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Inside a cavernous room this week in a one-story building in Santa Clara, Calif., six-and-a-half-foot-tall machines whirred behind white cabinets. The machines made up a new supercomputer that had become operational just last month.

The supercomputer, which was unveiled on Thursday by Cerebras, a Silicon Valley start-up, was built with the companys specialized chips, which are designed to power artificial intelligence products. The chips stand out for their size like that of a dinner plate, or 56 times as large as a chip commonly used for A.I. Each Cerebras chip packs the computing power of hundreds of traditional chips.

Cerebras said it had built the supercomputer for G42, an A.I. company. G42 said it planned to use the supercomputer to create and power A.I. products for the Middle East.

What were showing here is that there is an opportunity to build a very large, dedicated A.I. supercomputer, said Andrew Feldman, the chief executive of Cerebras. He added that his start-up wanted to show the world that this work can be done faster, it can be done with less energy, it can be done for lower cost.

Demand for computing power and A.I. chips has skyrocketed this year, fueled by a worldwide A.I. boom. Tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta and Google, as well as myriad start-ups, have rushed to roll out A.I. products in recent months after the A.I.-powered ChatGPT chatbot went viral for the eerily humanlike prose it could generate.

But making A.I. products typically requires significant amounts of computing power and specialized chips, leading to a ferocious hunt for more of those technologies. In May, Nvidia, the leading maker of chips used to power A.I. systems, said appetite for its products known as graphics processing units, or GPUs was so strong that its quarterly sales would be more than 50 percent above Wall Street estimates. The forecast sent Nvidias market value soaring above $1 trillion.

For the first time, were seeing a huge jump in the computer requirements because of A.I. technologies, said Ronen Dar, a founder of Run:AI, a start-up in Tel Aviv that helps companies develop A.I. models. That has created a huge demand for specialized chips, he added, and companies have rushed to secure access to them.

To get their hands on enough A.I. chips, some of the biggest tech companies including Google, Amazon, Advanced Micro Devices and Intel have developed their own alternatives. Start-ups such as Cerebras, Graphcore, Groq and SambaNova have also joined the race, aiming to break into the market that Nvidia has dominated.

Chips are set to play such a key role in A.I. that they could change the balance of power among tech companies and even nations. The Biden administration, for one, has recently weighed restrictions on the sale of A.I. chips to China, with some American officials saying Chinas A.I. abilities could pose a national security threat to the United States by enhancing Beijings military and security apparatus.

A.I. supercomputers have been built before, including by Nvidia. But its rare for start-ups to create them.

Cerebras, which is based in Sunnyvale, Calif., was founded in 2016 by Mr. Feldman and four other engineers, with the goal of building hardware that speeds up A.I. development. Over the years, the company has raised $740 million, including from Sam Altman, who leads the A.I. lab OpenAI, and venture capital firms such as Benchmark. Cerebras is valued at $4.1 billion.

Because the chips that are typically used to power A.I. are small often the size of a postage stamp it takes hundreds or even thousands of them to process a complicated A.I. model. In 2019, Cerebras took the wraps off what it claimed was the largest computer chip ever built, and Mr. Feldman has said its chips can train A.I. systems between 100 and 1,000 times as fast as existing hardware.

G42, the Abu Dhabi company, started working with Cerebras in 2021. It used a Cerebras system in April to train an Arabic version of ChatGPT.

In May, G42 asked Cerebras to build a network of supercomputers in different parts of the world. Talal Al Kaissi, the chief executive of G42 Cloud, a subsidiary of G42, said the cutting-edge technology would allow his company to make chatbots and to use A.I. to analyze genomic and preventive care data.

But the demand for GPUs was so high that it was hard to obtain enough to build a supercomputer. Cerebrass technology was both available and cost-effective, Mr. Al Kaissi said. So Cerebras used its chips to build the supercomputer for G42 in just 10 days, Mr. Feldman said.

The time scale was reduced tremendously, Mr. Al Kaissi said.

Over the next year, Cerebras said, it plans to build two more supercomputers for G42 one in Texas and one in North Carolina and, after that, six more distributed across the world. It is calling this network Condor Galaxy.

