In a recent interview, Mark Zuckerberg positioned Meta as a leading advocate for open-source AI, critiquing competitors for their closed-source approaches. Speaking on the YouTube channel Kallaway, Zuckerberg expressed his belief that individual companies should not monopolise AI technology to create singular products. Instead, he envisions a future with diverse AI options, supported by open-source principles.
Zuckerberg highlighted Meta’s commitment to open-source AI, emphasising the importance of empowering developers and users to contribute to and innovate within the AI ecosystem. However, some experts question Meta’s open-source claims. Amanda Brock, CEO of OpenUK, argued that Meta’s Llama model is only partially open-source due to certain commercial stipulations. Similarly, Gartner analyst Arun Chandrasekaran noted Meta’s competitive constraints that limit the openness of its models.
Meta is not alone in promoting open-source AI. French startup Mistral AI and Databricks have also made strides in this area, though their offerings include restrictions. The Linux Foundation has announced the Open Platform for Enterprise AI (OPEA) to standardise open-source definitions in AI, reflecting a broader industry movement towards clarity and true openness in AI development.
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.
A recent report from Citigroup predicts a significant rise in banking profits, driven by the adoption of AI, with projections soaring to nearly $2 trillion by 2028 from the current $1.7 trillion. While AI has traditionally been used to optimise products and boost productivity, its role is expanding to include customer-facing tasks, similar to how ATMs revolutionised cash withdrawals.
Leading this transformation is DeepBrain AI, a startup based in California founded by Eric Seyoung Jang in 2016. Initially focusing on chatbots, the company now develops AI-powered avatars used by major South Korean banks like KB Kookmin Bank to manage frequently asked questions, thereby reducing the workload on human bankers.
Despite concerns that AI could replace human jobs, the Citigroup report and experts suggest that technology adoption historically leads to more job creation. For instance, the number of compliance officers in the United States has tripled since 2000. While AI may alter the nature of banking roles, it is unlikely to eliminate them. Roles are expected to evolve, necessitating new skills that complement AI technologies.
DeepBrain AI continues to innovate, expanding into sectors such as retail and broadcasting. In banking, their AI avatars are transitioning from in-branch kiosks to mobile banking apps, aiming to offer personalised, face-to-face conversational services.
Bearing AI has unveiled an enhanced Deployment Planner tailored for tramp shipping companies following the success of its liner shipping version. Unlike liners, tramp operators manage one-off contracts between ports, posing challenges for emissions optimisation and profitability.
The latest tool leverages advanced AI to analyse extensive historical and real-time data, offering actionable insights into critical operational issues. It allows chartering, operations, and environmental teams to experiment with vessel deployments, optimising environmental impact and profitability.
Built on robust machine learning models, the Deployment Planner predicts end-of-year performance for every vessel, even those without scheduled contracts. The aforementioned capability provides deep insights into emissions management, enabling tramp operators to achieve superior performance amidst dynamic scheduling.
Kristofer Maanum, Senior Product Leader at Bearing AI, highlighted the tool’s significance for tramp operators, facilitating informed decisions that balance efficiency and sustainability across varied contract scenarios. The Deployment Planner emerges as a crucial asset for managing fleet efficiency, mitigating compliance risks, and optimising operational costs in tramp shipping.
AI is revolutionising the world of advertising, particularly when it comes to humour. Traditionally, humour in advertising was heavily depended on human creativity, relying on puns, sarcasm, and funny voices to engage consumers. However, as AI advances, it is increasingly being used to create comedic content.
Neil Heymann, Global Chief Creative Officer at Accenture Song, discussed the integration of AI in humour at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. He noted that while humour in advertising carries certain risks, the potential rewards far outweigh them. Despite the challenges of maintaining a unique comedic voice in a globalised market, AI offers new opportunities for creativity and personalisation.
One notable example Heymann highlighted was a recent Uber ad in the UK featuring Robert De Niro. He emphasised that while AI might struggle to replicate the nuanced performance of an actor like De Niro, it can still be a valuable tool for generating humour. For instance, a new tool developed by Google Labs can create jokes by exploring various wordplay and puns, expanding the creative options available to writers.
Heymann believes that AI can also help navigate the complexities of global advertising. By acting as an advanced filtering system, AI can identify potential cultural pitfalls and ensure that humorous content resonates with diverse audiences without losing the thrill of creativity.
Moreover, AI’s impact on advertising extends beyond humour. Toys ‘R’ Us recently pioneered text-to-video AI-generated advertising clips, showcasing AI’s ability to revolutionise content creation across various formats. That innovation highlights the expanding role of AI in shaping the future of advertising, where technological advancements continuously redefine creative possibilities.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has reached a tentative three-year agreement with major Hollywood studios, including Disney and Netflix. The deal promises significant pay hikes and protections against the misuse of AI, addressing key concerns of the workforce.
Under the terms of the agreement, IATSE members, such as lighting technicians and costume designers, will receive pay raises of 7%, 4%, and 3.5% over the three-year period. These increases mark a substantial improvement in compensation for the crew members who are vital to film and television production.
A crucial element of the deal is the inclusion of language that prevents employees from being required to provide AI prompts if it could result in job displacement. The provision aims to safeguard jobs against the potential threats posed by AI technologies in the industry.
