📸 This New Microsoft AI Can Animate Your Photos

The Latest AI News

Author

Adam Smith
April 19, 2024

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Coming up this week:

- Microsoft: Realistic Deepfakes
- Salesforce: Ethical AI
- OpenAI: Enterprise Relationships
- Stanford: 2024 AI Index

And much more… Learn how these unfolding narratives are shaping The Business of AI.

FEATURED STORY 🔥

Microsoft Unveils VASA-1: AI for Realistic Talking Head Videos

Microsoft Research has developed VASA-1, an AI model capable of creating lifelike animated videos from a single photo and voice sample.

The technology generates high-quality talking head videos with accurate lip-syncing and natural head movements. Unlike existing technologies, VASA-1 can work with photos taken from various angles and incorporate emotions and gaze direction into the animation.

Although the model shows potential for enhancing video games, social media avatars, and AI-driven filmmaking, it remains a research project with no immediate plans for public release. (I’m sure we will see a spate of similar models coming to market soon.)

The AI impressively lip-syncs to songs without music in its training data and operates efficiently on consumer-grade hardware. Despite its current research status, the technology's future applications are highly anticipated.

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TRENDING STORIES 🔥 

Ethical AI Use: Salesforce's New Approach

Salesforce emphasizes ethical AI use, advocating for 'copilot' roles over automation. They're implementing checks to prevent bias and foster trust, like mindful friction and anomaly detection. This approach aims to balance AI's strengths with human judgment, ensuring integrity and adoption in the workplace.

OpenAI Pitches AI Services to Fortune 500 Firms

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman showcased AI services to top executives, aiming to expand corporate revenue streams. Demonstrations included ChatGPT Enterprise and new text-to-video models. Despite competition from investor Microsoft, OpenAI targets direct enterprise relationships and custom AI solutions.

Stanford AI Index 2024: Key Insights Revealed

The 2024 AI Index report highlights AI's societal impact, cost spikes in training models, and the U.S. leading in AI development. It notes uneven human-AI task performance, industry's research dominance, and a surge in generative AI investment. Concerns over AI's influence and lack of standardized evaluations are also discussed.

AI Image Of The Week 📷️ 

How to use MidJourney to create realistic human portraits.

Here’s a very brief checklist to create high-quality ultrarealistic human portraits:

  • Describe the photo: Include words like candid, portrait, photorealistic, capture, etc.

  • Describe the lighting: Natural lighting, afternoon lighting, warm lighting, etc.

  • Specify a camera type: If you don’t know, ask ChatGPT or use some of the options in the Tattoo section

  • Candid: Use the word ‘candid’ in your prompt

  • Cinematic: Use the word ‘Cinematic’ to give your image the classic Cinematic feel.

MJ Prompt: Candid photo portrait of beautiful woman on busy street, natural lighting, Nikon D850 105mm, f-stop 1.8, cinematic --ar 2:1

MJ Prompt: A candid shot of young best friends dirty, at the skatepark, natural afternoon light, Canon EOS R5, 100mm, F 1.2 aperture setting capturing a moment, cinematic --ar 2:1

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EYE OPENING NEWS 🧠 

AI Speeds Up Parkinson's Drug Search

Cambridge researchers have harnessed AI to rapidly find potential Parkinson's treatments. By screening millions of compounds, they identified five promising candidates, significantly cutting time and costs. This breakthrough could expedite treatment availability for the growing number of Parkinson's patients.

Boston Dynamics Unveils Electric Atlas

Boston Dynamics has retired its hydraulic Atlas robot, introducing a new electric version for commercial use. Partnering with Hyundai, they aim to test and refine Atlas in real-world applications, leveraging their experience with robots Spot and Stretch. The electric Atlas promises enhanced strength, agility, and a broader motion range.

Amazon Appoints AI Expert Andrew Ng to Board

Andrew Ng, renowned in AI circles, joins Amazon's board as the company competes in the GenAI market. Amidst tech giants racing to integrate AI, Amazon aims to bolster its cloud and AI capabilities, following significant layoffs and a focus on cost reduction.

Meta Unveils Enhanced AI Chip MTIA v2

Meta has introduced its next-gen AI chip, MTIA v2, boasting doubled compute and memory capabilities. It's designed for efficient AI workloads, improving user experience across Meta's services. This chip is a key part of Meta's AI infrastructure expansion, supporting advanced AI research and new generative AI products.

Instagram Tests AI Chatbots for Influencers

Instagram is testing "Creator A.I.," a program using AI to let influencers chat with fans. It's designed to mimic their voice, easing the workload of responding to messages. The program is in early testing and may use influencers' content to craft replies. Meta's broader AI push aims to assist daily tasks.

5 Tools to Boost Your Productivity

- Generate personalized visually stunning stories in just one minute. Dorosi
- Generate videos from simple text in one minute. Moonvalley
- Craft social media posts and art, in just seconds with AI. Questgen
- Generate high-quality, engaging content 10x faster. Vidiofy
- Chat, generate, and design without limits using Generative AI. Venturus AI

Want your tool featured here? Hit reply and tell us a little about it 😍 

FUNDRAISING 🤑 

Microsoft Invests $1.5B in UAE's G42 AI Firm

Microsoft has acquired a minority stake in G42, an AI company based in the UAE, with a $1.5 billion investment. This deal includes a board seat and the use of Microsoft's cloud for G42's AI applications.

Bridgewise Secures $21M for AI Analysis

Bridgewise raised $21 million in Series A funding for its AI-driven global securities analysis platform. Total funding reached $35 million, with plans to enhance investment insights and expand its international presence.

Rivos Secures $250M for AI Server Chip

Rivos, a chip startup, has raised $250 million to produce its AI-focused server chip. Competing against Nvidia's dominance, Rivos' design is based on the open-source RISC-V architecture, aiming to innovate in the AI chip market.

Mistral AI Eyes $5 Billion Valuation

French startup Mistral AI seeks to raise hundreds of millions, targeting a $5 billion valuation. Previously backed by Microsoft, the company raised $415 million in December and was valued at 2 billion euros.

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