AI @ Noon | September 20

China’s AI firms are cleverly innovating around chip bans: Tweaks to software blunt the shortage of powerful hardware. Economist

Bloomberg: Apple gets EU warning to open up iPhone operating system

+ EU announces efforts to pull Apple into compliance with rules

+ Apple previously said it would hold back future tech from EU

Meta to European Union: Your tech rules threaten to squelch the AI boom: Facebook parent, other companies warn in open letter that the bloc’s regulations risk hampering innovation and economic growth. WSJ

Mark Zuckerberg says Europe needs more consistent AI regulation—and even his privacy nemesis agrees Fortune

UN advisory body makes seven recommendations for governing AI: Reuters reports an artificial-intelligence advisory body at the United Nations on Thursday released its final report proposing seven recommendations to address AI-related risks and gaps in governance. The UN last year created a 39-member advisory body to address issues in the international governance of AI. The recommendations will be discussed during a UN summit held in September.

AI development is being hijacked by Big Tech and rich nations, UN report warns Fortune

There are more than 120 AI bills in Congress right now: US policymakers have an ‘everything everywhere all at once’ approach to regulating artificial intelligence, with bills that are as varied as the definitions of AI itself. Scott J Mulligan

Bloomberg: Gensler says AI risks heartbreak like Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Her’

+ SEC chair says too many brokers may rely on same models

+ Watchdog touts competition from new rules on stock pricing

More people are flocking to TikTok for news, per a Pew Research study. 52% of users say they regularly get news there, up from 43% last year and 22% in 2020.

California Governor’s desk overflows with AI bills as state leads the charge on regulation Fortune

Edelman’s 2024 AI landscape report: Generative AI is transforming marketing and communications – enterprises and professionals alike must either adapt or get left behind. Edelman 

Generative AI is transforming Silicon Valley: The technology is forcing America’s disrupters-in-chief to think differently. Economist

Tech Jjobs have dried up—and aren’t coming back soon: Employment for software engineers has cooled as resources shift toward developing artificial intelligence. WSJ

YouTube is expanding shopping efforts in Asia in a deal with Shopee.

YouTube announced new generative AI tools for creators at its Made On YouTube event. 

Apple Intelligence (the company's genAI tools) will also be available in English (India), English (Singapore), German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and "others."

CNBC: China’s Alibaba launches over 100 new open-source AI models, releases text-to-video generation tool

+ Alibaba on Thursday released more than 100 open-source artificial intelligence models and boosted the capabilities of its proprietary technology.

+ The Hangzhou-headquartered firm is looking to increase competition with domestic rivals such as Baidu and Huawei, as well as US titans like Microsoft and OpenAI.

+ Alibaba also launched a new text-to-video tool based on its AI models. This allows users to input a prompt and the AI will create a video based on it, similar to OpenAI’s Sora.

OpenAI has hired former Coursera Inc. executive Leah Belsky to be its first general manager of education, leading the artificial intelligence startup’s efforts to bring its products to more schools and classrooms.

LinkedIn plans to use your data to train its AI. Here’s how to stop it: Updates to LinkedIn’s user agreement will automatically opt users into sharing their data with its AI. Follow these steps to opt out. FC

CNBC: Amazon introduces Amelia, an AI assistant for third-party sellers

+ Amelia is an artificial intelligence tool designed to help third-party sellers quickly resolve issues with their accounts and fetch sales and inventory data.

+ Amazon said it’s launching the product in beta for select U.S. sellers, before introducing it more broadly later this year.

+ It’s the latest generative AI tool from Amazon, which is using the technology across its retail portfolio.

Amazon raised the pay of its warehouse workers.

AI hiring platform Mercor backed by Dorsey, Peter Thiel in $30 mln fundraise: Reuters reports the Series A funding round was led by venture capital firm Benchmark's Victor Lazarte and Bill Gurley, and also saw participation from Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, both of whom are OpenAI board members.

AI wants to be free or at least very, very cheap. John Herrman

The breakthrough AI needs: A race is on to push artificial intelligence beyond today’s limits. Economist

AI has returned chipmaking to the heart of computer technology: And the technological challenges are bigger than the political ones, argues Shailesh Chitnis. Economist

Companies carry more liability for AI than they realize: Axios reports companies that make use of generative AI — whether they know it or not — could be taking on more legal liability than they realize. The legal discussion around genAI has largely focused on the liability of the companies developing the technology rather than those who use it. The 100-page article, published in NYU's Journal of Legislation and Public Policy, provides a detailed overview of the legal landscape in both the US and around the world in terms of existing and emerging law. Access the NYU article here.

China's foldable phones herald conquest of OLED screen market: Nikkei reports Samsung and LG see sales share sink as Beijing pushes supply chain localization.

