AI Pulse #80: Aespa Hints At Future Without Avatars For Fans, AI Startup Graphite Raises $52M to Outrun Rivals, + MORE
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Big headlines this week: aespa, the K-Pop group known for mixing reality and virtual avatars, says fans may start seeing less of the digital side as they grow. Over in the tech world, AI startup Graphite raised $52 million to keep growing its smart code assistant. Check out the full stories and keep reading for more exciting updates.
Top Trending AI News
1. Aespa Hints At Future Without Avatars For Fans
Publisher: Billboard
Published: 3/20/2025
aespa at Billboard Women in Music 2025: Showcasing their human side, emphasizing individuality, and exploring new themes beyond their AI avatar concept.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ aespa shines at Billboard photo shoot.
2️⃣ Group blends AI avatars with human touch.
3️⃣ aespa aims to show real-girl side.
4️⃣ Trendsetting aespa values individuality.
5️⃣ aespa members support each other deeply.
2. Over 400 Hollywood Stars Urge Trump to Protect Copyrights from AI Exploitation
Publisher: Variety
Published: 3/17/2025
Hollywood leaders urge Trump’s White House to protect copyright laws against AI companies’ push for exemptions.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Hollywood leaders oppose AI copyright rollbacks.
2️⃣ Stars and creators unite for copyright protection.
3️⃣ AI firms seek exemptions from U.S. copyright laws.
4️⃣ Open letter defends creative industry’s rights.
5️⃣ Copyright law pivotal for U.S. creative economy.
3. Google’s New AI Model Used to Strip Watermarks From Images
Publisher: TechCrunch
Published: 3/16/2025
Google’s Gemini AI can controversially remove watermarks from images, a feature noted by social media users and lacking strict usage restrictions.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ Google AI removes image watermarks.
2️⃣ Gemini 2.0 excels in editing photos.
3️⃣ Users exploit AI for free image cleanup.
4️⃣ Some AIs refuse to remove watermarks.
5️⃣ Watermark removal can be illegal.
4. Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail Alert: AI Attack Nightmare Becomes Reality
Publisher: Forbes
Published: 3/16/2025
Rising AI-driven cyberattacks pose a serious threat as agents like OpenAI’s Operator demonstrate potential for autonomous phishing and hacking, bypassing security guardrails.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ AI attacks growing more sophisticated.
2️⃣ New AI agents can conduct phishing.
3️⃣ AI’s dual nature aids attackers.
4️⃣ Proof of concept shows AI’s threat potential.
5️⃣ Better security controls needed against AI.
5. Andor Creator Declines to Share Scripts to Avoid Aiding AI Development
Publisher: Variety
Published: 3/17/2025
Andor creator Tony Gilroy nixes releasing scripts to avoid AI training, despite prior plans for a fan book. AI fears halt the release of a detailed, vanity-driven project.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ “Andor” scripts won’t release due to AI fears.
2️⃣ AI concerns stop “Andor” script book release.
3️⃣ Gilroy halts script release over AI training worries.
4️⃣ “Andor” Season 2 returns April 22 with new structure.
5️⃣ AI fears influence entertainment industry decisions.
6. AI Nurses Transform Hospital Care Amid Human Nurse Resistance
Publisher: AP News
Published: 3/16/2025
AI is reshaping healthcare, offering 24/7 multilingual support and automating tasks but raising safety and job concerns among nurses.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ AI helps nurses but may risk patient care.
2️⃣ Nurses rally against AI replacing them.
3️⃣ AI aids in patient prep and queries 24/7.
4️⃣ AI’s hospital role debated amid staff shortages.
5️⃣ Nursing unions demand say in AI use.
7. Bay Area Dropouts Create $2 Billion AI Recruiting Startup
Publisher: KTVU
Published: 3/18/2025
21-year-olds from Bay Area start Mercor, an AI job site now worth $2B, after dropping out of Harvard and Georgetown.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ 21-year-olds create $2B AI job site Mercor.
2️⃣ College dropouts behind fast-growing startup.
3️⃣ Mercor uses AI to streamline hiring.
4️⃣ Startup records $100M revenue run rate.
5️⃣ Mercor aims to improve job market efficiency.
8. Ukrainians Use AI and Family Networks to Search for Missing Loved Ones in War
Publisher: CNN
Published: 3/16/2025
Ukrainian combat medic missing since 2022 in Mariupol; nearly 60,000 missing in war, extensive use of drones complicates return of bodies.
1️⃣ Ukrainian medic missing since 2022 siege.
2️⃣ Families search for 60,000 missing in war.
3️⃣ Ukraine recovers 7,000+ war bodies.
4️⃣ DNA tests confirm soldier identities.
5️⃣ Tech aids in identifying fallen soldiers.
9. Google DeepMind CEO Predicts AI Matching Human Skill in 5-10 Years
Publisher: CNBC
Published: 3/17/2025
Google DeepMind CEO predicts AGI, smarter than humans, may emerge in 5-10 years, despite challenges and varying forecasts in the tech industry.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ AGI to match human intelligence in 5-10 years, says DeepMind CEO.
2️⃣ AGI still needs work on real-world context, according to Hassabis.
3️⃣ Tech leaders predict AGI emergence from this year to beyond 2026.
4️⃣ Multi-agent AI systems seen as key to advancing towards AGI.
5️⃣ Real-world application a challenge for AI, says Google DeepMind.
10. Federal Court Rules AI-Created Art Can’t Be Copyrighted
Publisher: CNBC
Published: 3/19/2025
Court rules AI cannot copyright art; human authorship required, upholding denial of AI-created painting copyright.
TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ AI cannot copyright art, court rules.
2️⃣ Human must create for copyright.
3️⃣ Thaler’s AI art denied copyright.
4️⃣ Court upholds human authorship rule.
5️⃣ Thaler to appeal recent decision.
AI Image of the Week
Prompt: /imagine A minimalist illustration of an AI nurse assisting a human nurse in a digital healthcare environment, flat vector style, bold colors, simple geometric shapes, modern UX/UI design aesthetic
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