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New Polish Biopic About Putin Used AI Face Swapping, Ignties Debate

Also, Wired breaks down what will actually happen if TikTok really gets banned later this month

Author

Jack Lajoie
January 10, 2025 • read time ~ 8 minutes

⚡️ Headlines

🤖 AI

Elon Musk’s X Launches Standalone App for Grok AI Assistant - Musk’s platform X introduces a dedicated app for its conversational AI, Grok, to enhance accessibility and usability. [Business Today].

Cohere Unveils North: An Enterprise AI Knowledge Hub - Cohere launches North, an AI-powered tool designed to simplify corporate knowledge management. [Cohere].

Bee Home: A Tiny AI-Powered Wearable That Listens to You Always - The Bee device pushes boundaries of wearable tech with an always-on AI assistant for continuous interaction. [Wired].

Microsoft Reverts Bing Image Creator Updates Amid User Complaints - Microsoft pulls back changes to Bing’s image AI tool following feedback on poor output quality. [TechCrunch].

Hippocratic AI Raises $141M, Achieves Unicorn Status for Healthcare AI - The company plans to accelerate deployment of its health-focused AI solutions with fresh funding. [Fierce Healthcare].

🦾 Emerging Tech

Innovaccer Secures $275M Series F, Aspires to Lead AI in Healthcare - The company ramps up efforts to dominate healthcare AI with significant new capital. [TechCrunch].

🤳 Social Media

Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty Submits Bid to Acquire TikTok - The initiative targets TikTok’s ownership to align the platform with ethical and decentralized tech goals. [The Information].

YouTube Expands 3-Minute Shorts Feature to All Users - The update broadens opportunities for creators by increasing the Shorts duration limit. [Social Media Today].

🔬 Research

AI Model Advancements in Explainability for Clinical Predictions - A new study introduces more interpretable AI models for healthcare diagnostics. [arXiv].

Quantum-Inspired Neural Networks for Optimization Problems - Researchers explore quantum-based architectures to tackle complex computational challenges. [arXiv].

⚖ Legal

Amazon Downplays DEI as Meta Champions Free Speech in Shift Toward Right - Tech giants reframe narratives on diversity and free speech in response to cultural and legal shifts. [The Information].

Apple Denies Claims of Siri Advertising Data Usage Amid Lawsuit - The company addresses allegations of privacy violations in its virtual assistant. [The Verge].

🔌 Plug-Into-This

Polish director Patryk Vega's new biographical film, "Putin," employs deepfake technology to superimpose the Russian president's face onto actor Slawomir Sobala, who meticulously studied Putin's mannerisms. The film portrays various stages of Putin's life, including controversial and dramatized scenes, aiming to present a nuanced depiction of the leader.

  • The film covers Putin's life from his childhood in Leningrad to his political career, including events like the Chechnya bombings and the invasion of Ukraine.

  • Controversial scenes include a dramatized depiction of Putin in soiled adult diapers during a terminal illness and participating in a hunt with scantily clad women, aiming to reveal a vulnerable side of the leader.

  • The film utilizes genuine footage from events such as the Ukraine invasion and Chechnya bombings to enhance realism, despite its dramatizations.

  • "Putin" is set to be released in 35 countries, excluding Russia, with the premiere scheduled for January 25, 2025.

  • The film's production involved filming in multiple countries, including covert operations in Russia, and faced challenges such as alleged interference attempts by Russian intelligence.

🎬 World leader biopics aren’t anything new, but being able to make them about living (and still influential) world leaders, with or without their participation, is something we haven’t seen before. Hopefully Putin likes this director’s take…

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear TikTok's appeal against a nationwide ban scheduled for January 19, 2025, under the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA). The law mandates that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, divest its U.S. operations to a non-Chinese entity by the deadline, citing national security concerns over potential data access by the Chinese government. Failure to comply would result in the app being blocked in the U.S.

  • If the ban proceeds, app stores and hosting services will be prohibited from distributing, maintaining, or updating TikTok, leading to diminished functionality over time.

  • The app's removal from Apple and Google stores would prevent updates, resulting in potential security risks and bugs.

  • Circumventing the ban with VPNs is possible but may degrade user experience due to slower load times from international servers.

  • Despite potential bypass strategies, experts warn that such restrictions could harm users and lead to a fragmented internet experience.

  • The Supreme Court's decision will weigh First Amendment rights against national security concerns, determining the app's future in the U.S.

📱 Unfortunately, one way or the other, it looks like we’ll still be hearing about this story for a while. TikTok’s ubiquity in the social media space has ballooned beyond simply being a short form video app, and the cultural/legal/business impact of this decision will be far reaching indeed.

Captions, an AI-powered video editing app, has transitioned to a freemium model to expand its user base and enhance growth. Previously operating on a subscription basis, the app now offers a free tier with essential features, while advanced tools remain accessible through paid plans.

  • The free version includes basic video editing capabilities, such as adding captions and simple effects, catering to casual users and content creators.

  • Premium features, like AI-driven edits, custom graphics, and advanced transitions, are available through subscription plans, providing enhanced functionality for professional use.

  • This strategic shift aims to attract a broader audience by lowering the entry barrier, allowing users to experience the app's core features without initial financial commitment.

  • The company anticipates that offering a free tier will increase user engagement and conversion rates to paid subscriptions, driving revenue growth.

  • Captions has previously introduced AI-powered tools, such as automatic effect additions and social media management features, to streamline content creation for users.

🚀 The move to a freemium model reflects a growing trend among app developers to balance accessibility with monetization, aiming to build a loyal user base while sustaining business growth.

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