AI in Action: Winning Novels, Zuckerberg's Vision, MidJourney Mastery, LinkedIn Tips and More…

In this week’s edition, I’ll show you how AI is influencing literature, with a focus on a novel that's won a major award with AI's help. We'll also dive into the latest AI developments from tech leaders like Meta and Microsoft.

Plus, I've got insights from MIT's brightest minds on enhancing AI capabilities.

For practical applications, I'll introduce you to an AI tool that's revolutionizing image creation, and share tips for creating an impactful LinkedIn bio.

Whether you're deeply involved in AI or just starting to explore its possibilities, this newsletter is packed with information to spark your interest and keep you informed about the latest AI trends.

Today at a glance:

• 📖 AI News:

• The winner of a prestigious Japanese literary award has confirmed AI helped write her book

• Mark Zuckerberg’s new goal is creating artificial general intelligence

• Microsoft introduces Copilot GPTs, teases low-code builder

• Yohei Nakajima’s TED Talk about AI

• 📱 One Post: Discover Drew Brucker's Insights on Midjourney

• 📚 One Article: Reasoning and Reliability in AI

• 🎥 One Media: Riley Brown’s video “I use Perplexity MORE than Google and ChatGPT”

• ✍️ One Prompt: Crafting a Standout LinkedIn Bio

• 🛠️ One Tool: My Journey with MidJourney V6

AI Latest News:

Japanese author Rie Kudan won the Akutagawa Prize for her novel "The Tokyo Tower of Sympathy," revealing that around 5% of the book was generated word-for-word by AI. Kudan expressed her intention to continue using AI in her writing while allowing her creativity to flourish. The use of AI by artists has generated controversy, with some feeling threatened by the technology. The selection committee for the prize did not see Kudan's use of AI as a problem, but opinions on social media were divided.

Kudan also mentioned how she confided in AI for things she couldn't trust anyone else with. So I'm here wondering, is AI really a threat like some people say? Or is it that we're using it the wrong way? How can a tool make such a positive impact in someone's life and still be called a threat?

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, is taking on a major project in the AI world, focusing on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). He's combining Meta's AI research and product teams and putting a lot of resources into this effort. Zuckerberg's strategy involves developing AGI gradually, aiming to lead in AI advancements and possibly sharing these technologies broadly. This initiative fits into Meta's overall vision of integrating AI into our digital experiences, enhancing the way we interact with technology.

Microsoft has announced the introduction of customizable versions of its AI assistant, Copilot, named Copilot GPTs, designed for specific tasks like fitness, travel, and business. Accompanying this is the launch of Copilot Pro, a new subscription plan allowing users to create their own Copilot GPTs.

This move, part of the Microsoft-OpenAI collaboration, aims to enhance the AI capabilities available to individual and enterprise users, potentially transforming how non-technical employees interact with technology in the workplace.

Discover Yohei Nakajima's captivating ideas on how AI is transforming our self-perception and human connections.

In his inspiring TED talk, Nakajima, the mastermind behind BabyAGI and co-founder of Untapped Capital, explores the profound impact of AI in bringing people together and reshaping our collective identity. By emphasizing AI as a unifying force, he advocates for collaborative problem-solving and embraces a future where AI ushers in a new era of enlightenment.

One Article:

The article discusses the work of MIT PhD students at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, focusing on enhancing AI systems, especially in natural language processing:

1. Athul Paul Jacob: Uses game theory to improve AI's language understanding. He developed a system inspired by the game "Diplomacy" to predict and strategize human behaviors, aiming for more reliable AI responses.

2. Maohao Shen: Works on making AI more accurately reflect its confidence in its answers. He created a method to adjust AI's confidence levels, improving how well AI's confidence matches its accuracy.

3. Victor Butoi: Focuses on helping AI understand visual and language cues together, like identifying objects and their spatial relationships. His work enhances AI's ability to comprehend and reason about visual scenes and language instructions.

4. Andi Peng: Concentrates on robotics, developing AI to assist people with physical limitations. Her project involves creating virtual environments where AI learns to interact and assist based on human needs and behaviors.

Overall, these students are advancing AI's language processing, decision-making, and interaction capabilities, making AI more effective and human-compatible.

One Post:

This week, I've been spending a lot of time learning MidJourney (which I'll introduce later in my tool section). Drew's guide is perfect for anyone interested in a simple, step-by-step explanation of how to use it.

One Media:

You might have heard me praising Perplexity in my recent webinars, and today, I'm excited to share Riley Brown’s video about why it's his go-to choice over AI tools like ChatGPT, BARD, and Microsoft Copilots.

He will discuss the top five reasons Perplexity stands out, especially in content creation and community automation. Discover how its speed, sleek design, and accuracy — enhanced by real-time internet access — make it a standout tool. Plus, he'll explain how its unique feature for creating collections has transformed his approach to content.

One Prompt:

This week, I’ll be focusing on a vital skill for professional networking: crafting a standout LinkedIn bio. My prompt, "Proven LinkedIn Bio Framework," guides you in creating a LinkedIn bio that captures attention, showcases your expertise, and engages your target audience.

Here’s the link to the prompt. Give it a try!

One Tool:

I'll be honest, when I first tried MidJourney's early versions – V1, V2, and V3 – I wasn't too excited. The details and errors in the results just didn't cut it for me. But then, I gave MidJourney V6 a shot, and let me tell you, it completely changed my perspective.

With V6, it's a whole different game. It's not as straightforward as using ChatGPT; it requires a significant investment of time and a deeper understanding of how to prompt effectively.

But when you do get it right, the output is phenomenal. I've seen a clear evolution from the basic, often flawed results of the earlier versions to the finely detailed and accurate creations of V6.

Reflecting on my journey with AI, 2023 was the year I really got to grips with text generation using ChatGPT. It was a year of learning and mastering the nuances of AI-driven text.

Now, in 2024, I've taken the plunge into the world of AI-generated imagery with MidJourney, and the progress is tangible. The images I'm able to create now are a testament to how far AI has come.

If you’re an AI enthusiast like me, you should definitely try MidJourney’s latest version.

Here are two examples of what I’ve been doing.

My two-and-a-half-year-old daughter has been loving unicorns lately, so I created something specially for her. 😊 

In the first one, I went for something realistic and in the second one, I went for a cartoonish result.

TL;DR:

• The winner of a prestigious Japanese literary award has confirmed AI helped write her book

• Mark Zuckerberg’s new goal is to create artificial general intelligence

• Microsoft introduces Copilot GPTs, teases low-code builder

• Yohei Nakajima’s TED Talk about AI

• Discover Drew Brucker's Insights on Midjourney

• Reasoning and Reliability in AI

• Riley Brown’s video “I use Perplexity MORE than Google and ChatGPT”

• Crafting a Standout LinkedIn Bio

• My Journey with MidJourney V6