I’m fresh off the plane from Las Vegas at CES, the world’s largest exposition of technology. If last year’s CES was 25% AI, this year’s was 90%. Most companies at CES have included either AI into their products, AI into their marketing literature, or both. (Cynically, the amorphous definition of AI allows this.)
While our Jacobs Media team unpacks everything AI that we saw in Vegas, below are AI news stories you may have missed over the holidays. Look for more CES recaps and analysis in the coming weeks from this newsletter and the Jacobs Media CES industry webinar on January 21.
Meta Debuts, Removes AI Profiles from FB and Insta
The social giant introduced AI-generated user profiles on its social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, aiming to enhance user engagement by allowing these AI characters to have bios, profile pictures, and the ability to generate and share content. However, the initiative faced significant backlash due to concerns over authenticity and user experience, leading Meta to discontinue these AI profiles almost immediately. [more]
COOL NEW TOOL: Google Whisk For Easy Image Editing
Google Labs just brought out Whisk, an experimental AI tool that enables users to generate images by combining visual prompts instead of relying solely on text descriptions. By uploading images representing a subject, scene, and style, Whisk utilizes Google’s AI models to analyze these inputs and produce unique, AI-generated images. No need to hop into Photoshop and tediously use the eraser tool! A great fifty-second example of the tool is here.
OpenAI’s Altman Drops Hints About AGI
In a recent blog post, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed confidence in the company’s ability to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is considered the ultimate milestone in AI research. Altman said, “We know how to build AGI.” He emphasized that while AGI’s initial impact may be less dramatic than anticipated, the long-term goal is to achieve superintelligence, which could significantly accelerate scientific discovery and productivity. [more]
Fireworks Flub: Thousands Gather for Fake NYE Celebration Promoted by AI Blog
Birmingham UK’s NYE crowd got punk’d when a wildly viral AI-generated blog promised a “spectacular” midnight fireworks display that didn’t exist. Thousands flocked to Centenary Square, eyes to the sky, only to be greeted by… nothing. The so-called “fireworks” fizzled into a classic case of social media gullibility, with locals left grumbling and red-faced. One disappointed reveler summed it up: “We stood here freezing for hours, and not even a sparkler?!” Looks like 2025 kicked off with a bang—just not the kind anyone expected. [details]
Along with his duties at Jacobs Media, Chris develops revenue opportunities for jācapps’ mobile apps clients.
- On Human Connections - January 17, 2025
- New Year, New AI - January 10, 2025
- 2024 Wrap-Up - December 20, 2024
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