A federal judge has denied the SECβs request to appeal its loss against Ripple. District Judge Analisa Torres stated that the SEC did not demonstrate the necessary legal grounds for the appeal. This, however, is not a total defeat for the SEC. A trial date has been set for April 2024 to address any unresolved issues, after which the entire case could be appealed.
In a pivotal shift, warfare has evolved from traditional arenas of air, land, and sea to a new battleground β the World Wide Web. As we enter 2023, the digital age brings forth a formidable frontier where global conflicts are waged with potential consequences surpassing anything we've seen before. The Digital Paradigm Shift Historically, wars played out in physical spaces, from ancient ground battles to modern air and naval engagements. However, as technology advances relentlessly, the theater of war has transitioned. The rise of cyber warfare has reshaped global conflict dynamics, with the digital realm emerging as the focal point. The Expansive Web Battlefield The internet, an interconnected global network, hosts vital infrastructure, communication, and commerce, touching billions of lives. Yet, this very connectivity has unveiled vulnerabilities. Cyber warfare has transcended exclusivity, allowing anyone with internet access and a computer to participate in this new form of conflict. Unprecedented Damage Potential In contrast to conventional warfare's focus on physical destruction, cyber warfare operates covertly, targeting critical infrastructure, financial systems, and communication networks. The potential for damage isn't bound by borders; it spans the globe within seconds. A Controversial Reality In an age of technological progress and diplomacy, the persistence of cyber warfare may seem paradoxical. Yet, conflicts endure, fueled by diverse motivations. In 2023, individuals and groups engage in web battles, championing ideologies, territorial claims, and, in some cases, multiple fronts simultaneously. The Growing Threat Cybersecurity experts and governments worldwide recognize the escalating cyber threat. From state-sponsored attacks to hacktivist groups, the potential for chaos and disruption is real. Critical infrastructure, economies, and businesses remain vulnerable. The Imperative of Cyber Defense In this digital era, robust cyber defenses are paramount. Nations invest heavily in cybersecurity to protect their interests and deter potential aggressors. International cooperation, agreements, and diplomacy are essential for global stability in this new era of conflict.
The conflict between Hamas and Israel has led to a cyber war in the Middle East, with various hacktivist groups taking sides and launching operations. Here's a summary of some key developments: AnonGhost : A Pro-Palestine group, AnonGhost, exploited an API vulnerability in an Israeli app used for real-time alerts on Hamas rocket attacks. They sent false rocket alerts with customized messages, including warnings of incoming nuclear bombs. The app was subsequently removed from the Play Store. KillNet : A Russian hacktivist collective, KillNet, blamed the Israeli government for the recent conflict due to Israel's support for Ukraine. They launched Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against Israeli government websites. Anonymous Sudan : This hacktivist group attacked the Jerusalem Post's website but appears to have conducted only a DDoS attack. They also teamed up with a group called SiegedSec to target Israeli industrial control systems, potentially including GPS systems, building automation, and control networks. Cyber Avengers : Claimed to have hacked Israel's second-largest power station, 'DORAD,' and released internal documents, including schematics. They also targeted Israel's national water company and claimed to have access to its CCTV systems. Indian Cyber Force : Initially known for DDoSing Canadian military websites, this group shifted its support to Israel and conducted DDoS attacks against the official Hamas website and Palestinian government services. ThreatSec : Attacked a Palestinian ISP, claiming to have shut down servers owned by Alfanet, one of the largest ISPs in Gaza. Their stance appears to be targeting both Gaza and Israel. Red Cross Rules of Engagement : The Red Cross published "8 rules for civilian hackers during war," setting guidelines for hacktivists. However, these rules received mixed reactions, with some hacktivist groups expressing resistance and skepticism. The cyber conflict reflects the increasing use of cyber tactics in modern conflicts and the involvement of hacktivist groups on various sides. These actions can have real-world consequences and underscore the challenges of governing cyberspace during conflicts.
