A new platform, Build-A-Brain, aims to democratise access to generative AI, offering users control over data and AI engines unlike public tools. Founder Howard Jones emphasises its tailored AI products for businesses, harnessing proprietary data to enhance decision-making processes.
The platform supports project management akin to SharePoint, featuring an Articles Wizard for content generation, including images.
Build-A-Brain stands out with its Custom AI Brain feature, enabling users to interact securely with their own data. It finds applications across diverse sectors like healthcare and finance, offering bespoke AI solutions that drive innovation. Businesses can integrate their brand identity and utilise additional tools like audio transcription and file conversion, enhancing workflow efficiency.
Jones highlights the platform’s future potential in facilitating comprehensive workflows, combining content creation with data interrogation and collaboration tools.
Build-A-Brain operates on a freemium model, allowing free access with upgrade options, supported by user-friendly tutorials on its website. Explore more at virinity.ai to unlock AI-driven insights tailored to your organisation’s needs.
Why does it matter?
The IATSE’s tentative agreement represents a significant step forward in securing fair wages and job protections for Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers, ensuring that the rapid advancements in technology do not come at the expense of human employment.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT macOS app was found to be storing user chats in plain text until recently, raising security concerns. The Verge reported that the AI firm has now released an update to encrypt conversations on macOS. The discovery was made by software developer Pedro Vieito, who noted that OpenAI was distributing the app exclusively through their website and bypassing Apple’s sandbox protections.
Sandboxing, which isolates an app and its data from the rest of the system, is optional on macOS, but is commonly used by chat applications to protect sensitive information. By not adhering to this security measure, the ChatGPT app exposed user chats to potential threats. Vieito highlighted the vulnerability on social media, showing how easily another app could access the unprotected data.
OpenAI acknowledged the issue and emphasised that users could opt out of having their chats used to train the AI models. The ChatGPT app, which was made available to macOS users on June 25, now includes encryption to enhance user privacy and security.
US venture capital funding soared to $55.6 billion in the second quarter of 2024, marking the highest total in two years, largely driven by significant investments in AI companies such as Elon Musk’s xAI and CoreWeave. The funding kickstart represents a 47% increase from the first quarter, reflecting growing investor enthusiasm for AI technology.
The surge follows a period of declining US VC funding, which had fallen to $35.4 billion in the second quarter of 2023 amid high interest rates and a sluggish exit market. The recent influx of capital into AI startups has reversed this trend, encouraging more investments in AI foundation model companies and applications ranging from code generation to productivity tools.
Despite the rise in funding activity, exits remain challenging, with second-quarter exits valued at $23.6 billion, down from $37.8 billion in the first quarter. The initial public offering market has struggled to gain momentum, even with some VC-backed companies like Rubrik going public.
Emerging venture capital fund managers are also under pressure, raising only $37.4 billion in commitments this year, dominated by large firms such as Andreessen Horowitz. For venture capital returns to improve, large tech companies need to increase their public listings, according to PitchBook analyst Kyle Stanford.
According to Sabine Keller-Busse, head of the Swiss bank’s domestic business, UBS is experiencing a significant shift in AI-driven client interactions. She compared this change to patients visiting doctors with pre-formed ideas about their ailments, noting that clients now use AI to generate proposals for the bank.
Speaking at the Point Zero Forum in Zurich, Keller-Busse highlighted the impact of tools like ChatGPT in making more data available, emphasising that UBS must adapt to this new client behaviour.
The bank has been integrating AI into its services and products, launching a pilot programme last year for instant credit aimed at small and mid-sized businesses with urgent liquidity needs. However, this service allows the process to bypass credit officers, expediting the approval for standard credit products. Keller-Busse described this as the beginning of AI’s transformative potential in the banking industry.
As AI continues to evolve, UBS is keenly aware of its growing role in shaping client interactions and service delivery. The bank’s early adoption of AI-driven solutions demonstrates its commitment to leveraging technology to meet its clients’ changing needs, promising future innovations.
Apple Inc. has secured an observer role on OpenAI’s board, further solidifying their growing partnership. Phil Schiller, head of Apple’s App Store and former marketing chief, will take on this position. As an observer, Schiller will attend board meetings without voting rights or other director powers. The development follows Apple’s announcement of integrating ChatGPT into its devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, as part of its AI suite.
Aligning Apple with OpenAI’s principal backer, Microsoft Corp., the observer role offers Apple valuable insights into OpenAI’s decision-making processes. However, Microsoft and Apple’s rivalry might lead to Schiller’s exclusion from certain discussions, particularly those concerning future AI initiatives between OpenAI and Microsoft. Schiller’s extensive experience with Apple’s brand makes him a suitable candidate for this role, despite his lack of direct involvement in Apple’s AI projects.
The partnership with OpenAI is a key part of Apple’s broader AI strategy, which includes a variety of in-house features under Apple Intelligence. These features range from summarising articles and notifications to creating custom emojis and transcribing voice memos. The integration of OpenAI’s chatbot feature will meet current consumer demand, with a paid version of ChatGPT potentially generating App Store fees. No financial transactions are involved; OpenAI gains access to Apple’s vast user base while Apple benefits from the chatbot’s capabilities.
