AI @ Noon | August 7

Chuck Schumer eyes opportunities to pass deepfake and AI bills as 2024 elections near: In an interview with NBC News, Schumer suggested deepfake election bills could hitch a ride on a funding bill, while AI national security bills could be linked to a big defense policy package.

Sens. Rounds, Heinrich offer bicameral bill to test AI for financial services: Inside AI Policy reports Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) have unveiled bicameral legislation that would set up testing “sandboxes” at financial regulatory agencies to allow banks and other institutions to safely explore how AI could benefit consumers and the financial services industry.

MITRE urges government ‘red teaming’ of high-risk AI systems: Inside AI Policy reports the federal government should implement requirements for artificial intelligence “red teaming” to ensure AI products procured by agencies are secure, according to a memo from MITRE’s Center for Data-Driven Policy outlining AI security recommendations and advice for implementation.

‘The Godmother of AI’ says California’s well-intended AI bill will harm the US ecosystem Fei-Fei Li

Fortune: Monday’s stock market crash shows that the AI revolution isn’t quite here yet

A history-lover’s guide to the market panic over AI: Past technologies offer clues to what comes next. Economist

10 reasons why AI may be overrated Planet Money

When the AI bubble bursts: The boom in AI investment since ChatGPT’s launch has been accompanied by constant claims that the technology will transform our world. Will it? Will Dunn

Tencent + Alibaba have reportedly led a new funding round for Moonshot, a Chinese generative AI start-up, at a $3.3 billion valuation.

Yup, AI is basically just a homework-cheating machine: Two new reports confirm what we all know deep down: Lots of people are using Sam Altman's ChatGPT to "help" with their homework. BI

Fortune: Nvidia chip delays risk eroding its AI edge

Bloomberg: Super Micro's weak profit fuels AI server margin anxieties

+ Quarterly revenue, earnings miss analysts’ estimates

+ Company says it’s well-positioned to gain from AI investments

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | August 6

How TikTok bots and AI have powered a resurgence in UK far-right violence: Experts warn growth of extremist influencers and ‘micro-donations’ could create even bigger wave of unrest. Guardian

America isn’t ready for the wars of the future: And they’re already here. Mark A. Milley + Eric Schmidt

Silicon Valley’s Trump supporters are making a big mistake Michael Moritz

The Biden administration is betting this CHIPS Act program can revitalize communities from the ground up: The Recompete program, another example of the Biden’s administration’s commitment to ‘place-based’ economic development, is also a corrective to the trickle-down economics of the Trump years. FC

X's AI chatbot spread election misinformation, US officials say: AFP reports five US states sent an open letter Monday to Elon Musk, urging him to fix his social media platform X's AI chatbot after it shared misinformation about the upcoming presidential election.

+ Five secretaries of state plan to criticize Grok, the chatbot run by Musk’s xAI, for falsely suggesting that Kamala Harris wasn’t eligible to appear on the 2024 ballot.

Anti-AI lawsuits in the music industry pose novel questions for courts: FC reports country musician Tift Merritt’s most popular song on Spotify, “Traveling Alone,” is a ballad with lyrics evoking solitude and the open road. Prompted by Reuters to make “an Americana song in the style of Tift Merritt,” the artificial intelligence music website Udio instantly generated “Holy Grounds,” a ballad with lyrics about “driving old backroads” while […]

Bloomberg: Google monopolized search through illegal deals, judge rules

+ Google’s deals with Apple and others violate law, judge says

+ Google paid billions to make search engine default on phones

US judge rules Google broke antitrust law in search case: Reuters reports Alphabet's Google broke the law to cement its dominance over online searches and related ads, a federal judge ruled on Monday in the US Justice Department's first victory against a monopoly in more than 20 years.

‘Google is a monopolist,’ judge rules in landmark antitrust case: NYT reports the ruling on Google’s search dominance was the first antitrust decision of the modern internet era in a case against a technology giant.

Google is an illegal monopoly, federal court rules: WP reports the ruling hands the Justice Department its biggest victory in more than two decades in limiting the power of Big Tech companies to control and dominate the huge markets they have created.

