While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important, which you might have missed, and try to include a bunch of resources & opportunities. It’s been a bit since the last newsletter, so this is a triple issue. Let me know if you missed me. I’d love to hear what you think of this newsletter!

Important Items

Anti-Trans Legislative Risk Assessment Map: June 2024 Edition

Via @ErinInTheMorn Midway through 2024, we have had over 580 anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year.

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/anti-trans-legislative-risk-assessment-2a4

 

Technology

News Corp, OpenAI reach landmark content licensing deal

News Corp is agreeing to a content licensing deal with artificial intelligence giant OpenAI, which could be worth some $250 million.

https://nypost.com/2024/05/22/business/news-corp-openai-reach-landmark-content-licensing-deal/

The Atlantic, Vox Media ink licensing, product deals with OpenAI

Both include agreements allowing OpenAI to license their archived content to train its AI models.

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/29/atlantic-vox-media-openai-licensing-deal

Some big media bosses are fighting AI — and others are cutting deals

Last year, Barry Diller rallied media titans to fight AI’s march on publishing. This month, Diller agreed to let an AI firm tap IAC’s archives.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/05/27/ai-media-barry-diller-iac-nyt/

Media Companies Are Making a Huge Mistake With AI

The publishers selling content for AI deals are “trading credibility for a little cash from companies building products to replace them.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/05/fatal-flaw-publishers-making-openai-deals/678477/

How media tech’s big four are harming publishers who power their world

Alphabet, Apple, Meta and Microsoft “will drive users to spend more time inside their walled gardens and siphon traffic from publishers.”

https://pressgazette.co.uk/comment-analysis/how-media-techs-big-four-are-harming-publishers-who-power-their-world/

The Washington Post adds AI-generated audio to three newsletters

The Washington Post has added AI-generated audio to its politics and policy newsletters, allowing readers to listen to those emails.

https://digiday.com/media/the-washington-post-adds-ai-generated-audio-to-three-newsletters/

Alphabet, Meta Offer Millions to Partner With Hollywood on AI

Studios seek to harness AI’s promise without losing control. Warner weighs licensing content; Disney, Netflix say no

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-23/alphabet-meta-offer-millions-to-partner-with-hollywood-on-ai

WIRED is tracking political deepfakes

With their interactive political deepfake tracker, you can sort by region and country to zero in on how AI is being used in the 2024 election.

https://www.wired.com/story/generative-ai-global-elections/

Can AI be Detected in Writing?

Via @ThadMcIlroy

https://thefutureofpublishing.com/2024/05/can-ai-be-detected-in-writing/

Will Human-AI Partnerships Make Publishing Workers More Innovative?

The potential is there for AI to transform publishing workflows, says @kenbrooks, but tapping this potential requires the engagement of those who know these tasks and workflows best—our employees.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/95136-human-ai-partnerships-will-make-publishing-workers-more-productive-and-innovative.html

Adobe Lightroom gets a magic eraser, and it’s impressive

Adobe adding some generative AI tools to Lightroom incl an in object removal feature and new AI lens-blurring effects

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/21/24161490/adobe-lightroom-generative-remove-object-removal-tool

Amazon’s Project PI AI looks for product defects before they ship

Amazon’s Project PI (“Private Investigator”) uses generative AI + computer vision to “see” damage and determine if it’s the wrong color or size before it ships. If it finds something, that item is isolated, while the system evaluates the defect and determines if there’s an issue with similar items to track down the root cause.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/3/24170567/amazons-project-pi-product-defect-return-ai-computer-vision

Anthropic’s AI now lets you create bots to work for you

You can create an email assistant or a bot to purchase shoes. It hooks up to any external API. It can analyze data to create personalized product recommendations based on your purchase history.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/30/24167231/anthropic-claude-ai-assistant-automate-tasks

Apple’s bid to catch up in generative artificial intelligence has led to a once-unlikely partnership with OpenAI.

Apple forged a deal to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into the iPhone’s operating system, a feature to be unveiled next week.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-05/why-is-apple-aapl-teaming-up-with-openai-both-companies-need-each-other

‘Apple Intelligence’ will automatically choose between on-device and cloud-powered AI

Apple adding AI-powered summarizations, reply suggestions, + an AI overhaul for Siri that could give it more control over apps while chasing applications w broad appeal.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/7/24173528/apple-intelligence-ai-features-openai-chatbot

If A.I. Can Do Your Job, Maybe It Can Also Replace Your C.E.O.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/28/technology/ai-chief-executives.html