Free PDF Are you curious about the next phase in AI-powered software development? Look no further! Dive into the world of cutting-edge applications that leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to accomplish real tasks and transform industries. This ebook, brought to you by the AI Infrastructure Alliance, covers a wide array of topics that will expand your understanding of this exciting field: π§ Prompt Engineering, LLM Logic, and Reasoning: Explore the foundations of creating prompts, logic, and reasoning for LLM-based applications. π οΈ Major Frameworks: Discover essential frameworks like LlamaIndex, LangChain, Haystack, and Semantic Kernel, which are driving innovation in the AI app landscape. π Vector Databases: Learn about the role of vector databases in powering LLM-driven applications and data storage. π― Fine-Tuning: Understand the nuances of fine-tuning LLMs to suit specific tasks and domains. π Open Source and Closed Source Generative Models: Explore the landscape of generative models, both open source and proprietary, and their implications for AI app development. βοΈ Legal Implications: Delve into the legal considerations surrounding AI-powered apps and their impact on various industries. π± Common App Design Patterns: Gain insights into the design patterns commonly used in AI app development. Prepare yourself for the future of AI applications that are set to revolutionize the way work is done. This comprehensive guide is your key to unlocking the potential of LLMs and understanding the latest trends and technologies in AI app development. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve. Get your FREE copy today and embark on a journey into the exciting world of AI-powered applications! ππ #AIApps #LLMs #AIInfrastructure #Innovation #AIDevelopment #FutureTech #AIInAction
Adobe has officially rolled out Photoshop for the web, extending access to all users with paid plans. After nearly two years in beta, this web version comes packed with AI tools powered by Firefly, offering creative possibilities to users across the globe. Key features and highlights of the web version of Adobe Photoshop include: π₯ Firefly-Powered AI Tools: This release introduces Firefly-powered AI features such as generative fill and generative expand. These tools enhance the creative process by allowing users to fill images with content based on prompts and make context-aware object additions or removals. ποΈ Improved Toolbar: The web version features a redesigned toolbar, optimized for ease of use and based on specific workflows, like image reproduction or object selection. It also displays the full names of tools, which is particularly helpful for beginners. π€ Collaboration Made Easy: Adobe has streamlined collaboration by enabling users to share files via links, even with those who don't have a subscription. This enhances teamwork and opens up creative possibilities for a broader audience. π Close to Desktop Experience: While not all desktop features have made it to the web version, the majority of tools are available, along with the contextual taskbar that suggests next steps and tools based on the user's workflow. π‘ Future Development: Adobe is actively working on bringing missing features like the patch tool, pen tool, smart object support, and polygonal lasso to Photoshop for the web in future updates. π Free Version Not Planned: It's worth noting that Adobe currently has no plans to offer a free or freemium version of Photoshop on the web. Access is reserved for users with paid plans. The launch of Photoshop for the web marks a significant step in Adobe's efforts to provide more accessible and collaborative creative tools. With Firefly-powered AI capabilities and a range of familiar Photoshop features, this web version is poised to empower users to unleash their creative potential online. As Adobe continues to refine and expand its web offering, creative professionals and enthusiasts alike can look forward to even more innovative features and seamless collaboration in the world of digital art and design. π¨π #AdobePhotoshop #WebVersion #FireflyAI #CreativeTools #DigitalArt #Design #Collaboration #WebApps #AIEnhancements
