Data Science Insider: July 22nd, 2022

In This Week’s SuperDataScience Newsletter: Microsoft Launches Simulator to Train Drone AI Systems. OpenAI Expands Access to DALL-E 2. Highest Paying Data Science Roles. AI and Genre Fiction. Gran Turismo Sophy Beats Human Race Times. Cheers, - The SuperDataScience Team P.S. Have friends and colleagues who could benefit from these weekly updates? Send them to [this link]( to subscribe to the Data Science Insider. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Microsoft Launches Simulator to Train Drone AI Systems]( brief: Microsoft has announced the launch of a platform to train the AI systems of autonomous aircraft, known as Project AirSim. Essentially it works as a flight simulator for drones, which companies can use to build, train, and test autonomous drones through hyper-realistic simulations of real-world scenarios. The long-term aim of the project is to help drone makers encode autonomy without the need for deep expertise in AI.In a statement announcing the launch, Microsoft's Gurdeep Pall said that it showed "the power of the industrial metaverse - the virtual worlds where businesses will build, test and hone solutions, and then bring them into the real world." According to Microsoft, Project AirSim will offer libraries of simulated 3D environments and use Azure to generate "massive amounts of data for training AI models on exactly which actions to take at each phase of flight, from takeoff to cruising to landing." Why this is important: This isn’t Microsoft’s first foray into simulators for drones. They previously offered an open-sourced tool called AirSim, which was a simulator for drones, cars and other autonomous vehicles. Eventually they archived the repository for the original AirSim platform. Both projects use AI models to build, train and test drones and other autonomous aircraft using 3D simulation. But the difference is that the original required deep expertise in coding and machine learning, whereas the new version doesn’t. [Click here to learn more!]( [OpenAI Expands Access to DALL-E 2]( brief: We’ve covered the launch of the powerful AI tool DALL-E, which generates images based on provided text, many times in these SuperDataScience newsletters. Now we have finally reached the stage where it will open in beta to one million users on the waitlist. OpenAI, the company that created DALL-E, made the announcement and highlighted how access will work for those who are chosen. Each prompt entered into DALL-E will cost one credit, and users will get 50 free credits during their first month. After that, users will get 15 free credits a month, additional credits will also be available for purchase at a cost of $15 for 115 credits. In an unexpected move, creators will also get usage rights to the images they generate, including for commercial uses. OpenAI has worked to curb misuse and it will reject DALL-E image uploads that include realistic faces, named content and explicit material. Why this is important: The successor to DALL-E was announced in April and became available for a select group of users earlier this year. It recently passed the 100,000-user milestone. OpenAI claims that increased access has been made possible by new approaches to mitigate bias and toxicity in DALL-E 2’s generations, as well as evolutions in policy governing images created by the system. [Click here to read on!]( [Highest Paying Data Science Roles]( In brief: Jobs that involve data science are sought after for many reasons, it's a role that can be intellectually satisfying, challenging, and puts you at the forefront of changes in technology. However, it’s also fair to say that one of the attractions of the industry has always been the high salaries that some professionals can enjoy. This article by Information Week looks at the various roles that data science professionals can undertake, such as: Developers, product managers, IT managers, business analysts, writers, consultants, interns, and even marketing professionals with some data science capabilities. It then compiles a list of the top ten highest paid roles based on averaged numbers from Robert Half Technology, Indeed, Glassdoor, and Payscale. The job that takes the top spot requires significant experience and is a senior role, but those who can achieve it could expect to receive a salary of $190,000 — $200,000. Why this is important: As we consider the steps we’d like to take to advance our data science careers, it’s a good idea to have information about the remuneration we could expect to receive in various roles. [Click here to discover more!]( [AI and Genre Fiction]( In brief: Automation has had a huge impact on pretty much all industries. Some have welcomed change, while others have been resistant. Artistic professions have perhaps been the least keen on embracing AI, with many seeing the creative process as a reflection of essential humanity. However, this is changing and whilst great works of literature will still be produced by individual geniuses, genre fiction is more frequently turning to AI writing programs. This article by The Verge analyses the issues surrounding this and even have a program write their contribution, it says: “As AI writing programs continue to evolve and improve, they may eventually replace human writers altogether. […] To make sure human writers continue to be relevant in this changing world of technology, it is important that these computers do not take over your job! What unique skills or perspectives do YOU bring as a writer?” Why this is important: This article does a really great job of exploring the myriad of issues surrounding automated writing and does a deep dive into the issues its use presents for both readers and writers. [Click here to see the full picture!]( [Gran Turismo Sophy Beats Human Race Times]( In brief: Gran Turismo Sophy is a cutting-edge AI system which was developed by Polyphony Digital in collaboration with Sony AI and released in February, this year. The AI system differs from most others in the fact that it’s trained with neural networks instead of the traditional rules-based AI, which have appeared in every other version of Gran Turismo (an extremely popular video game known for its super-realistic simulations of real vehicles and tracks). It is now making news because it has been revealed to have broken records set by a series of the world’s best drivers on the sim-circuit, and has even defeated Lewis Hamilton’s Nurburgring lap time by 17 seconds. This article by Technology Review explores how the lessons the AI has learned on the racetrack could help shape the future of machines that can work alongside humans in the motor-racing field Why this is important: For now, Gran Turismo Sophy remains a simulation, but it could very well make the jump to real-world and drone racing. This would be the true test of what robotics could achieve. [Click here to find out more!]( [Super Data Science podcast]( this week's [Super Data Science Podcast](, Professor Philip Bourne, Founding Dean of the School of Data Science at the University of Virginia, joins us for a fascinating talk that dives into his biomedical data science research, the most important skills for the industry, and why open-source and open-access play essential roles in the field. --------------------------------------------------------------- What is the Data Science Insider? This email is a briefing of the week's most disruptive, interesting, and useful resources curated by the SuperDataScience team for Data Scientists who want to take their careers to the next level. Want to take your data science skills to the next level? Check out the [SuperDataScience platform]( and sign up for membership today! Know someone who would benefit from getting The Data Science Insider? 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