Apple is also in discussions with Alphabet Inc.’s Google, startup Anthropic, and Chinese companies Baidu Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to offer more chatbot options to its customers. Initially, Apple Intelligence will be available in American English, with plans for an international rollout. Furthermore, collbaoration like this marks a rare instance of an Apple executive joining the board of a major partner, highlighting the significance of this partnership in Apple’s AI strategy.
In the evolving landscape of marketing and advertising, the integration of generative AI presents both promise and challenges, as highlighted in a recent Forrester report. Key obstacles include a lack of AI expertise among agency employees and concerns over job obsolescence. Also, the human factor poses a significant hurdle that the industry must address urgently to fully harness the potential of genAI.
The potential economic impact of genAI on agencies is profound. Seen as a transformative force akin to the advent of smartphones, genAI promises to redefine creativity in marketing by combining data intelligence with human intuition. Agency leaders overwhelmingly recognise it as a disruptive technology, with 77% acknowledging its potential to fundamentally alter business operations. However, the fear of job displacement among employees remains palpable, exacerbated by recent industry disruptions and the rapid automation of white-collar roles.
To mitigate these concerns and fully embrace genAI, there is a pressing need for comprehensive AI literacy and training within agencies. While existing educational programmes and certifications provide a foundation, they are insufficient to meet the demands of integrating AI into everyday creative processes. Investment in reskilling and upskilling initiatives is crucial to empower agency employees to confidently navigate the AI-driven future of marketing and advertising.
Industry stakeholders, including agencies, technology partners, universities, and trade groups, must collaborate to establish robust training frameworks. In addition, a concerted effort will not only bolster agency capabilities in AI adoption but also ensure that creative workforce remains agile and competitive in an increasingly AI-centric landscape. By prioritising AI literacy and supporting continuous learning initiatives, agencies can position themselves at the forefront of innovation, delivering enhanced value to clients through AI-powered creativity.
Two companies that benefited the most from AI average, Nvidia and Microsoft, are the most exposed to antitrust investigations for AI monopolies. Regulatory authorities have shifted their approach, acting quickly against potential monopolistic practices instead of taking years to intervene.
Notable investigations include the US Department of Justice examining Nvidia’s alleged anticompetitive behaviour in the GPU market and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) probing Microsoft’s $13 billion investment in OpenAI and strategic staff acquisitions from Inflection. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is also investigating, particularly concerned about the over 90 partnerships tech giants have formed with large language model developers since 2019, potentially stifling competition.
Politically, there’s a risk that excessive intervention could be seen as stifling innovation, particularly in the face of global competitors like China. Regulators must balance fostering competition with enabling innovation, ensuring that the rise of generative AI, which promises significant technological upheaval, does not result in a market dominated by a few powerful players.
South Korea’s SK Hynix, the world’s second-largest memory chip maker, plans to invest 103 trillion won ($74.6 billion) by 2028 to bolster its chip business with a focus on AI. The announcement comes from its parent company, SK Group, which aims to secure 80 trillion won by 2026 for AI, semiconductors, and shareholder returns while streamlining its over 175 subsidiaries.
The investment plan follows a strategy meeting to revitalise SK Group after heavy losses in its main money-making sectors, SK Hynix and its electric vehicle battery arm. SK Group’s strategy includes improving competitiveness in the AI value chain, focusing on high bandwidth memory chips, AI data centres, and personalised AI services. Chairman Chey Tae-won emphasised the need for preemptive and fundamental changes during this transitional period.
Additionally, SK Group plans to reduce the number of its subsidiaries to a manageable range. Local media reports suggest a potential merger between SK Innovation, which owns the country’s largest oil refiner and battery maker, SK On, and the profitable gas affiliate SK E&S. The group anticipates a profit before tax of around 22 trillion won this year, aiming for 40 trillion won by 2026.
Audi will integrate ChatGPT into its vehicles’ infotainment systems starting July, leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. This integration will cover approximately two million Audi models equipped with the MIB 3 system since 2021. Drivers can interact with their cars using natural language, benefiting from voice control over infotainment, navigation, and climate systems, alongside accessing general knowledge.
Marcus Keith, Audi’s Vice President of Interior, Infotainment, and Connectivity Development, highlighted the seamless merging of ChatGPT’s capabilities with Audi’s voice control, promising customers an enhanced in-cabin experience with secure AI-based knowledge access.
.@Audi is taking in-car technology to the next level with ChatGPT, powered by @Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. Come July, nearly two million Audi owners will reap the benefits of enhanced communication with their vehicles. https://t.co/PMyLkvNlr1pic.twitter.com/CpPLXfV9tl
— Microsoft News and Stories (@MSFTnews) June 27, 2024
This move follows Mercedes-Benz’s introduction of ChatGPT into its MBUX Voice Assistant in 2023, expanding AI usage across its US vehicle lineup. Volkswagen Group also showcased Cerence Inc.’s Chat Pro at CES 2024, extending AI integration via cloud updates in European models. Similarly, Škoda Auto announced ChatGPT integration into its Laura voice assistant for selected vehicle platforms, prioritising data security alongside enhanced AI functionalities.
Why does it matter?
These developments underscore the automotive industry’s commitment to integrating advanced AI technologies into vehicles, aiming to elevate user experience through intuitive and informative in-car interactions.
The IATSE’s tentative agreement represents a significant step forward in securing fair wages and job protections for Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers, ensuring that the rapid advancements in technology do not come at the expense of human employment.
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.
