Digimasters Shorts - AI Startup Nexos.ai Shakes Up Lithuania, University of Florida's AI Farming Revolution, Apple's AI Glitch Sparks Controversy, Google's Gemini AI Unlocked, Microsoft AI Price Hike Backlash

In this episode, we spotlight Nexos.ai, an AI orchestration startup emerging from the creators of Lithuanian unicorn Nord Security. With $8 million in funding, Nexos.ai is set to revolutionize how enterprises manage AI projects, focusing on visibility, security, and adaptability. We also explore the University of Florida's groundbreaking use of AI in agriculture, fostering new career opportunities and enhancing productivity with AI-enhanced farming techniques.

We touch on Apple's pause of a faulty AI news feature following misinformation issues and discuss Google's Gemini AI update that allows users to perform certain tasks without unlocking their phones. Finally, we analyze Microsoft's integration of AI features into its Microsoft 365 subscriptions and what this means for users worldwide.

Join Digimasters Shorts for concise insights into how AI and digital technologies are reshaping our lives, industries, and futures. Stay informed and stay ahead with Adam and Carly as your digital guides.

Transcript

Adam N2: 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. A new AI orchestration startup, Nexos.ai, has emerged from the founders of Lithuanian unicorn Nord Security, targeting enterprises with AI projects. With a focus on large language models, Nexos.ai aims to enhance visibility, security, and adaptability for businesses. The company has secured$8 million in funding, led by Index Ventures, marking their first investment in Lithuania. Notable investors also include Creandum and Dig Ventures, alongside prominent angel investors. Nexos.ai addresses the challenges of integrating AI into production, offering solutions for high availability and cost management. Through a simple API, it provides access to over 200 AI models, allowing seamless transitions between providers. Intelligent caching and robust security measures are among its key features to prevent data misuse. The startup plans for a future self-hosting option while handling data on its infrastructure. Nexos.ai's development was expedited by the organizational setup at Tesonet, allowing rapid team assembly. The platform is set to launch by March, with beta customers already engaged.

Adam N2: 1:20

The University of Florida is spearheading new initiatives in artificial intelligence to enhance agricultural productivity. These programs are creating new career paths for students who have not previously considered farming. AI is being utilized to optimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides, benefiting both the environment and farmers' finances. The UF Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm is establishing an AI center, expecting to staff up to 100 researchers and technicians. AI applications in agriculture will include improved crop genetics, precise fertilization, and quicker responses to diseases and pests. Robotics combined with AI will streamline planting and harvest processes, reducing labor costs and time. UF is leveraging its expertise and one of the world's fastest supercomputers to aid Florida's farmers. The Agroview system, developed by UF researchers, uses AI to efficiently analyze plant health from aerial and ground images. UF offers SmartAg certificate programs to prepare students for AI-driven agricultural careers. Through AI advancements, Florida is poised to lead innovation in agriculture, ensuring nutritious and affordable food production. Apple has suspended an AI feature that inaccurately summarized news headlines, leading to false notifications for iPhone users. The suspension follows complaints from the BBC after notifications falsely claimed serious events under their logo, including incidents involving Luigi Mangione and Rafael Nadal. Other news outlets were also affected, with false alerts like a New York Times notification wrongly stating the arrest of Israel's Prime Minister. Apple announced that notification summaries for the news and entertainment category would be temporarily unavailable while improvements are in development. The AI feature, part of Apple Intelligence, was accessible in the U.S, UK, Australia, and Canada but not in the EU and China. Initially, Apple planned to update the feature, but the National Union of Journalists urged its removal to prevent misinformation. The suspended feature summarized news notifications, displaying them as a single alert on users' lock screens. Apple is working on a revised version that will alert users to potential errors with italicized text. The BBC expressed satisfaction with Apple's decision to pause the feature, emphasizing the importance of accurate news delivery.

Carly W: 3:42

Google has recently enhanced its Gemini AI, allowing users to access certain features without unlocking their phones. This includes making phone calls, sending text messages, and controlling smart home devices like lights and thermostats. The update was first reported by a Reddit user, and later confirmed through Google's documentation. With the new setting, users can enable the"Use Gemini without unlocking" option for more seamless interaction. However, accessing personal content, such as camera views, still requires unlocking the phone. This development marks a significant improvement in the functionality of Google's new AI compared to Google Assistant. Despite the progress, unlocking is necessary for tasks involving personal data. This upgrade is a step forward in integrating AI into everyday convenience. Users are encouraged to explore these new features while remaining mindful of privacy considerations. Microsoft is integrating its AI-powered Office features into Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, with a price increase of$3 per month. Previously, users paid$20 monthly for these features through the Copilot Pro subscription. Copilot Pro will still be available for power users, maintaining its original pricing. This expansion to global markets follows testing in select regions like Australia and parts of Asia. Existing subscribers can opt out of the AI features to avoid the price hike. Microsoft has unveiled two new plans, Personal Classic and Family Classic, which maintain old pricing but will not receive new features. New subscribers will automatically receive AI features with the adjusted pricing. A new AI credits system is introduced, allowing users monthly credits for various AI applications. Copilot can be disabled in Office apps for users who do not want AI assistance. The changes reflect Microsoft's approach to broaden AI access while balancing user needs and costs.

Don: 5:38

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!