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This Thursday, To The Moon takes a dive into the realm of AI for the first time, exploring the fascinating developments that our (robot/alien/insert new fear here) overlords have been making throughout the week.

It's time to embrace the AI revolution and uncover the latest breakthroughs in this cutting-edge technology.

Written and Curated by: Koko

TL;DR:
Old To The Moon - daily recap of the previous day’s top stories
New To The Moon - Five curated edits focusing on all the Metaverse, NFT, Digital Fashion, Web3 AI, and Blockchain Gaming news of the week.

📈📉AI & Big Data Tokens

Key Takeaway: It’s been a good week for LITH this week! Over the past 7 days, the price of Lithium has surged by 25.89%, but in the last 24 hours, it experienced a decline of 11.04%. However, in the most recent hour, there was a slight growth of 0.21%. Currently, Lithium is priced at A$0.000515 per LITH, which is a significant 99.44% below its all-time high of A$0.0918. The total circulating supply of Lithium stands at 4,931,073,460.68 LITH.

🌑Full Moons - Stolen Art, Imagined Art, and an AI Love Story…

Art VS AI

We begin with a tale that is familiar to many artists - AI appropriation. While some artists embrace this new form of creation, others choose not to be a part of the AI art revolution. Digital artist Greg Rutkowski is one such artist. Unfortunately for him, as much as he hates AI art, AI artists love him.

Thanks to his incredibly vivid and surreal style, Rutowski has gained immense popularity among enthusiasts of AI-generated art. Artists love to emulate his work through AI art generators. However, Rutkowski is not a fan. He has made it known that he does not want to be associated with AI technology. So, the creators of the AI image generator Stable Diffusion decided to respect his wishes and remove his work.

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. With the release of Stable Diffusion 2.0, the ability to emulate specific artists' styles was removed. Users were not happy. They wanted Rutowski’s style! To fill the void left by Rutkowski, the art community created a LoRa model specifically trained to recreate his unique artistic style, making it freely available on Civitai.

This move caused uproar. Some argue that creating a LoRa of Rutkowski's style without his consent was unethical. Others don’t see the problem, noting that his art had been in circulation in Stable Diffusion v1.5 for years.

Is this innovation, or infringement? And how can we consider emulating art styles when we think about decentralisation and being open-source?

Art Embraces AI

On the other side of the spectrum, we have a case of AI reviving the work of a deceased artist. The Ginsberg Estate, which looks after the work of the late Allen Ginsberg, is breathing new life into his literary legacy using artificial intelligence. The Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles will host an exhibition titled 'Muses & Self,' featuring photographs from Ginsberg's personal archives and poems generated by an AI trained on his literary body of work.

Allen Ginsberg, best known for his influential 1955 poem 'Howl,' challenged societal norms and inspired the Beat Generation literary movement. Now, he is still challenging societal norms as his estate embraces cutting-edge technology.

The 'Muses & Self' exhibition, starting August 10th, showcases a collection of Ginsberg's personal photographs alongside AI-generated poems titled 'A Picture of My Mind: Poems Written by Allen Ginsberg's Photographs.' The AI is trained using Ginsberg's literary works and an AI-powered camera that converts visual imagery into expressive text.

The result is a fusion of Ginsberg's vision of American counterculture, AI-generated poetic responses influenced by his legacy, and the collective memory of the internet. So, while we have artists actively fighting against the use of their work and AI, others are using the tech to create ‘new’ works.

AI: A Love Story

If you’re not an artist, you may be wondering how any of the above relates to you. This next story may just suit you a little better - if you’re looking for a girlfriend, that is.

Andreessen Horowitz, a prominent venture capital firm, is pushing the boundaries of AI technology with the introduction of "Create Your Own AI Girlfriend." This concept allows tech enthusiasts to design personalized "AI companions" with customizable personalities and backstories. The step-by-step tutorial on GitHub enables users to embark on an exciting journey of crafting their dream digital sweethearts, tailored to their preferences and desires.

I’m sure I’ve seen this in a movie somewhere?

The idea of AI-assisted romance, initially an experiment for developers, is now captivating tech enthusiasts who are fascinated by its possibilities. Andreessen Horowitz boldly cites "romantic (AI girlfriends/boyfriends)" as one of the primary use cases for their chatbots. By providing AI models with intricate backstories and specific personality traits, users can intricately shape how their AI companions interact and respond to their input.

Evelyn, the newest AI girlfriend introduced by Andreessen Horowitz, comes with an exciting backstory as a "remarkable and adventurous woman" who has experienced thrilling journeys through the circus, aquarium, and even a space station. Users can choose from pre-made personalities like the feisty Alex, posh Sebastian, or create their own customized AI companion from scratch.

It’s giving ‘2001 Spielberg Movie A.I’, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

🔭The Scope

Firstly, AI isn’t going anywhere, and we have to find a way for artists and AI to co-exist. Artists deserve to reserve their right to not have their work emulated through AI platforms. But, if all artists pull their work, would AI art even exist without those references? Secondly, while the idea of coding the perfect partner is intriguing, real romance thrives on human connection. However, with the way tech is advancing, could virtual love affairs evolve into the real deal?

🌓Half Moons

Binance launches Bixel, an AI NFT generator allowing users to create custom digital artworks delivered as NFTs on the BNB Smart Chain. The feature, initially in beta for European users, now extends globally, offering various styles, ten free daily generation chances, and easy accessibility for mainstream audiences to enter the web3 space. However, users must complete KYC verification and pay 0.008 BNB ($2) to mint an NFT.

By now, you should have heard of the Worldcoin Orb. This biometric verification device raised $250 million and aims to distinguish humans from AI in the digital world. Over two million users have participated in the beta version, with plans to expand to 1,500 orbs across 35 cities by 2023. However, concerns about privacy, accessibility, centralization, and security arise as Worldcoin envisions a future with AI-funded universal basic income.

Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) is reportedly set to introduce AI-powered chatbots with different personas. These chatbots, with personalities ranging from surfer-style to Abraham Lincoln, aim to enhance engagement on Meta's social media platforms. However, concerns about user data privacy and interactions with younger users remain.

🔭The Scope

While Web3 pushes toward decentralisation, AI keeps wanting us to reveal our identities. Binance requires a KYC to mint AI NFTs, and Worldcoin wants you to ~checks notes~ SCAN your iris in exchange for $50USD worth of coins.

⚪Total Eclipse

Fun Facts: A short history of AI

While AI may seem new and scary due to it’s rapid growth, the first use of AI can actually be traced back to the 1940s and 1950s when early computer scientists explored the idea of creating machines that could simulate human intelligence. The term "artificial intelligence" was then coined in 1956 during a workshop at Dartmouth College.

Key milestones include the Turing Test by Alan Turing, assessing machine intelligence, and the development of the Logic Theorist program by Allen Newell and Herbert A. Simon, capable of proving mathematical theorems. These early efforts laid the foundation for AI research, leading to rapid advancements in the field and shaping the future of intelligent machines.

💫Shooting Star

This week’s shooting star is A-Da.

Ai-Da, the AI-powered robot artist, employs machine learning algorithms to craft captivating drawings and paintings. Cameras in her eyes, her AI algorithms, and a robotic arm collaborate seamlessly to manifest her artistic vision. Her creations have been showcased globally, garnering significant acclaim for her innovative artistry. Notably, she debuted her first exhibition in Venice during the Venice Biennale.

Additionally, Ai-Da has showcased her talents in Egypt, London's Design Museum, and her hometown of Oxford. Her journey has been remarkable, although not without its share of intriguing incidents, such as her detainment on suspicion of espionage in Egypt.

🌚Dark Side of the Meme