Welcome to The Week in Generative AI, a weekly column for marketers from Quad Insights that quickly sums up need-to-know developments surrounding this rapidly evolving technology.
Biden administration prepares AI regulations
On Monday, the White House issued an executive order on AI use, development and regulation, which had been long-coming since the summer parade of tech executives visiting Washington to make the case for AI.
Politico’s Brendan Bordelon reports that “the 111-page laundry list of priorities has drawn immediate support from both the tech industry and its critics,” and he comments that “the vast scale of the order also suggests an effort by the White House to paper over the growing tension between Washington’s rival AI factions.” The move, Bordelon says, attempts to bridge the gaps between three groups influencing AI policy: progressives concerned about job security and civil rights, what Bordelon calls “longtermists” (those who fear the eventual, catastrophic misuse of AI) and “AI hawks” focused on national security and geopolitical dominance.
The order outlines specific AI challenges for federal agencies to address, such as potential job losses and data-privacy issues.
Over at Crunchbase News, Joanna Glasner writes that this action could have “a wide impact on how AI-focused companies, and startups in particular, develop and release new iterations of their products.”
Related news:
- “UK AI Safety Summit: Global Powers Make ‘Landmark’ Pledge to AI Safety” (TechRepublic)
- “White House says AI regulation is ‘moral duty,’ but power to act is limited without Congress” (Yahoo News)
- “The White House Is Preparing for an AI-Dominated Future” (The Atlantic)
- “What Biden’s AI executive order means for advertising” (Ad Age)
- “WATCH: White House news holds briefing after Biden signs executive order on A.I.” (PBS NewsHour/Associated Press)
- “There’s an oncoming renaissance in cybersecurity as AI shifts the balance of power” (Fast Company)
Doritos launches AI-augmented snacking experience for gamers
Doritos U.K. has unveiled Doritos Silent, software designed to mute the distinctive crunch of Doritos chips for the PC gaming community. Ad Age’s Erika Wheless reports that the “rollout for ‘Doritos Silent’ was teased with social media and out-of-home ads that featured Doritos chips in place of noise-canceling headphones in the U.K., U.S., Spain, Poland, Brazil and Portugal.” She adds that the initiative is not only a nod to the 46% of U.K. gamers who find munching sounds distracting (per a Doritos-commissioned survey), but also a strategic play, because “to get the download, fans will have to enter their name and email, potentially providing the PepsiCo-owned brand with a trove of first-party data from gamers.”
- “Doritos devises AI-powered ‘crunch-cancellation’ tech for gamers” (Marketing Dive)
- “How AI is expected to reshape the ad industry” (Ad Age)
Further reading
- “How producers used AI to finish The Beatles’ ‘last’ song, ‘Now And Then’” (NPR)
- “An AI smoothie shop opened in San Francisco with much hype. Why is it closed already?” (The Guardian)
- “CIOs Assess Whether Microsoft’s AI Copilot Justifies Premium Price” (The Wall Street Journal)
- “Canva launches free AI ‘Classroom Magic’ tools for educators” (Mashable)
- “Meet LEO AI, The Brave Browser Assistant from Anthropic” (Decrypt)
- “How to Write AI Art Prompts Effectively with Examples” (TechRepublic)
- “Google Maps is becoming more like Search — thanks to AI” (The Verge)
- “Artists Lose First Round of Copyright Infringement Case Against AI Art Generators” (The Hollywood Reporter)
- “TikTok, Snapchat and others sign pledge to tackle AI-generated child sex abuse images” (Reuters)
- “TikTok is testing using AI to sell you wedding dresses and other products by scanning videos you watch” (Insider)
Thanks for reading. We’ll see you next week.
If you’d like to catch up on prior installments of this column, start by heading to last week’s recap: “The Week in Generative AI: October 27, 2023”