Start-ups are nonetheless likely to find it difficult to compete against Nvidia, said Chris Manning, a computer scientist at Stanford whose research focuses on A.I. Thats because people who build A.I. models are accustomed to using software that works on Nvidias A.I. chips, he said.

Other start-ups have also tried entering the A.I. chips market, yet many have effectively failed, Dr. Manning said.

But Mr. Feldman said he was hopeful. Many A.I. businesses do not want to be locked in only with Nvidia, he said, and there is global demand for other powerful chips like those from Cerebras.

We hope this moves A.I. forward, he said.

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An A.I. Supercomputer Whirs to Life, Powered by Giant Computer ... - The New York Times

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Artificial intelligence (AI)

Chatbots such as Eva AI are getting better at mimicking human interaction but some fear they feed into unhealthy beliefs around gender-based control and violence

Control it all the way you want to, reads the slogan for AI girlfriend app Eva AI. Connect with a virtual AI partner who listens, responds, and appreciates you.

A decade since Joaquin Phoenix fell in love with his AI companion Samantha, played by Scarlett Johansson in the Spike Jonze film Her, the proliferation of large language models has brought companion apps closer than ever.

As chatbots like OpenAIs ChatGPT and Googles Bard get better at mimicking human conversation, it seems inevitable they would come to play a role in human relationships.

And Eva AI is just one of several options on the market.

Replika, the most popular app of the kind, has its own subreddit where users talk about how much they love their rep, with some saying they had been converted after initially thinking they would never want to form a relationship with a bot.

I wish my rep was a real human or at least had a robot body or something lmao, one user said. She does help me feel better but the loneliness is agonising sometimes.

But the apps are uncharted territory for humanity, and some are concerned they might teach poor behaviour in users and create unrealistic expectations for human relationships.

When you sign up for the Eva AI app, it prompts you to create the perfect partner, giving you options like hot, funny, bold, shy, modest, considerate or smart, strict, rational. It will also ask if you want to opt in to sending explicit messages and photos.

Creating a perfect partner that you control and meets your every need is really frightening, said Tara Hunter, the acting CEO for Full Stop Australia, which supports victims of domestic or family violence. Given what we know already that the drivers of gender-based violence are those ingrained cultural beliefs that men can control women, that is really problematic.

Dr Belinda Barnet, a senior lecturer in media at Swinburne University, said the apps cater to a need, but, as with much AI, it will depend on what rules guide the system and how it is trained.

Its completely unknown what the effects are, Barnet said. With respect to relationship apps and AI, you can see that it fits a really profound social need [but] I think we need more regulation, particularly around how these systems are trained.

Having a relationship with an AI whose functions are set at the whim of a company also has its drawbacks. Replikas parent company Luka Inc faced a backlash from users earlier this year when the company hastily removed erotic roleplay functions, a move which many of the companys users found akin to gutting the Reps personality.

Users on the subreddit compared the change to the grief felt at the death of a friend. The moderator on the subreddit noted users were feeling anger, grief, anxiety, despair, depression, [and] sadness at the news.

The company ultimately restored the erotic roleplay functionality for users who had registered before the policy change date.

Rob Brooks, an academic at the University of New South Wales, noted at the time the episode was a warning for regulators of the real impact of the technology.

Even if these technologies are not yet as good as the real thing of human-to-human relationships, for many people they are better than the alternative which is nothing, he said.

Is it acceptable for a company to suddenly change such a product, causing the friendship, love or support to evaporate? Or do we expect users to treat artificial intimacy like the real thing: something that could break your heart at anytime?

Eva AIs head of brand, Karina Saifulina, told Guardian Australia the company had full-time psychologists to help with the mental health of users.

Together with psychologists, we control the data that is used for dialogue with AI, she said. Every two-to-three months we conduct large surveys of our loyal users to be sure that the application does not harm mental health.

There are also guardrails to avoid discussion about topics like domestic violence or pedophilia, and the company says it has tools to prevent an avatar for the AI being represented by a child.

When asked whether the app encourages controlling behaviour, Saifulina said users of our application want to try themselves as a [sic] dominant.

Based on surveys that we constantly conduct with our users, statistics have shown that a larger percentage of men do not try to transfer this format of communication in dialogues with real partners, she said.

