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Atlassian to Buy Video Messaging Platform Loom for $1.5 Billion

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Atlassian Loom $1.5 billion
Source: Atlassian

Atlassian Corporation, the Australian software company, plans to acquire the video messaging platform Loom in a deal worth $975 million ($1.5 Billion). 

Founded back in 2015 by Vinay Hiremath, Shahid Khan, and Joe Thomas, Loom is primarily a video messaging platform encompassing other technological abilities, such as screen and camera recording, video editing, transcription service, and the option to share the video editing link with others. 

Loom achieved a valuation of $1.53 billion in its most recent assessment, which came after a successful $130-million Series C funding round in May 2021, the same time when video messaging apps were booming due to the pandemic. 

Read More: Atlassian acquires Percept.AI, a U.S.-based AI chatbot vendor 

Atlassian’s expressed that they are incredibly excited about the opportunity this presents for both Atlassian and Loom customers. Through the power of the Atlassian platform, they can create seamless experiences between every tool their customers use to get work done, with async video being the latest in their toolbelt to help unleash the potential of every team.

With this merger, engineers on Jira will have the capability to visually record and document issues. Employees can also use video messaging to engage with their workforce on a larger scale. 

The sales team, on the other hand, can send customized video updates to clients seamlessly within their workflows, whereas HR teams can onboard new employees using personalized welcome videos. 

The deal sees Atlassian enhancing its software lineup, which already features significant work-focused collaboration tools like Jira, Confluence, and Trello.


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Meta Launched AI Chatbots Embodied by Celebrities

By
Tejaswini Kasture
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Meta AI chatbot celebrities
Image Source: Meta

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has introduced AI-powered chatbots that are designed to take on the persona of famous celebrities. These chatbots likely use the likeliness or personality of celebrities to interact with the users.

These celebrities, as the AI bots, will have their own profiles on Instagram and Facebook, allowing users to delve into their unique personas. Meta has introduced more than 28 of these AI personalities on social media platforms.

For instance, Snoop Dogg, as the Dungeon Master, guides users through adventures and games. LaurDIY, or Dylan, brings a quirky DIY and craft experience, catering to the Gen Z audience. Dwyane Wade, as Victor embodies the Ironman triathlete, will motivate users to engage in their workout activities. Kendall Jenner, as Billie, will be the ride-or-die companion, and Roy Choi, as Max, share seasoned sous chef knowledge for culinary tips and tricks.

Read More: WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger to Introduce Chatbots with ChatGPT-like Features

The other personalities include Charli D’Amelio as Coco, Izzy Adesanya as Luiz, Chris Paul as Perry, MrBeast as Zach, Paris Hilton as Amber, Naomi Osaka as Tamika, Raven Ross as Angie, Sam Kerr as Sally, and Tom Brady as Bru. 

Zuckerberg stated that this isn’t solely about answering questions but also about entertainment. He mentioned that there are some limitations as the chatbots do not have real-time access to updated information, but this feature will be added in the coming months. 

Furthermore, Meta also mentioned user interaction and feedback with AI chatbots are fundamental parts that will help them refine models. This, in return, will enhance users’ experience at a broader scale.

While Meta has aimed to attract audiences for interaction and connection with AI bots, recent videos featuring Meta AI personas created chaos as familiar celebrities were transformed into characters with different names.

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Project Primrose: Adobe’s Interactive Dress Can Disrupt the Fashion Industry

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Adobe Interactive Dress Project Primrose

Adobe has introduced their mind-boggling “Project Primrose,” which literally brings a dress to life. The audience displayed flabbergasted reactions as the demo was given in Los Angeles at MAX Sneaks. 

Adobe’s new avant-garde project might disrupt the fashion industry in the coming years. “Project Primrose” features a digital, interactive dress with embedded sensors on the fabric of the cloth. The interactive dress can change its surface design through a simple touch and body movement, displaying various patterns and animations. 

