Human communication

Apple CEO Time Cook described something similar to the metaverse in a recent interview, possibly changing his mind about a digital world to enhance our own. The most recent revelation about Cook’s changing ideas about AR/VR technology and the metaverse comes from an interview in GQ. “My thinking always evolves. Steve taught me well: never to get married to your convictions of yesterday,” Cook mused. About future Apple AR technology, Cook added, “it’s the idea that there is this environment that may be even…

I can write a few thousand words about how emails are the bane of my existence, but I have to sip the bitter nectar of my professional reality every morning as I open my eyes and tap on the barrage of Gmail notifications on my phone. It also doesn’t help that every single email client that I have tried so far, both paid and free, has promised me an inbox utopia, then underwhelmed me big-time. In a nutshell, it’s a reality filled with the non-charming chore of managing an inbox that never shuts down. That’s where…

Apple’s mixed-reality headset is due to launch this June at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and a freshly published patent hints at some of the controllers Apple might offer with the device. But there are some major caveats that could prevent these accessories from ever seeing the light of day. The patent (number 20230096068) describes how Apple could create a handheld controller with a “torque feedback mechanism” to provide immersive physical responses while using a mixed-reality headset. That…

Need a hand with today’s Wordle? We have the answer to Wordle (#651) on April 1, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself right here. We’ve placed the answer right at the bottom of the page, so we don’t ruin the surprise before you’ve had a chance to work through the clues. So let’s dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday’s answer. Yesterday’s Wordle answer Let’s start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday’s Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don’t play it daily,…

Europol this week issued a stark warning highlighting the risks posed by criminals as  they get to grips with the new wave of advanced AI chatbots. In a post shared online this week, Europe’s law enforcement agency described how tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and GPT-4, and Google’s Bard, will be increasingly used by criminals looking for new ways to con members of the public. It identified three specific areas that concern it most. First up is fraud and social engineering, where emails are sent to targets…

Need a hand with today’s Wordle? We have the answer to Wordle (#650) on March 31, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself right here. We’ve placed the answer right at the bottom of the page, so we don’t ruin the surprise before you’ve had a chance to work through the clues. So let’s dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday’s answer. Yesterday’s Wordle answer Let’s start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday’s Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don’t play it…

The first open-source AI chatbot in the vein of ChatGPT has arrived, and it’s come at a particularly helpful time. ColossalChat is a powerful alternative that uses an RHLF pipeline similar to OpenAI’s GPT-4 model that powers ChatGPT, and it’s available for immediate use. ChatGPT, of course, remains the premier AI chatbot and keeps plenty busy. But I just tried to log in now and found it was at capacity and, therefore, unavailable. This is a common problem with the service. ColossalChat, on the other hand, is wide…

ChatGPT is quickly being developed beyond its standard functionality on browsers and computer-based programs. One company has even created a “holographic AI companion” that uses the chatbot to bring its vision to life. The company called Looking Glass recently shared on Twitter several demos of people interacting with its holographic AI companion, called Uncle Rabbit, which is able to communicate back-and-forth in real time with humans, while also completing tasks that people request. In one demo, the…

There’s no doubt that ChatGPT is a revolutionary advance in the usefulness and potential for any computer or smartphone connected to the internet, but is it safe to use? There are some big concerns about the overall evolution of generative AI, with some tech leaders even calling for a pause in development. But for the individual, safety is a relative term, particularly when it comes to tools. So, here’s everything to consider before you jump in. Privacy and financial leaks In at least one instance, chat…

GPT-4 is only a couple of weeks old, and we’re just starting to get a glimpse of how powerful it really is. As has been documented by AI enthusiasts like Rowan Cheung on Twitter, people are stumbling upon all sorts of interesting, awe-inspiring, and downright scary things that GPT-4 can do. Learning what a new large language model can do is a process of discovery, and based on what it’s been able to generate in just these past couple of weeks, it feels like we’re only scratching the surface. Here are five things that…