OpenAI reportedly plans to restructure its core business into a for-profit benefit corporation that won\u2019t be controlled by its nonprofit board.
\nUnder this plan, the OpenAI nonprofit will own a minority stake in the for-profit company, Reuters reported Wednesday (Sept. 25), citing unnamed sources.
\nThe plan has not been finalized and the timeline for its implementation is uncertain, according to the report.
\nAsked about the report by Reuters, an OpenAI spokesperson said: \u201cWe remain focused on building AI that benefits everyone, and we\u2019re working with our board to ensure that we\u2019re best positioned to succeed in our mission. The nonprofit is core to our mission and will continue to exist.\u201d
\nThe planned restructuring will make the company more attractive to investors, as it would operate more like a typical startup, the report said. OpenAI is also working to remove a cap on returns for investors that it currently has, according to the report.
\nIn addition, the plan would give CEO Sam Altman equity in the for-profit company, per the report.
\nOpenAI was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit AI research organization and added a for-profit entity called OpenAI LP in 2019 as a subsidiary of the nonprofit, according to the report.
\nTwo of its rivals, Anthropic and Elon Musk\u2019s xAI, are registered as benefit corporations, per the report.
\nIt has been reported in recent weeks that OpenAI is seeking $6.5 billion in funding and a valuation of $150 billion in the funding round. Earlier reports said that the funding round is being led by venture capital firm Thrive Capital; that Microsoft, which has already invested $13 billion in OpenAI since 2019, is expected to participate; and that Apple and Nvidia are in talks to invest in the company as well.
\nOn Sept. 15, it was reported that OpenAI\u2019s $150 billion valuation will depend on whether it can change its corporate structure and remove the profit cap for investors.
\nThe report said that the conditions on the $6.5 billion in funding show the extent of OpenAI\u2019s evolution from a research-based nonprofit and signify the changes it\u2019s willing to make to woo investors to fund its costly efforts in the field of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
\nThe post Report: OpenAI Plans to Restructure and Become For-Profit Benefit Corporation appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "OpenAI reportedly plans to restructure its core business into a for-profit benefit corporation that won\u2019t be controlled by its nonprofit board.\nUnder this plan, the OpenAI nonprofit will own a minority stake in the for-profit company, Reuters reported Wednesday (Sept. 25), citing unnamed sources.\nThe plan has not been finalized and the timeline for its implementation is uncertain, according to the report.\nAsked about the report by Reuters, an OpenAI spokesperson said: \u201cWe remain focused on building AI that benefits everyone, and we\u2019re working with our board to ensure that we\u2019re best positioned to succeed in our mission. The nonprofit is core to our mission and will continue to exist.\u201d\nThe planned restructuring will make the company more attractive to investors, as it would operate more like a typical startup, the report said. OpenAI is also working to remove a cap on returns for investors that it currently has, according to the report.\nIn addition, the plan would give CEO Sam Altman equity in the for-profit company, per the report.\nOpenAI was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit AI research organization and added a for-profit entity called OpenAI LP in 2019 as a subsidiary of the nonprofit, according to the report.\nTwo of its rivals, Anthropic and Elon Musk\u2019s xAI, are registered as benefit corporations, per the report.\nIt has been reported in recent weeks that OpenAI is seeking $6.5 billion in funding and a valuation of $150 billion in the funding round. Earlier reports said that the funding round is being led by venture capital firm Thrive Capital; that Microsoft, which has already invested $13 billion in OpenAI since 2019, is expected to participate; and that Apple and Nvidia are in talks to invest in the company as well.\nOn Sept. 15, it was reported that OpenAI\u2019s $150 billion valuation will depend on whether it can change its corporate structure and remove the profit cap for investors.\nThe report said that the conditions on the $6.5 billion in funding show the extent of OpenAI\u2019s evolution from a research-based nonprofit and signify the changes it\u2019s willing to make to woo investors to fund its costly efforts in the field of artificial general intelligence (AGI).\nThe post Report: OpenAI Plans to Restructure and Become For-Profit Benefit Corporation appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T22:07:41-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T22:07:41-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/OpenAI-Sam-Altman.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "for-profit benefit corporation", "GenAI", "generative AI", "News", "OpenAI", "PYMNTS News", "Sam Altman", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2106103", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/openai-chief-technology-officer-mira-murati-to-leave-company/", "title": "OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati to Leave Company", "content_html": "OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati said Wednesday (Sept. 25) that she is leaving the company after 6\u00bd years.
\n\u201cI\u2019m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration,\u201d Murati said in a Wednesday post on X. \u201cFor now, my primary focus is doing everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition, maintaining the momentum we\u2019ve built.\u201d
\nMurati served as interim CEO of OpenAI for a time in November 2023 when OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted from the company by its board.
\nWhen announcing that move, the company said: \u201c[Murati] brings a unique skill set, understanding of the company\u2019s values, operations and business, and already leads the company\u2019s research, product and safety functions.\u201d
\nThree other executives have left the artificial intelligence (AI) firm in recent months.
\nJohn Schulman, one of OpenAI\u2019s co-founders, said in August that he was departing the company to join one of its competitors, Anthropic.
\n\u201cThis choice stems from my desire to deepen my focus on AI alignment, and to start a new chapter of my career where I can return to hands-on technical work,\u201d Schulman said at the time. \u201cI\u2019ve decided to pursue this goal at Anthropic, where I believe I can gain new perspectives and do research alongside people deeply engaged with the topics I\u2019m most interested in.\u201d
\nIn May, Ilya Sutskever, who was OpenAI\u2019s lead scientist and co-founder and who took part in the unsuccessful effort to remove Altman in 2023, announced his resignation from the firm.
\n\u201cAfter almost a decade, I have made the decision to leave OpenAI,\u201d Sutskever said at the time. \u201cThe company\u2019s trajectory has been nothing short of miraculous, and I\u2019m confident that OpenAI will build AGI [artificial general intelligence] that is both safe and beneficial under the leadership of [Altman, President Greg Brockman and Murati].\u201d
\nJan Leike, who co-led OpenAI\u2019s superalignment team, which focused on \u201cscientific and technical breakthroughs to steer and control AI systems much smarter than us,\u201d per the company, also left OpenAI in May and joined Anthropic.
\nMurati\u2019s announcement comes at a time when OpenAI is reportedly aiming to raise $6.5 billion at a $150 billion valuation.
\nThe post OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati to Leave Company appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati said Wednesday (Sept. 25) that she is leaving the company after 6\u00bd years.\n\u201cI\u2019m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration,\u201d Murati said in a Wednesday post on X. \u201cFor now, my primary focus is doing everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition, maintaining the momentum we\u2019ve built.\u201d\nMurati served as interim CEO of OpenAI for a time in November 2023 when OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted from the company by its board.\nWhen announcing that move, the company said: \u201c[Murati] brings a unique skill set, understanding of the company\u2019s values, operations and business, and already leads the company\u2019s research, product and safety functions.\u201d\nThree other executives have left the artificial intelligence (AI) firm in recent months.\nJohn Schulman, one of OpenAI\u2019s co-founders, said in August that he was departing the company to join one of its competitors, Anthropic.\n\u201cThis choice stems from my desire to deepen my focus on AI alignment, and to start a new chapter of my career where I can return to hands-on technical work,\u201d Schulman said at the time. \u201cI\u2019ve decided to pursue this goal at Anthropic, where I believe I can gain new perspectives and do research alongside people deeply engaged with the topics I\u2019m most interested in.\u201d\nIn May, Ilya Sutskever, who was OpenAI\u2019s lead scientist and co-founder and who took part in the unsuccessful effort to remove Altman in 2023, announced his resignation from the firm.\n\u201cAfter almost a decade, I have made the decision to leave OpenAI,\u201d Sutskever said at the time. \u201cThe company\u2019s trajectory has been nothing short of miraculous, and I\u2019m confident that OpenAI will build AGI [artificial general intelligence] that is both safe and beneficial under the leadership of [Altman, President Greg Brockman and Murati].\u201d\nJan Leike, who co-led OpenAI\u2019s superalignment team, which focused on \u201cscientific and technical breakthroughs to steer and control AI systems much smarter than us,\u201d per the company, also left OpenAI in May and joined Anthropic.\nMurati\u2019s announcement comes at a time when OpenAI is reportedly aiming to raise $6.5 billion at a $150 billion valuation.\nThe post OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati to Leave Company appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T18:32:57-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T18:32:57-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mira-Murati-OpenAI.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "GenAI", "generative AI", "Mira Murati", "News", "OpenAI", "personnel", "PYMNTS News", "Sam Altman", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2106075", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/how-metas-ai-advancements-may-impact-social-commerce/", "title": "How Meta\u2019s AI Advancements May Impact Social Commerce", "content_html": "Meta\u2019s latest AI upgrades, unveiled at its annual Connect conference, could change online shopping through voice-activated assistants and image-recognition technology on social media platforms.
\nThe tech giant reported that over 400 million people use Meta AI monthly, with 185 million engaging weekly across its products. Meta claims its AI assistant will become the most used globally by the end of the year.
\n\u201cAI-generated images and captions can supercharge social media marketing. Brands can make content that feels custom-made for each user, at a large scale,\u201d Mike Vannelli, an industry expert, told PYMNTS. He added, \u201cAI can analyze what users like and help businesses make targeted campaigns. This leads to more engagement and better returns on investment.\u201d
\nMeta announced Llama 3.2, a big advancement in its open-source AI model series, alongside its consumer-facing updates. This new release includes small and medium-sized vision language models (11B and 90B parameters) and lightweight, text-only models (1B and 3B parameters) designed for edge and mobile devices.
\nThe vision models can analyze images, understand charts and graphs, and perform visual grounding tasks. The lightweight models, optimized for on-device use, support multilingual text generation and tool-calling abilities, enabling developers to build personalized applications supposedly prioritizing user privacy.
\nNew features include voice interaction capabilities. Users can now talk to Meta AI on Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram DM and get spoken responses. Meta is rolling out various voice options, including AI voices of celebrities like Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Keegan Michael Key, and Kristen Bell.
\nOwais Rawda, senior account manager at Z2C Limited, told PYMNTS, \u201cVoice-interactive AI creates a more personal customer experience. It gives quick answers, making shopping easier.\u201d
\nUsers can also share photos with Meta AI for analysis and editing. The AI can identify objects in images, answer questions, and edit pictures on command. For example, users can ask Meta AI to identify a flower in a hiking photo or get cooking instructions for a dish they\u2019ve photographed.
\nMeta AI\u2019s new editing capabilities allow users to request photo changes, from altering outfits to replacing backgrounds. The company is also testing an AI translation tool for Reels that automatically translates audio and synchronizes lips in videos, starting with English and Spanish.
\nMeta is expanding its business AI tools to companies using click-to-message ads in English on WhatsApp and Messenger. These AI agents can chat with customers, offer help, and assist with purchases.
\nThe company said ad campaigns using AI features got 11% more clicks and 7.6% more conversions than regular campaigns. Over a million advertisers are using these tools, making 15 million ads in the past month.
\nVannelli highlighted changes in customer service: \u201cMeta AI makes shopping smoother. Customers don\u2019t have to switch between pages or wait for a human to respond.\u201d
\nMeta is also enhancing its Imagine feature, allowing users to create AI-generated images of themselves as superheroes or in other scenarios directly in their feeds, Stories and Facebook profile pictures. These images can be easily shared and replicated by friends.
\nAs Meta refines its AI offerings, its approach to data use, transparency, and user control will be crucial in shaping the adoption and success of these new features. These AI advances represent a big step in Meta\u2019s strategy to integrate AI into its core products, potentially reshaping how businesses and consumers interact in the digital marketplace.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI\u00a0Newsletter.
\nThe post How Meta’s AI Advancements May Impact Social Commerce appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Meta\u2019s latest AI upgrades, unveiled at its annual Connect conference, could change online shopping through voice-activated assistants and image-recognition technology on social media platforms.\nThe tech giant reported that over 400 million people use Meta AI monthly, with 185 million engaging weekly across its products. Meta claims its AI assistant will become the most used globally by the end of the year.\n\u201cAI-generated images and captions can supercharge social media marketing. Brands can make content that feels custom-made for each user, at a large scale,\u201d Mike Vannelli, an industry expert, told PYMNTS. He added, \u201cAI can analyze what users like and help businesses make targeted campaigns. This leads to more engagement and better returns on investment.\u201d\nMeta announced Llama 3.2, a big advancement in its open-source AI model series, alongside its consumer-facing updates. This new release includes small and medium-sized vision language models (11B and 90B parameters) and lightweight, text-only models (1B and 3B parameters) designed for edge and mobile devices.\nThe vision models can analyze images, understand charts and graphs, and perform visual grounding tasks. The lightweight models, optimized for on-device use, support multilingual text generation and tool-calling abilities, enabling developers to build personalized applications supposedly prioritizing user privacy.\nFeatures Could Drive Engagement\nNew features include voice interaction capabilities. Users can now talk to Meta AI on Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram DM and get spoken responses. Meta is rolling out various voice options, including AI voices of celebrities like Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Keegan Michael Key, and Kristen Bell.\nOwais Rawda, senior account manager at Z2C Limited, told PYMNTS, \u201cVoice-interactive AI creates a more personal customer experience. It gives quick answers, making shopping easier.\u201d\nUsers can also share photos with Meta AI for analysis and editing. The AI can identify objects in images, answer questions, and edit pictures on command. For example, users can ask Meta AI to identify a flower in a hiking photo or get cooking instructions for a dish they\u2019ve photographed.\nMeta AI\u2019s new editing capabilities allow users to request photo changes, from altering outfits to replacing backgrounds. The company is also testing an AI translation tool for Reels that automatically translates audio and synchronizes lips in videos, starting with English and Spanish.\nMeta is expanding its business AI tools to companies using click-to-message ads in English on WhatsApp and Messenger. These AI agents can chat with customers, offer help, and assist with purchases.\nThe company said ad campaigns using AI features got 11% more clicks and 7.6% more conversions than regular campaigns. Over a million advertisers are using these tools, making 15 million ads in the past month.\nVannelli highlighted changes in customer service: \u201cMeta AI makes shopping smoother. Customers don\u2019t have to switch between pages or wait for a human to respond.\u201d\nMeta is also enhancing its Imagine feature, allowing users to create AI-generated images of themselves as superheroes or in other scenarios directly in their feeds, Stories and Facebook profile pictures. These images can be easily shared and replicated by friends.\nAs Meta refines its AI offerings, its approach to data use, transparency, and user control will be crucial in shaping the adoption and success of these new features. These AI advances represent a big step in Meta\u2019s strategy to integrate AI into its core products, potentially reshaping how businesses and consumers interact in the digital marketplace.\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI\u00a0Newsletter.\nThe post How Meta’s AI Advancements May Impact Social Commerce appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T18:06:42-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T18:06:42-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Meta-AI-7.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "digital transformation", "GenAI", "generative AI", "large language models", "Llama 3.2", "LLMs", "Meta", "Meta AI", "Mike Vannelli", "News", "Owais Rawda", "PYMNTS News", "voice-interactive AI", "Z2C Limited", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2106030", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/microsofts-nuclear-deal-could-spark-new-market-for-ai-power/", "title": "Microsoft\u2019s Nuclear Deal Could Spark New Market for AI Power", "content_html": "Microsoft has ignited a potential new energy market by signing a 20-year agreement to reactivate the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania.\u00a0
\nThe move marks the first time a major tech company has directly invested in nuclear power generation to fuel its artificial intelligence (AI) operations. As the AI sector booms, it\u2019s creating unprecedented demand for stable, high-capacity power sources.\u00a0
\n“Microsoft’s decision to restart operations at the Three Mile Island nuclear facility highlights the massive energy needs that come with scaling AI advancements,\u201d Labhesh Patel, CEO, and co-founder of Autonomys, a company building decentralized AI infrastructure, told PYMNTS. \u201cAs AI systems become more integral to the economy and technological progress, their energy demands are rising.\u201d
\nThe 835-megawatt reactor at Three Mile Island operates independently from Unit 2, which melted down in the 1970s.
\nThe partnership between Microsoft and Three Mile Island could herald a wave of deals between tech giants and energy companies. Benjamin Lee, an engineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested that tech companies are turning to nuclear power as renewable energy struggles to meet growing data center demands.
\nHe told PYMNTS, \u201cThere is an increasing realization … that renewable energy installations cannot keep pace with data center construction, raising questions about whether net zero is possible.\u201d
\nLee explained that intermittency issues with wind and solar energy are driving interest in nuclear power: \u201cBecause large batteries and rescheduling computation is daunting, data center operators are increasingly considering carbon-free nuclear energy.\u201d
\nHowever, he cautioned that nuclear power faces economic challenges: \u201cCompanies in the United States rarely build new nuclear power plants and, when they do, these projects are significantly delayed and over budget.\u201d
\nLooking ahead, Lee is \u201cpessimistic about investments in wind and solar alone,\u201d suggesting, \u201cData centers would benefit enormously from technological advances in energy storage and batteries as well as efficient, modular, and safe nuclear reactors.\u201d
\nThis trend extends beyond just one company. \u201cAs fields like healthcare and logistics grow more dependent on AI technologies, their energy usage spikes,\u201d Patel said. \u201cMeanwhile, the urgency to cut carbon emissions and combat climate change intensifies.\u201d
\nWith global AI spending projected to reach $300 billion by 2026, according to IDC, the race for energy resources among tech companies could become as fierce as the competition for AI talent and market share.
\nRecent studies have shed light on the energy consumption of large language models (LLMs), which are at the forefront of AI advancements. For example, training GPT-3, a predecessor to the current GPT-4, was estimated to consume around 1,287 MWh, equivalent to the annual energy usage of about 120 U.S. households. More recent models like GPT-4 are believed to consume even more, though exact figures aren\u2019t publicly available.
\nHowever, AI is also being leveraged to optimize energy consumption. DeepMind\u2019s AI system, when applied to Google\u2019s data centers, reduced the energy used for cooling by up to 40%. Similarly, Microsoft has been using AI to improve the energy efficiency of its data centers, achieving power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratings as low as 1.12, where 1.0 is perfect efficiency.
\nMicrosoft\u2019s plan to reopen Three Mile Island for AI energy needs highlights broader challenges in powering advanced technologies, Donatas Kar\u010diauskas, CEO of Exergio, a company that creates AI solutions for energy performance, told PYMNTS.\u00a0
\n\u201cData centers are still one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions, at a scale similar to the aviation industry,\u201d he said. He said nuclear power alone cannot meet AI\u2019s growing energy demands. \u201cWe will need to find other energy sources, from geothermal to hydrogen, and other ways to reduce energy waste.\u201d
\nKar\u010diauskas noted the urgency of the situation, explaining, \u201cIt\u2019s not a surprise Microsoft is looking for ways to reopen certain power plants, as new ones take more than 10 years to build.\u201d
\nHowever, he sees potential in AI to address these challenges: \u201cThe latest machine learning algorithms are also used to reduce energy waste up to 20%,\u201d suggesting a \u201chuge potential gap for AI-based energy saving solutions in data centers.\u201d
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI\u00a0Newsletter.
\nThe post Microsoft’s Nuclear Deal Could Spark New Market for AI Power appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Microsoft has ignited a potential new energy market by signing a 20-year agreement to reactivate the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania.\u00a0\nThe move marks the first time a major tech company has directly invested in nuclear power generation to fuel its artificial intelligence (AI) operations. As the AI sector booms, it\u2019s creating unprecedented demand for stable, high-capacity power sources.\u00a0\n“Microsoft’s decision to restart operations at the Three Mile Island nuclear facility highlights the massive energy needs that come with scaling AI advancements,\u201d Labhesh Patel, CEO, and co-founder of Autonomys, a company building decentralized AI infrastructure, told PYMNTS. \u201cAs AI systems become more integral to the economy and technological progress, their energy demands are rising.\u201d\nThe 835-megawatt reactor at Three Mile Island operates independently from Unit 2, which melted down in the 1970s.\nA New Energy Market?\nThe partnership between Microsoft and Three Mile Island could herald a wave of deals between tech giants and energy companies. Benjamin Lee, an engineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested that tech companies are turning to nuclear power as renewable energy struggles to meet growing data center demands. \nHe told PYMNTS, \u201cThere is an increasing realization … that renewable energy installations cannot keep pace with data center construction, raising questions about whether net zero is possible.\u201d\nLee explained that intermittency issues with wind and solar energy are driving interest in nuclear power: \u201cBecause large batteries and rescheduling computation is daunting, data center operators are increasingly considering carbon-free nuclear energy.\u201d\nHowever, he cautioned that nuclear power faces economic challenges: \u201cCompanies in the United States rarely build new nuclear power plants and, when they do, these projects are significantly delayed and over budget.\u201d\nLooking ahead, Lee is \u201cpessimistic about investments in wind and solar alone,\u201d suggesting, \u201cData centers would benefit enormously from technological advances in energy storage and batteries as well as efficient, modular, and safe nuclear reactors.\u201d\nThis trend extends beyond just one company. \u201cAs fields like healthcare and logistics grow more dependent on AI technologies, their energy usage spikes,\u201d Patel said. \u201cMeanwhile, the urgency to cut carbon emissions and combat climate change intensifies.\u201d \nWith global AI spending projected to reach $300 billion by 2026, according to IDC, the race for energy resources among tech companies could become as fierce as the competition for AI talent and market share.\nGrowing Demand\nRecent studies have shed light on the energy consumption of large language models (LLMs), which are at the forefront of AI advancements. For example, training GPT-3, a predecessor to the current GPT-4, was estimated to consume around 1,287 MWh, equivalent to the annual energy usage of about 120 U.S. households. More recent models like GPT-4 are believed to consume even more, though exact figures aren\u2019t publicly available.\nHowever, AI is also being leveraged to optimize energy consumption. DeepMind\u2019s AI system, when applied to Google\u2019s data centers, reduced the energy used for cooling by up to 40%. Similarly, Microsoft has been using AI to improve the energy efficiency of its data centers, achieving power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratings as low as 1.12, where 1.0 is perfect efficiency.\nMicrosoft\u2019s plan to reopen Three Mile Island for AI energy needs highlights broader challenges in powering advanced technologies, Donatas Kar\u010diauskas, CEO of Exergio, a company that creates AI solutions for energy performance, told PYMNTS.\u00a0\n\u201cData centers are still one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions, at a scale similar to the aviation industry,\u201d he said. He said nuclear power alone cannot meet AI\u2019s growing energy demands. \u201cWe will need to find other energy sources, from geothermal to hydrogen, and other ways to reduce energy waste.\u201d\nKar\u010diauskas noted the urgency of the situation, explaining, \u201cIt\u2019s not a surprise Microsoft is looking for ways to reopen certain power plants, as new ones take more than 10 years to build.\u201d \nHowever, he sees potential in AI to address these challenges: \u201cThe latest machine learning algorithms are also used to reduce energy waste up to 20%,\u201d suggesting a \u201chuge potential gap for AI-based energy saving solutions in data centers.\u201d\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI\u00a0Newsletter.\nThe post Microsoft’s Nuclear Deal Could Spark New Market for AI Power appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T17:33:11-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T17:33:11-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Three-Mile-Island-Microsoft-nuclear.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "Autonomys", "Benjamin Lee", "deepmind", "Donatas Kar\u010diauskas", "Exergio", "GenAI", "generative AI", "Labhesh Patel", "large language models", "LLMs", "machine learning", "Microsoft", "News", "nuclear energy", "PYMNTS News", "Three Mile Island", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2105909", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/ftc-enforcement-sweep-targets-deceptive-ai-hype/", "title": "FTC Enforcement Sweep Targets \u2018Fever Pitch\u2019 of AI Scams", "content_html": "The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced five law enforcement actions that it said are part of a crackdown on deceptive artificial intelligence (AI) claims and schemes.
\nThe law enforcement sweep, dubbed \u201cOperation AI Comply,\u201d targets companies that use \u201cAI hype\u201d or sell AI technology that can be used in deceptive and unfair ways, the regulator said in a Wednesday (Sept. 25) press release.
\n\u201cUsing AI tools to trick, mislead or defraud people is illegal,\u201d FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in the release. \u201cThe FTC\u2019s enforcement actions make clear that there is no AI exemption from the laws on the books.\u201d
\nOne action targeted DoNotPay, a company that the FTC alleged said it offered \u201cthe world\u2019s first robot lawyer\u201d but did not test its capabilities or hire or retain any attorneys. DoNotPay agreed to a proposed settlement that would require it to pay $193,000, warn consumers who subscribed to the service about its limitations, and not make unsubstantiated claims about its ability to substitute for any professional service, according to the release.
\nReached by PYMNTS, a DoNotPay spokeswoman provided an emailed statement saying: \u201cDoNotPay is pleased to have worked constructively with the FTC to settle this case and fully resolve these issues, without admitting liability. The complaint relates to the usage of a few hundred customers some years ago (out of millions of people), with services that have long been discontinued.\u201d
\nThe FTC also filed a lawsuit against an online business opportunity scheme that has operated under many names, including Accelerated eCom Ventures, alleging that it falsely claimed its AI-powered tools would help consumers earn thousands of dollars a month by opening online storefronts. A federal court has put this scheme under the control of a receiver, and the FTC\u2019s case against the scheme is ongoing.
\nAccelerated eCom Ventures did not immediately reply to PYMNTS\u2019 request for comment.
\nA third action targeted Ecommerce Empire Builders, which the FTC alleges falsely claimed to help consumers build an AI-powered eCommerce business but failed to deliver the sort of income it promised in ads. A federal court has put this scheme under the control of a receiver, and the FTC\u2019s case against the scheme is ongoing.
\nEcommerce Empire Builders could not be reached for comment, as its website was offline.
\nThe regulator also targeted Rytr, a firm that it alleges has marketed and sold an AI \u201cwriting assistant\u201d that could write testimonials and reviews, among other things, but generated false and deceptive content for consumer reviews. A proposed order settling this complaint would bar the company from selling services dedicated to generating reviews.
\nRytr did not immediately reply to PYMNTS\u2019 request for comment.
\nThe fifth law enforcement action announced Wednesday by the FTC focused on a business opportunity scheme called The FBA Machine that the regulator alleges falsely promised consumers the ability to make guaranteed income through AI-powered online storefronts. A federal court has put this scheme under the control of a receiver, and the FTC\u2019s case against the scheme is ongoing.
\nThe FBA Machine could not be reached for comment, as an email sent to the address on its website was returned as undeliverable.
\nSome experts say AI hype has reached a fever pitch, obscuring the reality of the technology\u2019s current capabilities, PYMNTS reported in April. One of the main issues with this hype is that it creates unrealistic expectations among the public and investors.
\nThe post FTC Enforcement Sweep Targets \u2018Fever Pitch\u2019 of AI Scams appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced five law enforcement actions that it said are part of a crackdown on deceptive artificial intelligence (AI) claims and schemes.\nThe law enforcement sweep, dubbed \u201cOperation AI Comply,\u201d targets companies that use \u201cAI hype\u201d or sell AI technology that can be used in deceptive and unfair ways, the regulator said in a Wednesday (Sept. 25) press release.\n\u201cUsing AI tools to trick, mislead or defraud people is illegal,\u201d FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in the release. \u201cThe FTC\u2019s enforcement actions make clear that there is no AI exemption from the laws on the books.\u201d\nOne action targeted DoNotPay, a company that the FTC alleged said it offered \u201cthe world\u2019s first robot lawyer\u201d but did not test its capabilities or hire or retain any attorneys. DoNotPay agreed to a proposed settlement that would require it to pay $193,000, warn consumers who subscribed to the service about its limitations, and not make unsubstantiated claims about its ability to substitute for any professional service, according to the release.\nReached by PYMNTS, a DoNotPay spokeswoman provided an emailed statement saying: \u201cDoNotPay is pleased to have worked constructively with the FTC to settle this case and fully resolve these issues, without admitting liability. The complaint relates to the usage of a few hundred customers some years ago (out of millions of people), with services that have long been discontinued.\u201d\nThe FTC also filed a lawsuit against an online business opportunity scheme that has operated under many names, including Accelerated eCom Ventures, alleging that it falsely claimed its AI-powered tools would help consumers earn thousands of dollars a month by opening online storefronts. A federal court has put this scheme under the control of a receiver, and the FTC\u2019s case against the scheme is ongoing.\nAccelerated eCom Ventures did not immediately reply to PYMNTS\u2019 request for comment.\nA third action targeted Ecommerce Empire Builders, which the FTC alleges falsely claimed to help consumers build an AI-powered eCommerce business but failed to deliver the sort of income it promised in ads. A federal court has put this scheme under the control of a receiver, and the FTC\u2019s case against the scheme is ongoing.\nEcommerce Empire Builders could not be reached for comment, as its website was offline.\nThe regulator also targeted Rytr, a firm that it alleges has marketed and sold an AI \u201cwriting assistant\u201d that could write testimonials and reviews, among other things, but generated false and deceptive content for consumer reviews. A proposed order settling this complaint would bar the company from selling services dedicated to generating reviews.\nRytr did not immediately reply to PYMNTS\u2019 request for comment.\nThe fifth law enforcement action announced Wednesday by the FTC focused on a business opportunity scheme called The FBA Machine that the regulator alleges falsely promised consumers the ability to make guaranteed income through AI-powered online storefronts. A federal court has put this scheme under the control of a receiver, and the FTC\u2019s case against the scheme is ongoing.\nThe FBA Machine could not be reached for comment, as an email sent to the address on its website was returned as undeliverable.\nSome experts say AI hype has reached a fever pitch, obscuring the reality of the technology\u2019s current capabilities, PYMNTS reported in April. One of the main issues with this hype is that it creates unrealistic expectations among the public and investors.\nThe post FTC Enforcement Sweep Targets \u2018Fever Pitch\u2019 of AI Scams appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T16:48:08-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T22:18:52-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FTC-AI-hype.png", "tags": [ "AI", "AI hype", "artificial intelligence", "Federal Trade Commission", "fraud", "FTC", "legal", "News", "PYMNTS News", "regulations", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2105764", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/intuit-to-add-agentic-ai-capabilities-across-platforms-and-products/", "title": "Intuit to Add Agentic AI Capabilities Across Platforms and Products", "content_html": "Intuit will introduce agentic artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in December and continue rolling them out throughout 2025.
\nThe company will add these capabilities across its platforms and products, including Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks and Mailchimp, Intuit said in a Wednesday (Sept. 25) press release.
\n\u201cAgentic AI represents a transformative leap in technology, with the potential to unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency for our customers, human experts and developers,\u201d Alex Balazs, chief technology officer at Intuit, said in the release.
\nThe new agentic AI systems will work on behalf of consumers and businesses while providing personalized insights and recommendations and offering access to human tax and bookkeeping experts whenever needed, according to the release.
\nThe systems will complete tasks autonomously via specialized AI agents, with human direction and oversights, thereby eliminating the need for consumers and businesses to perform routine tasks, the release said.
\nExamples of the agentic AI use cases include automating accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP) tasks, streamlining the onboarding of small business customers who are new to Intuit\u2019s products, and providing personalized answers and insights about Intuit\u2019s products or the small business customer\u2019s operations, per the release.
\n\u201cGiven Intuit\u2019s decade-long investments in data and AI \u2014 and our GenOS GenRuntime agent framework \u2014 we\u2019re well on our way to delivering on the promise of seamless, connected, done-for-you customer experiences,\u201d Balazs said in the release.
\nAgentic AI is positioned to take the capabilities of an automated software program to the next level \u2014 a request-action architecture \u2014 by conducting business from start to finish without the need for human intervention, PYMNTS reported in February.
\nWhen applied to payments, for example, agentic AI software can automate routine and repetitive tasks like invoicing processing, data entry and transactional reconciliation, while reducing the likelihood of errors associated with manual processes.
\nIntuit has already rolled out some other AI-driven offerings, including a generative AI-powered financial assistant that delivers personalized financial insights. This AI assistant is available to millions of consumers and about 1 million small and mid-market businesses.
\n\u201cThis is enabling us to disrupt the categories in which we operate,\u201d Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi said in August during the company\u2019s quarterly earnings call.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.
\nThe post Intuit to Add Agentic AI Capabilities Across Platforms and Products appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Intuit will introduce agentic artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in December and continue rolling them out throughout 2025.\nThe company will add these capabilities across its platforms and products, including Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks and Mailchimp, Intuit said in a Wednesday (Sept. 25) press release.\n\u201cAgentic AI represents a transformative leap in technology, with the potential to unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency for our customers, human experts and developers,\u201d Alex Balazs, chief technology officer at Intuit, said in the release.\nThe new agentic AI systems will work on behalf of consumers and businesses while providing personalized insights and recommendations and offering access to human tax and bookkeeping experts whenever needed, according to the release.\nThe systems will complete tasks autonomously via specialized AI agents, with human direction and oversights, thereby eliminating the need for consumers and businesses to perform routine tasks, the release said.\nExamples of the agentic AI use cases include automating accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP) tasks, streamlining the onboarding of small business customers who are new to Intuit\u2019s products, and providing personalized answers and insights about Intuit\u2019s products or the small business customer\u2019s operations, per the release.\n\u201cGiven Intuit\u2019s decade-long investments in data and AI \u2014 and our GenOS GenRuntime agent framework \u2014 we\u2019re well on our way to delivering on the promise of seamless, connected, done-for-you customer experiences,\u201d Balazs said in the release.\nAgentic AI is positioned to take the capabilities of an automated software program to the next level \u2014 a request-action architecture \u2014 by conducting business from start to finish without the need for human intervention, PYMNTS reported in February.\nWhen applied to payments, for example, agentic AI software can automate routine and repetitive tasks like invoicing processing, data entry and transactional reconciliation, while reducing the likelihood of errors associated with manual processes.\nIntuit has already rolled out some other AI-driven offerings, including a generative AI-powered financial assistant that delivers personalized financial insights. This AI assistant is available to millions of consumers and about 1 million small and mid-market businesses.\n\u201cThis is enabling us to disrupt the categories in which we operate,\u201d Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi said in August during the company\u2019s quarterly earnings call.\n\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.\n\nThe post Intuit to Add Agentic AI Capabilities Across Platforms and Products appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T14:20:29-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T14:20:29-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Intuit-1.jpg", "tags": [ "agentic AI", "AI", "artificial intelligence", "Credit Karma", "Intuit", "News", "PYMNTS News", "QuickBooks", "Technology", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2105823", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/google-reportedly-spent-2-7-billion-to-rehire-character-ai-founder/", "title": "Google Reportedly Spent $2.7 Billion to Rehire Character.AI Founder", "content_html": "Google\u00a0reportedly paid $2.7 billion to rehire ex-employee/AI guru\u00a0Noam Shazeer.
\nAccording to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Shazeer, who co-authored research that helped popularize artificial intelligence (AI),\u00a0left Google in frustration\u00a0after the company refused to release a chatbot he had developed.
\nHe started his own company,\u00a0Character.AI, which became known for its\u00a0AI chatbots\u00a0that could replicate a range of personalities and fictional characters. Earlier this year, Google announced that Shazeer would be\u00a0coming back to the company\u00a0as part of a major licensing deal.
\nThe price tag of that deal was around $2.7 billion, the WSJ said, citing sources with knowledge of the arrangement. They say that deal included another stipulation: Shazeer agreed to return to Google. It\u2019s a situation, the report adds, that sits at the heart of a debate about whether tech giants are spending too much in their race to build cutting-edge AI.
\n\u201cNoam is clearly a great person in that space,\u201d said Christopher Manning, director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. \u201cIs he 20 times as good as other people?\u201d
\nThe report also notes that Shazeer\u2019s return to Google came after he publicly stated that the company had become too timid about developing AI. Now, he\u2019s one of the leaders of Google\u2019s Gemini AI project.
\nOne of the sources said Shazeer made hundreds of millions from his stake in Character as part of the deal, a sum the WSJ said is unusually high for a founder who didn\u2019t sell their company or take it public.
\nPYMNTS has contacted Google for comment but has not yet gotten a reply.
\nMeanwhile, Google announced this week that its generative AI solutions are now being used by\u00a0more than 2 million developers.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re inspired by what customers are building and excited how quickly they\u2019ve been able to move ideas from experimentation into production with our Vertex AI platform,\u201d\u00a0Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, wrote in a blog post.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re also seeing major boosts in productivity through Gemini for Google Workspace, with customers saving an average of 105 minutes per user, per week, according to our recent study of enterprise customers.\u201d
\nThe company also shared some examples of use cases of Google\u2019s generative AI solutions and the benefits they are delivering. For instance, the Indonesian FinTech GoTo Group developed an AI-based voice assistant that helps users of its GoPay app find and use features just saying what they wish to do.
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.
\nThe post Google Reportedly Spent $2.7 Billion to Rehire Character.AI Founder appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google\u00a0reportedly paid $2.7 billion to rehire ex-employee/AI guru\u00a0Noam Shazeer.\nAccording to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Shazeer, who co-authored research that helped popularize artificial intelligence (AI),\u00a0left Google in frustration\u00a0after the company refused to release a chatbot he had developed.\nHe started his own company,\u00a0Character.AI, which became known for its\u00a0AI chatbots\u00a0that could replicate a range of personalities and fictional characters. Earlier this year, Google announced that Shazeer would be\u00a0coming back to the company\u00a0as part of a major licensing deal.\nThe price tag of that deal was around $2.7 billion, the WSJ said, citing sources with knowledge of the arrangement. They say that deal included another stipulation: Shazeer agreed to return to Google. It\u2019s a situation, the report adds, that sits at the heart of a debate about whether tech giants are spending too much in their race to build cutting-edge AI.\n\u201cNoam is clearly a great person in that space,\u201d said Christopher Manning, director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. \u201cIs he 20 times as good as other people?\u201d\nThe report also notes that Shazeer\u2019s return to Google came after he publicly stated that the company had become too timid about developing AI. Now, he\u2019s one of the leaders of Google\u2019s Gemini AI project.\nOne of the sources said Shazeer made hundreds of millions from his stake in Character as part of the deal, a sum the WSJ said is unusually high for a founder who didn\u2019t sell their company or take it public.\nPYMNTS has contacted Google for comment but has not yet gotten a reply.\nMeanwhile, Google announced this week that its generative AI solutions are now being used by\u00a0more than 2 million developers.\n\u201cWe\u2019re inspired by what customers are building and excited how quickly they\u2019ve been able to move ideas from experimentation into production with our Vertex AI platform,\u201d\u00a0Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, wrote in a blog post.\n\u201cWe\u2019re also seeing major boosts in productivity through Gemini for Google Workspace, with customers saving an average of 105 minutes per user, per week, according to our recent study of enterprise customers.\u201d\nThe company also shared some examples of use cases of Google\u2019s generative AI solutions and the benefits they are delivering. For instance, the Indonesian FinTech GoTo Group developed an AI-based voice assistant that helps users of its GoPay app find and use features just saying what they wish to do.\n\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.\n\nThe post Google Reportedly Spent $2.7 Billion to Rehire Character.AI Founder appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-25T14:06:26-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-25T14:06:26-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Google-AI.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "Big Tech", "Character.AI", "chatbots", "Google", "Google AI", "Google Gemini", "News", "Noam Shazeer", "personnel", "PYMNTS News", "Technology", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2105376", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/openai-begins-rollout-of-advanced-voice-to-all-plus-and-team-subscribers/", "title": "OpenAI Begins Rollout of Advanced Voice to All Plus and Team Subscribers", "content_html": "OpenAI is rolling out its Advanced Voice to all Plus and Team users in the ChatGPT app this week.
\n\u201cWhile you\u2019ve been patiently waiting, we\u2019ve added Custom Instructions, Memory, five new voices, and improved accents,\u201d the company said in a Tuesday (Sept. 24) post on X.
\nThe feature is not yet available in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, OpenAI added in another post.
\nUsers can now choose from nine \u201clifelike output voices\u201d for ChatGPT, with different tones and characters like \u201ceasygoing and versatile\u201d and \u201canimated and earnest,\u201d according to the company\u2019s Voice mode FAQ.
\nIt was reported July 30 that OpenAI was rolling out the alpha version of Advanced Voice Mode to a select group of ChatGPT Plus subscribers at that time and planned to begin a broader rollout to all premium users in the fall.
\nTo mitigate potential misuse of the feature, the company said at the time that it limited Advanced Voice Mode to preset voices created in collaboration with paid voice actors, so that it can\u2019t be used to impersonate specific individuals or public figures; implemented guardrails to block requests for violent or copyrighted content; and included filters to block requests for generating music or copyrighted audio, a move likely influenced by music industry legal actions against artificial intelligence (AI) companies.
\nOpenAI had planned to roll the voice feature out in alpha in late June but said June 25 that it needed another month to do so.
\n\u201cFor example, we\u2019re improving the model\u2019s ability to detect and refuse certain content,\u201d the company said at the time. \u201cWe\u2019re also working on improving the user experience and preparing our infrastructure to scale to millions while maintaining real-time responses.\u201d
\nMany U.S. consumers are willing to pay for smart, reliable voice assistants, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report, \u201cHow Consumers Want to Live in the Voice Economy.\u201d
\nTwenty-two percent of Gen Z consumers are \u201chighly willing\u201d to pay more than $10 per month for a voice assistant that is as smart and reliable as a real person, per the report.
\nThe report also found that 54% of consumers would prefer using voice technology because it is faster than typing or using a touchscreen.
\nThe post OpenAI Begins Rollout of Advanced Voice to All Plus and Team Subscribers appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "OpenAI is rolling out its Advanced Voice to all Plus and Team users in the ChatGPT app this week.\n\u201cWhile you\u2019ve been patiently waiting, we\u2019ve added Custom Instructions, Memory, five new voices, and improved accents,\u201d the company said in a Tuesday (Sept. 24) post on X.\nThe feature is not yet available in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, OpenAI added in another post.\nUsers can now choose from nine \u201clifelike output voices\u201d for ChatGPT, with different tones and characters like \u201ceasygoing and versatile\u201d and \u201canimated and earnest,\u201d according to the company\u2019s Voice mode FAQ.\nIt was reported July 30 that OpenAI was rolling out the alpha version of Advanced Voice Mode to a select group of ChatGPT Plus subscribers at that time and planned to begin a broader rollout to all premium users in the fall.\nTo mitigate potential misuse of the feature, the company said at the time that it limited Advanced Voice Mode to preset voices created in collaboration with paid voice actors, so that it can\u2019t be used to impersonate specific individuals or public figures; implemented guardrails to block requests for violent or copyrighted content; and included filters to block requests for generating music or copyrighted audio, a move likely influenced by music industry legal actions against artificial intelligence (AI) companies.\nOpenAI had planned to roll the voice feature out in alpha in late June but said June 25 that it needed another month to do so.\n\u201cFor example, we\u2019re improving the model\u2019s ability to detect and refuse certain content,\u201d the company said at the time. \u201cWe\u2019re also working on improving the user experience and preparing our infrastructure to scale to millions while maintaining real-time responses.\u201d\nMany U.S. consumers are willing to pay for smart, reliable voice assistants, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report, \u201cHow Consumers Want to Live in the Voice Economy.\u201d\nTwenty-two percent of Gen Z consumers are \u201chighly willing\u201d to pay more than $10 per month for a voice assistant that is as smart and reliable as a real person, per the report.\nThe report also found that 54% of consumers would prefer using voice technology because it is faster than typing or using a touchscreen.\nThe post OpenAI Begins Rollout of Advanced Voice to All Plus and Team Subscribers appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-24T21:30:30-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-24T21:30:30-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/OpenAI-voice-chatgpt.jpg", "tags": [ "Advanced Voice", "AI", "artificial intelligence", "ChatGPT", "GenAI", "generative AI", "News", "OpenAI", "PYMNTS News", "Voice AI", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2105349", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/prosecutors-to-consider-companies-use-of-ai-when-assessing-compliance-programs/", "title": "Prosecutors to Consider Companies\u2019 Use of AI When Assessing Compliance Programs", "content_html": "Companies\u2019 use of artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the things prosecutors will look at when assessing their compliance programs during investigations of criminal offenses like bribery or fraud.
\nNicole Argentieri, principal deputy assistant attorney general for the criminal division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), said this on Monday (Sept. 23) while outlining changes to the DOJ\u2019s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (ECCP), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ)\u00a0reported Tuesday (Sept. 24).
\nThis DOJ guidance is important to lawyers and compliance officers because compliance programs that adhere to its guidelines are eligible for more lenient treatment when a compliance breakdown occurs, according to the report.
\nIn prepared\u00a0remarks\u00a0for a speech delivered Monday, Argentieri said that under the updated ECCP, prosecutors will consider AI and other technology a company uses to conduct business, whether the company has conducted a risk assessment of the use of that technology, and whether it has taken steps to mitigate that risk.
\n\u201cFor example, prosecutors will consider whether the company is vulnerable to criminal schemes enabled by new technology, such as false approvals and documentation generated by AI,\u201d Argentieri said. \u201cIf so, we will consider whether compliance controls and tools are in place to identify and mitigate those risks, such as tools to confirm the accuracy or reliability of data used in the business. We also want to know whether the company is monitoring and testing its technology to evaluate if it is functioning as intended and consistent with the company\u2019s code of conduct.\u201d
\nIn the second of three major changes to the ECCP outlined in her speech, Argentieri said prosecutors will consider companies\u2019 commitment to whistleblower protection and treatment of employees who report misconduct.
\nThe third update outlined in the speech covers a compliance program\u2019s access to data and technology, and whether the company is putting the same resources into compliance as it puts into other parts of the business.
\nThe ECCP was first issued in 2017 to lay out a series of factors for prosecutors to consider when assessing the effectiveness of corporate\u00a0compliance programs as part of making charging decisions and negotiating resolutions.
\nThe post Prosecutors to Consider Companies\u2019 Use of AI When Assessing Compliance Programs appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Companies\u2019 use of artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the things prosecutors will look at when assessing their compliance programs during investigations of criminal offenses like bribery or fraud.\nNicole Argentieri, principal deputy assistant attorney general for the criminal division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), said this on Monday (Sept. 23) while outlining changes to the DOJ\u2019s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (ECCP), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ)\u00a0reported Tuesday (Sept. 24).\nThis DOJ guidance is important to lawyers and compliance officers because compliance programs that adhere to its guidelines are eligible for more lenient treatment when a compliance breakdown occurs, according to the report.\nIn prepared\u00a0remarks\u00a0for a speech delivered Monday, Argentieri said that under the updated ECCP, prosecutors will consider AI and other technology a company uses to conduct business, whether the company has conducted a risk assessment of the use of that technology, and whether it has taken steps to mitigate that risk.\n\u201cFor example, prosecutors will consider whether the company is vulnerable to criminal schemes enabled by new technology, such as false approvals and documentation generated by AI,\u201d Argentieri said. \u201cIf so, we will consider whether compliance controls and tools are in place to identify and mitigate those risks, such as tools to confirm the accuracy or reliability of data used in the business. We also want to know whether the company is monitoring and testing its technology to evaluate if it is functioning as intended and consistent with the company\u2019s code of conduct.\u201d\nIn the second of three major changes to the ECCP outlined in her speech, Argentieri said prosecutors will consider companies\u2019 commitment to whistleblower protection and treatment of employees who report misconduct.\nThe third update outlined in the speech covers a compliance program\u2019s access to data and technology, and whether the company is putting the same resources into compliance as it puts into other parts of the business.\nThe ECCP was first issued in 2017 to lay out a series of factors for prosecutors to consider when assessing the effectiveness of corporate\u00a0compliance programs as part of making charging decisions and negotiating resolutions.\nThe post Prosecutors to Consider Companies\u2019 Use of AI When Assessing Compliance Programs appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-24T19:46:51-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-24T19:46:51-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Department-of-Justice-AI-compliance.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "compliance", "Department of Justice", "Financial Crime", "justice department", "News", "PYMNTS News", "regulations", "What's Hot", "artificial intelligence" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2105298", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2024/linkedins-930-million-users-unknowingly-train-ai-sparking-data-privacy-concerns/", "title": "LinkedIn\u2019s 930 Million Users Unknowingly Train AI, Sparking Data Privacy Concerns", "content_html": "LinkedIn has thrust its 930 million users into an unexpected role: unwitting AI trainers, igniting a firestorm over data privacy and consumer trust.
\nThe professional networking giant\u2019s recent User Agreement and Privacy Policy update, which will take effect on Nov. 20, has caused concern in the business community. LinkedIn admitted it has been using users\u2019 data to train its AI without consent, and while users can opt out of future training, there\u2019s no way to undo past data use. This revelation has warned experts of growing tension between AI innovation and user privacy.
\n\u201cData is the new oil. When the data being sifted through contains personal information, that\u2019s where privacy questions come into play,\u201d David McInerney, commercial manager for data privacy at Cassie, told PYMNTS.
\nLinkedIn\u2019s move could force businesses to reconsider their digital footprint, balancing the need for professional connectivity against the risk of compromising sensitive information. McInerney emphasized the stakes: \u201cA whopping 93% [of consumers] are concerned about the security of their personal information online.\u201d
\nWhile LinkedIn offers an opt-out setting for generative AI training, the company noted that it will not use data from users in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom for AI training.\u00a0This geographic distinction highlights the disparity between European data protection standards and the less regulated U.S. landscape.
\nAs LinkedIn\u2019s parent company, Microsoft, navigates this controversy, McInerney pointed out a fundamental challenge: \u201cBusinesses like Microsoft can say they trained their AI, and it made an automated decision. But a fundamental piece of GDPR is your right to challenge an automated decision.\u201d This principle, he noted, becomes problematic when \u201cnobody at a company knows how the algorithms work because they\u2019ve become so complicated.\u201d
\nThe debate underscores a broader trend in the tech industry, where companies are racing to leverage AI capabilities while grappling with ethical considerations and user trust.
\n\u201cCompliance is good \u2014 ethics are better,\u201d McInerney said. \u201cBy prioritizing your customers, it\u2019s proven to create stronger relationships, increased brand loyalty and higher sales.\u201d
\nConcerns over privacy in AI training data have grown as AI systems become more powerful and widespread. Central to this issue is how AI models, especially with large language models like OpenAI\u2019s GPT-4 or Google\u2019s Gemini, are trained on vast amounts of publicly available information scraped from the internet, including websites, social media and databases, often without explicit consent.
\nIn a recent lawsuit, authors like George R.R. Martin and Sarah Silverman filed complaints against OpenAI and Meta, claiming that their copyrighted works were used to train AI models without permission. This raised alarms about how AI companies collect and use personal and proprietary data. The central argument is that AI companies have scraped this data en masse, sidestepping intellectual property rights and individual privacy.
\nControversy erupted when Clearview AI, a facial recognition startup, was discovered to have been scraping billions of images from social media platforms to train its AI system without users\u2019 knowledge. Privacy advocates expressed concern that such practices could lead to violations of personal privacy, particularly when sensitive information is used to profile or track individuals.
\nThe European Union\u2019s AI Act specifically addresses these concerns by regulating high-risk AI applications and requiring transparency in data usage. This regulatory framework may be a harbinger of more stringent laws as lawmakers recognize the need to protect personal data from being used without consent in AI.
\nAs the Nov. 20 deadline approaches, businesses and individual users alike are left to ponder the implications of their professional data potentially fueling AI systems and whether the benefits of enhanced services outweigh the privacy concerns in an increasingly AI-driven world.
\nThe post LinkedIn\u2019s 930 Million Users Unknowingly Train AI, Sparking Data Privacy Concerns appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "LinkedIn has thrust its 930 million users into an unexpected role: unwitting AI trainers, igniting a firestorm over data privacy and consumer trust.\nThe professional networking giant\u2019s recent User Agreement and Privacy Policy update, which will take effect on Nov. 20, has caused concern in the business community. LinkedIn admitted it has been using users\u2019 data to train its AI without consent, and while users can opt out of future training, there\u2019s no way to undo past data use. This revelation has warned experts of growing tension between AI innovation and user privacy.\n\u201cData is the new oil. When the data being sifted through contains personal information, that\u2019s where privacy questions come into play,\u201d David McInerney, commercial manager for data privacy at Cassie, told PYMNTS.\nLinkedIn\u2019s move could force businesses to reconsider their digital footprint, balancing the need for professional connectivity against the risk of compromising sensitive information. McInerney emphasized the stakes: \u201cA whopping 93% [of consumers] are concerned about the security of their personal information online.\u201d\nOpting Out\nWhile LinkedIn offers an opt-out setting for generative AI training, the company noted that it will not use data from users in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom for AI training.\u00a0This geographic distinction highlights the disparity between European data protection standards and the less regulated U.S. landscape.\nAs LinkedIn\u2019s parent company, Microsoft, navigates this controversy, McInerney pointed out a fundamental challenge: \u201cBusinesses like Microsoft can say they trained their AI, and it made an automated decision. But a fundamental piece of GDPR is your right to challenge an automated decision.\u201d This principle, he noted, becomes problematic when \u201cnobody at a company knows how the algorithms work because they\u2019ve become so complicated.\u201d\nThe debate underscores a broader trend in the tech industry, where companies are racing to leverage AI capabilities while grappling with ethical considerations and user trust.\n\u201cCompliance is good \u2014 ethics are better,\u201d McInerney said. \u201cBy prioritizing your customers, it\u2019s proven to create stronger relationships, increased brand loyalty and higher sales.\u201d\nRight to Privacy?\nConcerns over privacy in AI training data have grown as AI systems become more powerful and widespread. Central to this issue is how AI models, especially with large language models like OpenAI\u2019s GPT-4 or Google\u2019s Gemini, are trained on vast amounts of publicly available information scraped from the internet, including websites, social media and databases, often without explicit consent.\nIn a recent lawsuit, authors like George R.R. Martin and Sarah Silverman filed complaints against OpenAI and Meta, claiming that their copyrighted works were used to train AI models without permission. This raised alarms about how AI companies collect and use personal and proprietary data. The central argument is that AI companies have scraped this data en masse, sidestepping intellectual property rights and individual privacy.\nControversy erupted when Clearview AI, a facial recognition startup, was discovered to have been scraping billions of images from social media platforms to train its AI system without users\u2019 knowledge. Privacy advocates expressed concern that such practices could lead to violations of personal privacy, particularly when sensitive information is used to profile or track individuals.\nThe European Union\u2019s AI Act specifically addresses these concerns by regulating high-risk AI applications and requiring transparency in data usage. This regulatory framework may be a harbinger of more stringent laws as lawmakers recognize the need to protect personal data from being used without consent in AI.\nAs the Nov. 20 deadline approaches, businesses and individual users alike are left to ponder the implications of their professional data potentially fueling AI systems and whether the benefits of enhanced services outweigh the privacy concerns in an increasingly AI-driven world.\nThe post LinkedIn\u2019s 930 Million Users Unknowingly Train AI, Sparking Data Privacy Concerns appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-24T18:39:04-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-24T18:39:04-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LinkedIn.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "AI Act", "AI training", "artificial intelligence", "consumer protection", "data privacy", "EMEA", "EU", "GenAI", "generative AI", "international", "LinkedIn", "Microsoft", "News", "PYMNTS News", "artificial intelligence" ] } ] }