Hot AI Updates: Strikes, Shifts, and Surprises Await! 🌟

Welcome back, AI enthusiasts! ⭐️

August has arrived, bringing the heatwave and me with It — everything’s peachy! Don’t stay cooped up inside; head to the park 🌳, savour some ice cream 🍦, lounge on the grass and soak up the sun ☀️ While you're at it, enjoy this quick 3-minute newsletter I've put together just for you, reader! 

1. Surprise, surprise 😮 

It's never going to be a quiet moment, is it? The creative industry has only just managed to bounce back from the last round of strikes, and—surprise, surprise— here we go again 🕺! This strike follows last year’s Hollywood actors' strike, which was all about similar AI shenanigans. While some deals have been hammered out, AI is still the elephant in the room 🐘

Now, it's the turn of the video game industry to pick up the picket signs. Actors in this space are staging a strike against using artificial intelligence (AI) that threatens to nick their jobs. A whopping 2,500 members of SAG-AFTRA are giving companies like Activision and EA a right old earful, demanding that their voices not be replicated by AI without proper consent or fair compensation 💸

Game companies insist their offers cover these concerns, but actors reckon more comprehensive protections are needed. Actors on both sides of the Atlantic 🌍🌎 are being urged to prioritise long-term creative interests over quick bucks, hoping for a resolution that recognises the collaborative spirit of the industry. Here's to a solution that keeps the drama on-screen rather than backstage! 📺

Striking against AI is the same as striking against thunderstorms, isn’t it?

2. New Labour 👨‍🏭

The new Labour government has decided to shelve 1.3bn of funding promised by the conservative for tech and AI projects. This includes £800m for a supercomputer at Edinburgh University 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and £500m for AI Research Resources. The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said the money was promised by the previous administration but was never allocated in its budget.

Many argue that the decision could push entrepreneurs to other countries 😳 and harm the UK’s edge in the tech industries. Trade body techUK says the government needs to make a new policy to maintain the UK’s position in tech and AI. DSIT has defended its actions despite the circumstances, stating the need for economic stability to “deliver our national mission for growth” 📈

The Conservatives, though, say that under its leadership, DSIT had underspent, contradicting Labour’s reasons for cutting spending. Edinburgh University has already spent £31m in housing for the supercomputer and emphasises its importance to scientific and heavy industry.

The tech sector was reported to have a market value of $1.1 trillion in the first quarter of 2024, which is vital to the UK economy. DSIT announced that Matt Clifford, an organiser at the AI Safety Summit, had been asked to draw up an action plan for identifying new “AI opportunities.” 🧐

Who is more conservative in this case?

3. Save The AI Bunny 🐰 

In a fresh survey, buyers overwhelmingly barked their preference for products labelled as not tested on animals 🐇💉 More than 65% purred their trust in independent third-party seals and logos to sniff out genuine cruelty-free claims. However, an opposite picture is if the product has letters A and I on it. 

A study led by Washington State University 🇺🇸 researchers has found that using the term "artificial intelligence" in product descriptions can reduce consumers' purchase intentions. Published in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, the study involved experimental surveys with over 1,000 U.S. adults. The findings indicate that mentioning AI in product descriptions lowers emotional trust, which in turn decreases purchase likelihood.

The negative 👎🏻 impact of AI disclosure is more pronounced for high-risk products, such as expensive electronics or medical devices, where failure carries significant risk. Across eight different product and service categories tested, results consistently showed that including AI in descriptions was disadvantageous. Mesut Cicek, clinical assistant professor of marketing and lead author of the study, suggests that marketers should avoid emphasising AI and instead focus on product features or benefits to maintain consumer trust and interest 🔍

And now, it's time to say goodbye (imagine Andrea Bocelli 🎶 singing). I hope you enjoyed this edition, and if you did, please recommend subscribing to your friends, foes or even nemeses 🤷🏻 Have a wonderful week, and see you soon. The AI world is sure to bring us some new wonders to discuss.

Stay curious! 👀 

Max

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