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Meta Offers Millions to Hollywood Stars for AI Voice Projects

Meta Offers Millions to Hollywood Stars for AI Voice Projects

Leave a Comment / Artificial Intellegence, News, Tech News / By

Hollywood celebrities seem to be in discussions to have their voices included in AI initiatives run by Meta, the digital business that created Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Based on articles from Bloomberg as well as The New York Times, the startup hopes to create MetaAI, a virtual assistant that talks similar to Siri as well as Google Assistant, using the voices of prominent individuals.

Integration Across Multiple Platforms

Meta Offers Millions to Hollywood Stars for AI Voice Projects

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As part of its ambitious effort, Meta is recording the voices of celebrities to be used on its messenger and Ray-Ban Meta eyewear, among other platforms. Both parties have been unable to come to a mutually acceptable agreement during the convoluted and sporadic conversations. Present conversations recommend using the voice recordings for a specific amount of time only as opposed to forever.

SAG-AFTRA's Conflict

It has been claimed that preliminary agreements have been made between Meta and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). However, stakeholder representatives support stricter restrictions: these provisions are needed to protect actors from having their jobs replaced by artificial intelligence, which has already sparked strikes in the industry. The proposed transaction can cost millions of dollars, because Meta should have paid the artists and get their permission before using their subject to AI.

Preparation of the Meta Connect Conference

Before identifying many new products for AI at Meta Connect in September 2024, Meta hoped to obtain these agreements. There are many problems at the conference, especially after Meta announced in September 2023 that Charli D \ ‘Amelio, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady and other celebrities and others were presented.
Users, however, found the idea disconcerting as celebrities voiced fictional characters instead of themselves, therefore this attempt could have sat better with them.

Possibilities and Difficulties

Meta is moving forward with its AI goals despite the chatbot trial receiving mixed reviews. The company previously spent up to $5 million on a two-year chatbot pilot program, with varying degrees of success in terms of user engagement. Snoop Dogg’s 87.5 million Instagram followers pale in comparison to the 15,000 his chatbot Dungeon Master has amassed, illustrating the difficulty of translating celebrity appeal into engagement with AI. What’s next

Also Read: Shiv Nadar’s Success Story: The Visionary Behind HCL Technologies

It remains to be seen whether Meta’s efforts to integrate celebrity voices into its AI programs will be successful. Meta’s partnership with Hollywood could completely change the way users interact with the platform, potentially having a major impact on the digital assistant market.

 
How Giovanni Ferrero Became the World's Largest Chocolate Producers

How Giovanni Ferrero Became the World’s Largest Chocolate Producers

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The founder of the Ferrero Group, Giovanni Ferrero, has built a candy empire that includes well-known names like Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, and Nutella. His rise to prominence is woven with a story of strategic growth, unwavering innovation, and family legacy. This is a closer look at how Giovanni Ferrero helped the Ferrero Group become well-known worldwide.

History and Early Beginnings

How Giovanni Ferrero Became the World's Largest Chocolate Producers

Image Source: confectionerynews.com

Giovanni Ferrero was born in Farigliano, Italy, on September 21, 1964, and came from a family with a long history of confectionery. His grandfather Pietro Ferrero started the family firm in 1946, and his creative approach to chocolate production set the stage for success in the future. Michele Ferrero, Giovanni’s father, greatly increased the company’s fame and reach by turning it into an international force.

Change in Leadership

After completing his marketing education in the United States, Giovanni Ferrero carried on with the family firm in 1985. He and his brother Pietro Jr. co-owned the business at first, but after Pietro Jr. passed away suddenly in 2011, Giovanni took over. The Ferrero Group continued to grow and innovate globally under his direction.

Acquisitions and Strategic Growth

Global expansion and strategic acquisitions are hallmarks of Giovanni’s leadership. Under his direction, noteworthy purchases include:

1.  A well-known British chocolate company is called Thorntons.

2.  An iconic American candy brand is called Fannie May.

3.  The US confectionery division of Nestlé: 2018 acquisition that strengthened Ferrero’s position in North America.

4.  Ferrero’s product line has grown and its position in the international market has been strengthened by these acquisitions.