Microsoft’s new Copilot AI agents act like virtual employees to automate tasks

Instead of Copilot sitting idle waiting for queries, it will be able to monitor email inboxes + automate a series of tasks or data entry that employees normally have to do manually.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/21/24158030/microsoft-copilot-ai-automation-agents

Microsoft Edge will translate and dub YouTube videos as you’re watching them

Microsoft Edge will soon offer real-time video translation on sites like YouTube, LinkedIn, Coursera, and more.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/21/24160664/microsoft-edge-real-time-video-translation-ai

Microsoft Recall keeps track of everything you see + do on your PC

The scope of Recall is vast — it will log what you do in apps, track communications in live mtgs, remember all websites you’ve visited for research, and more

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/20/24159258/microsoft-recall-ai-explorer-windows-11-surface-event

Windows AI feature that screenshots everything labeled a security ‘disaster’

Microsoft is launching an AI-powered Recall feature that screenshots everything you do on your PC, so you can search & retrieve in seconds. It could be a disaster for cybersecurity

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/3/24170305/microsoft-windows-recall-ai-screenshots-security-privacy-issues

Google scales back AI search answers after it told users to eat glue

ICYMI

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/05/30/google-halt-ai-search/

Slack uses customer data to train its non-generative artificial intelligence models

RT @michellemanafy Heads up all my fellow Slack users: By default, Slack uses customer data to develop non-generative artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) models for features such as emojis and channel recommendations unless you opt out

https://www.medianama.com/2024/05/223-slack-uses-customer-data-to-train-its-non-generative-artificial-intelligence-models/

Google Taps AI to Show Shoppers How Clothes Fit Different Bodies

A new breed of online ad allows brands to pay Google to offer shoppers AI-generated images that show how items of clothing would look on different skin tones and body types.

https://www.wired.com/story/google-ai-shopping-clothes-fit-different-bodies/

I Make AI Fashion Models to Sell Real People Clothes

Working at an AI modeling agency means teaching pixels to smize—and filtering out the people with three heads.

https://www.wired.com/story/your-next-job-ai-modeling-agent/

YouTube Music will let you search by humming into your Android phone 

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/25/24164879/youtube-music-hum-to-search-available-android

Even the Raspberry Pi is getting in on AI

It’s integrated w Raspberry Pi’s camera software + can run AI-based applications like chatbots natively on the tiny computer, and cost $70. “Power consumption is below 2W and is passively cooled.”

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/4/24170818/raspberry-pi-ai-chip-hailo-devices

Don’t Let Mistrust of Tech Companies Blind You to the Power of AI

It’s OK to be doubtful of tech leaders’ grandiose visions of our AI future—but that doesn’t mean the technology won’t have a huge impact. Via @StevenLevy.

https://www.wired.com/story/dont-let-mistrust-of-tech-companies-blind-you-power-of-ai/

AI Is Your Coworker Now. Can You Trust It?

Generative AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot are becoming part of everyday business life. But they come with privacy and security considerations you should know about.

https://www.wired.com/story/ai-workplace-privacy-security/

The big AI risk not enough people are seeing

Beware tech that makes us less human. Ppl will require layer upon layer of algorithmic mediation btwn them to carry out most basic of human interactions: those involving romance, sex, friendship, comfort, food

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/05/ai-dating-algorithms-relationships/678422/

As clicks dry up for news sites, could Apple’s news app be a lifeline?

Condé Nast, Penske Media, Vox Media, Hearst, and Time all say that Apple News+ has become a substantial revenue stream.

https://www.semafor.com/article/05/19/2024/as-clicks-dry-up-for-news-sites-could-apples-news-app-be-a-lifeline

Google to Face $17 Billion Ad Lawsuit in UK

Google parent Alphabet must face a lawsuit worth up to $17.4 billion for allegedly abusing its dominance in online advertising

https://www.reuters.com/technology/17-bln-uk-adtech-lawsuit-against-google-can-go-ahead-tribunal-rules-2024-06-05/

Publishing & Media

Costco Plans to Stop Selling Books Year-Round

ICYMI Costco’s book orders can be substantial, in the tens of thousands of copies, so the decision to pull back can hurt book sales. Costco’s shift away from books came largely because of the labor required to stock books. Copies have to be laid out by hand, rather than just rolled out on a pallet as other products often are at Costco. The constant turnaround of books — new ones come out every Tuesday and the ones that have not sold need to be returned — also created more work. While Costco isn’t as critical a retail outlet as bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble, it provided a way for people who might not otherwise seek out books to see them and perhaps grab a new thriller or a cookbook while shopping for socks and paper towels. Shoppers could also browse books at Costco in a way that is difficult to do online.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/05/books/costco-books.html

