Daily Current Affairs 19 August 2023 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 19 August 2023 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

AI Index Report 2023

Source : Indian Express
GS III: Science and Technology

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. About AI Index Report 2023
3. About Artificial Intelligence

Why in News?

Stanford University recently unveiled its 2023 AI Index Report.

News in Brief

• Artificial Intelligence is evolving at a breathtaking pace. A few years ago, creations such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google Bard were only limited to far-fetched discussions at tech roundtables.
• However, in the last few months, a lot has changed. Developments in AI technologies have been occurring at a break-neck speed leaving several individuals and organisations speechless in awe and dubious with apprehensions.
• The surge in AI-powered technologies is evident, however, the report has made some alarming findings about the rapid proliferation of the technology.
• The annual report tracks collates, distills, and visualizes data relating to artificial intelligence, enabling decision-makers to take meaningful action to advance AI responsibly and ethically with humans in mind.

About AI Index Report, 2023

• The AI Index is an independent initiative at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), led by the AI Index Steering Committee.
• The annual report tracks collates, distills, and visualizes data relating to artificial intelligence.
• This will enable decision-makers to take meaningful action to advance AI responsibly and ethically with humans in mind.
• The AI Index collaborates with many different organizations to track progress in artificial intelligence.
• The 2023 report also features more self-collected data and original analysis than ever before.

Global Scenario

• The United States and China had the greatest number of cross-country collaborations in AI
  publications from 2010 to 2021, although the pace of collaboration has slowed.
• Rise in AI
  • .The total number of AI publications has more than
    doubled since 2010.
  • The specific AI topics that continue dominating research include pattern recognition, machine learning, and computer vision.
• Language Model and Expense
  • Across the board, large language and multimodal models are becoming larger and pricier.
  • Language models continued to improve their generative capabilities, but new research suggests that they still struggle with complex planning tasks.
• Flexibility
  • Traditionally AI systems have performed well on narrow tasks but have struggled across broader tasks.
  • Recently released models challenge that trend, BEiT-3, PaLI, and Gato, among others, are single AI systems increasingly capable of navigating multiple tasks.
• Environment
  • New research suggests that AI systems can have serious environmental impacts.
  • According to Luccioni et al., 2022, BLOOM’s training run emitted 25 times more carbon than a single air traveler on a one-way trip from New York to San Francisco.
  • Still, new reinforcement learning models like BCOOLER show that AI systems can be used to optimize energy usage.
• R&D
  • The report stated that 54% of researchers working on large language models (LLMs) were from American institutions.
  • Last year researchers from Canada, Germany, and India contributed to the development of LLMs for the first time.

India in the Report

• India ranked fifth in terms of investments received by startups offering artificial intelligence (AI)-based products and services in 2022.
• Total investments in AI startups in India stood at $3.24 billion in 2022, placing it ahead of South Korea, Germany, Canada and Australia, among others.
• Those ahead of India on the list are the US, China, the UK and Israel.

About Artificial Intelligence

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that focuses on creating systems, software, or machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence.
• These tasks include reasoning, problem-solving, learning, perception, language understanding, and decision-making.
• AI aims to replicate or simulate human cognitive functions in machines, enabling them to perform tasks autonomously, make decisions, and adapt to new situations.

Key components and concepts within AI include:

• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• Computer Vision
• Robotics
• Expert Systems
• Reinforcement Learning.

Common AI applications include

• Virtual Assistants
• Recommendation Systems
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Healthcare
• Finance
• Cybersecurity
• Gaming

Onam 2023

GS I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. 

• Onam is a significant festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, primarily by Malayali people.
• It usually falls in the Malayalam month of Chingam, which corresponds to the months of August or September in the Gregorian calendar.
• Onam is counted for ten days starting from Malayalam Star Atham.
• Thiruvonam considered as the main day.
• Onam is a ten-day festival that marks the harvest season and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and traditional fervor.
• The exact date of Onam varies each year based on the Malayalam calendar, but it typically falls in August or September.
• The festival is a reflection of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage, and it showcases the warmth and hospitality of the Malayali people.
• It is a time when families come together to celebrate, share meals, and create lasting memories.

Legend of King Mahabali

• The Benevolent King
  • King Mahabali is celebrated as a benevolent and virtuous ruler who once ruled over the region that is now known as Kerala.

    

  • His reign was considered a golden era of prosperity, justice, and equality.
• The Story of Vamana
  • The legend of King Mahabali is closely associated with the mythological story of Lord Vishnu’s fifth avatar, Vamana.
  • According to Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu took the form of a dwarf Brahmin boy, Vamana, to test Mahabali’s devotion and humility.
  • Mahabali was known for his generosity and had gained immense power and wealth through his good deeds.
  • To curb his growing influence, the gods sought Vishnu’s help.
• The Promise of Three Steps
  • In the story, Vamana approached King Mahabali during a grand yagna (sacrificial ritual) that the king was conducting.
  • Vamana, in the form of a dwarf Brahmin, requested three paces of land.
  • Mahabali, known for his generosity, agreed to the request.
  • However, to everyone’s surprise, Vamana transformed into a giant and covered the entire earth with one step, the heavens with the second step, and asked Mahabali where to place his third step.
• Mahabali’s Sacrifice
  • King Mahabali, true to his word, offered his own head for Vamana’s third step.
  • This act of selflessness and devotion moved Lord Vishnu, who was pleased with Mahabali’s humility.
  • As a result, Vamana granted Mahabali a boon, allowing him to visit his kingdom and people once a year.

Key Aspects of Onam 2023

• Harvest Festival
  • Onam is primarily a harvest festival that celebrates the rice harvest season in Kerala.
  • It is a time when farmers reap the rewards of their hard work in the fields.
• Pookalam
  • One of the most iconic features of Onam is the creation of intricate floral designs called Pookalam or Athapookalam in front of homes.
  • These designs are made using various colorful flower petals and are considered a symbol of prosperity and creativity.
• Onam Sadya
  • A grand feast known as the  Onam Sadya is an essential part of the celebration.
  • It is a vegetarian banquet served on banana leaves and typically includes a variety of dishes, such as rice, sambar, avial, payasam, and more.
• Traditional Attire
  • During Onam, people wear traditional Malayali attire.
  • Men often wear the white dhoti and shirt
  • Women wear the traditional saree called kasavu saree with a golden border.
• Cultural Performances
  • Onam is marked by various cultural performances and activities, including folk dances like Kathakali and Thiruvathirakali, music, and boat races
  • A famous Boat race is Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
• Shopping and Decorations
  • In the run-up to Onam, markets are bustling with shoppers buying new clothes, home decor items, and gifts for loved ones.
  • Homes are decorated with colorful flower arrangements, lamps, and other festive decorations.
• Public Celebrations
  • Onam is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Kerala, with public events, processions, and competitions held in many towns and cities.
  • It is a time of unity and joy for the people of Kerala.

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