5 things about AI you may have missed today: Iran’s new AI move, AI job loss and more

The AI world is in turmoil again. Iran has proposed a harsh hijab law along with a long jail term and AI surveillance; 22-year-old claims AI caused 90% income drop, stole her job; study suggests AI could predict future pandemics - this and more in our daily AI roundup. Let us take a look.

1. Iran proposes harsh hijab law with long jail terms and AI surveillance

Iranian authorities are proposing a harsh new hijab law, with longer jail terms for women not wearing the veil, tough penalties for rule-breaking celebrities and businesses, and AI surveillance to identify violators. The 70-article draft has experts fearing the regime's unwavering stance despite major protests last year. The Bill, pending approval, could be voted on in the next two months, CNN reported.

2. AI could predict future pandemics, study suggests

Scientists have developed an AI application called the early warning anomaly detection (EWAD) system, which accurately predicts dangerous variants in future pandemics. Tested with SARS-CoV-2 data, it spotted emerging variants by analyzing genetic sequences, infection rates, and mortality rates. The AI's potential to warn about new variants could be crucial in preventing and mitigating future pandemics, according to a Sciencealert report.

3. A.I.-Generated Guidebooks: New frontier for travel scammers

Travel scammers are using AI-generated guidebooks on Amazon, tricking buyers with fake positive reviews. Shoddy guides, compiled with AI and plagiarized content, have surged recently. Victims receive copies full of vague information. With the mix of AI apps, self-publishing platforms, and fake reviews, this scam highlights the need for stricter regulations to combat fraudulent practices on online platforms, The New York Times reported.

4. AI helps discover new molecules for age-related diseases

University of Edinburgh researchers have harnessed AI and machine learning to find potential senolytic molecules for age-related diseases, according to a Fagen Wasanni report. Senolytics combat aging by targeting damaged cells that cause inflammation. The team trained an AI model to distinguish between known senolytics and non-senolytics, allowing it to predict promising molecules from a pool of 4,340. Testing revealed three effective senolytics that selectively eliminated aging cells.

5. Growing bubble fears as every start-up becomes an AI company

UBS report praised AI start-up OpenAI's ChatGPT for rapid user growth, projected to reach 100 million monthly users in three months. However, the figure was based on website visits, not official active user data. The report sparked an AI fever in Silicon Valley, with tech giants rushing to develop their chatbots. But the profitability and sustainability of generative AI remain uncertain due to high costs and usage fluctuations.