🗞️ AI News Recap

Hey TEDchats Fam!

Happy Monday! Curious about the latest AI breakthroughs? Get ready for the top news from the past week, where we'll be highlighting the most groundbreaking innovations from the biggest players in the game. From turning simple photos into jaw-dropping videos to delving into the world of natural disasters, we're about to recap some game-changing AI developments. Let's dive into this week's recap and see what's shaking up the future!

🐇 QUICK BITES — THE PAST WEEK

From a Single Photo and Audio Clip to a Fully AI-Generated Video!

Introducing VASA: Microsoft’s newest framework for generating lifelike talking faces of virtual characters from a single image and speech clip. Their premier model, VASA-1, synchronizes lip movements with audio while capturing a broad range of facial nuances and natural head motions for authenticity. Key innovations include a dynamic facial and head movement model in a face latent space, developed from expressive and disentangled face latent space using videos (see it in action here).

Meta Launches Llama 3 as a Strong Competitor to OpenAI’s Open-Source Models

Meta is asserting itself as an AI leader with Llama 3, its latest model. Released in two versions for developers worldwide, Llama 3 promises enhanced reasoning and code generation, competing favorably with industry benchmarks, especially compared to open-source models. However, it's worth noting that the definition of 'open-source' is subject to debate (read more). Meta's AI is also entering public use through its chatbot, challenging OpenAI's ChatGPT (access Meta’s AI chatbot here). Llama 3's integration across major platforms signals Meta's commitment to AI advancement. Safety tools like Llama Guard 2 accompany this push, reinforcing user trust. Meta's strategic focus on Llama 3 suggests a strong position in the evolving AI landscape (see Meta's full announcement here).

Microsoft Commits $1.5 Billion to UAE's AI Powerhouse, G42

In a world of technological and geopolitical rivalries, Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment in G42, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) AI powerhouse, holds significant weight. The Gulf region has become a central battleground for U.S.-China tech competition. G42, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, spearheads the UAE's AI initiatives and collaborates with major players like OpenAI. Microsoft's minority stake signifies strengthened bonds, with their Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith, joining G42's board. This endorsement solidifies UAE alliances, positioning Microsoft as the official cloud partner, expanding market access and distancing from Chinese influence (see Microsoft’s announcement).

U.S. Air Force and DARPA Report Successful Dogfight Between Human Pilot and AI-Controlled Jet

In a groundbreaking test by the U.S. Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an AI-controlled jet successfully engaged a human pilot in a real-time aerial combat exercise, marking a significant advance in aerospace AI technology (see more).

LinkedIn Introduces AI-Enhanced Premium Company Pages

LinkedIn Premium Company Page is a subscription service designed to help your Page stand out and convert more LinkedIn members into clients for your business. Priced starting at $99 per month, this subscription offers AI-assisted content creation and innovative tools to enhance company visibility and increase follower engagement. Ideal for small to medium businesses aiming to elevate their LinkedIn presence, LinkedIn is currently offering a free 1-month trial of the service (see it on LinkedIn).

Meta Faces Scrutiny Over Nude AI Images of Public Figures

As Meta's user base expanded to over 2 billion people, the company recognized it shouldn't be solely responsible for decisions about speech and online safety. This realization led to the creation of the Oversight Board. The Board is currently investigating two significant cases on Instagram and Facebook where explicit AI-generated images of public figures were not properly identified and handled. This scrutiny highlights the complexities and challenges Meta faces in managing AI-generated content across its platforms (find details of the case here).

Snapchat Announces New Watermarks for AI Images

Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat, is boosting transparency of its AI-generated content by introducing a new watermark feature. The watermark, featuring Snapchat's logo and a sparkle emoji, will be added to all AI-generated images that are exported or saved from the app. This measure is designed to help users easily identify the AI origin of these images, fostering clarity and trust in the content (see Snapchat's announcement for additional initiatives).

Google Clamps Down on Office Protests

Google fires 28 employees, some of whom were arrested, following protests against Project Nimbus, a controversial $1.2 billion cloud contract with the Israeli government. According to Google's head of global security, as reported by The Verge, these employees took over office spaces, defaced property, and physically impeded the work of other Googlers (see more).

Now You Can Pinch Your Earbuds to Activate ChatGPT

Nothing's new earbuds integrate ChatGPT, enabling users to interact with the AI assistant on-the-go with a simple pinch. However, this feature requires the use of Nothing phones. On the tech side, Nothing's earbuds also feature algorithmic noise cancellation and bass enhancement for a superior music experience (see more).

Or You Can Click Your Mouse to Activate ChatGPT

Logitech is rolling out ‘Logi AI Prompt Builder’, which includes a dedicated button on Logitech's mouse for accessing ChatGPT. This button triggers preset prompt guides to improve your ChatGPT experience for work-related tasks (see Logitech’s announcement).

Amazon Music Releases Maestro — An AI-Powered Playlist Creator

Similar to Spotify's AI-powered playlists, Amazon Music has now launched Maestro, a new feature that enables users to craft playlists using text or emoji prompts. Currently available in beta for iOS and Android mobile apps to a select group of U.S. subscribers, Maestro offers playlist customization with diverse prompts, such as "😭 and eating 🍝" or "🎤🚿🧼". This feature leverages AI to provide users with more ways to describe their desired playlists, enhancing the overall experience (see Amazon’s announcement).

The UK Seeks New AI Regulations to Ensure Public Safety

The UK is drafting new laws to regulate artificial intelligence to ensure safety and accountability, as reported by Bloomberg. Although the AI Safety Institute was introduced in November 2023 to assess AI models, the UK still lacks formal policies to prevent companies from releasing unevaluated AI models. Additionally, the country does not have the authority to remove existing models from the market for safety violations or to fine companies for such infractions. The UK's new legislation, akin to the European Union's AI Act, seeks to fill these gaps (read more).

OpenAI Opens First Office in Asia

OpenAI has established an office in Tokyo, broadening its global reach, and is giving local businesses early access to a GPT-4 model fine-tuned for the Japanese language (see OpenAI’s announcement).

AI to Predict and Manage Natural Disasters

Alphabet X's Project Bellwether is leading the way in using AI to forecast and respond to natural disasters such as wildfires, tornadoes, and floods. This innovative project seeks to leverage advanced AI technologies to predict these events ahead of time, enhancing the preparedness and response abilities of emergency teams. This approach has the potential to save lives and reduce property damage (see Bellwether’s announcement).

Drake’s Newest AI Scandal — Now We Have Answers!

A leaked diss track titled ‘Push Ups’ has gone viral, targeting Kendrick Lamar, Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, Rick Ross, and others, prompting fans to question whether it's by Drake or AI-generated. Though it sounds like Drake, there were slight glitches in his voice. Drake referenced the track in his Instagram stories but didn't officially claim it. Did Drake use AI to create the track and let AI take the blame? Is it even AI? Well, two days ago Drake officially streamed the track and is taking full credit for it (listen to an official stream here).

🧰 AI TOOLBOX — RECAP

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👋 THE WRAP UP

As we close out this week's recap, remember: the AI landscape is ever-changing and full of surprises. Keep your eyes peeled for more mind-blowing updates and stay ahead of the curve. Until next time, let's keep expanding our knowledge of what's possible with AI!