NBC is set to bring sportscaster Al Michaels back to the Olympics with a twist this summer: his voice will be powered by AI. The network announced on Wednesday that AI software will recreate Michaels’ voice to deliver daily recaps of the Summer Games for subscribers of its Peacock streaming platform. That marks a significant milestone for the use of AI by a major media company.
The AI-driven recaps will be part of a new feature called ‘Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock,’ offering 10-minute highlight packages. These packages will include event updates, athlete backstories, and other content personalised to subscriber preferences. NBC claims the highlights can be packaged in about 7 million different ways, drawn from 5,000 hours of live coverage from Paris, showcasing the efficiency of AI in delivering tailored content.
Al Michaels expressed initial scepticism about the project but became intrigued after seeing a demonstration. He is being compensated for his involvement. Michaels, known for his long broadcasting career, including the iconic Miracle on Ice Game at the 1980 Winter Olympics, lent his past NBC broadcast audio to train the AI system. NBC assures that all content will be reviewed by a team of editors for factual accuracy and proper pronunciation. The highlights tool will be available on Peacock via web browsers and iOS and iPadOS apps starting 27 July.
Time magazine has entered a multi-year agreement with OpenAI, granting the AI firm access to its news archives. The deal allows OpenAI’s ChatGPT to cite and link back to Time.com in user queries, although financial details were not disclosed. OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, has forged similar partnerships with prominent media outlets such as the Financial Times, Axel Springer, Le Monde, and Prisa Media.
These collaborations help train and enhance OpenAI’s products while providing media companies access to AI technology for developing new products. Despite some media companies suing OpenAI over content usage, such partnerships are crucial for training AI models and offer a potential revenue stream for news publishers. Such a trend comes amid broader industry tensions, highlighted by Meta’s decision to block news sharing in Canada following new legislation requiring payment for news content.
Why does it matter?
The OpenAI-Time deal is part of a larger movement where publishers seek fair compensation for their content amid the rise of generative AI, which has prompted discussions on ethical content usage and compliance with web standards.
Channel Seven is currently investigating a significant breach on its YouTube channel, where unauthorised content featuring an AI-generated deepfake version of Elon Musk was streamed repeatedly. The incident on Thursday involved the channel being altered to mimic Tesla’s official presence. Viewers were exposed to a fabricated live stream where the AI-generated Musk promoted cryptocurrency investments via a QR code, claiming a potential doubling of assets.
During the stream, the fake Musk engaged with an audience, urging them to take advantage of the purported investment opportunity. The footage also featured a chat box from the fake Tesla page, displaying comments and links that further promoted the fraudulent scheme. The incident affected several other channels under Channel Seven’s umbrella, including 7 News and Spotlight, with all content subsequently deleted from these platforms.
A spokesperson from Channel Seven acknowledged the issue, confirming they are investigating alongside YouTube to resolve the situation swiftly. The network’s main YouTube page appeared inaccessible following the breach, prompting the investigation into how the security lapse occurred. The incident comes amidst broader challenges for Seven West Media, which recently announced significant job cuts as part of a cost-saving initiative led by its new CEO.
Why does it matter?
The breach underscores growing concerns over cybersecurity on social media platforms, particularly as unauthorised access to high-profile channels can disseminate misleading or harmful information. Channel Seven’s efforts to address the issue highlight the importance of robust digital security measures in safeguarding against such incidents in the future.
With the UK heading to the polls, the role of AI in guiding voter decisions is under scrutiny. ChatGPT, a generative AI tool, has been tested on its ability to provide insights into the upcoming general election. Despite its powerful pattern-matching capabilities, experts emphasise its limitations and potential biases, given that AI tools rely on their training data and accessible online content.
ChatGPT suggested a strong chance of a Labour victory in the UK based on current polling when prompted about the likely outcomes of the election. However, AI’s predictions can be flawed, as demonstrated when a glitch led ChatGPT to declare Labour as the election winner prematurely incorrectly. This incident prompted OpenAI to refine ChatGPT’s responses, ensuring more cautious and accurate outputs.
