Tech Radar: Mozilla.ai, not another chatbot Interviewed by Chiara Castro https://www.techradar.com/vpn/mozillaai-not-another-chatbot The non-profit behind Firefox has invested $30M to help build a safer AI

POLITICO: How to Rebuild the Internet Interviewed by Derek Robertson https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily/2023/03/15/how-to-rebuild-the-internet-00087254 The most dangerous trap that we can set for ourselves is saying that we have to do things because it’s the way we’ve always done them. This is a key moment, and I want as many people as possible to question that as we learn about these new technologies. The software that’s creating these virtual worlds is giving us the ability to try new things and say actually, “You know what, I liked that better. I liked that version of me better.”

Columbia University: The Ethics of Using Generative AI in Business: A Lesson for Leaders to Exercise Caution https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/newsroom/newsn/14040/the-ethics-of-using-generative-ai-in-business-a-lesson-for-leaders-to-exercise-caution Today’s business leaders need to understand the ethical implications and tradeoffs of using ChatGPT and other widely available AI tools. Artificial intelligence is developed using machine learning, a way of teaching computing systems to identify patterns based on large-scale training data sets, and companies often keep their training data and models private to maintain a competitive edge. However, without transparency into training sets, ethical challenges related to the sourcing and usage of content are introduced. Algorithmic bias that replicates sexist and racist ideologies can be found in many machine-learning models, including those that power ChatGPT, yet leaders are racing to produce AI-assisted content.

OpenSource.com: Building the Metaverse with Open Source Technology https://opensource.com/article/22/6/open-source-metaverse Some tenets associated with the concept of the metaverse and virtual worlds are familiar through the traditional web, including identity systems, communication protocols, social networks, and online economies. Other elements, though, are newer. The metaverse is already starting to see a proliferation of 3D environments (often created and shared by users), the use of digital bodies, or “avatars”, and the incorporation of virtual and augmented reality technology.

Mozilla Blog: Product Manager Liv Erickson on Building Inclusive Social Technology for Impact Interviewed by the Mozilla Careers team https://blog.mozilla.org/careers/product-manager-liv-erickson-on-building-inclusive-social-technology-for-impact/ The pace of change can be a challenge for anyone working in immersive technology. There are still so many unknowns about how people will use new virtual or augmented reality devices and how they might find ways around the applications we build. Best practices for shared 3D environments are still being developed. But personally, I like that—because there’s always something new to think about. We get to grapple with everything it means to share a virtual space.

VRScout: It’s Time To Develop A Consent Framework For Virtual Beings https://vrscout.com/news/consent-framework-for-virtual-beings/ Technological advancements mean that we are rapidly approaching a time when artificial agents will be indistinguishable from that of human beings. For some, this marks an opportunity to breathe life into dynamic worlds with new creatures – artificially intelligent beings make excellent virtual pets.