On November 25, 2024, at the “AI World Society (AIWS) – New Democracy” Conference, organized at Harvard University Loeb House, Harvard Distinguished Scholar Bruce Schneier delivered an insightful talk on AI for Politics and Democracy. Schneier discussed the implications of AI on democratic governance and its potential to shape political landscapes globally.
To watch the full talk, visit: Bruce Schneier’s Talk on AI for Politics and Democracy.
OpenAI saved its biggest announcement for the last day of its 12-day “shipmas” event.
On Friday, December 20, the company unveiled o3, the successor to the o1 “reasoning” model it released earlier in the year. o3 is a model family, to be more precise — as was the case with o1. There’s o3 and o3-mini, a smaller, distilled model fine-tuned for particular tasks.
OpenAI makes the remarkable claim that o3, at least in certain conditions, approaches AGI — with significant caveats. More on that below.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/20/openai-announces-new-o3-model/
Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab on Monday December 9, 2024 said that it has overcome a key challenge in quantum computing with a new generation of chip, solving a computing problem in five minutes that would take a classical computer more time than the history of the universe.
Like other tech giants such as Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab and International Business Machines (IBM.N), opens new tab, Alphabet’s Google is chasing quantum computing because it promises computing speeds far faster than today’s fastest systems. While the math problem solved by the company’s Santa Barbara, California quantum lab does not have commercial applications, Google hopes quantum computers will one day solve problems in medicine, battery chemistry and artificial intelligence that are out of reach for today’s computers.
In an X post on December 9, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the chip cracked “a 30-year challenge in the field.”
“We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design + more”.
https://www.businessinsider.com/google-unveiled-quantum-computer-chip-willow-2024-12
Boston, December 9, 2024 – As part of the AI Action Summit, which will take place in Paris on February 10–11, 2025, France has launched the “AI Convergence” Challenges to showcase the dynamism of academic and industrial ecosystems and the global foundation of their innovations.
The goal of these challenges is to promote projects that tackle ambitious technological problems or societal issues, demonstrating the value of AI for humanity as a whole. This initiative also represents a significant opportunity to unite ecosystems, foster a shared vision, and generate stimulating ideas and solutions around this transformative technology. AI Convergence is already underway, showcasing its potential as both an accelerator and a differentiator.
Researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators from all sectors: if you have an ambitious project that addresses unresolved issues using AI, respond to this call by submitting your challenge! Selected projects will receive significant visibility during the summit period.
The challenges aim to foster innovative solutions in the following priority areas of the Summit:
The AI Action Summit, hosted by France on February 10–11, 2025, will spotlight concrete actions ensuring that AI development and deployment benefit society, the economy, and the environment while upholding the common good. The summit will bring together Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, CEOs of small and large companies, representatives of academia, non-governmental organizations, artists, and members of civil society.
In his acceptance speech for the 2024 World Leader for Peace and Security Award, organized by the Boston Global Forum on November 25, 2024, at Harvard University’s Loeb House, President Macron shared his vision for global collaboration and technological advancement:
“I invite you all to Paris for our Summit for Action on AI in February: economic actors, decision-makers, and thinkers—we must create global consensus and make decisions at the right pace and on the right scale.
In this regard, your quest for Enlightenment on a global scale can only resonate in France, in this pursuit of progress against all forms of obscurantism.
I believe in our collective capacity to put technology at the service of protecting our democracies and to forge a new era of prosperity, freedom, and stability in the world. I believe, like you, that we cannot and must not renounce our humanism and our Enlightenment ideals for the coming century.
Thank you all for your unwavering commitment.
Thank you for this award, which honors France and compels us to act collectively starting this February in Paris.”
In alignment with President Macron’s vision, the Boston Global Forum will contribute to the upcoming AI Action Summit with its pioneering initiative, “AIWS Government 24/7”. This initiative aims to support continuous, around-the-clock governance through advanced artificial intelligence, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency for global leaders.
On November 25, 2024, at the Boston Global Forum (BGF) event held at Harvard University’s Loeb House—which featured the Ceremony Honoring French President Emmanuel Macron with the 2024 World Leader for Peace and Security Award and the “AI World Society (AIWS) – New Democracy” Conference—Ambassador Audrey Tang, former Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan, delivered a keynote speech titled “AIWS and Taiwan: AI for Democracy”.
