Forrester Research’s latest 2024 predictions report emerges as a vital beacon, illuminating the path for AI’s calculated expansion while simultaneously alerting business magnates to the burgeoning “shadow usage” phenomenon. This refers to a trend where employees, in their quest for enhanced productivity, are increasingly depending on personal AI tools, bypassing official channels. The 38-page dossier forecasts a tripling of AI platform budgets come 2024, as corporations pour funds into scalable systems designed for crafting, deploying, and overseeing AI models. Yet, Forrester’s analysis suggests that such investments may not fully quench the thirst for AI-driven efficiency among the workforce.

Indeed, the report projects that a staggering 60% of employees will gravitate towards self-sourced AI tools for work-related tasks, thereby ushering in a new era of regulatory and compliance complexities. In response, a notable 85% of companies are predicted to broaden their AI arsenals, embracing open-source frameworks like GPT-J and BERT, stepping beyond the conventional bounds of widely-used proprietary models such as ChatGPT. Concurrently, a proactive 40% of enterprises are anticipated to fortify their AI governance, preemptively bracing for the impending wave of regulations from international powerhouses like the E.U., U.S., and China.

In a particularly innovative vein, Forrester postulates that a prominent insurer will unveil a novel “AI hallucination insurance” in 2024. This pioneering insurance variant is tailored to mitigate the repercussions of AI inaccuracies, specifically covering the damages attributable to the AI’s erroneous outputs or “hallucinations” as they become more widespread in use. Forrester’s 2024 Predictions Report caps off a tumultuous year that witnessed the meteoric rise of generative AI’s popularity among both consumers and employees alike.

A recent survey by the Arab American Institute (AAI) unveils a substantial dip in support for President Joe Biden among Arab American constituents, predominantly due to his staunch backing of Israel amid the escalating conflict. The data illustrates a plummet from 59% in 2020 to 17% currently, marking an unprecedented shift within this demographic. Remarkably, this is the first instance in the AAI’s 26-year history of polling where the majority of Arab Americans don’t favor the Democratic party. The analysis further underscores a growing affinity towards the Republican party, with 40% expressing intent to vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming 2024 elections, a five percentage-point uptick from 2020. This trend sets a new record for Arab American affiliation with the Republican party, signaling a significant political reorientation. James Zogby, the president and co-founder of AAI, stressed the importance of recognizing this shift, articulating the necessity of understanding the community’s stance and communicating the potential risks to the administration.

This political realignment could pose challenges for Biden in the 2024 elections, especially in pivotal states like Michigan with substantial Arab American populations. The survey also brings to light a 66% disapproval among Arab Americans regarding Biden’s handling of the conflict, mirroring a broader discontent within the community. Additionally, a substantial majority (68%) advocate for halting military aid to Israel, urging the U.S. to leverage its influence for ceasefire negotiations instead. The findings also unveil a rising tide of discrimination faced by Arab Americans, particularly the youth between 18 to 34 years of age. A significant number reported experiencing bias based on their ethnicity or national origin, heightening fears within the community. The ongoing violence in the Middle East resonates deeply, with eight out of 10 respondents expressing anxiety over escalating anti-Arab bigotry and two-thirds apprehensive about rising antisemitism in the U.S.

Amid the recent turmoil in Palestine and Israel, half of the Arab American respondents expressed concerns about encountering discrimination in va

MIT’s deep learning system, Air-Guardian, is a revolutionary step towards enhancing flight safety by working alongside airplane pilots. The system aims to act when a pilot overlooks a critical situation, thereby preventing potential incidents from occurring. Air-Guardian’s core is powered by a unique deep learning system called Liquid Neural Networks (LNN) developed by the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL). LNNs have already proven their effectiveness in various fields, especially those requiring compute-efficient and explainable AI systems, presenting a promising alternative to popular deep learning models. The operation of Air-Guardian involves a meticulous method to augment flight safety by monitoring both the human pilot’s attention and the AI’s focus. When a discrepancy arises, where a human pilot misses a critical aspect, the AI system intervenes, taking control of that particular flight element. This innovative human-in-the-loop system is engineered to retain the pilot’s control while allowing the AI to cover the lapses. The overarching idea is to develop systems capable of collaborating with humans, aiding them in challenging situations and letting them continue with tasks they excel at.

In scenarios where an airplane is flying close to the ground, and gravitational force becomes unpredictable, Air-Guardian is designed to take over to avert incidents. Similarly, when a pilot is inundated with excessive information displayed on the screens, the AI system filters through the data, emphasizing the crucial information that the pilot might have missed. This level of intervention is particularly vital when a pilot may lose consciousness due to unforeseen circumstances or becomes overwhelmed. A distinctive feature of Air-Guardian is its use of eye-tracking technology to monitor human attention, while employing heatmaps to showcase where the AI system’s focus lies. When a divergence between the human pilot’s attention and the AI’s focus is detected, Air-Guardian steps in to evaluate whether the AI has pinpointed an issue requiring immediate attention. This mechanism ensures that critical issues are not overlooked, and timely interventions are made to maintain flight safety.

