Thousands of creatives, including Kevin Bacon, Thom Yorke, and Julianne Moore, have signed a petition opposing the unlicensed use of their work to train AI. The 11,500 signatories believe that such practices threaten their livelihoods and call for better protection of creative content.
The petition argues that using creative works without permission for AI development is an ‘unjust threat’ to the people behind those works. Signatories from various industries, including musicians, writers, and actors, are voicing concerns over how their work is being used by AI companies.
British composer Ed Newton-Rex, who organised the petition, has spoken out against AI companies, accusing them of ‘dehumanising’ art by treating it as mere ‘training data’. He highlighted the growing concerns among creatives about how AI may undermine their rights and income.
The United Kingdom government is currently exploring new regulations to address the issue, including a potential ‘opt out’ model for AI data scraping, as lawmakers look for ways to protect creative content in the digital age.
CrewAI, a startup founded by João Moura, is revolutionising back-office automation by leveraging third-party AI models from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. Instead of building its own AI, CrewAI enables businesses to create custom workflows that automate repetitive tasks such as report summarisation and onboarding processes. Through a simple dashboard, customers can deploy and manage their AI-driven automations, using the tools they already rely on.
Positioned as a more flexible alternative to traditional robotic process automation (RPA), CrewAI allows companies to integrate AI ‘agents’ that can handle complex tasks without rigid, pre-set rules. This adaptability, along with a focus on data privacy, is drawing the attention of investors, with the startup raising $18M in funding and attracting 150 customers within its first year of operation.
With competition from other AI-driven automation startups, CrewAI is looking to expand further, offering its new Enterprise Cloud subscription plan, which includes enhanced security features and templates for workflow creation. Based in San Francisco, US and Brazil, the company aims to grow its workforce and continue advancing its automation tools.
The Danish government has relaunched the National Cyber Security Council (NCSC) with an expanded mandate to strengthen digital security across critical sectors while advancing AI capabilities. That effort is part of a larger initiative that includes the country’s €100 million National Strategy for Digitalisation (NSD), which supports AI development through regulatory sandboxes and guidelines aligned with the EU’s AI Act.
The NCSC will promote public-private partnerships, enhance data sharing between government, businesses, and academia, and protect critical infrastructure from rising cyber threats. In tandem, the government’s Artificial Intelligence Guideline (AIG) project helps companies and public authorities adopt AI securely, offering a framework to test and integrate AI technologies within a regulatory safe zone. These combined efforts boost digital transformation while ensuring strong cybersecurity and legal compliance.
The NCSC’s new mission addresses growing cybersecurity challenges, particularly in light of geopolitical instability, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The council aims to foster collaboration between national security agencies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by assembling experts from key sectors, including businesses, universities, and municipalities.
The Danish government’s investment in AI development is also supported by regulatory sandboxes that allow companies to innovate safely within the EU legal frameworks like GDPR and the AI Act. The broader NSD also targets improvements in digital education, workforce skills, and business transformation, ensuring that a solid security and regulatory oversight foundation underpins Denmark’s push for innovation.
Marvell Technology, a leading US chip manufacturer, has announced it will raise prices across its entire product line starting January 1, marking the first major price increase in the optical communications sector. This decision comes after Marvell’s strong financial performance last quarter, driven by the surging demand for AI-related products, including ASICs and silicon photonics for data centres. The price hike is seen as a way to capture new market opportunities and support ongoing investments in innovative technologies.
A leaked notification letter from Marvell’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Dean Jarnac, revealed that the global demand for AI and accelerated computing is pushing companies like Marvell to expand production capacity and invest in new manufacturing bases. Jarnac emphasised that the price increase is necessary to support these investments, but assured customers that the impact would be minimised and encouraged them to plan their orders accordingly.
Marvell’s recent growth has been fueled by booming demand in the AI space, particularly in its data centre business. Key products such as 800G PAM and 400ZR optical solutions have been central to this success. Marvell’s CEO Matt Murphy highlighted the company’s optimistic outlook, expecting continued revenue growth in the coming quarter as demand for AI and data centre solutions continues to rise.
Indian AI startup Neysa has raised $30 million in a Series A funding round, aiming to compete with global hyperscalers like AWS and Google Cloud. Led by Sharad Sanghi, Neysa offers AI infrastructure and machine learning platforms, catering to businesses seeking flexibility in AI solutions. The startup focuses on both public cloud and private clusters, differentiating itself by using open-source platforms with no client lock-in.
Neysa plans to use the new funding to enhance its infrastructure, expand research and development, and introduce new products, including a developer platform and inference-as-a-service. Since launching its flagship platform Velocis in July, the Mumbai-based company has grown to 12 paying customers across industries like banking and media, with 70% opting for private clusters. The startup expects to enter global markets in the coming months, with additional funding already in the works.
Neysa’s rise reflects the growing demand for AI infrastructure in India, where the market is projected to reach $17 billion by 2027. With fresh capital and plans for expansion, Neysa is positioning itself as a significant player in the AI space, both in India and abroad.
