The World Opinion

Tag: AI

  • Microsoft To Invest $1.7 Bn In Cloud, AI Infrastructure In Indonesia |

    New Delhi: Microsoft on Tuesday announced that it will invest $1.7 billion over the next four years in new cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Indonesia. The company also announced AI skilling opportunities for 840,000 people in the country and support for the nation’s growing developer community.

    This marks the single largest investment in Microsoft’s 29-year history in the country. “The investments we are announcing today — spanning digital infrastructure, skilling, and support for developers – will help Indonesia thrive in this new era,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft.

    According to the company, this investment will enable Microsoft to meet the growing demand for cloud computing services in Indonesia, as well as allow the country to capitalize on the significant economic and productivity opportunities presented by the latest AI technology.

    “We aim to empower Indonesians with the infrastructure and skills needed for the AI ​​era, aligning with our national vision for digital prowess. It’s a crucial step towards making Indonesia a hub for digital talent and innovation,” said Dharma Simorangkir, President Director of Microsoft. Indonesia.

    Meanwhile, Microsoft announced plans to provide AI skilling opportunities for 2.5 million people in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states by 2025. The tech giant will provide this training with the help of governments, nonprofit and corporate organizations, and communities in Indonesia. , Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

    The initiative builds on a range of existing Microsoft skills programs in the region, which have already helped many people land jobs or make career changes, especially women, who are still under-represented in the tech sector, the company said.

  • Swipe Right For Gen Z: Revolutionizing The Dating Industry For The Next Generation | Culture News

    With their fondness for all things tech and AI, they’re reshaping how we find love and companionship in the swipe-right era. No more begging your friends to set you up on a date; Gone are the days of awkward blind dates and even chance encounters. For this generation, dating begins and ends on their smartphones. With a single click, singles are changing their relationship status to committed. No, scratch that. Complicated.

    Dating apps are their virtual coffee shops, libraries, quaint little cafes, and more, where these young hearts roam, swiping left and right, mending or breaking many hearts a day. GenZ love stories are all about efficiency meets romance, packaged neatly into bite-sized dating profiles.

    It’s about connection

    For the GenZ, it is not just about convenience. It is also about connection. Even if they grew up in a world where social media dominates almost every aspect of their lives, from filtered selfies to specially curated posts that show the highs of life, keeping the lows hidden from all, GenZ still craves genuine connection. Nothing beats dating apps when the demand is for authentic relationships backed by algorithms.

    Self Exploration

    GenZ’s idea of ​​dating is less fixated on finding ‘the one’ and more on self-exploration and finding what they want. While the recent survey from India’s fastest-growing dating app, QuackQuack, shows that GenZ is increasingly focusing on real and exclusive relationships, it also states that before committing to that one perfect match, the young adults are embracing the idea of ​​testing the waters and learning what they want and don’t want in a partner. They are here for the long run and in no rush to settle without being sure about what they want and deserve. This mindset shift in GenZ has propelled ‘slow dating,’ where meaningful connections take precedence over quick flings.

    Shattering gender roles in dating

    One of the most significant changes brought about by GenZ in the dating industry is the rejection of gender roles and expectations. This generation is raised with gender inclusivity, and the idea of ​​adhering to outdated dating norms feels archaic to them. For instance, women of GenZ no longer wait for a man to make the first move, and men don’t expect women to be coy. They are more than okay with women taking the lead. Paying the bill, bringing flowers on dates, picking up your date from their homes, showing vulnerability, and more are no longer assigned to one gender or the other. These orthodox dating norms have been reshaped by a generation that values ​​equality in all aspects of relationships.

    As we look into the future, there is one sure thing- the dating industry will continue to evolve alongside GenZ’s values, desires, and demands. Dating apps started as a simple way to make romance more convenient and accessible, but now it is a cultural phenomenon promoting more than just genuine companionship, and this new generation plays a significant part in it.

  • AI Can Give Psychological First Aid, Curb Mental Health Burden In India: Expert |

    New Delhi: Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be an effective tool in providing psychological first aid, which may help curb the rising burden of mental health issues in India, said Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chairperson, Fortis Healthcare on Wednesday.

    Speaking to IANS, the mental health expert noted that AI may not only boost cost-effective care but also reach the masses, as niche experts are fewer in this sector. “The prevalence of mental illnesses and mental health concerns are very high. But the number of experts in the domain is very low. And these experts are also disproportionately distributed,” Samir said.

    He noted that the number of experts dwindles, beyond metro cities, in Tier – III, and IV, and even further while moving towards district, and rural levels. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, about 60 to 70 million people in India have been reported to suffer from common and severe mental disorders.

    “India’s mental health burden is estimated at $2-3 billion with about one in every eight people estimated to be suffering from a mental health disorder in some form. Hence, mental wellness solutions are pertinent, especially in a society like India where mental health is deeply stigmatized leading to lack of awareness,” said Samir while launching ‘Adayu Mindfulness’– a dedicated vertical for comprehensive mental health care at Fortis, in collaboration with United We Care and Adayu.

