Zoom in on ChatGPT
In the last edition of this newsletter, we highlighted Microsoft’s intention to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot into its Bing search engine. Given the wider interest in and implications of ChatGPT itself, it’s worthwhile to explore what it is.
Where chatbots normally give a handful of responses and historically have tended to be quite limited, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is able to provide comprehensive and well-written answers to virtually any prompt. This was achieved through a combination of different AI learning techniques.
The first step was the creation of a large language model by training it on millions of books, websites, conversations, etc. Human AI trainers finetuned it by feeding it a large range of questions and answers. This was followed by asking the AI to produce multiple responses to a variety of questions and ranking the outputs from best to worst. AssemblyAI outlines these in greater, more technical detail. The outcome is a chat interface that responds to your interactions with human-like and extensive answers.
Users quickly caught on to the potential use cases of ChatGPT, with huge implications for education and work. At universities and schools, there are concerns that there is no easy way to distinguish a genuine essay written by a student from one written by ChatGPT. Programmers realised they could save time by feeding ChatGPT text inputs and have it transform them into functioning code. SEO professionals can use it to quickly create keyword lists and improve content optimisation. There are many other potential use cases. One of the major areas ChatGPT may end up disrupting is internet search, long dominated by Google, making Microsoft's invesmtent all the more notable.
There are a number of limitations to be aware of. ChatGPT can give incorrect or inaccurate answers. It also doesn’t have access to the internet and cannot fetch information from it, and its knowledge of the world only goes up to September 2021.
The chatbot is currently available to use for free, and users can register to do so on OpenAI's website.
YouTube monetizes shorts
In a move to align with TikTok and Instagram, Google announced that monetizing partners will be able to earn money from ads that are viewed between videos in the Shorts Feed.
This new revenue sharing model will begin on 1 February 2023 and replace the YouTube Shorts Fund.
Shorts uses an ad format different from long-form video, requiring Google to take a unique approach to revenue sharing - by pooling revenue and then distributing it based on share of views. Google says this is to reward all monetizing creators who make up the “Shorts experience”, not just those who have an ad next to their video.
Google claims it expects that majority of current Shorts Fund recipients will earn more from this new revenue sharing model.
TikTok discussing algorithmic transparency measures with US Government
TikTok is sharing information about its algorithm with the United States government during negotiations, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
The company is providing details to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. about how its algorithm works, and how it makes content recommendations to address concerns about the app's potential national security risks.
TikTok's algorithm is a key aspect of its success, as it can recommend content to users based on their interests and habits.
The talks with U.S. officials have become more urgent for TikTok recently as federal and state politicians made moves to ban the app on government-issued devices.
Mike Gallagher highlighted concerns about Beijing’s ability to influence videos on the platform as well as about user data.
If TikTok doesn’t reach a deal, the U.S. government could try to force ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company to sell parts of its operations or leave the U.S. market.
Microsoft to cut 10,000 jobs as spending slows
In the latest round of tech company layoffs, Microsoft is set to cut 10,000 jobs in March, citing a post-pandemic shift in digital spending habits and weakness in the global economy.
As spending slows, the tech giant will lay off 5% of its total workforce, joining the growing list of peers reducing their workforce – including Meta, Amazon and Salesforce
Microsoft’s chief executive, Satya Nadella further attributed such cuts to a “slump in the personal computer market after a pandemic boom fizzled out”, among other factors, all while facing the “next major wave of computing” in the form of Artificial Intelligence, such as OpenAI the company behind the ChatGPT chatbot.
Today another tech giant, Google parent firm Alphabet, also announced its plans to cut 12,000 jobs worldwide.
Singapore firm offers social media platform for kids where parents retain control
Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas, the myFirst Social Circle app allows parents to limit who can interact with their children online via a list of approved contacts. The platform is designed for children aged 4-12.
It gives parents complete control over who interacts with their children and take action to remove posts if they find that their child has posted something inappropriate online.
Online safety for youngsters has been a concern for the authorities in Singapore, which is set to roll out its Online Safety Bill in 2023 to crack down on how social media firms operate. It will be mandatory for social media platforms to give tools for parents to manage the content that a young user can encounter online and limit any unwanted interactions.