The horrendous events orchestrated by Hamas on October 7 have precipitated a severe Israeli incursion into Gaza, escalating into a humanitarian crisis. The civilian populace is now ensnared in the catastrophic repercussions of decades-long cynical policies, corruption, and power lust harbored by Benjamin Netanyahu. The unfolding calamity is a stark manifestation of Netanyahu’s myopic governance, exposing innocent lives to unspeakable horrors. As tanks trundle into Gaza, the Israeli invasion, long held in abeyance for humanitarian aid distribution and largely futile hostage negotiation attempts, is finally in motion. The ominous cloud of war looms, with the ceaseless dread of what the morrow holds, epitomizing the grievous legacy of Netanyahu’s tenure.

Undeniably, the genesis of this violent episode lies with Hamas, whose abominable massacre claimed over 1,400 innocent lives, besides abducting hundreds more. This act of barbarism is irrefutably condemnable, irrespective of the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause or the harshness of the Israeli retaliation. Yet, the seeds of discord were sown by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose actions catalyzed the October 7 atrocities, the Israeli counterattacks, and the ensuing ground invasion. The Israeli populace is now holding Netanyahu accountable for his government’s staggering military and intelligence lapses that allowed Hamas militants to breach Israeli defenses, occupy towns, and unleash a bloodbath on civilians, akin to a monumental tragedy on a national scale.

by AFP — A Lebanese judge has decided to evict former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn from his luxury home, a judicial official said Saturday, four years after an investment firm accused him of “trespassing.” Ghosn, who took up residency in the Beirut property after fleeing prosecution Japan in 2019, appealed the ruling on Friday, the […]

The unfolding humanitarian crisis due to the Israel-Gaza conflict has resonated within the scientific community, impacting some academic biologists’ careers due to their online remarks. This situation is sparking discussions around freedom of speech and thought—fundamental principles in science. On October 7, Hamas orchestrated a surprise attack in Israel, causing significant casualties. Israel retaliated with […]

OpenAI has established a new group named Preparedness with the core aim of analyzing and securing AI systems against severe risks. Under the leadership of Aleksander Madry, the MIT’s Center for Deployable Machine Learning Director, the team is dedicated to scrutinizing, predicting, and mitigating future AI threats. These range from AI’s potential for deception in phishing schemes to its capacity for malicious code production. Madry, who joined OpenAI in May as the “head of Preparedness,” is geared towards understanding and combating the diverse challenges posed by evolving AI systems.

The spectrum of risks that Preparedness is set to explore appears to be extensive, with some areas seeming more speculative than others. OpenAI, in its blog post, highlighted concerns around “chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear” threats in relation to AI models. This reflects the organization’s holistic approach towards understanding the potential adverse intersections between AI and other critical domains. Notably, the initiative underlines a significant step in proactively addressing the fears often voiced by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, regarding the potentially existential threats posed by AI.

Affluent Downtown Beirut: A Facade Amid Crisis

In the heart of Lebanon, downtown Beirut stands as an epitome of affluence amidst a country grappling with a severe financial crisis. The chic nightlife, high-end sports cars, and cosmetic surgery displays paint a picture of prosperity, effectively masking the dire economic conditions most Lebanese are contending with. Meanwhile, as Hezbollah and Israeli forces engage at the border, the echoes of war draw nearer, yet the downtown continues to throb with life, seemingly undeterred by the looming threats.

Rising Tensions: A Shadow Over Beirut

The strained relations between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have escalated, marked by cross-border exchanges of fire. The tensions have forced thousands from their homes in southern Lebanon, a stark contrast to the unaffected lifestyle in downtown Beirut. The Israeli Prime Minister’s stern warning to Hezbollah underscores the brittle peace that hangs by a thread, as the affluent continue to revel in downtown’s offerings, seemingly detached from the broader geopolitical turmoil unfolding.

Concealed Crisis: Beirut’s Unseen Reality

The flamboyance of downtown Beirut veils the harsh reality of Lebanon’s financial crisis, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Beirut port explosion. As the rich parade their wealth, many districts remain shadows of their former selves, bearing the scars of economic and physical destruction. The conspicuous display of wealth in downtown is but a facade that hides the grim reality faced by the average Lebanese citizen, as the country navigates through one of its toughest economic phases.

In the early days of October, Israel was caught off guard by an unexpected Hamas attack. Despite Israel’s highly regarded intelligence agencies and advanced surveillance systems, Hamas was able to circumvent these defenses using modest methods. The failure to anticipate and swiftly respond to the attack has raised numerous questions regarding the efficacy of Israel’s […]

In a recent development, Google’s conversational AI chatbot, Bard, has come under scrutiny for its handling of queries related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Since its launch in March 2023, Bard has faced several challenges including negative reviews and a glitch that displayed shared conversations in Google Search results. The latest controversy surrounds Bard’s refusal to […]