SnapChat Snaps ChatGPT for Your AI – And China’s Lessons on Launching AI Startups

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February 27, 2023

ChatGPT is taking over the whole ecosystem as Snap integrates the system within its SnapChat service: ‘Snapchat+ subscribers can now have “friendly” conversations with a bot called My AI, the social media company announced Monday. Powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, My AI is essentially a simplified “mobile-friendly” version of the viral chatbot’. Indeed, for ChatGPT, using well established ecosystems will help it improve and refine its model – and that is the reason its playbook is just great. By working with Microsoft and now Snap, it will have tons of data to stay ahead of the competition.

For African startups, this is a massive learning as innovators and founders begin to explore AI-anchored business models. Over the last few quarters, I have been studying why Chinese AI-based companies seem to do well, and one of the things I have learnt is this: besides creating nice algorithms, they raise huge amount of money, and launch big, and by doing that big-scale launch, they accumulate tons of data quickly, to rapidly improve their models, and stay relevant.

Take for example, Temu, a new AI-anchored ecommerce company, they spent close to $5 million on a Super Bowl advert. And they are blanketing the whole digital America with ads. Why? If the business of shopping is going to be powered by AI, you need data to make sure those AI systems work well. So, to do that, they have to overcome the lack of data inertia and that comes by spending huge at launch.

{Hamlet by Shakespeare}

Lord Polonius: “What do you read, my lord?”
Hamlet: “Words, words, words”.

{AI Business Model}

Advisor: Got the code, now, what do you need to thrive?
Founder: Data, data, data

Snapchat+ subscribers can now have “friendly” conversations with a bot called My AI, the social media company announced Monday. Powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, My AI is essentially a simplified “mobile-friendly” version of the viral chatbot, writes The Verge. So what’s the draw? Just as ChatGPT’s interactions with users help hone its language model, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel suggests humans could use some practice too. “We’re going to talk to AI every day,” he says. “And this is something we’re well positioned to do as a messaging service.”

My AI can also “plan a hiking trip for a long weekend, suggest a recipe for dinner, or even write a haiku about cheese for your cheddar-obsessed pal,” Snap claims.

Also on Monday, Meta announced the creation of a new product group focusing on generative AI tools for WhatsApp and Instagram.

Nigeria 2023 Election: ex-President Obasanjo’s Option

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Ndubuisi Ekekwe

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February 27, 2023

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I listened to BBC Newshour (radio) today and the analysis was brutal: Nigeria lost a moment to demonstrate that it could be regarded as a serious country. At the United States National Public Radio (Virginia air), they were not happy, and wondered aloud how history will see President Buhari. During BBC World Service, the reporter from Lagos could not explain how results could not be uploaded after “48 hours” after they had been used to call Senate and House. Indeed, in my state of Abia State, we know the Senator and House Rep winners (in my district), but yet, INEC claims that Abia State is not ready. How?

Ex-president Obasanjo has a message: “If the Chairman can postpone elections four days to the election, he can do everything to rectify the errors of the last two days: no BVAS, no result to be acceptable; and no upload through Server, no result to be acceptable. Where BVAS and Servers have been manipulated or rendered inactive, such results must be declared void and inadmissible for election declaration.”

In summary, in all areas where BVAS did not work, redo elections in those areas on Saturday. For areas where they worked, keep those results. That should not be hard to execute by INEC.

Obasanjo’s full statement

Nigerian Brothers and Sisters, greetings to you all.

“I am constrained to speak at this point

“I crave the indulgence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency General Muhammadu Buhari, to make this statement because I have had the opportunity to keep him aware of what I know is happening and the danger looming ahead.

“On many occasions in the past, I have not hesitated to point out lacuna in the actions of the President and his government. But as far as the election issues are concerned, the President has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he will want to leave a legacy of free, fair transparent and credible elections.

“Until last Saturday night, February 25, 2023, the good and noble plan and preparation for the elections seemed to be going well. For the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a lot of money was spent to introduce Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and the Server for immediate transmission of results from polling units.

“It is no secret that INEC officials, at operational level, have been allegedly compromised to make what should have worked not to work and to revert to manual transmission of results which is manipulated and the results doctored.

“The Chairman of INEC may claim ignorance but he cannot fold his hands and do nothing when he knows that the election process has been corrupted and most of the results that are brought outside BVAS and Server are not true reflection of the will of Nigerians who have made their individual choice. At this stage, we do not need wittingly or unwittingly to set this country on fire with the greed, irresponsibility and unpatriotic acts of those who allegedly gave money to INEC officials for perversion and those who collected the blood money.

“Let me appeal to the Chairman of INEC, if his hands are clean, to save Nigeria from the looming danger and disaster which is just waiting to happen.

If the Chairman can postpone elections four days to the election, he can do everything to rectify the errors of the last two days: no BVAS, no result to be acceptable; and no upload through Server, no result to be acceptable.

“Where BVAS and Servers have been manipulated or rendered inactive, such results must be declared void and inadmissible for election declaration.

“Chairman INEC, I have thought that you would use this opportunity to mend your reputation and character for posterity.

“Your Excellency, President Buhari Muhammadu, tension is building up and please let all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test be cancelled and be brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, and BVAS and Server officials be changed. “To know which stations or polling units were manipulated, let a Committee of INEC staff and representatives of the four major political parties with the Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association look into what must be done to have hitch-free elections next Saturday. Mr. President, may your plan and hope for leaving a legacy of free, fair, transparent and credible election be realized.

“Mr. President, please don’t let anybody say to you that it does not matter or it is the problem of INEC. On no account should you be seen as part of the collusion or compromise. When the die is cast, it will be your problem and that of the nation. The Chairman of INEC may sneak out of the country or go back to his ivory tower. Your Excellency, thank you for hearing me out.

“Compatriot Nigerians, please exercise patience until the wrong is righted. I strongly believe that nobody will toy with the future and fortune of Nigeria at this juncture.

“Long live Nigeria in peace, security, stability and in the hope for a greater future.”

Nigeria Election Results: Obasanjo Writes Buhari, Asks Him to “cancel all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test”

By

Samuel Nwite

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February 27, 2023

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Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has joined growing voices condemning the conduct of the February 25, House of Reps, senatorial and presidential election.

In a letter titled, “An Appeal For Caution And Rectification”, addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, Obasanjo highlighted some of the irregularities that have characterized the electoral exercise.

The former president said the election, which has been marred by violence, disenfranchisement, voter intimidation and result manipulation among others, is being conducted by corrupt officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who allegedly took bribe to rig the election for politicians.

He said the election process has been corrupted and most of the results that are brought outside the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and Server are not true reflection of the will of Nigerians who have made their individual choice.

The former president said it is no secret that INEC officials, at operational level, have been allegedly compromised to make what should have worked not to work and to revert to manual transmission of results which is manipulated and the results doctored.

Obasanjo, who became president following Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 and led the country for eight years, said Buhari and the INEC Chairman Mamood Yakubu need to act to save the country from implosion.

He asked Buhari to cancel all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test and have them brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, and have their BVAS and Server officials changed.

Read his full statement below: