E-Business
Prateek Suri, Maser CEO, Unveils Bold AI Projections for 2024: Navigating the Future of Consumer Electronics
Maser CEO, Prateek Suri, shares his predictions for the AI landscape in 2024.
Predictions for GenAI in Consumer Electronics: Navigating the Landscape in 2024
2024 marks a significant milestone for the consumer electronics industry as GenAI, a transformative force in artificial intelligence, begins its journey into the mainstream. Here are the key trends and predictions for this groundbreaking year:
- Skyrocketing GenAI Investments and the Reshaping of Consumer Electronics
The focal point of the battleground will revolve around the competition between ‘Open Source vs. proprietary models,’ causing a shift in the competitive landscape and the dynamics of IP protection. This has the potential to influence OpenAI’s position by late 2024 and Q2 2025.
The consumer electronics industry is on the cusp of a paradigm shift, fueled by the continued high investments in Generative AI (GenAI) startups. These investments, projected to surpass $50 billion by 2025, are driven by the immense potential of AI to reinvent how we interact with our devices. At the heart of this revolution lies the battle between two key model types:
Large Language Models (LLMs): These versatile, open-source models like Jurassic-1 Jumbo and Megatron-Turing NLG can generate text, translate languages, and write different kinds of creative content. Their strengths lie in their adaptability and accessibility, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of innovation.
Limited Model Markets (LMMs): Developed and owned by individual companies, LMMs are hyper-focused on specific tasks like speech recognition or image generation. While less versatile, they offer superior performance and tighter integration with hardware, making them ideal for consumer electronics applications.
This “Open Source vs. Proprietary” model clash will significantly impact the competitive landscape. Open-source LLMs empower smaller players to compete with established giants, democratizing access to cutting-edge AI technology.
However, LMMs, backed by vast R&D resources of large corporations, can offer more refined and optimized experiences, potentially creating walled gardens of exclusive features.
This dynamic will play out in exciting ways. Imagine smart speakers powered by LLMs that can hold nuanced conversations, adapting to your unique preferences and evolving over time through community contributions. Conversely, picture personalized fitness trackers with LMM-powered coaches delivering real-time training plans tailored to your biometrics and preferences.
Ultimately, the winners will be the consumers. The influx of GenAI investments will not only drive down prices but also lead to a wider range of intelligent devices catering to diverse needs and budgets. Whether it’s open-source LLMs fostering collaboration or proprietary LMMs pushing the boundaries of performance, the future of consumer electronics is undeniably AI-powered, and the possibilities are as limitless as our imagination.
- Sustainable Tech Winners:
Companies that manage to achieve revenue growth outpacing energy consumption evolution by 5 or 6 times will emerge as the true winners in the GenAI landscape. Balancing the benefits of AI adoption with energy efficiency will be crucial for sustained success.
- Mass Adoption of GenAI in Workstations:
GenAI is expected to witness mass adoption in workstations, either through software packages or opt-in features, influencing how individuals interact with technology in their daily lives.
- Reinvention of the Consumer Marketplace:
A promising start to a GenAI-fueled reinvention of the consumer marketplace is anticipated. This transformation will likely lead to innovative and personalized consumer experiences driven by AI.
One of the big smartphone makers launched a new generative artificial intelligence platform directly aimed at challenging ChatGPT, setting the stage for global rivalry in the evolution and leadership in the GenAI space.
- Advancements in Specialized LLMs:
Specialized Open Source Large Language Models (LLMs) will make significant strides in conversational voice, speech, videos, and connectivity. In 2024, it is foreseen that specialized Open Source Large Language Models (LLMs) will come to the forefront, demonstrating high-performance capabilities across diverse sectors such as Biology, Chemicals, Logistics, and Energy, acting as transformative catalysts.
Goldman Sachs, in an October report, revised its estimates, anticipating that generative artificial intelligence will make a more substantial contribution to the global gross domestic product in the next decade. The revised range is now expected to be between 10% and 15%, surpassing the previously estimated range of 7% to 13%.
Potential Threats:
- GenAI-Fueled Cybersecurity Attacks:
Voice of SecOps Report showed that 75% of security professionals witnessed an increase in attacks over the past 12 months, with 85% attributing this rise to bad actors using generative AI. The looming threat of impactful GenAI-fueled cybersecurity attacks requires heightened vigilance and robust security measures to safeguard against potential risks.
