⚡️ Electron Microscopy x AI

Good Morning. At the cutting edge of neuroscience and pathology research, MIT scientists have made a groundbreaking leap with SmartEM, an AI technology that elevates the capabilities of electron microscopy to new heights. Let’s dive in.

Today’s Highlights:

• Google mulls major investment in Character.AI

• AI traffic signals to breathe clean air into cities

• Actors' Union new Hollywood deal

DEEP DIVE

MIT’s Breakthrough Merges AI with Electron Microscopy for Rapid Brain Studies

Revolutionizing neuroscience research, MIT and Harvard scientists have created SmartEM, an innovative AI technology that transforms electron microscopy. Unlike traditional methods, SmartEM introduces real-time machine learning to speed up brain imaging processes, a boon for studying complex diseases like Alzheimer's.

SmartEM skillfully merges the precision of electron microscopes with the agility of machine learning. This integration means SmartEM can actively learn and make decisions during the imaging process.

By embedding a sophisticated GPU within the microscope, the system allows SmartEM to determine the most critical areas to examine intensively, much like we focus on a person's features during a conversation or skim for vital information while reading.

In a display of SmartEM's remarkable efficiency, the system reconstructed a detailed 3D model of octopus brain tissue. What traditionally took two weeks to accomplish was reduced to just 1.5 days—a significant time and cost-saving for scientists.

The goal? To fast-track brain science and democratize research. The creators of SmartEM envision a future where scientists, irrespective of budget constraints, can actively contribute to brain studies and expeditiously examine brain-related diseases for enhanced hospital pathology.

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PUNCHLINES

Million-Dollar Minds: OpenAI is wooing top artificial intelligence employees at Google with multimillion-dollar offers.

Microbial Fuel Factories: AI improves genome editing of microbes to produce renewable fuels.

Coders in Chief: Barack Obama urges coders to join Biden’s AI team.

Tune in, Turn out: AI-powered headphones supercharge users to choose what they hear.

The Freelancer Frenemy: AI is indeed coming for freelancers’ jobs, show studies.

TLDR

Google mulls major investment in chatbot startup Character.AI: To expand its AI foothold, Google contemplates investing hundreds of millions in Character.AI, a startup specializing in conversational AI. Previously from Google, the startup’s founders have created a chat platform with celebrity replicas, riding the current AI wave and eyeing a valuation of over $5 billion.

Iterate unveils coding breakthrough with AppCoder LLM: AppCoder LLM by Iterate uses natural language to produce production-ready code, outshining rivals like Meta's Code Llama. Integrated with their Interplay platform, it speeds up development, particularly in computer vision and chatbot applications, and scores highly on functional correctness and usefulness.

AI traffic signals to breathe clean air into cities: An innovative AI system for managing traffic lights, designed by Lehigh University researchers, aims to decrease vehicle emissions by promoting smoother traffic flow. Fueled by machine learning, this socially conscious project analyzes air quality and traffic movement, promising a healthier environment, especially around vulnerable areas like hospitals.

Actors' Union strikes new Hollywood deal: SAG-AFTRA reaches a tentative agreement offering actors wage increases up to 14.5% by 2025, a $40M streaming bonus with success criteria, and AI protections for the use of digital replicas.

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