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Meta unveils next-gen custom AI chip to power its apps and services

Meta unveils next-gen custom AI chip to power its apps and services

by | Apr 11, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Apr 11 2024 | 11:22 AM IST


Meta has unveiled its next-generation silicon chip to handle artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. The company said it would use its new Meta Training and Interference Accelerator (MTIA) chip to run ranking and recommendation models to improve content organisation on its apps and services such as Facebook and Instagram.


Meta released its first-generation of MTIA chips last year to run indigenous AI models, including its deep-learning recommendation models that manage content on various Meta-owned social media platforms.


The company also has its own Large Language Model (LLM), called LLaMA, which Meta released last year to compete with the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Google. The social media giant also offers various generative AI tools and features on its platforms, such as custom stickers in Messenger and AI chatbots. Meta’s focus on AI has led to an increase in demand for computing power, which it plans to address by investing in infrastructure to support AI, including data centres and hardware.


The company said in a press note that the next-generation MTIA chip was part of its broader plan for custom, domain-specific silicon chips that could handle internal workloads. This move is also aimed to reduce the company’s reliance on Nvidia, which provides Meta H100 graphics cards to power its AI models.


Lately, there has been a growing trend among big technology companies to develop in-house AI chips. Earlier this week, Google revealed its own custom Arm-based CPU, Axion, specifically built for handling general-purpose workloads, including CPU-based AI training and media processing. Microsoft also has its own pair of Arm-based custom AI chips, designed to train AI models and power Azure Cloud services.

First Published: Apr 11 2024 | 11:22 AM IST



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Apple warns users in India, 91 other nations of 'mercenary spyware' attack

Apple warns users in India, 91 other nations of 'mercenary spyware' attack

by | Apr 11, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Apr 11 2024 | 10:26 AM IST

Apple is likely to soon announce to its users in India and 91 other countries that they were possible victims of a “mercenary spyware” attack attempt in which someone tried to gain unlawful access to their devices, according to a report in The Indian Express (IE).


The threat notification mail sent by Apple stated: “Mercenary spyware attacks such as those using Pegasus from the NSO group, are exceptionally rare and vastly more sophisticated than regular cybercriminal activity or consumer malware.”


According to the IE report, Apple detected that the user was “being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone” associated with a particular Apple ID.


The threat notification further read: “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”


On Wednesday, Apple updated its support page to include tips for users who had been possible targets of the mercenary spyware attack. The updated support page stated: “Apple threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware attacks, likely because of who they are or what they do.”


Since last year, this is the second threat notification sent to Apple users across the globe. In October 2023, Apple had sent a similar notification to users in several countries, including India, warning them of a “state-sponsored” attack on their devices. In the threat notifications, Apple had said that users facing such attacks are “individually targeted because of who they are or what they do”.


Apple had said, “Unlike traditional cybercriminals, state-sponsored attackers apply exceptional resources to target a very small number of specific individuals and their devices, which makes these attacks much harder to detect and prevent.”


According to the company, these threat notifications have been sent to Apple users in over 150 countries since 2021. Apple also denies providing more details about the possible attackers as doing so may help the attackers adapt their behaviour to evade detection in the future.


Prior to 2021, Apple and Google issued alert notifications to users worldwide, including those in India, advising them of potential remote compromises to their devices stemming from an attack involving Pegasus, a spyware developed by the Israeli firm NSO.

First Published: Apr 11 2024 | 10:20 AM IST



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GenAI new, balance must be struck between innovation, regulation: Vaishnaw

GenAI new, balance must be struck between innovation, regulation: Vaishnaw

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Technology


AI to create things which were normally associated with human creativity, was a totally new phenomenon, and this created a new challenge, he said. Photo: X @ANI

3 min read Last Updated : Apr 10 2024 | 11:04 PM IST


Generative AI is a relatively new phenomenon, and a fine balance must be struck between innovation and regulation to safeguard social structures and ensure progress, Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.


Speaking at a seminar by Women Journalist Welfare Trust, the minister said while technology and AI are making lives easier with transformative powers, if left without safeguards they also pose a downside risk to age-old established structures, and hence a new set of regulations and legislations are required.


“There is a very risky side, which is affecting our society, democracy, and many of the social structures that were meticulously built over decades and centuries. Many of the institutions that were meant to protect society and make sure that we all live in a harmonious way are under attack,” he said.


The minister said despite existing in the industrial world for three decades, AI as a generative AI, that can be used by a normal user, is a new thing.


