News

The latest around generative AI as a whole. Stay up-to-date about current discussions and trends, new findings, and more.

US commission proposes government-backed AI development program

A U.S. congressional commission has recommended launching a Manhattan Project-style initiative to develop advanced artificial intelligence systems, specifically targeting artificial general intelligence (AGI) capabilities. Reuters reporter Anna Tong reports that the bipartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in this effort, citing competition with China as a key motivator. …

Read more

Microsoft partners with HarperCollins for AI training using nonfiction books

Microsoft has reached an agreement with HarperCollins Publishers to use selected nonfiction books for training artificial intelligence models, as reported by Hannah Miller and Dina Bass for Bloomberg News. The deal allows Microsoft limited access to HarperCollins’ backlist titles, with authors having the option to opt out. The technology company plans to use the content …

Read more

Meta creates new AI division for business tools

Meta is establishing a new product group dedicated to developing AI tools for the 200 million businesses using its platforms, Sara Fischer reports for Axios. Former Salesforce AI CEO Clara Shih will lead the initiative as VP of business AI, focusing on creating and monetizing AI solutions for business users. The group aims to build …

Read more

Coca-Cola faces criticism over AI-generated holiday commercial

Coca-Cola has sparked controversy with its new AI-generated Christmas advertisement that recreates imagery from its 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” campaign, NBC reports. The video, created by three AI studios using multiple generative AI models, shows animated scenes of trucks and people celebrating with Coca-Cola products. Artists and creative professionals have strongly criticized the company’s decision …

Read more

AI company Writer secures major funding round

Generative AI platform Writer has raised $200 million in Series C funding at a $1.9 billion valuation. As reported by Kyle Wiggers for TechCrunch, the round was co-led by Premji Invest, Radical Ventures, and ICONIQ Growth, with participation from major tech investors including Salesforce and Adobe Ventures. The company, founded in 2020 by May Habib …

Read more

EU releases draft guidance for general purpose AI compliance

The European Union has published its first draft Code of Practice detailing how providers of general-purpose AI models must comply with the EU AI Act. According to tech reporter Natasha Lomas at TechCrunch, the 36-page document outlines transparency requirements starting August 2025 and risk assessment measures for powerful AI systems beginning August 2027. The code …

Read more

OpenAI plans January launch of “Operator” AI agent

OpenAI is preparing to launch a new AI agent called “Operator” that can perform automated tasks like coding and travel booking on behalf of users, according to reporting by Shirin Ghaffary and Rachel Metz for Bloomberg. The company plans to release the tool in January 2024 as both a research preview and through their developer …

Read more

OpenAI President Greg Brockman Returns After Three-Month Leave

Greg Brockman has returned to OpenAI after a three-month sabbatical from his role as president. According to reporter Shirin Ghaffary at Bloomberg, Brockman announced his return in an internal memo on November 12, where he mentioned working with CEO Sam Altman to define a new role focused on technical challenges. The AI company has recently …

Read more

YouTube tests AI feature to restyle songs for Shorts

YouTube is launching a limited test of an AI-powered feature that allows creators to modify licensed songs for their Shorts videos, The Verge reports. The new capability, an extension of YouTube’s Dream Track feature, enables selected creators to generate 30-second soundtracks by altering elements like mood and genre of existing songs through text prompts. The …

Read more

Microsoft plans transition from Copilot to Windows Intelligence branding

Microsoft appears to be preparing to rebrand its AI features under the name “Windows Intelligence,” according to references found in Windows 11 system files, Techradar reports. This potential change would shift away from the current Copilot branding for AI services, possibly aligning with Apple’s similar “Apple Intelligence” terminology. While the company plans to maintain AI …

Read more