Microsoft unleashes AI in the office

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Welcome back, Superhuman

Microsoft is bringing the promise of higher productivity to the office with the launch of Copilot Pro, its GPT-4 powered AI assistant. But policymakers aren’t so bullish on AI, as new research from the IMF predicts that AI could impact almost 40% of jobs around the world.

TODAY’S MENU

• Microsoft brings AI to the office with Copilot Pro

• Regulators are worried about AI’s impact on jobs

• Chart: Google’s new AI model outperforms doctors

• Punctuation makes a difference when generating images with AI

• 5 new AI tools to boost your productivity

• AI Generated Images: Imaginary catastrophes

NEWS

Today in AI & Tech

• Responsible Citizen: OpenAI say they’re working on new measures to prevent abuse and promote transparency as the 2024 elections approach.

• Handy Helper: Elon Musk shows off a Tesla robot folding laundry.

• Changing Times: A new survey from PwC finds that almost 70% of CEOs expect AI to drive changes in their business that require employees to reskill.

• Copycat: New research finds that AI can convincingly mimic a person’s handwriting.

• Less is More: Apple may remove scanner from Apple watches after the company’s watch imports were banned by US authorities.

NEXT IN AI

Microsoft brings AI to the office with Copilot Pro for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

The promised land of AI is a world where AI can do all our boring and repetitive tasks so that we can focus on the work we truly enjoy. And for those of us who don’t enjoy work, Bill Gates thinks there might even be a time when productivity gains from AI lead to a 3 day work week.

Microsoft’s launch of Copilot Pro is a welcome step in the right direction for dreamers in both camps. Announced yesterday, Copilot Pro gives consumers access to AI-powered features inside of Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Users will also get priority access to the latest OpenAI models, along with the ability to build their own Copilot GPT for specialized tasks.

Copilot Pro will empower users to improve their productivity with features that enable them to do things like:

• Generate text in Word to create documents like blogs and guides. Copilot Pro will also let Word users summarize and paraphrase documents.

• Generate decks with slides and images in PowerPoint.

• Analyze and format data in Excel. Currently in preview version.

• Generate email responses in Outlook.

• Create images with Image Creator from Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator).

Copilot Pro will cost $20 per month and will be available in Office apps on Mac, Windows, and iPad.

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ECONOMICS

Policymakers are worried about AI’s impact on jobs and the economy

CEOs might be bullish on AI but regulators and policymakers aren’t feeling the hype. A new report from the IMF predicts that AI will affect almost 40% of jobs around the world, with older workers particularly at risk.

The report finds that jobs in high-income economies are at higher risk from AI because of the technology’s unique ability to automate high-skilled work. The IMF expects 60% of jobs in high-income countries to be impacted by AI. Approximately 30% of jobs will be impacted positively but 30% will be at risk of lower wages and decreased hiring.

In emerging and low-income countries, AI exposure is expected to be 40% and 26%, respectively. The report predicts that AI is likely going to increase inequality, which could lead to rising social tensions. The IMF recommends that countries “establish comprehensive social safety nets and offer retraining programs for vulnerable workers.”

The findings are consistent with another report from Goldman Sachs, which estimated that AI could replace up to 300 million jobs around the world, while also creating many new jobs that replace older ones.

CHART

Google’s new AI model outperforms doctors

Google Research announced last week that they’ve developed a new AI model for for diagnostic medical reasoning and conversations that improves diagnostic accuracy when paired with a clinician. More surprisingly, their research found that the highest level of diagnostic accuracy was achieved when the clinician was removed from the equation.

The findings could have a significant impact on how patients are diagnosed in the future. The researchers clarify that the study’s purpose is only to demonstrate what’s possible with AI systems, and that further research is required before such a system can be implemented safely and effectively.

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AI AT WORK

Punctuation makes a big difference when generating images with AI

The image above shows how sensitive AI generation tools like the latest V6 version of Midjourney are to the use of correct punctuation when generating images.

5 AI Tools to Supercharge Your Productivity

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Podsqueeze: Automate podcast creation. Generate transcripts, show notes, social posts, video clips and much more, with a single click using AI.

Prompt Whisperer: Explore a vast collection of specialized prompts designed to cater to a multitude of tasks across industries.

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AI GENERATED IMAGES

Imaginary catastrophes

As AI-generated fakes begin to proliferate and blur the line between what’s real and what’s not, below are some recent viral AI-generated images of catastrophes that never happened.

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Until next time!

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