The Gain: AI agents, and detect a lie

Right here’s this day’s model ofThe Gain,our weekday publication that offers a day-to-day dose of what goes on on on this planet of technology.

What are AI agents?When ChatGPT change into once first released, all people in AI change into once talking in regards to the recent technology of AI assistants. But in direction of the last twelve months, that excitement has turned to a brand recent target: AI agents.

Brokers featured prominently in Google’s annual I/O convention in Would possibly well perchance per chance simply, when the corporate unveiled its recent AI agent known as Astra, which enables users to work alongside with it the utilization of audio and video. OpenAI’s recent GPT-4o model has moreover been known as an AI agent.

And it’s no longer excellent hype, despite the incontrovertible truth that there is with out misfortune a few of that too. Tech companies are plowing astronomical sums into setting up AI agents, and their compare efforts would perchance per chance per chance bring in the type of considerable AI we possess got been dreaming about for decades. Many consultants, including Sam Altman, explain they are the next good thing. But what are they? And how produce we use them? Read the fleshy memoir.

—Melissa Heikkilä

AI lie detectors are greater than other folk at spotting lies

Can you space a liar? It’s a quiz I agree with has been on reasonably plenty of minds lately, in the wake of an excellent deal of televised political debates. Analysis has proven that we’re usually rather imperfect at telling a fact from a lie.

Some affirm that AI would perchance per chance per chance befriend improve our odds, and produce greater than dodgy frail genuine ways be pleased polygraph tests. AI-basically basically based lie detection programs would perchance per chance per chance one day be broken-down to befriend us sift truth from erroneous news, build in mind claims, and potentially even space fibs and exaggerations in job capabilities. The quiz is whether or no longer or no longer we’ll be in a position to belief them. And if shall we easy. Read the fleshy memoir.

—Jessica Hamzelou

This memoir is from The Checkup, our weekly effectively being and biotech publication. Register to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the accumulate to search out you this day’s most fun/necessary/provoking/spell binding reports about technology.

1 The EU is plotting tariffs for Chinese-made EVs
The resolution is a huge spanner in the works for automakers attempting for a reprieve from the ongoing alternate battle. (WSJ $)
+ Chinese officials will most likely be allowed to use Teslas for the first time. (Bloomberg $)
+ The country’s EV battery makers wish to receive into stationary vitality storage. (Reuters)
+ Europe’s simplest-promoting Chinese EV maker has a frightening title. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Xenophobia is rampant on social media in China
Ghastly Chinese nationalism looks to be fueling violent attacks on foreigners. (NOW $)

3 Cloudflare has launched a tool designed to thwart AI bots
The cloud firm’s model flags bots attempting to establish its web sites’ info. (TechCrunch)
+ It’s no longer a mountainous time for cloud companies in direction of the board. (FT $)

4 Afghan girls are leading secret lives online
They’re turning to the accumulate to fight the Taliban’s restrictions on their freedom. (WP $)

5 Political candidates are tracking their stolen campaign signs
With a small little bit of befriend from Apple AirTags. (WSJ $)

6 An ‘ethical’ AI music generator can’t get excellent songs
Skilled musicians had been left unimpressed by its dodgy compositions. (Wired $)
+ Coaching AI music fashions is about to receive very expensive. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Mapping apps are wildly simplistic
Their must cater to a large viewers leaves few feeling happy. (The Atlantic $)

8 WhatsApp is dabbling with AI-generated avatars
A discover to the appealing: don’t. (The Verge)

9 TikTok users are hungry for political sigh material
Because the UK’s long-established election has proved. (The Guardian)
+ Three technology trends shaping 2024’s elections. (MIT Technology Review)

10 Minecraft is eyeing a future beyond video video games
AI is at possibility of play a phase in these plans, I’d wager. (Bloomberg $)
+ Fb gaming juggernaut FarmVille is easy going, too. (The Guardian)
+ A bot that watched 70,000 hours of Minecraft would perchance per chance per chance liberate AI’s next good thing. (MIT Technology Review)

Quote of the day

“I’m so adorable; please watch my campaign broadcast.”

—Airi Uchino, a candidate in Tokyo’s coming near governor elections, takes a recent technique in seeking to stable residents’ votes, the Associated Press reports.

The excellent memoir

August 2023

From Bored Apes and Love Bears, to Shiba Inu cash, self-­replicating viruses, and whales, the accumulate is crawling with fraud, hacks, and scams.

And while recent applied sciences advance and stride, they alter small in regards to the incontrovertible truth that online unlawful operations exist resulting from some other folk are willing to act illegally, and others fall for the reports they repeat.

Within the fracture, online crime is a human memoir. But why does it work, and the map produce we offer protection to ourselves from falling for such schemes? Read the fleshy memoir.

—Rebecca Ackermann

We are in a position to easy possess good things

A pickle for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Bought any tips? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)+ These ducks excellent esteem the hose.
+ We are in a position to’t explain obviously, but popcorn change into once perchance invented as a ability of storing corn for prolonged lessons of time 🍿
+ Congratulations to Patrick Bertoletti, who gained Nathan’s annual sizzling canines-drinking competition after drinking a whopping 58 canines within 10 minutes.
+ Bound up George R.R. Martinwe want one more e book!