ChatGPT can help voters navigate party manifestos, outlining the priorities of major parties like Labour and the Conservatives. By summarising key points from multiple sources, the AI aims to provide balanced insights. Nevertheless, the psychological impact of AI-generated single answers remains a concern, as it could influence voter behaviour and election outcomes.
Why does it matter?
The use of AI for election guidance has sparked debates about its appropriateness and reliability. While AI can offer valuable information, the importance of critical thinking and informed decision-making must be balanced. As the election date approaches, voters are reminded that their choices hold significant weight, and participation in the democratic process is crucial.
OpenAI has made a pivotal advancement in the AI sector by acquiring Rockset, known for its search and analytical database technology. The acquisition is a strategic move to elevate OpenAI’s data processing and utilisation capabilities.
By integrating Rockset’s advanced infrastructure into its product suite, OpenAI aims to significantly enhance its AI tools, making data retrieval more precise and actionable. Founded in 2016 by former Meta engineers, Rockset excels in cloud-based data management, including real-time streaming data ingestion and sophisticated querying for time series, geospatial, and vector data.
Notably, its recent Approximate Nearest Neighbour (ANN) search upgrade boosts AI efficiency through rapid similarity searches across large datasets. With an acquisition valued at several hundred million dollars, OpenAI seeks to address business challenges in data integration with AI systems, thereby improving the accuracy and utility of its offerings, such as ChatGPT.
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s COO, highlighted customer benefits, emphasising Rockset’s ability to turn data into actionable insights. He reassured existing Rockset clients of a smooth transition, ensuring service continuity during the integration.
A strategic move like this underscores OpenAI’s dedication to enhancing AI accessibility and functionality, promising significant improvements in data-driven AI applications.
A new International Monetary Fund (IMF) report reveals that Nigeria and several other developing nations need more digital infrastructure to effectively deploy AI. The shortfall persists despite Nigeria’s recent launch of its first Multilingual Large Language Model (LLM) and unveiling of an AI strategy in April. The IMF’s ‘AI Preparedness Index,’ which evaluates 174 economies, highlights that many developing countries like Nigeria are trailing in AI readiness due to inadequate digital infrastructure.
According to the Index’s interactive map, most African nations, with exceptions like Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, exhibit low preparedness for AI. Wealthier economies are generally better equipped for AI adoption, and the IMF warns that the disparity could exacerbate existing global inequalities. The report suggests that while AI has the potential to enhance productivity and expand opportunities in countries like Nigeria, it may also widen the gap between those who can leverage the technology and those who cannot.
To address Nigeria’s challenges, the IMF recommends that emerging markets and developing economies invest heavily in digital infrastructure and worker training. For advanced economies, the priority should be on expanding social safety nets and fostering AI innovation and integration. International coordination is also essential to establish regulations that protect against AI risks and abuses while building public trust in the technology.
Infosys is intensifying efforts in generative AI (GenAI) with over 225 programs aimed at client AI strategies, emphasising the role of talent in complex transformations. Chairman Nandan Nilekani highlighted the gradual adoption of enterprise AI compared to consumer AI, citing the need for significant internal adjustments and adherence to global laws.
The company has become a global leader in adopting GitHub Copilot, generating over 3 million lines of code using advanced language models. Nilekani expressed optimism about GenAI’s potential to address business challenges and enhance productivity through tools like GitHub Copilot.
Infosys is leveraging its platform, Infosys Topaz, and recent acquisitions like In-tech and InSemi to bolster capabilities, especially in the automotive sector, which focuses on software-defined vehicles. Infosys plans to emphasise cloud and GenAI capabilities through Infosys Cobalt, foreseeing growth opportunities in Northern Europe and sectors such as healthcare.
Financially, Infosys aims for margin expansion and continues to recruit fresh talent to support strategic initiatives amid evolving market demands.
A recent study from the University of Washington has exposed troubling biases in using AI for job application processes. The research identifies explicitly that OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, showed significant biases against disabled job applicants when used to screen CVs.
