AI News

Just three months after Maven's public launch, co-founder Kenneth Stanley, a former OpenAI researcher known for his innovative contributions to technology, has decided to step down. In his posts on Maven and X, Stanley acknowledged that while the platform received enthusiastic feedback upon launch, it struggled to achieve the growth curve expected by investors, indicating that a crucial element for that growth might still be elusive.

Meta and Universal Music Group Expand Music Licensing Agreement

This week in AI, two startups focused on code generation tools—Magic and Codeium—have raised close to half a billion dollars combined. These investment rounds are notably high, even for the AI sector, especially since Magic has yet to launch a product or generate revenue.

Apple is set to launch its long-anticipated Apple Intelligence features, first unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. However, the initial rollout is limited to developer beta versions of iOS 18.1. If you prefer a smoother experience without bugs, it’s advisable to wait for the public beta or the stable version, which is expected later this year.

At its core, programming represents a blend of creativity and technical skill. However, in today’s landscape of shifting processes to the left, software developers often find their days consumed by what Robert Brennan, CEO and co-founder of All Hands AI, describes as “toil-oriented tasks”—activities such as writing unit tests, managing dependencies, and updating documentation. While AI might lack the flair of creativity, it excels at these repetitive tasks.

Streamlining Construction Documentation: The Solution from Trunk Tools

Rabbit's r1, the AI assistant gadget that generated considerable buzz at CES, has released some updates. However, these enhancements are unlikely to sway its critics just yet.

The future of Google Assistant has been uncertain for over a year. Once a flagship tool for Google’s mobile and smart home strategies, it was instrumental in establishing a vast ecosystem. Just five years ago, Google was distributing Home Mini speakers to expand its reach.

Let's begin by acknowledging that change is challenging for everyone, especially within large organizations. Over the past 15 years, we've observed numerous large corporations struggling to adapt to emerging technologies such as mobile devices, Big Data, the cloud, and digital transformation as a whole. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is driving changes that companies and their employees must embrace, whether they are prepared for it or not.

In a significant development, Character.AI co-founder and CEO Noam Shazeer is set to return to Google, having left the tech giant in October 2021 to establish the a16z-backed chatbot startup. During his previous tenure, Shazeer led the team that developed LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications), a cutting-edge language model that underpins various conversational AI tools.

Inflection is set to limit free access to its AI chatbot, Pi, in the upcoming months, as announced by the startup. In a significant update, users will now have the ability to export their Pi conversations, reflecting the company's shift under new CEO Sean White toward enterprise-focused products.

Many Canva users are feeling a jolt from recent price increases, even as the company highlights new AI features as justification. While Canva has built its reputation as an accessible and cost-effective alternative to traditional design software, the phrase "more affordable" is starting to lose its meaning. Some Canva Teams subscribers are witnessing their annual fees soar from $120 to $500—a staggering 300% jump.

Google's new Gemini AI model is receiving mixed reviews following its highly publicized launch yesterday. Many users are expressing skepticism about the company's technology and ethical standards after discovering that the most captivating demonstration of Gemini was essentially staged.

The Paris Olympics, starting July 27, 2024, will be the first to use cloud broadcasting as the primary coverage method, surpassing satellite transmission. Alibaba Cloud enhances flexibility and efficiency, enabling remote streaming of content. The event will feature AI technologies for improved commentary, immersive viewing experiences, and extensive media distribution.

Character.AI, a chatbot that mimics celebrities, has gained rapid popularity with over 1.7 million downloads in its first week. Developed by former Google engineers, it contrasts with traditional AI by offering relatable interactions, highlighting a shift toward more engaging AI experiences amidst Google's struggles with innovation and antitrust issues.