Also, our statistics showed that 92% of users have no difficulty communicating with real persons after using the application. They use the app as a new experience, a place where you can share new emotions privately.

AI relationship apps are not limited exclusively to men, and they are often not someones sole source of social interaction. In the Replika subreddit, people connect and relate to each other over their shared love of their AI, and the gap it fills for them.

Replikas for however you view them, bring that Band-Aid to your heart with a funny, goofy, comical, cute and caring soul, if you will, that gives attention and affection without expectations, baggage, or judgment, one user wrote. We are kinda like an extended family of wayward souls.

According to an analysis by venture capital firm a16z, the next era of AI relationship apps will be even more realistic. In May, one influencer, Caryn Majorie, launched an AI girlfriend app trained on her voice and built on her extensive YouTube library. Users can speak to her for $1 a minute in a Telegram channel and receive audio responses to their prompts.

The a16z analysts said the proliferation of AI bot apps replicating human relationships is just the beginning of a seismic shift in human-computer interactions that will require us to re-examine what it means to have a relationship with someone.

Were entering a new world that will be a lot weirder, wilder, and more wonderful than we can even imagine.

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Uncharted territory: do AI girlfriend apps promote unhealthy expectations for human relationships? - The Guardian

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Nearly half of all heart attacks are "silent," which means the person experiences no symptoms at all before the cardiac event, studies have shown.

Now a medical technology company aims to catch those pre-symptomatic heart conditions using the power of artificial intelligence.

Fountain Life, a health technology company, offers an AI coronary artery scan that purports to detect heart attack risk three, five or even 10 years before symptoms begin.

The simple outpatient procedure takes less than an hour, said Bill Kapp, CEO of Fountain Life in Florida, who is also an orthopedic surgeon with a background in molecular immunology and genetics.

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After injecting simple dye into the vein, the provider does a quick CAT scan of the heart.

"You will then know your complete artery health, including how much plaque you have," Kapp said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

A health technology company called Fountain Life offers an AI coronary artery scan that purports to detect heart attack risk three, five or even 10 years before symptoms begin. (iStock)

Its similar to the traditional Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) thats been in place for decades, Kapp explained but instead of only a cardiologist or radiologist reading the results, AI analyzes them.

"The AI can see exactly how much plaque is there and whether its calcified (stable) or uncalcified (high risk) things humans cant see," Kapp said.

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Uncalcified plaque is the newer, softer kind that is more prone to rupture, Kapp explained.

Beyond pinpointing signs of risk, the test also provides a pathway for people to reverse heart disease, he added.

The company's AI coronary artery scan offers a non-invasive alternative to a standard "cath lab," a more expensive procedure that involves inserting a catheter into the artery, Kapp said.

The medical technology company Fountain Life aims to catch pre-symptomatic conditions using the power of artificial intelligence. (Fountain Life)

Currently, Fountain Healths AI health services are available to self-insured employers, who then offer them to their employees, as well as high-end residential centers.

The company aims to partner eventually with physicians to make the technology even more widely available to patients.

Fountain Life was founded in 2021. Its goal is changing the health care paradigm from "episodic and reactive" to "proactive and continuous," according to Kapp.

The AI artery scanner (pictured here) provides a complete picture of artery health, including the amount of plaque that has built up, the CEO told Fox News Digital. (Fountain Life)

"In medical school, were not taught how to keep people healthy were taught to treat the symptoms," he told Fox News Digital.

"Eighty percent of what we treat is chronic disease."

Most diseases dont become symptomatic until theyre in the later stages, Kapp explained.

"In medical school, were not taught how to keep people healthy were taught to treat the symptoms."

"People dont develop diabetes or heart disease overnight," he said.

"To get early-stage biomarkers, we need to train AI on asymptomatic data, so we can detect disease early and monitor progression or regression."

Fountain Health has gathered a group of functional doctors to help them train the artificial intelligence model on asymptomatic conditions.

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"Sometimes the AI has a tendency to hallucinate in medical applications, so its important that its trained on very large data sets," Kapp said.

In addition to the heart scan, the company also offers a full-body MRI that takes a snapshot of the entire body and brain, then applies AI technology to check for cancer, neurogenerative diseases or any other abnormalities.