The new agreement comes on the heels of a similar labor deal reached in late 2023 between the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union and the studios. That contract, which ended a nearly six-month production halt, provided substantial pay raises, streaming bonuses, and AI protections, amounting to over $1 billion in benefits over three years.
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.
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has advised central banks to harness the benefits of AI while cautioning against its use in replacing human decision-makers. In its first comprehensive report on AI, the BIS highlighted the technology’s potential to enhance real-time data monitoring and improve inflation predictions – capabilities that have become critical following the unforeseen inflation surges during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. While AI models could mitigate future risks, their unproven and sometimes inaccurate nature makes them unsuitable as autonomous rate setters, emphasised Cecilia Skingsley of the BIS. Human accountability remains crucial for decisions on borrowing costs, she noted.
The BIS, often termed the central bank for central banks, is already engaged in eight AI-focused projects to explore the technology’s potential. Hyun Song Shin, the BIS’s head of research, stressed that AI should not be seen as a ‘magical’ solution but acknowledged its value in detecting financial system vulnerabilities. However, he also warned of the risks associated with AI, such as new cyber threats and the possibility of exacerbating financial crises if mismanaged.
The widespread adoption of AI could significantly impact labour markets, productivity, and economic growth, with firms potentially adjusting prices more swiftly in response to economic changes, thereby influencing inflation. The BIS has called for the creation of a collaborative community of central banks to share experiences, best practices, and data to navigate the complexities and opportunities presented by AI. That collaboration aims to ensure AI’s integration into financial systems is both effective and secure, promoting resilient and responsive economic governance.
In conclusion, the BIS’s advisory underscores the importance of balancing AI’s promising capabilities with the necessity for human intervention in central banking operations. By fostering an environment for shared knowledge and collaboration among central banks, the BIS seeks to maximise AI benefits while mitigating inherent risks, thereby supporting more robust economic management in the face of technological advancements.
A central London cinema has cancelled the premiere of a film written entirely by AI following a public backlash. The Prince Charles Cinema in Soho was set to host the world debut of ‘The Last Screenwriter,’ created by ChatGPT, but concerns about ‘the use of AI in place of a writer’ led to the screening being axed.
In a statement, the cinema explained that customer feedback highlighted significant concerns regarding AI’s role in the arts. The film, directed by Peter Luisi, was marketed as the first feature film written entirely by AI, and its plot centres on a screenwriter who grapples with an AI scriptwriting system that surpasses his abilities.
The cinema stated that the film was intended as an experiment to spark discussion about AI’s impact on the arts. However, the strong negative response from their audience prompted them to cancel the screening, emphasising their commitment to their patrons and the movie industry.
The controversy over AI’s role in the arts reflects broader industry concerns, as seen in last year’s Sag-Aftra strike in Hollywood. The debate continues, with UK MPs now calling for measures to ensure fair compensation for artists whose work is used by AI developers.
A report published by startup Orca AI on Tuesday revealed AI’s potential impact on the shipping industry. By automating certain tasks, it claims that AI can help reduce deviations on shipping routes and prevent collisions between ships, making the industry more efficient and ecologically friendly.
The startup primarily sells AI products to synthesise real-time information about shipping conditions and recommend more efficient transportation. Much of this data is collected from an AI awareness system that can recognise vessels, buoys and marine life in real-time, making close interactions safer.
Why does it matter?
The report stated that 47 million tonnes of carbon emissions could be avoided by making shipping more efficient. That would represent a 5% reduction in emissions when compared to the 858 million tonnes of emissions in 2022 estimated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Such a reduction would fall into the International Maritime Organization’s aim to cut shipping emissions by 20% by 2030. Orca AI’s awareness system could also help prevent collisions with whales, making coexistence between ships and wildlife easier.
With Orca AI reporting that an average vessel could save up to $100,000 in fuel costs, this kind of technology would reunite economic and ecological interests for the same goal.
McDonald’s has decided to discontinue the use of AI ordering technology that was being tested at over 100 drive-thru locations in the US. The company had collaborated with IBM to develop and test this AI-driven, voice-automated system. Despite this decision, McDonald’s remains committed to exploring AI solutions, noting that IBM will remain a trusted partner in other areas. The discontinuation of this specific technology is set to occur by 26 July 2024.
The partnership between McDonald’s and IBM began in 2021 as part of McDonald’s ‘Accelerating the Arches’ growth plan, which aimed to enhance customer experience through Automated Order Taking (AOT) technology. IBM highlighted the AOT’s capabilities as being among the most advanced in the industry, emphasising its speed and accuracy. Nonetheless, McDonald’s is reassessing its strategy for implementing AOT and intends to find long-term, scalable AI solutions by the end of 2024.
McDonald’s move to pause its AI ordering technology reflects broader challenges within the fast-food industry’s adoption of AI. Other chains like White Castle and Wendy’s have also experimented with similar technologies. However, these initiatives have faced hurdles, including customer complaints about incorrect orders due to the AI’s difficulty in understanding different accents and filtering out background noise. Despite these setbacks, the fast-food sector continues to push forward with AI innovations to improve operational efficiency and customer service.
