NEWS
Google Knowledge Panel Shows Wrong Man as Serial Killer via @sejournal, @martinibuster
Hacker News was buzzing with because of a report that Google was showing the image of an innocent man in a Knowledge Panel about a notorious serial killer and rapist. The subject of the wrong image wrote a blog post about his experience and a lively discussion about how unreliable Google’s Knowledge Panel is ensued.
Google’s Knowledge Panel published the following entry with an innocent man’s face:
“Hristo Bogdanov Georgiev, also known as The Sadist, was a Bulgarian rapist and serial killer who murdered five people, mainly women, between 1974 and 1980.”
Google Knowledge Panel and Authoritative Sources
The Knowledge Panel is a feature that provides immediate information about entities (people, places and things). Google typically sources the information from authoritative sites about celebrities and user-vetted websites like Wikipedia.
Google might even set up a direct relationship with authoritative sites to show their data in the search results.
Knowledge Panel Images Not Always Authoritative
Although the textual information is strictly controlled, it appears that Google’s image information is not as rigorously controlled for quality.
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According to Google’s help page about Knowledge Panels:
“Images that appear in the knowledge panel can come from several sources. One source is those individuals that have claimed their knowledge panels and selected a featured image from images available on the web.
Other images (especially when there is a collection of multiple images) are a preview of Google Images results for the entity and are automatically sourced from across the web.”
The fact that Google uses images from across the web, with apparently less strict quality control, may account for why the images were mixed up.
Both the serial killer and the innocent man in the serial killer Knowledge Panel are natives to Bulgaria, although the innocent man currently works in Switzerland.
It’s possible that the algorithm matched the innocent man’s image to the serial killer because their names matched and they were both from Bulgaria.
So the algorithm determined that this was a possible match for a search for this particular name.
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Man Tweets About Terrible Mix-up
A man in Switzerland named Hristo Georgiev wrote a blog post relating that a former colleague emailed him to let him know that Google was showing an image of his face within a Knowledge Graph for a search query for a man with the same name who was a notorious Bulgarian serial killer.
He wrote:
“I quickly popped out my browser, opened Google and typed in my name. And indeed, my photo appeared over a description of a Bulgarian serial killer.”
He went on to post a tweet about it.
“Seems like Google falsely associated a photo of mine with a Wikipedia article of a serial killer. I don’t know if this is hilarious or terrifying.”
Seems like Google falsely associated a photo of mine with a Wikipedia article of a serial killer. I don’t know if this is hilarious or terrifying. pic.twitter.com/rmAL7uQYy4
— Hristo Georgiev (@hggeorgievcom) June 24, 2021
The innocent mans initial reaction was that he was the victim of a prank. He expressed confusion of why this would happen to him because his name was a common one.
“…my name isn’t special or unique at all; there are literally hundreds of other people with my name, and despite of all that, my personal photo ended up being associated with a serial killer.”
He wrote that he filed a report with Google about the incorrect Knowledge Panel.
A staff software engineer on Google’s Chrome team tweeted seven hours after the initial tweet about the issue that he understands that Google was in the process of handling the problem.
“hey, sorry about this. FWIU this is being handled.
(I don’t represent Google in my tweets)”
hey, sorry about this. FWIU this is being handled.
(I don’t represent Google in my tweets)
— Nodir 🚫🦌 (@nodirt_) June 25, 2021
Fake News, Cancel Culture and Career Impacts
It was just a few years ago that Google’s Knowledge Panel proclaimed a Battlestar Galactica actor, Paul Campbell to be deceased even though he was very much alive, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
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But apparently a casting director communicated to the actors agent that he thought the actor had died.
While the innocent man in this situation took it all in stride, he did pause to reflect on how these kinds of incidents can have a negative impact.
He wrote:
“…the fact that an algorithm that’s used by billions of people can so easily bend information in such ways is truly terrifying.”
Citations
Blog Post from Subject of Knowledge Panel Error
Google Turned Me into a Serial Killer
Hacker News
Google Turned Me into a Serial Killer
Google Knowledge Panel Help Page
NEWS
OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models
OpenAI has today announced the release of fine-tuning capabilities for its flagship GPT-4 large language model, marking a significant milestone in the AI landscape. This new functionality empowers developers to create tailored versions of GPT-4 to suit specialized use cases, enhancing the model’s utility across various industries.
Fine-tuning has long been a desired feature for developers who require more control over AI behavior, and with this update, OpenAI delivers on that demand. The ability to fine-tune GPT-4 allows businesses and developers to refine the model’s responses to better align with specific requirements, whether for customer service, content generation, technical support, or other unique applications.
Why Fine-Tuning Matters
GPT-4 is a very flexible model that can handle many different tasks. However, some businesses and developers need more specialized AI that matches their specific language, style, and needs. Fine-tuning helps with this by letting them adjust GPT-4 using custom data. For example, companies can train a fine-tuned model to keep a consistent brand tone or focus on industry-specific language.
Fine-tuning also offers improvements in areas like response accuracy and context comprehension. For use cases where nuanced understanding or specialized knowledge is crucial, this can be a game-changer. Models can be taught to better grasp intricate details, improving their effectiveness in sectors such as legal analysis, medical advice, or technical writing.