Please download her slides here
The AIWS Government model represents a transformative approach to governance, leveraging AI technologies to address the challenges faced by traditional political systems. It aims to create government structures that are efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of citizens. By integrating AI into governmental operations, the AIWS Government seeks to enhance service delivery, improve policy-making processes, and foster greater citizen engagement.
Boston Areti AI (BAI) is an advanced artificial intelligence agent developed under the AIWS framework by the Boston Global Forum (BGF). Named after the Greek word “Areti,” meaning “virtue,” BAI embodies the principles of ethical AI, aiming to assist government leaders in their professional roles and personal lives.
IBM has announced the launch of its most advanced quantum computers to date, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of quantum advantage. The new systems, including the IBM Quantum Heron—the company’s first qubit chip with a new design—promise to accelerate the development of quantum computing applications across various industries. These advancements are expected to unlock new scientific value and pave the way for breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, cryptography, and complex system modeling.
In light of these groundbreaking developments, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) has invited esteemed guests, thought leaders, and innovators to their High-Level Discussion on “The Convergence of AI Chips and Quantum Computing for a New Democracy – AIWS.” This gathering is dedicated to exploring the frontiers of technology and its profound impact on the fabric of our global society.
The event will adopt a flexible format, beginning with meetings and discussions starting on November 3, 2024. The dialogue will continue on November 25, 2024, at the BGF Conference at Harvard University’s Loeb House. Subsequent discussions with distinguished leaders and innovators will culminate in a Special Report to be presented at the BGF Conference “Strategies for Democracy to Win in the AI Battle” in late April 2025. This report aims to contribute to building the AI World Society (AIWS) economic model.
For more information on IBM’s latest quantum computing advancements, you can read the full announcement here.
In recent years, many of us have enjoyed the convenience of AI assistants that retrieve information and perform basic tasks. However, a new generation of technology is emerging: AI agents, capable of much more than simple queries. These advanced AI models and algorithms can autonomously make decisions in real time, navigate complex scenarios, and seamlessly interact with various applications and platforms. Leading AI labs worldwide are racing to develop agents with enhanced reasoning, extended memory, and heightened interactivity.
The Boston Global Forum (BGF), through its AI World Society Initiative, pioneered the concept of AI Assistants in its Social Contract for the AI Age (2020). Building on this foundation, BGF has introduced Boston Areti AI (BAI)—an AI agent specifically designed to support and empower leaders. This innovation represents a significant step toward dynamic, decision-making AI dedicated to advancing human well-being, fostering compassion and innovation, and embedding core human values in its service to citizens worldwide.
https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-agents
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/10/24266333/ai-agents-assistants-openai-google-deepmind-bots
The AI World Society (AIWS) is organizing high-level discussions on “The Convergence of AI Chips and Quantum Computing for a New Democracy – AIWS.” This program aims to explore how the integration of advanced technologies like AI chips and quantum computing can contribute to the development of a new democratic model that emphasizes innovation, security, and global cooperation.
Quantum Computing’s Potential to Solve Global Challenges
Quantum computing holds the promise of addressing some of the world’s most complex problems due to its ability to perform calculations at speeds unattainable by classical computers.
Advancements in Quantum Computing and Machine Learning
The collaboration between companies like Quantum Machines and NVIDIA highlights significant progress in the field. As reported in “Quantum Machines and NVIDIA Use Machine Learning to Get Closer to an Error-Corrected Quantum Computer,” these organizations are leveraging machine learning to improve quantum error correction. This advancement is crucial because:
Transforming the Cryptocurrency Market with Quantum AI
The article “How Quantum AI is Transforming the Cryptocurrency Market” discusses the impact of quantum computing and AI on digital currencies:
https://breakingthelines.com/opinion/how-quantum-ai-is-transforming-the-cryptocurrency-market/
Implications for a New Democracy
The convergence of AI chips and quantum computing has profound implications for developing a New Democracy, as envisioned by AIWS:
The integration of AI chips and quantum computing represents a significant step toward addressing global challenges and enhancing democratic societies. By exploring these frontiers, AIWS is contributing to a vision of a New Democracy that harnesses technological advancements for the common good, ensuring that progress benefits everyone and upholds the principles of ethics and responsibility.
By focusing on these developments, AIWS and its partners aim to ensure that the convergence of AI and quantum computing technologies contributes positively to society and supports the establishment of a fair, secure, and prosperous global community.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-says-it-has-cracked-quantum-computing-challenge-with-new-chip-2024-12-09/