Welcome to The Week in Generative AI, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news surrounding this rapidly evolving technology.
Heineken leverages AI to boost internal insights platform
Aiming to “boost productivity and improve workflows to reduce time to market,” Heineken has integrated an AI-powered chatbot into its internal insights platform, Consumer Goods Technology’s Lisa Johnston reports. Currently rolled out to over 2,000 Heineken employees, the AI assistant leverages data from the company’s cloud-based information platform to answer user questions in a conversational manner, Johnston notes. “Heineken is a highly decentralized organization with multiple independent operating companies,” Heineken’s Lalo Luna told Johnston. “Therefore, it is crucial to centralize knowledge to make it accessible to everyone.”
See also: Efforts to realize AI’s potential in maximizing operational efficiency continue to pick up steam. Forbes CMO Network recently explored how generative AI can help retail supply chains, as we noted in the March 29, 2024 edition of The Week in Generative AI.
AMD unveils AI chips for business laptops and desktops
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) just unveiled a new series of computer chips for AI-enabled business laptops and desktops, Reuters reports. The Ryzen PRO 8000 and Ryzen PRO 8040 chips are designed to handle the workloads of AI-related tasks for, respectively, desktop PCs and laptops. The company expects the chips to be available this quarter (Q2).
See also: “Intel unveils latest AI computer chip, aims to compete with Nvidia,” as we noted in last week’s edition of The Week in Generative AI.
Intel and other companies to build open generative AI systems for enterprise
The Linux Foundation — a nonprofit that supports open source initiatives — just announced the launch of the Open Platform for Enterprise AI (OPEA), “a project to foster the development of open, multi-provider and composable (i.e. modular) generative AI systems,” TechCrunch’s Kyle Wiggers reports. Current OPEA members include Intel, Cloudera and others.
See also: Open source AI models have been a hot topic recently, even factoring into Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI, as we noted in the March 8, 2024 edition of The Week in Generative AI.
Microsoft to invest $1.5 billion in Emirati AI company G42
Microsoft this week announced that it will invest $1.5 billion in United Arab Emirates AI company G42, The New York Times’ Paul Mozur and David E. Sanger report. The deal, which Mozur and Sanger write was “largely orchestrated by the Biden administration to box out China as Washington and Beijing battle over who will exercise technological influence in the Persian Gulf region and beyond,” allows G42 to sell Microsoft services that use AI chips. In return, G42 will use Microsoft cloud services and adhere to a security arrangement with provisions that include a requirement “to strip Chinese gear” from its operations, Mozur and Sanger add.
See also: Microsoft made a previous investment in an international AI company, striking a deal with Paris-based Mistral AI in February, as we noted in an earlier installment of The Week in Generative AI.
Further reading
AI tools and advancements:
- “Logitech wants you to press its new AI button” (The Verge)
AI in the market:
- “TSMC beats first-quarter revenue and profit expectations on strong AI chip demand” (CNBC)
- “Tech earnings season is coming, and AI is top of mind” (Yahoo Finance)
AI controversy:
- “A24’s New AI-Generated ‘Civil War’ Ads Generate Controversy” (The Hollywood Reporter)
- “Have you shared fake news lately? AI is making us worry that we’ll become part of the problem” (Fast Company)
AI strategy:
- “General Mills Expanding Generative AI in Procurement Amid Shift to Always-On Supply Chain” (Consumer Goods Technology)
AI trends:
- “The AI hype bubble is deflating. Now comes the hard part.” (The Washington Post)
- “A.I. Has a Measurement Problem” (The New York Times)
