AI Continues to Make Waves in the Media Industry
The field of AI is constantly evolving, making it challenging to keep up with the latest developments. To help you stay informed, here’s a roundup of recent stories and notable research in the world of machine learning.
OpenAI’s Deal with News Corp
One significant development is the recent partnership between OpenAI and News Corp. The deal allows OpenAI to train its generative AI models on articles from News Corp brands like The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times. In return, News Corp receives a substantial cash infusion of over $250 million. This collaboration seems like a win-win situation for both parties, as OpenAI gains access to valuable training data while News Corp receives much-needed financial support.
However, there are some details worth noting. The deal has an end date, which is typical of content licensing agreements. While this isn’t necessarily bad-faith on OpenAI’s part, it does raise questions about the long-term partnership between AI developers and content owners. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously expressed optimism that AI models will eventually require less training data. If that were to happen, where does that leave publishers once OpenAI has scraped their entire archives?
Short-Term Partnerships
It appears that publishers and other content owners are more like short-term partners of convenience for OpenAI. Through licensing deals, OpenAI can neutralize legal threats and gain positive PR, while publishers receive much-needed capital. However, the work on AI that could potentially harm publishers continues. This raises concerns about the future relationship between AI developers and content creators.
Other AI Stories of Note
In addition to the OpenAI-News Corp deal, there are several other noteworthy stories in the AI space. For example, Spotify has introduced an AI DJ feature that provides personalized song selections to users. Meta has created an AI advisory council, though it has faced criticism for lacking diversity. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed disclosing AI-generated content in political ads. Truecaller is partnering with Microsoft to allow customers to respond to calls using their own voice. Humane, the company behind the Ai Pin, is considering a sale. TikTok is incorporating generative AI into its ads business. Seoul hosted an AI safety summit, and Microsoft unveiled new AI-powered features at its developer conference. OpenAI faced controversy over a voice in its ChatGPT feature resembling Scarlett Johansson, and the U.K.’s regulations for autonomous cars have been finalized.
Exciting Research Developments
Lastly, there have been some interesting research developments in the field. Researchers at the University of Washington have developed noise-canceling headphones that can block out everything except the voice of a specific person. Chemists at EPFL have created a model called ChemCrow that can perform various planning tasks by sifting through literature and planning reaction chains. Disney Research has been working on improving robotic movements using procedurally generated animation and an artist interface.
Conclusion
The world of AI continues to advance rapidly, with new partnerships, controversies, and research breakthroughs emerging regularly. It’s important to stay informed about these developments to understand the impact of AI on various industries, including media. Whether it’s OpenAI’s licensing deals, Spotify’s AI DJ, or groundbreaking research projects, AI is reshaping the way we interact with technology and opening up new possibilities for innovation.