Google loses its massive antitrust case against the DOJ: The court’s decision marks a new way of thinking about antitrust in the internet age. FC

Fortune: Forget Apple, the biggest loser in the Google search ruling could be Mozilla and its Firefox web browser

Why Apple could be a loser in Google's antitrust defeat BI

Bloomberg: Apple’s shift to AI is poised to soften blow from Google ruling

+ Judge’s decision puts Google payments to Apple in jeopardy

+ In future, Apple could handle searches via Siri and chatbots

Bloomberg: Nvidia’s next-generation AI chip rollout slowed by engineering snags

+ Stepped-up pace of product releases has added pressure

+ Company looks to extend its dominance in AI computing

Bloomberg: AI chip startup Groq gets $2.8 billion valuation in new funding round

+ Cisco and Samsung invested in the $640 million deal

Bloomberg: Xiaomi-backed AI chipmaker Black Sesame prices Hong Kong IPO at bottom of range

+ AI chipmaker raises $133 million at low end of price band

+ Listing marks second debut under city’s specialist tech regime

AI is changing the future of CAPTCHAs: FC reports CAPTCHA is one more battleground in the seemingly endless battle between AI and humans.

FT: Google hires founders of chatbot start-up Character AI

Bloomberg: OpenAI co-founders Schulman and Brockman step back

+ Researcher Schulman is leaving for rival startup Anthropic

+ OpenAI president Greg Brockman is going on extended leave

Musk revives lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman: WSJ reports billionaire Elon Musk alleged he was manipulated into believing the artificial-intelligence company he was helping launch was a nonprofit.

WP: Elon Musk renews legal war on OpenAI, two months after dropping lawsuit

Why AI researchers are worried about ‘model collapse’ Bloomberg

Bloomberg: Musk’s X to close San Francisco office, relocate workers

Colleges race to ready students for the AI workplace: WSJ reports non-techie students are learning basic generative-AI skills as schools revamp their course offerings to be more job-friendly.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | August 5

With smugglers and front companies, China is skirting American AI bans: The US is trying to stop China from getting Nvidia microchips to advance its military. The private sector is fighting back. NYT

Who in Silicon Valley is supporting Trump -- and why? Backers concentrated in cryptocurrency community and defense tech sector. Nikkei

Senator calls grow for OpenAI to prove it’s not silencing staff: Following a Washington Post report, bipartisan pressure in Congress emerges for OpenAI to prove it is developing its AI safely. WP

Helen Toner on the OpenAI coup: ‘It was about trust and accountability’: The former board member who (briefly) ousted Sam Altman talks about taking on one of tech’s most powerful CEOs. FT
 
OpenAI’s Sam Altman is becoming one of the most powerful people on Earth. We should be very afraid: Sam Altman’s ChatGPT promises to transform the global economy. But it also poses an enormous threat. Here, a scientist who appeared with Altman before the US Senate on AI safety flags up the danger in AI – and in Altman himself. Gary Marcus

Surging AI power demand boosts utility stocks: Investors have found a cheaper way to play the market’s hot new obsession. FT

Bloomberg: Big Tech’s AI promises become a ‘show me’ story for investors

+ Earnings growth has cooled dramatically for Mag 7 so far

+ Investors balked at heavy spending on AI without results

Bloomberg: Big Tech fails to convince Wall Street that AI is paying off

+ Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet earnings disappointed investors

+ Amazon projected profits that fell shy of market expectations

The Times: Warren Buffett sells another $50bn of Apple shares

Google hires top start-up team, fueling concerns over Big Tech’s power in AI: The search company’s deal with the start-up Character.ai is similar to recent moves by Microsoft and Amazon that have drawn antitrust scrutiny. WP

The fake Al Michaels is surprisingly good in Olympics highlights: Finally, a use for artificial intelligence that doesn’t stink. WP

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | August 2

Inside the secret negotiations to free Evan Gershkovich: The effort to bring home The Wall Street Journal reporter and others unfolded on three continents, involving spy agencies, billionaires, political power players, and his fiercest advocate—his mother. WSJ

In world first, EU's sweeping AI law enters into force: The European Union's landmark law on artificial intelligence came into force on Thursday, which Brussels vows will drive innovation while protecting citizens' rights. AFP

+ "With our artificial intelligence act, we create new guardrails not only to protect people and their interests, but also to give business and innovators clear rules and certainty," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The EU’s AI Act is now in force TC

700 companies keen to join Pact to prepare for AI law: Some 700 companies have shown interest in joining the AI Pact – which are preparatory commitments to help businesses get ready for the incoming AI Act – a spokesperson for the European Commission told Euronews. With the Pact, the Commission aims to let businesses anticipate the AI Act with voluntary commitments and share ideas through workshops organized by the EU executive’s AI Office.

