LaMDA has been in the news after a Google engineer claimed it was sentient because its answers allegedly hint that it understands what it is. The engineer also suggested that LaMDA communicates that it has fears, much like a human does. What is LaMDA, and why are some under the impression that it can achieve consciousness? Language Models LaMDA is a language model. In natural language processing, a language model analyzes the use of language. Fundamentally, it’s a mathematical function… Source link
Read More »Google resolves French fight over payment to publishers
PARIS, June 21 (Reuters) – Alphabet unit Google (GOOGL.O) has made commitments to resolve a dispute in France over copyright for content used online, the country’s antitrust authority said on Tuesday. Google, owned by Alphabet, also dropped its appeal against a 500 million euro ($528 million) fine and paid it, the authority said. read more The decision brings to an end its investigation against Google, which has agreed to hold talks with news agencies and other publishers to pay for the use… Source link
Read More »How a Google Employee Fell for the Eliza Effect
A Google employee named Blake Lemoine was put on leave recently after claiming that one of Google’s artificial-intelligence language models, called LaMDA (Language Models for Dialogue Applications), is sentient. He went public with his concerns, sharing his text conversations with LaMDA. At one point, Lemoine asks, “What does the word ‘soul’ mean to you?” LaMDA answers, “To me, the soul is a concept of the animating force behind consciousness and life itself.” “I was inclined… Source link
Read More »Google Maps restrictions trigger competition scrutiny in Germany – TechCrunch
Germany’s competition regulator is looking into possible abuses related to how Google operates its Maps product. It’s the latest proceeding the Federal Cartel Office (FCO) has opened against Google — with earlier (ongoing) investigations into the tech giant’s News Showcase licensing practices and its data terms. However the Maps proceeding is the first initiated under tougher abuse controls which have applied to Google’s business in Germany since January — when the… Source link
Read More »Google, Oracle, Snowflake, Seagate Break Early Week Cloud News
Google added Anthos to its Distributed Cloud and Snowflake just made a big investment. As we head into the middle of June, it’s a good time to catch up on some low-key cloud news. These items have made the rounds over the last week. Channel partners for Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Snowflake and Seagate Technology will take particular interest in this latest batch of cloud news. We’ve also got a snippet from top Google Cloud MSP SADA, if you want to know what your peers are up… Source link
Read More »More than one person can now use Google TV
One of the big features that shipped with the Chromecast with Google TV in late-2020 was its namesake Google TV software and dashboard. Google’s latest attempt at putting its services in front of your eyeballs while watching TV was a launcher that put personalization and smart recommendations at the forefront, as long as you’re a one-person household, of course. Google TV only supported one user profile, and after later adding kid profiles so you don’t have to subject yourself to… Source link
Read More »Google might be shaking up its approach to reminders on Android, starting with Calendar
Could the company finally streamline Keep, Tasks, and Assistant Reminders? If you want to save a reminder on your phone, there’s no shortage of options. Google Keep remains as popular as ever, with specific dates and times attached to each note. Tasks offers a streamlined interface and an easy way to check off items as you go, but it’s hidden behind Gmail on desktop. Assistant Reminders, meanwhile, creates an entry just from a simple voice command, but it’s annoying to… Source link
Read More »Google Doodle celebrates Juneteenth with art by father-son duo
Google often celebrates holidays and milestones with unique, themed drawings of their logo – so-called “Google Doodles.” Juneteenth happened to fall on Father’s Day this year, and the Google Doodle to celebrate it was created, fittingly, by a father-son duo. Jerome and Jeromyah Jones, two artists based in Virginia, said they were inspired in part by the “commonalities we see during this year that the two holidays coincide.” The painting includes a man with a child on his… Source link
Read More »Without Sylvia Earle, We’d Be Living on Google Dirt
“Do you like to breathe?” This is a question that the marine biologist and deep-sea explorer Sylvia Earle asks frequently. The ocean produces half of the oxygen on Earth. If it dies, humanity can’t survive, so humans better pay attention to it. When Google introduced its 3-D map, Earle pointed out that the designers had forgotten to include the oceans: it was Google Dirt, she said, not Google Earth. (Google fixed the oversight, with her help.) Earle, a gamine eighty-six, has searching… Source link
Read More »Google Says It’s Time for Longtime Small-Business Users to Pay Up
When Google told some small businesses in January that they would no longer be able to use a customized email service and other workplace apps for free, it felt like a broken promise for Richard J. Dalton Jr., a longtime user who operates a scholastic test-prep company in Vancouver, British Columbia. “They’re basically strong-arming us to switch to something paid after they got us hooked on this free service,” said Mr. Dalton, who first set up a Google work email for his business, Your… Source link
Read More »