Microsoft Goes Nuclear

Exploring below the surface of AI headlines.

Summaries | Insights | Points of Views

In Today’s Edition

• Microsoft Goes Nuclear

• Google Shows Off Lumiere

• Apple’s iOS 18 Might Get ChatGPT-like Features

Microsoft

Microsoft Goes Nuclear

Summary - Microsoft's soaring data center needs and AI development are raising energy demands beyond renewables. To ensure future power, they surprisingly hired a Director of Nuclear Development, aiming for small modular reactors. This controversial move, spearheaded by experienced Dr. Erin Henderson, seeks a clean and sustainable energy solution. Collaborations with Terra Praxis and AI-powered licensing process show Microsoft's serious dedication to explore nuclear options.

Buoy points:

• Renewables aren't enough: AI's massive energy appetite outpaces current green solutions, pushing tech giants like Microsoft to explore alternatives.

• Nuclear: bold and controversial: Hiring a nuclear expert signals Microsoft's seriousness about this unconventional power source.

• Small and modular: The focus on small modular reactors aims to address safety and environmental concerns associated with traditional nuclear plants.

• AI plays a role: Microsoft is leveraging AI to streamline the complex nuclear regulatory process, showcasing the technology's potential beyond consumer applications.

• Clean and sustainable ambition: While nuclear remains controversial, Microsoft's pursuit of this path underscores their commitment to finding long-term, sustainable energy solutions.

POV - Safety concerns over Microsoft’s move are sure to surface. That aside, it is interesting the role AI will play - being the impetus for increased energy demands in the first place, and helping to solve the complex world of energy regulation. Time will tell whether this is a good thing for humans. How do you think this plays out? Too risky to use nuclear?

Google’s Lumiere

Google Shows Off Lumiere

Summary - Google's new AI video diffusion model, Lumiere, promises realistic and dynamic video generation with text prompts or image inputs. Unlike competitors, Lumiere generates entire videos at once for smoother motion and coherence. While Lumiere isn't publicly available yet, it could shake up the AI video market if its claims hold true.

Buoy points:

• Text-to-video and image-to-video magic: Lumiere excels at creating short, realistic videos based on your word prompts or existing images.

• Beyond static pictures: This AI goes beyond single frames, generating motion and action for a more immersive experience.

• One-pass wonder: Unlike other models, Lumiere crafts the entire video in one go, leading to smoother and more consistent motion.

• Training set: Lumiere data model trained on 30 million videos.

• Other offerings compared: Pika, Runway, StabilityAI and ImagenVideo were compared.

POV - There are already some incredible video diffusion models and apps available to you and I. It is really an incredible time to be alive, to witness such fast-paced advancements. We’ll see how Lumiere fairs in the months to come. What video apps have you used that compare to Lumiere’s purported capabilities?

Apple iOS 18

Apple’s iOS 18 Might Get ChatGPT-like Features

Summary - Apple's aiming to overhaul Siri in iOS 18, giving it ChatGPT-like features to compete with its AI rivals. The plan involves running AI models directly on iPhones, boosting privacy and speed, but also demanding more processing power. Expect advancements beyond text, with Siri potentially understanding and generating audio and video content.

Buoy points:

• ChatGPT Challenger: Apple wants Siri to compete with the likes of ChatGPT by adopting similar generative AI capabilities.

• On-Device Focus: Processing AI tasks directly on iPhones prioritizes privacy and responsiveness, but requires clever optimizations.

• Beyond Text: Apple's AI ambitions go beyond language, hinting at Siri processing and generating audio and video content.

POV - This potential upgrade could finally put Siri back on the AI map, offering more natural and powerful interactions. I like Apple's on-device AI approach, since it prioritizes user data protection. Of course, these are just rumors and supposed leaks. Apple’s WWDC ‘24 should be in June. Will Apple jump into the smartphone AI arms race?