Google's Gemini AI Model Makes Waves This Week

Google has been making headlines this week with its new Gemini LLM and its diverse AI applications in other products. Here's a look at some of the key developments:

OpenAI Rival Emerges: Gemini is seen as a major competitor to OpenAI's large language models. Its impressive performance in various tasks, including text generation, translation, and question answering, suggests a significant leap forward in AI capabilities.

Gemini Powers Bard's Upgrade: Google AI's Bard chatbot received a significant upgrade thanks to Gemini. This next-generation model improves Bard's ability to understand complex questions and requests, making it a more helpful and informative tool.

Pixel 8 Pro Gets Gemini Boost: Gemini also powers two new features in the Pixel 8 Pro: auto-summarization for audio recordings and context-aware smart replies in Gboard. These features highlight Gemini's versatility and potential to enhance user experience across different applications.

NotebookLM Goes Public: Google Research released NotebookLM, an AI-powered note-taking app, for public use. The app leverages Gemini to automatically summarize and organize notes, making information easier to find and understand.

Despite the hype surrounding Google's Gemini AI model, early impressions suggest it may not live up to expectations. While Gemini's capabilities are impressive in some areas, its performance falls short in others. For instance, users report issues with factual accuracy, bias, and a lack of transparency in its decision-making process.

Meta Doubles Down on AI with Image Generation and Real-Time Translation

This week, Meta unveiled several advancements in its AI capabilities. Here's a breakdown of the key announcements:

Image Generation: Meta launched a standalone AI-powered image generator called "Imagine with Meta." Similar to tools like DALL-E and Midjourney, it enables users to create high-resolution images from prompts. This free service is currently available for users in the US and allows for generating four images per prompt.

Reimagine Images on Messenger and Instagram: Meta introduced a new feature that uses AI to "reimagine" images on Messenger and Instagram group chats. Users can can press and hold on a picture to remix and build upon an initial Meta AI image by adding their own text prompts.

AI Characters: Meta's AI characters are now live across its US apps, including WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. These AI-powered characters can hold conversations and now support Bing search and have improved memory, allowing them to remember previous interactions.

Real-Time Translator: Meta revealed a prototype of a seamless translator for real-time communication across languages. This technology aims to overcome language barriers in conversations by automatically translating speech in real-time, allowing users to communicate with each other regardless of their native language.

Apple Enters the AI Fray with MLX Framework

Apple has silently entered the AI arena with a potentially game-changing move: the release of MLX, an open-source framework designed specifically for building efficient AI models on Apple Silicon chips. This marks a significant shift for the company, which has previously integrated machine learning into its products but largely remained on the sidelines of the AI arms race dominated by rivals like Microsoft and Google.

MLX boasts several key features that position it as a powerful tool for developers. Its shared memory architecture allows tasks to run seamlessly on both CPUs and GPUs without the need for data transfers, significantly improving performance and efficiency. Additionally, the framework draws inspiration from established players like PyTorch, Jax, and ArrayFire, making it familiar and easy to use for developers already comfortable with those platforms.

Apple's decision to open-source MLX and make it readily available on platforms like GitHub and PyPI indicates a deliberate effort to attract developers and foster a community around the framework. This strategic move could rapidly accelerate the adoption of MLX and potentially challenge existing players in the AI landscape.

Perhaps most intriguing is the underlying shift in Apple's approach to AI. The company has historically shied away from explicitly using the term "AI" in its marketing and presentations, despite integrating the technology deeply into its products. With the release of MLX, Apple seems to be embracing AI more openly, suggesting a potential expansion into the realm of generative AI applications, a space currently dominated by its competitors.

Mastercard Launches AI-Powered Shopping Assistant ‘Shopping Muse’

Mastercard has launched Shopping Muse, a new AI-powered shopping assistant that provides personalized product recommendations. Powered by Mastercard's acquisition Dynamic Yield, the tool aims to revolutionize product discovery using natural language queries.

Shopping Muse can interpret modern lingo and trends to suggest relevant items. It considers the shopping context, user questions, conversation history, product catalog, and user behavior to tailor results.

For logged-in users, past purchase history and browsing data further inform the recommendations. Advanced image recognition also suggests products visually similar to others browsed.

While starting in fashion, Shopping Muse could expand to other categories like furniture and grocery. Mastercard says retailers must embrace tech like AI to meet evolving consumer demands.

