Google DeepMind unveils Aeneas AI model, claims it can decipher ancient inscriptions in seconds
Aeneas is tailored to work with inscriptions that often lack comprehensive contextual details. By leveraging a combination of textual and visual data, the model can offer insights into Roman life and society. According to the blogpost, Google claims that this model achieves a 73 per cent accuracy rate in restoring gaps within inscriptions up to ten characters long, and a notable capability for dating texts, placing them within 13 years of historians' estimates. These capabilities make it a vital tool for exploring the Roman world through various inscriptions, from political graffiti to business transactions.The model has been tested on the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, a famous Roman inscription attributed to Emperor Augustus. Aeneas provided a distribution of possible dates, capturing different prevailing hypotheses in a quantitative manner. This demonstrates the model's ability to transform historical questions into a probabilistic framework, offering historians a new approach to longstanding debates. The use of "embeddings" helps in drawing connections, allowing historians to uncover deeper insights into historical contexts.Aeneas excels in geographical attribution through a multimodal generative neural network that analyses both text and images. Utilising the Latin Epigraphic Dataset (LED) with over 1,76,000 inscriptions, Aeneas offers a more precise grouping of texts by date than other models. This integration of AI into historical workflows exemplifies the synergy between machine learning and expert knowledge, fostering a collaborative research environment.The model is accessible through an interactive platform available to researchers and educators, aligning with initiatives to improve AI literacy. Aeneas supports the restoration of inscriptions with unknown gap lengths, a critical feature for managing severely damaged texts. Its ability to search for "parallels" enriches the understanding of Roman society and its geographical expanse, significantly enhancing historical inquiry.Developed in collaboration with the University of Nottingham, and partners from the Universities of Warwick, Oxford, and Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB), Aeneas represents a concerted effort to harness AI for historical research. This collaboration highlights a broader initiative to enable historians to identify and interpret parallels at scale, providing starting points for inquiry and innovation.Aeneas' developers are committed to enhancing the model's versatility through a new teaching syllabus designed to integrate technical skills with historical analysis. This initiative supports AI literacy and aligns with European educational frameworks, providing educational resources that bridge technical and historical disciplines.As Aeneas becomes an integral part of historical research, its capabilities in processing multimodal inputs and restoring texts of unknown length will prove indispensable. By transforming historical analysis into a more quantitative and interpretable process, Aeneas promises to unlock new perspectives on ancient societies, ensuring that the legacies of past civilisations can be explored and understood in innovative ways.- EndsMust Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Apple signals AI spending surge, open to big acquisitions: Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook signaled on Thursday the iPhone maker was ready to spend more to catch up to rivals in artificial intelligence by building more data centers or buying a larger player in the segment, a departure from a long practice of fiscal frugality. CEO Tim Cook says Apple ready to open its wallet to catch up in AI(Reuters) Apple has struggled to keep pace with rivals such as Microsoft and Alphabet's Google, both of which have attracted hundreds of millions of users to their AI-powered chatbots and assistants. That growth has come at a steep cost, however, with Google planning to spend $85 billion over the next year and Microsoft on track to spend more than $100 billion, mostly on data centers. Apple, in contrast, has leaned on outside data center providers to handle some of its cloud computing work, and despite a high-profile partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI for certain iPhone features, has tried to grow much of its AI technology in-house, including improvements to its Siri virtual assistant. The results have been rocky, with the company delaying its Siri improvements until next year. During a conference call after Apple's fiscal third-quarter results, analysts noted that Apple has historically not done large deals and asked whether it might take a different approach to pursue its AI ambitions. CEO Cook responded that the company had already acquired seven smaller companies this year and is open to buying larger ones. "We're very open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap. We are not stuck on a certain size company, although the ones that we have acquired thus far this year are small in nature," Cook said. "We basically ask ourselves whether a company can help us accelerate a roadmap, and if they do, then we're interested." Shares of the company were up 1.7% in premarket trading on Friday. Apple has tended to buy smaller firms with highly specialized technical teams to build out specific products. Its largest deal ever was its purchase of Beats Electronics for $3 billion in 2014, followed by a $1 billion deal to buy a modem chip business from Intel. But now Apple is at a unique crossroads for its business. The tens of billions of dollars per year it receives from Google as payment to be the default search engine on iPhones could be undone by U.S. courts in Google's antitrust trial, while startups like Perplexity are in discussions with handset makers to try to dislodge Google with an AI-powered browser that would handle many search functions. Apple executives have said in court they are considering reshaping the firm's Safari browser with AI-powered search functions, and Bloomberg News has reported that Apple executives have discussed buying Perplexity, which Reuters has not independently confirmed. Apple also said on Thursday it plans to spend more on data centers, an area where it typically spends only a few billion dollars per year. Apple is currently using its own chip designs to handle AI requests with privacy controls that are compatible with the privacy features on its devices. Kevan Parekh, Apple's chief financial officer, did not give specific spending targets but said outlays would rise. "It's not going to be exponential growth, but it is going to grow substantially," Parekh said during the conference call. 'A lot of that's a function of the investments we're making in AI.'
