Brain Food

AI Powered Startup Toolkit

I have created a free Notion template for subscribers of TheTechMargin called Startup Basecamp. Similar to my free template for artists and creatives, The Artist's Ally, both are business management tools you can use today to organize your business in a central location. As you will see, the purpose of building these templates goes beyond task management. These educational resources guide you through creating processes and tracking systems customized to your needs.

If you would like to try the Startup Basecamp, read the article for more information on why I built this toolkit. Premium subscribers have free access, and optionally, the template can be purchased via this link.

AI Safety Bites

LLMs: Bullshitters, Not Hallucinators

Recent developments have shown that large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT often produce outputs that may seem convincing yet are indifferent to the truth of their statements, aligning more with the concept of "bullshit," as discussed by philosopher Harry Frankfurt.

• Nature of LLMs: These models, designed to mimic human-like text, focus on producing plausible language rather than accurate information, leading to outputs that often contain factual inaccuracies.
• Mischaracterizations: Describing these inaccuracies as "hallucinations" misleads about LLMs' capabilities and could inappropriately influence public perception and policy.
• Bigger, Not Better: Larger, more complex AI chatbots tend to generate more errors.
• Overconfident AI: These chatbots rarely decline to answer, even when they shouldn't, leading to incorrect responses.
• Improving AI: The study suggests enhancing AI performance on simpler queries and programming AI systems to decline answering when unsure, to improve user understanding of AI reliability.

This research highlights the importance of carefully developing and monitoring AI systems as their influence in decision-making processes grows. Read the full paper here.

CAPTCHA Made Obsolete by AI

• Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed an AI model that can accurately solve CAPTCHA tests, challenging the effectiveness of CAPTCHAs as a security measure.
• Based on the "You Only Look Once" (YOLO) algorithm, the team trained the model with thousands of images and has become adept at recognizing objects commonly used in CAPTCHAs.
• This development exposes potential vulnerabilities in web security, as CAPTCHAs are widely used to prevent automated abuse such as spam and fake account creation.
• The success of this AI model highlights the need for more robust security mechanisms beyond CAPTCHA tests​.

Read more in the article from TechRadar.

AI Creative Applications

The Return of Smart Wearables

Remember Google Glass? If you, like me, frequented tech conferences around 2012-2014, you likely saw super early adopters of wearable tech sporting the bulky, future-forward smart glasses by Google that came a decade too early onto the market.

Now, perhaps it is time to remove our heads from the handheld devices that are so omnipresent and distracting from the present moment. However, this new pair of glasses seems a little bit too Eugene Levy or Groucho Marks in style for me to jump on the bandwagon just yet.

• Meta's Big Bet: The company is banking on customers adopting AR glasses, starting with updated smart Ray-Bans and leading to holographic Orion glasses.
• Recent Updates: CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced new AI features for smart glasses and unveiled the Orion prototype, costing around $10,000 a pair.
• Market Challenges: Wearables have faced mockery and slow adoption, with even Google Glass failing a decade ago. Meta's ​first-gen​ Ray-Bans disappointed, but the second generation is doing better than expected.
• AI Advantage: New AI features like real-time translation, and practical tools (e.g., remembering where you parked) make the glasses more useful.
• Meta's Goal is to make AR glasses a natural, stylish computing platform. Orion isn't there yet, but Ray-Bans could pave the way.
• Industry Hurdles: The VR/AR market has slumped, and even Apple's Vision Pro faces adoption challenges. Meta hopes AI integration will be a game-changer.
• Zuckerberg's Vision: Despite current limitations, Zuckerberg believes Orion glasses offer a glimpse into an exciting future. The key challenge is convincing consumers.

Read more in the article ​Business Insider​ (paywall warning) and read the product info and how to purchase on Meta's ​site​.

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AI Case Studies & More

$9.95 TheTechMargin Case Study Series AI for Cultivating Customer Loyalty: Tall Poppy Garden Shop In this case study, we explore how Tara, the visionary... Read more Get it now!

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