🍏ChatGPT App Now on Mac!

Hey TEDchats Fam!

Happy Wednesday! Ever wished your MacBook could read your mind? Well, we’re not quite there yet, but we’re closer than you might think. Welcome to the era of ChatGPT for Mac.

👀 SNEAK PEEK

🚨FEATURE STORY

ChatGPT for Mac Now Available to Everyone, Not Just Plus Subscribers!

Imagine a world where accessing a powerful AI assistant is as simple as a keystroke. This vision has become a reality with OpenAI's latest announcement: ChatGPT is now available to all macOS users.

A New Era of AI Access for macOS Users

OpenAI's journey with macOS users began just before Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, where a significant collaboration between OpenAI and Apple was revealed. This partnership promised seamless integration of ChatGPT across Apple’s operating systems, including iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple’s announcement and OpenAI’s announcement provide further details.

Creating Buzz with a Gradual Rollout

Initially, the introduction of ChatGPT for Mac was somewhat outshone by the release of OpenAI's GPT-4o model, which captivated audiences worldwide with its sophisticated abilities in text, speech, and video comprehension. However, the gradual rollout of the ChatGPT desktop app to Mac users, starting with Plus subscribers, slowly created a buzz. This momentum has built up to the present moment, as OpenAI has just announced that the ChatGPT desktop app for macOS is now available for all users.

This wider release allows macOS users to summon ChatGPT effortlessly using the keyboard shortcut Option + Space. The integration not only simplifies access to the AI chatbot but also enhances user interaction by allowing users to take and discuss screenshots, upload files and photos, and search through past conversations directly from their desktops. Please note that this app is compatible only with macOS 14+ that run on M1 or newer chips.

Deepening the Integration with Apple (+ Microsoft)

Looking ahead, the partnership between OpenAI and Apple is set to deepen. Later this year, Apple customers will gain even more streamlined access to ChatGPT via Siri and other AI-enhanced tools, thanks to the continued rollout of GPT-4o capabilities. Additionally, OpenAI has revealed that the ChatGPT desktop app will be coming to Windows later this year. This promises to further integrate AI into everyday tasks, enhancing productivity and user experience across multiple device platforms (see OpenAI’s announcement).

🧑‍💻 DAILY PROMPT

🍕 QUICK BITES

Gmail Gets Smarter with AI: Introducing Gemini Sidebar

Google is revolutionizing email management with the rollout of Gemini AI in the Gmail side panel. This new feature, available to paid subscribers, can summarize email threads and draft responses with ease. Leveraging the powerful Gemini 1.5 Pro model, it aims to streamline your inbox experience, though users are advised to double-check AI-generated content for accuracy. In addition to Gmail, Google is integrating Gemini AI into Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive, promising a more efficient workflow across its suite of productivity tools. These advancements highlight Google’s commitment to enhancing user productivity through cutting-edge AI technology (see Google’s announcements here and here).

Reddit is Cracking Down on AI Crawlers

Reddit is updating its Robots Exclusion Protocol (robots.txt file) to prevent AI companies from scraping its content for training models. This move, which includes rate-limiting and blocking unauthorized bots, aims to protect Reddit’s data integrity, especially from companies lacking agreements. Earlier this year, Reddit secured data licensing deals worth $203 million, as stated in their IPO prospectus, highlighting their data’s role in training large language models (LLMs) and monetization. The modifications to the robots.txt file underscore Reddit's commitment to protecting user content and impose strict conditions on AI developers who access data either in bad faith or without a monetization agreement (see Reddit’s announcement).

Meta’s AI Labeling Strategy is Misfiring!

Meta is under fire from photographers for incorrectly labeling real photos as "Made by AI". The issue arose when images, even with minor edits using tools like Adobe's cropping and Generative Fill, were marked as AI-generated. For instance, former White House photographer Pete Souza's image of a basketball game and a photo of the Kolkata Knight Riders winning the IPL were mislabeled. This labeling only appears on mobile devices, not on the web, complicating the situation further. Photographers argue that such a broad application of the label diminishes its meaning and relevance. In response, Meta is reviewing its labeling criteria to better reflect the actual use of AI in photos. You can find Meta’s AI labeling process here and a summary of complaints by The Verge here.

🧰 AI TOOLBOX 

🤯 MIND SPARK

How Did AI-Generated Tracks Spark $150,000 Lawsuits? In a landmark action, major record labels such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records Inc. have initiated lawsuits against AI music companies Suno and Udio for significant copyright breaches. These AI companies allegedly used artists' works without permission to produce popular tracks and are now facing claims for damages that could reach up to $150,000 per infringed work (see Suno's case here and Udio's case here).

Stability AI Secures Crucial Funding Amid Financial Turmoil: Stability AI, the creator of the groundbreaking Stable Diffusion model known for its revolutionary advancements in image generation and AI art, has received a significant cash injection from high-profile investors, including Sean Parker (Facebook’s former president) and Eric Schmidt (Google’s former CEO). This crucial funding comes as Stability AI battles a severe cash crunch, with unpaid cloud bills and declining valuation (see Stability AI’s announcement).

Find Your AI: Who’s Your Match on Firefox Nightly? Mozilla's Firefox Nightly now lets you choose your preferred AI chatbot. Options include ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat, and Le Chat Mistral, providing a customizable AI experience tailored to your needs. This experimental opt-in feature aims to refine user preferences before a wider release, allowing users to “summarize information, simplify language, or test their knowledge, all without leaving their current web page” (see Firefox’s announcement).

🎨 AI ART