Today in AI

• News roundup

• Today’s big story

• AI research changing the world

• Tool spotlight

• This week on the podcast

News roundup

The top stories in AI today.

NEW LAUNCHES

The latest features, products, rounds & partnerships in AI

• Microsoft Paint adds AI-powered fill and erase tools

• Startup aims to pay YouTubers for AI training data

• AI video startup Runway just released another big update

• All the latest AI features included in Microsoft’s Copilot and Windows updates

• Microsoft is infusing Windows search with AI for its next upgrade

• MIT startup invents new breed of AI model and it’s already state of the art

FUTURE OF WORK

Jobs are changing — are you?

• Hubspot CTO explains how networks of collaborative AI agents will transform work

• 10 AI tools transforming competitor analysis in 2024

• 74% of workers blame employers for the AI skills gap

• Meta, Outshift, Intuit and Asana are betting that the future of AI is agentic

• Marketing executives grapple with AI adoption, Fiverr study finds

MONEY FLOWS

Economics, Wall Street, investing & fundraising

• iPhone 16 struggles to gain early traction, analysts still optimistic

• Inside the journey to autonomous AI agents and the VCs funding them

• AI chipmaker Cerebras challenges Nvidia with IPO filing

• AI to boost corporate profits by billions, Bank of America predicts

• Reconciling SoftBank’s AI strategy with the Vision Fund’s investment in OpenAI

HARDWARE

Computers, phones, chips & AI powered devices

• Here’s when all of Apple’s new AI features are coming

• HP’s AI-powered printing will intelligently reformat web pages for optimal output

• AMD unveils energy-efficient Epyc chips for high-performance devices

• The coolest thing about smart glasses isn’t AR — it’s AI

• Meta won’t say whether it uses Ray-Ban photos to train AI models

• Google AI will summarize and translate right on your Chromebook now

• Android users can now access Google Gemini AI — how to get started

• Dell’s XPS 13 laptop has on-device AI to enable advanced features without wifi

What’s happening in AI right now

Microsoft's AI overhaul

Microsoft is making waves with a series of ambitious updates across its product lineup, positioning itself as a formidable competitor in the race for AI dominance. The tech giant's recent announcements showcase a comprehensive strategy to integrate AI into everyday computing experiences, from creative tools to operating system functionalities.

Microsoft's iconic Paint

Microsoft's iconic Paint application, a staple of Windows, is receiving a significant upgrade with AI-powered features that rival professional software capabilities. The introduction of Generative Fill and Generative Erase tools brings advanced image manipulation to the masses, allowing users to add or remove objects from images with ease. These features, along with similar enhancements to the Photos app, represent a democratization of creative tools that were once the domain of specialized software.

The implications of this move are far-reaching. By making advanced image editing accessible to everyday users, Microsoft is not only enhancing its value proposition but also potentially disrupting the market for professional creative software. Adobe, long the industry leader in this space, may find itself facing unexpected competition from a revitalized Paint.

Copilot: the AI companion reimagined

Perhaps the most significant aspect of Microsoft's AI push is the redesign of its Copilot assistant. The new Copilot features a card-based interface and improved performance, signaling Microsoft's intent to create a more personalized and intuitive AI companion. This redesign, currently being tested in India and Brazil, draws inspiration from other AI chatbots while leveraging Microsoft's vast resources and user base.

Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft's new AI CEO, envisions Copilot as more than just a digital assistant. In an internal memo, Suleyman describes a future where AI companions enhance human capabilities across various domains, from task planning to emotional support. This ambitious vision raises intriguing questions about the future of human-AI interaction and the potential impact on personal productivity and well-being.

Windows gets an AI boost

Microsoft's AI integration extends to the core of its operating system. The company is enhancing Windows search with natural language processing and improved content understanding. The new "Click to Do" feature promises to streamline workflows by allowing users to interact with content more intuitively. These updates, set to roll out to Windows Insiders in October, represent a significant step towards a more intelligent and responsive operating system.

Implications for the industry

Microsoft's comprehensive AI strategy has far-reaching implications for the tech industry:

1. Competition intensifies: With these updates, Microsoft is directly challenging industry giants like Google, Apple, and Adobe across multiple fronts.

2. Democratization of AI: By integrating advanced AI features into widely-used applications, Microsoft is making sophisticated technology accessible to a broader audience.

3. Ethical considerations: The push for more personalized AI companions raises important questions about data privacy and the nature of human-machine relationships.

4. Innovation acceleration: Microsoft's moves are likely to spur increased innovation from competitors, potentially leading to rapid advancements in AI-powered consumer technology.

As Microsoft's AI strategy unfolds, it's clear that we're entering a new era of computing where AI is not just a feature, but a fundamental aspect of how we interact with technology. The coming months will reveal whether Microsoft's bold moves will pay off, reshaping the tech landscape in the process.

We publish daily research, playbooks, and deep industry data breakdowns. Learn More Here

AI research changing the world

The latest breakthroughs and most pivotal papers — broken down in language anyone can understand.

Advertising association AI report: promising 58% time savings

Imagine a world where AI doesn't just create ads, but revolutionizes the entire advertising ecosystem - from strategy to compliance, while simultaneously addressing pressing ethical concerns. This future isn't just a possibility; it's unfolding now, according to a groundbreaking report from the Advertising Association's AI Taskforce. The study reveals that early AI adopters in advertising are already seeing up to 58% time savings and 30% quality improvements, fundamentally altering the industry's landscape. But the implications stretch far beyond efficiency gains. The report showcases AI's potential to enable richer creative exploration, from AI-generated brand mascots to personalized audio content, suggesting a future where AI-human hybrid creative teams become the norm. However, this transformative power comes with a responsibility. The report emphasizes the critical need for ethical AI adoption, addressing issues like privacy, fairness, and sustainability. In fact, it suggests that AI could reduce carbon emissions in ad creation by a staggering 99%, potentially catalyzing sustainability efforts across industries. As AI reshapes advertising, it raises profound questions about the future of creativity, data-driven decision making, and even consumer behavior. Could AI-driven advertising inadvertently influence societal norms?

The AI tool we’re loving right now

The best way to get AI literate? Try the tools!

BigVu

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• Eye contact correction

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• Script generation

• Teleprompter

• AI voice changing & cloning

• Background music generator

• Post Scheduler

• Landing page generator

• And much more

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This week on the podcast

Can’t get enough of our newsletter? Check out our podcast Future-Proof.

In this episode, the hosts Anthony Batt and Shane Robinson with guest Joe Veroneau from Conveyor discuss outsmarting paperwork. Conveyor is a company that helps automate security reviews and document sharing between companies. They use AI technology, specifically language models, to automate the process of filling out security questionnaires. This saves customers a significant amount of time and improves the quality of their responses.