Baidu has introduced a text-to-image generator dubbed I-RAG and a no-code developer platform called Miaoda as part of its growing portfolio of artificial intelligence (AI) products that, like US-based AI companies, it eventually aims to offer its user base as part of a wide array of commercial AI offerings.CEO Robin Li introduced the new technology in a presentation at the companys Baidu World Conference Tuesday. I-RAGuses Baidus search capabilities to generate images from speech and has been designed to address the hallucinations issue, according to a report on Reuters. The hallucinations referred to are images generated via large language model (LLM)-based AI that deviate from what was specified in the input prompt or contain non-existent elements.Baidu also launched Miaoda, a developer platform that uses the capabilities of LLMs to generate code, and is aimed at allowing users without extensive coding expertise to develop applications. AI companies in the US also are providing similar tools to develop applications through a visual interface, with reusable components and advanced developer assistance, noted Manukrishnan SR, practice director for Everest Group.Indeed, like those of leading US companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, Baidus AI moves demonstrate its march toward the commercialization phase of the technology. The company, like others before it, has been adding AI to existing products or creating new ones that enterprise and other business users can integrate into their applications.Follow the leaderGoogle, OpenAI, and Microsoft already have products similar to the ones Baidu revealed Tuesday, and the Chinese company has some catching up to do, analysts noted. The release of an AI-enhanced no-code platform in particular demonstrates Baidus aim to keep up with a software development trend that may one day leverage AI to replace traditional coding with software configuration.The pace of innovation and research in generative AI technologies and software is moving at a breakneck pace in the US, Dave Schubmehl,research VP,AI & automation at IDC, observed. To compete effectively on the world stage, other countries will need to adopt this same pace of innovation and research.He added, many vendors are offering low code/no code/code generation capabilities in their products. Baidus product Miaoda is doing what other vendors like Microsoft and OpenAI have already done, which is using LLM capabilities to generate code.So far, however, Baidus AI tools do not seem to be as advanced as the ones released by OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google, Everest Groups SR told CIO, since these players have large existing datasets on which they can train their AI models.However, with all major cloud platform players now offering some form of genAI-based programming augmentation facility, AI-based software development may be the way forward for the enterprise, noted Bradley Shimmin, chief analyst, AI and data analytics, at Omdia.This is a very important area of research in that it points to an eventual state where both domain experts inside an organization and professional ISV practitioners can both use the same tooling to create full-stack apps and/or workflow automations in a declarative, no-code, conversational manner, Shimmin said.Still, this evolution is not without its challenges, and may not be something CIOs need to worry about quite yet, Everest Groups SR noted.These tools are facing a host of challenges, including maintaining code quality, adherence to regulatory standards, and questions on ROI, he told CIO. Thus, while AI is set to revolutionize software development in the medium to long term, there are a lot of challenges that need to be ironed out before its potential can be fully realized.Dont underestimate ChinaThough Baidu is still playing catch-up to US-based companies, China as a major global AI player should not be underestimated, Shimmins noted. In fact, China and the US are really not that far apart from one another in terms of expertise and investment [in AI], he observed.Already, China has produced some very strong models, particularly open source models such as Qwen2.5-Coder, which rivals some of the larger frontier models from Anthropic and OpenAI (at least in terms of published benchmarks), he said.The US has been doing everything it can to stymie overall technological development in China in various ways, and AI is no exception. A mere two weeks ago, the US government announced new rules restricting investments in Chinas AI and other tech sectors deemed threats to national security, expanding existing technology restrictions that were so far limited to exports. China, for its part, has banned the use of OpenAI in the country.However, despite the current friction between the US and China in terms of their technological arms race, the two countries have similar goals when it comes to AI, and may end up collaborating in some areas, Shimmin noted.In terms of academic research, the two nations are starting to work more closely with one another in seeking out a common ground concerning the existential threat posed by AI itself, he said.

