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Recap: Combating Misinformation, Deepfakes and the Proliferation of Generative AI

By The Information Partnerships · Aug. 15, 2023 10:00 AM PDT

With AI technology progressing, it’s getting increasingly difficult to tell what content is real and what’s not. While many deepfakes are for entertainment purposes, more and more of them are being used to defraud people or influence elections. In partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs, The Information’s Margaux... With AI technology progressing, it’s getting increasingly difficult to tell...

Photo via Midjourney.

Google Gemini’s Strength May Be Its Greatest Weakness; Don’t Hop on the AI Hiring Train

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 15, 2023 7:00 AM PDT · 2 comments

Historically (and much to the dismay of people born in May and June), the word “Gemini” has been associated with being “two-faced” or having dual personalities. So it’s somewhat fitting, then, that Google’s upcoming collection of large machine-learning models using that name was born out of the forced marriage of two AI teams, Google... Historically (and much to the dismay of people born in May and June), the word “Gemini” has been...

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai in May. Photo via Getty

How Google is Planning to Beat OpenAI

By Jon Victor · Aug. 15, 2023 6:00 AM PDT · 2 comments

In April, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai took an unusual step: merging two large artificial intelligence teams—with distinct cultures and code—to catch up to and surpass OpenAI and other rivals. Now the test of that effort is coming, with hundreds of people scrambling to release a group of large machine-learning models—one of the... In April, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai took an unusual step: merging two large artificial...

Left: Aidan Gomez, CEO of Cohere. Photo via Cohere. Right: Edo Liberty, CEO of Pinecone. Photo via Pinecone.

Pinecone and Cohere CEOs Warn About Leaving the GPU ‘Faucet’ Running in the Age of AI

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 14, 2023 7:00 AM PDT · 2 comments

Left: Aidan Gomez, CEO of Cohere. Photo via Cohere. Right: Edo Liberty, CEO of Pinecone. Photo via Pinecone.

Pinecone and Cohere CEOs Warn About Leaving the GPU ‘Faucet’ Running in the Age of AI

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 14, 2023 7:00 AM PDT · 2 comments

You know those horror stories of people who leave a faucet running in their house while on vacation for a week, returning to a flooded residence? That kind of thing is happening in AI.Edo Liberty, founder of Pinecone, a buzzy infrastructure startup which helps developers build AI applications using their own data, says he heard about an intern... You know those horror stories of people who leave a faucet running in their house while on...

After presiding over the largest cutbacks in company history, Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat made it clear to CEO Sundar Pichai last February that she was ready for change. Photos Getty

Is Ruth Porat’s New Job at Alphabet a Coronation or a Last Dance?

By Anita Raghavan · Aug. 12, 2023 6:00 AM PDT · 6 comments

In February, after Alphabet had put the finishing touches on the technology giant’s 2023 plan, CEO Sundar Pichai and Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat sat down to brainstorm about the future of the organization and its people. One of the people the two discussed was Porat herself, according to sources familiar with the conversation. The... In February, after Alphabet had put the finishing touches on the technology giant’s 2023...

Photo by Getty

Why Apple Remains on Top

By Martin Peers · Aug. 11, 2023 4:30 PM PDT

These must be lonely times for iPhone haters. Apple’s share of the mobile market has been growing, according to IDC, which has insulated the company a little from the shrinkage in the smartphone market. (Those damn iPhones are just so easy to use!) As the 2.4% iPhone sales decline in its recently reported June-quarter results showed, though,... These must be lonely times for iPhone haters. Apple’s share of the mobile market has been...

Modular co-founder Chris Lattner. Image via YouTube

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Modular, AI Startup Challenging Nvidia, Discusses Funding at $600 Million Valuation

By Kate Clark, Aaron Holmes and Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 11, 2023 4:21 PM PDT

Modular, a startup whose software aims to loosen Nvidia’s chokehold over in-demand artificial intelligence chips, has been in talks with investors including General Catalyst to raise Series A funding that would value it at roughly $600 million, according to two people with knowledge of the deal discussions. The new capital would come less... Modular, a startup whose software aims to loosen Nvidia’s chokehold over in-demand...

