Welcome back to AI Hungry, where the pulse of artificial intelligence innovation and security is always at our fingertips. In this update, we delve into the financial strides made by European AI startups, highlighting significant investments that promise to accelerate growth and innovation across the continent.
We also unpack the global movement towards 'Secure by Design' AI systems, as nations commit to guidelines aimed at fortifying AI against misuse and ensuring the integrity of data. These stories not only reflect the dynamic nature of the AI industry but also underscore the critical intersection of technology and policy.
European AI Startups Secure Significant Funding to Fuel Growth and Innovation
Mistral AI, a French AI startup founded by ex-DeepMind and Meta scientists, is poised to raise approximately €450 million, led by Andreesen Horowitz. This funding positions Mistral AI as a significant player in Europe's AI landscape. Meanwhile, London's SumUp, specializing in card payment solutions, has secured €285 million to expand its capabilities over the next two years.
ON, rebranded from GameOn Technology, has raised $25 million to broaden its conversational AI platform across various sectors. Additionally, Boston's DataCebo has garnered $8.5 million in seed funding to enhance its synthetic data products and build its market presence.
Global Effort to Secure AI: Nations Commit to 'Secure by Design' Guidelines
A collective of 18 countries has recently endorsed guidelines for creating AI systems that prioritize security, aligning with recommendations from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre. These guidelines emphasize the importance of monitoring AI for misuse, protecting data integrity, and conducting evaluations of software providers. However, the agreement is not legally binding and lacks specific instructions on what constitutes 'secure by design' AI.
The guidelines aim to prevent the misuse of AI, such as rogue chatbots and compromised large language models, but they fall short in addressing more contentious issues like deepfakes and data usage in AI training. Experts suggest that a balance between usability and control is necessary, and stress the importance of risk assessments, independent security checks, and the use of AI itself to enhance security measures. Despite the challenges, there is a consensus on the need for continued innovation in AI security to keep pace with the technology's rapid evolution.
🚀 Mistral AI Unveils 'La plateforme' with Advanced Generative Models. Mistral AI has launched 'La plateforme' in beta, featuring new generative and embedding models with high performance and customizability. The platform offers cost-effective, multilingual, and high-quality endpoints, alongside an embedding model for data retrieval. (Link)
📰 Sports Illustrated Publisher Fires CEO Amid AI Article Scandal. The Arena Group has dismissed CEO Ross Levinsohn following a scandal over AI-generated content and fake writers. The company has cut ties with AdVon Commerce, the agency responsible for the deceptive content. Meanwhile, Investing.com faces criticism for allegedly plagiarizing articles using AI, and Germany's Kölner Express has been called out for its opaque use of AI-generated articles. (Link)
🤝 Microsoft Strikes Groundbreaking Union Deal Over AI Use. Microsoft has made a landmark agreement with the Communications Workers of America to guide the use of AI, ensuring fairness and empowerment for workers. The company will also partner with AFL-CIO to discuss AI's impact on the workforce. (Link)
🎵 Meta AI Introduces Audiobox for Custom Audio Creation. Meta AI has launched Audiobox, a model that generates custom audio from text and voice inputs. The interactive website allows users to experiment with features like voice generation and sound effects. Meta also offers grants for research on ethical use of this technology. (Link)
🤖 EU's AI Act: Setting New Standards for Artificial Intelligence. The EU's AI Act introduces stringent regulations for high-risk AI applications, mandates transparency and ethics in AI usage, and sets up a European AI Office for enforcement. Non-compliance could lead to hefty fines, with some AI uses completely banned. (Link)
🌐 Google's 2023 Year in Search Highlights Global Curiosities and Trends. Google's Year in Search for 2023 reveals top global trends, with 'War in Israel and Gaza' leading, followed by the Titanic submarine incident and diverse cultural interests including J-pop, K-pop, and Korean cuisine. (Link)
