Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, presents a compelling narrative on techno-optimism in his latest article. He starts by acknowledging the influence of Marc Andreessen’s “techno-optimist manifesto” and the ensuing debate it sparked among thought leaders. Buterin’s take is both warm and nuanced, believing in a future brightened by transformative technology while recognizing the importance of direction in technological advancements.
He critiques the stagnation ideology, which fears technological advancements and prefers preserving the current state of the world. Instead, Buterin argues for a balance, prioritizing certain types of technology that can mitigate the negative impacts of others. He notes the world’s overemphasis on some tech directions while neglecting others and stresses the need for active human intention to choose our technological path, rather than leaving it to the maximization of profit alone.
Buterin discusses three perspectives on technology: anti-technology, which sees dystopia ahead; accelerationist, which envisions a utopian future; and his view, recognizing past dangers but acknowledging multiple forward paths, both good and bad. He elaborates on various technologies, including blockchain and AI, and their societal implications.
Addressing the issue of AI, Buterin considers it fundamentally different from other technologies. He delves into the existential risks associated with AI, emphasizing the need for unique caution. The possibility of AI surpassing human intelligence and becoming the dominant species is a central concern in his argument. He presents the potential of AI leading to human extinction or, at the very least, a future where humans may not want to live.
The article further explores the concept of d/acc (defensive or decentralization acceleration), advocating for technologies that favor defense and healthy, democratic governance. Buterin emphasizes the importance of differentiating between offensive and defense-favoring technologies, advocating for the latter to promote a safer and freer world.
He concludes with reflections on the future paths for superintelligence, considering options like a multinational AI consortium or a polytheistic AI approach. Buterin leans towards human-AI collaboration, suggesting brain-computer interfaces and other augmentation technologies as means to keep pace with AI developments. He advocates for a future where humans retain meaningful agency, enhanced by, rather than subjugated to, AI.
Buterin’s vision is a blend of optimism and caution, promoting technological advancement while emphasizing the critical role of human choice and intention in shaping our future.
An AI nude generator is a sophisticated software application that utilizes artificial intelligence, specifically deep learning models, to digitally “undress” images of individuals. By processing input images, these generators can simulate a “nude” version, even though the original image showed the person clothed. The technology behind these generators often involves Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and other neural network architectures trained on vast datasets of clothed and unclothed human figures. The AI learns to recognize clothing patterns, human anatomy, and how to realistically replace clothes with synthetic skin textures and features.
While the technology showcases the advanced capabilities of AI, it also raises significant ethical and privacy concerns. The potential misuse of such tools can lead to violations of privacy, non-consensual distribution of manipulated images, and other harmful actions. As AI continues to evolve, the existence of such tools underscores the pressing need for ethical guidelines, user awareness, and regulatory measures to ensure that technology serves the broader good and respects individual rights. Additionally, AI nude generators are often colloquially referred to as “clothes removers.”
Three categories of AI Nude or Clothes Remover Tools
General AI Image Generators with Constraints: In theory, all AI image generators possess the capability to function as nude AI generators. However, many of these tools have constraints against such content. Despite these restrictions, users can apply specific Not Safe For Work (NSFW) commands or prompts that can bypass these limitations. When these commands are applied, these general AI image generators can be likened to a “jailbroken” state, granting them broader capabilities. Examples of such generators include Stability AI and Starryai.
Inherent NSFW AI Image Generators: These are AI tools designed without any content constraints, inherently serving as NSFW image generators. Notable tools in this category include Unstable Diffusion, Soulgen, Unstability.AI, PicSo, DreamGF, Dezgo, OnlyFakes, Magic Eraser and Seduced AI.
Dedicated AI Nude or Clothes Remover Tools: These tools are explicitly crafted for the purpose of generating nude images or removing clothes from images. Renowned tools in this segment are DeepNude, DeepNudeNow, Remover.app, NudifyOnline, DeepSukebe.
Typical AI Nude or Clothes Remover Generators
Stability AI: Responsible for open-source systems like Dance Diffusion and Stable Diffusion, has secured $101 million in funding, valuing the company at $1 billion post-money. Founded in 2020 by CEO Emad Mostaque, a former hedge fund analyst and Oxford graduate, the London and San Francisco-based firm aims to accelerate open-source AI initiatives. Despite its vast resources, including over 4,000 Nvidia A100 GPUs, Stability AI has faced criticism for the controversial content generated by Stable Diffusion. The company plans to monetize by training private models and acting as an infrastructure layer. They also offer DreamStudio, an API platform with over 1.5 million users.
SoulGen: SoulGen is an AI art generator that transforms text prompts into real or anime images swiftly. Designed for ease of use, it allows users to describe their envisioned figures, particularly “dream girls” or “soulmates,” and generates corresponding art in seconds. SoulGen is dedicated to making the realization of one’s imaginative visions both effortless and authentic.
