Meta is currently in discussions with celebrities like Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina, and Dame Judi Dench to include their voices in its new AI project, MetaAI. This conversational AI, which aims to compete with Siri and Google Assistant, could be integrated across various Meta platforms including Facebook and Meta hardware. This move highlights Meta’s commitment to enhancing its AI capabilities with notable personalities to offer a more engaging user experience.
SAG-AFTRA has been involved in negotiating terms with Meta to protect actors’ rights in the face of AI advancements. The union has managed to secure agreements that aim to mitigate potential job losses for actors due to AI technologies. This development is part of ongoing efforts to address concerns about how AI might impact creative professions and ensure fair conditions for performers.
Meta Engages Celebrities for New AI Project Amid SAG-AFTRA Negotiations to Protect Actors’ Rights
Previously, Meta launched a chatbot platform featuring 28 celebrity-voiced characters, including figures like Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton. However, this project has been discontinued, with the associated chatbot pages being removed. The new MetaAI initiative appears to be a more central and ambitious effort within Meta’s broader AI strategy, suggesting a shift towards a more focused approach.
In legal news, payments are beginning for a class action lawsuit against Apple over its butterfly MacBook keyboards. The settlement, which resolves claims that Apple misled consumers about the keyboard’s defects, will see affected claimants receiving checks, potentially up to $395. Apple settled for $50 million while discontinuing the problematic keyboard design in 2019.
Lastly, Game Informer, a long-standing gaming magazine published by GameStop, is closing after 33 years. The magazine’s website has been taken down, redirecting to a final thank-you message to its readers. The closure comes amidst significant staff layoffs and marks the end of a publication that began with Sonic the Hedgehog on its cover in 1991.
