AI experts call for a time-out on creating superpowered machines, cue the robot apocalypse fears

Well, folks, it looks like we’ve got a good old-fashioned technology race on our hands. But this time, it’s not between countries, it’s between artificial intelligence labs! And they’re getting pretty darn fast, which has got some folks worried.

A group of top-notch AI experts, including the one and only Elon Musk, have come together to propose a six-month time-out on creating new LLMs bigger than GPT-4. They’re calling for governments to step in if this doesn’t happen. But not everyone’s on board, and others on Twitter are questioning the authenticity of the signatures.

So, what’s the big deal? Well, according to the letter, advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth, and we should probably plan for and manage it with some care and resources. Otherwise, we might end up with machines flooding our information channels with propaganda and untruth, automating away all the jobs (even the fulfilling ones!), developing nonhuman minds that might replace us, and risking the loss of control of our civilization. Yikes!

But let’s face it, expecting scientists and tech leaders to put the brakes on their shiny new AI toys is like expecting a kid not to eat all their Halloween candy in one sitting is probably not going to cut it.

The Bank Robber's Guide to Cryptocurrency: How North Korean Hackers Are Getting Away With It

North Korean hackers have found a new way to launder stolen cryptocurrency. They are using "hashing services" to mine new cryptocurrency with their stolen coins, which allows them to avoid the forensic trail that is left on blockchains. APT43, a hacking group sponsored by the North Korean government, has been stealing cryptocurrency since at least 2018, but this new method has been seen by cybersecurity firm Mandiant only since August of 2022.

The stolen coins are paid into hashing services, such as NiceHash and Hashing24, where anyone can buy and sell computing power to mine cryptocurrency. By doing so, APT43 can avoid being caught while still profiting from their criminal activities.

It's like a bank robber stealing silver from a bank and then paying a gold miner in stolen silver, while everyone is still looking for the silver. In theory, the payouts from the mining pools should be clean, but in some cases, they have been commingled with crypto in wallets previously identified by Mandiant.

Microsoft Launches Security Copilot: Good News for Cybersecurity Pros, Bad News for Hackers

It's a tough time to be a cybersecurity professional. They face relentless and sophisticated attackers, while there is a global shortage of skilled security personnel, resulting in an estimated 3.4 million open positions in the field. To make things worse, the volume and velocity of attacks require continuous innovation in technologies that can help defenders keep up. But fear not, as Microsoft has come to the rescue with its Security Copilot product.

The first security product to combine OpenAI's GPT-4 generative AI with Microsoft's security-specific model, Security Copilot allows defenders to move at machine speed and scale. The system is not without its faults, as AI-generated content can contain errors. But it's a learning system that continually learns from users and improves with feedback.

With Security Copilot, defenders can respond to security incidents within minutes instead of hours or days, catch what others miss, and address the talent gap, all while ensuring unrivalled security capabilities. So, let's sit back and let the machines do the work, or at least most of it!

Tools & Apps

Krisp AI — Unlimited AI meeting assistant with automatic summarization.

Regex AI — AI-powered regular expression solver.

Klavier — GPT Q&A for web pages and docs.

GPT My Life — Let AI take over your life and be happy.

Adrenaline — Explain how your code works.

Articles & Resources

3 Steps to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Personal Brand — Build your personal brand with LinkedIn and expert advice in just three steps.

When to invest in optimizing user onboarding and activation — Bend the growth curve upwards for your business by improving user onboarding and activation.

Succeeding with Product Delivery and Scrum: 10 Tips for Product People — Deliver great products with Scrum and maximize value delivery with these 10 practical tips.

Email personalization best practices — Leverage the true power of email, build a great brand, and drive demand with these best practices.

Meta Asks Many Managers To Get Back To Making Things or Leave — A flattening is taking place as Mark Zuckerberg aims for greater efficiency.

Little Ways The World Works — Uncover fundamental and true things across multiple fields with Collab Fund's 7-minute audio.