🗞️ AI News Recap

Hey TEDchats Fam!

Happy Monday! Remember the feeling of assembling a puzzle only to discover a missing piece at the end? AI can be a bit like that, with a puzzle evolving so rapidly it's easy to lose track. But fear not, because our AI recaps are the missing puzzle piece, bringing the whole picture into focus. So, let's piece together the latest developments and ensure you're not left with a tech-shaped hole in your knowledge puzzle!

🐇 QUICK BITES — THE PAST WEEK

Andreessen Horowitz Plans to Lobby the Government with a Strongly Pro-AI Stance

Venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz has announced its intent to lobby the U.S. government. Believing in the crucial role of advancing technology for humanity's future, they will support candidates aligned with their vision. In essence, if a candidate supports an optimistic, technology-enabled future, the firm is for them. Conversely, if candidates want to impede important technologies, the firm is against them. Expanding on this notion, they emphasize that "artificial intelligence has the potential to uplift all of humanity" and "must not be choked off in its infancy” (read more).

Will Only AI Be Able to Effectively Supervise AI?

OpenAI's Superalignment Team, established to tackle the challenge of controlling AI systems surpassing human intelligence, unveils a groundbreaking approach in their latest research. They propose utilizing a weaker AI model, like GPT-2, to supervise a more advanced model, such as GPT-4, showcasing promising initial results (read more). Now, OpenAI is championing further research on superhuman AI alignment through a $10 million grants program for the machine learning community (read more).

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Google, Referencing AI Practices

A recent class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in D.C. by the publisher Helena World Chronicle alleges anticompetitive behavior by Google and Alphabet, violating U.S. antitrust laws, including the Sherman Act and Clayton Act. The complaint states that Google is diverting “billions of readers and billions of dollars from publishers”, along with “diverting readers and ad revenue”, referencing Bard AI chatbot and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) (read more).

Meta's AI-Powered Glasses Can See Even More!

Meta unveils multimodal AI features for Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. Now in Beta via the US Early Access program, users can explore the world, ask questions, and receive real-time suggestions by saying 'Hey Meta, look...' (read more). In an impressive demonstration, Mark Zuckerberg showcased the glasses' capability to suggest clothing pairings and translate text (see more).

Snapchat Introduces AI-Generated Image Features

Snapchat has added a new feature for its Snapchat+ subscribers, enabling them to generate images using AI from text prompts. This functionality, accessible via the ‘AI’ button in the camera interface, allows for the creation of custom visuals based on user-typed or pre-set prompts. The update also includes AI-powered tools to extend the background of photos and monthly packs of AI-themed selfie filters, further enhancing the app's AI capabilities (see more).

Transform Your Stories with Instagram's AI Magic

Instagram's latest feature, now available to U.S. users, is a game-changer in photo customization. This generative AI-powered background editor lets users creatively alter their Story backgrounds with prompts like “surrounded by puppies”, or “chased by dinosaurs”. After sharing a Story featuring the freshly generated background, other users can also incorporate the backdrop using a “Try it” sticker (see more).

AI Plush Toys Now Available for Purchase!

Diving into the world of artificial intelligence, musician Grimes, in partnership with Curio and OpenAI, unveils a new line of AI-powered plush toys that can adapt to the learning styles and preferences of children. This innovative approach to children's play aims to blend entertainment with learning while reducing screen time. Eager customers can now order the limited beta edition of these groundbreaking AI toys online (see more).

Spotify’s AI-Powered Playlist—in Testing Phase

In a significant leap towards personalized music experiences, Spotify has confirmed the testing of an innovative feature that lets users create playlists through AI-generated prompts. Initially spotted in a TikTok video, this tool transforms user ideas into customized playlists using a chatbot-style interface (see more).

AI Startup for Small Business Raises $14 million

Vancouver-based startup Durable has raised $14 million in a Series A round to expand its AI platform for small businesses. Durable's AI website builder, catering to those with minimal online presence, has created over 6 million websites in just a year. The company plans to leverage AI advancements to enhance its suite of tools, including a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, invoicing service, blog builder, and an AI assistant powered by OpenAI and other language models. Ultimately, they plan to bridge the gap between the 80% of Americans who want to start a business and the 20% who actually follow through (read more).

Hyperplane Plans to Revolutionize Banking with AI

San Francisco's newest fintech player, Hyperplane, steps into the limelight with an ambitious AI project, boasting a robust $6 million funding round. Their innovative approach leverages banks' first-party data to tailor customer experiences, marking a significant shift in how financial institutions interact with clients. After successfully collaborating with numerous banks in Brazil, Hyperplane is now eyeing expansion into the U.S. market, aiming to redefine the banking sector with its advanced AI-driven personalization strategies (read more).

IBM is Acquiring StreamSets and webMethods for €2.13B in Cash!

IBM has entered a definitive agreement to acquire StreamSets and webMethods from Software AG for €2.13 billion in cash. This aligns with the growing importance of integration solutions in the digital landscape. StreamSets and webMethods are leaders in application integration, API management, and data integration. The acquisition enhances IBM's focus on AI and hybrid cloud, integrating StreamSets' data ingestion capabilities into Watsonx and providing clients with additional tools from webMethods for their hybrid multi-cloud environments (read more).

Media Monitoring AI Startup Secures $65M in Funding

Meltwater, the AI startup renowned for media monitoring and business intelligence, is securing a new investor, Verdane. The Norwegian private equity firm is acquiring an 11% stake in Meltwater. With a company valuation of €542 million ($592 million), this stake translates to approximately $65 million (read more).

🧰 AI TOOLBOX — RECAP 

👋 UNTIL NEXT TIME

As we carefully piece together the AI puzzle, it's clear that every recap brings us closer to the full picture. What intriguing developments lie on the horizon? How will these puzzle pieces reshape our digital landscape? Stay tuned for our next newsletter, where we'll continue connecting the dots and unveiling the latest pieces in the AI puzzle.