As it seemingly remains focused onincreasing thecost of doing businessin the region, the European Commissions (trade) war with Big Tech/America by proxy continues with ademand for Apple to stopgeo-blocking practices on Apple Media Services, including the App Store, Apple Music, TV+, and others.Its a new European front in a battle dominated so far by Apples struggles to bring its business in line with theDigital Markets Actin the region. However, to some degree it reflects efforts to give consumers free access to markets across all EU states. But when combined with themyriad challengesApple alreadyfaces in the region, the demand will impose yetanother set of legal headaches and require the company to invest in yet moreexpensive developer time.Whats this all about?Europe argues that the geo-blocking restrictions Apple employs on its media platforms unlawfully discriminate against European customers based on their place of residence. In Europe, people should be able to purchase goods and services from any EU state. Further, Europes Services Directive requires that general conditions of access to a service dont contain discriminatory provisions relating to the nationality or place of residence of the service recipient, unless directly justified by objective criteria.So far, so good. But I have a sense that some of the territorial licensing restrictions some copyright holders still keep in place might act as a brake on what Apple can achieve. There was a day not so long ago when music streaming services had to reach a separate distribution deal for each EU member state, and while that has relaxed significantly, it may also be why Apples media services evolved that kind of licensing model. But that was then, this is now. (I do suspect Europe and Apple will find these problems arent completely within their own control.)What does Europe want?What regulators want is for Apple to make a series of changes to how it offers up media services in the EU. The discrimination of consumers based on their nationality or place of residence is against Union law, therefore unacceptable, said Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders.Consumers must be able to reap the full benefits of the Single Market and should not face any obstacles while using a specific service and traveling around the EU, he explained. The Commission urges Apple to bring its practices in line with EU rules against the unjustified geo-blocking of consumers.Europe wants Apple to:Make it possible to access its media services via any country interface a consumer wants to use.Allow consumers to pay for things using any means of payment from any country they have available to them. For example, if you have bank accounts in France and in Germany but are registered for your Apple Account in France, you can use either bank to pay your bill. At present you can only use a French bank, as that is where your account is registered.The bloc also wants consumers to be able to download the version of an app offered in another EU/EEA country. Consumers should be able to download apps offered in other EU/EEA countries when they travel to or temporarily stay in that country, the EU states.Google has already done itApple may be in the Commissions sights (again) now, but the bloc reached a deal with Google for similar practises last year. Under those arrangements, Google committed to clarify how to browse different country versionsof the Google Play Store. It also reminded Android developers that they should make their apps accessible EU-wide and accept means of payment from any EU country on the Google store.That Google could only remind developers suggests that even when Apple finds some way to bring itself in line with these demands, some developers might still decline to join the ball game. Even the act in question (passed in 2018), notes inArticle 3 section 5some circumstances in which some categories of goods books are sold at different prices in certain territories.What happens next?Apple now gets a month to look at what is being asked of it, develop a response, and come up with a set of proposals and commitments to address these criticisms. The way the Commission phrases how it will respond to Apples reply is interesting, Depending on Apples reply, the CPC Network may enter into a dialogue with the company, it says. The use of conditionals in that sentence suggests that even if Apple does attempt to being itself into compliance, the CPC Network (Consumer Protection Cooperation Network) might decide to move to enforcement all the same.If Apple fails to address the concerns or is found to have failed to address them, national authorities can take enforcement measures to ensure compliance, the Commission explains. You can follow me on social media! Youll find me on BlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.Generative AI taught a robot dog to scramble around a new environmentTeaching robots to navigate new environments is tough. You can train them on physical, real-world data taken from recordings made by humans, but thats scarce, and expensive to collect. Digital simulations are a rapid, scalable way to teach them to do new things, but the robots often fail when theyre pulled out of virtual worlds and asked to do the same tasks in the real one.Now, theres potentially a better option: a new system that uses generative AI models in conjunction with a physics simulator to develop virtual training grounds that more accurately mirror the physical world. Robots trained using this method worked with a higher success rate than those trained using more traditional techniques during real-world tests.Researchers used the system, called LucidSim, to train a robot dog in parkour, getting it to scramble over a box and climb stairs, despite never seeing any real world data. The approach demonstrates how helpful generative AI could be when it comes to teaching robots to do challenging tasks. It also raises the possibility that we could ultimately train them in entirely virtual worlds. Read the full story.Rhiannon WilliamsAfricas AI researchers are ready for takeoffWhen we talk about the global race for AI dominance, the conversation often focuses on tensions between the US and China, and European