Product Development and Innovation

Giovanni Ferrero’s strategy still heavily relies on innovation. By placing a strong emphasis on research & development, Ferrero Group has improved and launched new goods. Ferrero’s brands have maintained their leadership in the confectionery business thanks to this innovation.

Establishing a Brand and Being Visible in the Market

Strong brand management and marketing have made Nutella, Kinder, and Ferrero Rocher household brands throughout the world. The Ferrero Group’s ongoing success has been fueled by the goods’ unwavering excellence and worldwide appeal.

Values and Leadership

Giovanni Ferrero is well known for his innovative, hands-on leadership style and dedication to quality, innovation, and family values. He makes sure the business stays loyal to its founding principles while adapting to changing market conditions. His foresight has been essential to the Ferrero Group’s continuous expansion and prosperity.

Also Read: Rob Walton: A Legacy of Leadership and Wealth at Walmart

Giving and Being Socially Responsible

Giovanni Ferrero has a strong commitment to charity. His father founded the Ferrero Foundation, which funds programs related to social welfare, health, and education. Ferrero’s commitment to social responsibility is strengthened by Giovanni’s continued advocacy of these principles.

In summary, Giovanni Ferrero’s path is evidence of his strategic leadership, unwavering dedication to the family legacy, and ongoing innovation. Strategic acquisitions and unwavering innovation have allowed him to turn the Ferrero Group into a leading candy company in the world. His place among the most successful people in the world has been cemented by his vision and dedication.

 
Reddit Expands Horizons with Acquisition of AI Startup Memorable

Reddit Expands Horizons with Acquisition of AI Startup Memorable

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Reddit has announced its acquisition of Memorable, a company that helps improve ad creative. This move, revealed on Thursday, aims to strengthen Reddit’s advertising capabilities and make it more competitive with big players like Google, Meta, Amazon, and TikTok, all of which have recently upgraded their ad technologies.

Improving Ad Performance

Reddit Expands Horizons with Acquisition of AI Startup Memorable

Image Source: forbes.com

By acquiring Memorable, Reddit plans to boost the effectiveness of its ads across various formats, including display and video. The goal is to make Reddit’s ads more appealing and effective.

“Creative quality is crucial for how well ads perform,” said Roelof van Zwol, Reddit’s VP of Ads Engineering. “Memorable has made great strides in understanding and improving ad content with its smart analysis and recommendations.”

Memorable, backed by industry experts such as MediaLink CEO Michael Kassan and Brian O’Kelley, former CEO of AppNexus, raised $2.75 million in 2022. The company has worked with big brands like Unilever, Mars, Georgia Pacific, and ExxonMobil, many of whom are also Reddit advertisers.

What’s Next

Reddit will use Memorable’s technology to give advertisers detailed feedback on their ads, including text, images, and videos. This tool will analyze past campaigns to suggest improvements, helping advertisers get better results.

Memorable’s technology also helps lower costs associated with testing ads. Usually testing can eat up a lot of a campaign’s budget, but the company’s system offers valuable insights without extra spending.

Also Read: Taco Bell Expands AI Technology in Drive-Thrus by Year-End

This acquisition is part of Reddit’s broader strategy to improve its advertising services. It follows previous purchases of platforms for machine learning, textual analysis, and audience insights.

Van Zwol emphasized the importance of good ad creative, saying, “This acquisition helps us enhance our work in optimizing and generating ads, leading to better results for our advertisers.” Reddit’s goal is to give advertisers a stronger edge in their campaigns on the platform.