The tool arrives as generative AI becomes more prevalent for shopping. Google Search provides AI gift ideas, Microsoft Bing generates buying guides, and more tools are emerging.

Nearly 30% of retailers already use generative AI, with adoption expected to rise. Mastercard aims to lead with Shopping Muse in providing immersive, personalized experiences.

However, transparent use of data and responsible AI practices remain crucial as tools analyze user histories and demographics. Mastercard must ensure privacy and prevent unintended biases.

Shopping Muse demonstrates the potential of AI to revolutionize e-commerce discovery. But success requires building user trust through ethical design as generative technology scales up.

Microsoft Adds OpenAI’s Latest Models and New Code Interpreter to Copilot

Microsoft is updating its Copilot service with OpenAI's latest AI models and new features. Copilot will soon incorporate the GPT-4 Turbo language model, providing greater context for queries and responses. The DALL-E 3 model is also being improved for higher quality image generation.

For Microsoft Edge users, Copilot can now compose text within websites and summarize YouTube videos. A new code interpreter feature will let Copilot run code it generates to provide more accurate data analysis and calculations. Users can also upload files to work with their own data.

On the search side, Bing is gaining Deep Search powered by GPT-4. This expands search queries for more comprehensive, relevant results on complex topics.

The OpenAI model upgrades demonstrate Microsoft's continued integration after investing billions in the research lab. Copilot aims to harness AI to enhance productivity across writing, coding, searching and more.

Rival Google is racing to keep pace with new AI features in search, maps and its Bard chatbot. But Microsoft's aggressive push with Copilot leverages exclusive access to OpenAI's latest innovations.

The downside is OpenAI's models have exhibited concerning biases and hallucinations. Microsoft must balance utility with guardrails as it bakes the AI deeper into products.

For now, the Copilot additions provide developers, creators and searchers more capable AI assistance. But success will require responsible design and transparency as the technology evolves.

IBM and Meta Join Forces to Push Open, Safe, and Responsible AI

IBM and Meta have launched the AI Alliance, a new initiative with over 50 founding members to advance open and responsible AI innovation. Members span industry, academia, research, and government.

The alliance aims to foster open AI development while ensuring trust, safety, diversity, and economic competitiveness. It will provide a platform for collaboration on AI safety, sharing solutions, and defining benchmarks.

IBM says the timing amid recent AI controversies is coincidental, though acknowledges it reflects concerns over increased proprietary AI and stifled innovation. The alliance seeks a nuanced discussion beyond AI risks.

Focus areas include developing benchmarks for responsible AI, advancing open foundation models for social good, boosting AI hardware, supporting academic research, informing public discourse on AI, and showcasing beneficial applications.

Meta stresses the alliance enables progress on safety whether models are open or proprietary. Members can share tools and knowledge to build AI responsibly.

With polarized views on AI risks, the alliance brings together diverse voices for a balanced approach. It aims to address safety while avoiding overregulation that limits openness.

Critics may argue the alliance lacks teeth without binding commitments. But members pledge to collaborate on concrete projects and resources for the AI community.

The flexible structure could enable wider participation versus a formal standards body. Outcomes remain to be seen but the alliance signals growing will for cooperation on AI challenges.

• AMD releases new chips to power faster AI training
• Civitai founder champions open source, downplays AI deepfake porn
• ChatGPT rival Pi launches on Android

• Getty lawsuit against Stability AI to go to trial in the UK
• Runway ML partners with Getty Images
• Stability AI goes ‘smol’ with StableLM Zephyr 3B

The Game Awards 2023 — Winners and Reveals

The Game Awards 2023 brought a treasure trove of reveals and triumphs. From Baldur's Gate 3 slaying as Game of the Year to surprise resurrections of classic Sega franchises, the showcase was a celebration of gaming's brilliant past, present & future.

Key winners at The Game Awards 2023 included Game of the Year for Baldur's Gate 3 and multiple awards for Alan Wake 2. God of War Ragnarök took home Best Score/Music and Players' Voice.