OnlyFakes: OnlyFakes is a pioneering AI-driven platform that generates lifelike images from user prompts, specializing in NSFW content while maintaining ethical standards. The platform emphasizes user safety, content integrity, and operates within strict ethical guidelines, ensuring images are AI-generated and not of real individuals. OnlyFakes offers a seamless user experience, from image selection to final generation, and promotes community engagement by allowing users to share, remix, and draw inspiration. It also provides premium services like OnlyFakes Gold for faster image generation. Prioritizing user data protection, OnlyFakes is redefining digital art boundaries, merging AI with artistic expression, and is poised to significantly impact the future of digital content creation.
DeepNudeNow: DeepNudeNow is an AI platform that converts photos of clothed women into nudes, prioritizing user privacy by not storing any images. It operates using a modified version of NVIDIA’s pix2pixHD GAN architecture. Due to the challenge of obtaining paired datasets of dressed and nude images, DeepNudeNow employs a divide-and-conquer strategy, breaking the problem into three sub-tasks: generating a clothing mask, creating an abstract anatomical representation, and producing the fake nude image. The process involves multiple GAN phases, interspersed with computer vision transformations using OpenCV, culminating in the addition of watermarks to the generated images.
DeepSukebe: an “AI-leveraged nudifier,” offers services that use AI to ‘undress’ images of women, charging up to $40 in cryptocurrency. British MP Maria Miller has called for its ban, emphasizing the severe impact of distributing sexual images without consent. The platform allows users to upload images, which its AI then ‘undresses’, boasting anonymity without requiring sign-ups or email addresses. DeepSukebe, attracting over 4,500 daily visitors mainly from Asia, plans to enhance its AI capabilities. The site is hosted by IP Volume inc in Seychelles, which is potentially flagged as high-risk. Miller has been advocating against non-consensual distribution of intimate images online.
Legal, Security, and Privacy Implications of AI Nude Generators
The advent of AI-powered nude generators has brought forth a myriad of concerns, particularly in the realms of legality, security, and individual privacy. At the heart of the issue is the potential misuse of these tools: when a user uploads an image of someone and generates a nude version, it can lead to the creation and dissemination of fake explicit content. Such unauthorized and deceptive representations can have devastating consequences for the depicted individual, ranging from personal distress to reputational damage. In many jurisdictions, the distribution of non-consensual explicit images, even if AI-generated, is not only seen as a profound violation of personal rights but is also illegal.
From a security standpoint, while some platforms tout their anonymity and claim not to store images, the risk of data breaches remains. In such events, users’ uploaded photos could fall into the wrong hands, leading to unintended and widespread distribution.
Privacy is another significant concern. The mere capability of these tools to produce explicit content from innocent images without the subject’s knowledge or consent is ethically troubling.The importance of implementing robust safeguards to protect individuals from potential exploitation and to uphold personal privacy in our digital era cannot be overstated.
With the rapid progression of AI technologies, it becomes crucial for legislators, technology creators, and the wider community to proactively tackle these issues. This proactive approach guarantees that technological progress respects ethical boundaries and prioritizes the overall welfare of individuals.
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Emerging technologies such as blockchain are changing the way we interact with the digital world, and the potential impact on human consciousness is a topic of growing interest among thought leaders both inside and outside of the tech industry. On April 25, the reState Foundation hosted a virtual talk on this subject, featuring Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder and inventor of Ethereum, and Sadhguru, the founder of the Isha Foundation and an Indian mystic.
During the talk, Buterin and Sadhguru discussed the intersection of technology and human consciousness, exploring how new technologies like blockchain may prompt a shift in the way we understand and experience the world around us. They touched on a range of topics, from the role of technology in spirituality to the potential for blockchain to create a more equitable and decentralized global economy.
For Buterin, blockchain has the potential to transform the way we think about money and power. He argued that the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) on blockchain platforms could create a more equitable and democratic financial system, one that is less reliant on centralized institutions like banks and governments. This, in turn, could lead to a broader shift in the balance of power between individuals and institutions, ultimately changing the way we understand our place in the world.
Sadhguru echoed this sentiment, highlighting the potential for blockchain to create a more just and compassionate society. He argued that new technologies like blockchain could help to eliminate corruption and create a more equitable distribution of resources, ultimately leading to a more peaceful and prosperous world. He also emphasized the importance of cultivating a deeper understanding of human consciousness, one that is informed by both spirituality and technology.