- BYOAI (Bring Your Own AI) Threat:
Companies should embrace a bottom-up approach to AI adoption at the edge, guiding it instead of obstructing it. Establishing an AI Center of Excellence serves as a framework to ensure that Bring Your Own AI (BYOAI) aligns with organizational goals and ethical considerations. Given the widespread integration of AI into smartphones and devices, the implementation of responsible data governance becomes imperative.
- Legal Challenges:
Legal battles over intellectual property rights would be on the increase, especially if GenAI systems incorporate patented technologies or if there are disputes regarding the ownership of algorithms, datasets, or specific functionalities. This may slow down GenAI deployment and could be worsened by politics with the 2024 US elections in sight.
At Maser, we are at the forefront of transformative programs aligned with these trends:
- Strategic Transformations: Unleashing the Business Impact of GenAI at Maser
We have chosen to cultivate proprietary generative AI models, driven by a strategic imperative to bolster security and privacy. Our decision is rooted in the intention to mitigate dependence on open-source models such as ChatGPT or Bard, aiming to safeguard sensitive information.
I expect this trend to persist among major corporations, conducting controlled experiments with internal generative AI platforms to enhance operational efficiency. These endeavors, though seemingly “small,” hold substantial value in shaping the trajectory of future generative AI applications.
- Maser’s GenAI Impact
In the cutthroat world of tech, I believe mere innovation isn’t enough. To truly dominate, we’re spearheading a silent revolution: building a proprietary AI platform fueled by curated datasets and governed by rigorous AI governance. This isn’t just about throwing money at algorithms; it’s about meticulous change management, ensuring every department embraces, understands, and utilizes this powerful tool. The result?
Unmatched quality and real-time reportage, empowering Maser to outmaneuver competitors at every turn. Imagine optimizing production lines with AI-powered predictive maintenance, crafting hyper-personalized marketing campaigns based on proprietary customer data, or even developing revolutionary new products, all within the secure confines of own AI ecosystem. This is the future Maser is building, brick by meticulously-governed brick, and it’s a future no competitor can afford to ignore.
- CorpGPT Innovation: Shaping Future Corporate AI
We aspire to deliver an all-encompassing mobile AI experience, merging on-device AI innovations from Maser and cloud-based AI through collaborative partnerships with industry leaders who share our vision. Our goal is to revolutionize users’ mobile interactions, providing a heightened sense of privacy assurance.
Maser is at the forefront of molding the GenAI enterprise platform, prioritizing privacy, interoperability, and maximizing value. Through the seamless integration of diverse datasets, adherence to transparent AI policies, and the establishment of a robust multi-cloud infrastructure, Maser is shaping the trajectory of AI evolution in the consumer electronics industry.
Federal government has announced its plans to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy among Nigerians by 2030, with a specific target of training and empowering at least 30 million citizens by 2027.
The announcement was made on Thursday at the grand finale of the Digital for All Challenge 2.0, an initiative of Tech4Dev funded by the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, NITDA, represented by Aristotle Onumo, director of Stakeholder Management at the agency, said that over 30 million Nigerians, particularly in rural areas, are being targeted for training, with digital champions deployed nationwide to facilitate the programme.
“We are integrating digital literacy into school curricula nationwide, from primary to university level, and partnering with the Head of Civil Service to make digital skills a requirement for civil service progression,” Onumo said.
He added that NITDA aims to achieve 70 percent digital literacy by 2027 as a foundation for reaching 95 percent by 2030.
Onumo called on stakeholders to work together, stressing that digital literacy is for everyone — the young, the old, the employed, job seekers, traders, civil servants, and others.
In her welcome remarks, Mrs. Oladiwura Oladepo, Co-Founder of Tech4Dev, described the initiative as a national movement to deepen digital knowledge and inclusion across all levels of society.
She noted that the programme has already impacted over one million Nigerians drawn from all six geopolitical zones.
Oladepo said the Digital for All Challenge 2.0 is not just a competition but a movement to unlock opportunities and close the digital divide for individuals, families, and the nation.
Representing the British High Commission, Mr. Idongesit Udo, Digital Access Programme Adviser, praised the initiative for creating opportunities for young Nigerians to compete globally, enabling civil servants to deliver better services, and helping children begin their digital journey early.
He highlighted the UK’s broader partnership with Nigeria, which includes initiatives in cybersecurity (Africa Cyber Programme), standardization (British Standards Institute), and entrepreneurship (UK-Nigeria Tech Hub), all aimed at fostering a thriving digital economy.
