Technologies

AI Is Speeding Us Toward Intelligent Computers and the Singularity, Pioneer Says

John Hennessy, a Silicon Valley pioneer and former Stanford president, says AI progress is ‘stunning.’

ChatGPT and other AI systems are propelling us faster toward the long-term technology dream of artificial general intelligence and the radical transformation called the «singularity,» a Silicon Valley chip luminary and former Stanford University professor John Hennessy believes.

«The AI revolution is upon us. It’s stunning,» Hennessy said Monday at the TechSurge conference. «It’s awakened in everybody a sense that maybe the singularity, …this turning point where computers really are more capable than humans, is closer than we thought.»

Hennessy won computing’s highest prize, the Turing Award with colleague Dave Patterson for developing the computing architecture that made energy-efficient smartphone chips possible and that now is the foundation for virtually all major processors. He’s also chairman of Google parent company Alphabet.

AI is indeed transforming computing, relying on neural network processing methods inspired by the human brain to tackle new problems in spotting patterns and more recently to generate new text and imagery. AI spread across the computing industry for years making speech recognition mainstream and letting us unlock our phones with our faces. But AI expectations surged with 2022’s debut of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which can answer a huge range of questions, offer advice, pass medical exams, hold conversations and write programs and poetry.

Microsoft is using the GPT technology to power a new version of its Bing search engine and plans to use it more broadly in other tools like Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Google, an AI pioneer, debuted a competing AI tool called Bard in February.

What’s unclear is how well today’s AI, trained for relatively narrow tasks, will grow to match the versatility of human brains. Hennessy is optimistic

«Some of us thought that point at which we’d have a general artificial general intelligence was 40 or 50 years away. I think everybody’s horizon has moved in by probably 10 or 20 years,» Hennessy said. «These models keep getting bigger, and every time we make a jump up in the size of the model, we seem to be able to do new tasks. We don’t know where that’s going to plateau yet.»

Another problem with general intelligence, in particular with tools like ChatGPT that synthesize new material from vast swaths of training data, is misleading us. Today, it’s hard for AIs and people use them to distinguish between reality and «hallucinations,» digital flights of fancy that often sound plausible.

Hennessy sees AI today as an «amplifier,» a similar concept to Microsoft’s position of AI as a «co-pilot.»

«I may not get a video that’s perfect or a PowerPoint presentation or a paragraph that’s perfect. But maybe I get something I can really work with, then use some human intelligence to make it even better,» Hennessy said.

Google is concerned about the problems as well, which is why it didn’t race to release Bard until after ChatGPT stole so much attention.

«Google was hesitant to productize this because it didn’t think it was really ready for a product yet. But I think as a demonstration vehicle, it’s a great piece of technology,» Hennessy said. «You don’t want to put a system out that either says wrong things or sometimes says toxic things. Right. There’s a level of caution about this.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im