David Wadhwani, president of Adobe's digital media business. Photo by Getty.

Pro Weekly: Behind Adobe's Matrix Magic

By Akash Pasricha · Aug. 11, 2023 8:00 AM PDT

David Wadhwani, president of Adobe's digital media business. Photo by Getty.

Pro Weekly: Behind Adobe's Matrix Magic

By Akash Pasricha · Aug. 11, 2023 8:00 AM PDT

Let’s talk about the matrix. No, not “The Matrix”—rather, Adobe’s matrix.My colleague Kalley published an org chart earlier this week outlining the 64 people with power at Adobe. Artificial intelligence is front and center for the company, with multiple C-suite executives managing people working on AI initiatives, including Firefly, the company’... Let’s talk about the matrix. No, not “The Matrix”—rather, Adobe’s matrix.My colleague Kalley...

Photo by Getty.

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What ByteDance’s Financial Picture Tells Us

By Jessica E. Lessin · Aug. 10, 2023 5:00 PM PDT

There is something to the phrase “Follow the money.” Looking at the finances of a company can go a long way toward clearing up certain unanswered questions. And this is especially important for private enterprises, who don’t regularly disclose such information.And so, when Jing and Juro today reported extensive details about ByteDance’s... There is something to the phrase “Follow the money.” Looking at the finances of a company can go...

GGV Capital Managing Partner Hans Tung. Photo via Getty.

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GGV’s ByteDance Sale Won’t Solve Its China Dilemma

By Kate Clark · Aug. 10, 2023 3:32 PM PDT

For a long time the debate around American venture capital investment in China has centered on Sequoia Capital, the blue-chip VC firm that’s earned billions of dollars from its overseas investments. But since Sequoia announced in June that it would split from its Chinese counterpart, the spotlight has expanded to a cohort of smaller firms that... For a long time the debate around American venture capital investment in China has centered on...

Art by Shane Burke.

Revenue Is a Dirty Word in the Land of AI; Biden Takes a Swing at China

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 10, 2023 7:00 AM PDT

It’s been a tough year for tech startups. In the midst of down rounds and deep layoffs, tech CEOs and VCs have been careful to emphasize profitability and strong financials above all else. Except, that is, for startups having anything to do with generative AI. The most recent example, as my colleagues Natasha Mascarenhas, Erin Woo and I ... It’s been a tough year for tech startups. In the midst of down rounds and deep layoffs, tech CEOs...

Photo via Getty.

Amazon Offers Sellers AI Tool to Write Product Descriptions

By Theo Wayt · Aug. 9, 2023 2:58 PM PDT

Photo via Getty.

Amazon Offers Sellers AI Tool to Write Product Descriptions

By Theo Wayt · Aug. 9, 2023 2:58 PM PDT

Amazon is rolling out an artificial intelligence tool for sellers on its marketplace that will write copy for product listings, a company spokesperson confirmed, marking one of the first examples of Amazon integrating large-language models into its e-commerce business. While Amazon’s highest-profile AI tools are ones its cloud unit, Amazon... Amazon is rolling out an artificial intelligence tool for sellers on its marketplace that will...

Tome founders Keith Peiris (left) and Henri Liriani (right). Photo via YouTube/Greylock.

startups venture capital

Tome, AI Startup Founded by Ex-Meta Managers, Discusses Fundraising at $600 Million Valuation

By Natasha Mascarenhas, Stephanie Palazzolo and Erin Woo · Aug. 9, 2023 1:15 PM PDT · 14 comments

Tome, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to make it easier to create and design presentations, has talked to investors about raising new money that could double its valuation to up to $600 million, according to two people with direct knowledge of the discussions. The new financing could amount to $60 million, according to one of the... Tome, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to make it easier to create and design...

Art generated by Midjourney.

