Google introduces its cutting-edge AI model, Gemini, surpassing benchmarks set by GPT-4. With Pro already available and Ultra set for an early release, Gemini exhibits superior performance in tasks like understanding, summarizing, reasoning, coding, and planning. Integrated with chatbot Bard, a ChatGPT competitor, Gemini offers text-based interactions with promised multimodal support. Google's new model, developed by DeepMind, features different sizes and capabilities, utilizing Pathways infrastructure for enhanced functionality. Expected to make a significant impact, Gemini is lauded for its natural conversational abilities and stands as a formidable player in the AI industry.

President Droupadi Murmu, addressing Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University's 111th convocation as chief guest, cautioned, "AI is making lives easier, but its misuse, especially in deepfake technology, poses a threat." She stressed, "Used properly, technology benefits society; misused, it affects humanity." Highlighting the significance of girls' education, Murmu celebrated the high female degree representation. Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis affirmed universities' pivotal role, emphasizing skilled human resource creation. In alignment with the National Education Policy, Murmu urged continuous learning amid technological shifts, echoing the vision for Indian-centric education and global knowledge prominence.

In a tweet, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reflects on ChatGPT's remarkable journey since its launch a year ago. The language model has become a significant player in various industries, with innovations including DALL·E 3 for text-to-image generation. Controversy arose over ChatGPT's therapeutic potential, sparking discussions on the nuanced nature of human-AI interactions. OpenAI introduced new tools for enterprises and enabled users to create custom ChatGPT versions. Additionally, the ChatGPT voice feature, initially for paid users, is now available to all, offering a unique dimension to interactions. The year marks a transformative period for ChatGPT in the language model realm.

After a tumultuous week where he was briefly fired, OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman has officially returned as the AI startup's CEO. Additionally, president Greg Brockman and CTO Mira Murati are back in their original roles after Altman's interim ouster. In a blog post, an excited Altman expressed gratitude towards everyone for resilience in the unprecedented situation. He also thanked co-founder Ilya Sutskever who first hired him as CEO but later dissented, saying he harbours "zero ill will" and called Sutskever a "gem". Altman added that while Sutskever won't be on the new board, talks are on about his continued role at OpenAI, signalling calm after the internal storm.

Indian Railways to adapt AI-based 'Gajraj System' to curb elephant fatalities on tracks. Deployed in forest areas across Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu, the technology detects elephants with 99.5% accuracy. Costing Rs 181 crore for a 700-km stretch, the initiative aims to replicate success achieved in Assam. Named by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the system utilizes optical fiber cables for real-time alerts, avoiding collisions. This proactive approach follows the success of the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) in Northeast corridors, eliminating train-elephant collisions in those areas.

Google has laid out its strategy to combat deepfakes in India. The company is testing for synthetic media risks, using a combination of human reviewers and AI classifiers to enforce content policies. “There’s no silver bullet,” said a senior executive, emphasizing collaboration. Google is working with policymakers, researchers and experts to develop solutions. This includes a $1 million grant to IIT Madras for a Center on Responsible AI as well as partnering with the government on a multi-stakeholder discussion on responsible AI development. Google says a collaborative, multi-pronged approach is key to ensuring AI does more good than harm.

Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna is encouraging women, especially young women, to speak up if they are targeted by deepfake videos after a manipulated video of herself recently went viral. In a statement, Mandanna said if this had happened when she was in school she doesn't know how she would have handled it. The 27-year-old said the support from colleagues in the film industry after the incident made her feel safe, but she wants all women to know this behavior is not normal and they should not stay quiet. Mandanna called for the issue to be addressed urgently before more people are victimized by such identity theft.

In the latest wave of deepfake controversies, a manipulated video featuring Alia Bhatt has gone viral, raising alarms about the misuse of Artificial Intelligence. The video showcases Bhatt's face seamlessly edited onto another woman's body, drawing parallels to recent incidents involving Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif, and Kajol. As concerns grow, the entertainment industry faces a new challenge in combating the spread of such misleading content. Alia Bhatt is yet to respond to the controversy, adding to the ongoing debate surrounding deepfake technology and its potential consequences.      

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the government will assist citizens in lodging FIRs against social media platforms for violating IT rules over objectionable content like deepfakes. He stated social media platforms were given 7 days to align terms of use per IT rules. Chandrasekhar said MeitY will develop a platform for reporting violations and "assist users to very easily notify it about violation of IT rules and assist them in filing FIRs." Declaring "zero tolerance" for non-compliance from today, he added officers would build a mechanism for deepfake complaints under Rule 7. The minister warned FIRs will be filed against intermediaries, and against content creators if platforms disclose their details. The move comes as a positive crackdown attempt on false deepfake videos that have sparked massive worry.

India's Union government, led by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced plans to introduce regulations addressing the rising threat of deepfakes and synthetic content. Following a meeting with tech companies, academics, and industry representatives, Vaishnaw emphasized the need for a proactive approach. The proposed regulation aims to cover detection, prevention, reporting, and awareness, considering deepfakes as a challenge to democracy. Social media giants were instructed to submit plans, and public consultation is expected. Concerns about deepfakes impacting elections and eroding trust prompted this move, with a focus on penalties for creators and platforms.