Technology * Innovation * Publishing Newsletter #303
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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
Vaccines Save Lives
This is why it doesn’t make any sense to de-fund public schools if they require vaccines — these killer diseases will come back!
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/surv/downloads/VPD-morbidity-slide1-mmwr-508.pdf
Free Comics for Kamala Call 8/5 8pm ET
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1XM_8Zt3oXqqCn1qdZ-SL0ELEkWVAgRxHdBs3wuP-dKY/viewform
Elders for Kamala call 8/5 8pm ET
Hear from Jane Fonda, Bernie, Bette Midler, Rebecca Solnit, and many more.
https://thirdact.org/events/elders-for-kamala/
Harris Supporters Against Gun Violence Call 8/6 8pm ET
https://confirmsubscription.com/h/y/4F5AECFFC535CED5
Technology
The AI Keeps the Score
Fascinating look at AI tech at the Olympics: Since 2017, Fujitsu has been collaborating with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to create an AI gymnastics judging system.
https://www.theverge.com/c/24182327/olympics-gymnastics-ai-judging-fujitsu-jss-fig
Instagram Will Let You Make Custom AI Chatbots — Even Ones Based on Yourself
Meta’s AI Studio will let users build virtual characters, with a few limitations.
https://www.wired.com/story/meta-ai-studio-instagram-chatbots/
Samsung’s new image-generating AI tool is a little too good
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/17/24199005/samsung-galaxy-ai-z-fold-6-sketch-to-image
Desktop Chrome is getting a feature that’s a lot like Circle to Search
With Google Lens, you’ll be able to highlight what you want to search for and do follow-up searches without leaving the tab you’re looking at
https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/1/24210670/google-chrome-lens-ai-search-history
Websites are Blocking the Wrong AI Scrapers (Because AI Companies Keep Making New Ones)
Condé Nast in struggle to block AI scrapers because AI firm Anthropic is deploying web crawlers with different names, making it more difficult for online publishers to block
OpenAI’s New Search Engine Say They Will Protect Publishers
HT @BoSacks
Perplexity is cutting checks to publishers following plagiarism accusations
Time, Der Spiegel, and Fortune are among the first batch of publications in Perplexity’s new publisher’s program.
Reddit CEO says Microsoft needs to pay to search the site
He calls out Microsoft’s Bing, Anthropic, and Perplexity for scraping Reddit’s data without permission.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210565/reddit-microsoft-anthropic-perplexity-pay-ai-search
U.S. Copyright Office Releases Part One of AI Report, Calls for New Legislation
From “AI-generated musical performances to robocall impersonations of political candidates,” the U.S. Copyright Office’s report acknowledges that “a new era of sophisticated digital replicas has arrived.”
Japan’s copyright rules draw AI groups — and alarm from creators
Critics say Japan’s copyright law allows widespread use of copyrighted images and other materials for commercial purposes to train AI models without seeking permission.
https://www.ft.com/content/f9e7f628-4048-457e-b064-68e0eeea1e39
Colin Kaepernick’s AI-based comics company angers comics creators
https://www.comicsbeat.com/colin-kaepernicks-ai-based-comics-company-angers-comics-creators/
Wix’s AI will now write whole blog posts for you
Wix is releasing new generative AI tools that can produce entire SEO-optimized blog posts, right down to the imagery.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210304/wix-ai-website-builder-seo-blog-posts
ChatGPT’s new voice mode can sing, mimic accents, and correct pronunciation
Clips show the chatbot telling stories as an airline pilot and even laughing at its own Turkish-language jokes.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/1/24211087/openai-chatgpt-advanced-voice-mode-demo-accents-language
Meta’s future is AI, AI, and more AI
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210786/meta-earnings-q2-2024-ai-llama-zuckerberg
Ingram’s Filters Mistake AI Discussion for AI Deception
@ThadMcIlroy wrote a book on AI and Ingram blocked it as having been “generated using artificial intelligence.”
https://thefutureofpublishing.com/2024/07/ingrams-filters-mistake-ai-discussion-for-ai-deception/
Case Study on AI-assisted Writing Of A Book
https://medium.com/@baen2810/ai-assisted-writing-of-a-book-cataclysm-67788412fb31?source=social.tw
Your new AI Friend is almost ready to meet you
A new AI startup isn’t trying to help you get things done or remember everything. It’s trying to be there for you all the time, however you need it.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/30/24207029/friend-ai-companion-gadget
AI and ML enter motorsports
How GM is using them to win more races: From modeling tire wear and fuel use to predicting cautions based on radio traffic. “The computer says we should pit now”
A first look at Apple Intelligence and its (slightly) smarter Siri
The big Siri AI update is still months away.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24209910/apple-intelligence-ios-18-preview-siri
Taco Bell’s drive-thru AI might take your next order
McDonald’s use of AI in drive-thru was a disaster, but Taco Bell’s parent company aims to bring its ‘Voice AI’ technology to hundreds of stores in the US by the end of 2024.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210506/taco-bell-drive-thru-ai-order-expansion
AI has a climate problem — but so does all of tech
How do you decide if AI is ‘worth’ the energy?
