Welcome to the newest edition of FindBiometrics’ AI update. Here’s the latest big news on the shifting landscape of AI and identity technology:
Cohere has raised $500 million in a new funding round, bringing the Canadian startup’s valuation to $5.5 billion. The company says the funding will go to recruiting, computing power, and developing new AI models as it continues its efforts to rival OpenAI.
OpenAI has reassigned its head of AI safety, Aleksander Madry, to a ‘new and very important research project’, according to CEO Sam Altman. Two executives, Quinonero Candela and Lilian Weng, have been assigned to replace him in overseeing AI safety. Altman has not revealed any details about Madry’s new project.
A group of five US senators have issued a letter to OpenAI, asking the company to detail how it plans to meet publicly stated commitments to ensure that its AI does not harm society. The letter follows a recent report alleging that members of OpenAI’s safety team felt they were rushed through testing of a new safety protocol.
Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan is suggesting that AI companies use “open-weight” models, which are better at promoting competition. In comments delivered to the famous startup incubator Y Combinator, Khan said that open-weight models, which disclose how AI models have been trained, “can liberate startups from the arbitrary whims of closed developers and cloud gatekeepers.”
Knowbe4, a security awareness consultancy, unknowingly hired a North Korean hacker who attempted to load malware into its network before being discovered. The hacker posed as someone else, using stolen identity data and a deepfake photo. No data was breached, but Knowbe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman disclosed the incident to raise awareness of the issue.
Elon Musk says he will consult the Tesla board of directors about allocating $5 billion in investment funding into xAI, his AI startup. Musk revealed the plans after polling his followers on his social media platform, X, about whether the investment is a good idea, “just to test the waters.”
Sustainable Metal Cloud is finalizing deals to secure $950 million in funding. The Singaporean startup offers data center services for AI firms, and is working on cooling technology that can cut data center energy use nearly in half by submerging computers into liquid. It’s looking to raise about $400 million in an investment round and $550 million in debt.
AI is fuelling fraudulent transactions among North American consumers, which jumped 73 percent in the second quarter of this year, according to AuthenticID’s 2024 Mid-Year Identity Fraud Review. The survey found that 91 percent of respondents reported struggling to distinguish real individuals from deepfakes.
The chatbot’s take: This week, we asked for a little clarification about the kinds of models Lina Khan is pushing.
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July 26, 2024 – by Alex Perala
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