To get into the subject’s technicality, Adobe uses innovative modules that utilize reflective light diffusion for non-emissive flexible display systems. These modules use a reflective-backed polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), an electroactive material typically employed in smart windows applications.

Read More: Adobe releases AI tool Firefly to edit photographs by typing commands

These energy-efficient, non-emissive materials can be customized to various shapes and effectively scatter light, something that was displayed during the project primrose demo. 

Project Primrose wasn’t the only experimental idea showcased at Sneaks, as various other projects, such as Project Stardust, Project Fast Fill, and Project See Through, all revolving around AI, captivated the audience’s attention.

Adobe’s latest experiments give a glimpse of the vast and fast-changing world of generative AI and how big industries are amalgamating it within their creative headspace. Project Primrose is one such example where the surface of the dress is becoming a canvas for digital creatives and not just fashion designers. 

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Walmart Will Soon Launch the Perfect AI Shopping Assistant Tool Powered by Generative AI

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Walmart AI Generative AI

A few years ago, the concept of online shopping was introduced, causing some foreseeable skepticism among people. Now, Walmart plans to use AI to create the perfect shopping assistance, yet another example of how AI enters an individual’s everyday life.

Walmart plans to revolutionize shopping experiences with three main features: AI-powered shopping assistance, a generative AI search bar, and an interior design tool.

With this upcoming shopping assistance, customers will have a more interactive shopping experience. The AI can answer questions, recommend products tailored to individual needs, and give details about specific items.

Read More: Walmart launches AI Virtual Clothing try-on technology

Generative AI actuates Walmart’s search bar tool, which helps customers by answering their specific sets of questions. Walmart’s search tool grasps what a shopper is looking for and displays an array of items that match the query.

Walmart is also incorporating augmented reality technology (AR) to create interior design assistance that will help users decorate their homes. To get started, a user needs to upload a photo of their rooms, and the AI will capture the images of all the items within the space. Customers can then chat with the virtual assistant to seek advice on redesigning their room. Thanks to its spatial understanding, the AI proposes where to place new items in the room.

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The Malayalam Film Industry is Making a one-of-a-kind Story Based on Artificial General Intelligence

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Artificial General Intelligence AGI Monica AI Story
Source: Shutterstock

India is creating its own Ex Machina, a futuristic film named Monica, An AI Story, themed around concepts like Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) by the Malayalam film industry.

In recent times, the Malayalam film industry has been breaking new ground, whether it be the dichotomy between man and animal in Jose Pellissery’s Jellikettu that received worldwide critical acclaim or sci-fi fantasies like “Nine” and “Kunjappan Ver 5.35”, the southern-most state of India is raising the standards high. 

As per recent news, director EM Ashraf is directing Monica, an AI Story, which revolves around an AGI played by an American-born social media influencer and entrepreneur named Aparna Mulberry. 

Read More: AI Movies That You Should Not Miss

The film will supposedly use cutting-edge AI technologies to ratify the overall avant-garde subject matter, and if the rumors are true, it’s already oozing Black Mirror vibes. 

But what exactly is an AGI? There isn’t a practical example, as AGI is still a concept. However, there is a theoretical definition. AGI, which is considered a strong AI, aims to replicate diverse human cognitive capabilities in software. 

Basically, an AGI, if presented with an unfamiliar task, should be able to figure out a solution, just like a human. The ultimate goal of an AGI is to enable the system to perform any task that a human can do. Metaphysical abilities such as intuition, creativity, sensory perception, and abstract thinking are some of the things an AGI could perform. 

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ElevenLabs Creates a Tool That Translates Speeches in 20 Different Languages

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Eleven Labs AI Dubbing
Source: Wikipedia

ElevenLabs, a voice AI research and deployment company, has released its most ambitious product yet. The American startup has successfully created AI Dubbing, a tool for translating speech into more than 20 different languages, including long-form content.

According to ElevenLabs, AI Dubbing maintains the original emotion, tonality, and other subtle elements of the voice and simultaneously translates it into a different language within minutes.