2024’s U.S. Book Show Attracts a Range of Industry Participants

ICYMI Via @publishingtrend

https://publishingtrends.com/2024/05/2024s-u-s-book-show-attracts-a-range-of-industry-participants/

Bloomsbury Buys Rowman & Littlefield Academic Division for $83 Million

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/95143-bloomsbury-buys-rowman-littlefield-academic-division-for-83-million.html

Indigo Shareholders Approve Sale of Canada’s Largest Bookstore Chain

Indigo shareholders approved the sale of the Canadian bookstore chain to private equity firms controlled by Canadian billionaire Gerald Schwartz, an Indigo board member and the husband of Indigo founder and CEO Heather Reisman. Reisman and other Indigo executives, including former Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle, who was named Indigo chairman last September, supported the move to go private, citing lower operating costs and more flexibility in the bookstore’s efforts to remake the company.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/95138-indigo-shareholders-approve-sale-of-canada-s-largest-bookstore-chain.html

Cutting their own checks: authors seek help to plug their own books after cuts by publishers

https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/jun/07/book-promotion-publishing-marketing-demand

Majority of Audiobook Listeners Say They Will Only Use Spotify If Authors Get Paid Fairly

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/majority-of-audiobook-listeners-say-they-will-only-use-spotify-if-authors-get-paid-fairly-302162185.html

U.S. Audiobook Sales Hit $2 Billion in 2024

The audiobook market in the United States is steadily growing, the Audio Publishers Association reports, with revenue increasing by 9% to $2 billion in 2023 and 38% of American adults having listened to an audiobook in the last year.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/audio-books/article/95187-u-s-audiobook-sales-hit-2-billion-in-2024.html

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program expanding to every area in Kentucky

https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article288991444.html

Children reading fewer, less challenging books, UK and Ireland study finds

https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/jun/04/children-read-fewer-less-challenging-books-uk-and-ireland-study-finds

EPUB Fixed Layout Accessibility Draft looking for feedback

MT @reidmore_online Another step forward in publishing accessibility and best practices is out! Today we published accessibility guidance for fixed layout EPUBs.This is currently a draft note as we work on it’s accompanying techniques document, so please give us feedback.

https://www.w3.org/TR/epub-fxl-a11y/

Vox plans subscription model

Vox plans to launch a subscription program for $5 per month or $50 per year that gives access to exclusive content, including newsletters and a digital magazine

https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/1716257276355f02562e22a7a/raw

Bloomberg Moves Businessweek to Monthly

https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/digital-journalism/bloomberg-media-rolls-out-website-upgrades-as-it-hits-540000-subscribers/

Sports Illustrated fails to deliver May issue after breakup with publisher

It was the first missed issue in the title’s 70-year history.

https://nypost.com/2024/05/17/business/sports-illustrated-fails-to-deliver-may-issue-after-breakup-with-publisher-sources/

Vivek Ramaswamy has an 8% stake in BuzzFeed & is seeking to shake up the entire firm

Ramaswamy’s Strive Asset Management has pushed companies to stay out of “woke” politics + opposed the widespread adoption of environmental, social & governance principles

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/22/vivek-ramaswamy-buzzfeed-activist-stake.html

Tech news site Gizmodo sold for third time in 8 years as European publisher Keleops looks to expand

https://apnews.com/article/gizmodo-keleops-sale-media-technology-d8604956810895ced2c9ebddb171955e

Teen Intellectual Freedom Library Group/Programming Questionnaire

MT @veronikellymars Library workers! I’d love your input in this survey. Its purpose is to help develop a teen anti-book ban/intellectual freedom program that could be used at libraries nationwide.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFVpwZ4jMWTG61zMXidJTb_Ck7nxO_rNKneDNorCfZgThkew/viewform

Colorado Passes Anti-Book Ban Bill for Public Libraries

MT @veronikellymars Colorado officially passed an anti-book ban law for public libraries state wide. While not as robust as initially proposed, it bolsters support for professional library workers and creates public records of book bans (& those challenging books!)

https://bookriot.com/colorado-passes-anti-book-ban-bill-for-public-libraries/

An Idaho Public Library Will Become Adults-Only July 1, 2024

RT @veronikellymars Donnelly Public Library in Idaho will become adult-only in July as a result of a state bill that would allow parents to sue libraries for “inappropriate material.” The bill disproportionately harms small libraries, forcing decisions like this.

https://bookriot.com/donnelly-public-library-adults-only/

Banishing Captain Underpants: An investigation of the 3,400 books pulled in Iowa

Books removed included the American classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and the Newbery Medal novel “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. Books remain inaccessible to students, including works by renowned authors such as George Orwell, Toni Morrison, and Stephen King.

