Towards Weaker Variance Assumptions for Stochastic Optimization

arXiv.org Machine Learning

We revisit a classical assumption for analyzing stochastic gradient algorithms where the squared norm of the stochastic subgradient (or the variance for smooth problems) is allowed to grow as fast as the squared norm of the optimization variable. We contextualize this assumption in view of its inception in the 1960s, its seemingly independent appearance in the recent literature, its relationship to weakest-known variance assumptions for analyzing stochastic gradient algorithms, and its relevance in deterministic problems for non-Lipschitz nonsmooth convex optimization. We build on and extend a connection recently made between this assumption and the Halpern iteration. For convex nonsmooth, and potentially stochastic, optimization, we analyze horizon-free, anytime algorithms with last-iterate rates. For problems beyond simple constrained optimization, such as convex problems with functional constraints or regularized convex-concave min-max problems, we obtain rates for optimality measures that do not require boundedness of the feasible set.


Artificial intelligence transforms patient care and reduces burnout, physician says

FOX News

With just one click, the AI technology begins transcribing the doctor's conversation with a patient. DENVER โ€“ Artificial intelligence is quietly transforming how doctors interact with patients -- and it might already be in use during your next visit to the doctor's office. Thousands of physicians across the country are using a form of AI called ambient listening, surveys show. This technology listens to conversations between doctors and patients, creates real-time transcriptions, and then compiles detailed clinical notes -- all without disrupting the flow of the appointment. Dr. Daniel Kortsch, associate chief of artificial intelligence and digital health at Denver Health, said that ambient listening technology has made a big difference since his practice began using it in fall 2024.


Netflix tests out new AI search engine for movies and TV shows powered by OpenAI

Mashable

Black Mirror may be able to draw inspiration for future episodes from the very platform it streams on. Netflix has just recently rolled out access to a new AI search engine tool to some of its subscribers, according to a report from Bloomberg. The AI search engine, which is powered by ChatGPT creator OpenAI, takes Netflix's search capabilities beyond looking up movies and TV shows by title, genre, or actor. The tool allows users to search for content using numerous other search queries, such as mood. Being that the feature is powered by OpenAI, it appears likely that users will be able to use natural language in their search.


Is your phone secretly listening to you? Here's a simple way to find out

PCWorld

If you're a smartphone owner--and chances are that's everyone reading this--you've probably encountered an eerie, but all too common scenario: One day you're talking about a random topic while your phone is next to you and the following day you notice ads start popping up related to that same topic. How do these ads know what you were talking about? Your smartphone may be the culprit. Every smartphone has its built-in microphone constantly turned on in order for the virtual assistant to hear your voice commands. So, could it be that these devices are also secretly eavesdropping on your conversations in order to serve you ads? Here's everything you need to know, plus a simple test to find out.


Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for less than a movie ticket

Mashable

TL;DR: Upgrade to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just 14.97 (regularly 199) and enjoy enhanced security, productivity features, and the AI-powered Copilot assistant. In the ever-evolving world of technology, keeping your operating system current is essential for optimal performance and security. For a limited time, you can upgrade to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just 14.97, a significant reduction from its regular price of 199. Windows 11 Pro offers a sleek and user-friendly interface designed to enhance your computing experience. Features like Snap Layouts and Virtual Desktops allow for efficient multitasking and enable you to organize your workspace with ease.


Let AI help you tackle work tasks with this tool that combines the major models, now 80 for life

Mashable

Curious about using AI to help with work tasks but aren't sure where to start? Let 1min.AI serve as your one-stop shop. This handy platform combines several popular AI models -- including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Midjourney -- into one app, letting you test out their unique features without hopping between services. Right now, a lifetime subscription to the 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan can be yours for just 79.97 (reg. Once it's done, just give it a human once-over, and it will be good to go.