Hackers extorted a record $75 million payment in a February cyberattack on drug distributor Cencora.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 19

EU picks tech enforcer who helped write its social-media rules: Bloomberg reports Henna Virkkunen, 52, has been tapped for the role of executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. If confirmed, she’d be in charge of enforcing the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, two rulebooks put in place to monitor how large tech companies control content and their impact on competition. She’ll also be responsible for fostering new European tech champions. 

US Intel's factory delay adds to Germany's economic woes: DW reports US chipmaker Intel has announced it is postponing a $30 billion investment in Germany due to financial problems at the firm. But is the German government still committed to the investments?

The EU’s chips plan implodes as Intel pauses investments: Politico reports EU semiconductor struggles are a bad omen for industrial policy plans.

US to convene global AI safety summit in November: Reuters reports the Biden administration plans to convene a global safety summit on artificial intelligence, it said on Wednesday, as Congress continues to struggle with regulating the technology. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will host on Nov. 20-21 the first meeting of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco to "advance global cooperation toward the safe, secure, and trustworthy development of artificial intelligence."

Washington sees AI everywhere: Politico reports from thier AI & Tech Summit, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) hinted once again that rather than one broad stroke, Congress’ approach to AI might look more like the efforts described by Lael Brainard, director of the National Economic Council and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas within their agencies — studying the technology’s impact closely in any given area and then responding piece by piece accordingly.

Congress promised AI rules to protect elections. It’s not happening. Politico reports despite urgent warnings, Congress is on track to leave the fight against deepfakes and deception to states and agencies.

+ According to a by Public Citizen, 19 states have passed legislation about AI and elections in an attempt to fill the gap

Newsom says he’s concerned about ‘chilling effect’ of AI bill: Bloomberg reports California Governor Gavin Newsom said he is concerned about a potential “chilling effect” on the development of artificial intelligence posed by a bill to regulate the new technology passed by the state legislature. State lawmakers on Aug. 28 approved SB 1047, a bill that would hold artificial intelligence companies legally liable if they don’t take required safety measures and their technology later causes major harm. Newsom must now sign the legislation into law or veto it.

+ Governor says he’s worried about the impact on competitiveness

+ Newsom gave his strongest signal yet that he’s considering vetoing state Sen. Scott Wiener’s AI safety legislation.

+ Newsom signs other legislation to ban election AI deepfakes

Hollywood bucks Nancy Pelosi on this major California bill: Actors Mark Ruffalo, Sean Astin, and Rosie Perez are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a major AI safety bill that’s currently sitting on his desk. Politico

Gavin Newsom signs election ‘deepfake’ ban in rebuke to Elon Musk: Politico reports California now has the nation’s most aggressive law in place on AI-generated content before the November election.

Newsom signs laws to protect Hollywood from fake AI actors: Politico reports the move comes as celebrities from Mark Ruffalo to Rosie Perez speak out about risks of the evolving technology.

Ban warnings fly as users dare to probe the “thoughts” of OpenAI’s latest model: OpenAI does not want anyone to know what o1 is “thinking" under the hood. ArsTech

CNBC: Microsoft, BlackRock form group to raise $100 billion to invest in AI data centers and power

+ The Global Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Investment Partnership is initially looking to raise $30 billion for new and existing data centers.

+ The fundraising, which could total $100 billion, will also be used to invest in the energy infrastructure needed to power AI workloads.

+ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the initiative brings “together financial and industry leaders to build the infrastructure of the future and power it in a sustainable way.”

BlackRock and Microsoft plan $30bn fund to invest in AI infrastructure: FT reports Nvidia and Abu Dhabi-backed MGX will join effort as energy-intensive tech strains power and data grids.

Microsoft’s hypocrisy on AI: Can artificial intelligence really enrich fossil-fuel companies and fight climate change at the same time? The tech giant says yes. Karen Hao

Google seeks authenticity in the age of AI with new content labeling system: ARS Tech reports the C2PA system aims to give context to search results, but trust problems run deeper than AI tech.

T-Mobile strikes deal with OpenAI: WSJ reports companies say new AI platform will harvest data on customer interactions to improve service.

AI-powered weed-killing robots threaten a $37 billion market: Bloomberg reports crop-chemical companies are rethinking business models as evolving tech promises to slash herbicide use.

Dell is cutting up to 26,000 jobs, potentially reducing its workforce to under 100,000. This makes it the largest layoff in the company's history. Driven by an AI-first restructuring strategy, more cuts are expected. 

General Catalyst — the US-based venture capital firm that funded AI startups Mistral and Anduril — announced Tuesday it is stepping up its Washington influence game with the launch of a new global policy institute. Called the General Catalyst Institute and helmed by tech industry veteran Teresa Carlson.

Huawei trifold phones being flipped for $7,000 even before release: Nikkei reports the limited availability causes prices to soar on online marketplaces.