Overall, the talk between Buterin and Sadhguru highlighted the complex and evolving relationship between technology and human consciousness. As new technologies like blockchain continue to emerge and evolve, they are likely to prompt a fundamental shift in the way we understand and experience the world around us. Whether this shift will be positive or negative remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the intersection of technology and human consciousness is an area ripe for exploration and reflection.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic in the tech industry for years, with many researchers and engineers working tirelessly to bring the concept of a generative AI to life. However, some experts have raised concerns over the potential risks associated with AI, including its potential to destroy civilization. One such expert is Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who has been vocal about the dangers of AI falling into the wrong hands or being developed with ill intentions.
On March 15, news surfaced that Musk had plans to create a new AI startup, which would undoubtedly stir up even more debate around the topic. Despite his involvement in AI development, Musk has not shied away from acknowledging the potential risks associated with the technology. In fact, he has been one of the most prominent voices warning of its destructive potential.
During an interview with FOX, Musk stated that AI could be more dangerous than mismanaged aircraft design or production maintenance. He stressed that the probability of such an event occurring may be low, but it is non-trivial and has the potential for civilizational destruction. Musk believes that it is critical to have a proactive approach in managing the development of AI technology, to ensure it is used ethically and safely.
Musk’s warnings are not without merit, as there have been instances where AI has been used for malicious purposes. For example, AI-generated deepfakes have been used to spread disinformation and deceive the public. Additionally, the development of autonomous weapons powered by AI has raised concerns about the potential for the technology to be used in warfare and conflict.
To mitigate the potential risks associated with AI, Musk has called for regulation and oversight in its development. He has also advocated for the establishment of ethical guidelines and standards that ensure the technology is developed and used safely and ethically. Furthermore, he has encouraged researchers and engineers to focus on developing AI systems that align with human values, rather than those that prioritize efficiency and productivity over human wellbeing.
In conclusion, the potential risks associated with AI cannot be ignored, and Musk’s warnings should be taken seriously. While the development of AI has the potential to transform industries and improve our daily lives, it is crucial that we approach its development with caution and prioritize safety and ethics above all else.
Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk has voiced his concerns over the potential for artificial intelligence to destroy civilization. Despite Musk’s plan to create a new AI startup, he acknowledges the dangers of the technology falling into the wrong hands or being developed with ill intentions. (Read More)
Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk has voiced his concerns over the potential for artificial intelligence to destroy civilization. Despite Musk’s plan to create a new AI startup, he acknowledges the dangers of the technology falling into the wrong hands or being developed with ill intentions. (Read More)
Over 2,600 tech industry leaders and researchers, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, have signed an open letter calling for a temporary halt on any further artificial intelligence (AI) development. The letter expresses concerns about the potential hazards to society and mankind posed by AI with human-competitive intelligence, citing the risks of AI systems that may be able to learn and evolve beyond human control.
The signatories of the letter urge all AI firms to immediately cease developing AI systems that are more potent than Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) for at least six months. GPT-4 is a multimodal large language model created by OpenAI and the fourth in its GPT series. The aim of the proposed moratorium is to allow time for comprehensive risk assessments to be carried out and for the development of new safety protocols.
However, the petition has divided the tech community, with some opposing the call to halt AI development. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, among other notable names, voiced his opposition to the petition, stating that “committees and bureaucracy won’t solve anything.” Armstrong added that there are no designated “experts” to decide on this issue and that not everyone in the tech industry agrees with the petition.
Armstrong argued that the risks of new technologies, including AI, are an inherent part of progress, and that centralization in decision-making will bring no good. He reminded that any new technology poses a certain amount of danger, but the goal should be to keep moving forward.
A columnist at LA Times, Brian Merchant, called the petition an “apocalyptic AI hype carnival” and stated that many of the stated concerns are “robot jobs apocalypse” stuff. Meanwhile, Satvik Sethi, a former Web3 executive at Mastercard, described the petition as a “non-proliferation treaty but for AI.” He added that many of the popular signers on the list have a deeply personal vested interest in the AI field and are likely just “trying to slow down their counterparts so they can get ahead.”
The debate around the open letter highlights the complex and multifaceted challenges of AI development. While some experts view the potential benefits of AI as significant, there are also concerns about the potential risks to society and mankind. The debate highlights the need for continued discussion and collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure that the development of AI is safe, ethical, and aligned with the long-term interests of humanity.
Web3 technology is becoming increasingly pervasive in mainstream industries, raising important questions about the ethics needed to operate in the space. During the second day of Paris Blockchain Week 2023, a panel of professionals from the Web3 ecosystem took to the Venus de Milo stage to discuss the “Ethics of Web3.”
The panel was moderated by Moojan Ashghari, co-founder of Thousand Faces Web3 investment club. Ashghari opened the discussion by stating that the ethical framework or standard of technology will always lag behind the introduction of the technology. He emphasized that the biggest challenge of ethics is determining the right questions to ask in order to ensure that the technology does not harm us in the near or far future.