The rise of end times fascism

The Guardian

The movement for corporate city states cannot believe its good luck. For years, it has been pushing the extreme notion that wealthy, tax-averse people should up and start their own high-tech fiefdoms, whether new countries on artificial islands in international waters ("seasteading") or pro-business "freedom cities" such as Prรณspera, a glorified gated community combined with a wild west med spa on a Honduran island. Yet despite backing from the heavy-hitter venture capitalists Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen, their extreme libertarian dreams kept bogging down: it turns out most self-respecting rich people don't actually want to live on floating oil rigs, even if it means lower taxes, and while Prรณspera might be nice for a holiday and some body "upgrades", its extra-national status is currently being challenged in court. Now, all of a sudden, this once-fringe network of corporate secessionists finds itself knocking on open doors at the dead center of global power. The first sign that fortunes were shifting came in 2023, when a campaigning Donald Trump, seemingly out of nowhere, promised to hold a contest that would lead to the creation of 10 "freedom cities" on federal lands. The trial balloon barely registered at the time, lost in the daily deluge of outrageous claims. Since the new administration took office, however, would-be country starters have been on a lobbying blitz, determined to turn Trump's pledge into reality. "The energy in DC is absolutely electric," Trey Goff, the chief of staff of Prรณspera, recently enthused after a trip to Capitol Hill.


Don't get left in the productivity dust--get the latest from MSO Office (and save 20)

Popular Science

We all know that reliable productivity tools are essential for managing our personal and professional lives. Microsoft Office 2024 Home offers a comprehensive suite of applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, designed to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families. Available for a one-time purchase of 129.97 (regularly 149.99), this lifetime license ensures you have access to these indispensable tools without the burden of recurring subscription fees. Whether you're drafting documents on a PC or creating presentations on a Mac, Office 2024 Home provides a user-friendly experience. The suite's intuitive interface and robust features make it easier than ever to produce professional-quality work, regardless of the device you're using.


AI humanoid robot learns to mimic human emotions and behavior

FOX News

Ready for a robot that not only looks human but also acts and reacts like one, expressing emotions like shyness, excitement or friendliness? Disney Research, the innovation powerhouse behind The Walt Disney Company, has turned this into reality. Its latest creation is an autonomous humanoid robot that can mimic human emotions and behaviors in real time. Think of it as a real-life WALL-E, but with even more personality. This groundbreaking robot uses advanced artificial intelligence to replicate natural gestures and deliberate actions with striking accuracy.


Jeff Bridges Is Digging It

The New Yorker

The interior of Jeff Bridges's garage, in Santa Barbara, California, has the ramshackle ease of an extravagant dorm room: a tiger-print rug, a potter's wheel, guitars, a rogue toothbrush, taped-up printouts of ideas he finds provocative or perhaps grounding ("Enlightenment is a communal experience"), and piles of books, from Richard Powers's "Bewilderment" to "Who Cares?! A black-and-white portrait of Captain Beefheart, incongruously dressed in a jacket and tie, hangs on a wall near an electric piano. When I arrived, on a recent afternoon, I did not take note of a lava lamp, but its presence didn't feel out of the question. Bridges was wearing rubber slides and a periwinkle-blue cardigan. He excitedly spread out a large furry blanket on a recliner and invited me to sit down: "Your throne, man!" he said. Earlier this month, Bridges released "Slow Magic, 1977-1978," a series of songs he recorded when he was in his late twenties, an emergent movie star, and involved in a regular Wednesday-night jam session with a coterie of musicians and oddballs from the west side of Los Angeles (the jams were organized by Steve Baim, who attended University High School with Bridges; they took place in various beach houses and, occasionally, at the Village, the recording studio where, around the same time, Fleetwood Mac was making "Tusk"). "Slow Magic" is great and also bonkers. On "Kong," Bridges recounts a story line he pitched for a potential "King Kong" sequel (in 1976, Bridges starred as the long-haired primatologist Jack Prescott in a "Kong" remake produced by Dino De Laurentiis); the track features animated narration from the actor Burgess Meredith, and its lyrics are centered on the revelation that Kong is actually a robot. "It's a sad story, but he was just a monkey machine!" Bridges wails in a tottering falsetto. On "Obnoxious," a weirdly tender song about feeling sad and having a stomachache ("I went to the bathroom / And threw up"), there are echoes of Frank Zappa and the Band. What I like most about the record is how social it feels: friends in a room, being dumb, intermittently (even inadvertently) doing something miraculous. "When recording technology kept improving, I said, 'Oh, I don't need anybody!