic features, like a virtual coach for sales training. Zoom’s updates come after financial challenges, including a significant loss in 2023, layoffs, and slowing growth amidst intense competition from tech giants like Microsoft and Slack.
OpenAI Plugs ChatGPT Into Canva
OpenAI has taken a fresh step into the buzzing world of social marketing by introducing a Canva plugin for its chatbot, ChatGPT. The aim? To simplify the creation of visuals such as banners and logos, making the process even more seamless for businesses and enthusiastic users alike.
Before this update, pairing Canva with ChatGPT was quite a tedious chore that involved a lot of manual effort. But with the introduction of this plugin, the design game is changing. Users can now easily whip up new visuals with just a few clicks, potentially increasing their interaction with the platform.
To use this feature, one just has to activate ChatGPT in their browser, head to the ‘Plugin Store’, and from there, the Canva plugin is easily installable.
Once that’s done, users can simply prompt the chatbot with descriptions of the visual they want, like “Craft a banner for my AI-focused Twitter account.” The bot then displays a variety of options, which users can pick, edit in Canva, and use as they please.
Now, there’s a catch: this fancy integration is only available for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, who shell out $20 every month. Alongside the Canva access, this subscription also lets users enjoy the power of the GPT-4 model, which, among other things, can process images.
While this feature might sound promising, Decrypt’s trial of it didn’t produce awe-inspiring results. It seems there might still be room for improvement or perhaps just a better understanding of how to effectively prompt the bot.
But why all these updates and integrations, you ask? The AI world is super competitive. While OpenAI hasn’t announced anything about GPT-5, they’ve been pushing ChatGPT’s capabilities to stay in the lead.
Especially with competition heating up from models like Claude AI and Google’s Bard, which are already showcasing robust features and gearing up with their own plugin systems.
This new Canva integration is just one part of OpenAI’s overarching strategy to make ChatGPT more dynamic and user-friendly.
They did try adding a feature for web browsing using Microsoft Bing earlier but had to withdraw it due to some hiccups with accessing paywalled content.
It’s evident OpenAI is pushing boundaries and constantly trying to stay ahead, and it’ll be interesting to see where this leads them next!
Qualcomm is now delving deep into the AI realm. Although previously holding the title of the world’s largest fabless chip company, Nvidia recently dethroned them, a surge attributed to the increasing popularity of AI models like ChatGPT, which operate on Nvidia’s GPUs.
However, Qualcomm remains undeterred and aims to establish a significant presence in AI.
Today, they announced new in-vehicle AI features, ventures into the two-wheeler sector, and an intriguing partnership with Amazon Web Services.
Historically, Qualcomm has been an influential entity in smartphone technology since its inception.
The company emerged in 1985 from a meeting of tech minds in San Diego and swiftly went on to revolutionize mobile communication with its CDMA technology, which is foundational to our 3G, 4G, and 5G connections today.
Beyond their tangible products, Qualcomm possesses an impressive intellectual property portfolio, comprising over 140,000 patents, which significantly influences communication technology.
However, their dominance hasn’t been devoid of challenges. Lawsuits, particularly from Apple and the Federal Trade Commission, and a hostile takeover attempt by Broadcom have tested the company’s mettle.
Moreover, Qualcomm’s behind-the-scenes approach to technology licensing may not help its public perception, often overshadowed by brands like Apple and Nvidia.
Another challenge Qualcomm faces is geopolitical friction, particularly in Asia. As major chip designers heavily depend on Asian chipmakers, concerns around this reliance are mounting.
Consequently, giants like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Samsung, and Intel are looking to shift chip production to the U.S., with Qualcomm confirming its significant involvement in TSMC’s U.S.-based project.
Nevertheless, Qualcomm’s horizon isn’t limited to smartphones. They’ve been diversifying, focusing particularly on smart car technologies.
They’re promoting the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which powers several features in vehicles from leading automakers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Sony Honda Mobility.
Besides, the company is venturing into virtual and augmented reality headsets, with partnerships with leading tech companies like Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Samsung.
Lastly, as AI off the cloud garners attention, thanks to Nvidia’s ChatGPT’s success, Qualcomm has been prepping for this era for a decade. While Qualcomm is collaborating with big tech companies for on-device AI solutions, the feasibility and profitability of these ventures remain in question. Whether Qualcomm can truly capitalize on AI advancements will be a defining aspect of their future trajectory.
Final Thought
AI is like the fourth big change in how we do things, and knowing about it can help you stay ahead. AI isn’t scary if you know how to use it safely. Things are changing fast, and AI is getting smarter every day, so it’s important to learn about it to succeed. To stay important, we need to learn how to use AI tools to make our work better. It’s hard to find all the important AI news, so I’m here to help by giving you the most important AI news every day. So, stay with me to get daily updates about AI news.
