Happy Wednesday, Tool Trackers!

Embark on an exhilarating expedition as our newest edition unravels an extraordinary tapestry of captivating tales, unveiling the forefront of AI and tech innovation.

In today’s AI news

• Next-Gen AI: The Llama 2 Revolution by Meta and Microsoft

• Decoding Microsoft's New AI Strategy: A Deeper Dive

• Meet-ing in Style: Google Experiments with AI-Generated Video Backgrounds

• European AI Supremacy: France and Britain's Power Play

• 3 trending tools & tool updates

Next-Gen AI: The Llama 2 Revolution by Meta and Microsoft

Meta and Microsoft have announced the open-source release of Llama 2, the latest iteration of their generative AI model, fostering innovation in AI and stimulating a broad range of socio-economic opportunities.

Key Highlights:

• Llama 2 is available free of charge for research and commercial use, with Microsoft being the preferred partner for its use and development.

• This new model has been optimized to run on several platforms, including Microsoft Azure, Windows, Amazon Web Services, and Hugging Face.

• Alongside the release, Meta has initiated safety measures and a number of resources for responsible use of Llama 2, which include red-teaming exercises, transparency schematics, and an acceptable use policy.

The collaborative step taken by Meta and Microsoft in unveiling Llama 2 underscores the companies' belief in an open-source future that ensures the democratization of AI, stimulating innovation while ensuring safety and responsibility.

Decoding Microsoft's New AI Strategy: A Deeper Dive

Microsoft unveils a $30 monthly AI-powered premium version of Microsoft 365, while intensifying its AI application partnerships with Meta and Teladoc.

Key Highlights:

• Microsoft offers Microsoft Copilot, an AI-driven service that can parse data across Microsoft 365 applications, as part of its premium subscription.

• The company teams up with Meta to commercially launch Llama, an AI model, enabling businesses to create apps using generative AI tools.

• Microsoft expands its partnership with Teladoc, incorporating the voice-enabled AI solution Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience to automate healthcare documentation.

Microsoft's AI advancements redefine the future of business applications and healthcare automation. As AI penetrates more sectors, how will it reshape your industry?

Meet-ing in Style: Google Experiments with AI-Generated Video Backgrounds

Google is experimenting with AI-generated backgrounds for its Meet platform, providing users with a customizable and engaging environment for their video calls.

Key Highlights:

• The new feature, currently under testing in Google's Workspace Labs, enables users to create AI-generated video backgrounds, enhancing the visual appeal of online meetings.

• The feature's availability is gradually rolling out, and users can join the Workspace Labs testing program to gain early access.

• Google's AI advancements place it in direct competition with Microsoft 365’s AI Copilot suite, making the tech sector a hotbed for AI-based tools.

As Google and Microsoft vie for supremacy in AI workplace tools, it's fascinating to envision how AI advancements will continue to reshape our virtual communication spaces in the future.

European AI Supremacy: France and Britain's Power Play

France and Britain are in a competition to establish themselves as Europe's AI powerhouse, each committing substantial funds and taking distinctive regulatory approaches to AI technologies.

Key Highlights:

• French President Emmanuel Macron announced €500 million in new funding for AI at VivaTech in Paris, while British PM Rishi Sunak earlier pledged £1 billion for AI research.

• Regulation of AI in France will be directly under the European Union's AI Act, while the UK opts for a principles-based approach as outlined in a government-issued white paper.

• Both countries face the challenge of competing with US and China, and there are varied opinions on which one has the better environment for starting an AI company.

As France and Britain vie for the AI crown in Europe, their efforts will undoubtedly reshape the global AI landscape. Will their unique strategies lead to success, or will they need to rethink their approach to keep pace with the AI giants?

Trending Tools

AI Pet Photos: This innovative tool uses artificial intelligence to create unique and engaging portraits of your pets. Simply upload a photo of your pet, and the AI will analyze its features to generate new images in a variety of styles. Whether you want a traditional portrait or something more whimsical, AI Pet Photos has you covered.

Homestyler AI: Transform your space with Homestyler AI, your personal intelligent designer. This tool uses AI and proprietary CAD graphics algorithms to provide a revolutionary approach to interior design and rendering. Simply choose your style, provide photos of your space, and let Homestyler AI bring your unique imagination to life.

Botsy AI: Your personal gift assistant, Botsy AI, simplifies gift-giving by analyzing your loved ones' social media profiles. Input your relationship, occasion, and budget, and it recommends top-rated Amazon gifts, personalized to their interests and preferences. Gift-giving made stress-free with Botsy AI.

Tool Updates

Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI-powered feature integrated into Microsoft Teams that enhances productivity by providing real-time assistance during calls and chats.

• Real-time Summarization During Calls: Copilot can generate real-time summaries, dates, names, and key points during Teams phone calls, aiding in tracking important details.

• Assistance for Salespeople: The real-time summarization feature is particularly beneficial for salespeople who need to track key dates and numbers discussed during calls with multiple clients.

• Key Points Extraction from Chats: Copilot can extract key conversation points from Teams chat threads, providing a quick summary of missed conversations, especially useful for teams working across different time zones.

• List and Table Creation: From the information extracted from a conversation, Copilot can help create lists or tables, making data organization and retrieval easier.

Microsoft's Bing Chat A.I. is an advanced chatbot that leverages artificial intelligence to understand and interpret user queries and images, providing contextually relevant information and responses.

• Visual Search Update: Microsoft has introduced a significant update to Bing Chat A.I. bot, enabling users to take or upload a photo and ask for more information about it.

• Image Context Understanding: Bing Chat can understand the context of an image, interpret it, and answer questions about it, enhancing user experience.