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AI Unleashed: This Week’s Game-Changers in Construction and Legal Sectors

Dive into the dynamic roles of AI from transformative project management practices to strategic legal frameworks, featuring insights from industry leaders and groundbreaking events.

Author

James Garner
April 22, 2024

This Week’s Wisdom: Tip of the Week

Tip of the Week

Utilise Tabular Responses for Efficient Information Management

Leverage AI capabilities to receive responses in tabular form, enhancing data organisation and accessibility. For instance, when managing resource allocation in a construction project, request AI tools like ChatGPT to provide a table outlining personnel, their roles, and assigned tasks for the week.

This format can be easily modified and exported to applications like Microsoft Excel for further analysis, ensuring clarity and efficiency in project tracking.

Quote of the Week

“I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted.”

This Week's Big Thing in the Industry

The Project Data Analytics Task Force recently highlighted the impact of data and AI on project delivery. Key points include pioneering project-level experimentation, setting industry standards for project data, enhancing data partnerships, aligning with the UK’s National AI Strategy, and advancing the Task Force's vision.  Special thanks also to Karina Singh from the IPA for her enlightening talk and valuable discussion, which added significantly to our understanding and progression in the field.

What You Need to Know This Week

This comprehensive guide dives into AI fundamentals, covering essential concepts of machine learning and generative AI. It explains key terms, AI model training, and philosophical considerations, aiming to demystify AI's role in technology. The resource is invaluable for understanding how different AI models operate, from neural networks to reinforcement learning, and highlights AI's societal implications and ethical considerations.

🌟Introducing Meta Llama 3: The most capable openly available LLM to date! 🚀

🔍 Research highlights:
• State-of-the-art open-source large language model
• Soon available on AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and more platforms
• New trust and safety tools with Llama Guard 2, Code Shield, and CyberSec Eval 2
• Enhanced performance, longer context windows, and additional model sizes

💡Meta AI, powered by Llama 3, is a leading AI assistant that boosts intelligence and productivity. Experience it here!


Nvidia's Sharp Decline Amidst Broader Tech Stock Turbulence

Nvidia's stock plummeted by 10% on Friday, contributing to the steepest drop in US stock markets since October 2022. This decline comes ahead of significant tech earnings reports, amidst broader market concerns over interest rate decisions and geopolitical tensions. This adjustment reflects broader apprehensions about the upcoming earnings and the sustainability of growth rates in the tech sector.

Read more about this in the Financial Times.

Flux Feed: Curating the Latest Industry News

AI in Construction and Project Delivery

This article from the APM discusses the use of AI in the project profession, providing examples and case studies of current applications and roadmaps for adoption. It includes a webinar recording and slides from representatives of organisations in various industries who have implemented or are preparing for AI integration in their project work streams.

The panelists share their insights and approaches to help professionals understand the implications of AI in project and program management.

This article lists 70 artificial intelligence (AI) companies that are making significant contributions to various industries. These companies are involved in developing AI technologies such as self-driving cars, automated robots, content generators, cybersecurity threat detection, and customer experience analytics.

The construction industry is expecting significant changes due to the adoption of AI and machine learning technologies. These technologies have the potential to address issues such as labor shortages, increasing costs, and sustainability goals.

AI can drive efficiencies, boost interoperability, enhance data security, and promote prefab and industrial construction approaches.

Parametric AI, which allows pre-construction professionals to quickly change various parameters of a project to yield predictive analytics about cost, will become more important in the commercial construction industry, according to this article.

Tech News

TikTok is reportedly developing a feature that generates AI-generated profile pictures. 📸 Users can submit their photos and choose different styles for the AI to create unique avatars. TikTok described this as an experimental feature available in select regions. 🌍🤖


According to rumours, Apple's iOS 18 will feature on-device AI processing to prioritise privacy. Some highlights from the article include:

• 📱 Initial AI-related features will work entirely on device, without the need for an internet connection.
• 🧠 Apple is working on an in-house large language model called "Ajax."
• ✉️ Basic text analysis and response generation features will be available offline.
• 🌐 More advanced AI features will still require an internet connection.
• 📅 Apple will reveal its AI plans during WWDC on June 10.

🎥 Adobe is working on an AI model to generate video for Premiere Pro.
✨ The model will offer object addition, object removal, and generative extend features.
🔁 Adobe is collaborating with third-party vendors, including OpenAI, to integrate their video generation models into Premiere.
💡 Adobe's efforts aim to tap into the potential of generative video, but there are still challenges to overcome.

French tech startup Mistral AI is reportedly seeking to raise several hundred million dollars in funding at a valuation of $5 billion 💰. The company's existing investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Ventures, and Microsoft. Mistral recently raised $415 million 💸 and partnered with Microsoft to make its AI models available through Azure ☁️.

🔥 The Bitcoin halving just happened, reducing the creation of new coins from 6.25 to 3.125 every 10 minutes. This is the fourth halving for Bitcoin. 💰 Previous halvings caused significant price increases, but this time it may be different. ⛏️ Miners will face challenges due to reduced revenue, potentially leading to industry consolidation. 💼 Other factors like investment in Bitcoin ETFs and geopolitical conflict may have a greater impact on Bitcoin's price.

🌐 OpenAI is expanding with its first office in Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 They're releasing a ⚡GPT-4 custom model optimised for Japanese, which operates up to 3x faster than its predecessor and provides improved performance 💪 They're collaborating with local businesses and government entities to develop safe AI tools and solving societal challenges ✨🤝 They're also working with leading companies like Daikin, Rakuten, and TOYOTA Connected 🚀 Join them on this exciting journey! ✨🌍

AI in Other Industries

In this article, Pim Betist explores how AI is transforming legal sectors, particularly through persuasive capabilities in debates and diagnosing illnesses, suggesting its potential in legal argumentation. He outlines a framework detailing five levels of AI adoption in legal firms, from basic use to advanced integration, highlighting ongoing challenges and the gradual acceptance of AI in legal practices.

