Digimasters Shorts - OpenAI Launches 1-800-CHATGPT, Patronus AI Challenges Large Models, Alex Morris Satirizes AI Ads, Google Debuts Gemini 2.0, Unbound's AI School Controversy

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, your go-to podcast for all things digital, hosted by Adam Nagus and Carly Wilson. Join us as we dive into the latest innovations and trends in the digital world, showcasing the pivotal moments shaping the tech landscape.

In this episode, we explore OpenAI's revolutionary 1-800-CHATGPT voice call service, a game-changer in making ChatGPT accessible and user-friendly for everyone—perfect for holiday party fun! Dive into the cutting-edge with Patronus AI's "Glider," a compact language model outperforming larger counterparts like GPT-4o-mini with lightning-fast, real-time performance on consumer devices. Discover the quirky world of Coca-Coola, a creative critique by Alex Morris, using AI for protest art against the rise of AI in advertising, urging a balance between technology and human creativity.

We also discuss Google's experimental Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking model, innovatively showcasing AI's reasoning steps to foster transparency and reliability in complex problem-solving. Plus, get the scoop on Unbound Academy's AI-driven, fully online charter school, pushing the boundaries of personalized education, albeit with some skepticism from educational experts.

Stay updated with the latest in digital innovation, challenges, and the conversations driving the future. Tune in to Digimasters Shorts and keep your finger on the pulse of the digital realm!

Transcript

Adam N: 0:05

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, we are your hosts Adam Nagus

Carly W: 0:08

and Carly Wilson delivering the latest scoop from the digital realm. Open A.I has launched a new way to interact with Chat G.P.T through a voice call service, 1-800-CHATG.P.T. This innovative feature allows users to engage with the chatbot by simply making a phone call, sidestepping traditional text-based interactions. The phone interaction offers a more polished and friendly experience compared to existing Chat G.P.T voice options. Users have found the voice service to be remarkably good at understanding prompts, exceeding expectations of typical voice assistants. Despite being seen as a novelty or party trick, the service is gaining traction and interest among users. Open A.I's C.E.O, Sam Altman, shared that the service has been well-received, though specific user data has not been disclosed. The new feature reduces barriers like app downloads or account setups, making it highly accessible. As the holidays approach, many anticipate utilizing this tool as a fun party activity. For some, it provides a unique and engaging way to introduce friends and family to Chat G.P.T. While not for everyone, the initiative showcases an innovative approach to broadening Chat G.P.T's audience.

Adam N: 1:19

A startup founded by former Meta AI researchers has launched a groundbreaking AI model named Glider. This lightweight 3.8 billion-parameter language model matches the performance of larger models like G.P.T-4o-mini in AI system evaluations. Glider excels in providing detailed explanations for its assessments, using bullet-point reasoning and highlighting influencing text spans. Designed for real-time applications, it operates with just one second of latency, making it practical for on-device use. The model assesses multiple criteria simultaneously, including accuracy, safety, and coherence, while maintaining robust multilingual capabilities. Glider's small size makes it cost-effective and allows it to run on consumer hardware, addressing privacy concerns. As an open-source solution, it enables companies to customize and deploy the model on their infrastructure. This development may shift AI evaluation towards smaller, specialized models, promoting more efficient and transparent AI assessments. Trained on 183 metrics across 685 domains, Glider is set to influence responsible AI development through comprehensive evaluation. Patronus AI is positioned as a leader in the AI evaluation field with this latest technological advance. In response to Coca-Cola's AI-generated ad for Christmas, creative Alex Morris has launched a satirical brand called Coca-Coola. Morris, through his agency Very Serious Partners, aims to critique the lack of human touch in AI advertising. Coca-Coola features a range of AI-designed products, including quirky and impractical items like mismatched jumpers and unique Coke bottles. Morris describes his project as a blend of art and protest, challenging the industry to rethink A.I's role in creativity. While AI offers efficiency, he argues for a balanced approach that values human creativity. The products, made using AI tools like Midjourney and Photoshop Beta, emphasize A.I's imperfections. Morris points out the limitations of AI through his efforts to create intentionally flawed designs. Despite the critique, Morris sees potential in AI as a tool to enhance human creativity rather than replace it. His venture highlights ongoing debates about the merging of technology and creative fields.

Carly W: 3:29

Google has introduced a new experimental AI model named Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking. This version aims to not only provide quick solutions to complex issues but also transparently show its reasoning process. Jeff Dean from Google DeepMind notes that the model has been trained to use'thoughts' to enhance its reasoning abilities. Unlike the standard Gemini 2.0 Flash, this version is accessible via Google's AI Studio. Users can enjoy up to 1500 requests daily on this platform without incurring any charges. The model is especially helpful for understanding A.I's step-by-step approach to problems like complex coding and math. It offers benefits to students and professionals by allowing them to verify AI-generated answers. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the accuracy of the model's reasoning. The rapid release of Google's AI updates signals intense competition, possibly influenced by developments like Open A.I's Chat G.P.T Search. Every update is viewed as progress towards stronger AI models. The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools has approved the opening of a new charter school by Unbound Academy, which will operate fully online and rely entirely on AI for academic instruction. This new institution will serve grades four through eight, providing only two hours of AI-directed learning per day. Unbound Academy already employs this"2hr Learning" model at its private school in Texas, claiming that students learn twice as much despite the reduced teaching hours. The AI system aims to personalize learning by analyzing students' progress and adjusting content to maintain engagement. Freed from traditional curriculum constraints, students will spend the remainder of their day on life-skill workshops, covering areas like financial literacy and critical thinking. Skepticism arises as experts question if such personalized learning software truly delivers its promised educational enhancements. Unbound's founders were inspired by Elon Musk's strategy in deploying their model, which began as an experiment in high-end education settings. Financial backing, including from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has aided in integrating AI-driven learning into schools. Despite the bold claims, the educational efficacy of such AI-dependent models remains under scrutiny.

Don: 5:45

Thank you for listening to today's AI and Tech News podcast summary... Please do leave us a comment and for additional feedback, please email us at podcast@digimasters.co.uk You can now follow us on Instagram and Threads by searching for@DigimastersShorts or Search for Digimasters on Linkedin. Be sure to tune in tomorrow and don't forget to follow or subscribe!