Big Bugs of the Week - Jan 8, 2024
Rare Bug, Indeed
The New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft late in 2023 claiming that they violated intellectual property laws by consuming content for training purposes, they otherwise did not have the copyright to. OpenAI's argument is that a bot can read the content available by the news outlet and use it as 'learning' data, similar to how a human would access the content that is publicly accessible (or if paid for since much of NYT's content is behind a paywall). OpenAI may have an argument here except for the fact that “regurgitation,” or spitting out entire “memorized” parts of specific pieces of content or articles, “is a rare bug that we are working to drive to zero.”
This rare bug could cost OpenAI significantly since the NYT are claiming that this copyright infringement would hold both Microsoft and OpenAI accountable for "billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages".
To the Moon and Back - or Not
A company (Astrobotic Technology) in Pittsburgh built a lunar lander they dubbed "Peregrine" and targeted a moon mission that was financed by NASA. This was the first NASA-financed commercial mission and they relied on the startup company to provide the lander to conduct science experiments to lower costs. They stated they are willing to take greater risks in exchange for the lower costs.
Well, it cost them with this mission as the lunar lander had trouble with keeping its solar panels pointed at the sun. Since the sun's energy was used to generate power for the propulsion system, the loss of fuel rendered the mission incomplete.
I Can't Hear You
Switching to the automotive sector, BMW initiated a recall of close to 5,000 units of its new i5 EV. A fault in the software has the potential to limit the necessary sound production thereby showing a non-compliance with the minimum sound requirements for Evs. The fault found in the vehicle's external artificial sound generator control unit can cause the i5 not to emit the necessary sound it and therefore approaches without enough sound to "warn" any pedestrians.
Not to get down on Evs but V8 ICE engines would never be accused of sneaking up on anyone.
