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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. Please let me know what you think.
Important Items
Online Voter Registration Deadlines
MT @BarackObama Don’t wait – check your state’s voter registration deadline today and make sure you’re registered and ready to vote. And then share this with your friends and family so everyone’s ready to vote early or by Election Day.
https://votesaveamerica.com/be-a-voter/
Technology
Amazon is allowing Audible narrators to clone themselves with AI
Adobe previews text-to-video generative AI tools
It can produce video clips from still images or generate video clips using text descriptions and adjust results using a variety of “camera controls” that simulate camera angles, motion, and shooting distance.
Meta fed its AI on almost everything you’ve posted publicly since 2007
Google AI Overviews rollout hits news publisher search visibility
ICYMI AI Overviews now being offered for 17% of queries in UK and US.
An AI Bot Named James Has My Old Local News Job
A local newspaper in Hawaii has turned to AI-generated presenters to draw in new audiences.
https://www.wired.com/story/an-ai-bot-named-james-has-my-old-local-news-job/
Don’t ask if AI can make art — ask how AI can be art
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/13/24241189/generative-ai-interactivity-art
Google is using AI to make fake podcasts from your notes
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/11/24242138/google-notebook-llm-ai-fake-podcasts-research
Inside Google’s 7-Year Mision to Give AI a Robot Body
As the head of Alphabet’s AI-powered robotics moonshot, I came to belive many things. For one, robots can’t come soon enough. For another, they shouldn’t look like us.
https://www.wired.com/story/inside-google-mission-to-give-ai-robot-body/
OpenAI’s new ChatGPT that can “think” is here
The company released the first of its AI models that can “reason” through more complex tasks and problems in science, coding, and math
https://qz.com/openai-release-new-reasoning-ai-models-o1-chatgpt-1851647115
AI Can Now Create Lifelike Videos. Can You Tell What’s Real?
HT @rubinafillion AI tools can create picture-perfect faces, realistic photographs and now lifelike videos. While AI video technology is not yet as sophisticated as tools that create images and audio, it is rapidly advancing. The most convincing examples often manipulate real videos, adding realistic AI elements. Can you tell the difference? Take our quiz.
Documentary filmmakers publish new AI ethics guidelines. Are news broadcasters next?
Why We Fear Diverse Intelligence Like AI
https://www.noemamag.com/why-we-fear-diverse-intelligence-like-ai/
I’m Ready to Be Automated
https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/im-ready-be-automated
James Earl Jones’ Darth Vader Has Already Been Immortalized With AI
https://www.wired.com/story/james-earl-jones-darth-vader-death-artificial-intelligence/
ESPN’s AI-generated sports recaps are already missing the point
Associated Press and ESPN are turning to AI to ‘augment existing coverage’ of less-followed sports and folks don’t like it.
Google Scholar is getting spammed with AI-generated academic papers
Why Charlamagne Tha God Is Investing in an AI and Metaverse Company
Charlamagne Tha God is investing in AI. The radio host is currently an investor and strategic advisor to MeetKai, an AI firm known for creating high-level metaverse experiences.
https://www.adweek.com/media/charlamagne-tha-god-invests-in-ai-and-the-metaverse/
In the Race to Artificial General Intelligence, Where’s the Finish Line?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-does-artificial-general-intelligence-actually-mean/
Here’s what your iPhone 16 will do with Apple Intelligence — eventually
Apple Intelligence will miss the launch of the new iPhones, but here’s what’s coming in the iOS 18.1 update and beyond.
iPhone 16 event live blog
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/9/24236176/apple-iphone-16-liveblog-apple-watch-x-airpods-keynote
How retailers and media companies teamed up to bring live shopping to the 2024 VMAs
Paramount partnered with shoppable advertising company Shopsense AI so viewers can shop red carpet looks in real time. Viewers could snap photos of outfits and get product recommendations
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/11/mtv-vmas-2024-live-shopping-is-coming-to-the-red-carpet.html
Emily in Paris is a petri dish for advertising and product placement on Netflix
MT @mediagazer On the show, plotlines beget products and brand pitches turn into plotlines.
https://theankler.com/p/emily-in-paris-netflix-ad-tier-product-integration-paramount
Publishing & Media
‘An alternative to Amazon’: the UK’s new book recycling platform
World Book Day (UK) announced its list of 15 books
MT @thebookseller ICYMI: World Book Day UK has announced its list of 15 books, written by the likes of Joseph Coehlo, Stephen Mangan, Julia Donaldson and Benjamin Dean, to be made available for free with a £1/€1.50 book token on World Book Day 2025 (6th March 2025).
https://www.thebookseller.com/news/coehlo-donaldson-and-dean-on-world-book-day-2025-1-list
Sharjah Book Authority Approves 303 Translation Grants
The Sharjah International Book Fair translation grants drew 2,506 applications for these grants for publishers, into and from Arabic.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2024/09/sharjah-book-authority-approves-303-translation-grants/
NY-based Strand bookstore has launched an online game for bibliophiles
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html?record=4935
Axel Springer and KKR near deal on €13.5bn break-up
HT @mediagazer Mathias Döpfner and KKR near a deal to split up Axel Springer, valuing the company at €13.5B; KKR would get control of the €10B+ classifieds business. This would cement Mathias Döpfner’s control over media outlets Politico and Bild.
https://www.ft.com/content/4e49eff2-eeb1-4b82-a5be-d4f76fa74b8b
Spotify is trying to entice video-oriented creators to distribute shows on the platform in addition to YouTube, sometimes offering 7 figures
MT @mediagazer
A leaked onboarding document gives a detailed look into the strategies and culture of MrBeast’s operation
MT @mediagazer It focuses on YouTube virality over production quality
https://simonwillison.net/2024/Sep/15/how-to-succeed-in-mrbeast-production/
Resources & Opportunities
Fifty Fierce Years: Ms. Magazine’s Legacy of Change
This is what I’ve been up to – been busy planning this awesome event. Hope you can join us!! Let me know if you want to sponsor/buy a table.
It’s WMG’s 50th anniversary year & also the 50th anniversary of the founding of Ms. magazine! Join us for a MOMENTOUS celebratory luncheon! Open to WMG members and non-members. 10/30 12:30-2pm ET in-person at a NYC restaurant.
Panelists include:
- Suzanne Braun Levine: First editor of Ms. Magazine, Peabody Award-winning producer, and author.
- Marcia Ann Gillespie: Former editor-in-chief of Ms. and Essence, and advocate for gender and racial justice.
- Letty Cottin Pogrebin: Ms. founding editor, author, and co-founder of key feminist organizations.
- Molly Jong-Fast (Moderator): MSNBC Political Analyst and host of the “Fast Politics” podcast.
Sign up ASAP – it will sell out!
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-5872467
EveryLibrary Live! Banned Books Week 2024
ICYMI MT @EveryLibrary RSVP now to participate in our new literary festival, EveryLibrary Live! Banned Books Week 2024, September 22-27, online on our Facebook and YouTube Live channels. All events are free.
https://www.everylibrary.org/elbb24
Publishing Triangle Awards Open for Submissions
MT @pubtri 📢 Calling all LGBTQ+ writers! 🌈✍️ The Publishing Triangle Awards are now officially OPEN for submissions! If you’ve got a work that breaks boundaries, inspires, or amplifies LGBTQ+ voices, this is your moment! Deadline 12/6/24.
https://publishingtriangle.org/2024/09/awards-submissions-open/
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