They try to regulate AI. AI creates the best coffee and shoots movies 🤦

Welcome back, AI enthusiasts! 👋

New week, new start, new 3-minute newsletter. New ideas, new challenges, new beginnings. And not old me, Max 🥸

As always, I've prepared a three-course meal 🥙 for your mind, reader. I hope you'll relish your AI lunch and consider sharing me with a friend. Warning: the following content may be shocking and highly addictive 😱

1. United for AI 🇺🇳

Every day, we witness AI becoming more than just a joke or a tool, but an integral part of our daily lives. Consequently, like any public activity, it should be verifiable 👩‍⚖️

On 21 March 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/78/L.49 on “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development” – marking the UN’s first resolution on AI.

Although not immediately binding, the resolution acts as a guiding influence for future regulatory developments as its key points 🔑 include:

1️⃣ Recognising AI's potential for global development whilst addressing the risks associated with misuse, particularly concerning human rights violations due to biased data and discriminatory outcomes.

2️⃣ Emphasising the importance of human rights compliance in AI regulation, highlighting its impact on rights such as privacy, freedom of expression, the right to life and advocating for a global framework consistent with international law.

3️⃣ Encouraging the private sector to adhere to international and domestic laws, promoting inclusive access to AI benefits, and fostering collaboration across sectors for fair and non-discriminatory AI development.

4️⃣ Implications for businesses, stressing the need to navigate evolving regulatory landscapes and ensure compliance with human rights principles, particularly for companies in the defence sector and those using large language models.

5️⃣ Reflecting a growing international consensus on the necessity of AI regulation, businesses need to anticipate further specification of AI-related requirements under international law and navigate complex governance frameworks across different jurisdictions.

You see, many of these theses have a direct connection with threats and dangers I often discuss in this newsletter. So is it needed? For sure. But will it actually work? 😕 Only time will tell.

I did not recall a fast response on any topic except the pandemic from regulating bodies all over the world. AI is obviously recognised as something nowadays.

2. AI-conic ☕️

I didn’t even have to think about a witty title for this part, as what can be better than ‘AI-conic’? Apparently, it’s not just a joke but a new exciting blend of coffee developed (as you may have guessed 🤓) by AI.

The invention was presented in Helsinki 🇫🇮 by a collaboration of Finland’s third-biggest coffee roastery, Kaffa, and local AI consultancy Elev.  The companies were curious about exploring how technology could enhance traditional artisanal coffee roasting, and the AI barista knew how to surprise them. Traditionally, no more than 3 blends are combined in one; however, ‘AI-conic’ found the perfect blend of four different coffee beans - from Brazil 🇧🇷, Colombia 🇨🇴, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 and Guatemala 🇬🇹 - that required no human adjustments.

“We basically provided AI with descriptions of all our coffee types and their flavours, instructing it to craft a new exciting blend,” explained Svante Hampf, founder of Kaffa Roastery, as reported by The Independent, while showcasing “AI-conic” at the Helsinki Coffee Festival, an annual gathering of roasteries and coffee enthusiasts 💪🏼

Even more, imagine that the AI acted quite independently and created a turnkey solution 📦 by creating the blend, designing the coffee package label, and providing a detailed taste description.

So, with AI now dabbling in wine 🍷 , beer 🍺 and coffee ☕️ , one can't help but wonder when it will take over consumption for us as well. That would truly be AI-conic 😅

I have friends, coffee-lovers, amongst you, readers, that fancy to try that coffee ASAP. 🙂 Aren’t you?

3. Next Stop Hell 🚝

The train of our journey towards AI-generated content departed quite a while ago:  we’ve already passed ‘Funny Fake Trailer-shire’ (almost fell for this one), ‘AI Ads Junction’ (like this fully AI-developed commercial, from idea to animation). However, mind the gap as we are shortly arriving to ‘Hell’ 👹

TCLtv+ Studios decided to bypass actor strikes 🪧 (who cares, honestly) and will release the world’s first fully AI-generated film this summer! The romantic tale between Claire and a man she meets on a train to Paris 🇫🇷 is described as an “AI-powered love story” and is an experimental venture aiming to enrich the human experience through storytelling. Prepare yourself for a real journey with a ‘Next Stop Paris’ 💔: here is the trailer to check it out. Feel free to watch it now - I’ll wait for you here: GO FOR IT

Now that you're as traumatised as I am 🤕 and can understand the mixed audience reaction to this upcoming masterpiece let's address a different concern. Although it's currently awkward and amusing, technology is advancing rapidly, and there's no doubt that if not halted now, we might soon see an AI-generated movie that's indistinguishable from any of the 'real' ones 🎞️

My question would be: Do we actually want that? Or will it be too much – having no clue what is ‘real’ any more? Regardless of our desires, the train is on its way, and we can only wonder what the next stop will be 🚦

Hope you enjoy this AI journey as much as I do. It seems we’re on a new horizon of discovery. Who knows what the future may hold additionally to AI-powered baristas and an AI Hollywood ❓

But for the time being, let's hope we keep the robots 🤖 in check as we endeavour to have ethical innovation that's fun and safe for everyone.

So stay curious, and see you next week! 

Your friendly neighbourhood 🕸️

Max 

xx