Generative AI is being integrated into media and marketing operations at all levels. It's used to improve client results, boost sales, and enhance product launches. This adoption shows the industry now sees generative AI as a practical business tool rather than just a novel technology.
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.
ChatGPT experienced an outage affecting thousands of users. OpenAI is working to restore service. Separately, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris is launching MONIIFY, a digital business newsroom targeting young audiences in emerging markets. It will focus on tech, AI, finance and energy industries, offering daily updates and investment insights across various media formats.
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.
A judge dismissed a lawsuit against OpenAI filed by two news outlets, which accused the company of copyright violations in training its AI models. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs failed to prove concrete injury, considering the likelihood of ChatGPT producing plagiarised content from their articles as remote. This ruling favours OpenAI in the debate about AI companies' use of copyrighted material for training.
The Washington Post has launched 'Ask The Post AI', a chatbot that answers questions using the newspaper's articles since 2016. It uses curated data, won't respond without sufficient reporting, and may produce inaccurate information. Users are advised to verify results with published articles. This initiative explores new ways of presenting journalism using AI technology.
French AI startup Mistral AI has launched a content moderation API using their Ministral 8B model. It detects harmful content in 9 categories across 11 languages, analyzing both text and conversations. Available through Mistral's cloud platform, this positions them to compete with major AI companies on safety issues. Recent partnerships with Microsoft, Qualcomm and SAP boost Mistral's enterprise presence. Their focus on edge computing and safety features may appeal to European firms under strict data regulations.
A global phishing campaign called CopyRh(ight)adamantys has been discovered, targeting individuals and organisations. It uses AI-generated emails to impersonate legitimate groups, claiming social media copyright violations. The attackers employ Rhadamanthys malware and older AI models for customisation. Google acknowledges the threat and states their AI protections are effective against it.
Amazon has introduced AI-generated recaps for some Prime Video original series. Called X-Ray Recaps, the feature uses Amazon Bedrock to analyse video content and create spoiler-free summaries. Viewers can access episode, season-so-far, and previous season recaps for select Amazon MGM Studios shows.
Perplexity AI's CEO offered tech support to The New York Times during a workers' strike, despite recent legal threats from The Times over unauthorised content use. The Times' Tech Guild went on strike before a US election. The Times, along with other media outlets, have taken legal action against Perplexity AI for alleged copyright infringement.
AI safety advocates at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 stressed the need for ethical considerations and safeguards in AI development. They highlighted concerns about rapid deployment without considering long-term consequences, addressing issues like content moderation, misinformation, and copyright. The speakers emphasised implementing guardrails in AI product development, proper licensing of artists' work, and red-teaming AI models to mitigate unintended consequences.
AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot have produced false information about individuals, leading to legal challenges and defamation concerns. Cases include a German journalist and an Australian mayor falsely described as criminals, and a US radio host suing OpenAI. These cases may set precedents for AI liability. Correcting AI errors is difficult due to system opacity. Some courts now require disclosure of AI use in case preparation. An inquiry is underway into AI use in courts, with potential future applications in case management, translation, and dispute resolution.
A Polish state-funded radio station experimented with AI-generated content, including an interview with a deceased poet. The controversial attempt to boost listenership was quickly terminated following public outcry and criticism.
A fake Halloween parade in Dublin, advertised on an AI-generated website, drew thousands before police confirmed no event was taking place. The incident highlights concerns about AI content misleading the public and potentially exploiting search engines for ad revenue.
OpenAI claims its AI transcription tool Whisper has near human-level accuracy, but may have a significant flaw. Full details are unavailable, likely due to a paywall.
Eightify is an AI tool that summarises YouTube videos. Available as a Chrome extension and mobile app, it offers a free trial followed by paid subscriptions. Users can generate summaries in various styles and formats. The tool competes with other AI-powered video summarisers, some of which offer free services with limitations.
Disney has formed a new Office of Technology Enablement to explore AI and emerging tech opportunities across its operations. Led by Jamie Voris, the group will focus on responsible use of AI and Mixed Reality, aiming to position Disney as a leader in these fields. The OTE will coordinate efforts company-wide but won't centralise all work in these areas.
Greg Hildebrandt, a renowned artist known for his work on major franchises like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, has passed away. He and his twin brother were known as the Brothers Hildebrandt until beginning separate careers. Their notable works include the 'Style B' Star Wars poster for UK audiences. Hildebrandt's extensive portfolio spans comics, calendars, and illustrations for various publications. Recently, he contributed to a comic book series supporting Ukrainian refugee relief efforts.
Troveo, a new platform for licensing content to AI companies, has launched with £4.5 million in seed funding. It aims to help content owners license their material whilst retaining ownership rights. Troveo has secured deals with AI companies to pay over £5 million to content owners by year-end. The platform allows content owners to upload material and receive licensing deals and revenue from AI companies for machine learning model training.