Additionally, there were various announcements and reveals of upcoming games, expansions, and updates. Here’s a few of the most notable announcements:

• August 2024 release date for Black Myth: Wukong.
• Next game from Dead Cells developer unveiled.
• God of War Ragnarök expansion arriving next week.
• Bandai Namco unveiled Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero.
• Hideo Kojima’s new cloud-based Xbox project called OD.
• Hoyoverse’s ‘Zenless Zone Zero’ gameplay trailer & 2024 release.
• Capcom revealed Monster Hunter: Wilds coming in 2025.
• New Jurassic Park survival horror game was unveiled.
• Square Enix’s new entry ‘Visions of Mana’ was revealed.
• No Man's Sky 10-year anniversary retrospective.

The First Trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI Revealed!

Rockstar Games has revealed the first official trailer for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, confirming it will launch in 2025 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The trailer provides a first look at the game's seeming dual protagonists, Lucia and a male character (who’s name has not been revealed), set in the fictional Vice City based on Miami. It showcases the neon-lit setting, beaches, swamplands, highways, clubs, and more. It also contains various references to social media videos and news that took place in Florida, highlighting Rockstar’s well-known inclusivity of satire and references to real-life events and locations.

Gameplay hints include social media elements, outdoor activities like mudding, car shows, and criminal activities. The story seems to involve the protagonists in a romantic partnership working together through thick and thin.

The trailer amassed over 100 million YouTube views within its first 24 hours, breaking the record for most views in that timeframe previously held by MrBeast. Rockstar celebrated by quote tweeting celebrities about the achievement.

While long awaited, the 2025 release date means fans still face a lengthy wait. The game is notably absent from PC at launch, only confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles so far.

Overall, the trailer provides a vibrant first look at GTA VI's setting and characters after years of anticipation. But while it generated huge excitement, the multi-year wait continues with a 2025 release date.

Fortnite Continues Expanding its Metaverse with Lego and Rocket League Experiences

Fortnite continues to aggressively expand its metaverse ambitions through major collaborations and new gaming experiences. Epic Games recently revealed Lego Fortnite, a Lego-themed survival crafting game launching on December 7th.

Lego Fortnite represents the first product emerging from an extensive partnership between Epic and Lego to construct immersive, kid/family-friendly spaces within Fortnite's ever-evolving metaverse. It follows recent efforts by Epic to introduce age ratings and limit mature content visibility for younger players, signaling a push toward more child-safe experiences.

In other Fortnite news, Psyonix, the developer behind mega-hit Rocket League, is releasing Rocket Racing - an arcade racer set within Fortnite. The free standalone racing game leveraging Fortnite's world launches on December 3rd.

These additions showcase Fortnite continuing to morph into a highly diverse, interactive virtual world that expands far beyond just the core battle royale gameplay. High-profile collaborations with major brands like Lego provide Epic with avenues to tap into massive new demographics like families and young children, further cementing Fortnite's cultural dominance.

Gods Unchained Gets Added onto Amazon Prime Gaming, Giving Away Free Card Packs through Prime

Amazon Prime subscribers can now claim free card packs in NFT trading card game Gods Unchained. Prime members get 5 Rare Core Packs and 1 Core Domain Pack monthly for six months via Amazon Prime Gaming.

The cards are not tokenized as NFTs but can be fused in-game to create NFTs tradable on Immutable X. Some other Prime Gaming collaborations directly distribute NFTs.

The Gods Unchained promotion coincides with the launch of its second season, Far Horizons, introducing new abilities and an Atlantis-themed card expansion.

Gods Unchained will also support creators sharing content with up to $2,550 worth of tokens monthly. The moves aim to boost engagement and community.

While not directly dealing in NFTs here, Amazon is tapping interest in blockchain gaming. The promotion could introduce mainstream Prime members to Gods Unchained and the wider NFT gaming space.

However, the lack of true NFT rewards may disappoint core Web3 gamers who expect real ownership. Amazon seems to be dipping a toe before diving into direct NFT distributions.

The collaboration showcases experimentation around attracting players from mainstream and crypto spaces. But foundational Web3 values like actual ownership remain points of debate.

Reebok Dips their Toes into AI and Web3 with Futureverse Partnership

Footwear brand Reebok has partnered with crypto startup Futureverse to develop AI- and blockchain-powered games and digital experiences. The collaboration aims to expand Reebok's presence into virtual realms and "revolutionize fashion in the digital world."

In 2023, Reebok and Futureverse will launch an "on-chain digital shoe experience" called Reebok Impact that incorporates AI and NFT wearables. Details are scarce, but it promises to be an immersive gaming experience giving digital shoes purpose.

