The Week in AI: Chatbots Fuel Cybercrime; Google, Meta and OpenAI Announce Upgrades

Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, from cybercriminals exploiting chatbots to Google supercharging Gemini for business breakthroughs.

Meanwhile, Meta and Microsoft are using AI to transform eCommerce and energy, showing that the technology is becoming both a hacker’s tool and a corporate powerhouse, sparking new demands on security and power infrastructure.

AI Chatbots: The New Hacker’s Little Helper?

Cybercriminals are turning AI chatbots into their latest weapon, using them to churn out sophisticated malware with minimal tech know-how.

HP Wolf Security researchers caught one of the first instances of attackers wielding generative AI to code a remote access Trojan, potentially opening the floodgates for a surge in AI-powered cybercrime.

As these chatbots become unwitting accomplices, security experts warn that this new breed of AI-assisted threats may soon outmatch traditional defenses.

Google’s Gemini Gets Smarter

Google is turbocharging its Gemini AI with beefed-up models that can crunch through 1,000-page PDFs and hour-long videos while slashing prices by over 50%.

The tech giant’s latest salvo in the AI wars boasts souped-up math skills, a 2 million-token context window, and tripled processing speeds, potentially revolutionizing everything from product recommendations to inventory management for businesses ready to hop on the AI express.

AI Voice Tools Enhance Online Shopping

Meta and OpenAI are upgrading eCommerce with new AI voice features.

Meta is adding celebrity voices and visual processing, while OpenAI is improving ChatGPT’s conversational skills. These changes aim to create more natural, personalized interactions between brands and customers.

Nearly half of U.S. consumers expect voice assistants to match human intelligence within five years, signaling a growing acceptance of AI in shopping.

Meta AI Turns Social Media Into Voice-Powered Shopping Mall

Meta is upgrading its platforms with AI-powered voice assistants and image recognition, potentially transforming social media shopping.

The new features include celebrity-voiced chatbots, AI-driven photo editing and automatic video translation. These innovations aim to make online shopping more conversational and personalized, potentially boosting user engagement and sales for businesses on Meta’s platforms.

Over 400 million monthly users engage with Meta AI across its products.

Microsoft Reboots Three Mile Island for AI Power Hunger

Microsoft’s 20-year deal to resurrect the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear plant signals a new era in tech’s quest for AI-fueling energy.

As the first major tech company to directly invest in nuclear power for AI operations, Microsoft is addressing the energy demands of scaling AI systems.

With global AI spending projected to hit $300 billion by 2026, the move could spark a race for energy resources among tech giants, potentially reshaping the intersection of AI advancement and power generation.

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