Fair Patterns, founded by Marie Potel-Saville, uses AI to identify dark patterns - manipulative design techniques on websites and apps. The European Commission found over 97% of popular EU sites use dark patterns. Fair Patterns' algorithm scans for these designs, flags them, and links to legal risks. The company aims to promote ethical practices, with some businesses like Canva and Bumble implementing their recommendations.
A new AI service, SantaPhoneCalls.com, offers personalised phone calls from Santa to children. Using generative AI, it creates interactive conversations customised with parent-provided details. Priced between £7.95 and £15.95, it aims to enhance families' festive experiences. This represents a growing trend of AI applications in holiday-themed services.
Web Summit, Europe's largest tech event, is happening in Lisbon this November. With 70,000 attendees expected, the main focus is artificial intelligence, covering regulation, sustainability, and ethics. Key speakers include executives from major tech companies and government officials. Other topics include social media in politics and the future of transportation. The event marks the return of Web Summit's previously controversial co-founder and CEO.
Country singer Randy Travis has released an AI-generated song after losing his ability to sing. This has sparked interest in AI's potential in music, despite general industry caution about the technology.
AI-generated images are becoming more common on social media platforms like Facebook. These images often appear slightly unusual and are sometimes posted by faceless accounts. Whilst platforms are trying to label AI content, some images still circulate without proper identification. Users often engage with these images, despite their artificial nature.
Spotify introduced an AI DJ feature that creates personalised playlists based on users' listening history, greets them, and provides commentary. While aiming to replicate radio DJs, it lacks human connection and diverse selections. This feature reflects a trend of tech companies incorporating AI into products, possibly overestimating demand for AI-generated creative content.
AI-generated headshot technology now rivals professional photography, threatening the future of headshot photography. This could impact various industries due to headshots being seen as a commodity, people's dislike of having them taken, and potential cost savings. Photographers are advised to adapt by developing unique styles and focusing on areas AI may struggle with, such as event or wedding photography.
Google Meet for Android is introducing AI-generated meeting backgrounds using Google Gemini technology. Users can create custom backgrounds in various styles, including a new Christmas theme. The feature requires a Gemini for Google Workspace add-on or Google One AI Premium subscription and is expected to be widely available soon.
Nvidia's CEO envisions 'AI employees' working in various roles, including marketing and chip design. These AI agents would be specialised, rented by companies, and instructed through missions and conversations. They could boost productivity, potentially improving company performance, and collaborate with humans and other AI agents in workplace platforms.
Chegg, an online education company, has seen its stock value plummet by 99% as students turn to AI for homework help instead of its services. The company is now struggling to adapt its business model to the rise of AI in education.
AI tools now enable video generation of people speaking unfamiliar languages fluently, though imperfectly. The technology can also create synthetic media like realistic video clips and deepfakes, raising misuse concerns. Experts anticipate AI-produced feature films within months, blurring lines between real and AI-generated content.
Salesforce plans to hire over 1,000 employees to sell its new generative AI product, Agentforce. The company aims to capitalise on the momentum of this new AI offering, with the CEO reporting positive customer feedback.
The Beatles have been nominated for two 2024 Grammy awards for their AI-enhanced song 'Now and Then'. The track, based on a 1978 John Lennon demo, was created using AI technology to clean up the original recording. This technique was inspired by similar methods used in a 2021 Beatles documentary series.
A Reddit user fabricated a story about ChatGPT prompting them to seek medical care for a heart attack. The incident, which gained significant attention before being debunked, demonstrates how AI can be used to create convincing false content online. This serves as a reminder to critically evaluate information, especially in the age of generative AI.
Beaverlab's new AI-powered telescope, the Finder TW2, is crowdfunding on Indiegogo. It offers 4K imaging at a lower cost than premium smart telescopes, with AI-enhanced images, a touchscreen, and portable design. While good for moon and sun viewing, it struggles with other celestial objects, especially in less-than-ideal conditions. Its camera is compatible with other telescopes, but overall performance may not meet expectations for comprehensive night sky viewing.
Yandex, a leading Russian AI company, plans to invest in Indonesia's AI ecosystem and expand its search engine there. This comes as Indonesia attracts investments from global tech firms like Nvidia and Microsoft, while Russia faces Western technology restrictions due to the Ukraine conflict. The investment details were not disclosed.
Microsoft will unveil an AI-enhanced project for St. Peter's Basilica in November 2024. This collaboration with the Fabric of St. Peter is part of Microsoft's AI for Cultural Heritage programme, which has developed similar projects for other cultural sites. The unveiling will take place at the Vatican.
The global Multimodal Learning market is set to grow from £1.2 billion in 2024 to £3.5 billion by 2032, with a 14% annual growth rate. This technology combines multiple input types to improve learning and AI applications. The market covers various learning types and applications across industries. North America and Asia-Pacific currently lead, with Asia-Pacific and Europe expected to grow fastest.
ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has created X-Portrait 2, an AI tool that transforms photos into realistic video animations. It can mimic famous movie scenes with accurate facial expressions, potentially impacting the animation industry. The technology's advanced realism, likely due to TikTok's vast video database, raises concerns about potential misuse for creating misleading content. ByteDance is expanding its AI research globally.
