Meta’s Privacy Myth, VR Gifts, and James Cameron’s AI Voyage

Here you are, AI enthusiasts! 🤗

Haven’t seen you for ages! (For a week, to be specific, but a week without you is too long to go through 💔). How are you? Have you already taken out your puffy jacket from the wardrobe? Anyone who turned on the heating? Whatever you do to keep yourself warm - no judgement at all, this is a safe space 🤫.

Hold your cuppa and come closer to hear all the highs and lows of the AI reality we are living in. Once upon a time, in the autumn of a far, far 2024…🔥

1. It Does Not Work Like That 🙈

You, yes, you—if you reposted "Goodbye Meta AI," stating that you do "not give Meta or anyone else permission to use any personal data, profile information, or photos." Good job. Well done 👏🏻 But it does not work🫸 . Full stop.

Just as a reminder: this viral Instagram story is a rehash of an old, similarly ineffective meme. Once again, Meta confirms that it does not constitute a legitimate objection to their new AI policies. I wished it was that simple 👼 but let’s be more grounded.

However, you are not the only one to buy this trick. To cheer yourself up, know that you are in good company: James McAvoy, Julianne Moore, and Tom Brady have also shared the ineffective post, which fact-checkers flagged as false information. Сelebrity or not, Meta's new AI policies will use public posts from your UK Facebook and Instagram accounts for AI training.

On the other hand, there is a way to prevent the company from using your data 🎉. No repost needed 🎉. It’s called a “formal objection via account settings is valid”. Users will soon receive notifications about how to do so through a simplified form available in the privacy settings. This objection process only requires three clicks and an email address, excluding private posts and accounts from under-18s 👶 While Meta has updated its policy in the UK, it has not joined the EU's AI Pact, which encourages companies to follow new AI regulations ahead of full implementation 👩‍⚖️

2. Meta Quest 3S 🎮

Have you already received an email about your Christmas party at work? 🎄 Do you feel like Jingle already Bells? 🔔 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, init? 🎅 First gift ideas for the festive season are here! The Meta Quest 3S, an affordable 🤯 VR headset set to release on October 15th, 2024, is now available for preorder through Meta, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other major retailers. Starting at $299 for the 128GB version, the Quest 3S offers similar performance to the Quest 3 but at a lower price, making it an attractive option for entry-level VR enthusiasts 😍.

Let’s get into the details. The Meta Quest 3S offers the same mixed reality experience as the Quest 3, boasting 4.5 times the resolution and enhanced colour quality compared to the Quest 2. It also includes a glasses spacer 👓 for users who wear eyewear (finally), and custom prescription lenses are available through Zenni MR.

For those looking to finance their purchase, Meta offers a “play now, pay later” plan starting at $19.99 per month 💸. Preorders come with a free copy of “Batman Arkham Shadow” and a three-month subscription to Meta Quest Plus, which provides access to a rotating selection of free games and apps.

So, if your office Secret Santa gift exchange is already haunting your inbox, why not level up your gift-giving game this year? 🎁

By the way, this Metaverse helped Mark’s fortune to get over $200 billion.

3. titAInic 🛳️

James Cameron has always been at the cutting edge of visual technology. Forty years ago, Cameron created The Terminator, a dystopian warning about an unrelenting future which terrified me as a child. But now Cameron is actively shaping our technological future, much like Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker 🎬 known for pioneering visual effects in movies like Titanic and Avatar has joined the Board of Directors of Stability AI, a leading generative AI company. Announced by CEO Prem Akkaraju, Cameron’s involvement is a major step for Stability AI’s mission to revolutionise visual media through AI, blending cutting-edge technology with creative storytelling. Cameron’s experience with groundbreaking cinematic technology aligns with Stability AI’s goals, as both focus on pushing the boundaries of how stories can be told using advanced generative AI models 🤖

Stability AI is renowned for its open-source generative AI models, including the widely used Stable Diffusion, downloaded over 150 million times. With Cameron’s appointment, the company aims to deepen the collaboration between artists and technology 💌, positioning itself at the forefront of the next evolution in media creation. Cameron joins other notable board members, including Sean Parker and Dana Settle, in shaping the future of AI-driven visual storytelling. So will this Titanic live a long life or sink? Watch the next episodes! 🎦

It’s been a wild 🙃 week, full of false promises, gift ideas and cinematic plot twists. Thanks for the read 🫶, we have loads more where that came from. And remember…I’ll be back! 🦾

Stay curious! 🔍

Max

AI-Enthusiast, Marketer

Founder and Director of Bandera Agency Limited - a marketing agency for fintechs 🚀