Author Paranoia About AI Finds New Targets

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 9, 2023 7:00 AM PDT · 1 comment

AI founders need to watch out. It’s no secret that publishers and writers are sensitive about large-language models using their data for training. But just how sensitive became clear in the recent shuttering of a six-year-old publishing dataset called Prosecraft.The service, created in 2017 by Benji Smith, founder and CEO at word processor ... AI founders need to watch out. It’s no secret that publishers and writers are sensitive about...

The People in Charge as Adobe Moves Into Generative AI

By Kalley Huang · Aug. 9, 2023 6:00 AM PDT · 1 comment

Adobe jumped into the generative artificial intelligence race in March by releasing a beta version of Firefly, which generates images based on text prompts. As it competes with smaller startups such as OpenAI and Runway, the 41-year-old software giant—which has more than 28,000 employees—is leaning on its practice of having teams... Adobe jumped into the generative artificial intelligence race in March by releasing a beta...

Tara Walpert Levy, YouTube vice president of Americas. Photo: YouTube

YouTube’s Walpert Levy on the AI ‘Tsunami’

By Kaya Yurieff · Aug. 8, 2023 2:28 PM PDT

Tara Walpert Levy, YouTube vice president of Americas. Photo: YouTube

Creator Economy

YouTube’s Walpert Levy on the AI ‘Tsunami’

By Kaya Yurieff · Aug. 8, 2023 2:28 PM PDT

YouTube is getting ready to release generative AI tools for creators. But unlike rivals such as Facebook-parent Meta Platforms, it’s less interested in chatbots—the conversational software that can take on a persona such as Tony Soprano. Instead, it’s focusing on tools that will power video editing or help creators generate ideas, said Tara... YouTube is getting ready to release generative AI tools for creators. But unlike rivals such as ...

Chart by Shane Burke.

OpenAI Quietly Releases Web Crawler; ChatGPT Flounders, Bard Flourishes in Latest Usage Data

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 8, 2023 7:30 AM PDT · 5 comments

One of the biggest complaints that ChatGPT users have is the lack of up-to-date information from the web in its models and chatbot. OpenAI’s announcement on Monday night of GPTBot, a web crawler that scrapes sites for data that may be used to improve its future models, could be the company’s answer.It might not be a coincidence that the... One of the biggest complaints that ChatGPT users have is the lack of up-to-date information from...

Art by Mike Sullivan

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Microsoft vs. Google: The 10 Execs at the Center of Lobbying Battle

By Aaron Holmes · Aug. 8, 2023 6:00 AM PDT

A nearly decadelong truce between Microsoft and Google is over—and the rivalry could reshape tech regulation for decades to come. The tech behemoths are at an escalating stand-off in Washington, with both companies deploying large lobbying teams to chip away at each other’s competitive advantages in software licensing, search and... A nearly decadelong truce between Microsoft and Google is over—and the rivalry could...

Photo via Midjourney.

Hype About AI ‘Agents’ Rises Again; Why GPUs Are So Hard to Find

By Stephanie Palazzolo · Aug. 7, 2023 7:00 AM PDT · 2 comments

Like many others, I dream of having my own personal artificial intelligence-powered assistant to answer texts I’ve been avoiding or land that impossible-to-get reservation at a restaurant blowing up on TikTok. So like seemingly everyone else in AI-land, I was excited when a young startup, HyperWrite, publicly launched an AI-powered assistant... Like many others, I dream of having my own personal artificial intelligence-powered assistant to...

The Superconductor of the Summer

The Superconductor of the Summer

By Jon Steinberg · Aug. 5, 2023 6:00 AM PDT

The Superconductor of the Summer

The Superconductor of the Summer

By Jon Steinberg · Aug. 5, 2023 6:00 AM PDT

Hi, welcome to your Weekend.Culturally, it’s been a very Barbie-Taylor-Tom (Cruise) summer. A season of mega-popular, mega-lucrative, four-quadrant entertainments that have returned us, however briefly, to the pre-internet days of the monoculture. So imagine my surprise when the online discourse shifted abruptly this week to the very niche... Hi, welcome to your Weekend.Culturally, it’s been a very Barbie-Taylor-Tom (Cruise) summer. A...

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