Microsoft’s Bing AI is offering bizarre responses to testers; G20 Digital Innovation Alliance open to startups

Microsoft’s announcement of its Bing AI last week was received with much fanfare, which even prompted Google to rush through its botched announcement. The experience of some early testers, however, hasn’t been very good, and the whole thing could backfire. Also in this brief, Tesla is recalling more than 360,000 cars over safety concerns related to its driver-assistance software. And scientists in India have developed a non-toxic nanocomposite coating to prevent bacterial infections at the site of surgical wounds that is superior to existing commercial products. Notes: Tesla has issued a recall of its Full Self-Driving software, an advanced driver-assistance system that America’s federal safety regulators say could allow vehicles to act unsafe around intersections and cause crashes. Tesla said it is recalling certain 2016–2023 Model S, Model X; 2017–2023 Model 3; and 2020–2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or those pending installation. The recall, which was posted on the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, affects as many as 362,758 vehicles equipped with the software, according to the notice. Tesla will release an over-the-air software update, free of charge, to fix the issue. Microsoft’s announcement of an AI-powered Bing search last week was received with much fanfare, which even prompted Google to rush through its botched announcement. The experience of some early testers of the new Bing, however, hasn’t been very good though and the whole thing could backfire. Over a million people have signed up to test the chatbot, CNBC reports. But beta testers have quickly discovered issues with the bot. It threatened some, provided weird and unhelpful advice to others, insisted it was right when it was wrong and even declared love for its users. And testers have discovered an “alternative personality” within the chatbot called Sydney, according to CNBC. Scientists and engineers at ARCI, an autonomous institute under India’s Department of Science and Technology, have developed a nanocomposite coating that prevents bacterial infections at the location of wounds from surgical cuts. The “biocidal” coating was tested at the Translational Health Science Technology Institute (THSTI) and LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI). Early results show that the coating, called ATL by its inventors, is superior to commercially available products today in that it is more effective and non-toxic, according to a press release by the Ministry of Science and Technology. India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched the G20 Digital Innovation Alliance to showcase innovative solutions bringing together startups, investors, mentors, and institutions building digital public goods/innovations, the government said in a post. Startups building tech-led solutions in six areas – education, health, Agriculture, Finance, Secured Digital Infrastructure, and Circular Economy – from the G20 member countries and the invited non-member countries will be recognized and supported as part of this alliance. The ministry is launching a series of events, expert sessions, webinars, and capacity-building workshops around the six selected themes. You can find the details on how to apply to be a part of this alliance on the website www.mygov.in