| Got feedback on the newsletter? Send it here. | | | It's August, the sun is shining here in the UK, and we've harvested the latest Tech News for you. Plus a round up of what we've been doing here at LiveCode Ltd, check out our blog postings and get some personal recommendations for a great read and a podcast to listen to. | | AI Corner
We're back this month with a rundown of the hottest tech news and AI advancements from some of the biggest brands in tech.
Microsoft + Adobe - Microsoft and Adobe have both released AI design tools set to rival Canva. Microsoft Designer is an Edge tool which users can enter a prompt, then Designer's AI will pull up a grid of suggested designs, complete with text and a photo. You can then tweak the design to be just how you need it. Adobe have also added tools to Express which perform similar functions. Both are out now, try them for yourselves and decide which platform you prefer!
Meta - Meta have released their new AI code generation tool "Code Llama". An AI model built on top of Llama 2, their open source large language model (LLM). Code Llama aims to make workflows more efficient for developers and lower the barrier to entry for people who are learning to code. The tool can generate code and also information about the code, from simple prompts, and already written blocks of code. Code Llama supports many of the most popular programming languages used today, including Python, C++, Java, PHP, Javascript, C#, Bash and more.
White Castle - US fast food chain White Castle have announced plans to use AI drive thru's in more locations. The AI assistants will take verbal orders from customers and the company promises to process orders in just over a minute using the new system.
Youtube - Youtube are testing a new AI feature which can summarise videos and create descriptions based on the video content. It's currently only available for a limited number of videos and users, and won't replace existing video descriptions but it could be a glimpse into what to expect from AI and youtube in the future. | | Tech News
Nvidia - Nvidia saw record profits of $6 billion last quarter and it's all down to rocketing demand for their "generative AI chips". These are computing hardware that is specialized to handle AI workloads that would otherwise choke conventional computers, helpful in the process of training AI models. This current direction for Nvidia is giving them an edge over competitors AMD and Intel as they struggle with falling desktop and GPU sales.
Google - Google are training their robots the same way as their AI chatbots. Testing of a robotic arm has been carried out in a kitchen environment and the robot has been successfully trained to identify items and people and can perform commands specific related to them. For example, when asked to "choose a drink to give to an exhausted person" the robotic arm chose a can of red bull, and when asked to "choose an item to use in substitute of a hammer" it chose a rock. Not only this but the robots can recognise people as it successfully moved a can to a picture of Taylor Swift. So it seems google's first generation of lifelike robots could be Swifties? A potentially terrifying concept.
Amazon - Amazon have revealed that every single division of the business are currently working on generative AI in some way. We're excited to see what they've been working on and expect amazon will have more to reveal in their upcoming devices event on September 20th.
Big AI - Recently the big names in AI have been working hard to put our minds at ease in regards to ethical concerns and AI use. Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic have teamed up to launch the Frontier Model Forum. This is an industry body which plans to consult with legal governments on how they should operate. They aim to establish an advisory board in the near future to ensure AI models are developed safely.
The White House recently called on the "Big 7" in AI development to make a promise to use AI ethically, and all companies agreed with their asks. However it is important to note that this is not legally binding and there are currently no consequences if they fail to live up to their promises.
Instagram too have announced plans to start tagging AI generated content so it can easily be identified by users. This comes after a recent influx of viral images created using AI that users believe can be deceiving. Like a picture of the Pope using a skateboard. Are these steps towards a more ethical use of AI enough to put your mind at ease?
OpenAI - The New York Times have blocked OpenAI's web crawler, effectively halting OpenAI's ability to harness content from the publication for training its AI models, including Chat GPT. Rumor has it that The NYT is even contemplating legal action against OpenAI for alleged infringements on intellectual property rights. This development arrives amidst growing concerns surrounding copyright issues and the broader application of AI technology. | | Codename Xavvi will ship as LiveCode Create
by Heather Laine on August 24, 2023 Our new no-code platform, initially funded under the codename "Xavvi", will be launched under the name of LiveCode Create. This decision has been made after a great deal of discussion, internally and externally, and we're very happy that it reflects the direction for this product. Why the change? After trying it out on a sufficiently large number of people from a variety of backgrounds, it became clear that Xavvi has many different possible pronunciations. Do you say Savvy? Zavvi? Havvi? Zhavvi? We've heard all of these and more.
Read More | | LiveCode 9.6.10 RC-1 Released
by Panagiotis Merakos on August 17, 2023
We are delighted to announce the release of 9.6.10 RC-1. This release comes with more than 20 bugfixes and improvements since the last stable version. FEATURES ADDED: - Android API 33 update
The Android engine is now built using version 33 of the Android API, a requirement for new apps submitted to the Google Play Store. Note you'll have to install "Android API 33" using the SDK Manager in Android Studio.
- RSA encryption padding modes
The rsa encryption (and decryption) commands now accept an optional padding phrase. If no padding phrase is specified, then pkcs1 is used. For more details, see the release notes. Read More | | KickStart with Kevin - Pre-Mortem: see the failure
The next in our video series, Kick Start with Kevin talks about running a Pre-Mortem, and why this maximizes the chances of success for your large complex projects. In this series, our CEO Kevin shares his insights and expertise on all things startup, business, and life. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this series is packed with valuable tips and strategies to help you take your business and personal life to the next level. From building a winning team to mastering the art of negotiation, Kevin covers it all in this engaging and informative series. So, join us as we kick start your success journey with Kevin! Pre-Mortem: See the failure | Kick Start with Kevin | LiveCode | | Around the internet Curated by Adam Howard | | Book of the month: "Atomic Habits" by James Clear This book is all about how making tiny changes to your habits can add up to great improvements over time. Well written and entertaining, it's a fascinating read and provides a practical roadmap to better habits based on human psychology. As its sold over a million copies, it must be good! | | | Podcast of the month: Unexplainable from VOX Our team recommendation this month is a podcast. Unexplainable takes listeners right up to the edge of what we know ... and then keeps right on going. This Vox podcast explores scientific mysteries, unanswered questions, and all the things we learn by diving into the unknown. Because it covers something different every week it remains intriguing and broadens your perspective as you consider topics as divergent as how AI works and whether weed is safe in pregnancy. | | | Got feedback on the newsletter? Send it here. Read the archives here. | | | | |
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