Q.1. Consider the following statements:
- Hallucinate
- Bard
- Large Language Models
- Training data
- Guardrails
- Hallucination
How many of the above terms are related to AI?
- (a) 1, 3, 5
- (b) 2, 3, 4, 6
- (c) 2 and 3
- (d) All of the above
Ans: (d)
Source: Hallucinate (Indian Express, November 17)
Explanation:
- Guardrails: Guardrails are the guidelines and regulations that govern AI systems, ensuring they handle data responsibly and refrain from generating unethical content.
- Hallucination: Hallucination is when an AI system provides an erroneous response or presents false information as factual.
- Bard: Bard is a conversational generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Google
- Large language model: A large language model (LLM) refers to an advanced AI model that undergoes extensive training on vast volumes of text, enabling it to comprehend language and produce text that closely resembles human expression.
- Training data: Training data refers to the information or examples provided to an AI system, empowering it to acquire knowledge, identify patterns, and generate innovative content.
- The Cambridge Dictionary chose ‘hallucinate’ as the 2023 Word of the Year.
- Before 2023, ‘hallucinate’ meant seeing, hearing, feeling, or smelling something that doesn’t exist. It was typically due to health issues or drug use.
- In 2023, the word gained a new meaning in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI).
- This change happened because of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard. These tools use large language models (LLMs) and have captivated people worldwide.
- Now, ‘hallucinate’ also means when an AI produces false information. The Cambridge Dictionary added this definition in 2023.
Why AIs Hallucinate
- Generative AI operates by learning from historical data.
- It generates responses to prompts, which could be text, images, or code, based on its training data.
- Tools like ChatGPT and Bard employ large language models (LLMs) that learn from massive datasets.
- These models strive to replicate human thought and language by learning from millions of human-generated sources.
- Wendalyn Nichols, Cambridge Dictionary’s Publishing Manager, asserts that large language models can only be as reliable as their training data.
- AIs are excellent at analyzing vast amounts of data to extract and consolidate specific information.
- However, their ability to create original content can lead to erroneous outputs.
Q.2. Consider the following statements:
- The world’s first vaccine for chikungunya was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US
- The world’s first vaccine for chikungunya will be available under the brand name Valneva
- The first chikungunya vaccine has been developed by Ixchiq
- The world’s first vaccine for chikungunya has been developed by a European vaccine manufacturer
How many of the above statements is/are true?
- (a) Only 1
- (b) 1 and 4
- (c) 1 and 2
- (d) All of the above
Ans: (b)
Source: How was the first vaccine for chikungunya approved? (The Hindu, November 17, 2023)
Explanation
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US approved the world’s first vaccine for chikungunya on November 9.
- The European vaccine manufacturer Valneva developed this vaccine.
- The vaccine will be sold under the brand name Ixchiq.
- The vaccine is approved for use in people who are 18 years or older.
- It is recommended for individuals who are at an increased risk of exposure to the virus.
Q. 3. Consider the following statements:
- Gulf of Guinea’s natural resources include offshore oil deposits and metal ore deposits.
- India’s maiden Gulf of Guinea anti piracy patrol was undertaken by Indian Navy’s INS Sumedha
How many of the above statements is/are true?
- (a) Only 1
- (b) Only 2
- (c) Neither 1 nor 2
- (d) Both 1 and 2
Ans: (a)
Source: Second anti-piracy patrol in Gulf of Guinea over: Navy (The Hindu, November 17, 2023)
Explanation:
- INS Tarkash made India’s first anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Guinea in September-October 2022.
- Recently, in November 2023, the Indian Navy completed its second anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Guinea.
- This patrol was undertaken by the offshore patrol vessel INS Sumedha.
- The INS Sumedha is currently operating in the Atlantic Ocean along the west coast of Africa.
- The vessel’s mission was a 31-day anti-piracy patrol.
- The Gulf of Guinea region is key for India as it is a major source of India’s energy needs.
- INS Sumedha’s deployment also served to strengthen ties with regional navies, including those of Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Angola, and Namibia.
- The ship also took part in the inaugural India-EU Joint Exercise.
- From November 10 to 13, INS Sumedha visited Walvis Bay, Namibia as part of the Mission Based Deployment to West Africa and the Atlantic.
Gulf Of Guinea
- The Gulf of Guinea is part of the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean. It’s off the western African coast, stretching from Cap López to Cape Palmas.
- Main tributaries of the Gulf include the Volta and Niger rivers.