AI to create things which were normally associated with human creativity, was a totally new phenomenon, and this created a new challenge, he said.


“We must come out with some consensus on the way forward by which society can proceed. We, in India, believe that we must have a fine balance of innovation and regulation.


“We must have a very consultative process through which we come out with the final policy. We must make sure that every stakeholder’s voice is heard, understood, and properly well-analysed,” he said.


With the advent of social media, he said “connectivity became ubiquitous, everybody had a mobile phone, and everybody started having good data connectivity”.

 


“One of the ministers responsible for this subject in Europe told me that the institutions that were built over 400 years ago are getting destroyed by social media,” Vaishnaw said.


The minister said a significant reduction was witnessed in the price of computing, connectivity, and sensors. But it made the internet highly accessible to everybody, he said.


The internet in a sense, exploded. It became very easy for anybody to post anything, then it started creating social tensions, Vaishnaw said.


He said the old structure was a safe harbor structure, where to promote innovation in the internet, liability was never kept up on the internet service provider.

In the new structure, he said, there are millions of people posting millions of things on the internet. “The question is, whose liability should it be? That’s the fundamental question.”

Vaishnaw further said societies across the world, including the most liberal, market-oriented, socialist, as well as the most state-controlled countries, are debating the issue.

“Everywhere the same question is being asked: what should be the new regulatory regime for social media platforms, and who should take the liability? Where should the accountability be? Who should be responsible for what is published on the social media platform?

“We have to find a solution, we have to come up with a proper balance. And we have to make sure that our social structures our society, and the way we want to move forward are properly protected,” he said.

 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 11:04 PM IST



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MaxPetZ to use 3D printing for reconstructive surgeries in veterinary field

MaxPetZ to use 3D printing for reconstructive surgeries in veterinary field

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Apr 10 2024 | 9:55 PM IST


Veterinary hospital chain MaxPetZ on Wednesday announced that it will be introducing 3D printing technology to pre-plan various forms of reconstructive surgeries and curate tailor-made prosthetics in the veterinary segment.


“The hospital chain will be offering the 3D printing technology in all of its centres, across a spectrum of medical disciplines including gastrointestinal, cardiology, orthology, and neurosurgeries along with the treatment of cancer patients,” MaxPetZ said in an official statement.


Speaking on the subject, Leena Dalal, senior veterinary surgeon and oncologist MaxPetZ said that this would be the first time in India that 3D Printing is being used to treat animals.


“Veterinarians while doing reconstruction surgeries, which range from complex fracture repairs to joint replacement or a tumour in the brain, can use the 3D technology to pre-plan surgeries or perform mock procedures,” she added.


Kunal Dev Sharma, senior veterinary surgeon, head of orthopaedics and neurology, MaxPetZ said that the technology will enable us to plan surgery more accurately and also make customised implants.


The technology will also be used to produce teaching aids for the resident doctors at MaxPetZ that creates a visual impact and improves the learning curve and ability to rapidly assimilate and apply anatomical detail.


“We can use this technology to create 3D models of 2D echo or CT Scan images, which can then be used to understand and even pre-plan surgeries accordingly,” Dalal said.


MaxPetZ specialists had introduced total hip replacement using moulds made from 3D printing in November 2023 and since then seven dogs have been successfully operated and a few others are in the planning stage.


“The 3D Printing technology can also be utilised for reconstructive surgeries, particularly in cases of cancer treatment, aiding in reducing disfigurement in animals undergoing cancer surgery,” Dalal said.


“This approach will mark a significant stride forward in leveraging technology to improve both the quality of care and outcomes for animal patients,” Sharma said.

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 9:54 PM IST



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Info Edge-backed Funstop Games clocks 5 mn+ downloads for Ram Mandir game

Info Edge-backed Funstop Games clocks 5 mn+ downloads for Ram Mandir game

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Technology


3 min read Last Updated : Apr 10 2024 | 8:16 PM IST


Casual gaming studio Funstop Games announced on Wednesday that its first self-published title, the Shri Ram Mandir Game, has surpassed five million downloads within two months of its launch.


This game is among several others that experienced a significant increase in their user base following the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya earlier this year.


The company reports that the game has achieved “one of the lowest customer acquisition costs (CAC) in gaming history.” It boasts over 350,000 daily active users.


The Shri Ram Mandir Game is a casual game that enables users to manage and build their own Ram Mandir in a 3D simulation environment.


“Users have expressed great appreciation for the smooth gameplay, ASMR aesthetics, and the sense of satisfaction from completing in-game tasks,” the company stated.


