Meta Sells Giphy to Shutterstock for $53M Three Years After Buying It

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May 25, 2023

Meta sells Giphy to Shutterstock for $53M — Image Credits: Giphy

Giphy, a well-known website for animated pictures and videos, is being acquired by Shutterstock from Meta in a deal worth $53 million, the company revealed on Tuesday. After agreeing to sell Giphy owing to worries about competition, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, made this acquisition a few months later.

Giphy was purchased by Meta in 2020 for an alleged $400 million. The deal, however, ran into legal issues when the Competition and Markets Authority of Britain forced Meta to sell Giphy. Giphy’s purchase by Meta raised concerns that it would restrict competitors like Snapchat and Twitter from accessing its material.

The Competition and Markets Authority’s successful campaign was the first time a regulator successfully forced a US IT behemoth to sell an acquired company. Following this event, Giphy was purchased by Shutterstock, a top distributor of high-quality licenced pictures, videos, and music worldwide.

Shutterstock anticipates the agreement to be signed next month, which caused its shares to rise up to 4% in premarket trading. Giphy’s impact to revenue, according to the firm, will be negligible this year. Beginning in 2024, they intend to put initiatives into place to increase Giphy’s revenue production.

Giphy’s vast content library features not only user-generated GIFs but also official submissions from renowned media companies like Disney and Netflix. With approximately 15 billion daily impressions, Giphy holds significant influence in the digital realm. By acquiring Giphy, Shutterstock aims to tap into its massive user base of around 1.7 billion daily users.

AI Startup Anthropic Raises $450 Million in Series C Funding Round

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Sahil Pawar

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May 25, 2023

Anthropic raises $450 million — Image Credits: Anthropic

According to PitchBook, Anthropic announced on Tuesday that it had raised $450 million in a Series C funding round led by Spark Capital, making it the largest AI funding round this year following Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI in January. Former OpenAI research executives formed AI startup Anthropic in 2021.

In the most recent funding round for Anthropic, together with Salesforce Ventures, Zoom Ventures, and Spark Capital, Google is one of the leading investors. Two months ago, Anthropic received $300 million in capital at $4.1 billion valuation before making the announcement.

A month earlier, Google contributed $300 million and acquired a 10% share in the business. Notably, Google is identified as the investor and not GV or CapitalG, one of Alphabet’s investment divisions.

Anthropic is the startup behind Claude, an alternative chatbot to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Dario Amodei, a former vice president of research at OpenAI, and his sister Daniela Amodei, a former vice president of safety and policy at the company, founded the startup. The founding staff of Anthropic included a number of additional OpenAI research alumni.

“This is definitely a big deal in the generative AI space,” said Ali Javaheri, a PitchBook associate research analyst. “It shows that OpenAI is not the only player in the game, that it’s still a very competitive space.”

Anthropic was one of four businesses invited to a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris earlier this month to talk about ethical AI development. The other tech names were Microsoft, OpenAI, and Alphabet, the parent company of Google.

OpenAI Backed Startup 1X Deploys Humanoid Robot EVE in Workforce

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Sahil Pawar

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May 25, 2023

startup 1X deploys humanoid robot EVE — Image Credits: TechCrunch

The first time a humanoid robot has been incorporated into a professional workplace is by the Norwegian robotics start-up 1X, which has surpassed Elon Musk’s Tesla in the race to introduce an AI robot into the workforce.

EVE, a humanoid robot, is apparently serving as a security guard at two industrial locations in Europe and the United States since April of this year, according to DailyMail. It features two arms that may be utilized for a variety of tasks, such as opening doors and picking up objects. It has a head with an LED face.

EVE is the first humanoid robot to join the security forces, though non-humanoid robots have done so for years. The robots are functioning better than predicted, 1X CEO Bernt Bornich told the media. The EVE androids are being managed by human guards, and in the event that something unforeseen happens to the robots, the guardians are able to take control of them via virtual reality.

Bornich also wants the robots to function as carers for the elderly. He claimed that the business wanted to address the issue of a worker shortage. He told the publication, “We can see how to address it, but we need a lot of data.”

EVE stands five feet, nine inches tall, yet she moves on wheels. It has purportedly been put to the test in pilot projects for logistics, retail, and healthcare. However, the business chose to use it as security guards first.

The bipedal android NEO, which 1X hopes to introduce as a next-generation humanoid robot the following year, can walk like a human. The business intends to use it to care for elderly residents in assisted living. 1X was once known as Halodi and was founded in 2014. In March 2023, it secured $23.5 million in series A2 funding, led by ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.

Microsoft Launches Multilingual AI-chat Bot Jugalbandi for Rural India

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Sahil Pawar

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May 25, 2023

Microsoft multilingual AI-chat bot Jugalbandi rural India — Image Credits: Stock Images

Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled Jugalbandi, a multilingual chatbot powered by generative AI and accessible through the well-known messaging app WhatsApp. The bot has been created specifically to cover rural parts of India that are difficult for media to reach and don’t have access to government social programmes.