Reuters: Musk's Neuralink gets FDA's breakthrough device tag for 'Blindsight' implant

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 17

America needs a better strategy on semiconductors: Export controls are necessary, but they are not a complete competitive strategy. Meghan Harris

Why Biden’s multibillion-dollar plan to build America’s next tech powerhouses is getting starved: The national, bipartisan Tech Hubs program could have been a campaign winner. Instead, it’s underfunded and barely present on the political stage — and anxious awardees are “holding their breath” for November. Politico

CBS News: Trump plans to announce the World Liberty Financial crypto exchange

TikTok launches fight for its life in court: Politico reports with the clock ticking on a potential ban, the ultra-popular app is politically more important than ever.

Bloomberg: TikTok fights US ‘sale-or-ban’ law in key appeals court faceoff

+ Video-sharing app faces ban over China ties unless it is sold

+ Owner ByteDance had pledged to take fight to Supreme Court

TikTok’s US future hangs in the balance in court: WSJ reports appeals court to weigh law that could shut down Chinese-backed app used by half of Americans.

WP: TikTok fights ban in court as Harris and Trump campaigns embrace the app

15 AI trends of 2024 Mashaid Ahmed

9 things you need to know about OpenAI’s powerful new AI model o1 Fortune

The new followup to ChatGPT is scarily good at deception: The safety paradox at the heart of OpenAI’s “Strawberry” model. Vox

Bloomberg: Google Pixel 9 Pro, Watch 3 offer unrevolutionary AI

AI wearable promises to help you remember everything: But is your privacy safe? Fox News

Regulating AI is easier than you think Paul Scharre

AI boom is driving a surprise resurgence of US gas-fired power: New gas plants just keep on coming, defying expectations that their rapid growth was nearing an end. Bloomberg

$84bn: Intel’s current market value, down from over $210bn in January.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 16

In Saudi Arabia’s shiny desert future, the new god is AI: Everything is big in Riyadh, from the 4x4s to the construction sites. Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince, has his sights on global dominance in technology. The Times

Most Americans don’t trust AI-powered election information: AP-NORC/USAFacts survey: A majority of Americans who do not trust artificial intelligence-powered chatbots or search results to give them accurate answers, according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts. About two-thirds of US adults say they are not very or not at all confident that these tools provide reliable and factual information, the poll shows. AP

Google, Apple and the antitrust tipping point: Major competition victories suggest Big Tech is reaching a reckoning. Rana Foroohar

What US and EU crackdowns on Big Tech mean for Apple, Google, X Bloomberg

Bloomberg: Cloud-computing firm CoreWeave in talks for share sale at $23 billion valuation

Bloomberg: AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li raises $230 million for new startup World Labs

Apple has a hot new product. It’s a hearing aid. The world’s most valuable company just turned its top-selling headphones into low-cost hearing aids—and it’s quietly a huge moment. Ben Cohen

Bloomberg: Apple’s new hearing aid and health upgrades saved iPhone 16 launch

Ives says there can't be an Apple super cycle without China Bloomberg

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 13

United Arab Emirates fund in talks to invest in OpenAI: WSJ reports the ChatGPT creator has told potential backers its annualized revenue recently reached $4 billion.

Mr ChatGPT and other AI power players are going to the White House to discuss AI’s massive thirst for energy CNN

America has an innovation and incumbency problem: Politicians should be taking questions of R&D and corporate power much more seriously. Gillian Tett

The AI bill driving a wedge through Silicon Valley: California’s Gavin Newsom has until September 30 to decide whether to sign legislation that will reach far beyond the state. FT

Reuters:  Mastercard to buy threat intelligence company Recorded Future for $2.65 bln 

The $200bn man: Larry Ellison’s wealth rebounds as Oracle joins AI boom: Database software maker has undergone an unlikely Wall Street renaissance. Richard Waters

Palantir is joining the S&P 500.

Mistral released its first multimodal model.

OpenAI releases new AI model that answers more complex questions: Bloomberg reports the new model, known internally as Strawberry, can handle complicated math and coding problems. 

OpenAI unveils new ChatGPT that can reason through math and science: NYT reports driven by new technology called OpenAI o1, the chatbot can test various strategies and try to identify mistakes as it tackles complex tasks.

Sarah O'Brien has departed Rivian to join Jony Ive's LoveFrom, which is reportedly in talks with OpenAI to create consumer products. 

Meta says it scraped all Australian adult users' public photos and posts on Facebook to train its AI, without an option to opt out.