The research underscores concerns about existing AI tools perpetuating biases rather than mitigating them despite being designed to reduce human bias in hiring processes. Many companies rely on AI to streamline and expedite candidate screening, aiming to enhance recruitment efficiency.
Lead author Kate Glazko pointed out that ChatGPT’s biases can adversely affect how disabled jobseekers’ qualifications are perceived. Descriptions generated by ChatGPT tended to overshadow entire resumes based on disability-related content, potentially undermining the comprehensive evaluation of candidates.
Shari Trewin, Program Director of the IBM Accessibility Team, noted that AI systems, which typically rely on established norms, may inherently disadvantage individuals with disabilities. Addressing these biases requires implementing specific rules within AI systems to ensure fair treatment, as suggested by Glazko’s study advocating for AI to adopt principles aligned with Disability Justice values.
Why does it matter?
The study also calls for further efforts to mitigate AI biases and promote a more inclusive approach to technology development. It highlights the need for greater awareness and vigilance in using AI for sensitive real-world tasks like job recruitment, where fairness and equity are paramount concerns.
Amazon’s AWS, the leading global cloud computing provider, is intensifying efforts to draw the public sector into the realm of AI amidst fierce competition with Microsoft and Google in the generative AI domain. The initiative aims to demonstrate AI’s potential to enhance public services across health, security, and non-profit sectors, leveraging technologies like ChatGPT to streamline operations and improve outcomes.
Over two years, AWS has allocated a substantial $50 million fund to support public sector entities in exploring AI applications, offering cloud computing credits, training, and technical expertise to kickstart innovative projects. Currently serving thousands of government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofits worldwide, AWS seeks to transition AI concepts into practical solutions that can effectively address public sector challenges.
Dave Levy, AWS’s vice president overseeing global public sector operations, highlighted the importance of moving from conceptualisation to implementation in public sector AI projects, underscoring the need for robust support to navigate complexities and achieve meaningful impacts. The push comes amid heightened competition as Microsoft and Google Cloud aggressively pursue public sector AI adoption, aiming to leverage vast datasets and AI capabilities to revolutionise service delivery and operational efficiency.
Amazon’s AWS remains committed to addressing challenges such as data privacy, security, and ethical considerations surrounding AI adoption in the public sector, emphasising rigorous security protocols and readiness for large-scale deployment.
Why does it matter?
As generative AI continues to evolve, AWS’s strategic focus on public sector adoption underscores its belief in AI’s transformative potential, aiming to lead the charge in integrating advanced technologies into governmental and non-governmental organisations worldwide.
Amazon is set to unveil its own AI chatbot, named ‘Metis’, following reports from Business Insider about the project’s development. Similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Metis will operate via web browsers, offering conversational text responses, source links, suggested follow-up queries, and image generation capabilities, as revealed in internal documents.
What sets Metis apart is its integration of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), allowing it to fetch information beyond its initial training data. This advanced capability promises to give Metis a competitive edge in the AI chatbot landscape, surpassing the limitations of existing models like ChatGPT, which have cutoff dates for their data reservoirs.
Metis is also poised to function as an ‘AI agent’, potentially serving as a smart home assistant capable of automating tasks such as controlling lights, organising travel itineraries, and booking flights. It operates on Amazon’s new internal AI model called Olympus, an upgraded version of the existing Titan model used in Amazon’s AI ecosystem, with expertise from the Alexa team enhancing its development.
However, opinions within Amazon about Metis are divided. While CEO Andy Jassy is reportedly invested in its development, others view the project as arriving late to an already crowded AI market dominated by advanced competitors. Amazon’s previous AI efforts, including corporate chatbots and AI chips, have seen mixed success, indicating a need for Metis to succeed as a significant player in AI technology.
Why does it matter?
The launch of Metis is tentatively scheduled for September, potentially coinciding with Amazon’s major event, although these plans remain subject to change. As Amazon navigates its entry into AI with Metis, the tech industry eagerly anticipates whether this new venture will mark a breakthrough or another challenge for the retail giant.