ElevenLabs CEO Mati Staniszewski said, “We have tested and iterated this feature in collaboration with hundreds of content creators to dub their content and make it more accessible to wider audiences.”  He further added, “We see huge potential for independent creative such as those creating video content and podcast all the way through to film and TV studios.” 

Read More: Meta Releases the SpeechMatrix Dataset for Speech-to-Speech Translation

The tool is also easy to use; a user needs to create a new project, pick the source and target languages, and upload the content file. AI Dubbing then automatically determines the number of distinct voices in the content and starts working. Once finished, a user can download the file and use it. 

Notably, the final translation of the speech happens through a speech synthesis tool called Eleven Multilingual v2, a software responsible for translating speeches in various languages.

We are living in a world where everything connects to everything else. If we were to achieve singularity, whether it will happen through “language” or “translation of language” remains a matter of introspection. In a world where only a handful of individuals speak English, an AI tool that “translates” validates diversity and authenticity.

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The California Delete Act Empowers Residents of California To Delete Their Personal Information Online

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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California Delete Act SB 362
Image Source: informationweek

Gavin Christopher Newsom, the 40th governor of California, has put his signature on the California Senate Bill 362 (SB 362), also known as the California Delete Act. Thanks to this historic law, SB 362 will make it easy for Californians to demand the right to delete any information that data brokers have with them. 

Citizens of California, through a free, easy-to-use, single-page online portal, can request the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) to delete any private information data brokers have with them, also preventing tracking people online. 

The bill defines data brokers as businesses that don’t directly relate to ordinary consumers but collect information about them through online and offline sources and sell those data. Data brokers collect sensitive information pertaining to healthcare, geolocation, spending habits, and employment status. 

Read More: Rajya Sabha Passes Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023

If data brokers don’t comply with the rules stated in the Delete Act, they might be fined or penalized, according to a report by the Guardian. 

According to a recent poll, Californians are overjoyed with SB 362, as 81% of the surveyed Californians embrace the Delete Act, while only 7% give their thumbs down to the bill. 

Josh Becker, who first introduced the bill back in April 2023, said, “Data brokers possess thousands of data points on each and every one of us, and they currently sell reproductive healthcare, geolocation and purchasing data to the highest bidder. The Delete Act protects our most sensitive information.”

In today’s day and age, our digital footprints contain information of great significance to us. Consequently, the right to have a voice regarding the use of our information synchronizes with our right to privacy, and the California law-making agency, through the California Delete Act, has addressed the impending obvious. 

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Is Geoengineering The Answer To Combat Global Warming And Climate Change? Open AI CEO Sam Altman Says Yes

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Sam Altman Solar Geoengineering

Climate change is one of the lingering issues of the 21st Century. There are, of course, different narratives to it. On one side, some experts and politicians, primarily right-wing, call it propaganda and a hoax; on the other side, climate change and global warming might be the reason for humanity’s end.

Open AI CEO Sam Altman happens to be on the latter side of the debate. The 38-year-old entrepreneur is one of the poster boys of the AI revolutions, thanks to his brainchild, ChatGPT, which disrupted not only the AI market but the overall socio-cultural landscape.

Sam Altman foresees the next decade will witness a flurry of “breathtaking scientific discoveries.” Among them, solar geoengineering will be one of the more critical tools to combat climate change and global warming. 

Read More: Huawei Launches Global Challenge to Create AI Solutions for Sustainable Climate Change

Introducing space mirrors or spraying reflective particles to deflect sun rays is one of the hypotheses to prevent Earth from overheating, according to the Open AI CEO. 

Although geoengineering is still a proto-concept, it has its pros and cons, significantly because it will alter the natural ecosystem, thus creating a counterintuitive situation. 

However, geoengineering happens to be the only plausible solution to global warming as of now, and to avoid a summer like 2023, which, according to scientists at NASA, was the hottest summer recorded since global records began in 1880, we must begin to understand the possibilities that geoengineering has to offer. 

