Lifeboat Foundation

To help developers protect their applications against possible misuse, we are introducing the faster and more accurate Moderation endpoint. This endpoint provides OpenAI API developers with free access to GPT-based classifiers that detect undesired content — an instance of using AI systems to assist with human supervision of these systems. We have also released both a technical paper describing our methodology and the dataset used for evaluation.

When given a text input, the Moderation endpoint assesses whether the content is sexual, hateful, violent, or promotes self-harm — content prohibited by our content policy. The endpoint has been trained to be quick, accurate, and to perform robustly across a range of applications. Importantly, this reduces the chances of products “saying” the wrong thing, even when deployed to users at-scale. As a consequence, AI can unlock benefits in sensitive settings, like education, where it could not otherwise be used with confidence.

This morning, Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics announced the launch of the Boston Dynamics AI Institute, to “spearhead advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics.” BDAII (I guess we’ll have to get used to that acronym!) will be located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

A new acoustic levitation device is even capable of picking up and placing drops of glue.

AI-powered image generators like OpenAI’s DALL-E and Google’s Imagen are just beginning to move into the mainstream. David Holz is the CEO of Midjourney, creators of a popular AI image generator of the same name. In this interview, he explains how the technology works and how it’s going to change the world.

Over the last few years, Musk has been getting quite cozy with the Chinese government. In a country known for its protectionism, the CEO managed to score […].

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed more details about Tesla Optimus, the company’s upcoming humanoid robot, and how he sees the product rolling out over the next decade.

Over the last few years, Musk has been getting quite cozy with the Chinese government.

In a country known for its protectionism, the CEO managed to score for Tesla the first car factory in China wholly owned by a foreign automaker.

Unlike many of the so-called “artists” strewing junk around the halls of modern art museums, Jordan Tanner is actually pushing the frontiers of his craft. His eclectic portfolio includes vaporwave-inspired VR experiences, NFTs & 3D-printed figurines for Popular Front, and animated art for this very magazine. His recent AI-generated art made using OpenAI’s DALL-E software was called “STUNNING” by Lee Unkrich, the director of Coco and Toy Story 3.

We interviewed the UK-born, Israel-based artist about the imminent AI-generated art revolution and why all is not lost when it comes to the future of art. In Tanner’s eyes, AI-generated art is similar to having the latest, flashiest Nikon camera—it doesn’t automatically make you a professional photographer. Tanner also created a series of unique, AI-generated pieces for this interview which can be enjoyed below.

Continue reading “The Future of AI-Generated Art Is Here: An Interview With Jordan Tanner” »

A detailed 3D study of a massive electrical discharge that rose 50 miles into space above an Oklahoma thunderstorm has provided new information about an elusive atmospheric phenomenon known as gigantic jets. The Oklahoma discharge was the most powerful gigantic jet studied so far, carrying 100 times as much electrical charge as a typical thunderstorm lightning bolt.

The gigantic jet moved an estimated 300 coulombs of electrical charge into the ionosphere—the lower edge of space—from the thunderstorm. Typical lightning bolts carry less than five coulombs between the cloud and ground or within clouds. The upward discharge included relatively cool (approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit) streamers of plasma, as well as structures called leaders that are very hot—more than 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Continue reading “New information on ‘gigantic jet’ lightning bursts that reach toward space” »

Most of us have felt the shock from static electricity by touching a metallic object after putting on a sweater or walking across a carpet. This occurs as a result of charge build-up whenever two dissimilar materials (such as our body and the fabric) come in contact with each other.

In 2012, scientists from the U.S. and China used this phenomenon, known as “triboelectric effect,” to build a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that converts unused mechanical energy into useful electrical energy. Their device consisted of two triboelectric polymer films with metallic electrodes, which, when brought together and separated, resulted in charge separation and the development of an electric voltage sufficient to power small electronic devices.

Viewed as potential sustainable energy harvesters, efforts have been made to enhance the power output of TENGs by injecting charges to the surface of triboelectric films. However, charge recombination in the electrode and charge repulsion on the surface of the material prevents them from achieving high surface charge densities.