UAE blocked meetings with leading AI firm amid China fears, House committee says: The dispute marks growing concern from lawmakers’ over the Middle East and its potential role as a conduit for China. Politico

Microsoft scales back AI partnership with Emirati firm amid concerns over China ties: Politico reports the US tech giant intends to restructure a sensitive part of its partnership with UAE-based G42, following concerns on the Hill about Chinese IP theft.

Argentina will use AI to ‘predict future crimes’ but experts worry for citizens’ rights: Guardian reports President Javier Milei creates security unit as some say certain groups may be overly scrutinized by the technology.

How AI chatbots could improve civic engagement in the 2024 election: Election officials have the authority and responsibility to ensure voters have access to the best possible tools for making informed decisions. So why isn’t AI part of the equation? FC

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency named Lisa Einstein its first-ever chief artificial intelligence officer.

DC welcomes ex-OpenAI board member after Sam Altman drama: Helen Toner is building a reputation in the nation’s capital as a trusted expert on artificial intelligence. Bloomberg

OpenAI says ‘dedicated’ to safety in letter to US lawmakers: OpenAI, responding to questions from US lawmakers, said it’s dedicated to making sure its powerful AI tools don’t cause harm, and that employees have ways to raise concerns about safety practices.“Our mission is to ensure artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity, and we are dedicated to implementing rigorous safety protocols at every stage of our process,” Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon said Wednesday in a letter to the lawmakers. Bloomberg

OpenAI pledges to give US AI Safety Institute early access to its next model TC

Politico: Crypto interests drop $13M on lobbying in first half of 2024

A Wharton professor is now the go-to reviewer for AI products: Ethan Mollick conducts “weird experimentation” with chatbots to help people navigate a crowded market of AI products. Bloomberg

CNBC: Taco Bell to roll out AI drive-thru ordering in hundreds of locations by end of year

+ Yum Brands said hundreds of Taco Bell locations in the US will use artificial intelligence in drive-thru lanes by the end of 2024.

AI startup Suno says music industry suit aims to stifle competition: In a new court filing, company said it trained software on tens of millions recordings. Bloomberg

Fortune: Only an AI breakthrough can help humans live longer, argues drug developer: ‘We need a ChatGPT moment in longevity’

BI: Amazon has discussed a 'DoctorAI' tool to automate routine healthcare tasks

Reddit is acquiring Memorable AI, a startup that uses generative artificial intelligence to help marketers create better ads, in its first acquisition since going public in March.

Sources say TikTok was paying Microsoft nearly $20 million monthly to use OpenAI models in the cloud.

xAI approached startup Character AI about an acquisition.

Amazon is reportedly considering a takeover bid for Covariant, which makes AI software for robots.

Apple’s iPhone sales slip, but investors still expect AI rally: WSJ reports the iPhone maker is preparing to release “Apple Intelligence” in the fall, which investors hope will lead users to upgrade their phones.

Bloomberg: Apple predicts boost from AI features after uneven third quarter

+ Customers will have ‘compelling’ reason to upgrade, CEO says

+ Sluggish China revenue marred strong performance last quarter

FC: Move over Google and Microsoft: Amazon’s putting $16.4 billion to develop cloud and gen AI infrastructure

Meta, Microsoft, and Google blew blinding amounts of AI smoke during earnings—here’s what we actually learned Fortune

Media groups seek a new profit model with AI: Industry seeks to avoid painful experience with online gatekeepers such as Google and Facebook. Richard Waters

AI can learn a lot from its biological predecessors: Synthetic data risks ‘model collapse’ but may spur renewed interest in robotics. John Thornhill

Many people fear AI. They shouldn't. David Brooks

Intel shares fall 20% on plans to cut 15,000 jobs: FT reports US chipmaker says it will also reduce capital spending as its turnaround strategy hits another setback.

AI’s future in grave danger from Nvidia’s chokehold on chips, groups warn: ARS Tech report anti-monopoly groups want DOJ to probe Nvidia’s AI chip bundling, alleged price-fixing.

The reason you’re hooked on obscure sports at the Paris Olympics? Artificial intelligence Fortune

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | August 1

Bloomberg: US weighs restrictions on China’s access to AI memory chips

+ SK Hynix and Samsung could be affected by the new US rule

+ China’s AI memory chip capability lags behind global rivals

Nvidia and ASML surge after reports of US export control exemptions: Nikkei reports US tech stocks rally on renewed AI enthusiasm.

