Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on his nation to enhance its innovation capabilities in response to the ongoing semiconductor conflict with the United States. The appeal comes as a study conducted by DeepMind, a division of Alphabet Inc’s Google, revealed the widespread misuse of generative AI tools, particularly in the creation of realistic yet fake images, videos, and audio of public figures.
In the entertainment and gaming industry, Paramount Global has announced a price hike for most of its Paramount+ subscription plans, set to take effect in August. Meanwhile, Sony Group Corp’s PlayStation has filed a patent for a groundbreaking controller concept, utilizing electric ink to allow players to design a custom layout tailored to their unique play style. Additionally, Microsoft Corp’s Blizzard has announced a second Public Test Realm (PTR) for “Diablo 4,” focusing on Season 5.
Turning to smartphones, Apple Inc. plans to significantly reduce its iPhone assembly workforce by up to 50% over the next few years, citing precision issues as a challenge. In a major enhancement to cross-platform messaging capabilities, Apple has introduced Rich Communication Services (RCS) support in its Messages app with the latest update in the iOS 18 second developer beta. However, the company is reportedly facing difficulties in developing a cheaper version of its first-generation mixed-reality headset, Vision Pro, and has rejected a proposal from Meta Platforms Inc. to integrate its AI chatbot, Llama, into the iPhone.
In the technology sector, Alphabet’s Google has outlined the potential costs and implications of allowing third-party app stores, such as the Epic Games Store, to operate within the Google Play Store. Meta Platforms has faced criticism for mislabeling real photos as AI-generated on its social networks, sparking outrage among photographers and users. The company has also faced backlash after Instagram and Threads users discovered unexpected alterations to their political content settings. Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to proceed with a social media post against his PR team’s objections has caused internal turmoil. Additionally, the company is reportedly experimenting with a new feature for its Quest headsets, allowing users to freely position windows similar to Apple’s Vision Pro.
Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey has warned about the challenges of distinguishing between reality and fabrication due to the proliferation of deepfakes. X CEO Linda Yaccarino has made significant changes to her leadership team as the company faces financial challenges and pressure from Elon Musk to reduce costs and boost sales.
In the field of artificial intelligence, OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has announced plans to restrict access to its tools and software in China starting in July. The company has sent warnings to developers in China, signaling its intention to limit access. OpenAI’s text-to-video tool, Sora, has been utilized to produce a brand film for Toys “R” Us, potentially revolutionizing content creation for small studios and independent creators. OpenAI has also delayed the release of its highly anticipated voice assistant feature for ChatGPT, citing the need to address safety concerns. Dario Amodei, CEO of AI startup Anthropic, backed by Google and Amazon.com Inc., has reaffirmed his commitment to AI safety, regardless of the outcome of the 2024 elections.
British AI startup Synthesia has unveiled new product updates, enabling users to create AI avatar presentations using just a laptop webcam or a phone.