Uber Expands EV Fleet with 100,000 BYD Electric Vehicles

Uber Expands EV Fleet with 100,000 BYD Electric Vehicles

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Uber and BYD have entered into a major partnership. This multi-year partnership will see 100,000 BYD EVs added to the Uber platform. This move will start in Europe and Latin America before expanding to the Middle East, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Uber Expands EV Fleet with 100,000 BYD Electric Vehicles

Image Source: qz.com

Both Uber and BYD are leading companies in their respective fields. Uber is the largest mobility and delivery platform and BYD is a leader in EV production. The goal of the deal is to reduce the costs associated with owning an electric vehicle and make it easier for Uber drivers to switch to electric vehicles. Apart from financial benefits to the drivers, this deal also aims to introduce millions of passengers to greener travel options.

Overcoming Problems with EV Adoption

Although Uber drivers are adopting EVs at a pace five times faster than private car owners, the high price of these vehicles and limited financing options are still major hurdles. BYD’s vehicles are known for their affordability, low maintenance costs, and top-notch battery. This partnership will provide discounts on charging, maintenance, and insurance, and offer several financing and leasing options to the drivers. 

The deal aims to make electric vehicles more affordable and accessible for Uber drivers and to promote the broader use of EVs. Both Uber and BYD are leaders in their industries. Uber operates the largest on-demand EV network in the world, while BYD is a major player in EV manufacturing.
By teaming up both companies are looking to cut the costs of owning an electric vehicle. This deal is not only designed to save drivers money but also to give millions of passengers a chance to experience more environmentally friendly travel.

Chuanfu Wang who is the Chairman and President of BYD shared his excitement about the deal saying “Uber and BYD are both committed to driving innovation towards a cleaner, greener future. I’m thrilled about what we can achieve together.”

Also Read: Flo Health Raises Over $200M, Achieves Unicorn Status in Femtech

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted the environmental impact stating “When an Uber driver switches to an EV, they can cut emissions by up to four times compared to a regular car. Many riders experience EVs for the first time through Uber, and we’re eager to show more people the benefits of electric vehicles.”

Stella Li who is the Executive Vice President of BYD and CEO of BYD Americas, stated, “We’re thrilled to partner with a global leader like Uber to speed up the shift to electric vehicles and make sustainable transportation accessible and affordable for all.”

This partnership marks a significant step forward in the drive towards greener, more sustainable transportation options.

Flo Health Raises Over $200M, Achieves Unicorn Status in Femtech

Flo Health Raises Over $200M, Achieves Unicorn Status in Femtech

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During a Series C funding round led by General Atlantic, the innovative female wellness app Flo Health secured approximately 275 million dollars in total funds. Flo’s worth climbs past a million dollars with this substantial investment, which makes it the first wholly digital unicorn application for the health of women.

All-inclusive Medical Assistance for Females

Flo Health Raises Over $200M, Achieves Unicorn Status in Femtech

Image Source: uktech.news

Flo Health is a comprehensive platform that assists women at every stage of life, including menstruation, conception, pregnancy, and menopause. With more than 120 medical experts on staff, the app provides accurate tracking of the period and ovulation.

Customized Health Information

Flo Health offers daily visual content, expert advice, and personalized health insights to its clients. Additionally, it creates an online network that provides assistance for its users by providing a closed digital forum for talks about wellness and health-related topics.

Collaborating for increased Health

“Flo for Partners,” a new function that was introduced by Flo in 2023, provides users’ partners with scientific information regarding menstruation and reproductive health. This training improves understanding and support for relationships.

Outstanding Development and Involvement

With its founding more than eight years ago, Flo Health has grown significantly. By the end of June 2024, the app’s performance was so good , over 70 million active monthly people were using this app and there were 5 million premium consumers. Flo’s people made an estimation of total income for 2024, which was to surpass 200 million dollars and show a 50 per cent rise over the previous year, reflects this development pattern.