China wants to start a national internet ID system: NYT reports the government said the proposal would protect online privacy. Critics said it could further concentrate government control over the internet.

EU calls for help with AI: The European Union has kicked off a consultation on rules that will apply to providers of general-purpose AI models under the bloc’s AI Act, its risk-based framework for regulating applications of AI.

More than 100 Silicon Valley investors pledge to support Kamala Harris: The group, including Democratic donors such as Reid Hoffman and Vinod Khosla, has been organized under an effort called VCsForKamala. NYT

TC: Copyright Office tells Congress: ‘Urgent need’ to outlaw AI-powered impersonation

How the Kids Online Safety Act was dragged into a political war: The Senate overwhelmingly passed the Kids Online Safety Act on Tuesday, but the legislation faces an uphill battle in the House because of censorship concerns. NYT

Lawmakers want to carve out intimate AI deepfakes from Section 230 immunity: The Intimate Privacy Protection Act would require platforms to have a ‘reasonable process’ to address cyberstalking and digital forgeries. The Verge

Senators introduce long-awaited bill to protect artists from AI deepfakes: Rolling Stone reports the NO FAKES Act would establish protections for when an individual's voice or likeness are used without permission with artificial intelligence.

AI startups ramp up federal lobbying efforts TC

Meta sees AI costs surge as digital ad revenue grows: WSJ reports Meta Platforms said quarterly digital advertising sales increased rapidly even as its investments in artificial intelligence and the metaverse weighed on profits.

Meta sees off fears of AI overspending: The Times reports the social media giant beat Wall Street’s expectations with $39.07 billion revenue.

Gartner released a report suggesting that around a third of generative AI projects in the enterprise will be abandoned after the proof-of-concept phase by year-end 2025. The reasons are many — poor data quality, inadequate risk controls, escalating infrastructure costs and so on.

Microsoft last week previewed its own AI-powered search experience, called Bing generative search.

A CIO canceled a Microsoft AI deal. The reason should worry the entire tech industry. BI

Will AI upend white-collar work? Consider the Hollywood editor. Actors and writers won strict limits on artificial intelligence in last year’s contract negotiations, but editors and artists face a growing challenge. NYT

Power-hungry data centers are gobbling up Texas amid AI boom: A state’s infamously strained electric grid faces a new threat. Bloomberg

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | July 31

Singapore’s minister says AI is not the new oil—it’s way better Fortune

Bloomberg: Google’s Anthropic AI deal gets closer UK regulator scrutiny

+ CMA will review whether investment causes competition issues

+ Google committed to investing $2 billion into the AI startup

Harris vs. Trump: 2 ways their AI policy differs: Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s AI executive order. AP

It’s Silicon Valley vs. Silicon Valley as political fights escalate: Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman and other tech billionaires, many of whom are part of the “PayPal Mafia,” are openly brawling with one another over politics as tensions rise. NYT

AP: A parody ad shared by Elon Musk clones Kamala Harris’ voice, raising concerns about AI in politics

+ @GavinNewsom: Manipulating a voice in an “ad” like this one should be illegal. I’ll be signing a bill in a matter of weeks to make sure it is.

+ No owner or CEO of a major tech platform has ever endorsed a political candidate and then used their soapbox to promote that campaign using content many view as deceptive.

New US Commerce Department report endorses ‘open’ AI models: TC reports the US Commerce Department on Monday issued a report in support of “open-weight” generative AI models like Meta’s Llama 3.1, but recommended the government develop “new capabilities” to monitor such models for potential risks.

+ Authored by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the report said open-weight models broaden generative AI’s availability to small companies, researchers, nonprofits, and individual developers.

+ For more information, see a fact sheet on the report and the full text of the report.  

+ The Biden administration is instructing the government not to restrict the widespread availability of large, open source AI models.

Bloomberg: TikTok’s survival is at stake in all-out fight against US ban

+ Lobbying, lawsuits and ad campaign are deployed to fight law

+ The popular app seeks to avoid US ban over its Chinese ownership

The Kids Online Safety Act passes: The US Senate overwhelmingly passed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act 91-3. 

+ Senators Wyden, Paul, and Lee voted no. 

+ The legislation is now headed to the House.