    “I do believe that digital India and AI interventions are the way forward for a country like ours, as well as for a large part of the developing world where we need to ensure that cost-effective and highest outreach is needed for mental health care, given the fact that experts are less,” he added.

    But when it comes to mental health, is AI on par with humans?

    “AI is not substituting clinical expertise, rather it is supporting,” Samir said, noting that AI can help in screening and help understand whether a person must see a psychologist or a psychiatrist. “There are some people who will have distress, some will require a bit of assistance and help, but not expert intervention in terms of therapy. This help could be about self-correction, basic guidance, some self-help, some do-it -Yourself, some educator videos or content, but given by reliable sources, which also come from a clinically evidence-based background.

    “So psychological first aid can be given. AI can listen, give some education, help people understand what to do, provide lifestyle-related support, thought-related support which means helping with positive thinking affirmations, among others,” said the doctor.

    At the same time, it can also screen the patients and rule out the presence of a condition that requires an expert intervention. “So AI can help in psychological therapy, guidance and it can also help in the continuity of treatment and compliance as well as overall relapse management.”

    “Available 24/7 in a scientific evidence-based manual, and under the supervision of experts, AI is not about substituting or being at par with human support, rather it will work as an adjunct as a support system,” the doctor said.

  • Using ChatGPT? Know About Company’s 1st Hiring In India |

    New Delhi: ChatGPT is in the headline since its launch in 2022. Every time, the AI ​​app is the talk of the town because of its evolution but this time the reason is different. OpenAI, the parent company of AI, has appointed its first employee in India. Yes, you read it right.

    Who Is Pragya Mishra?

    Pragya Mishra is the first employee that Sam Altman’s OpenAI has employed in India. News agency IANS received confirmation on Friday from sources that Ms. Misra has been assigned to oversee partnerships and public policy issues across the nation. (Also Read: Want To Start Business But Short On Funds? Pitch Your Idea To THIS Billionaire And Get Funding)

    As per the information available on her social media platform, she is also a podcaster and influencer with approx 35,000 followers on Instagram. (Also Read: Mark Zuckerberg In Beard? Check Truth Behind Viral Photo)

    What Was Her Previous Role?

    In her role as Truecaller’s director of public affairs, she worked directly with investors, important stakeholders, government agencies, and media partners.

    First Employee Of WhatsApp In India

    She had been employed by Meta Platforms for three years before that. Pragya Misra was, incidentally, WhatsApp’s first employee in India.

    She oversaw WhatsApp’s 2018 campaign to combat false information and has previously collaborated with Ernst & Young and the Danish Royal Embassy in Delhi.

    Educational Background

    In 2012, Ms. Misra graduated with an MBA from the International Management Institute. She has a diploma in bargaining and negotiations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and graduated with a degree in commerce from Delhi University.

    Podcast

    In addition to being a Heartfulness meditation trainer, Ms. Misra is the host of the Pragyaan podcast (@pragyaan_podcast), which discusses subjects including human consciousness and meditation.

  • Meta’s Oversight Board To Check AI-generated Images Posted On Facebook, Instagram

    The first case involves an AI-generated image of a nude woman posted on Instagram, resembling a public figure from India.

  • WhatsApp Testing Meta AI Chatbot In India, Other Markets

    The tech giant launched Meta AI, a general-purpose chatbot that can generate photorealistic images from text prompts and answer user queries within chats in September last year.

  • Higgsfield AI Unveils Image To Video Generator App: Check How It Works |

    New Delhi: Higgsfield AI, a video AI company, has recently launched its first artificial intelligence (AI)-powered app for smartphones, named Diffuse. This mobile application serves as an image-to-video generator. As per the details, it is capable of transforming a selfie into a lifelike character within a video.

    What Is Diffuse?

    Diffuse, the brainchild of Higgsfield AI, launched to change video content creation by offering users the ability to seamlessly integrate themselves into videos. (Also Read: Customer Gets Delayed Food Delivery On Tuesday, Swiggy Blames ‘Weekend Peak Hour’, Chat Goes Viral)

    How Diffuse Works?

    The app utilizes advanced AI algorithms to generate personalized characters with lifelike motion, all from a single selfie. (Also Read: Security Alert For Android Users! Indian Govt Issued High-Risk Warning: Read More)

    Diffuse:Availability

    Initially, Diffuse is being gradually introduced to select markets, with availability on both Android and iOS platforms. Users in regions such as India, South Africa, the Philippines, Canada, and countries in Central Asia can access the app as it is gradually rolled out.

    Diffuse: Features

    With Diffuse, users have the flexibility to choose from a library of video content or create personalized videos from scratch using text, images, or existing video clips.

    AI Technology Behind Diffuse

    Higgsfield AI is committed to developing cutting-edge AI technology to power Diffuse and future endeavors. The company’s foundational model, built entirely from scratch, employs transformer architectures similar to those used by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Additionally, Higgsfield AI has leveraged proprietary frameworks developed in-house to efficiently train its AI model on limited GPU resources.

    Future Plans

    While Diffuse is currently available in preview mode, offering 2-second video generation, Higgsfield AI aims to enhance its capabilities further. The company’s ultimate goal is to achieve realistic, detailed, and fluid video generation directly on mobile devices. Although the full version release date remains undisclosed, Higgsfield AI continues to work towards refining its AI technology for public release.