https://www.aol.com/banishing-captain-underpants-investigation-3-150632398.html

John Green, Toni Morrison, Jodi Picoult, Colleen Hoover among most banned authors in Iowa

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2024/06/06/10-most-banned-authors-in-iowa-include-jodi-picoult-colleen-hoover-toni-morrison-sf496/73827741007/

Minnesota Just Passed a Law Making It Illegal for Libraries to Ban LGBTQ+ Books

“As a former teacher, I’m clear: We need to remember our history, not erase it,” Gov. Walz said. This follows similar laws in California, Illinois, and Maryland.

https://www.them.us/story/minnesota-tim-walz-signs-book-ban-law-libraries

Ohio bill would charge teachers, librarians with felonies for handing out ‘obscene materials’

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/politics/ohio-bill-would-charge-teachers-librarians-with-felonies-for-handing-out-obscene-materials/

New criteria for Oklahoma textbooks asks for ‘traditional’ gender roles, reverence for religion

RT @veronikellymars “A new rubric Oklahoma is using to review K-12 school textbooks asks whether learning materials “degrade traditional roles of men and women,” promote “illegal lifestyles” or neglect the importance of religion in preserving American liberties.”

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/05/21/oklahoma-state-textbook-committee-new-guidelines-dei-religion-gender-roles/73784402007/

Seattle Public Library system still down two weeks after cyber attack

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-public-library-system-cyber-attack-ransomware/281-e8901260-d483-473d-81dd-34f27cdfe4a6

Resources & Opportunities

Legal Vetting of Media Content: What You Need to Know Before You Publish

Virtual event 6/12 noon ET. FREE for WMG members, $15 for non-members.

https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-5724449

Using Social Media to Grow Your Brand

Virtual event 6/20 noon ET. FREE for WMG members, $15 for non-members.

https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-5724468

Free Virtual SLJ Picture Book Palooza

https://www.slj.com/event/slj-picture-book-palooza-2024

Typographics is a design festival for people who use type

The annual event series, now in its 10th year, is focused on contem­porary typo­graphy & where its future may lie. Various events are planned between June 10–18, 2024, in New York City and online.

https://2024.typographics.com

Feminist Press seeks Senior Editor

I recently joined the board of the Feminist Press – I encourage you to apply and spread the word: MT @FeministPress ***deadline extended*** We’re hiring! ⚡️ We’re looking for a full-time Senior Editor to work closely with the executive director and other editorial staff to shape our list. ⁠ Applications due by 6/24.

https://www.feministpress.org/jobs

Writers for upcoming HBCU Romance Anthology

MT @EbonyLadelle To HBCU undergrad and graduate students (and class of 2024), the deadline has been extended! You have until 7/1 to submit. #teamPRH

https://www.research.net/r/youve-got-a-place-here-too

Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award

MT @RedHenPress CALLING ALL POETS 📣 We are currently accepting submissions for the 2024 Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award. Winner will receive $3,000 and the publication of their poetry book. Submissions are open NOW until October 31, 2024.⁠

https://redhen.org/awards/benjamin-saltman-poetry-award/

Carol Shields Prize for Fiction

MT @ShieldsPrize Calling all publishers! 📚 The first period of submissions for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction is now open to books published by women and non-binary writers between January 1, 2024–July 31, 2024 in the U.S. or Canada. Deadline July 15.

https://carolshieldsprizeforfiction.com/submissions

2024 Summer Reading Clubs for Kids and Teens

Looking for free summer reading clubs for kids and teens? This guide offers a range of clubs, including those from Half Price Books, Pizza Hut, and more.

https://bookriot.com/?p=568787

Creative Morning Clubs

I am a big fan of CreativeMornings. They are trying a new experiment in NY to build community – clubs: small, hyperlocal, recurring gatherings around something you love. Fill out a survey here. https://mailchi.mp/creativemornings/introducingcreativemornings-clubs-an-nyc-pilot?e=c3c15da003

Become a Citizen Archivist

MT @USNatArchives You can make contributions to the National Archives Catalog to enhance access and discoverability. Transcribe historical documents, tag archival photographs, or share comments with other community members.

https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist

NYC Public Restrooms in Google Maps

RT @MarkLevineNYC NEW: NYC just launched a google maps layer showing all public bathrooms across the five boroughs—in parks, libraries, transit hubs etc.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?hl=en&mid=15bUbaKsobajdGL6HLmUpmBuZ_6ILtVQ&ll=40.714039572379214,-74.01470229249028&z=16

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