efforts at regulating the technology. But its high time we talk about another player: Africa.African AI researchers are forging their own path, developing tools that answer the needs of Africans, in their own languages. Their story is not only one of persistence and innovation, but of preserving cultures and fighting to shape how AI technologies are used on their own continent. However, they face many barriers. Read the full story.Melissa HeikkilThis story is from The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday.The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 How Silicon Valley is planning to work with Donald TrumpAvoiding antitrust regulation and boosting growth are at the top of Big Techs agenda. (WP $)+ Tech executives overwhelmingly supported Kamala Harris. (Vox)+ Trumps policies could make it harder to hire and retain overseas talent. (Insider $)+ Immigrant tech workers are rushing to secure visas before Trumps inauguration. (Forbes $)2 People are abandoning X following the US election resultThreads and Bluesky are experiencing an influx of new users. (Bloomberg $)+ Trump loved Twitter during his first Presidency. Will he during his second? (Insider $)3 The Biden administration plans to back a controversial cybercrime treatyCritics fear it could be abused by authoritarian regimes to pursue dissidents. (Politico)+ The treaty would also make electronic evidence more available to the US. (Bloomberg $)4 DNA testing firm 23andMe is firing 40% of its workforceThings arent looking good for the embattled company. (WSJ $)+ The company is axing all its therapy programs, too. (Reuters)+ How to delete your 23andMe data. (MIT Technology Review)5 How oil and gas companies are masking their methane emissionsThe odorless, colorless gas is notoriously tough to track, but satellites are changing that. (FT $)+ Even if we reach net zero, parts of the planet will keep getting warmer. (New Scientist $)+ Why methane emissions are still a mystery. (MIT Technology Review)6 This database tracks license plate cameras across the worldThe project, called DeFlock, aims to give drivers the choice to avoid certain routes. (404 Media)7 Baidu has unveiled its AI-integrated smart glassesThe device can track calorie consumption, among other features. (FT $)+ Smartglasses are a growing trend in China. (SCMP $)+ The coolest thing about smart glasses is not the AR. Its the AI. (MIT Technology Review)8 Everything we know about Uranus is wrongA brief flyby 40 years ago coincided with a rare spike in solar activity. (NYT $)9 How Ukraine is rewilding amid the warEcologists believe the conflicts catastrophes can birth environmental gains. (Undark Magazine)+ Ukraine has a plan for getting Trump onside. (Vox)10 To find alien life, look to the mountainsWho knows whats trapped under tectonic plates? (The Atlantic $)Quote of the dayI did not say I was uncomfortable talking about it. I said were not going to talk about it.Michael Barratt, an astronaut and medical doctor, refuses to elaborate on a medical issue an astronaut experienced during a recent mission, Ars Technica reports.The big storyZimbabwes climate migration is a sign of whats to comeDecember 2021Julius Mutero has spent his entire adult life farming a three-hectare plot in Zimbabwe, but has harvested virtually nothing in the past six years. He is just one of the 86 million people in sub-Saharan Africa who the World Bank estimates will migrate domestically by 2050 because of climate change.In Zimbabwe, farmers who have tried to stay put and adapt have found their efforts woefully inadequate in the face of new weather extremes. Droughts have already forced tens of thousands from their homes. But their desperate moves are creating new competition for water in the region, and tensions may soon boil over. Read the full story.Andrew MambondiyaniWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet em at me.)+ Heres how to make perfect cacio e pepe every time.+ New York is a wonderful placeeven if youre a native New Yorker, theres always something new to try for the first time.+ The 2024 Natures Best Photo Awards are full of delights.+ Good luck to the brave souls skiing in central London.

This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here.When we talk about the global race for AI dominance, the conversation often focuses on tensions between the US and China, and European efforts at regulating the technology.But its high time we talked about another player: Africa.AsMIT Technology Reviewhas written before, AI is creating anew colonial world order, where the technology is enriching a small minority of people at the expense of the rest of the world.African AI researchers are determined to change that. Theyre forging their own path, developing tools that answer the needs of Africans, in their own languages.However, they face many barriers. AI research is eye-wateringly expensive, and African startups and researchers get a fraction as much funding as their Western or Asian counterparts. They have to innovate and rely on open-source resources to do more with less.Despite that, the African AI story reflects not only persistence and innovation, but a determination to preserve cultures and shape how AI technologies are used on the continent.Read more herefrom Abdullahi Tsanni, who went to this years Deep Learning Indaba, a machine-learning conference held annually in Senegal, to learn about the opportunities and barriers the African AI scene faces.And then some personal news!This edition will be my last newsletter, and from next week youll be in the extremely capable hands of my colleagueJames ODonnell. Its been a delight writing this newsletter for the past two or so years, and Im so grateful youve joined me on this journey covering everything fromsnowballs of bullshittoTaylor Swifts deepfakes. Im not going anywhere, though. Ill be diving deeper into the AI beat at MIT Technology Review to bring you stories on whats happening in AI and how the technology is changing us and our societies. Stay tuned for more!Finally, while I have you, this week were running our biggest sale of the year, with 50% off an annual subscription to MIT Technology Review. New subscribers receive a free digital report on