Category: AI News

AI and the Rise of Government Scams

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  • Government imposter scams are rising, with losses exceeding $400 million last year.
  • Reports of scams targeting agencies like DMVs and tax offices increased, with victim reports rising over 50% from 2022 to 2024.
  • Scammers utilize realistic communication methods, including spoofed “.gov” emails, to demand payments for fictitious obligations.
  • The use of generative AI tools has made it easier for fraudsters to convincingly impersonate officials.
  • Local governments are urged to enhance public awareness campaigns and implement stronger digital security measures to protect residents.

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MindHYVE.ai and DV8 Infosystems Partner with KICTANet to Develop Kenya’s AI Policy

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  • Partnership Announcement: MindHYVE.ai, DV8 Infosystems, and KICTANet signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-develop Kenya’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy.

  • Strategic Objectives: The collaboration aims to enhance Kenya’s National AI Strategy for 2025-2030, focusing on ethical and regulatory design, participatory engagement, and a publication-ready policy framework.

  • Commitment to Ethical AI: The MoU underscores a shared commitment to responsible AI governance, positioning Kenya as a leader in developing ethical and inclusive AI policies.

  • Global Impact: This initiative signifies a new phase in Kenya’s digital transformation, aiming to establish a sovereign AI governance model that influences global AI policy discourse.

  • Leadership Statements: Leaders from the partnering organizations emphasized the importance of the MoU in shaping responsible AI practices and expressed their commitment to integrating diverse stakeholders in the policy development process.

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Meta’s V-JEPA 2: AI Learning to Understand Its Surroundings

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  • Meta introduced the V-JEPA 2 AI model, designed to help AI agents understand their environment, building on the previous V-JEPA model.
  • Trained on over one million hours of video, V-JEPA 2 aims to enhance the operation of robots and AI agents in the physical world.
  • The model teaches AI to make common sense connections, similar to how young children and animals learn to predict outcomes based on experiences.
  • It enables AI to perform tasks by reasoning about actions, such as using a spatula to move eggs from a stove to a plate.
  • V-JEPA 2 is reported to be 30 times faster than Nvidia’s Cosmos model, potentially revolutionizing robotics with less dependency on extensive training data.

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N.W.T. Gov’t Develops AI Use Policy as Tools Become Accessible

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  • The N.W.T. government is developing a policy for artificial intelligence (AI) tools, with initial guidelines expected soon.
  • Currently, government workers follow federal guidelines for AI use, while the territory’s government explores its own applications of AI in administrative processes.
  • The Law Society of the Northwest Territories has released guidelines for lawyers on AI use, emphasizing transparency and bias checking in AI-generated content.
  • Research Chair Adegboyega Ojo advocates for collaboration between governments and research institutions to responsibly enhance public services using AI.
  • A Statistics Canada survey indicates a modest interest in AI adoption among N.W.T. businesses, with some individuals already leveraging AI to increase efficiency in their work.

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Fake Rock Lives On – Mackinac Center

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  • A free album created by an unknown band was discovered to be composed using artificial intelligence, blending 1970s heavy blues rock with modern influences.
  • Responses to AI-generated music vary widely, with some expressing delight and others feeling fear and depression about the implications of AI in art.
  • Critics voice concerns about AI, including the potential for job disruption, loss of human dignity, and the emergence of malevolent sentient systems.
  • Policymakers are urged to consider five key questions regarding AI regulation, focusing on clear definitions, specific harms, and the preservation of innovation.
  • Michigan’s legislative approach to AI fluctuates between fear and optimism, with recent actions including calls for guiding principles and regulations in political contexts.

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G7 SUV First to Feature Xpeng’s Turing AI Chip

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  • Xpeng’s in-house developed Turing AI chip enhances the G7 SUV’s AI capabilities, moving away from Nvidia’s technology.
  • The G7 is set to debut as the first model featuring the Turing chip, showcasing advanced autonomous driving technologies.
  • CEO He Xiaopeng announced the G7 will be the first AI vehicle to possess Level 3 (L3) computing power.
  • The Turing chip achieves computing power of about 700 TOPS, equivalent to three Nvidia Orin X chips, supporting smart driving and cockpits.
  • Xpeng becomes the second Chinese EV startup after Nio to mass-produce its own autonomous driving chips.

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Gen AI in the New Tech Frontier

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  • Dr. Brian Henz, Senior Science Advisor on AI, emphasizes the importance of understanding risks and ensuring transparency in implementing generative AI (Gen AI) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

  • A key challenge identified is the explainability of AI models, which are often considered "black boxes," making it hard to trace decision-making processes and mitigate faulty results.

  • Best practices discussed include thorough dataset assessments, model validation in-house to prevent data leaks, and comprehensive evaluations of consequences before and after deployment.

  • DHS has already piloted various Gen AI applications, yielding insights into their benefits and limitations, such as improving maintenance predictions and summarizing law enforcement reports.

  • S&T seeks to ensure responsible AI usage, focusing on testing and evaluation, while anticipating future regulations to enhance public service and implement necessary safeguards.

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DOGE’s AI Program: An Error-Prone Approach to Veterans Affairs Contracts

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  • The Trump administration utilized a software engineer with no healthcare experience to develop an AI tool, labeled "MUNCHABLE," for identifying non-essential VA contracts.
  • This AI code, built quickly and using outdated models, inaccurately inflated contract values and flagged over 2,000 contracts for potential cancellation.
  • Critics, including procurement experts, pointed out significant flaws in the AI’s decision-making process and raised concerns about relying on it for budget cuts in such a complex area.
  • While the VA claimed to have canceled nearly 600 contracts, details on which specific contracts were terminated remained vague and frustrating for congressional oversight.
  • The engineer admitted to flaws in the tool and was eventually terminated from DOGE after publicizing his work, raising questions about future use of the AI in VA decision-making.

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GOP Aims to Block State AI Regulations: Key Points

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  • House Republicans introduced a tax bill clause banning states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for 10 years, surprising tech watchers and angering state governments.
  • The provision aims to provide uniformity for the AI industry, which advocates for minimal regulation as technology advances, but may struggle to pass in the Senate due to procedural challenges.
  • Senators from both parties express interest in AI regulation; however, meaningful progress on related legislation has been stalled in the divided Congress.
  • Critics argue the clause represents federal overreach and limits state-level protections, while attorneys general from various states oppose the bill, emphasizing the need for local solutions.
  • Industry leaders, including OpenAI’s CEO, suggest a federal approach to regulation but stress the importance of a "light touch" framework to foster innovation without burdensome regulations.

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DOGE Used Flawed AI to ‘Munch’ VA Contracts, Report Says

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  • The Independent covers crucial issues like reproductive rights and climate change without paywalls, ensuring accessible quality journalism.
  • Support from readers enables The Independent to send reporters to gather firsthand accounts and present balanced narratives.
  • A flawed AI tool developed by the Department of Government Efficiency led to the cancellation of hundreds of vital contracts within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • The AI’s limitations included vague definitions and insufficient understanding of complex tasks, resulting in critical contracts being mistakenly flagged.
  • Veteran affairs advocates raised concerns over the impact of contract cancellations on essential services, prompting the VA to revise the number of contracts affected.

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