Saturday, September 6, 2025

AI

A US federal judge has ruled that Google must share its search index with competitors, potentially giving AI rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT a significant advantage. The order requires Google to hand over one-time snapshots of its index and user data on interactions at "marginal cost," without ongoing access.

Software developers are often encouraged to avoid ambiguity and complexity, but the truth is that uncertainty is inherent in many systems. A new approach called "Uncertain" offers a way to model this uncertainty directly into code using probabilistic programming. This concept, introduced in 2014, allows developers to represent the probability of events occurring, making their models more accurate and reliable. By incorporating uncertainty into calculations, developers can avoid oversimplifying complex situations and instead provide a realistic representation of risk. Small adjustments, like replacing simple distance calculations with uncertain versions, can have significant benefits in real-world projects.

Will Smith's concert crowd controversy has highlighted the fine line between human enthusiasm and AI-generated artificiality. A viral video clip from his European tour featured crowds with distorted faces and signs, prompting accusations that they were AI-generated. However, an investigation revealed that the crowds were real, but manipulated by Will Smith's team using image-to-video models to enhance visuals. YouTube later experimented with post-processing techniques, introducing AI artifacts in the process. The incident raises questions about manipulating concert footage and highlights the need for clarity in labeling AI-generated content, sparking a debate on the ethics of such practices.

The DFINITY Foundation has developed Caffeine, a platform that enables users to create custom applications through natural language conversations with AI, eliminating coding knowledge requirements. Powered by the Internet Computer network, Caffeine allows anyone to build apps instantly, offering security, sovereignty, and resilience compared to traditional cloud-based alternatives.

This beginner's guide walks readers through loading data into ML.NET using various approaches, including binary files, in-memory collections, and CSV/text loaders. The author aims to prepare readers for Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with clear C# explanations, covering types of data sources supported by ML.NET, such as binary and text file loaders.

A web-based dinosaur simulation was built using Rust, WebAssembly, TypeScript, and HTML5 Canvas, featuring neuroevolution, real-time physics, and browser-based simulation techniques. The project started as a game clone but evolved into a complex system with intelligent behavior, evolutionary learning, and visualization tools. A live demo and source code are available online.

AnyBlox is a modular data processing system that enables arbitrary dataprocessingsystems and execution environments to communicate with each other via WebAssembly code. The system consists of libanyblox and a WebAssembly Decoder, which output Apache Arrow batches in columnar structure with support for complex multifield structures. Hosts provide metadata, including schema and dataset file information, to create a Decoder Job and receive decoded data as an Arrow batch after processing a request or iteration over the input data. AnyBlox's modularity and use of WebAssembly enable flexibility and scalability in data processing, leveraging Apache Arrow's standardized format for output data.

Influencers are leveraging AI to automate content creation, from scriptwriting and voiceovers to video editing and distribution. By training AI models on their past work, creators can generate high-quality content in minutes using tools like Claude, ElevenLabs, and HeyGen, enabling them to keep up with social media trends quickly and efficiently online.

OpenAI is launching an AI-powered jobs platform to match job seekers with employers seeking AI-skilled talent amid growing concerns about automation's impact on employment. The platform aims to certify 10 million Americans by 2030, partnering with companies like Walmart and John Deere to offer free AI certifications through its OpenAI Academy.

Nvidia has invested $600 million in Honeywell's quantum computing company, Quantinuum, valuing it at $10 billion. This marks Nvidia's first direct stake and underscores the growing importance of quantum computing alongside AI in its future plans. The partnership reflects a strategic shift by Nvidia, moving closer to practical applications.

The article questions Microsoft's motives behind creating Office Open XML (OOXML), suggesting it was designed to be complex and obstruct interoperability with third-party software. However, the author argues OOXML's complexity stems from Microsoft's self-interested negligence, not sabotage. OOXML's procedural defects and inconsistencies reflect a flawed standardization approach by Microsoft.

Tech giants Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, and Sequoia Capital will join Disrupt 2025, sharing startup growth insights. The event's 20th anniversary takes place in San Francisco from Oct 27-29, offering a chance to learn from top tech voices. Meanwhile, Google's Gemini chatbot has been deemed "high-risk" for kids, prompting safety feature improvements.

A tech journalist rebuts Google's Protocol Buffers, a data serialization format they used to work on. The author claims protobufs are poorly designed, with an ad-hoc type system that restricts generic code and leads to "arbitrary restrictions". They propose simplifying the spec to improve compatibility guarantees, but warn of its rigid code generation and ill-conceived features.

The article explores how AI-generated content is changing the internet landscape, presenting two possible futures: one where AI dominates, leading to a chaotic online environment, and another where humans reclaim control, creating a more authentic experience. The author argues that prioritizing quality and authenticity can mitigate these risks and create a better future.