“I put this to the test when I recently visited India, and I came to two conclusions. First, the fact that we have the ability to create products that can benefit 8 billion people rather than just a select few. And rather than taking years or centuries, this dissemination will be able to happen in just a few days or weeks. With this, we also secure protection of fundamental rights,” said Satya Nadella when announcing Jugalbandi.

In partnership with IIT Madras, AI4Bharat created the chatbot. According to Microsoft, it aims to offer individualized support by comprehending user inquiries in a variety of languages, whether they are spoken or typed.

After receiving the request, the chatbot gets data from relevant programs, which are frequently only available in English, and returns it to consumers in their native tongue.

In order to provide smooth communication between users and the chatbot, Microsoft claims that Jugalbandi uses AI models from AI4Bharat and Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. Large volumes of data can be synthesized by these generative AI technologies to produce text and other types of content.

By utilizing the databases owned by the Indian government, Jugalbandi provides consumers with a trustworthy and accountable platform while also ensuring data protection, according to Microsoft. The chatbot was introduced in April and put to the test in the village of Biwan, which is close to New Delhi, the capital of India.

Microsoft Announces Plugins for Microsoft 365 Copilot

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Sahil Pawar

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May 25, 2023

Microsoft Announces Plugins for Microsoft 365 Copilot — Image Credits: Microsoft

As part of its Microsoft Build 2023 announcements, Microsoft announced that its AI-powered assistant for its suite of office products, 365 Copilot, will receive plug-ins. With the update, users will be able to upgrade the assistant’s features and tailor it to meet their unique requirements.

According to a blog post by Microsoft EVP Rajesh Jha, there will be three different kinds of Microsoft 365 Copilot plug-ins, including plug-ins utilizing OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology, Teams messaging extensions, and Power Platform connectors.

There will be more than 50 plug-ins available when the early access programme debuts, including plug-ins from Atlassian and Adobe. Microsoft claims that there will be thousands of plug-ins available when they go live.

It is the organization’s most recent effort to make its AI tools more adaptable for a wider range of users and might play a significant role in how the organization sets itself apart from its rivals. Under the Duet AI branding, Google has its own AI tools geared towards productivity, although they are not yet generally accessible and do not enable plug-ins.

It is not just Copilot that is getting plug-ins; last month, Microsoft revealed that plug-ins will be coming to its Bing AI, which might be beneficial for, for instance, finding a restaurant reservation through OpenTable.

Additionally, Microsoft and OpenAI are supporting an “open standard for plug-ins that integrates across OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft copilot offerings,” Jha wrote. OpenAI recently announced support for plug-ins with ChatGPT.

Microsoft’s Bing To Start Serving As ChatGPT’s Default Search Engine

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Sahil Pawar

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May 24, 2023

Microsoft's Bing ChatGPT's default search engine — Image Credits: Bing

According to Microsoft Build 2023 announcements, Bing will start serving as ChatGPT‘s default search engine. Users of ChatGPT Plus will begin receiving the new search functionality today, and all free ChatGPT users will soon have access to it.

Microsoft’s VP of consumer marketing, Yusuf Mehdi, writes in a blog post, “Our outstanding cooperation with OpenAI is fundamental to our progress with the new Bing. ChatGPT now has a top-notch search engine integrated to deliver quicker and more current responses with access from the web.”

OpenAI’s AI chatbot ChatGPT will leverage search and online data that also contains citations, similar to how Bing’s chat experience is driven by GPT-4 and incorporates citations to links. Bing’s incorporation with ChatGPT is a win for Microsoft after Samsung recently elected to continue with Google despite rumors that it will switch to Bing Search.

The integration comes after years of tight collaboration with OpenAI and Microsoft’s decision to expand their cooperation with a multibillion dollar investment earlier this year.

In order to facilitate interoperability between plug-ins for Bing Chat, Microsoft’s Copilot platform, and ChatGPT, Microsoft has also committed to using the same open plug-in standard that OpenAI does for ChatGPT.

Google Releases New Generative AI Tool Product Studio for Sellers to Edit Product Images

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Sahil Pawar

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May 24, 2023

Google generative AI tool Product Studio — Image Credits: TechCrunch

At the Google Marketing Live event, Google unveiled Product Studio, a new tool that enables merchants to quickly create and update product images using generative AI. Product Studio will be made accessible in Google’s Merchant Centre Next, a platform that allows companies to choose how their products are shown on Google.

Product Studio aims to make it simple for merchants to produce updated product imagery without incurring additional expenses from additional photoshoots. Merchants can utilize generative AI to generate minor visual changes to product photographs with just a few prompts, such as creating a variety of fresh backgrounds for seasonal promotions.

The release of Product Studio is scheduled for the next few months for US-based vendors. According to Google, Shopify users of the Google and YouTube app will also get access to Product Studio functionalities. Merchants can utilize a variety of features in Product Studio to spice up their product picture.

With the custom product scenes function, retailers may input a product image without a background and utilize artificial intelligence to create various background settings to match different marketing campaigns or to just swap out a boring or unattractive backdrop. Merchants can also remove an existing background from an image in Product Studio to create a white background. Small or low-resolution photos can be enhanced using Product Studio to increase their quality and lessen any discernible blurring or pixelation.

