Apple CEO Tim Cook has declared that artificial intelligence (AI) is a revolutionary technology that surpasses the internet and smartphones in its impact. He stated that Apple must rapidly integrate AI into its products and services to stay ahead of competitors. The company plans to invest heavily in AI research and development, considering potential mergers and acquisitions related to this field.
The European Union has implemented new rules governing the development and deployment of most powerful artificial intelligence models, requiring them to be transparent about their decision-making processes and ensuring they do not pose a risk to society. The EU's AI Act sets out strict guidelines for developers, including requirements for explainability, accountability, and human oversight.
The EU's AI Code of Practice on General-Purpose (GPAI) requires major tech and AI companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI to commit to a copyright policy, safeguard against rights infringements, and designate complaint processing locations. The AI Act also demands transparency, making it challenging for artists to claim payment for work used in training AI models that have already been scraped. According to Du Moulin, the AI Act's retroactive nature limits its effectiveness, leaving generative AI providers with "free lunch" benefits from pre-existing content.
Hong Kong's privacy chief, Ada Chung, believes there is no immediate need to amend the law to specifically target AI-generated deepfake pornography, citing the existing Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance as sufficient to handle misuse of personal data in such images. The ordinance, which is principle-based and technology-neutral, applies to cases involving the collection or disclosure of data, including those related to deepfakes. Chung's office has launched a criminal investigation into a recent high-profile case at the University of Hong Kong, handling complaints about AI-generated porn in the same way as other data-related offenses.
KraneShares has introduced a $100,000 robot called KOID, which was launched in June to promote its Global Humanoid and Embodied Intelligence Index ETF. The bot made its debut by ringing the Nasdaq opening bell, generating mixed reactions as it walked through Midtown, drawing attention from onlookers who were both amused and startled by its presence.
A London-based agency created an AI model that resembles a supermodel, which was featured in Vogue magazine as part of a Guess campaign. The AI model, designed by Seraphinne Vallora, can change outfits with the click of a button and has sparked concerns among real models about job loss due to rampant technology use. The British Fashion Model Agents Association is urging political leaders to tighten controls on AI to prevent it from copying real people's images and creating virtual humans that could potentially replace human models in the industry.
Meta Fined for Secretly Collecting Women's Period Data
8.2.25
A federal jury in San Francisco has ruled that Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, violated California privacy law by secretly recording menstrual health data of millions of women who used the Flo app. The data was collected through a software development kit embedded on the app and included information about users' desire to get pregnant and their last period date.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that high salaries may harm company culture, amid a heated debate over the balance between pay and organisational values in the AI industry. Meta's aggressive recruitment strategy with $100 million signing bonuses to attract top experts from OpenAI has sparked concerns about talent retention and organisational culture.
Norton Unveils Deepfake Detector for YouTube Videos
8.2.25
Norton has developed an AI-powered tool to detect deepfake videos on YouTube, providing "an added layer of contextual protection" by spotting inconsistencies in people's physical features. The tool is currently available in Norton 360 mobile products in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand for Android and iOS devices, with desktop support coming soon. It can be tested by uploading YouTube links to receive real-time guidance on video authenticity. The tool aims to combat deepfake scams, such as the infamous "Elon Musk investment scam", where AI-generated videos are used to deceive investors.