5 things about AI you may have missed today: Google AI beats doctors, AI investment hit by surge in layoffs, more

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Tech industry faces layoffs surge amidst billions in AI investments; Google's AI outperforms doctors in diagnostic conversations; Executives exercise caution in gen AI investments amid societal pressures; SK telecom eyes global AI dominance through tech collaborations- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look.

The tech industry, amid a surge in AI investments, is witnessing a wave of layoffs, surpassing 5,500 job cuts in the first two weeks of 2024. Google, Amazon, Discord, Unity Software, and Duolingo are among the companies reducing staff, with AI investments often cited as a reason. The ongoing labour upheaval suggests potential unrest as AI reshapes the business landscape in the coming years. In 2023, 262,682 tech layoffs were recorded, following 164,969 in the previous year, according to a CNN business report. 

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Google's experimental AI, Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer (AMIE), outperforms human doctors in diagnostic dialogue, demonstrating superior accuracy in assessing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Trained on simulated patient interviews, the AI, based on Google's large language model, matches physicians in information acquisition and excels in empathy. While cautious about its clinical use, researchers suggest AMIE could potentially democratise healthcare, emphasising the complementary role of AI to, not a replacement for, human interactions in medicine, Nature reported. 

Amid societal pressures for responsible AI use, 72 percent of executives exhibit caution in generative AI investments, as revealed in a recent Accenture pulse survey. Concerns over policy issues, accuracy, and low initial ROI contribute to the decision to slow planned