Good Morning! OpenAI introduced a Model Spec outlining desired behaviors and guidelines for its AI models like ChatGPT. Microsoft plans to launch a web-based mobile app store in July, bypassing restrictions of major app stores. UniSuper and Google Cloud faced a major outage due to an accidental misconfiguration that deleted UniSuper's entire cloud subscription, leading to a week-long recovery effort.

— Forrest Knight & Meghanadh Vasireddy

OpenAI introduces Model Spec

OpenAI has been working on shaping how its AI models like ChatGPT and the OpenAI API should behave in a responsible way. As part of this, they just released the first draft of something called the "Model Spec" document.

So what is this Model Spec? It outlines the desired behaviors and guidelines OpenAI wants its AI models to follow. A few key things it covers:

• High-level objectives like assisting users, doing good for humanity, and making sure the AI reflects positively on OpenAI.

• Clear rules and instructions, for example complying with laws, protecting people's privacy, and not giving inappropriate or unsafe responses.

• Default guidelines on things like assuming the user has good intentions, asking for clarification when needed, and being as helpful as possible without going too far.

The plan is for this Model Spec to guide OpenAI's work on reinforcement learning - using human feedback to train the AI models on the desired behaviors. They also want to explore having the models directly learn from the Model Spec document itself.

It's not set in stone though. OpenAI sees this as an evolving framework that will change over time based on:

• Their ongoing research

• Input from experts in different fields

• Public feedback they receive

They view the Model Spec as part of an ongoing conversation around developing AI that behaves responsibly. Going forward, OpenAI will engage with other groups like policymakers to iteratively refine and improve the approach over time.

Read More Here

Microsoft to launch web-based mobile app store in July

Microsoft is changing up how mobile apps get distributed. They're launching a web-based game store in July 2024. Instead of an app you download, this store will just live on the web and work across all devices and platforms.

A key advantage of this approach: It allows Microsoft to bypass all the rules and restrictions enforced by the major app stores like Apple's and Google's

When it first launches, the web store will feature Microsoft's own hugely popular game titles:

• Candy Crush

• Minecraft

But here's the plan - they want to open it up so other game developers can sell their titles through this web store too. By using "progressive web app" technology, Microsoft skirts around the need to submit to the app store policies of operating system makers.

Basically, Microsoft is taking a swing at the whole model of mobile app distribution that's been dominated by a few big players up until now. And I bet game developers interested in alternatives to the mainstream app stores will be watching this web store very closely.

Read More Here

UniSuper Google Cloud outage caused by an unfortunate series of events

UniSuper and Google Cloud really screwed up on this one. Over 600,000 UniSuper members couldn't access their accounts for over a week because of a cloud mess up.

In their joint statement, they admitted: Some accidental misconfiguration happened when setting up UniSuper's private cloud. And this led to UniSuper's entire cloud subscription getting deleted. Which Google says is basically unheard of - never happened before with any of their cloud customers

Now here's where it gets really messy: Normally, UniSuper's data is backed up across different regions as a safeguard. But since the subscription itself got nuked, both backup regions got wiped too. So UniSuper had to go to a totally different provider to restore from backups there

They said reviving "hundreds of VMs, databases, apps" took "incredible effort" from both teams working closely together.

The good news? Google reckons they identified what caused this total mess and put guardrails in place so it won't happen again. But let's be real - one small cloud mishap clearly should not be able to bring down an entire system like this.

Read More Here

🔥 More Notes

• Microsoft Donates $1 Million to Rust Foundation

• Is Flutter Facing its End?

• Compile like it's 1992

Youtube Spotlight

Steve Jobs

Not a video recommendation but a movie recommendation. Youtube recently released the “Steve Jobs” movie for free. Definitely recommend watching - here’s the description: “Witness the founder of Apple like never before. Steve Jobs paints an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at the epicenter of the digital revolution, backstage in the final minutes before three iconic product launches. Directed by Academy Award-winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), written by Academy Award-winner Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels.(Original Title - Steve Jobs) - 2015 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.”

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