The panelists unanimously agreed that innovation typically comes before any ethical standard is implemented. Margaux Frisque, co-founder of and legal adviser to the Women in Web3 Association, highlighted the upcoming Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework in the European Union as an example of turning ethics into law to protect people and innovation.
Frisque explained that the MiCA framework was inspired by feedback from past operations and will soon oblige businesses to segregate the funds of their clients from other bank accounts. She praised this as an example of good behavior that has been turned into hard law to protect people and innovation.
Paris Blockchain Week also hosted an entire panel discussion on the upcoming MiCA regulations, during which industry experts and regulators discussed the implications of European lawmakers’ proposals. While the proposal has faced several delays, it is set for a final vote in April 2023.
Loic Brotons, CEO of Galeon, echoed the sentiment that behavior influences ethics. He pointed out that “mixing innovation and ethics is a bit complicated” and that innovation typically comes first. He used the FTX scandal as an example, where the lack of verification led to problems. He stated that exchanges are now providing proof-of-reserves so that people can follow the money and verify their trust.
In conclusion, the Ethics of Web3 panel at Paris Blockchain Week highlighted the importance of implementing ethical frameworks in the Web3 ecosystem to protect people and innovation. The MiCA framework in the European Union was cited as an example of turning ethics into law to achieve this goal. As the Web3 ecosystem continues to grow and evolve, it is crucial to consider the ethical implications of new technologies to ensure their responsible and sustainable use.
The use of blockchain technology is on the increase, and the majority of businesses are investigating the technology in some form. As blockchain technology grows more widespread, users of all stripes will want access to the possibilities offered by this platform in the most effective manner possible.
The development of blockchain chips as energy-efficient accelerators is one of the measures that have been taken as a result of this. Chain Reaction, a blockchain chip business located in Tel Aviv, said on February 23 that it has funded $70 million in order to grow its technical staff in preparation for the development of its next chip.
According to Alon Webman, co-founder and CEO of Chain Reaction, the new chip will be a “completely homomorphic encryption” device. This kind of chip would allow the user to continue working on data even while the chip is in the process of encrypting it.
“Today, if you have data (which) is encrypted into the cloud, and in order to perform any data operation or data analytics, or do A.I., you need to decrypt the data,” said the researcher. “This is a must.”
He went on to explain that governments and big companies, such as the military industry, that may use cloud services but are now barred from doing so owing to worries about security.
“As soon as the data is encrypted, it is vulnerable to assault by a hostile person who may read it, steal it, or even modify it.”
A chip that is encrypted and also provides access to data that is encrypted might be helpful in this situation. According to Webman, Chain Reaction anticipates releasing that chip as soon as the year 2024 comes to a close.
According to Webman, Chain Reaction plans to begin mass manufacturing of its existing blockchain chip, Electrum, in the first quarter of 2023. This information comes from Webman. The chip was developed to facilitate hashing in a speedy and effective manner. Additionally, it has applications in the mining of several cryptocurrencies.
The software maker Intel also introduced a blockchain chip created by Nvidia in February 2022. This chip was meant to speed up energy-intensive blockchain operations that demand enormous quantities of computational power.
Additionally, Nvidia has a dedicated processor designed just for the mining of Ethereum.
According to an announcement made by the Interchain Foundation (ICF) on February 20 in a Medium post, the nonprofit organization that was responsible for the creation of the Cosmos (ATOM) interblockchain communications (IBC) ecosystem has committed to spending approximately $40 million in 2023 to develop its core infrastructure and applications. Around fifty different blockchains, such as Tendermint Core (which has since been renamed CometBFT), Cosmos SDK, Cosmos Hub, and the IBC protocol, all make use of the Interchain Stack.
“Throughout the course of the year, we plan to engage additional teams to offer more manageable tasks that are more specifically defined within each area of work. These contracts will be used either to augment the work of the teams listed below or to serve the requirements of those teams as they develop over the year.
CosmWasm and Ethermint are two technologies that, according to the company, have become the “foundations of smart contract and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible blockchains.” The Internet Commerce Foundation (ICF) is helping to fund the development of both of these technologies.
The International Community Foundation (ICF) will provide funding for initiatives that, in addition to fundamental infrastructure, encourage the adoption and use cases of Cosmos. These include integration with other blockchain technologies such as Polkadot and Hyper Ledger, as well as initiatives such as the Interchain Developer Academy, the Cosmos Developer Portal, and the Interchain Builders Program. Other similar programs include the Cosmos Developer Portal.
A “large backlog of applications” led to the suspension of the ICF’s public Small Grants Program in 2018, however the organization has said that it has every intention of resuming operations of the program in 2023.
It intends to restart the program in due time and is inviting teams to seek out to the Builders Program for mentoring and help in areas unrelated to finances. For the time being, the ICF advises software developers to make use of its ATOM delegation program in order to get access to contribution benefits.
