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What’s happening in AI right now

The AI Content Creation Boom

From music to video, image enhancement to entertainment AI is democratizing creative processes at an unprecedented pace.

LoudMe, a free AI music generator, exemplifies this trend by allowing users to generate full-length songs from simple text prompts. While the output quality may not rival professional productions yet, LoudMe's emergence signals a shift towards rapid, on-demand music creation. This development raises important questions for the music industry: How will traditional musicians and producers adapt to a world where anyone can create basic songs instantly? What are the implications for copyright and ownership in an era of AI-generated music?

In the video realm, Hotshot has emerged as a new player capable of producing up to 10 seconds of high-quality footage from text prompts. Joining established players like Runway and OpenAI's Sora, Hotshot is pushing the boundaries of video creation. The implications for the film and advertising industries are profound, potentially reshaping traditional production methods and raising concerns about the spread of deepfakes and misinformation at the same time.

While some tools focus on generating new content, others aim to enhance existing work. Upscayl, an open-source AI image upscaling tool, demonstrates the potential for AI to breathe new life into low-resolution images. This technology could have significant implications for archival work, restoration projects, and digital asset management.

The rapid proliferation of these tools brings the need for responsible AI development into sharp focus. A recent article highlights the growing pressure on AI companies to implement content safety measures, including AI classifiers to detect potentially harmful content, keyword filtering, and clear usage policies.

While startups and open-source projects drive much of the innovation in AI content creation, established players are also making significant moves. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) recently announced an $8.5 billion merger with Disney's Indian entertainment assets, coupled with ambitious AI plans. This deal highlights the convergence of traditional media with AI-powered digital platforms and the potential for AI to transform content creation and distribution at scale. RIL's "Jio AI Everywhere For Everyone" vision, which includes plans for national AI infrastructure and cost-effective AI solutions, could serve as a model for other countries looking to leverage AI for economic growth.

The rapid advancement of AI content creation tools presents both exciting opportunities and significant challenges. Industry leaders, policymakers, and creatives must navigate this new landscape carefully. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, they should explore how it can augment and enhance human creativity. Investing in AI literacy and developing ethical guidelines will be crucial for responsible innovation.

News roundup

The top stories in AI today.

FUTURE OF WORK

Jobs are changing — are you?

• AI Adoption Challenges Persist in Small Businesses

• Why Business Leaders Shouldn’t Wait to Implement AI

• Rand Report Shows 80% of AI Projects Fail Due to Leadership and Data Issues

• AI Fluency Takes Center Stage at MIT’s Global Education Summit

MODELS

Research, testing, fine-tuning, development

• ChatGPT Unminifies JavaScript Code, Unveiling AI’s Development Potential

• Code-Trained AI Models Outperform in Non-Coding Tasks

• Anthropic Just Published Its AI Model System Prompts, Marking Milestone for AI Transparency

• OpenAI Reportedly Set to Release Powerful ‘Strawberry’ AI Model This Fall

• Nous Research Launches Tool to Train AI Models Across Distributed Networks

• MIT Researchers Are Developing AI Models for Dance Choreography

FUNDRAISING

Who’s getting that bread?

• Fetch.ai Launches $10M AI Agent Innovation Hub in San Francisco

• Apple Eyes OpenAI Investment to Boost AI Strategy

• Bland AI Raises $16M to Transform Enterprise Calls with AI Agents

• AI-Powered Oncology Fund Raises $30M for Cancer Tech Startups

GOVERNMENT

Press releases, regulation, defense & politics.

• Japan’s Record $59B Defense Budget Targets AI and Unmanned Systems

• California Senate Passes Landmark AI Protection Bill for Performers

• Deepfakes and The AI-Driven Truth Crisis

• North Korean Hackers Exploit AI to Infiltrate US Tech Jobs

• AI Boosts 911 Response in Colorado County

CONTENT CREATION

Tools, industry trends, & ethics

• AI Music Generator LoudMe Offers Free Songs from Text Prompts

• AI Powers Reliance’s $8.5B Disney Merger and Entertainment Push

• Google AI Simulates Doom in Real-Time Without Original Code

• YouTube Is Expanding Access To Its New AI-Generated Conversational Radio

• AI Safety Strategies Gain Traction as Content Surges

AI research changing the world

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

Pinterest’s AI Recommender, Pixie, Boosts User Engagement by 50%

Imagine a digital world where every recommendation feels tailor-made, as if the platform knows what you want before you do. This isn't a distant dream, but a reality unfolding now, thanks to Pinterest's groundbreaking Pixie AI system. In a leap that could redefine personalization across industries, Pixie tackles the Herculean task of recommending from over 3 billion items to 200+ million users in real-time, outperforming traditional systems and boosting user engagement by up to 50%. But Pixie's implications stretch far beyond social media. This technology could revolutionize how businesses interact with consumers, from e-commerce giants predicting your next purchase to streaming services curating the perfect content mix.

However, as AI becomes eerily adept at anticipating our desires, we must grapple with profound questions: In a world of hyper-personalization, are we sacrificing serendipity and diverse experiences? Could such systems inadvertently create echo chambers, reinforcing our existing views and preferences? As businesses rush to adopt similar technologies, we're witnessing the dawn of a new era in customer engagement – one where the line between convenience and privacy grows increasingly blurred. The race is on for companies to harness this power, but at what cost to consumer choice and data privacy? As Pixie demonstrates the potential for AI to process 1,200 recommendations per second, we must ask: Are we prepared for a future where our digital experiences are so precisely tailored that they shape our choices before we make them?

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