77% Of Employees Report AI Has Increased Workloads And Hampered Productivity
In a study of 2,500, nearly half of employees using AI say they don’t know how to achieve the expected productivity gains their employers expect, and 40% feel their company is asking too much of them when it comes to AI. One in three full-time employees say they will likely quit their jobs in the next six months due to feeling overworked and burnt out. The majority of global C-suite leaders (81%) acknowledge they have increased demands on their workers in the past year. Consequently, 71% of full-time employees are burned out, and 65% report struggling with their employer’s demands on their productivity.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2024/07/23/employees-report-ai-increased-workload/
TikTok is one of Microsoft’s biggest AI cloud computing customers
TikTok was paying Microsoft almost $20 million per month to access OpenAI’s models as of March
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210667/microsoft-tiktok-ai-openai-customer
Meta courts celebs to voice AI assistants
Judi Dench, Keegan-Michael Key, & Awkwafina are among multiple “actors + influencers” whose voices could become part of Meta’s AI, & it may pay millions. At least 1 tool is a digital assistant product called MetaAI
Google pulls Gemini AI ad from Olympics after backlash
In the ad, a dad seeks to write a fan letter on behalf of his daughter to her Olympic idol using AI
https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/2/24212078/google-gemini-olympics-ad-backlash
And just like that, Google won’t be deprecating cookies. What now?
Google has changed course once again, announcing that it will explore a “new path” around online privacy instead of deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome. The dramatic halt to Google’s plans after four-plus years of promises and delays comes as the company’s vision for a cookieless future continued to face resistance from several corners of the ad landscape.
https://www.marketingdive.com/news/google-wont-deprecate-kill-cookies-chrome-advertising/722053/
Pinterest, LinkedIn Team Up With Publishers to Sell Ads
Pinterest, TikTok and LinkedIn are trying a new tack to gain a bigger share of advertising — getting news outlets to help sell ads.
https://www.theinformation.com/articles/pinterest-linkedin-team-up-with-publishers-to-sell-ads
Publishing & Media
The 13-strong longlist for this year’s 2024 Booker Prize has been announced
Among those listed are three debut novelists and several marquee names, including Percival Everett, Rachel Kushner, and Richard Powers. Six Americans made this year’s list.
A federal bankruptcy court has approved Barnes & Noble’s acquisition of Tattered Cover for $1.83 million
Did You Know That Poetry Used to Be an Actual Olympic Sport?
HT @publishingtrend And the First Openly Gay Olympic Medalist Was a Poet.
https://lithub.com/did-you-know-that-poetry-used-to-be-an-actual-olympic-sport/
How to Write a Story Retelling
Via @JaneFriedman
https://janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-story-retelling/
How can I keep posting about my book on Instagram after it has launched?
HT @samatlounge
https://open.substack.com/pub/nicolawashington/p/faq-10-how-can-i-keep-posting-about
They Translated the Books of Others. Now They’re Writing Their Own.
Recognized literary translators — Jennifer Croft, Anton Hur, Bruna Dantas Lobato among them — are making the jump to publishing rosters as authors themselves.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/31/books/translators-debut-novels.html
The Society of Young Publishers and The Publishing Post in the UK launch the First Chapter Award for early-career staffers
Amazon, Spotify: Top Podcasters Make Cash
A few blockbuster podcasts are making all the money, as they add videos and sign megadeals with Spotify, Sirius and Amazon
https://www.wsj.com/business/media/a-few-blockbuster-podcasts-are-making-all-the-money-d9cee36e
Resources & Opportunities
Feminist Press Open to Submissions
MT @FeministPress Our submissions portal is open and we’re ready for your manuscript! We’re looking for compelling, accessible, voice-driven works that speak to our present moment and beyond. #teamFP
https://www.feministpress.org/submissions
Pitch Call Round Up
Via @job_writers
https://x.com/job_writers/status/1818348507234742308
Six places to find freelance and fractional gigs
Via @SamanthaAnderl
https://x.com/SamanthaAnderl/status/1818321168719602154
Minorities in Publishing 10th Anniversary
MT @MinoritiesinPub Would like to make sure to invite more BIPOC media to the MiP 10-year anniversary in NYC on Sept. 6th. If you’re in media and would like to come feel free reach out!
https://x.com/MinoritiesinPub/status/1818681023858696550
Free Irish Writing Retreat w free accommodation
MT @AriannaSidd Hi agents and authors! If you’re interested in attending/speaking at the September 2024 Irish Writing retreat, one spot has recently become available!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepsyxnebVMHiaIOlfETJLfQMl_Yx6Nuskz9frgMIcnUvAdOw/viewform
Author Business Clinic: When Your Email Newsletter Growth Has Stalled
Free 9/6 1pm ET w @JaneFriedman
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vihX7GxSRtW1Y4cwfBexMw?t=1722811515894#/registration
Why Nonfiction Book Proposals Often Fail
Free 8/25 3pm ET w @JaneFriedman
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SjOje7MsQvmw3TequXh_Ew?t=1722811517157#/registration
LKBF Latinx Storytellers Conference Student Volunteer Program
MT @LKBFStorytellrs 🚨🗣️Know a Latinx current college student dreaming of publishing a book? Have them volunteer for #LKBFstorytellers24 to: 📝 Access masterclasses with top pros 🫂 Make lifelong friends & support your community 🏃➡️ Get insider access to publishing
https://www.latinxkidlitbookfestival.com/storytellers-conference-student-volunteer-program
Read. Think. Vote.
Stay Informed and Engaged this election season with resources for every step of the process. Make a voting plan with tools from Vote.org, find expertly researched nonfiction, educate the next generation with informative stories for young readers, and more. Learn and feel empowered to make your voice heard at the polls. #ReadThinkVote #BookTheVote#teamPRH
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/read-think-vote/
The David Prize
HT @NewYork_CM The David Prize gives 5 New Yorkers with vision $200K each in no-strings-attached funding to support their ideas for a brighter, better New York. Call for ideas opens Fall 2024!
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