2023 is a year of groundbreaking AI advances and discoveries. Despite ongoing concerns about its potential dominance in various sectors, notable figures like Bill Gates reassure us not to fear it.
AI is no longer an entirely foreign concept, evidenced by the millions of users turning to ChatGPT and its recognition as the most notable word of the year by major dictionaries. Thus, it's clear - AI is here to stay.
From clinics and laboratories advancing medical research to courtrooms, schools, grilling stations, and even crab farms, AI has woven itself into the fabric of our daily lives.
AI took the world by storm this year, and Tech Times was among those that extensively covered all the controversies, achievements, shenanigans, and everything in between about this tech.
This article will focus on the craziest, most mind-blowing breakthroughs of AI. Let's relive the crazy ride of this ever-burgeoning technology.
AI Helps a Woman Regain Her Voice After 18 Years
A woman named Ann, paralyzed by a brainstem stroke at 30, regained control of her speech after 18 years, thanks to AI. Researchers from UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley developed a brain-computer technology that translates brain signals into natural speech and facial expressions.
This groundbreaking system decodes signals at nearly 80 words per minute, offering hope to those struggling with communication. Learn more about this breakthrough here.
AI Reunites The Beatles After 50 Years
AI breathed new life into The Beatles' music, reuniting them with generated renditions of their songs. AI-generated music, including the controversial "Heart on My Sleeve," featuring AI-generated voices of Drake and The Weeknd, stirred the industry, raising legal, ethical, and copyright concerns.
The rise of AI music challenges the soundscapes of music, shaping the industry in unforeseen ways. Learn more about how AI reunited the Fab Four here.
Your Honor, AI is Here!
AI making its way to the courtroom may not necessarily be considered a breakthrough, but it certainly sounds ridiculous and unbelievable.
In February, a Colombian judge turned to OpenAI's ChatGPT to resolve a children's medical case. The judge asked the AI chatbot if an autistic minor should be exonerated from paying fees for their therapies.
ChatGPT answered by saying that this was correct because laws in Colombia indicated that autistic minors are exempt from paying therapy fees.
Recently, a British judge also used the ChatGPT to summarize a legal topic, marking the first time a UK judge used AI to support a ruling in a court case.
However, using ChatGPT may not always be the wisest and sharpest weapon to use when you enter the daunting courtroom. Two lawyers in New York were fined for using ChatGPT and generating a legal document with forged case references.
This was a classic example of the chatbot's "hallucinations" or its tendency to generate false information. These cases underscore how AI's rapid advancement made its way to the courtroom but also prompted ethical concerns about the integrity of practicing law.
AI Detects a Supernova Without Human Intervention
AI reached cosmic heights when an international collaboration led by Northwestern University reported an AI-powered tool autonomously discovering, identifying, and classifying its first supernova.
This marks a significant shift towards complete automation in supernova detection, minimizing human intervention and reducing potential errors. Learn more about this explosive breakthrough here.
AI KOs a Human Street Fighter Champion!
Being hailed as a champion of one of the most beloved fighting games of all time is a massive feat. But how would you react if an AI beats you in your favorite game?
Research published earlier this year has detailed how AI can be trained to learn the inner and outer workings of the "Street Fighter" game, which ultimately leads to its victory against a human champion with the help of a new technology called "phase-change" memory.
Learn more about this mind-blowing, human-defeating technology here.
AI Farms Soft Shell Crabs in Hong Kong
AI is indeed everywhere, including in the scrumptious soft-shell crab. This is true in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay, particularly at the Hee Kee Fried Crab restaurant.
The Hee Kee Fried Crab restaurant utilizes AI to farm soft-shell crabs indoors, ensuring their readiness and health for harvest within the critical four-hour window before their shells harden again.
Learn more about how AI saved this restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eye (AI) Can Read You!
Cornell University's SciFi Lab introduced "EchoSpeech," an AI-powered eyeglasses interface that recognizes up to 31 unvocalized commands based on lip and mouth movements.
This breakthrough is ideal for those who cannot vocalize sound, offering a new way to interact with technology. Discover more about this "echoing" breakthrough here.
California Fights Fire With AI
Wildfires are a rogue force of nature, but Cal Fire, the firefighting agency in California, is combatting these ferocious disasters with AI.
They use advanced cameras capable of autonomously detecting smoke without the need for human eyes. Learn more about how California uses AI to tame and monitor wildfires here.
Can You Smell What AI is Cooking?
In October, Suraj Sudera, an Aston University engineering graduate, unveiled Perfecta, the world's first AI-powered kitchen maestro.
Capable of cooking the perfect succulent steak in just 90 seconds, this AI technology redefines the culinary experience. Discover more about this "grilling" breakthrough here.
In retrospect, 2023 has been a year of astonishing AI breakthroughs, shaping the present and future landscape of technology and human experiences.