Founded in 2020 by Prashanth Vijay and Tamesh Sharma, Funstop Games is a mobile game developer and publisher with a portfolio exceeding 30 games and over 100 million downloads globally.


The Gurugram-based company secured $1.5 million in seed funding led by InfoEdge Ventures in October last year. Its catalogue includes games like Airport Rush 3D and Perfect Time.


However, Funstop’s spiritual-themed game is not the only one to see a surge in downloads around the Ram Mandir inauguration. Bhaarat Games’ Ram Mandir Darshan Game, released in July 2021, also reported a spike in traffic, now boasting over 100,000 downloads on the Google Play store, mostly in the last two months.


Similarly, the Shree Ram Temple app by publisher Virtualfunplanet, launched in December 2019, also experienced a rise in downloads during this period, reaching over 50,000 on the Play Store.


Encouraged by the Shri Ram Mandir Game’s success, Funstop is launching another simulation title called Vande Bharat Express. This idle arcade game focuses on building and expanding a railway station, with the journey culminating at Ayodhya Dham.


“This game taps into the nostalgia, familiarity, and love that many Indians have for our railways. It combines strategic station management with resource allocation and historical/cultural trivia related to its destinations,” the company explained.


Casual games like the Shri Ram Mandir Game are predicted to significantly contribute to the growth of India’s gaming sector in the coming years.


The Indian gaming industry, which generated revenue of $3.1 billion in the financial year 2023, is forecast to reach $7.5 billion by the financial year 2028. This growth is expected to occur at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20 per cent, primarily driven by increasing in-app purchases in casual and mid-core games, alongside growing in-game advertising revenues, as per a report by gaming-focused venture capital firm Lumikai.

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 8:16 PM IST



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Intel's on a mission to bring AI everywhere, says CEO Pat Gelsinger

Intel's on a mission to bring AI everywhere, says CEO Pat Gelsinger

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Technology


Pat Gelsinger, CEO, Intel (Photo: Bloomberg)


Pat Gelsinger, chief executive officer (CEO) of Intel, unveiled the latest Gaudi 3 processors. Gaudi 3 is expected to improve the AI compute performance by four times, compared to its predecessor.


The announcement was part of Intel’s Vision 2024 conference.


Intel, facing fierce competition from Nvidia in the AI processing market, stated that Gaudi 3 will be faster and more power-efficient than Nvidia’s H100 and will train AI models 1.7 times faster than H100.


The company also announced Gaudi 3’s availability to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) – including Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Lenovo.


Indian IT major Infosys also announced its partnership with Intel, under which the company will use the fourth and fifth Gen Intel Xeon processors, Intel Gaudi 2 AI accelerators, and Intel Core Ultra to Infosys Topaz.


Topaz is an AI-first set of services, solutions, and platforms by Infosys, where the company uses GenAI technologies.


The chipmaker is looking at a strategy that encompasses hardware, software, and cloud services.


On AI PCs, Gelsinger said that the company was ramping up its production and is on track to meet its supply target of 40 million units this year and 100 million next year.


“We put the WiFi technology into volumes, which enabled every place to have wireless connectivity. With the AI PCs again, we are doing a similar thing and ramping up the production of Core Ultra PCs,” he said.


Gelsinger also announced the launching of an open platform for reference design and solutions soon, in collaboration with SAP, RedHat, VMware, and other industry players with an aim to accelerate the deployment of secure generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) systems.


Reference design refers to a technical blueprint of a system that is intended for others to copy, with or without modifications.


Speaking at Intel Vision 2024, Gelsinger said, “We’ll soon be launching an open platform for bringing together the reference designs and solutions that will allow us to build the blueprints, demonstrate performance, interoperability, trustworthiness, and ensure effective benchmarking and certification of AI solutions. This will also provide open governance for the entire ecosystem to move forward.”


Through this collaboration with the industry, Intel looks to address key requirements in the AI space including efficient deployment of AI systems, effective utilization of existing infrastructure, and better integration with hardened enterprise software stacks that exist, Gelsinger added.


During the event, the chip design giant also launched the Xeon 6 series of processors.


Gelsinger told a packed auditorium in Phoenix, Arizona, “Intel’s on a mission to bring AI everywhere. I’m quite excited about the next platform. You know, before competitors shipped their first chips, we’re launching our second — the Lunar Lake with 3X the AI performance. And, the third generation is in [fabrication].”

First Published: Apr 10 2024 | 6:51 PM IST



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