Good Morning! Google takes the next step towards enhanced user privacy by announcing plans to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome by 2024, while OpenAI launches a $10 million fund to support research into safely aligning superintelligent AI systems with human values, and IARPA initiates an effort to identify hackers through static code analysis.

— Forrest Knight & Meghanadh Vasireddy

Google’s Plan to Finally End Cookies

Google has announced the next step in its plan to phase out third-party cookies, a move that is part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative. Starting January 4, 2024, Google will roll out the Tracking Protection feature in Chrome for 1% of global users, with plans to extend this to all users by the second half of 2024. This move aims to enhance user privacy by limiting cross-site tracking and user surveillance.

Google's decision to phase out third-party cookies has been met with mixed reactions. While it is seen as a step towards improving user privacy, critics argue that it could further consolidate Google's dominance in the online advertising market. Google's previous attempt to replace cookies with a system called Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) was scrapped due to industry backlash and regulatory scrutiny.

The phasing out of third-party cookies is expected to have significant implications for digital marketing, as these cookies have been used for years to serve users with personalized ads and smooth user experiences. However, Google has stated that first-party data will become more important as part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative.

Google's move comes amid growing concerns about privacy violations due to the vast amount of user data collected by the company. Other browsers, such as Safari, Firefox, and Brave, have already restricted third-party cookies for years. However, given that Chrome holds a significant share of the global browser market, Google's actions are likely to set a standard that others might be forced to follow.

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OpenAI's Superalignment Fast Grants: Funding Smart AI

OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence research lab, has announced the launch of the Superalignment Fast Grants, a $10 million fund aimed at supporting research into the alignment and safety of superintelligent AI systems. This initiative is part of OpenAI's broader Superalignment Project, which seeks to address the challenge of steering and trusting AI systems that are significantly more intelligent than humans.

The grants, ranging from $100,000 to $2 million, are available for academic labs, nonprofits, and individual researchers. Additionally, OpenAI is offering a one-year $150,000 fellowship for graduate students, with half of the funds allocated for research and the other half as a stipend. The application process is straightforward, and applicants can expect a response within four weeks of the application deadline.

The Superalignment Fast Grants are designed to fund a variety of research directions, including but not limited to honesty, chain-of-thought faithfulness, adversarial robustness, and evaluations and testbeds. Importantly, prior experience in alignment research is not a prerequisite, and OpenAI is actively seeking to support researchers who are new to this field.

The launch of this grant fund comes at a time when the potential for superintelligent AI systems is becoming increasingly apparent, and with it, the need for rigorous safety measures. As AI systems become more advanced and embedded in society, it becomes increasingly important to address and mitigate potential risks. OpenAI's initiative is a significant step towards ensuring that the development and deployment of superintelligent AI systems are safe, beneficial, and aligned with human values.

The deadline for applications is February 18th, 2024.

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IARPA's Breakthrough: Identifying Hackers Through Code Analysis

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), the leading federal research agency for the intelligence community, is studying methods to identify hackers based on the code they use in cyberattacks. This research aims to develop technologies that could expedite investigations for identifying cyberattack perpetrators.

The project, planned for 30 months, will not replace human analysts but will leverage artificial intelligence to make investigations more efficient. The research will focus on how analyzing code can reveal a hacker's identity, potentially indicating the specific countries where hackers might be from or even the university where they were trained.

Static Code Analysis, a technique often used in code reviews, will likely play a significant role in this research. This method attempts to highlight possible vulnerabilities within 'static' (non-running) source code by using techniques such as Taint Analysis and Data Flow Analysis.

The research is timely, given the increasing number of cyberattacks and the limited number of forensic experts available to investigate these attacks. The tools developed as part of this research project could help identify hackers who target small organizations or companies that don't fall under critical infrastructure sectors, who often escape identification.

IARPA is currently accepting pitches from researchers and plans to begin research next summer. This initiative marks a significant step forward in the fight against cybercrime, potentially providing crucial insights into the identities of hackers and helping to prevent future attacks.

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EU Set to Rule Against Apple in App Store Dispute with Spotify

In a significant development in the tech world, the European Union (EU) is set to rule against Apple Inc. in its ongoing App Store dispute with Spotify. The decision, expected in early 2024, could result in a hefty fine for Apple and a ban on certain App Store rules that have allegedly been used to hinder music-streaming rivals.

The conflict centers around Apple's "anti-steering" rules, which have been accused of preventing platforms like Spotify from promoting alternative methods of payment. This has led to increased costs for Spotify and other subscription-based services, as they have to cover the costs associated with appearing on the App Store.

The EU's decision follows a complaint from Spotify nearly four years ago, alleging that Apple's practices were forcing the music-streaming platform to raise prices. The EU reached a preliminary conclusion in 2021 that the App Store unfairly favored Apple Music over Spotify and other music streaming services.

The ruling could have far-reaching implications for the tech industry, potentially forcing Apple to change its business model. It's expected that Apple will be prohibited from preventing competitors like Spotify from directing users to outside payment methods. The fine could be as much as 10% of Apple's annual sales in the EU, although such penalties rarely reach that level.

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