At the event, participants from all six geopolitical zones competed in various categories.
The first prize winner, Miracle Michael, received N15 million. The second prize went to Chinedu Arisa, who received N12.5 million, while Ismail Adam and Uluchi Chibueze received N10 million and N7.5 million respectively.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, minister of State for Labour and Employment, who presented the awards, commended the initiative for equipping Nigerian youth with future-ready skills.
She emphasised that digital literacy is vital not only for job creation but also for national development, and encouraged more young people to take part in programmes of this nature.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued an urgent security advisory, warning Nigerians of critical vulnerabilities in Google Chrome that could expose users to severe cyber threats.
The alert, posted on the Commission’s official X handle, underscores the risks of these flaws and calls for immediate action to safeguard personal devices and data.
According to the NDPC, the vulnerabilities could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on a user’s system, potentially granting unauthorised access to computers.
This could enable cybercriminals to install malicious programs, view, alter, or delete sensitive data, and even create new user accounts with full administrative rights.
Such breaches could disrupt device functionality, compromise personal information, and lead to significant loss of control over affected systems.
“Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Google Chrome. The most severe of these could allow an attacker to take over a user’s system,” the NDPC stated, emphasising the urgency of addressing the issue.
To mitigate these risks, the Commission has advised Chrome users to apply the latest browser updates immediately.
It also recommends operating devices with standard user rights instead of administrative privileges to limit potential damage. Additionally, the NDPC urged Nigerians to exercise caution by avoiding suspicious links, unsolicited attachments, and untrusted websites.
The advisory comes as part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen data protection.
Microsoft said on Tuesday that it seized nearly 340 websites tied to a rapidly growing Nigerian-based service that allowed users to carry out phishing operations that stole at least 5,000 Microsoft user credentials.
Microsoft obtained an order from the U.S. District Court in Manhattan earlier this month to seize domains associated with Raccoon0365, the subscription service that allowed users to carry out massive phishing campaigns, which sometimes involved thousands of emails at a time, according to Steven Masada, assistant general counsel for Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit.
Raccoon0365’s service, which operates through a private Telegram channel with more than 850 subscribers, enables users to impersonate trusted brands and get targets to enter Microsoft login credentials on phony Microsoft login pages, Masada said in a blog posted on Microsoft’s website.
The service has generated for its small group of operators at least $100,000 in cryptocurrency payments since launching in July 2024, Masada said in the blog. Microsoft said the seizure of the websites occurred over a period of days earlier this month.
Microsoft identified Nigeria-based Joshua Ogundipe as the leader and main operator of Raccoon0365.
Ogundipe did not immediately respond to an email request for comment sent to the email address identified by Microsoft in its court filing.
“Cybercriminals don’t need to be sophisticated to cause widespread harm,” Masada said. “Simple tools like Raccoon0365 make cybercrime accessible to virtually anyone, putting millions of users at risk.”
Raccoon0365 subscribers have targeted a wide swath of industries, Masada said, and separate court filings allege that “a significant portion” of Raccoon0365 activity targets organizations based in New York City.
Masada said Microsoft identified what it said was a Raccoon0365-related effort using tax-themed phishing emails to target more than 2,300 organizations, mostly in the U.S., between February 12 and February 28 this year, according to a company blog posted in April.
Errol Weiss, chief security officer of the Health Information Sharing & Analysis Center (Health-ISAC), which provides cybersecurity services to member health organizations and is a co-plaintiff alongside Microsoft, said Raccoon0365 has been linked to successful credential harvesting through phishing campaigns at at least five unnamed healthcare organizations, while targeting 25 health sector organizations overall. Once hackers gain that access, any number of things can happen, Weiss said.
“So many of the attacks start because somebody gave up their user name and password to a bad guy,” Weiss said in an interview. “Once that cybercriminal has access to the network, then it’s just up to the imagination in terms of what comes next and how they monetize it.”
The Raccoon0365 operators used services provided by Cloudflare to help hide the service’s backend infrastructure, the internet services firm said in its own blog post. Cloudflare worked with Microsoft and the U.S. Secret Service to disrupt Raccoon0365 operations on its platform and prevent the operators from establishing new accounts, the company said.
Blake Darché, the head of threat intelligence at Cloudflare, said in an interview that the Raccoon0365 operators made some key operational security mistakes but were highly effective.
“They’re in people’s accounts, they compromise lots of people, and it needs to obviously be stopped,” he said.
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