OLDaily

Stable Diffusion Brings Local AI Art Generation to Your PC
Corbin Davenport, How-To Geek, 2022/09/06

This is another of the AI-powered image generators. The difference between this and others is that this is available as open source code that you can download and run on your own computer. This article explains how. However, you need a powerful computer to run it; I tried using my Alienware and got an out-of-memory error (I tried searching around to find out how to fix this but wasn't able to find anything; in theory I should be able to alter some parameters, but I had no success) (if anyone has any useful tips I'm all ears). According to the article, "There's also an in-development plugin for generating images from inside Photoshop, and web-based versions are already popping up."

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How an award-winning AI film was brought to life by text-to-video generation
Thomas Macaulay, The Next Web, 2022/09/06

I have in the past raised the possibility of AI-generated learning resources that could be created (and disposed of) on an as-needed basis. This would render much of the discussion about resource licensing moot, though it creates a whole range of issues about access to the technology and eights over the data and resources the AI would use (as has already happened with image-generating AIs). Anyhow, this article described what such a system might look at, as it describes an AI that generates a quality video as a result of text-based input. I can imagine using such a system with my Anticosti resources and simply describing the narrative I would like the videos to follow.

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The Collusion Toward Moral Mediocrity
Eric Schwitzgebel, The Splintered Mind, 2022/09/06

You wouldn't think there were good grounds for actively discouraging ethical behaviour, but where there's a will, there's a way. "When someone you regard as a peer sacrifices for an ethical cause," writes Eric Schwitzgebel, "it creates an ethical threat... most people appear to aim for moral mediocrity.  They aim not to be good or bad by absolute standards, but rather to be approximately as morally good as their peers." He reaches this conclusion by analogy with the education system, where students discourage high achievement by their peers because it makes them look bad in comparison. I think there's more to it than this, though there's certainly an anti-achievement sentiment in some educational environments.

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Our education system is not setting up students for success
Henry A. J. Ramos, Eric C. Abrams, Hechinger Report, 2022/09/06

I think the more relevant question here would be to ask what would set up students for success, particularly in a rapidly changing technological environment and in a socio-economic environment generally stacked against them (though, as 'students' who can pay tuition, they're probably doing better than most). But whatever: in this case the author recommends "investments in civics and history instruction, bolstered by an emphasis on critical thinking skills." That might perhaps make them better voters (something perhaps required in the U.S. right now) but I think most people would agree that success requires somewhat more.

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5th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education
David Atchoarena, et al., UNESCO, 2022/09/06

This report (180 page PDF) from UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning has two distinct parts. The first part is a review of the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE), which the final monitoring report on the Belém Framework for Action (BFA). The second and more important part is a "discussion of citizenship, its components, its relevance to ALE and intersection with global challenges." Active citizenship, according to the report, combines engagement with social issues such as poverty and leading a decent life in terms of things like health and well-being (see page 113). Overall, the objective is to "to help people of all ages better understand the interconnected world in which we live and the complexities of the global challenges we face, empowering them develop the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to address these challenges effectively" (p.161).

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Beijing will regulate ‘digital humans’ in the metaverse and beyond
Meaghan Tobin, Rest of World, 2022/09/06

According to this article, "The new action plan, called the Beijing Action Plan for Promoting the Innovation and Development of the Digital Human Industry, is the first of its kind." It is intended to regulate software that performs the functions normally associated with a human. "It's not as far-fetched as it might sound... virtual influencers have emerged as a new form of celebrity, marketing agencies and entertainment companies have invested in developing digital personalities as controllable alternatives to real stars." Digital agents and digital tutors aren't far behind.

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