Product Studio is meant for companies of all sizes, but it will likely be especially helpful to small firms and independent sellers that lack the funds to engage a professional photographer. The technology may, however, also be useful to larger businesses that need to swiftly develop fresh product pictures for advertising campaigns.

AI-Generated Image Falsely Reports Blast Near Pentagon, Tricks News Outlets

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Sahil Pawar

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May 24, 2023

AI-generated image falsely reports blast near Pentagon — Image Credits: CNN

On Monday, May 22, late in the evening, a number of electronic media channels in India started to broadcast stories about what appeared to be an explosion close to the Pentagon in Washington DC. While some people posted a brief news update on social media, others broadcast a picture of a thick cloud of smoke rising from a building that was probably close to the Pentagon.

Whoa, did you hear what happened this morning? An AI-generated image of an explosion at the US Pentagon spread like wildfire! The S&P 500 even took a hit, dropping 30 points in a matter of minutes. But get this – the image was fake! As in, totally bogus. And now people are… pic.twitter.com/KkYkT73xgw
— Jewels Jones (@JewelsJonesLive) May 22, 2023

Nick Waters, a digital investigator with Bellingcat, a well-known investigative news website, made an important observation not long after these images attracted widespread notice. Waters emphasized that the extensively shared photos displayed key traits typical of artwork created using artificial intelligence.

It’s also important to note that there were no other credible public accounts with images depicting the claimed explosion. The official Twitter account of Arlington Fire & EMS responded to the online rumors by issuing a message to clarify the situation and stress that there was no explosion or incident happening within or near the Pentagon.

Arlington County, Virginia is home to the Pentagon, which serves as the US Department of Defense’s main office. There is no immediate danger to the public, as the tweet expressly noted that “There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation.”

@PFPAOfficial and the ACFD are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon. There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public. pic.twitter.com/uznY0s7deL
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) May 22, 2023

The images were broadcast on television by Republic News at around 7:45 pm, and a “strategic expert” was summoned to explain the incident. Messages like “RT reports explosion near Pentagon,” “Images show huge plumes of smoke,” and “More details awaited on Pentagon situation” were featured at the bottom of the screen.

Times Now Navbharat, News18 Madhya Pradesh, and First India News all shared a newsflash with their followers on social media to let them know about the occurrence. Zed News initially made a video report about the incident, however it was later taken down.

Microsoft Announces AI Personal Assistant Windows Copilot for Windows 11

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Sahil Pawar

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May 24, 2023

Microsoft AI personal assistant Windows Copilot — Image Credits: GeekWire

Microsoft declared on Tuesday that its artificial intelligence-powered chatbot Windows Copilot would be included to the Windows 11 home screen. Similar to how Cortana, Microsoft’s existing AI-powered virtual assistant, is presented, Windows Copilot will act as a central, text-based AI assistant that can be accessed from the Windows taskbar.

Users will be able to launch programmes like Adobe, Spotify, Teams, computer settings, and more while using Copilot’s chat function in an on-screen sidebar, thanks to the integration with a range of other apps. “The button is prominently displayed on your taskbar and is easy to identify and use,” according to Microsoft’s Panos Panay, chief product officer for Windows and devices.

“The Windows Copilot sidebar, which serves as your personal assistant when open, is consistent across all of your open windows, apps, and programmes. Every user becomes a power user as a result, making it easier for you to take action, personalize your settings, and connect to all of your favorite apps at once,” they added.

To assist users in completing activities, Windows Copilot will be able to explain, rewrite, or summarize copied text or documents. Users will be able to enter up to 2,000 characters in the chat field, according to a video on Microsoft’s website.

The Bing search engine and ChatGPT will both have plugins for Copilot that will further the integration of AI-powered technologies into Windows programmes. Additionally, it will enable programmers to include apps inside Windows, thereby improving user experience and increasing interest in Windows programmes.

Beginning in June, Microsoft intends to make Windows Copilot accessible to Windows 11 customers so they can preview the upcoming virtual assistant. Recently, the tech corporation previewed an updated AI “copilot” for Microsoft 365, a collection of Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, and Outlook emails.

Google Introduces AI-driven Feature Assisted Vision in its Lookout App

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Sahil Pawar

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May 24, 2023

Google AI-driven feature Assisted Vision Lookout app — Image Credits: CNN

Google has introduced a new AI-driven feature in its Lookout app called Assisted Vision. Visually impaired people can use this AI feature to ask several questions about the details of an image.

Google unveiled the “Image Q&A” function in its accessibility application Lookout and gave a brief demonstration of it during some major announcements at Google I/O 2023 recently.

Visually impaired can ask any question to understand what is in the image and the artificial intelligence provides them with a clear answer every time. The purpose of this feature, and of Lookout in general, is to help visually impaired people understand a photo or drawing.

An image needs to be uploaded to the app, before asking the AI to describe it. The latter will execute and explain what can be seen on the screen. This first description is effective and might suffice if one just wants a quick summary. However, those who need to go into more detail can just ask a question, in writing or out loud.

Describing an image is no longer a very complex challenge for a well-trained artificial intelligence. However, Google has successfully taken the concept one step further to make it more practical and beneficial for people with disabilities.