generative AI and the future of work.Subscribe here.Now read the rest of The AlgorithmDeeper LearningWhy AI could eat quantum computings lunchTech companies have been funneling billions of dollars into quantum computers for years. The hope is that theyll be a game changer for fields as diverse as finance, drug discovery, and logistics. Those expectations have been especially high in physics and chemistry, where the weird effects of quantum mechanics come into play. In theory, this is where quantum computers could have a huge advantage over conventional machines.Enter AI:But while the field struggles with the realities of tricky quantum hardware, another challenger is making headway in some of these most promising use cases. AI is now being applied to fundamental physics, chemistry, and materials science in a way that suggests quantum computings purported home turf might not be so safe after all.Given the pace of recent advances, a growing number of researchers are now asking whether AI could solve a substantial chunk of the most interesting problems in chemistry and materials science before large-scale quantum computers become a reality.Read more from Edd Gent here.Bits and BytesThe Saudis are planning a $100 billion AI powerhouseSpeaking of the race for AI dominance, this piece looks at how Saudi Arabia wants in on AI action. And its putting its money where its mouth is. The country is investing a massive sum to develop a tech hub that it hopes will rival the neighboring United Arab Emirates. (Bloomberg)AI is making it harder to believe what is real and what is notTwo recent examples show just how influential AI slop can be in warping our sense of reality. In Dublin,crowds gatheredin the city center to wait for a Halloween parade to take place. There was no parade planned, but the listing was created by AI and then picked up by social media users and local media. By way of contrast, some social media users dismissedshocking images of the devastating recent floods in Spainas AI-generated, although they were entirely real.AI companies are getting comfortable offering their technology to the militaryMilitaries around the world have been pouring money into new technologies, including AI. Meta and Anthropic are the latest tech companies to start courting them, joining the likes of Google and OpenAI. (The Washington Post)OpenAI is shifting its strategy as the improvement in its AI tools slows downThe current paradigm in AI development is to make things bigger to make them better. But OpenAIs new model, code-named Orion, only performs slightly better than its predecessors. Instead, OpenAI is shifting to improving models after their initial training. (The Information)

The pivot from Apple Car set the stage for bigger investments in the smart home, and the initial products from that shift could be launching as soon as March according to a new rumor.Apple could release an iPad-like home hub with AI and smart home featuresApple has offered smart home options since 2014 with the launch of HomeKit. Beyond Siri integrations, HomePod, and few product category additions over the years, the company's investment in the area hasn't been as strong as some of its competitors.That could change as soon as March with the launch of a new smart display that isn't an iPad, doesn't have an App Store, and is voice-first. This device would be a precursor to the rumored display with a robotic arm that's been rumored since Apple Car was abandoned. Rumor Score: Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple's decision to place the power button of the M4 Mac mini underneath has been questioned by users. In some cases, they've come up with their own "solutions" to the problem.Mac mini power buttonThe introduction of the M4 Mac mini was welcomed by critics, with the already small Mac made to be even smaller. Getting to that size meant there had to be a compromise, and that took the form of an awkward power button placement.Rather than at the rear, the button is instead underneath the corner of the Mac mini's enclosure. It's in a position that you have to lift or tilt the Mac mini to access it, which can be awkward for people with larger digits. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Grant Associates landscaping for the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Birmingham, England, supports wellbeing and recoveryhttps://www.e-architect.com/birmingham/midland-metropolitan-university-hospital-birmingham#universityhospital #birmingham #england #architectureGrant Associates' landscaping for the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Birmingham supports wellbeing and recovery

House by the River, by Polish architects STOPROCENT, uses simple materials to create a refined aesthetic throughout the proposalhttps://www.e-architect.com/poland/house-by-the-river-poland-property#poland #buildingmaterials #BuildingProposal #architectureHouse by the River, by Polish architects STOPROCENT, uses simple materials to create a refined aesthetic throughout the proposal

Discover architecture that breathes! Plan Bs permeable designs in Medelln bring nature and urban life together #SustainableDesign #Architecture #UrbanInnovation #Medellin #GreenArchitectureExplore how this stunning hotel and hybrid shelter/event venue transform urban spaces into lush, accessible sanctuaries.

Architecture firms face continued decline in billings, as shown by the latest AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). September marks the 20th month of this downturn, with a score of 45.7. Despite economic improvements, clients remain cautious about new projects. However, firms report an average backlog of 6.4 months, suggesting some resilience in the pipeline.Key Insights: Regional ABI: South (49.5), Northeast (46.4), Midwest (45.0), West (42.6) Sector Performance: Institutional (48.5), Multifamily Residential (41.7)Stay informed on the economic climate affecting the architecture industry. #Architecture #EconomicOutlook #Design #AIA #BusinessConditions #ArchitectureBillingsIndex #Deltek #Resiliencehttps://bit.ly/4e55N0qClients remain cautious on new projects, leading to continued revenue declines, yet strong backlogs provide a glimmer of hope for architecture firms.