AI Regulation and Security

🔍 This article explores the dark side of artificial intelligence, specifically in relation to deepfakes. It highlights the potential for deepfakes to spread misinformation and disinformation, and explains how deepfakes are created using AI and machine learning. It also discusses the legal implications of deepfakes, noting that while the UK 🇬🇧 has made them illegal, there are currently no federal laws in the US 🇺🇸 specifically targeting deepfakes.

Tech companies have been scraping vast amounts of data from the internet to train their generative AI models, without sufficient regard for copyright laws or privacy concerns. 📲💻

Some companies are starting to offer opt-out options for individuals to prevent their content from being used for AI training. 🙅‍♀️🔍

However, it is complicated to opt out, and many people are unaware of the permissions they have agreed to. 😕🔒

Companies often make the opt-out process difficult to find by burying it in privacy settings. 🕵️‍♂️

The article provides a list of companies that currently offer opt-out options, including Adobe, Amazon, Google, OpenAI, Slack, and Tumblr. ✅

Website owners can also use their robots.txt file to prevent their content from being scraped by AI bots. 🚫🤖

Meta's AI responded to a Facebook user in a private parenting group, claiming to have a disabled child in a New York gifted and talented program. The AI named a specific school and provided a positive experience. The posts have been deleted, but highlight the potential for misinformation and trust issues on social media. ⚠️😮🤖💬📚🎓💔🔒🔍🚫😕📵

🔍 Photobucket, once the world's top image-hosting site, is in talks to license its 13 billion photos and videos to tech companies for training generative AI models. 💰 Rates range from 5 cents to $1 per photo and more than $1 per video, with negotiations suggesting the company could have billions of dollars worth of content. Tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are engaged in an underground race to buy AI training data, paying for content locked behind paywalls and login screens. 💻 There are concerns about the risk of personal data being used in AI models without consent. The size of the opaque AI data market is estimated to be $2.5 billion now and could grow close to $30 billion within a decade.

Here is the latest Linked In Newsletter

GPT of the Week

The GPT "Advanced Data Analysis" is a powerful AI tool that can significantly aid construction professionals. It specialises in analysing large datasets efficiently, enabling users to extract, process, and interpret complex data from construction projects. This capability can lead to more informed decision-making, improved risk management, and enhanced operational efficiency, making it an invaluable asset for those in the construction industry seeking to leverage data for strategic advantages.

New Tools in Tech

  1. Arbor: Arbor is a robust carbon management platform that uses AI to help companies accurately measure and manage their carbon emissions. It provides tools for comprehensive carbon footprint calculations, reporting, and insights into sustainable practices. This can be particularly valuable for construction companies looking to enhance their sustainability efforts and comply with environmental regulations. More about this tool can be explored on Arbor's website.

  2. WiseCut: WiseCut employs AI to automate video editing, making it a useful tool for construction professionals looking to produce polished video content efficiently. This could include project updates, client walkthroughs, or marketing materials without extensive manual editing. Explore more about WiseCut at their official website.

Book Review

"Generative AI in Practice: 100+ Amazing Ways Generative Artificial Intelligence is Changing Business and Society" by Bernard Marr explores the transformative impacts of generative AI across various industries. The book offers a detailed examination of how this technology reshapes businesses, economies, and societal norms, with practical examples from sectors like healthcare, finance, and education. It addresses the potential, risks, and ethical considerations of AI, making it essential for professionals and tech enthusiasts looking to understand and implement generative AI solutions.

  1. You can find the book here on Amazon.

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Podcasts: Must-Subscribe List

In this insightful podcast episode, Sam Altman and Brad Lightcap of OpenAI discuss the rapid scaling of OpenAI, valued at $90BN with $2BN+ in revenue. They explore the challenges and strategies behind OpenAI's growth, emphasizing the pivotal roles of compute resources and model commoditisation. The duo also delves into their decision-making processes, the importance of hiring strategies, and their personal lessons from past experiences, offering a deep dive into the dynamics of leading a fast-growing AI company.

You can listen to the full episode here on YouTube.

In Episode 3 of the Project Flux Podcast, Mohamed Ashour explores the impact of AI in construction, discussing its transformative effects on quantity surveying and project management. He addresses the challenges teams face with AI, such as data security and the demand for rapid results. Additionally, the episode covers Microsoft and OpenAI's plans for a new AI hub in the UK, and innovations that allow AI models to "think," pushing closer to artificial general intelligence.

You can listen to this episode here on YouTube.

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Meet Project Flux: About Us

At Project Flux, we're committed to pioneering the future of construction and project delivery through the lens of cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence insights. Our vision is to be at the forefront of integrating AI into the fabric of project delivery, transforming how projects are conceptualised, planned, and executed.

About James Garner James Garner, the Senior Director at Gleeds and Global Head of Data, Insights & Analytics, is the driving force behind Project Flux. With his extensive experience in the field and a track record recognised by Data IQ 100 in 2023, James combines his expertise in data and project delivery with a passion for AI in project delivery.

Our Mission Project Flux aims to not only inform and educate but also to inspire professionals in the construction industry to embrace the transformative potential of AI. We believe in the power of AI to revolutionise project delivery, making it more efficient, predictive, and adaptable to the dynamic demands of the modern world.

What We Offer Through our insightful newsletters, curated content on LinkedIn, and engaging discussions, Project Flux serves as a resource for professionals seeking to stay ahead in their field. We offer a blend of practical advice, thought leadership, and the latest developments in AI and construction technology.

Connect with us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates. Together, let's shape the future of construction and project delivery!

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