What’s happening with AI… September-November 2023

September

ChatGPT gets an update – all-seeing, all-hearing

OpenAI announced that ChatGPT can now see, hear and speak as the company rolls out new voice and image features.

October

Microsoft 365 gets Co-pilot upgrades, too

Do all those meetings add up? Don’t worry, AI assistant Microsoft 365 Co-pilot can now sit in on meetings for you and report back on conclusions and findings. If that’s not enough, it can also provide a ‘snapshot’ of the meeting; a quick recap of the main highlights of the meeting.

Law Society’s recommendations for government white paper on AI

The UK Law Society has highlighted its recommendations for the government’s white paper on AI regulation, due out in June 2023. The Law Society said it believes further clarity is needed on legislation, procurement practices and how to mitigate differences across sectors.

November

UK AI Summit – Too many cooks?

Nick Clegg, speaking on behalf of Meta, voiced his concerns about the growing confusion around AI governance models around the world. He highlighted the UN’s newly formed expert group, the release of the G7 guidelines, Biden’s US executive order, the UK summit conclusions and the EU’s ongoing work on a new AI Act. In his view, these measures simply do not work in unison. Governments and regulators need to focus on key definitions that will help shape AI governance.

AI Regulation – Who Will Win?

The UK, EU and US have taken different approaches to regulating AI. The UK has taken a more “hands-off” approach compared to its European neighbours and allies across the pond. All three countries have announced plans to set up an “institute” or “office” to regulate AI. The UK’s “institute” will “independently and externally evaluate, monitor and test” AI models, while the others will act as regulators and participate in the development of future regulations.

Grok Launched – Elon Strikes Again.

Elon Musk’s xAI has released its first AI model, Grok, which has “real-time access” to information from its social media platform X. Musk said this access gives the chatbot an advantage over competitors that rely primarily on archives of old internet data.

OpenAI plans to launch a customized version of ChatGPT - an unprecedented "app store".

These apps, called GPTs, will be adapted and customized for specific applications, turning the chatbot interface into a digital platform similar to iOS and Android. The Microsoft-backed AI company plans to integrate the best apps and eventually share revenue with the most popular GPT developers.

The Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill is introduced - if you don't regulate, we will regulate.

On November 22, a private member's bill called the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill (AIRB) was introduced in the UK House of Lords to establish an Artificial Intelligence Authority, which will work with relevant regulators to build an "AI Regulatory Sandbox" and provide advice and supervision on other regulatory frameworks. AIRB also gives the Secretary of State the power to add other functions to the scope of the Artificial Intelligence Authority's purview.

If passed in its current form, AIRB will require any business that develops, deploys and/or uses artificial intelligence to appoint an AI officer to ensure:

Safe, ethical, fair and non-discriminatory use of AI

The data used by businesses in any AI technology is unbiased to the extent reasonably practicable.

AI leaves white-collar workers feeling exposed.

The Department for Education has published a report called The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on UK Employment and Training, which looks at the occupations and industries it believes are most likely to be "exposed" to AI. The report states that professional occupations are most affected by AI, while manual labour and occupations typically associated with wages are least affected by AI. In particular, the report states that finance and insurance are more affected by AI than any other industry, with law and accountancy not far behind. The report focuses on the degree of "exposure" rather than whether AI will enhance or replace jobs, and states that AI is expected to supplement most jobs and industries - so all hope is not lost (at least for now).