Twitter is now "X," and many wonder why Elon Musk bought the platform if he dislikes so much about it. But a closer look reveals the billionaire's grand plan. Twitter is now "X" as Musk aims for a grand vision. His plan involves four steps: Strengthening the community, leveraging its influence. Exploring a payment function for X, tapping into a lucrative market. Creating an all-in-one app similar to WeChat, revolutionizing Twitter's revenue. Powered by AI, X will connect users like never before, driven by limitless interactivity. Underestimate Musk at your peril β his visionary approach is anything but ordinary. π Conclusion: Those who believe that a crazy entrepreneur merely wanted to change a symbol haven't grasped the Musk system. He has already founded his own AI development company, X.AI, staffed with experts and engineers from Google and Microsoft. His firm aims to "understand the true nature of the universe." The grand plan requires great visionaries, and in the era of artificial intelligence, Elon Musk is a pioneer of modern times. Underestimating him means acting based on present certainties, but it's not the world where visionaries move. π
Getting money just for being human? That's the idea behind the Universal Basic Income (UBI). With fears of job losses due to automation and AI, this model could be more relevant than ever. However, Worldcoin, a company that addresses the challenge of identifying individuals amidst Deep Fakes and generative AI, seeks a solution. "In the age of artificial intelligence, the need for proving one's identity is no longer a serious topic of discussion," believes Worldcoin co-founder Alex Blania in a press release. Instead, the crucial question is about the solutions to this problem. According to Blania, their solution lies in the World ID, a project he initiated with OpenAI founder Sam Altman. Their promise: To uniquely identify individuals and reward all registered users with a monthly token of the cryptocurrency. As OpenAI's AI hype raises concerns, the Worldcoin founders aim to focus on the people who might face job displacement in the future. The catch? Worldcoin requires a World ID, a blockchain wallet that requires human identification through an iris scan, deemed more secure than fingerprinting, according to the company. Worldcoin, originally founded in 2019 by physics student Alex Blania and Sam Altman, aims to build a digital identity granting people access to the global economic system, which currently leaves billions without recognizable digital identities. Their goal is to onboard more users and create a network with over a billion users. Worldcoin has been scanning eyes since 2022, primarily in countries of the Global South. Field tests were conducted in Chile, Kenya, Indonesia, and Sudan, and they claim to have gained over 2 million users since then.
After several months of being available exclusively to iPhone users, the official ChatGPT app from OpenAI is finally making its way to Android smartphones. The app aims to provide a more convenient way for users to interact with the AI chatbot on the go and access their past chat conversations. According to OpenAI's announcement on Twitter, the official ChatGPT app for Android is set to launch later this week. Interested users can already register on the Google Play Store to receive notifications upon its release. However, it remains uncertain whether, similar to the iPhone version, the Android version will initially be available only in the United States, with access expanding to users from other countries in the following weeks. Just like its web counterpart, the app will be free to use, though certain features, such as access to the newer GPT-4 model instead of GPT-3.5, will be reserved for subscribers of ChatGPT Plus. As depicted in the embedded screenshots, OpenAI has opted for a minimalist user interface. The ChatGPT app mainly revolves around displaying text, allowing users to either type their questions using the keyboard or utilize a AI speech recognition system called "Whisper" to dictate their queries. By logging in with their OpenAI account, users can seamlessly continue their conversations with the artificial intelligence from where they left off in the browser. In comparison to unofficial ChatGPT apps for Android, the official version promises an ad-free experience and faster response times. Notably, the Google Play Store indicates that the ChatGPT app will collect various user data, including location, name, email address, and phone number, although these data will be transmitted in encrypted form.
