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I'm Rouge, your non-technical guide in the world of AI. I believe AI has the potential to transform our lives, and I'm here to help you understand its possibilities. If you're not tech-savvy but curious about AI, you're in the right place! Together, we'll explore this fascinating space, from new tools and funding to pioneering figures.

This Week's Highlights

• 5 Exceptional Women Who Are Making Their Mark in AI

• AI Teammate for In-House Counsels

• AI Disrupting Memes

• FREE AI Guide for Non-Technical Entrepreneurs

• AI Start-ups in the U.S. attracted $27.1 billion in investments

AI WOMEN
Women in AI: Trailblazers in Technology

Five exceptional women who are transforming the AI landscape. From revolutionizing virtual reality (VR) and cybersecurity to advancing emotional AI and wholesome tech, these trailblazers are paving the way for a future where technology serves humanity.

Rana el Kaliouby, a pioneering Egyptian-American computer scientist and entrepreneur who is revolutionizing the field of emotional AI. As the co-founder of Affectiva, a spin-off from MIT Media Lab, Rana has secured over $50 million in venture funding and is on a mission to humanize technology before it dehumanizes us. Rana's work embodies the principles of wholesome AI, a philosophy that prioritizes the development of ethical and human-centric AI that benefits our health, well-being, and the environment.

Yuka Kojima, Founder of FOVE, the world’s first eye tracking consumer VR hardware company. Yuka is determined to bring human connection to the virtual world through eye contact. She has been selected as "Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia" and "Woman of the Year - Nikkei".

Anna Patterson, a renowned software engineer, researcher, and investor who has made significant contributions to the development of search engines and AI. With a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and research experience at Stanford University, Anna has established herself as a leading expert in AI.

Neeti Mehta Shukla, a visionary leader and social impact pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence. As the Co-Founder and Social Impact Officer at Automation Anywhere, Neeti has played an instrumental role in shaping the company's vision and mission. Automation Anywhere is a global leader in robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent automation solutions, revolutionizing the way businesses operate and interact with technology.

Poppy Gustafsson, a visionary entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert who has revolutionized the industry with her pioneering work in AI-powered cyber defense. As the co-founder and CEO of Darktrace plc, Poppy has led the development of innovative cybersecurity solutions that leverage artificial intelligence to detect and neutralize cyber threats.

AI FOR LAWYERS
Ruli.ai: The AI Teammate For In-House Counsels

Ruli.ai was born out of real-world frustrations experienced by its founders. One was a former lawyer at big tech companies like Meta and Google, while the other was an engineer working on privacy programs. They saw firsthand how in-house legal teams were often swamped with work, leading to delays and high costs for companies. Many legal teams had to hire expensive outside law firms, sometimes paying up to $2,000 per hour! The founders realized there had to be a better way.

That's where Ruli comes in. It's like a super-smart assistant for company lawyers. Ruli helps with routine tasks like answering common legal questions using the company's own documents and policies. It can also review documents, help draft new ones, and even create playbooks for handling different legal situations. The goal is to free up lawyers to focus on the most important and complex parts of their job, making their work more efficient and enjoyable.

Why This Matters: Ruli is solving a big problem in how companies handle their legal work. By using artificial intelligence, it's making legal teams more efficient and helping companies save money. In a world where AI is changing how all kinds of work gets done, Ruli is making sure that legal teams aren't left behind. It's all about making sure companies can handle their legal needs quickly and effectively, without breaking the bank.

AI DISRUPTING MEMES
AI “time traveling” is disrupting classic memes

The Future. Digital creators, mostly on TikTok, are using the free tier of a tool called Luma Dream Machine to remix old memes with generative AI. As the technology improves, expect the next era of memes to feature some complicated storytelling.

Meme back
Classic memes are getting a modern makeover.

• The remixes can be a person coming alive from a still image to play out a still-image meme as a video, as in the case with “Distracted Boyfriend.”

• Another popular edit is inserting a “time traveler” to stop a viral moment from happening, as with the haunting figure stopping the kid from answering incorrectly in “What’s nine plus 10?”

• The AI generations are pretty wonky, but that technological limitation is part of the appeal — they create a body-horror effect that’s fun and hilarious.

Phillip Hamilton, editor of the popular meme database Know Your Meme, told Wired the charm of the trend is that the remixed videos are iconic and everyone knows their context. Additionally, building on memes is inherent to meme culture to begin with, so using new tech only expands the jokes capable within the art form (yes, we believe memes are art).

As far as the time travelers go, though… The internet truly can be a scary place.

FREE RESOURCE
AI for Business: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Started

AI is the talk of the town now…You see it everywhere. Everyone from CEOs to CMOs to investors is raving about AI’s magical power to transform businesses. 

Companies worldwide already see a 250% return on their AI investment, while billions are still being poured into newer and buzzier language models. And it seems every other day there’s a new thing breaking ground in the AI-verse.

If you are a business builder, it's normal to feel like you're playing catch-up, getting lost in the nitty-gritty buzzwords, or just not technically savvy enough to compete. 

If you relate, this guide is for you. Download HubSpot’s free AI for Business Builders guide and unlock the capabilities of AI for your success!

AI TUTORING
AI Enhances, Not Replaces, Educators

The integration of AI in education is gaining momentum, with recent developments suggesting a collaborative future between AI tools and human educators. AI-powered educational tools such as Origin, Khanmigo, and Saga Education's AI-assisted tutoring system are designed to augment rather than replace the role of teachers.

While AI can efficiently handle tasks like answering questions, generating quizzes, and offering step-by-step guidance, it falls short in areas requiring emotional intelligence and motivational skills—key components of effective teaching.

Companies like Merlyn Mind are also contributing to this landscape by developing AI tools that empower teachers rather than attempting to replace them. The challenge lies in striking the right balance between AI assistance and human interaction. As AI continues to evolve, the debate will likely shift towards optimizing this synergy rather than questioning its necessity.

AI FUNDING
The AI Boom: A Bright Spot in the Start-up World

While many tech start-ups have struggled in recent years, those focused on AI are thriving. From April to June 2023, AI start-ups in the U.S. attracted $27.1 billion in investments, accounting for nearly half of all U.S. start-up funding during that period. This surge in AI funding has helped boost overall start-up investments to $56 billion, a 57% increase from the previous year.

Several AI companies have secured massive funding rounds reminiscent of the 2021 tech boom. For example, CoreWeave raised $1.1 billion plus $7.5 billion in debt, Scale AI secured $1 billion, and Elon Musk's xAI raised $6 billion. This trend has led some venture capitalists to declare the end of the "start-up winter" and encourage companies to focus on AI-driven growth.

However, AI start-ups face unique challenges. They require significant resources for computing power and cloud storage, spending an average of 22% of their expenses on these costs compared to 10% for non-AI software companies. Despite these challenges, investors remain optimistic about AI's potential, with many predicting it could be bigger than previous tech revolutions like smartphones or social media.

While the AI boom is strong, experts caution that the massive funding rounds seen recently may not be sustainable in the long term, especially as big tech companies increase their involvement in the AI space.

PROMPT OF THE WEEK
Explain a complicated concept in simple terms

You are an expert teacher. Explain the concept of [insert topic, e.g., quantum physics] in 500 words or less in a way that a 12-year-old can understand.

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Until Next Time, Cubs! - Mama Bear