(This article is part of Today’s Cache, The Hindu’s newsletter on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, innovation and policy. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.)
ChatGPT makes API debut
The maker of the AI chatbot ChatGPT, OpenAI, announced on March 1 that it was offering an API for ChatGPT and its speech-to-text model Whisper, so that developers could use them in their own products. OpenAI pointed out that it “achieved 90% cost reduction for ChatGPT” and that API users would benefit from the same. Some early adopters of the technology included Snap Inc., Quizlet, Instacart, Shopify’s Shop, and Speak. Snapchat, which is owned by Snap Inc., earlier announced that it was bringing out an artificial intelligence chatbot powered by ChatGPT called My AI, which premium Snapchat users will be able to access.
Elon Musk stressed by AI
Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted that he was “stressed” out by artificial intelligence and discussed some of his fears surrounding the technology during a meeting with Tesla investors. Although AI plays a significant role in Tesla operations, with use cases such as training vehicles to drive themselves, Musk called for more regulation of the technology and its progress. He admitted that he did not see AI technology being used to help build Tesla cars, but confessed that he may have helped accelerate tech that could be “quite dangerous.” He however defended Tesla’s use of AI to train its vehicles.
Biden gets power to ban TikTok
After a vote by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. President Joe Biden now has the power to ban TikTok. The Chinese video sharing app has already been hit with bans in several states, where government employees cannot access it through their work devices. Biden now has the power to ban any transactions with TikTok, which is used by more than 100 million people in the U.S. The move comes as EU institutions further scrutinise the ByteDance-owned app due to concerns regarding its safety and fears of its user data being accessed by Chinese state actors. Democrats were against the bill while TikTok pointed out how the app helped bring American values to the world.
