1,000-Year-Old Legal System Uses AI

Daily Upsider on January 9, 2024

In a bold move, England and Wales’s 1,000-year-old legal system has taken a cautious step into the realm of artificial intelligence. The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary recently granted judges permission to use AI in the process of crafting opinions. However, they have emphasized the need to tread carefully, as AI technology can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading information.

Master of the Rolls Geoffrey Vos, the second-highest ranking judge in England and Wales, stated, “Judges do not need to shun the careful use of AI. But they must ensure that they protect confidence and take full personal responsibility for everything they produce.”

This approach comes at a time when the legal profession is grappling with the potential impact of AI on their field, including the possibility of AI replacing lawyers, assisting in jury selection, or even making judgments. The judiciary’s approach is a measured one, aiming to strike a balance between embracing technological advancements and maintaining the integrity of the legal system.

Legal experts like Ryan Abbott, a law professor at the University of Surrey and author of “The Reasonable Robot: Artificial Intelligence and the Law,” have welcomed the move and believe it will serve as a model for other countries grappling with the role of AI in the legal system.

While the U.S. Supreme Court has acknowledged the benefits and drawbacks of AI, no federal guidelines have been established. Individual courts and judges at the federal and local levels have set their own rules.

The English and Welsh judiciary’s guidance comes with numerous warnings about the limitations of AI and potential pitfalls if users are not aware of how it works. For example, it should not be used for research or legal analyses, as it can fabricate information and provide misleading, inaccurate, and biased information.

Judges were also warned about the potential risks of disclosing confidential information to AI systems and the fact that much of the legal material used to train AI comes from the internet and is often based on U.S. law.

While the thought of AI in law is a bit nerve wracking. It could be that the cautious integration of AI in the English and Welsh legal system will create a proactive and measured approach to AI adoption. That way the technology is used responsibly and ethically.

This reminds me of when that Manhattan judge got mad at some lawyers that used chatGPT for court case research. Poor guys didn’t realize that AI can just make stuff up. 😅

Tee-rific Art: 25,000 Golf Tees Form Tiger Woods Portrait

Daily Upsider on January 9, 2024

Missouri artist Aaron Norris recently completed a 6-foot x 6-foot wall art of Tiger Woods using 25,000 new and broken golf tees. Norris, a 43-year-old golf enthusiast, got the idea from observing broken tees on his local golf course. He collected the tees over the summer and fall, with some help from neighbors who played golf.

The portrait, depicting Tiger Woods reading a putt, has already been sold for an undisclosed amount. Norris spent $400 on additional tees, with roughly half collected from the golf courses. This unique piece adds to Norris’s portfolio, which includes works like a Muhammad Ali oil canvas, an Elon Musk mosaic bead portrait, and a painting of NFL football stars, the Kelce brothers.

While Norris has received many sports commissions, this Tiger Woods portrait marks his first use of actual sports equipment in his artwork.

Drugs from Canada

Daily Upsider on January 9, 2024

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday, January 5th, approved Florida’s plan to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, marking a significant stride forward in a broader effort to rein in drug costs in the U.S. This is a first-in-the-nation move that could reduce costs for Americans but faces fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. The FDA has also stated its commitment to working with other states seeking to import drugs from Canada.

Patients in the U.S. pay significantly more for medicines than they do in Canada and some other countries. Drug importation could open up a new and cheaper source of drugs beyond the retail and mail-order pharmacies that Americans typically rely on to fill prescriptions. Along with Florida, other states such as Colorado, North Dakota, and Vermont have their own drug importation plans in place, which will require FDA approvals.

However, Florida’s newly approved plan will likely face hurdles before it takes effect, including potential lawsuits from the pharmaceutical industry. Drugmakers have long argued that importation may introduce counterfeit medicines into the U.S. supply chain and harm patients — a concern the FDA previously raised because the agency cannot guarantee the safety of those drugs.

The FDA’s Friday approval appears to have guardrails that aim to mitigate potential safety issues. Before Florida can distribute Canadian drugs, the state must send the FDA details on the medications it plans to import, ensure that those treatments are not counterfeit or ineffective, and relabel those drugs to be consistent with FDA-approved labeling.

Florida must also submit quarterly reports to the agency about cost savings and potential safety issues, among other obligations. The FDA’s approval allows Florida to import drugs for two years from the date of the first drug shipment.

“These proposals must demonstrate the programs would result in significant cost savings to consumers without adding risk of exposure to unsafe or ineffective drugs,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement.

The pharmaceutical industry pushed back on the FDA’s move on Friday. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the industry’s biggest lobbying group, called the FDA’s approval of Florida’s plan “reckless” and said it is considering “all options for preventing this policy from harming patients.”

Hopefully, this new plan can give some much needed relief to those who are reliant on the more expensive pharmaceuticals.

Mortgage Rate Roller Coaster

Daily Upsider on January 8, 2024

As we enter 2024, the 30-year mortgage rates have been on a downward trend for the past several months, providing a much-needed respite for prospective homebuyers and homeowners alike. This decline in rates comes after a period of historically high levels, which had negatively impacted the affordability of homes and the ability of individuals to refinance their mortgages.

Throughout 2023, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate had reached levels not seen in almost 30 years. However, since the peak in October 2023, when rates nearly touched 8%, the trend has reversed. In the last week of December 2023, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate had dropped to 6.61%, marking the ninth consecutive week of decline and reaching its lowest point since May 2023. This downward trend has been the most significant drop in rates since November 2008-January 2009.

While there have been slight increases in the 30-year mortgage rates in the first few days of January 2024, when compared to the rates seen earlier in 2023, the current rates are still significantly lower. For instance, a 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 6.64% in late December 2023 would result in a monthly payment that is approximately $275 less than an 8% mortgage for a $300,000 loan.

The recent decline in mortgage rates has been a welcome change for the housing market, as it has encouraged potential homebuyers to re-enter the market after a period of uncertainty. Lower rates have also made it more feasible for homeowners to refinance their existing mortgages, potentially saving them thousands of dollars over the life of their loans.

Looking ahead, it would be a great development if this trend of declining mortgage rates continues.

2024 Movies to Get Excited For

Daily Upsider on January 8, 2024

2023 was a pretty lackluster year for moviegoers. While there were a few standouts like Godzilla Minus One, and a few big hits like the “Barbenheimer” combo (Barbie and Oppenheimer), there was not much else to write home about.

How about 2024? What movies do we have to look forward to? This year is looking to be all about sequels, prequels, and spinoffs, and reboots. We have a Mad Max prequel, another Godzilla movie (not by the makers of Minus One unfortunately), Bad Boys 4, Kung Fu Panda 4, and Despicable Me 4.

There are many more, such as a squeal to Gladiator, and interestingly another Karate Kid with Ralph Macchio reprising his role as Danial, and Jackie Chan reprising his role as Mr. Han from the 2010 Karate Kid remake.

So far, the ones I am excited for are Dune: Part Two and, with some apprehension, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Deadpool 3 will also probably be good if you like that kind of movie.

Are there any particular movies you are excited for? If you want to see a list of “anticipated” movies scheduled for release this year, you can find them below. (You have to scroll down a bit after opening the link)