Bloomberg: Microsoft pushes US lawmakers to crack down on deepfakes

+ Law enforcement needs a clear legal framework, Brad Smith says

+ Elon Musk recently shared manipulated clip of Kamala Harris

Microsoft calls for new laws on deepfake fraud, AI sexual abuse images: WP reports tech giant Microsoft is calling on Congress to pass laws that make it illegal to use AI-generated voices and images to defraud people and require AI companies to build tech to identify fake AI images made with their products. The recommendations came as part of a 50-page document Microsoft released Tuesday laying out its broad vision for how governments should approach AI.

Meta agrees to $1.4 billion settlement with Texas over privacy violations: FC reports Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton brought the suit against Meta in February 2022 for unlawfully capturing Texas users’ biometric data without obtaining their informed consent as required by law.

$105bn: The total value of chips and other AI equipment Nvidia is expected to sell this year. 

BI: Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Mark Zuckerberg traded jackets and compliments while talking about AI

Silicon Valley’s trillion-dollar leap of faith: Tech companies are spending as if AI’s transformative uses are a foregone conclusion. They’re not. The Atlantic

Google taps AI to revamp costly healthcare push marred by flops: Bloomberg reports after spending billions trying to transform the industry, Alphabet sees opportunity in artificial intelligence. Providers say the technology is still lacking.

Google is using AI in an attempt to improve traffic flow: At the intersection of traffic and technology, Google is attempting to time stoplights and reduce gridlock in a program powered by AI. Boston, ranked the fourth worst traffic city in the nation, is partnering with Google to put the project in the fast lane. NBC News’ Steven Romo reports.

AI startup Perplexity partners with Time, Fortune after plagiarism claims: Bloomberg reports the AI search company has inked revenue-sharing deals with several big publishers and hopes to add more this year. 

OpenAI rolls out voice assistant after delay to address safety issues: The product has added guardrails to combat impersonation and copyright infringement. Bloomberg

Apple Intelligence: Here’s when the new AI features come to the iPhone and iPad: The new Siri and other tools won’t be available until iOS 18.1 is released later this fall. This is the timeline. Joanna Stern

AI start-up Anthropic accused of ‘egregious’ data scraping: FT reports web publishers say developer is swarming their sites, collecting content to train models and ignoring orders to stop.

OnlyFans stars leave the sexting to AI: FC reports that “chatters,” who impersonate porn stars on sexting threads, are increasingly AI bots.

Tech governance startup Credo AI gets $101 million valuation: Artificial intelligence risk and regulation is increasingly big business. Bloomberg

Eminem beefs with his young Slim Shady alter ego in new AI-generated video: In a novel, AI-assisted video released Tuesday, Eminem engages in a 12-minute verbal showdown with his Slim Shady persona — and gets the best of his old alter ego. DFP

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | July 30

Will the AI chatbot wave come for the federal government? Canada's public service is working on its own artificial intelligence strategy. CBC

Inside the powerful Peter Thiel network that anointed JD Vance: A small influential network of right-wing techies orchestrated Vance’s rise in Silicon Valley — and then the GOP. Now the industry stands to gain if he wins the White House. WP

From believers to Bitcoin: 24 hours in Trump’s code-switching campaign: When Donald J. Trump tries to win over a crowd that is not inherently his own, the results can be awkward. NYT
 
Trump cites China competition in vowing to create bitcoin 'stockpile': Reuters reports Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told a bitcoin conference on Saturday that the US must dominate the sector or China would, his latest move to court advocates of cryptocurrency, which Beijing has restricted and which he once dismissed as a "scam."

Trump became crypto believer after falling in love with NFTs of himself: His cowboy-and-superhero nonfungible tokens led Donald Trump down the digital-asset rabbit hole. He emerged as a crypto advocate, and now industry heavyweights are lining up to return him to the White House. Bloomberg

How Elon Musk came to endorse Donald Trump: The world’s richest man favored Biden in 2020, but he has since become a vocal Trump supporter. WP

How Elon Musk broke with Biden and the Democrats: The split started with a snub at a White House electric-vehicle summit. Things got worse from there. WSJ

The Silicon Valley startup using AI to scour the Earth for copper and lithium: KoBold Metals is betting artificial intelligence can change how miners find the metals needed to power the energy transition. WSJ

Hackers race to win millions in contest to thwart cyberattacks with AI: Computer scientists brainstorm in Pentagon-backed competition to design an AI program that scans open-source code for flaws bad actors could exploit. WP

