From Google’s Gemini to the Open Source AI Alliance!

1. Google is back, and are you surprised? Because I'm not.

In the fiercely competitive field of AI, Google has just pulled the covers off Gemini, its latest foray into large language models. With Gemini, Google throws down the gauntlet to rivals like OpenAI and Microsoft, showcasing its commitment to remain a significant player in this high-stakes tech race.

Why it matters: The AI landscape is no stranger to cutthroat competition. Google’s entry with Gemini is not just a bid to keep pace—it's a strategic move to outshine. Gemini, a trinity of models—Ultra, Pro, and Nano—is Google's answer to the evolving demands of AI tasks, ranging from the intensive to the everyday. Gemini will be the engine behind Bard.

Driving the news: Each flavour of Gemini serves a distinct purpose. The Ultra version targets power users, the Pro version caters to a broader audience, and the Nano is designed for on-the-go tasks right on your mobile device. This multimodal marvel is engineered to process an array of inputs—video, images, text, and voice. For now, though, it communicates solely through text or code outputs.

The rollout is methodical. As of today, Bard, Google's conversational AI, is infused with the prowess of Gemini Pro. Come December 13, developers and enterprise clients can harness Gemini Pro via Google’s AI Studio or the Cloud Vertex AI.

But there's a "but": Gemini Ultra is still behind closed doors, undergoing rigorous safety checks. Google is deliberate in its approach, offering a peek to a select few—customers and experts alike—before a broader launch slated for early next year.

Sneak peek: Demonstrations to the press have been telling. In a particularly striking showcase, Gemini Ultra was tasked with two spools of yarn. The result? A visual cascade of knitting possibilities, no text prompt needed. Watch the shorter demonstration here!

The big picture: While Google has indeed bolstered its AI offerings, comparisons with OpenAI’s GPT-4 remain elusive. Google skirts around direct performance metrics against its Silicon Valley counterparts. However, one clear win for Gemini is its superior performance on the MMLU test—a comprehensive measure of knowledge and reasoning across disciplines—where it has reportedly surpassed human experts, a first for any AI model.

2. The AI Alliance Emerges: A New Chapter in Open Source Development

On December 5th, a seismic shift occurred in the AI landscape: A new coalition known as the AI Alliance was born, challenging the closed AI model echelons of OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. It's a broadside against what they see as a monopolistic stronghold, calling out these giants for eclipsing the urgent risks AI poses with their closed ecosystems.

Why it matters: The AI Alliance isn't just another tech consortium; it's a battalion of over 50 organizations, spearheaded by Meta and IBM. This roster isn't limited to the usual Silicon Valley suspects either; it boasts global heavyweights like NASA, CERN, and a host of academic institutions from UC Berkeley to the Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI.

Their mission: To forge a suite of open-source AI tools for a safer, equitable AI future. But as they stride toward creating a "catalogue of vetted safety, security and trust tools," the Alliance's governance remains a work in progress, toeing the line between innovation and precaution.

In the midst of this: Meta has made strides with its "Purple Llama" initiative, setting new benchmarks in AI cybersecurity practices. These benchmarks aren't just for show; they're a direct response to a White House call to arms for heightened AI safety measures. However, not everyone's sold. Critics argue that Meta's open-source models aren't truly open, muddied by license restrictions and a lack of governance.

And yet, there's another narrative unfurling. TechNet, a coterie of seasoned tech executives, has mounted a $25 million campaign to rebrand AI, shifting the focus from doomsday scenarios to real-world enhancements AI can bring to everyday Americans. It's a direct counter to the cautionary tale the AI Alliance is scripting.

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