Chats with AI bots found to damp conspiracy theory beliefs: Research runs counter to idea that it is nigh impossible to change some minds over popular but unevidenced ideas. FT

Bloomberg: Microsoft, cyber firms pursue changes after CrowdStrike outage

Bloomberg: Two Chinese AI chipmakers seek IPOs to mount challenge to Nvidia

+ Enflame, Biren are prepping to float shares as soon as in 2024

+ Investors are bidding up shares in AI chipmakers like Nvidia

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 11

US curbs on China tech investments in final push as election looms: Nikkei reports new administration could throw wrench in rules that focus on chips and AI.

WP: Apple, Google must pay billions in back taxes and fines, EU court rules

Apple loses landmark tax case with the EU: The Times reports that the European Court of Justice finds that Ireland granted Apple €13 billion in unlawful state aid.

Apple must pay €13bn in back taxes, top EU court rules: FT reports the European Court of Justice confirms Ireland provided ‘unlawful aid’ via tax deal and overturns a lower court decision.

Who’s paying for Apple Intelligence in new iPhones? Probably you. WP

Apple’s strategy to stay on top: A large part of the company’s revenue now comes from digital services. That has radically reshaped the company’s culture — and its appetite for risk. Bloomberg

China’s Huawei shows the world its $2,800 ‘trifold’ phone: NYT reports the latest announcement from Apple’s China rival came just hours after the unveiling of iPhone 16.

Not everyone needs to have an opinion on AI: Too many organisations feel compelled to speak out on matters outside their control. Stephen Bush

Bloomberg: Amazon to invest £8 billion in UK, continuing AWS expansion

+ Move follows similar investments announced in Spain, Germany

+ Chancellor Reeves says decision is ‘start of economic revival’

Bloomberg: TSMC’s August revenue climbs 33% as AI chip demand holds up

+ Growth is robust though down slightly from July’s pace

+ Investors have been concerned about the pace of AI spending

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 10

Google faces blockbuster antitrust case—again: WSJ reports a federal judge heard opening statements in a case alleging Google has an unlawful grip on the market for software used to buy and sell digital ads.

US argues Google created ad tech monopoly: NYT reports the tech giant went to court on Monday in a second antitrust trial, this one focused on its dominance in advertising technology software. The case could reshape its business.

Apple unveils an AI iPhone: WSJ reports the company, which has faced slumping sales in its signature product, released the iPhone 16, with an upgraded Siri, AI text editing and photo-recognition tools.

Apple launches iPhone 16 as it bets on AI future: FT reports the tech giant seeks to put new tools at centre of its flagship smartphone in effort to entice customers.

Apple unveils new iPhones with built-in artificial intelligence: NYT reports the company also showcased a new Apple Watch and AirPods that can reduce noise at concerts or near construction sites.

Apple looks to entice iPhone 16 shoppers with not-quite-ready AI: Bloomberg reports the company also debuts a new version of its lower-end AirPods.

iPhone 16 is all about Apple Intelligence. Previews show it can be kind of dumb. Testing a prerelease version of the software, I’ve found it sometimes helpful — and sometimes laugh-out-loud weird. Geoffrey A. Fowler

Nikkei: Apple unveils iPhone 16, but AI unavailable in Japanese, Chinese till 2025

AI exuberance masks broad weakness in tech sector, say investors: Many companies unconnected to artificial intelligence boom are yet to recover from post-pandemic downturn. FT

AI: too much information? Yuval Noah Harari and Parmy Olson on how the race for superintelligence may amplify the worst of human nature. FT

AI started as a dream to save humanity. Then, Big Tech took over. A new book, Supremacy, delves into the drama behind the technological revolution and how visionaries like Sam Altman and Demis Hassabis helped consolidate power among corporate giants. Parmy Olson

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

AI @ Noon | September 9

Military AI summit in Seoul: South Korea co-hosts Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) summit in Seoul along with the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya and the United Kingdom. Government and military officials as well as business leaders from more than 90 countries are set to discuss responsible development and use of AI in the military sector and how to establish international norms for the matter. 

Tuesday: Global AI summit in Riyadh: Industry experts gather in Saudi Arabia to discuss how to "balance theory and reality" on the potential of artificial intelligence. 

Musk’s xAI has discussed deal for share of future Tesla revenue: WSJ reports under a proposed arrangement, the startup would give Tesla access to its artificial-intelligence technology in exchange for a slice of the carmaker’s software revenue.

Nvidia draws antitrust scrutiny as enforcers signal early interest in AI: WSJ reports the Justice Department probe of chip company highlights interest in being more aggressive than in years past.

Alibaba is expected to be added to the Stock Connect system linking Hong Kong with mainland China.

Today: Apple will unveil its latest iPhone series in Cupertino, California.

Apple’s new iPhone will use Arm’s next-generation chip technology for AI: Tech giant pushing to bring generative artificial intelligence features to its smartphones. FT

How Apple rules the world: How Apple went from underdog to $3.4 trillion global force. Bloomberg

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc