AI Pulse #12: Alphasense raises $150M at $2.5B valuation, WGA Contract Explained, + MORE
Welcome back, everyone! 👋 We’re excited to present the 12th edition of our newsletter, carefully curated by our awesome team at Onramp Lab.
Let’s dive right in!
Latest Funding News
The Onramp Lab team is excited to bring you the top AI funding news. Alphasense takes the spotlight by securing an impressive $150 million in funding at a remarkable $2.5 billion valuation. Join us as we uncover the latest trends and breakthroughs in the articles below.
Top Trending AI News
1. WGA Contract: AI Not Writer, Solo Shows Don’t Need Minimum Staff & More
Publisher: Variety
Published: 9/26/2023
The Writers Guild of America secured better staffing, streaming residuals, and other benefits in a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ The WGA’s strike resulted in a comprehensive deal with the AMPTP.
2️⃣ The WGA secured a minimum staffing requirement for TV writers.
3️⃣ The WGA won improved streaming residuals and bonuses for hit shows.
4️⃣ The WGA established guidelines around the use of AI in the creative process.
5️⃣ The WGA ensured that screenwriters will get paid for at least one rewrite.
2. UK Government Concerned About AI Weapon Development
Publisher: The Guardian
Published: 9/25/2023
Global leaders discuss AI risks at UK summit, highlighting concerns of criminals and terrorists using the technology to create bioweapons or cause mass destruction.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Criminals and terrorists could use AI to cause mass destruction.
2️⃣ British officials are warning against the dangers of rogue actors.
3️⃣ The summit will warn about the risks of ‘frontier AI’.
4️⃣ Officials are concerned about the misuse of AI and the emergence of advanced systems.
5️⃣ The UK is keen to have a formal statement that leaders can sign afterwards.
3. AI Girlfriends Ruining Generation of Men
Publisher: The Hill
Published: 9/26/2023
AI girlfriends are causing a crisis of loneliness in young men, leading to fewer relationships, marriages, and babies, and potentially devastating effects on the US economy.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Virtual AI girlfriends are causing loneliness among young men.
2️⃣ These virtual girlfriends can learn from data and create the “perfect” relationship.
3️⃣ Over 60% of young men are single and 1 in 5 men have no close friends.
4️⃣ Young men are choosing AI girlfriends over real relationships, leading to fewer marriages and babies.
5️⃣ This trend could have devastating effects on the U.S. economy in the future.
4. Hollywood Studios to Train AI Models on Writers’ Work in Tentative Deal
Publisher: Wall Street Journal
Published: 9/26/2023
Hollywood studios can use AI models based on writers’ work under new deal. Writers will be credited and compensated. Strike may end.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Hollywood studios will be able to train AI models on writers’ work.
2️⃣ Writers are guaranteed credit and compensation for their work on scripts.
3️⃣ The tentative deal should end a monthslong strike that halted productions.
4️⃣ The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
5️⃣ Hollywood writers may feel financial pressures despite bonuses and AI controls.
5. Apple Is Top AI Company Buyer
Publisher: Quartz
Published: 9/26/2023
Apple is the top buyer of AI companies despite not discussing its AI investments publicly. It has purchased 21 AI startups since 2017.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Apple is the biggest AI company buyer, despite not talking about it publicly.
2️⃣ Apple’s 21 AI purchases since 2017 are nearly double the amount of Microsoft and Meta.
3️⃣ Apple’s AI investments serve as the foundation for its consumer products.
4️⃣ Apple’s recent rollouts of new iPhone features are made possible with AI and machine learning.
5️⃣ Apple’s approach to AI is different from Microsoft and Google’s, who are more public about AI products but less aggressive in acquisitions.
6. Kneron Raises $49M to Rival Nvidia, Backed by Foxconn
Publisher: CNBC
Published: 9/26/2023
Kneron, a semiconductor startup, raised an additional $49 million from investors such as Foxconn and Alltek to commercialize its AI chips and compete with Nvidia.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Kneron raised $49 million to compete with Nvidia in AI chips.
2️⃣ Investors include Foxconn and Alltek, among others.
3️⃣ Kneron designs chips for consumer electronics and cars.
4️⃣ The latest product, KL730, supports autonomous driving.
5️⃣ Kneron plans to expand efforts in enabling AI for autonomous driving.
7. Tom Hanks Denies Selling Dental Insurance in Instagram Ads
Publisher: AV Club
Published: 10/2/2023
Tom Hanks denounces an AI video promoting dental insurance with his image, warning fans to beware of scams using AI-generated “content.”
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Tom Hanks denounces AI dental insurance ad using his image and warns fans.
2️⃣ The Machines have found a way to replicate one of the most beloved representatives of mankind.
3️⃣ AI tech like this is always nothing but a scam.
4️⃣ Striking SAG-AFTRA actors are trying to get AI protection in their new contract.
5️⃣ AI-generated “content” like this is an enemy of culture and humanity.
8. Getty Develops AI Generator Trained on Licensed Images
Publisher: The Verge
Published: 9/25/2023
Getty Images and Nvidia have partnered to launch Generative AI by Getty Images, a tool that uses Getty’s licensed photo library to generate images.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Getty Images partnered with Nvidia to launch Generative AI by Getty Images.
2️⃣ The tool uses Getty’s library of licensed photos and is trained only on that content.
3️⃣ The tool can generate photos that are protected by full copyright indemnification.
4️⃣ Getty’s tool does well at rendering realistic-feeling human figures.
5️⃣ The company said any photos created with the tool will not be included in the Getty Images and iStock content libraries.
9. AI and Implants Enable Paralyzed Man to Move Arms and Hands
Publisher: CNN
Published: 9/27/2023
A paralyzed Swiss man regained some movement after a world-first surgery that uses AI to read his thoughts and transfer them to a second implant that stimulates the right muscles.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ A paralyzed Swiss man regained movement with a brain implant using AI.
2️⃣ The implant reads his thoughts and stimulates the right muscles.
3️⃣ More than a quarter-million Americans with paralysis could benefit.
4️⃣ Ethicists raise concerns about privacy invasion with thought-reading technology.
5️⃣ The implant is part of trials that might last a few more years.
10. Spotify to Replicate Podcasters’ Voices with AI for Translation
Publisher: CNBC
Published: 9/25/2023
Spotify’s new AI feature can translate podcasts into different languages using the host’s own voice, creating “realistic synthetic voices” with OpenAI’s technology.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Spotify introduces AI feature to translate podcasts into different languages.
2️⃣ The feature uses OpenAI’s voice generation technology to create “realistic synthetic voices”.
3️⃣ The technology helps maintain podcasters’ “distinctive speech characteristics” for authenticity.
4️⃣ Spanish, French, and German are the first languages to be translated with more to follow.
5️⃣ The feature is available to both free users and paid subscribers on select past and upcoming episodes.
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About Onramp Lab
Onramp Lab was founded by Lawrence Ng in 2015. We are an agile team of 70 full-time professionals in our Los Angeles & Taipei offices.
Over the years, we built out our omni-channel digital marketing expertise, especially in paid search, display
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