  • Indeed’s New AI-Powered Tool To Help Employers Make Hiring Faster | Companies News

    Bengaluru: Indeed, a global job matching and hiring platform, on Tuesday, announced the launch of a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered tool called Smart Sourcing to make the hiring process faster and simpler for employers.

    With the AI tool, employers can instantly source a candidate from an active talent pool of nearly 300 million workers globally, based on profiles and resumes shared on Indeed.

    The tool will scan skills, experiences, and qualifications to recommend the best candidates for the job. This can help employers quickly review matched candidates, connect directly with them, and hire faster – saving an average of 8.1. Hours per week spent in recruiting and hiring, the company said. (Also Read: Byju’s Delays March Salaries; Blames Few Foreign Investors)

    “At Indeed, we believe that people are at the core of any successful organisation. That’s why we’re committed to simplifying the hiring process, not just for efficiency, but also to create a positive experience for both employers and job seekers,” said Abhishek Dhasmana, Senior Product Director at Indeed, in a statement.

    “We are pleased to introduce an innovative AI-powered “Smart Sourcing’ that demonstrates our commitment to revolutionising job matching and hiring in India,” he added.

    Job searching can be a challenging journey for most job seekers. Indeed’s recent survey reveals that 77 per cent of job seekers emphasise the importance of employers understanding their preferences before reaching out to them. However, more than half of job seekers in India have been contacted for jobs that don’t align with their preferences. (Also Read: Work From Home vs Work From Office Debate: Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath On Why WFH Not A Fit For All)

    Indeed also recently launched Specialist Media Networks in India, designed to support employers in filling competitive and hard-to-fill job roles.

  • Zuckerberg Courts Google Deepmind Engineers For Meta: Report |

    New Delhi: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is making significant strides in bolstering its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly taking a hands-on approach, personally reaching out to experts from rival companies like Google’s DeepMind to join Meta’s AI endeavors.

    Direct Recruitment

    Sources familiar with the matter reveal that Zuckerberg has been sending direct emails to researchers, urging them to switch sides. Meta is also said to be offering jobs without formal interviews and negotiating salaries and incentives to attract top talent, according to reports from The Information. (Also Read: Good News For MGNREGA Employees! Center Announces Pay Hike: Check State-Wise Wages Here)

    Video Recommendations

    Meta’s AI ambitions are centered around revolutionizing its platform’s video recommendations. Tom Alison, head of Facebook, disclosed Meta’s plan to consolidate recommendation systems into a single powerful AI model. (Also Read: Big Blow To Home Loan Borrowers! HDFC Bank Raises Lending Rates To 9.8%)

    Consolidation Of AI Models

    Previously, Meta used different AI models for various features like Reels, Groups, and Feed. However, the company is now experimenting with more advanced AI methods to bring all recommendations under one system.

    Chip Shortage

    Despite Meta’s ambitious AI plans, the company faces challenges due to a shortage of computer chips. Meta has been a significant buyer of Nvidia’s H100 chips, having spent $4.5 billion in 2023.

    However, with the release of Nvidia’s new Blackwell (or B200) chip, demand has surged, leading to delays in shipments. Meta anticipates waiting until 2025 for shipments, exacerbating their chip shortage predicament.

  • Misinformation Spread Via Deepfakes Biggest Threat To Upcoming Polls In India: Tenable |

    New Delhi: Misinformation and disinformation spread through artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfakes and fake content are the biggest threats to the upcoming elections in India,” exposure management company Tenable said on Sunday.

    According to the company, these threats will be shared across social media and messaging platforms like WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others.

    “The biggest threats to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are misinformation and disinformation as part of influence operations conducted by malicious actors against the electorate,” said Satnam Narang, Senior Staff Research Engineer at Tenable, to IANS.

    A recent report by Tidal Cyber ​​highlighted that this year, 10 countries will face the highest levels of election cyber interference threats, including India.

    Recently, deepfake videos of former US President Bill Clinton and current President Joe Biden were fabricated and circulated to confuse citizens during the upcoming presidential elections. (Also Read: Woman Falls Victim To Investment Scam, Loses Jewelry And Over Rs 24 Lakh)

    Experts note that the proliferation of deepfake content surged in late 2017, with over 7,900 videos online. By early 2019, this number nearly doubled to 14,678, and the trend continues to escalate.

    “With the increase in generative AI tools and their use growing worldwide, we may see deepfakes, be it in images or video content, impersonating notable candidates seeking to retain their seats or those hoping to unseat incumbents in parliament,” Narang added.

    The Indian government has recently issued directives to social media platforms such as X and Meta (formerly Facebook), urging them to regulate the proliferation of AI-generated deepfake content.

    Additionally, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) has issued an advisory to these platforms to remove AI-generated deepfakes from their platforms. (Also Read: WhatsApp Allows To Pin Multiple Messages In Chat; Here's How to Pin Messages on Android, iOS, And Desktop)

    Tenable suggests that the easiest way to identify a deepfake image is to look for nonsensical text or language that looks almost alien-like in language.