A recent report by fintech giant Ripple has highlighted the increasingly important role of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in cross-border payments and predicts that the value of the sector could reach an incredible $250 trillion by 2027. π°π According to the report, cryptocurrencies like XRP are expected to play a central role in improving the efficiency and speed of cross-border payments. The blockchain technology enables bypassing intermediaries and conducting direct peer-to-peer transactions in real-time. Ripple also emphasizes the scalability and cost-effectiveness advantages of cryptocurrencies compared to traditional financial systems. The low transaction fees and the ability to seamlessly settle transactions in different currencies could revolutionize cross-border payment systems, as stated in the report. However, experts believe that regulatory challenges and the acceptance of cryptocurrencies by governments and financial institutions are key factors that will impact the sector's future success. Nonetheless, the report highlights the tremendous potential of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in the realm of cross-border payments. It remains to be seen how the sector will evolve in the coming years and whether the report's forecast will indeed come to fruition. Nevertheless, the increasing attention and growing interest in cryptocurrencies indicate that these technologies could have a significant impact on the financial industry. πΉπ
Key Points: Model Details: Llama 2 comprises multiple models of varying sizes, including base models ranging from 7 billion to 70 billion parameters. The model's pretraining corpus has been expanded by 40%, and the context length has been doubled to 4k. The adoption of grouped-query attention enhances inference speed. Open-Source Nature: While Llama 2 is not fully open-source, it is an open release/open innovation model, making it valuable for the open-source community. Impressive Capabilities: Llama 2 demonstrates extensive benchmarking and performance comparable to ChatGPT, surpassing previous open-source models. It offers enhanced customizability and cost-effectiveness, making it an appealing choice for businesses. Resource Investment: Meta has made significant investments in the development of Llama 2, with an estimated expenditure of around $25 million on preference data alone. Focus on Safety: Llama 2 places a strong emphasis on safety evaluations and responsible AI practices. The model integrates extensive safety training, context distillation, and reinforcement learning from human feedback to mitigate potential risks. Licensing: Llama 2 is available for commercial use, with a community license agreement. Companies with over 700 million monthly active users may require additional licensing from Meta. Future Prospects: Llama 2 represents a substantial step forward in the open-source language model ecosystem. Meta's commitment to research sharing and open innovation fosters trust, accountability, and democratization of AI. As an open-source language model, Llama 2 has the potential to revolutionize various industries, offering advanced natural language processing capabilities at a lower cost. With its customizable features and robust performance, Llama 2 emerges as a strong contender among language models in the market.
Stably, a leading cryptocurrency company, has made a groundbreaking announcement with the launch of "Stably-USD" π£π°. This BRC20-Token is a stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar and operates on the Bitcoin-Blockchain ππ². Designed to provide the Bitcoin community with a transparent and regulatory-compliant stablecoin, Stably aims to facilitate a seamless transition from traditional finance to the world of cryptocurrencies π€π±. By introducing the #USD token, Stably envisions it becoming the preferred payment method for conducting transactions involving Ordinals and other BRC20 services ππΈ. Stably-USD is poised to revolutionize the trading of Ordinals, making it cheaper and more efficient than fiat or even Bitcoin itself π‘π². With KYC-verified users in over 200 countries eligible to hold Stably-USD, each token is backed 1:1 by US Dollars held in a secure account managed by a regulated US depository bank ππΌ. The maximum supply of this stablecoin is limited to 69.42 trillion tokens. The surge in demand for BRC20 tokens and Ordinals has led to a significant increase in transaction fees on the Bitcoin-Blockchain πβοΈ. It remains to be seen whether the Stably-USD stablecoin will gain traction as a preferred payment method for BRC20 trading. Stably's existing stablecoin, USDS, within the Ethereum ecosystem, has a relatively small user base and market capitalization, according to Etherscan data ππΌ. Nonetheless, Stably's foray into the Bitcoin-Blockchain with Stably-USD has the potential to reshape the cryptocurrency landscape and foster broader adoption of stablecoins πͺπ. #StablyUSD #Stablecoin #BitcoinBlockchain #BRC20Token #Cryptocurrency #DigitalPayments #TradFi #BitFi #Ordinals #Fintech #RegulationCompliant #Transparency #Efficiency #GlobalPayments #Cryptomarket #BlockchainTechnology #KYCVerification #SecureStorage #CryptoEconomy #DigitalCurrency
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's company, Tools for Humanity, has secured $115 million in Series C funding for its crypto coin project, Worldcoin. Worldcoin utilizes an "Orb" device to scan users' irises and establish unique personhood, enabling them to earn Worldcoin tokens as well as BTC and ETH. The project has faced privacy and security concerns, but Worldcoin assures that only iris codes are collected and no personal data is sold. The funding round was led by Blockchain Capital, Andreessen Horowitz's crypto fund, Bain Capital Crypto, and Distributed Global. More Infos