🎙️ Check out my new Marc Hoag AI Law Pod, a podcast with AI “guests” courtesy of Google's NotebookLM. Now that NotebookLM allows customization, the AI “guests” actually interact with me at times, and deep dive quite a bit beyond the bounds of each issue’s content. If nothing else, it’s a very cool alternative way to enjoy Future Perfect while driving.

Perplexity CEO offers AI company’s services to replace striking NYT staff (TechCrunch)

• Perplexity CEO’s Offer Amid Strike: Aravind Srinivas, CEO of AI company Perplexity, publicly offered to support the New York Times during a strike by its tech workers, proposing to help maintain essential services during the U.S. election.

• NYT Tech Guild’s Strike and Demands: The NYT Tech Guild, representing tech workers on the business side, launched the strike over demands for a 2.5% annual wage increase and the formalization of a two-day in-office policy.

• Publisher’s Response to Strike Timing: NYT publisher AG Sulzberger criticized the timing of the strike, citing the public’s reliance on the Times’s coverage during the election, describing it as a critical period for national information access.

• Backlash Against Perplexity’s Offer: Many took to social media, labeling Srinivas as a “scab” for offering Perplexity’s services to bypass the striking workers, a move seen as undermining collective bargaining efforts.

• Perplexity’s Clarification: Srinivas clarified on social media that his offer aimed to provide technical infrastructure support rather than replace journalists or engineers directly, although the striking workers primarily provide that support role.

• Tensions Between NYT and Perplexity: Relations between Perplexity and the NYT have been strained since the Times issued a cease-and-desist letter over Perplexity’s scraping of NYT articles for AI model training, with Srinivas declining to define “plagiarism” when asked.

Netflix Bullish on Gen AI for Games After Laying Off Human Game Developers (404 Media)

• Netflix’s AI Ambitions in Gaming Post-Layoffs: Following the closure of its Team Blue game studio and layoffs of 35 developers, Netflix’s gaming division is shifting toward generative AI to drive innovation and accelerate game development.

• New Role for Netflix’s Mike Verdu: Now serving as VP, GenAI for Games at Netflix, Mike Verdu shared his excitement on LinkedIn, describing generative AI as a “once in a generation” breakthrough that could lead to rapid, innovative gameplay experiences reminiscent of the gaming industry’s dynamic 1990s era.

• Netflix’s Goals with Generative AI: While specifics remain unclear, Verdu hinted that AI could transform game development by generating 3D models, art, dialogue, and even potentially real-time environments—tools that could significantly speed up production and open new creative avenues.

• Concerns Among Creatives: Game developers, artists, and voice actors express concerns about generative AI, which could both utilize and potentially displace traditional human labor in game creation, altering roles and industry standards.

• Netflix’s “Creator-First” AI Vision: Verdu emphasized Netflix’s commitment to a “creator-first” approach, positioning AI as a supportive tool for creative talent rather than a replacement, with the potential to empower both large and small game development teams with faster workflows and expanded capabilities.

The Battle Over Open-Source AI Will Be Settled in Trump’s Presidency (The Information)

• Trump’s Stance on AI Policy: Trump has pledged to repeal Biden’s AI executive order, which mandates companies developing large AI models to share information with the federal government.

• Uncertain Position on Open-Source AI: Trump’s views on open-source AI, like Meta’s Llama, are not yet clear, especially regarding concerns over national security threats from freely available AI.

• Chinese Use of Llama for Military Applications: Meta faced scrutiny after reports indicated Chinese researchers were using Llama models for potential military applications, despite Meta’s initial restrictions on U.S. military use.

• Recent Shift in Meta’s Policy: Meta removed its prohibition on U.S. military use of Llama in response, but the move may not fully ease critics’ concerns.

• Trump’s Anti-China Stance: Given his history of limiting tech exports to China, Trump is unlikely to support Chinese access to advanced U.S. AI models.

• Support for AI Regulation: Proprietary AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic advocate for strict government regulation of powerful AI models to limit access for potential bad actors.

• Zuckerberg’s Perspective on Security Risks: In July, Zuckerberg argued that espionage poses a significant risk, as AI models could be easily stolen, although this viewpoint faces pushback from national security circles.

• Influence of Trump’s Advisors: Trump’s AI policy might be shaped by advisors like VP-elect JD Vance, who supports open-source AI to counteract perceived biases, and Elon Musk, an open-source proponent.

• Meta’s Options if Regulations Tighten: If Trump restricts open-source AI, Meta could close-source its Llama models, though this would reduce the flexibility and developer goodwill it currently enjoys.

✨ PowerPrompt™

I like these kinds of prompts. Practical and actionable.

Act as my project strategist to help me design a successful [specific project or event, e.g., ‘charity fundraiser’, ‘product launch’, ‘personal development retreat’, etc.]. First, generate a detailed project brief, including goals, target audience, and key messages. Once the brief is ready, create a timeline with major phases and deadlines, considering ideal lead times for planning, logistics, and marketing. In the next step, identify potential challenges or risks and suggest mitigation strategies for each. Finally, create a list of partners, sponsors, or collaborators that could amplify the project’s reach and impact, explaining how to approach each one effectively. Conclude with a checklist of critical tasks to ensure a smooth project launch.

🧰 AI Tools & Resources

• Note This Down: Send your handwritten notes to Notion, fully transcribed into editable text.

• Osmo: AI that can smell scents and then recreate the molecular pattern to regenerate that same scent.

• Melies: Another AI movie maker that leverages numerous different AI models at your request, and walks you through everything from style, to character and plot development, screenplay editing, music, voices, and more.

🎉 THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY!

See you next time! 👋

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