#67 "WonderJourney" - China's AI-powered satellite

From satellites getting an AI boost in China to the heated debates in U.S. courtrooms over AI artistry, today's dispatch promises a whirlwind tour of the latest and greatest in tech wonders. These stories have everyone buzzing. Let’s dive in.

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In today’s newsletter:

• Hottest stories: China’s AI satellite, no copyright for AI art, and Google’s AI life advice

• TL;DR Rundown: Singapore adopts AI work fastest, UK wants to make AI chips, and celebrities are shaping the future of AI rights for the rest of us

• Tool of the day (sponsored): One-photo self portrait variations

HOTTEST STORIES 
Today’s biggest stories if you’re in a rush 

WonderJourney - China’s AI-powered satellite

STAR.VISION, a Chinese enterprise, recently put a satellite into space, and it's not your average satellite. The WonderJourney-1A (WJ-1A) satellite, launched from Jiuquan in Inner Mongolia, boasts a unique feature: the String Edge AI Platform. Think of this as the satellite's own built-in analytical tool, doing real-time observations without always dialing back to base. The bigger picture? STAR.VISION is setting their sights on a fully self-regulating spaceship.

Right now, the satellite is in test mode. It's dabbling in a slew of smart functionalities, from syncing up with future smart cars and drones to scanning for forest fires, checking soil moisture, and tracking pest diseases. And the tech specs? It's loaded with high-def cameras, near-infrared sensors, and VR panoramic views. This means it doesn't just see things; it understands them, sorting through images, pinpointing targets, and optimizing data.

Here's something to chew on: the company hints that their satellite can scan an expansive area — about 10,000 sq km — in a few hours. In contrast, older models would need months to do the same task. Clearly, it's a big stride for AI in space exploration.

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AI art can’t be copyrighted 

In a landmark decision, US Federal Judge Beryl A. Howell announced that AI can't lay claim to its artistic masterpieces. This decision emerged from a lawsuit where Stephen Thaler took the US Copyright Office to task for turning down his copyright request for an artwork. The catch? It was the brainchild of an AI algorithm he designed, aptly named the Creativity Machine.

Thaler's angle was to register the artwork as a work-for-hire, effectively pegging the Creativity Machine as the genius behind the piece and himself as the proud owner. But the Copyright Office wasn't buying it. When they gave Thaler the thumbs down one too many times, he decided to go legal, claiming the Office was playing too fast and loose with the rules. However, Judge Howell stood firm on the classic stance: if you don't have a human touch, you don't get the copyright.

While Judge Howell upheld tradition, she wasn't blind to the future. She recognized the ever-blurring lines in artistry, where AI is quickly becoming the artist's right hand. This raises an eyebrow on how much human input will eventually be the benchmark for copyright in AI-crafted pieces, especially when these AI tools are often schooling themselves on already existing masterpieces. Word is, Thaler isn't backing down and plans to go another round in court.

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Life advice for Google’s newly-built AI

DeepMind, the brainy AI division of Google, is on the move again. Word on the street is that they're crafting 21 tools that can give life pointers, plan your day, and even tutor using some fancy generative AI. To put these to the test, they've teamed up with Scale AI, a startup all about perfecting AI tools. And if you’re wondering about love and life's mysteries, they’re checking if AI can be your go-to advisor.

But not everyone's on board. Back in December, Google's in-house AI watchdogs flagged a cautionary note: Could leaning on AI for life's twists and turns lead to some well-being snags or make us feel a little less in control? And while these tools might be packed with intellect (think: 100+ Ph.D.s behind the scenes), DeepMind's creations aren’t aiming for the therapist’s couch. Case in point: Google's public-facing Bard chatbot, which gently nudges users to real-life mental health pros when things get heavy.

It’s worth noting that AI dabbling in touchy-feely domains has hit a few bumps. Like that time in June when the National Eating Disorder Association's chatbot, Tessa, dished out less-than-stellar eating advice. Ouch.

So, what’s next? As DeepMind gears up to roll out its life-advising arsenal, all eyes are on how folks will react. Will it be a hit or miss? Only time will tell. But one thing's certain: Google is stretching the AI imagination like never before.

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TL;DR RUNDOWN
Listicle of what else is happening today 

Fast Singapore: A recent LinkedIn report shows that Singapore workers, followed by Finland, Ireland, India and Canada, are the top five countries with the highest rates of AI skiil adoption and diffusion.

NASDAQ:MSFT: Michrsoft’s AI Co-Pilot could potentially add 23% to run-rate, which could result in additional $31B in run-rate revenue for the company.

AI ads: AI ads are cheaper, and real ads aren’t. This simple reason is why big companies, like Oreo, are using AI-generated ads.

Ex-Google: Some top Google Brain researchers who left the company have just started their own AI research company in Tokyo, “Sakana AI”.

KitchenAI: BuzzFeed made Botatouille. No that’s not a dish it’s an AI kitchen helper. But apparently, it’s not so helpful.

Celebs & AI: Celebrities are in the midst of shaping their AI rights, and likely, the results will affect everyone else.

Chips UK: The UK endeavours to enter the global AI chip market, pledging to spend over 100M pounds to order key components from other major chipmakers Nvidia, AMD and Intel.

Success measurement: Businesses are adopting AI faster than they can apply it. So measuring AI success and profitability is quite important. Here’s how they’re doing it.

TOOL OF THE DAY (SPONSORED) 
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It’s easy and fun to use, so why not give it a try and see yourself in a whole new light? 😊 

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