Europe’s answer to OpenAI launched in 2023. Now it’s worth €6bn: After developing artificial intelligence for America’s technology powerhouses, three founders set out to do the same across the Atlantic with Mistral. The Times

Big Tech groups must justify AI investments: Success of Azure will be watched closely when Microsoft releases its figures, with Meta, Amazon, and Apple to follow. Lauren Almeida

What are the threats to the $1trn artificial-intelligence boom? A fast-growing supply chain is at risk of over-extending. Economist

At last, Revolut has a licence to lend. Now for America: After a long struggle, Nikolay Storonsky’s bank has the go-ahead to expand its UK activities. With the US next on the wishlist, a blockbuster listing beckons. The Times

Paris Olympics broadcasters diverge on AI approach: The Paris Olympics will be a showcase of generative AI for American viewers but European audiences won't see a similar approach, a contrast that reflects how global media companies are deliberating over the use of the technology. Reuters

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | July 29

US reveals security concerns around TikTok and ByteDance: Department of Justice alleges sensitive American user data was stored in China. FT

Crypto fanatics flock to Trump, hoping to ‘make bitcoin great again’: WP reports once a crypto skeptic, Trump spoke Saturday to bitcoin supporters whose backing — and campaign checks — he has come to covet.

Trump, appealing to Bitcoin fans, vows US will be ‘crypto capital of the planet’: NYT reports Donald Trump, speaking at a Bitcoin conference, told cryptocurrency holders that he would end the “persecution” of their industry.

Trump vows to sack SEC boss and end ‘persecution’ of crypto industry: FT reports candidate tells bitcoin enthusiasts he would ensure rules were written by people “who love” cryptocurrencies if elected.

Kamala Harris campaign seeks ‘reset’ with crypto companies: FT reports the vice-president’s team aims to improve relations after industry criticism of the Biden administration.

Senate tees up kids online safety bill for vote this week: Congress last addressed online platforms' collection of data on children in 1998. Roll Call

Anthropic came out against SB 1047 in its current form.

New Jersey’s $500 million bid to become an AI epicenter: The Garden State has enacted a hefty new tax credit specifically for AI businesses. But tax incentives—particularly for data centers—don’t always create a lot of jobs. Wired

The $100 billion bet that a postindustrial US city can reinvent itself as a high-tech hub: Can a massive infusion of money for making computer chips transform the economy of Syracuse and show us how to rebuild the nation’s industrial base? MIT Tech Review

Reuters: Amazon racing to develop AI chips cheaper, faster than Nvidia's, executives say

Musk’s X faces questions from watchdog over AI data grab: FT reports the social media company’s move to automatically allow user data to train chatbot could breach European privacy rules.

AI companies promised to self-regulate one year ago. What’s changed? The White House’s voluntary AI commitments have brought better red-teaming practices and watermarks, but no meaningful transparency or accountability. Melissa Heikkilä

On Friday, the Biden administration unveiled new AI measures: As part of these new actions, Apple agreed to voluntary AI commitments, aligning with the executive order on AI previously issued by the administration.

Biden-⁠Harris administration announces new AI actions and receives additional major voluntary commitment on AI White House Fact Sheet

White House announces new AI actions as Apple signs on to voluntary commitments: The White House on Friday announced new artificial intelligence actions as Apple signed on to voluntary commitments in line with the administration's previous AI executive order. UPI

Bloomberg: Apple to adopt voluntary AI safeguards established by Biden

+ Guardrails aim to protect consumers, influence AI development

+ Apple moving to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into iPhone

Bloomberg: Apple Intelligence to miss initial launch of upcoming iOS 18 overhaul

+ Developers will get to test AI features as soon as this week

+ Apple is betting on enhancements to help sell iPhone 16 line

Artificial intelligence breakthroughs create new ‘brain’ for advanced robots: Google, OpenAI, and Tesla race start-ups to develop AI robotic systems in effort to transform healthcare and manufacturing. FT

The AI job interviewer will see you now: AI interview services say they’re eliminating bias — but not everyone agrees. ROW

AI may save us, or may construct viruses to kill us Nicholas Kristof

Not everything Big Tech touches turns to gold: Apple’s little-watched streaming service and Google’s unpopular smartphones show Big Tech doesn’t always heed your desires. Shira Ovide

AI’s Olympic moment says a lot about the technology’s potential—and its perils Fortune

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc