AI Stocks Surge as Concerns Over Safety and Ethics Grow

The world of artificial intelligence is abuzz with exciting developments and controversies. From AI stocks surging to concerns about AI safety, here's a rundown of the latest news.

AI Stocks on the Rise

Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares jumped 14.56 percent on Friday following better-than-expected quarterly earnings and a commitment from management to make "aggressive" investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing over the next three years. The company plans to spend more on AI and cloud infrastructure in the next three years than it has in the past decade combined.

Baidu, another Chinese AI stock, has rebranded itself as an AI company and has positioned itself to win in the AI revolution. Meanwhile, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) is a leader in AI-driven endpoint and cloud workload protection, with analysts boosting price targets due to its ability to maintain momentum as a strategic platform vendor.

AI Safety Concerns

The US AI Safety Institute (AISI) and Chips for America, both part of NIST, could face big cuts, with as many as 500 staffers potentially being laid off. This would severely impact the government's capacity to research and address critical AI safety concerns at a time when such expertise is more vital than ever.

AI Ethics and Copyrights

Meta employees have been discussing acquiring copyrighted content to train their AI models without proper licensing, raising concerns about the ethics of using copyrighted materials for AI training. The company has been accused of using pirated books for training, with some employees suggesting that many startups were likely using pirated books for training.

AI in Education

Montoursville Area School District has announced that it will implement new artificial intelligence software designed to detect firearms through their security cameras. The software, ZeroEyes Technology, is monitored by humans 24/7 and can dispatch verified alerts to local first responders in under 10 seconds.

AI in Europe

The European tech sector has seen an unexpected rebound on AI windfall, with ASML and Nokia being the main growth drivers. The sector's main growth drivers for the fourth quarter were ASML Holding NV and Nokia Oy, with the technology sub-sector in the MSCI Europe index averaging earnings growth of 5.5% in the fourth quarter.

Key Takeaways

  • AI stocks are surging, with Alibaba and Baidu being major players in the AI revolution.
  • AI safety concerns are growing, with the US AI Safety Institute facing potential cuts.
  • AI ethics and copyrights are becoming increasingly important, with Meta facing accusations of using pirated books for training.
  • AI is being used in education, with Montoursville Area School District implementing AI-powered security cameras.
  • The European tech sector is seeing an unexpected rebound on AI windfall.

Sources

Artificial Intelligence AI Stocks AI Safety AI Ethics AI in Education AI in Europe