5 things about AI you may have missed today: AI voice changer, Microsoft boss says no chance for AGI, more
30.11.2023 - 18:41
/ tech.hindustantimes.com
/ Brad Smith
/ Ai
Today is the last day of November and as the end of the year festivities appear near the horizon, the artificial intelligence space is still hard at work. In the first news today, Voicemod, a popular AI voice changer app available on PC and Mac, has received a new update that will allow users to create new voices from scratch. In other news, Microsoft President Brad Smith addressed the rumors about OpenAI making a breakthrough toward AGI and said that there is no probability that we will see AGI anytime soon. This and more in today's AI roundup. Let us take a closer look.
Voicemod has introduced new features allowing users to easily create and share their own customized AI voices, reports The Verge. Widely popular among gamers and streamers, Voicemod initially offered over 100 preset AI voices, including fantasy characters and celebrities. With the AI Voice Creator feature, users can now craft unique synthetic voices by selecting various genders, ages, and tones. The Voicelab functionality enables fine-tuning, allowing adjustments to pitch, volume, frequency, and the addition of audio effects without external tools. Users can share their created voices on Community Voices and access voices shared by other users, expanding the possibilities for unique voice customization.
Microsoft President Brad Smith dismissed concerns of an imminent breakthrough in super-intelligent AI or AGI, stating there is no chance of it happening within the next 12 months and suggesting that the technology could take decades to develop, reported Reuters. The remarks come amid controversy at OpenAI, where CEO Sam Altman was briefly removed and then reinstated following concerns from employees and shareholders regarding a potentially risky discovery in the internal project named Q* (pronounced Q-Star), as per reports. Despite reports of the project as a potential breakthrough in AGI, Smith rejected claims of a dangerous advancement.
"There's absolutely no probability that you're going to see this so-called AGI, where computers are more powerful than people, in the next 12 months. It's going to take years, if not many decades, but I still think the time to focus on safety is now," he said.
In a groundbreaking move, Microsoft has unveiled a major investment in the UK's AI landscape, signaling a pivotal moment for the country's scientific and technological prowess, as per official sources. UK PM Rishi Sunak lauded the tech giant's commitment, emphasizing its critical role in driving future growth and innovation, positioning the UK as an AI powerhouse.
As part of this strategic initiative, Microsoft is set to more than double its data center capacity in the UK, a move accompanied by plans to train over one million individuals for the