- Its coastline is a part of the western edge of the African tectonic plate. This matches the South American continental margin running from Brazil to the Guianas.
- This matching geology and geomorphology of these coastlines validates the theory of continental drift.
- The Gulf of Guinea’s continental shelf is mostly narrow. It only widens from Sierra Leone to the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, and in the Bight of Biafra.
- The Niger River has created a large delta of Holocene muds, less than 11,700 years old. This is the only area where the matching of the African and South American tectonic plates is disturbed.
- The active volcanic region in the Gulf is aligned with Mount Cameroon on the Cameroon Republic’s coast. The islands in this arc, namely Bioko (Fernando Po), Príncipe, São Tomé, and Annobón, extend 450 miles offshore to the southwest.
- The biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea’s marine life is less diverse compared to the western tropical Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific region.
- This lack of diversity is due to two main reasons:
- The absence of coral-reef ecosystems. This is caused by the low salt content and high turbidity of the Guinea Current water.
- The shift to cooler climates during the Miocene Epoch, approximately 23 to 5.3 million years ago. During this time, the Atlantic had fewer safe environments for tropical plants and animals than the Indo-Pacific region.
Q.4. Consider the following statements:
- The National Health Claim Exchange (NHCX) is a digital health claims platform
- NHCX has been developed by the National Health Authority
- The National Health Authority (NHA) is responsible for implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
- National Health Agency will replace the National Health Authority with effect from January 2024
How many of the above statements are true?
- (a) 1, 2 and 3
- (b) 1 and 3
- (c) 1 and 2
- (d) All of the above
Ans: (a)
Source: National Health Authority (NHA) organises Accelerator Workshops on ABDM Integration and NHCX Adoption in association with IRDAI (PIB, November 14)
Explanation:
- The National Health Authority (NHA) was formed in 2019. Before that, it was the National Health Agency, established in 2018.
- The NHA was given full functional autonomy after a Cabinet decision.
- NHA has partnered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
- The collaboration aims to launch the National Health Claim Exchange (NHCX), a digital platform for health claims.
- NHCX was developed by the NHA.
- The partnership is a response to a circular issued by IRDAI in June 2023.
- In the circular, IRDAI urged all insurers and providers to onboard the NHCX.
- The NHCX will serve as a gateway for exchanging claims-related information among various stakeholders in the healthcare and health insurance ecosystem.
- A three-day workshop was organized from 7th to 9th November in New Delhi, aimed mainly at hospital providers to onboard the NHCX and insurance companies to fully integrate with the NHCI.
- The first two were conducted in August and October this year.
- Participants included insurance companies and TPAs.
- At the latest workshop, eight more insurance companies/TPAs integrated with NHCX, bringing the total to 12.
- The companies include Aditya Birla Health Insurance, Star Health and Allied Insurance, Bajaj Allianz Insurance Company, and HDFC Ergo Insurance.
- The recent integrations are ICICI Lombard General Insurance, The New India Assurance Company, Care Health Insurance, Go Digit General Insurance, Acko General Insurance, Tata AIG General Insurance company, Paramount TPA, and United India Insurance Company.
- To encourage digitalization of health transactions and patient records, NHA announced financial incentives through the Digital Health Incentive Scheme (DHIS), starting in Jan 2023.
- Under DHIS, hospitals will receive financial incentives for every insurance claim processed through NHCX.
- The incentive is Rs 500 per claim or 10% of the claim amount, whichever is lower.
Q.5. Consider the following statements:
- Milipol Paris is the world’s leading event for homeland security and safety.
- DRDO unveiled Kavro Doma 360 at Milipol Paris.
- Kavro Doma 360 is the world’s first uniform rifle protection helmet
How many of the above statements is/are true?
- (a) 1 and 3
- (b) Only 1
- (c) 1 and 2
- (d) Only 3
Ans: (a)
Source: MKU Limited Shakes the World with Launch of New Rifle Protection Helmet (The Financial Express, November 15)
Explanation:
- Milipol Paris is a top global event focused on homeland security and safety.
- Its 23rd edition was held from November 14 to 17, 2023.
- MKU Limited, based in Kanpur, India, made a significant impact at the event. It introduced the Kavro Doma 360, the world’s first rifle-rated ballistic helmet.
- This helmet provides enhanced protection and showcases India’s ability to produce innovative, advanced defence solutions.
- It’s the first helmet to protect all 5 zones of the head uniformly against threats.
- It can withstand threats like the AK-47 MSC, M80 NATO BALL, and M193 rifle bullets.