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Open letter raises ethical and societal concerns over AI’s progress

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Leaders in academia worldwide have come together to pen an open letter urging artificial intelligence (AI) developers to study consciousness, as AI systems advance at an unprecedented pace, and ethical, legal, and political concerns arise. 

The Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science (AMCS), a community of over 150 international researchers dedicated to mathematical and computational approaches to consciousness, published the letter on Wednesday. 

The letter serves as “a wakeup call for the tech sector, the scientific community, and society at large” to accelerate research in the field of consciousness science. 

The writers cited the recent letter from tech leaders calling for a pause in AI experiments, noting that we are living in an exciting yet uncertain time in the development of AI and brain-related technologies. They warned that AI is progressing at a rate that far exceeds our understanding of their capabilities and their alignment with human values.

The signatories argue that language models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard are built on the neural networks of animal brains, but in the near future, they will be constructed to mimic aspects of higher-level brain architecture and functioning. The letter stated that AI systems could soon display human-like consciousness and feelings.

As a result, the signatories believe that AI will have capabilities beyond what their developers can currently comprehend, which will change what AI can do, and what society can do to control, align, and use such systems. 

The letter stresssed that as AI develops, it is essential for societal institutions and governing bodies to understand whether and how AI systems can become conscious and the implications thereof.

The open letter specifically explains that science needs to develop mathematical tools to measure and model consciousness, particularly as it relates to AI. 

“Research in consciousness is a key component in helping humanity understand AI and its ramifications. It is vital for managing ethical and societal implications of AI and to ensure AI safety,” the letter concluded. 

The letter called on the tech sector, the scientific community, and society as a whole to accelerate research in consciousness to ensure that AI development delivers positive outcomes for humanity.

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WhatsApp launches bulk channel management functionality

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WhatsApp has initiated testing of a bulk channel administration feature on iOS for select beta users, enabling the simultaneous selection of many channels, hence enhancing the efficiency of managing following channels.

This essential update enables users to perform bulk activities, including muting many channels simultaneously, designating them as read, and altering notifications. If the chosen channels are muted, users will now have the option to activate notifications. Users can swiftly silence unmuted channels in one action.

Additionally, this feature enables users to unfollow many channels simultaneously, thereby optimizing the process of decluttering their channel list. This change is particularly beneficial for users that oversee numerous subscriptions, as reported by WABetaInfo.

Previously, users were required to manage each channel individually, rendering tasks such as muting or designating channels as read laborious and time-consuming.

The functionality provides enhanced flexibility and control over channel subscriptions, enabling users to efficiently manage notifications. The solution streamlines laborious operations for consumers who subscribe to numerous channels, hence enhancing their entire experience.

Accessibility
The bulk management feature is presently accessible exclusively to a limited number of beta testers who installed the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS using the TestFlight application. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, plans to expand the feature’s availability to a larger user base in the next weeks.

This update demonstrates WhatsApp’s dedication to enhancing user experience by offering a clear and efficient method for managing channels and notifications.

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Pakistani internet slowdown: ongoing submarine cable issue

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Even after two weeks, the global submarine cable AAA-1 problem that was discovered on January 2 near Qatar has not been fixed, causing sluggish internet connection in several Pakistani towns.

According to a representative for Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the issue has affected customers’ capacity to effectively access social media applications and browse the online. Even with initiatives to fix the problem, social networking sites still lag during busy times.

Internet traffic has been redirected via alternate channels to lessen the impact, and more capacity has been set up to stabilize the service.

The PTCL representative promised that “Internet service across the country is operating normally, and there will be no issues with web browsing,” noting that social media applications’ lag is common during

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Government and SIFC Work Together to Advance the IT Sector: Youth Skills ICT Training Portal Launched

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In an effort to better prepare young people for opportunities in the quickly changing technology sector, the government has launched a new ICT training portal.

To allow graduates to work with IT companies, Huawei and the Ministry of IT have struck an agreement. This program will give participants hands-on exposure to cutting-edge technology, including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).

There is now a training program that offers three-year internships to graduates. Huawei has also stated that it is dedicated to helping with training initiatives and contemporary technology.

In order to strengthen technical training, Huawei signed an MOU with COMSATS University Islamabad, further demonstrating its support.

Plans call for establishing training facilities in Karachi and growing the initiative across the country.

These projects funded by the Special Investment Facilitation Council are key to revitalizing Pakistan’s economy and fostering growth in the IT sector.

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