Key Features of GPT-4 Fine-Tuning
The fine-tuning process leverages OpenAI’s established tools, but now it is optimized for GPT-4’s advanced architecture. Notable features include:
- Enhanced Customization: Developers can precisely influence the model’s behavior and knowledge base.
- Consistency in Output: Fine-tuned models can be made to maintain consistent formatting, tone, or responses, essential for professional applications.
- Higher Efficiency: Compared to training models from scratch, fine-tuning GPT-4 allows organizations to deploy sophisticated AI with reduced time and computational cost.
Additionally, OpenAI has emphasized ease of use with this feature. The fine-tuning workflow is designed to be accessible even to teams with limited AI experience, reducing barriers to customization. For more advanced users, OpenAI provides granular control options to achieve highly specialized outputs.
Implications for the Future
The launch of fine-tuning capabilities for GPT-4 signals a broader shift toward more user-centric AI development. As businesses increasingly adopt AI, the demand for models that can cater to specific business needs, without compromising on performance, will continue to grow. OpenAI’s move positions GPT-4 as a flexible and adaptable tool that can be refined to deliver optimal value in any given scenario.
By offering fine-tuning, OpenAI not only enhances GPT-4’s appeal but also reinforces the model’s role as a leading AI solution across diverse sectors. From startups seeking to automate niche tasks to large enterprises looking to scale intelligent systems, GPT-4’s fine-tuning capability provides a powerful resource for driving innovation.
OpenAI announced that fine-tuning GPT-4o will cost $25 for every million tokens used during training. After the model is set up, it will cost $3.75 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. To help developers get started, OpenAI is offering 1 million free training tokens per day for GPT-4o and 2 million free tokens per day for GPT-4o mini until September 23. This makes it easier for developers to try out the fine-tuning service.
As AI continues to evolve, OpenAI’s focus on customization and adaptability with GPT-4 represents a critical step in making advanced AI accessible, scalable, and more aligned with real-world applications. This new capability is expected to accelerate the adoption of AI across industries, creating a new wave of AI-driven solutions tailored to specific challenges and opportunities.
This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update
Here’s what happened in the world of Google and search engines this week:
1. Google’s June 2024 Spam Update
Google finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update over a period of seven days. This update aims to reduce spammy content in search results.
2. Changes to Google Search Interface
Google has removed the continuous scroll feature for search results. Instead, it’s back to the old system of pages.
3. New Features and Tests
- Link Cards: Google is testing link cards at the top of AI-generated overviews.
- Health Overviews: There are more AI-generated health overviews showing up in search results.
- Local Panels: Google is testing AI overviews in local information panels.
4. Search Rankings and Quality
- Improving Rankings: Google said it can improve its search ranking system but will only do so on a large scale.
- Measuring Quality: Google’s Elizabeth Tucker shared how they measure search quality.
5. Advice for Content Creators
- Brand Names in Reviews: Google advises not to avoid mentioning brand names in review content.
- Fixing 404 Pages: Google explained when it’s important to fix 404 error pages.
6. New Search Features in Google Chrome
Google Chrome for mobile devices has added several new search features to enhance user experience.
7. New Tests and Features in Google Search
- Credit Card Widget: Google is testing a new widget for credit card information in search results.
- Sliding Search Results: When making a new search query, the results might slide to the right.
8. Bing’s New Feature
Bing is now using AI to write “People Also Ask” questions in search results.
9. Local Search Ranking Factors
Menu items and popular times might be factors that influence local search rankings on Google.
10. Google Ads Updates
- Query Matching and Brand Controls: Google Ads updated its query matching and brand controls, and advertisers are happy with these changes.
- Lead Credits: Google will automate lead credits for Local Service Ads. Google says this is a good change, but some advertisers are worried.
- tROAS Insights Box: Google Ads is testing a new insights box for tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend) in Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
- WordPress Tag Code: There is a new conversion code for Google Ads on WordPress sites.
These updates highlight how Google and other search engines are continuously evolving to improve user experience and provide better advertising tools.
Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again
Uppdated: It seems that today’s issues with Facebook haven’t affected as many users as the last time. A smaller group of people appears to be impacted this time around, which is a relief compared to the larger incident before. Nevertheless, it’s still frustrating for those affected, and hopefully, the issues will be resolved soon by the Facebook team.
Facebook had another problem today (March 20, 2024). According to Downdetector, a website that shows when other websites are not working, many people had trouble using Facebook.
This isn’t the first time Facebook has had issues. Just a little while ago, there was another problem that stopped people from using the site. Today, when people tried to use Facebook, it didn’t work like it should. People couldn’t see their friends’ posts, and sometimes the website wouldn’t even load.
Downdetector, which watches out for problems on websites, showed that lots of people were having trouble with Facebook. People from all over the world said they couldn’t use the site, and they were not happy about it.
When websites like Facebook have problems, it affects a lot of people. It’s not just about not being able to see posts or chat with friends. It can also impact businesses that use Facebook to reach customers.
Since Facebook owns Messenger and Instagram, the problems with Facebook also meant that people had trouble using these apps. It made the situation even more frustrating for many users, who rely on these apps to stay connected with others.
During this recent problem, one thing is obvious: the internet is always changing, and even big websites like Facebook can have problems. While people wait for Facebook to fix the issue, it shows us how easily things online can go wrong. It’s a good reminder that we should have backup plans for staying connected online, just in case something like this happens again.
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