Also Read: Xiaomi Expands EV Production with $116 Million Site Acquisition in Beijing

A Watershed Moment for Femtech

"Reaching unicorn status is a significant milestone for Flo and the entire femtech industry," says Dmitry Gurski, co-founder and CEO." "When we founded Flo, we saw a large gap in the provision of women's health services. We now spearhead an international effort to put women's health first everywhere."

tech.eu

Investing Wisely for Future Development

The goal of Flo Health, which is to improve health literacy globally and normalize conversations about women's health, will be accelerated by the investment from General Atlantic. This investment from General Atlantic will help propel Flo Health’s growth as we continue normalising conversations about women's health, improving health literacy, and raising awareness of women's health issues worldwide, especially in underserved regions.” Gurski stated.

tech.eu

Dedication to Transforming Women's Health

The Chief Medical Officer of Flo Health, Anna Klepchukova, highlighted how the app is changing women's health: "With women spending 25 per cent more of their lives in poor health compared to men, we're committed to changing this unacceptable status quo."

tech.eu

Strategies for Expansion

With this fresh capital, Flo hopes to expand into new market sectors including menopause and perimenopause, enhance its tech-driven healthcare information, and look at strategic expansion opportunities. The company will also benefit from General Atlantic’s expertise in the expanding consumer tech and medical industries.

Also Read: Xiaomi Expands EV Production with $116 Million Site Acquisition in Beijing

New Board Members

As an element of the investment structure, Jessie Cai along with Tanzeen Syed who is the Managing Director at General Atlantic, will be joining Flo Health’s Board of Directors. Their immense expertise will assist Flo’s ambitious expansion goals.

 
Google-Parent Alphabet’s Partnership with AI Firm Anthropic Under Investigation in the UK

Google-Parent Alphabet’s Partnership with AI Firm Anthropic Under Investigation in the UK

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Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is scrutinising Google-parent Alphabet’s partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) startup Anthropic to assess its impact on competition, the regulator announced on Tuesday. This investigation highlights growing global concerns among antitrust regulators about the increasing influence of major tech companies in the burgeoning AI sector.

Google-Parent Alphabet’s Partnership with AI Firm Anthropic Under Investigation in the UK

Image Source: cnbc.com

The partnership between Alphabet and Anthropic comes under the spotlight more than 18 months after Microsoft-backed OpenAI triggered an AI boom with the release of ChatGPT. The CMA’s probe aligns with similar inquiries into other significant deals between tech giants and smaller AI firms. Notable partnerships under review include Microsoft’s collaborations with OpenAI, Inflection AI, and Mistral AI, alongside Alphabet’s connections to companies like Anthropic and Cohere.

Global Coordination on AI Competition

The examination of Alphabet’s partnership with Anthropic is part of a broader initiative to ensure fair competition in the AI industry. Last week, the CMA, along with antitrust regulators from the United States and the European Union, issued a joint statement pledging to work together to maintain competitive markets in AI.

Anthropic, co-founded by former OpenAI executives Dario and Daniela Amodei, has been a significant player in the AI landscape with its Claude AI models competing against OpenAI’s GPT series. Last year, Anthropic announced securing $500 million from Alphabet, with a promise of an additional $1.5 billion in the future. The startup also utilizes Google Cloud services as part of its operations.

The CMA is currently seeking public and industry feedback on whether the Alphabet-Anthropic partnership could potentially lessen competition in the UK market. Interested parties have until August 13 to submit their comments. Based on this input, the CMA will decide whether to launch a formal investigation into the partnership.

Responses from Alphabet and Anthropic

In response to the CMA’s inquiry, a spokesperson for Anthropic expressed the company’s willingness to cooperate fully, emphasizing their independence. “We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” the spokesperson stated.

Also Read: PayPal Raises 2024 Profit Forecast Again Amid Strong Spending and Improved Margins

Similarly, Google reiterated its commitment to fostering an open and innovative AI ecosystem. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights,” a Google spokesperson said.

As antitrust regulators continue to scrutinize the alliances between major tech firms and AI startups, the outcome of the CMA’s investigation into Alphabet and Anthropic will be closely watched. The decision could set a precedent for how similar partnerships are regulated in the future, potentially reshaping the competitive dynamics of the AI industry.