Tech Digest daily roundup: AI poses similar risk to ‘nuclear war’, experts warn
Artificial intelligence poses a similar risk of human extinction as pandemics and nuclear war, experts have warned. The boss of the firm behind ChatGPT, the head of Google’s AI lab, and CEO of Anthropic – another major AI firm, have all signed an open letter. It reads: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” The Center for AI Safety, which published the statement, said it hoped to open up the discussion. Sky News
One of the so-called “godfathers” of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has said he would have prioritised safety over usefulness had he realised the pace at which it would evolve. Prof Yoshua Bengio told the BBC he felt “lost” over his life’s work. The computer scientist’s comments come after experts in AI said it could lead to the extinction of humanity. Prof Bengio, who has joined calls for AI regulation, said he did not think militaries should be granted AI powers. BBC
Nvidia saw its valuation soar to $1tn on Tuesday, making it the fifth most valuable American company and one of the first major corporate beneficiaries of the hype around AI. The chipmaker has been a major and in some cases dominant player in several industries for years. But no development has raised its profile – and its potential windfall – as much as the current excitement around generative AI. The Guardian
Misha Charoudin’s Tesla Model S Plaid review on the Nürburgring has brought up some concerning issues with Tesla’s flagship performance vehicle. The performance issues in question, although very clear in the case of the Model S, are likely pervasive throughout the electric vehicle market. Charoudin raises concerns about the vehicle’s stability and handling, especially under acceleration, claiming the vehicle behaved unpredictably and dangerously under hard acceleration. Notebook Check
About a month ago, WhatsApp officially rolled out the Companion mode for its Android users, allowing you to link up to five Android phones to a single account. Now, the feature is made available to iOS users as well.
WhatsApp version 23.10.76 for iOS is bringing the new functionality and it’s available for download via the App Store. Just like on Android, the iOS version of the messaging app syncs your history and all your messages are delivered to all of your devices. GSM Arena
Apple will release a range of Macs alongside the unveiling of its headset at an event next week, rumours have suggested. The company is holding its Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, on 5 June in California. It will see Apple executives reveal a host of new products. Usually, the focus of the summer event is software, and Apple will reveal new versions of the software that powers all of its products. But the hottest rumour is the unveiling of Apple’s long-awaited augmented reality headset. Independent
The Google Pixel Watch was unveiled late last year, marking the brand’s foray into the world of smartwatches. Hopes were high, and, generally speaking, the Pixel Watch gave a good account of itself. It’s not perfect though. Some users complain that the battery life is poor. That’s set to change with the next Pixel Watch because the Google Pixel Watch 2 is rumoured to do away with the Samsung Exynos chip in favour of a Snapdragon W5 series option. The current W5 chip offers a massive boost for the watches it powers. T3.com