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
WinZO disputes Google's CCI proposal on Play Store rules
Bengaluru: Real‑money gaming platform WinZO has raised concerns over Google's latest proposal to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), arguing that it does not adequately address the anti‑competitive issues flagged in an ongoing investigation. The case originates from WinZO's December 2022 complaint alleging that Google abused its dominant position by restricting Play Store access to only fantasy sports and rummy apps while excluding other real‑money gaming categories. With Google controlling 96% of India's app distribution market, WinZO said this policy inflated user acquisition costs by 'at least 10x' for apps distributed outside the Play Store. Acting on the complaint, the CCI in November 2024 ordered a formal investigation, citing prima facie violations of competition law, including the imposition of unfair conditions, denial of market access and limiting of market development. The Commission had noted Google's lack of clear criteria for its pilot programme, inconsistent enforcement of its ads policy and 'misleading payment warnings' shown to users sideloading apps, which it said artificially deterred usage. In a public notice issued recently the CCI invited comments on Google's commitment offer. Google's proposal includes allowing all real‑money games that are certified by recognised third‑party bodies, replacing its pilot programme for fantasy sports and rummy apps and permitting certified skill‑based games to advertise on Google Ads. If approved, Google has committed to implement the Play Store changes within 120 days and its advertising changes within 150 days of the CCI's order. The deadline for public comments is August 20, 2025. Responding to WinZO's objections, a Google spokesperson said the company welcomed the CCI's market testing of its proposed framework, describing it as the result of 'constructive discussions' with the regulator and Indian developers. Google added that it is confident the proposal will create 'a more open and safe ecosystem' for real‑money gaming apps, empower local developers and prioritise user safety. In its statement, WinZO said Google's commitments 'must be robust and genuinely eliminate the discriminatory practices identified,' adding that the proposed framework's reference to 'developing' a commercial model for real‑money gaming lacked clear timelines or objective criteria. WinZO, which reported a 70% rise in revenue to Rs 1,055 crore and a 151% increase in profit to Rs 315 crore in FY24, said it will continue to participate in the consultation process 'to ensure fairness, transparency and a level playing field in India's digital economy.' AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Fortnite-maker Epic Games wins major victory as court upholds Google Play Store monopoly ruling
The US' Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected Google's appeal in the Epic Games lawsuit, affirming that Google's Play Store and payment systems constitute illegal monopolies. The decision forces Google to implement sweeping changes to Android's app ecosystem within three years, including allowing rival app stores on Google Play and ending exclusive payment requirements. The appeals court lifted a stay that had temporarily paused most injunction requirements while Google pursued its appeal, clearing the path for immediate implementation of the court-ordered remedies. Google now must open Android to third-party app stores Under the permanent injunction, Google faces unprecedented restrictions on its Android business model. The company must distribute competing app stores through Google Play and provide rivals with access to its complete app catalog. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest in The Popular Vacation Spot, Cyprus! See Options Cyprus Invest | Search ads Undo Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney , who called this a "total victory," announced that the Epic Games Store for Android will launch directly within Google Play Store . Google is also banned from requiring developers to use Google Play Billing and from striking revenue-sharing deals with device manufacturers to preinstall its store. Legal battle continues despite Epic's courtroom success Google plans to escalate its appeal to the Supreme Court, with the company warning that the decision "will significantly harm user safety, limit choice, and undermine innovation." The tech giant had argued that the injunction imposed "burdensome contractual restrictions" without justification. The case originated in 2020 when Epic embedded secret code in Fortnite to bypass Google's payment system, prompting Google to remove the popular game from its store. A 2023 jury unanimously found Google guilty of operating illegal monopolies in Android app distribution and in-app billing markets. Unlike Epic's largely unsuccessful lawsuit against Apple, the Google case revealed internal documents showing revenue-sharing agreements and concerns about competitive threats, helping Epic secure its landmark victory in the ongoing battle over mobile app store dominance. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
