AI Daily Brief: Key Insights and Innovations for September 4
Published on September 4, 2024
- AI ‘Surveillance Pricing’ Could Use Data to Make People Pay More - In 2006, Clive Humby termed data as "the new oil," leading to advancements in targeted ads and algorithmic personalized pricing. The FTC, using the term "surveillance pricing," has issued information requests to eight companies to investigate the scale and impact of AI-driven price adjustments and potential anticompetitive practices. The agency seeks to understand how data-driven pricing affects consumers and whether it involves collusion.
- Trump Posts AI-Generated Image of Kamala Harris as Joseph Stalin, But Instead It Just Looks Like Mario - Former President Trump, using Truth Social, promoted an AI-generated image falsely depicting Kamala Harris as a Marxist with Stalin-like features. This follows a previous instance where Trump criticized Harris for allegedly using AI to fake campaign crowds, while he himself used AI to attack her with fabricated imagery.
- AI’s impact on elections is being overblown - This year, nearly half the world's population can vote, but AI is cited as a major threat to election integrity. Early warnings predicted AI would cause significant issues, like deepfakes and targeted ads misleading voters. However, with many elections now concluded, these alarmist claims seem to have been exaggerated, as the evidence does not fully support the initial concerns.
- Canva says its AI features are worth the 300 percent price increase - Canva Teams subscriptions are set to rise dramatically next year due to the addition of generative AI features. In the US, annual fees could jump from $120 to $500, though an initial 40% discount will lower the first year’s cost to $300. In Australia, costs will increase from $480 to $2,430 annually for five users.
- 71% of leaders prefer hiring candidates with AI skills over those with the relevant industry experience - The 2024 Annual Work Trend Index reveals a shift towards valuing AI skills over experience. A survey of 31,000 people across 31 countries found 71% of executives prefer hiring candidates with AI expertise. This trend benefits entry-level professionals but poses risks for those with more experience.