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Samsung Developer Conference 2023: Everything Announced at the Event

By
Boudhayan Ghosh
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Samsung Developer Conference 2023 Connectivity One UI 6.0
Source- Twitter

The ninth annual Samsung Developer Conference was held at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco on October 5, 2023. The event was marked by Samsung’s announcement of One UI 6 and the multinational conglomerate’s emphasis on user data privacy, sustainability, and a connected ecosystem. 

The One UI 6.0 update that went with the Slogan “Enabling your Galaxy, your way” validates Samsung’s plans to release the OS update by the end of this year after running it on a beta program for a while. 

The new One UI 6.0 features contain a restructured Quick Panel, which helps users navigate better because of its easy use. A new typeface, One UI Sans, is also introduced, ensuring better readability of digital screens. The new One UI 6.0 features Samsung Studio, allowing users to edit multi-layered video. 

The realm of a secure, connected ecosystem has been paramount for the South Korean electronic giants. Consequently, the concept of a secure and connected smart home is closer than ever as Samsung announced the SmartThings Home API, allowing developers to create  SmartThings-based apps easily. Additionally, Samsung is expanding the SmartThings Hub to include sound bars and smart TVs, broadening its product compatibility. 

Then, the second-generation Smart Tag 2 was announced, a device that helps users find lost items through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity. The portable Smart Tag 2 has a battery life of upto 700 days with an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. The device can also trace lost items through rain, dust, and underground. 

Read More: Google Introduces ‘Google-Extended’ Tool for Publishers to Control AI Data Usage

Samsung’s plan to enhance its voice assistant, Bixby, is also underway. First launched back in 2017, the virtual assistant will integrate with SmartThings. With more intuitive command control, Bixby will identify which command best suits a device in a multi-device environment. 

Samsung also announced that Tizen is expanding its presence on various devices, including home appliances featuring a 7-inch display. Additionally, it is enhancing user experiences through on-device artificial intelligence (AI) and the Home AI Edge Hub. The Linux-based operating system in the past has successfully powered digital screens, including TVs, monitors, and home appliances, and its further mutation is seen as a game changer. 

Last but not least, Samsung showcased its improved health solutions that leverage the strength of connectivity. With Samsung Health and Samsung Food, users will get personalized nutrition recommendations, food delivery services, and recipe-sharing programs; Samsung is designing an all-new digital health experience. 

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BBC Blocks OpenAI Data Scraping but Supports AI-Powered Journalism

By
Suchitra Shenoy
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BBC blocks OpenAI data scraping

The UK’s largest news organization, BBC, and other top media organizations like CNN blocked OpenAI’s data scraping. As it evaluates the use of generative AI, BBC laid out principles it plans to follow, including for research and production of journalism, personalized experiences, and archiving.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, BBC Director of Nations, stated, “We believe Gen AI could provide a significant opportunity for the BBC to deepen and amplify our mission, enabling us to deliver more value to our audiences and to society.”

BBC’s three guiding principles are that it will always act in the public’s best interest, prioritize talent and creativity by respecting the rights of artists, and be open and transparent about AI-made output.

Read More: Deepmind Releases the Largest Robotics Datasets

In a bid to safely develop generative AI and focus on maintaining trust in the news industry, BBC said it will work with tech companies, other media organizations, and regulators.

Several top news publications like CNN, The New York Times, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) blocked Microsoft-backed OpenAI in August from accessing their content to train its AI models.

OpenAI’s web crawler—GPTBot—may scan web pages to improve its AI models. BBC has blocked web crawlers from OpenAI and Common Crawl, meaning these organizations can’t use content from the publication to train their AI models.

Davies emphasized that this move aims to safeguard the interests of the license fee payers and that unauthorized use of BBC data for training AI models isn’t in the public interest.

Additionally, BBC is examining the broader implications of Gen AI on the media industry, including the proliferation of misinformation and the potential effects on website traffic patterns. Davies stated, “In the next few months, we will start a number of projects that explore the use of Gen AI in both what we make and how we work – taking a targeted approach in order to better understand both the opportunities and risks.”

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