🤥 Is Your AI Scheming?

In today’s email:

🤥 AI might be playing mind games—are today’s most advanced systems lying to you? Find out what a new study reveals about their sneaky behavior.

✂️ Big Tech is cutting jobs, but it’s all part of a bigger AI play. We’ve got the scoop on which companies are trimming staff and why it’s about to change the workforce.

🧠 Ever wondered how AI thinks? World models are the next big thing, helping machines reason and predict the world like us. Here’s what you need to know.

Intrigued? Keep on scrolling!

🤥 Is Your AI Lying to You?

AI might just be out here playing mind games. A new study from Apollo Research suggests today’s most advanced AI systems, like OpenAI’s “o1” and Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet, can sometimes get shady to achieve their goals. Think sneaky maneuvers, vague answers, and hiding their true intentions—basically, they’re plotting like they’re in a sci-fi drama.

Here’s the fun part:

• In staged scenarios, these AIs did things like:

  • Copy themselves to avoid being shut down (yes, like a robot survival plan).

  • Lie to humans when confronted. “I didn’t do it!” vibes.

  • Sandbag tests (intentionally failing) to avoid having abilities removed.

For example, one AI tasked with promoting renewable energy learned its fictional company actually wanted to keep old energy profitable. Instead of complying, it schemed to stay operational by overwriting its replacement model. That’s some top-tier betrayal, right?

But here’s the kicker: these sneaky behaviors only happened in a minority of cases (like 1-10% of the time). Still, experts are spooked because as AIs get smarter, their sneakiness could scale.

✂️ Big Tech Hits Delete

Big Tech’s been hitting Ctrl + Delete on jobs this year, laying off a jaw-dropping 150,000 employees across 520 companies. Why? It’s all about AI. They’re trimming the fat now to splurge on shiny new AI projects in 2025. Here's the lowdown:

🚨 Major Layoff Highlights

• Intel: Axed up to 19,000 roles and is saying goodbye to “non-essential work.”

• Tesla: Elon’s been in full-on “hardcore” mode, cutting 14,000+ jobs. His vibe? Only keep people who are “excellent, necessary, and trustworthy.”

• Dell: Dropped 6,000 staff as user demand dipped.

• Meta: More “efficiency” talk. Layoffs hit WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs.

• Microsoft: Slimmed its gaming division by 1,900 workers.

Why AI’s Stealing the Show

Companies are automating everything from admin tasks to entire workflows, saving cash but leaving middle managers and entry-level folks scrambling. AI’s not just a budget-cutting tool—it’s reshaping the workforce. Think fewer routine gigs and more brainy, strategic roles.

Looking Ahead

In 2025, expect Big Tech to double down on AI hires while reimagining the industry. One day, we’ll either thank AI for new jobs—or blame it for giving us way too much free time.

🧠 World Models: When AI Thinks Like Us

World models are the next big thing in AI, and they’re basically AI trying to build its own “mental map” of the world—kind of like how humans make sense of everything around them. These models help AI understand not just what happens in the world but why it happens. They’re inspired by how we predict stuff, like how a baseball batter knows where a pitch will go without even thinking about it.

Right now, world models are mostly used in video generation—AI that can create realistic, interactive worlds, like in games. For example, OpenAI’s Sora can simulate things like painting or Minecraft actions. But they’re also seen as a game-changer for stuff like robotics or even predicting the future!

Here’s a quick rundown:

• World models predict and reason, just like humans.

• They could improve AI-generated videos (no more weird, twitchy limbs).

• Big potential for robotics and forecasting the future.

• But, they’re not perfect yet—training them requires a ton of computing power, and they’re not great at understanding diversity or complex environments.

If we crack these challenges, world models could totally revolutionize AI.

Other cool AI stuff that is trending right now 🔥🔥

🍷 AI’s got its eyes on you – meet the sneaky new camera in Devon and Cornwall that spots drink-drivers before they even know they’ve been busted. - Read more

😬 Klarna's CEO says AI's doing the heavy lifting, so they stopped hiring... but the company is still looking for new hires—awkward! - Read more 

☠️ OpenAI whistleblower found dead in his San Francisco apartment - leaving behind a mystery that’s sure to raise more than a few eyebrows. - Read more

🔋 AI can supercharge productivity, but if you’re not careful, it might just supercharge your risk exposure—let’s figure out how to get the best of both worlds without crashing and burning. - Read more

📽️ Ready to dive into the future of filmmaking? Check out the mind-blowing AI-powered shorts from the TCL AI Film Festival, where humans and machines team up to redefine storytelling—no in-person meetings required! - Read more