Reebok seeks to transcend boundaries and engage consumers through the digital evolution of its products. The partnership follows the trend of major brands like Nike entering digital fashion, gaming, and NFTs.

Futureverse specializes in acquiring crypto games and platforms to build an open metaverse. The partnership represents its first foray into digital footwear.

While Reebok hasn't announced plans for physical shoes tied to NFTs like Nike and Adidas, its collaboration indicates similar ambitions to integrate physical and digital experiences.

Airdrop Confirmed by LayerZero, Starknet Provides More Details Around its Airdrop Distribution

The markets are pumping, and so are the news surrounding highly anticipated airdrops. First off, LayerZero has confirmed plans for a native token airdrop in the first half of 2024. While short, their X post mentions that they’ve been listening to community discussion during the past few months, and are focused on a fair distribution of the token.

Following the leak of an iteration of their token distribution portal last week, the Starknet Foundation also confirmed its airdrop last week and recently proceeded to provide more details surrounding its airdrop initiatives.

They outlined the following initiatives:

• 900 million STRK to the Provisions Committee for initial distributions rewarding users.
• 900 million STRK for rebates to users based on network transactions.
• 50 million STRK for DeFi incentives on Starknet.

Regardless of the criteria, many users continue ‘airdrop farming’ to attempt receiving a higher token distribution on these upcoming airdrops.

Merit Circle’s Partners with Immutable to Expand Beam Ecosystem

The Merit Circle DAO has partnered with Immutable to expand its blockchain ecosystem. The collaboration will leverage Immutable's Web3 platform to enrich Merit Circle's Beam gaming blockchain and Sphere NFT marketplace.

By integrating with Immutable's zkEVM scaling solution on Polygon, Beam will launch beyond its current Avalanche network. This will introduce advanced features like cross-marketplace asset trading and simplified onboarding to augment developer revenue and user experience.

The partnership aligns with both companies' missions to advance blockchain adoption in gaming. Immutable's technology combined with Merit Circle's expertise aims to unlock innovative experiences.

Merit Circle will also invest from its $100M+ treasury into games building on Immutable, further boosting the collaboration's impact.

Coinbase Wallet Unveils New Feature that Enables Instant and Seamless Money Transfers

Coinbase Wallet has rolled out new features to make sending money globally easier, cheaper and faster. Users can now send money through shared links on messaging apps, social media, email and more with instant settlement and no fees.

The update allows seamless money transfers to friends and family abroad compared to complex bank wires or services with fees and delays. Recipients simply click the link to claim funds in their Coinbase Wallet. Unclaimed funds are returned in 2 weeks.

Coinbase Wallet supports 130+ local fiat on-ramps for buying assets, expanding access globally, especially in high-inflation economies. Users can also receive from any crypto wallet and buy fee-free USDC with Coinbase Pay.

Sending USDC is now fee-free on multiple networks like Arbitrum and Polygon. Coinbase Wallet messaging also enables fee-free transfers in thousands of coins.

An optional simple mode focuses on essential functions like buying, sending and storing assets to streamline the experience for beginners.

Apeiron Moves to the Ronin Network

Apeiron is partnering with Sky Mavis and migrating its marketplace to the Ronin blockchain. This aims to provide secure, low-cost, near-instant transactions for players. Users must migrate Apeiron assets to the new marketplace during a limited period starting mid-December.

The migration marks a new beginning with cross-IP collaborations planned, like Axies and Doods interacting. A new star constellation NFT will also be released.

The Ronin marketplace will support multiple tokens including RON, APRS, and Anima. Users can exchange APRS and Anima for WETH on the Katana DEX.

New users can sign up with a Ronin wallet or email. Existing users sign in with their email and connect a Ronin wallet using wallet import.

The migration is the start of major events including PvP mode. With the token and game launch in Q1 2024, it's an exciting new chapter for Apeiron.

• BlackRock received $100K seed funds for Bitcoin ETF, as per SEC filing
• IBM unveils new air-gapped cold storage solution for digital assets
• JPMorgan’s CEO Jamie says ‘crypto is for criminals’ during senate hearing

• $JTO token airdrop claims started this week
• Megadeth band launches NFT collection
• Robinhood launches crypto trading services in Europe