Digimasters Shorts - New iOS Emoji Surprise, Elon Musk Merges X and xAI, Bill Gates Predicts Two-Day Workweek, OpenAI Funding Crisis, Amazon's Bold AGI Move

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, where hosts Adam Nagus and Carly Wilson bring you fresh updates from the digital universe in bite-sized episodes. Dive into a fascinating world of tech insights, from the latest emoji releases with iOS 18.4 to major corporate moves.

Discover how Apple's new emoji and updates are transforming user experiences while exploring Elon Musk's strategic acquisition of social media platform X, merging it with his AI venture, xAI. You'll learn about the potential societal shift towards a two-day workweek, as predicted by Bill Gates, driven by the growing influence of AI technologies.

Stay informed on OpenAI's potential funding changes amidst restructuring pressures and how this could impact their ambitious projects. Plus, hear about Amazon's latest AI endeavor, Nova Act, which promises to revolutionize online shopping and digital interactions with its AGI capabilities.

Join us to unpack these headline-grabbing stories and understand their impact on technology and society. Digimasters Shorts - your quick stop for all things digital.

Transcript

Adam N2: 0:05

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, we are your hosts Adam Nagus

Carly W: 0:09

and Carly Wilson delivering the latest scoop from the digital realm. The Unicode Consortium had previously teased the release of eight new emoji, which are now accessible on iOS and Android platforms with Apple's launch of iOS 18.4. Among these, the"face with bags under eyes" emoji is particularly notable for its depiction of fatigue. Emoji designs are approved by the Unicode Consortium but designed individually by companies like Apple. However, these new emoji are visible only to those using iOS 18.4 or later, leaving users of older software with blank icons instead. The iOS 18.4 update not only includes these emoji but also expands Apple Intelligence support to more languages and introduces a new Food Recipes section on Apple News+. Additionally, it delivers the Priority Notifications feature and upgrades CarPlay functionalities. Users can upgrade to the latest iOS by navigating to their settings menu for software updates. The newest emoji options are also accessible to iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch users with current software updates. This development continues technological trends spearheaded by journalists like Filipe Espósito, known for his influential contributions to tech journalism. Espósito, previously known for exclusive Apple product scoops, now conveys tech news on a broader scale with 9to5Mac.

Adam N2: 1:30

Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, has officially acquired the social media platform X, using an all-stock transaction valued at approximately$45 billion. This merger will combine the data and resources of the two companies to leverage xA.I's AI capabilities with X's extensive reach, according to Musk. X investors will now hold shares in xAI as both firms are privately owned by Musk. The AI chatbot Grok, already linked to both companies, will see deeper integration into the X platform. xA.I's post-acquisition value is touted at$80 billion, providing potential benefits for X co-investors. The acquisition raises questions about how X's current leadership will fit into xAI. Previously, Musk faced scrutiny over combining his enterprises, as seen with SolarCity and Tesla in 2016. The past volatility of X, especially in 2022 with layoffs and content moderation changes, led to an advertiser exodus. However, the platform has partly rebounded due to AI developments and a$44 billion valuation. Musk’s involvement in government roles, like the Department of Government Efficiency, has sparked concerns over his influence on regulatory oversight related to his business ventures. Bill Gates has made a bold prediction that artificial intelligence could reduce the workweek to as little as two days in the coming decade. The Microsoft co-founder believes that as AI advances, humans will be required for fewer tasks, prompting a reevaluation of the traditional workplace structure. On The Tonight Show, Gates speculated about a future where working just two or three days becomes the norm. This follows his previous remarks suggesting a potential societal shift towards a three-day workweek, largely driven by the capabilities of AI. Companies trialing a four-day workweek have reported increased productivity and reduced burnout among employees. Tokyo's recent move to adopt a four-day workweek highlights the global interest in shorter work schedules. Despite these advancements, JPMorgan's C.E.O remains cautious, maintaining a five-day office work policy despite A.I's potential. Gates predicts that AI could significantly impact professions such as teaching and medicine by improving accessibility and efficiency. However, some jobs, like professional sports, will remain predominantly human-driven. Embracing AI may be crucial for those aiming to thrive in the evolving business landscape.

Carly W: 3:52

Open A.I's massive private funding round could face a significant reduction if the company doesn't restructure into a for-profit entity by December 31st. The funding, initially set at$40 billion, could be cut down to$30 billion. This change rests on the condition that Open A.I transitions from a non-profit, a move requiring consent from Microsoft and the California Attorney General. SoftBank's contribution would decrease from$30 billion to$20 billion, while the other investors' contributions remain unchanged at$10 billion. The pressure mounts on Open A.I as this decision is being contested in court by Elon Musk, a key co-founder. Convertible notes will be issued to investors, leading to traditional equity after restructuring. Use of this funding includes support for Stargate, a joint venture involving SoftBank and Oracle. Open A.I recently announced management changes, with C.E.O Sam Altman shifting his role toward research and product focus. The company's revenue projection suggests a tripling to$12.7 billion by 2025. This situation highlights crucial strategic decisions for Open A.I's future and investor confidence. Amazon has unveiled a new AI model called Nova Act, designed for tasks such as online shopping within your browser. Currently available only to developers in a"research preview," Nova Act aims to expand its functionalities similar to Open A.I's Operator agent. The AI can conduct web searches, handle online purchases, and manage scheduled tasks, demonstrating detailed instruction capabilities like declining insurance upsells. Initially integrated into the upgraded Alexa Plus assistant, Act signifies Amazon's ambitious strides in Artificial General Intelligence(AGI). This model is part of Amazon's broader strategy to offer efficient yet cost-effective AI solutions, claiming their models are at least 75% less expensive than competitors’. Alongside its launch, Amazon is granting developers in the U.S direct access to all Nova models via a newly established web portal. Previously, these models were accessible only through the Amazon Bedrock platform. This move aims to facilitate quicker testing and scaling of ideas by developers, according to Rohit Prasad, SVP of Amazon AGI. The competitive landscape of AI assistants is rapidly evolving, with many tech giants vying to deliver innovative and multifunctional AI solutions.

Don: 6:17

Thank you for listening to today's AI and Tech News podcast summary... Please do leave us a comment and for additional feedback, please email us at podcast@digimasters.co.uk You can now follow us on Instagram and Threads by searching for@DigimastersShorts or Search for Digimasters on Linkedin. Be sure to tune in tomorrow and don't forget to follow or subscribe!