xAI releases Grok-2, adds image generation on X

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1. xAI releases Grok-2, adds image generation on X

Elon Musk-owned X has launched Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini in beta, with improved reasoning capabilities. The new Grok AI model can generate images on the X social network, though access is currently limited to Premium and Premium+ users.

Both models are available to users in beta and will be made available to developers through its enterprise API later this month. Early images generated by users suggest that Grok's image-generation feature doesn't have guardrails around creating images of political figures. With the U.S. presidential election around the corner, the company may face pressure to add limits on these features.

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2. Opera has released its artificial intelligence-powered Opera One browser for iOS, following several weeks in beta testing

Opera has released its AI-powered Opera One browser for iOS, following beta testing. The app mimics the minimalist aesthetic of the desktop browser, hiding unnecessary elements to make browsing free from distractions. The search bar is at the bottom of the interface, providing quick search suggestions and integrating Aria AI assistant.

The app also offers a new swipe-to-search gesture and Voice Input for hands-free operation. Opera One also features a new start page carousel, a built-in ad blocker, a free VPN service, and theme customization options. The app is available for free download from the App Store.

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3. MIT researchers release a repository of AI risks

MIT researchers have developed an AI "risk repository" to provide a comprehensive, extensible, and categorized database of AI risks. The repository includes over 700 AI risks grouped by causal factors, domains, and subdomains.

The repository aims to understand the overlaps and disconnects in AI safety research and help policymakers craft laws to regulate AI. The repository aims to save time and increase oversight by providing a foundation for researchers and policymakers to build on when doing more specific work. However, the repository is not yet widely used due to the fragmented nature of AI regulation.

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4. SoftBank scraps AI chips tie-up plan with Intel, FT reports

Japanese technology investor SoftBank has canceled plans to produce an artificial intelligence chip with Intel to compete with Nvidia. The partnership failed due to Intel's inability to meet SoftBank's requirements for volume and speed.

SoftBank blames Intel for the collapse and is now focusing on discussions with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The talks failed ahead of Intel's drastic cost-cutting plans, which included thousands of lay-offs in early August.

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5. Falcon Mamba 7B’s powerful new AI architecture offers alternative to transformer models

Abu Dhabi-backed Technology Innovation Institute has released the Falcon Mamba 7B open-source model, which uses the Mamba State Space Language Model (SSLM) architecture to handle text-generation tasks. The model outperforms leading models in its size class, including Meta's Llama 3 8B, Llama 3.1 8B, and Mistral 7B, on select benchmarks. The Falcon Mamba 7B is the fourth open model from TII, and is the first in the SSLM category, which is emerging as a new alternative to transformer-based large language models (LLMs) in the AI domain.

The model uses the Mamba SSM architecture, which allows the model to dynamically adjust its parameters based on input, allowing it to process long sequences of text without requiring additional memory or computing resources.

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