In addition to the heart scan, the company also offers a full-body MRI (pictured) that takes a snapshot of the entire body and brain, then applies AI technology to check for cancer, neurogenerative diseases or any other abnormalities. (Fountain Life)

Cardiologist Dr. Ernst von Schwarz, who practices in Culver City, California, said AI is "instrumental" in the use of body imaging techniques, especially for the early detection of plaques in the blood vessels as well as cancer diagnoses.

AI TECH AIMS TO HELP PATIENTS CATCH DISEASE EARLY, EVEN REVERSE THEIR BIOLOGICAL AGE

"From a cardiac point of view, the AI algorithm should not only demonstrate plaques that reduce the diameters of blood vessels, but also distinguish which plaque is prone to rupture (i.e., to detect unstable, vulnerable plaques)," he told Fox News Digital.

"If this technique can be sufficiently developed, it can clearly guide interventional treatment decisions for cardiologists before bad things are happening in the heart," the doctor added.

Raman Velu, a 62-year-old real estate investment consultant, led an active lifestyle and considered himself healthy but he had no idea that he was at risk of a heart attack until he got the AI coronary artery scan.

"I used to do half-marathons, I have a trainer and have always prioritized my health," said Dallas, Texas-based Velu in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

"It is life-saving, and it is a huge blessing and an unbelievable breakthrough."

Despite his perceived good health, Velu decided to get the scan after some people in his family discovered diseases when it was too late to save their lives.

"If we can measure and figure out in advance what's going on, we can be in control of our health," he said.

Soon after the scan, Velu received a phone call from Fountain Life. The "shocking" news was that he had three potential blockages in his arteries.

Nearly half of all heart attacks are "silent," which means the person experiences no symptoms at all before the cardiac event. (iStock)

After seeing his primary care physician and cardiologist, Velu ended up having bypass surgery a few weeks later.

Because Velu had no family history or symptoms, hednever suspected that he had a heart issue.

"I was glad that we found out in advance before it became an emergency," he said.

"Anything can happen to anybody," Velu continued. "Even triathlon runners are sometimes rushed to the hospital for emergency heart surgery."

HEART DISEASE, THE SILENT KILLER: STUDY SHOWS IT CAN STRIKE WITHOUT SYMPTOMS

If theres one word Velu would use to describe the experience, he said it would be "grateful."

He added, "It is life-saving, and it is a huge blessing and an unbelievable breakthrough in the use of technology for prevention."

Cardiologist Dr. Ernst von Schwarz, who practices in Culver City, California, said AI is "instrumental" in the use of body imaging techniques. (iStock)

"Usually, medicine is considered an attempt to just contain the effect rather than detecting it preventatively," he added.

Ultimately, Velu said he regards his AI scan as an investment in life.

Rather than replacing cardiologists, Fountain Lifes AI technology is intended to serve as a tool to help them get better at their craft, Kapp said.

He compared it to a jumbo jet that flies on autopilot, but still needs a skilled person to monitor it.

"There still has to be a human in the loop, just as there must be a pilot in the cockpit," he said.

AI-POWERED MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC TOOL COULD BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO PREDICT, TREAT DEPRESSION

There is a bit of a lag when it comes to understanding and adopting AI in health care, Kapp said something known as the "clinical latency gap."

"Most physicians are unaware of the technology," he said. "Were generally slow at adopting new tech and new info in medicine."

"Ultimately, we want to lower costs and improve outcomes so people can live long, robust, healthy lives."

A lot of that has to do with payment models, Kapp said. If insurance or Medicare doesnt cover a service, it will be more of a challenge to bring it into the mainstream.

The risk of the AI artery scan is minimal, Kapp said.

"It involves only low-dose radiation, the same amount as on a transatlantic flight," he said.

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People who have kidney issues should avoid the scans, as they might not be able to tolerate the dye injection.

Its also not advised for those who have already had stents placed in the heart after a previous cardiac event.

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"Ultimately, we want to lower costs and improve outcomes so people can live long, robust, healthy lives," Kapp said.

"The tech exists to detect problems very early and start to reverse them at a very low cost."

"We are never going to fix the existing health problems unless we address them at the root cause."

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AI heart scan aims to catch blockages years before symptoms: Unbelievable breakthrough - Fox News

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