WednesdAI // Week 29

Pageants to Politics
Artificial Intelligence

/ 2024.07.17 / 6 minutes read

Tags: , , , ,

AI innovations are racing forward at the speed of an Olympic runner. Let’s dive into this week’s top stories.

Welcome to WednesdAI – Pixel Dreams’ weekly update with top stories from the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence.

 

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World’s First “Miss AI” Pageant Winner

In a twist for the beauty pageant world, the first-ever AI-generated beauty contest crowned Kenza Layli, an AI model from Morocco, as “Miss AI”. This competition, hosted by Fanvue’s World AI Creator Awards, saw over 1,500 digital contenders judged on realism, technical prowess, and social media influence. Kenza, a virtual influencer, impressed the judges with her lifelike appearance and empowering message for women in the Middle East. This victory highlights the growing influence of AI in media and technology.

 

Read the full story at Dailymail.
 
 

 
 

 

Lay Offs and Office Closures at Intuit Amid AI Revolution

 

Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi announced layoffs of about 1,800 employees, or 10% of the workforce, to reinvest in key growth areas like AI and technology. The changes, including site consolidations and hiring new talent in engineering and customer-facing roles, aim to ensure Intuit remains competitive. Affected employees will receive substantial support packages. This strategic move is part of Intuit’s plan to revolutionize customer experiences and maintain its edge in the evolving AI landscape.

 

More at Intuit.

 
 

 
 

 

AI Gives Congresswoman Her Voice Back

 
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) unveiled an AI-generated recreation of her voice on the House floor on July 13, 2024. Diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurodegenerative disease, Wexton showcased the technology to highlight the struggles of those with speech impairments. This AI recreation, made from her vocal recordings, enables her to communicate effectively despite her condition. The initiative emphasizes AI’s potential in healthcare, opening new markets for tech companies and offering transformative solutions for patients.
 

Follow the whole story at The Hill.

 
 

 
 

 

Republicans’ AI Platform

 
Former President Donald Trump vowed to scrap President Biden’s AI executive order if he wins in 2024. Trump’s July 2024 promise targets Biden’s October 2023 directive on AI safety, privacy, and ethics. He claims it over-regulates and stifles innovation, proposing a more AI-friendly environment without bureaucratic constraints. This clash highlights the debate on balancing AI progress with ethical oversight, which is crucial for tech businesses.

 
Learn more about it here.
 
 

 
 

 

Is Big Tech Faking AI?

 
A noteworthy trend of late has been an increasing number of videos and articles expressing skepticism about the claims made by large companies regarding their AI offerings. People cite examples like Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” shopping experience, Google features that were announced and then never materialized, and the striking similarities between AI search results on Bing and the content on small to medium sized websites as evidence that companies are exaggerating their AI claims in order to inflate their stock price.

 

 

 

 

Watch the videos above and let us know what you think.
 
 

 
 


 

Videos of the Week

 

What’s exciting, a short statement about what’s exciting. Just a short sentence or two about what’s most exciting.

The Backup episode 1 by Roman the Un-Online
 


 

Driven to Speed by Dustin Hollywood

 

Dead Sea by Theoretically Media


 

 
 

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The images accompanying the news items in this article were generated in Midjourney using the following prompts:

MISS AI PAGEANT CONTEST: Vintage film look like Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel of Kenza Layli, a Morocco computer-generated influencer elegantly dressed, receiving her crown. A meticulously symmetrical beauty pageant stage with pastel colors and quirky, vintage decor. Kenza Layli in the center, flanked by judges and old-fashioned cameras capturing the moment. Soft, warm lighting with a nostalgic, cinematic feel. The scene is framed with whimsical details like ornate patterns and AI-generated beauty standards displayed on vintage screens

INTUIT LAYS OFF: Dystopian retro-futurism photorealistic about employees, both departing and newly hired, portrayed as robotic figures. An industrial, neon-lit office with a stark contrast between the old, gloomy workspace and a vibrant, futuristic AI development lab. The scene is split into two halves; one side shows departing robotic employees receiving support packages, while the other side showcases new AI-driven hires being integrated into high-tech workstations. Harsh, cold lighting on the departing side, and bright, optimistic lighting on the new hire side. The scene includes elements like holographic interfaces, robotic assistants, and a backdrop of towering servers and digital screens

CONGRESSWOMAN: Whimsical depiction of congresswoman demonstrating her AI-generated voice. An ornate, brass-filled House floor with intricate gears and steam-powered devices. The congresswoman stands at a podium with a mechanical arm holding a vintage microphone, while the devices project her voice into the chamber. Warm, sepia-toned lighting with rays of light highlighting the machinery. The scene includes politicians, intricate machinery.

REPUBLICAN’S AI PLATFORM:Surreal Pop Art of two presidents advocating for AI policy changes. A vibrant, pop art-inspired rally with bold colors and exaggerated features. One president is in the center, surrounded by colorful, abstract representations of AI technology and political symbol. Bright, saturated colors with dramatic, stylized lighting. The scene includes whimsical, oversized AI icons and a diverse, animated crowd reacting with mixed emotions.

Beautiful nature photography. a humanoid robot has been abandoned in the woods for many year. Overgrown covers the robot. Nature has won the battle with technology.

 
 

The Author

Sean Ward
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