Cities are increasingly turning to AI to enhance waste management and reduce contamination in recycling and composting efforts. In East Lansing, Michigan, where a significant student population often contributes to recycling contamination, city officials have launched a pilot program using AI to address the issue. The initiative includes equipping recycling trucks with AI-powered cameras that identify non-recyclable items and sending personalised postcards to residents to inform them of their mistakes. This approach has reportedly led to a 20% reduction in recycling contamination.
Despite these promising results, privacy concerns have arisen regarding the collection of personal data through these AI systems. Experts warn that the information gathered from residents’ trash could expose sensitive details about their lives, potentially leading to identity theft or misuse by authorities. For instance, a discarded pregnancy test could be used against a woman in states with strict abortion laws. This phenomenon, referred to as ‘mission creep,’ raises alarms about how technologies designed for one purpose can evolve into surveillance tools.
City officials, like East Lansing’s environmental sustainability manager Cliff Walls and Leduc’s environmental manager Michael Hancharyk, acknowledge these privacy issues and are taking steps to mitigate risks. They emphasise working with vendors to ensure data protection and transparency with residents. Hancharyk noted that his city had to comply with Alberta’s privacy regulations before implementing its program.
While acknowledging the importance of improving waste management, cybersecurity experts stress the need for municipalities to carefully weigh the benefits of AI against the potential risks to residents’ privacy. They advocate for thorough assessments of new technologies and their implications, particularly for sensitive populations. As cities continue to innovate in waste management, striking a balance between efficiency and privacy will be crucial.
AI could help reduce the number of missed broken bones during X-ray analysis, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The organisation recommends using four AI tools in urgent care settings in England to assist doctors in detecting fractures. This comes as radiologists and radiographers face high vacancy rates, putting a strain on the system.
NICE estimates that missed fractures account for up to 10% of diagnostic errors in emergency departments in the UK. AI is seen as a solution to this problem, working alongside healthcare professionals to catch mistakes that may occur due to heavy workloads. Experts believe using AI can speed up diagnoses, decrease the need for follow-up appointments, and ultimately ease pressure on hospital staff.
AI will not replace human expertise, as radiologists will still review all X-ray images. However, NICE assures that the technology could offer a more accurate and efficient process without increasing the risk of incorrect diagnoses or unnecessary referrals. The consultation period on this proposed use of AI in fracture detection will conclude on 5 November 2024.
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has introduced a rule banning the creation, purchase, and dissemination of fake online reviews, ensuring that testimonials are genuine and trustworthy. That includes reviews attributed to people who don’t exist, those generated by AI, or individuals with no real experience with the product or service.
The rule empowers the FTC to impose civil penalties on businesses and individuals knowingly engaging in such deceptive practices, holding violators accountable. By cracking down on fake reviews, the FTC protects consumers from being misled and ensures they can make informed purchasing decisions.
That initiative also promotes fair competition by penalising dishonest companies and supporting those operating with integrity, fostering a transparent and competitive marketplace. Additionally, the FTC’s rule goes beyond fake reviews by prohibiting businesses from using manipulative tactics such as unfounded legal threats, physical intimidation, or false accusations to influence their online reputation.
These measures prevent companies from using unethical strategies to control public perception, ensuring that business reputations are based on genuine consumer feedback, not coercion or deceit. The FTC aims to create a market environment that values honesty and fairness through this comprehensive approach.
A recent study by McKinsey highlights that Portugal must retrain around 1.3 million workers, about 30% of its workforce, by 2030 to adopt generative AI and close its productivity gap with the rest of the European Union. Portugal has long struggled with low productivity, which has contributed minimally to GDP growth compared to the EU average. However, the study predicts that by rapidly integrating AI and automation, the country could significantly boost productivity, matching projected EU levels.
Generative AI, which creates content like text and images based on past data, could help Portugal compete with more developed economies if the workforce is prepared for the technological shift. This change will also require the public, private, and education sectors to collaborate in reshaping job roles and work processes. For every euro invested in AI technology, McKinsey suggests that three euros will be needed for managing organisational transitions.
Besides upskilling 1.3 million workers, the study indicates that around 320,000 employees in roles like customer service will need to transition to new jobs. This large-scale transformation could position Portugal for stronger economic growth in the coming years.
Honeywell has formed a partnership with Google to connect AI with industrial data. The collaboration aims to enhance autonomous operations, streamlining processes for Honeywell’s customers.
Google’s Gemini, its advanced AI platform, will merge with data from Honeywell’s Forge platform to automate tasks and shorten project timelines. The first AI-powered solutions will be available in 2025, offering support for engineers, technicians, and warehouse workers.
The partnership seeks to address industry labour shortages by introducing AI tools that boost productivity and efficiency. Automated processes will cut design cycles and process multiple data types, including images, videos, and sensor readings, using Google’s Vertex AI platform.
Honeywell’s CEO Vimal Kapur emphasised the goal of optimising asset performance, improving employee skills, and reducing maintenance costs. The partnership reflects a broader strategy to harness the latest advancements in AI to drive operational improvements.
