NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Veo 2: Is Google Raising the Bar for AI Videos?

If you’ve ever laughed (or cringed) at AI-generated videos with laughably bad physics (think floating people and awkwardly stiff jumps) Google’s Veo 2 just mark the next big step forward in AI videos.

Veo 2, the follow-up to DeepMind’s video generator that debuted seven months ago has some impressive upgrades:

• Generate up to 2-minute videos (up to 4K resolution).

• Improved understanding of physics, lighting, and fluid dynamics for natural movement.

• Enhanced “camera control” for creative shots — think POVs, drone angles, and cinematic movements.

• Invisible SynthID watermarks for safeguarding content from misuse.

• The model is rolling out gradually through the VideoFX waitlist, with YouTube Shorts integration planned for 2025.

In user tests, 59% preferred Veo 2 over OpenAI’s Sora Turbo, and DeepMind says it has reduced AI “hallucinations.” However, questions about its undisclosed training data have raised copyright concerns among creators.

A $2.7 billion licensing deal with Character.AI and a past $300 million investment in Anthropic show how Google is strategically collaborating with emerging AI players to maintain its edge, solidifying its grip on the AI market.

But will tools like Veo 2 change how we create content, or are we still waiting for AI-generated videos to stick the landing? 😂

A Digital Revolution, or a Career Crisis?

Lisa Kudrow is raising the alarm over Here, Tom Hanks’ latest film. On the Armchair Expert podcast, she called it “an endorsement for AI,” questioning its implications for the future of acting.

The debate centers on the film’s use of de-aging technology, which digitally transforms Hanks and Robin Wright into their younger selves. While de-aging has been previously used, Kudrow fears it’s setting a dangerous precedent.

“Will new actors have to license their faces instead of actually acting?” Kudrow asked.

In 2023, Hollywood’s biggest unions, WGA and SAG-AFTRA, went on strike, with AI at the heart of their demands. The agreements they secured highlighted growing fears: will AI enhance creativity or sideline human artistry? Kudrow’s remarks bring that anxiety back to the forefront.

This isn’t the first time Hanks has found himself in the AI spotlight:

• Earlier this year, an unauthorized AI-generated advertisement using his likeness went viral, raising questions about consent and control in the digital age.

• Hanks himself has mused about AI preserving his legacy, suggesting his performances could continue long after his death.

Unlike previous efforts, like The Irishman or Rogue One, Here utilizes real-time de-aging, allowing actors to see their younger selves during filming.

The conversation about AI in Hollywood is no longer hypothetical.

I’m all for humans + AI collaboration, it’s about playing to each other’s strengths. Finding the right balance between innovation and human creativity is key. And let’s not forget, respecting consent isn’t just important; it’s non-negotiable.

WOMAN IN TECH

Meet Cynthia Breazeal, Dean for Digital Learning at MIT

Celebrating this week's Woman in Tech 🥳: Meet Cynthia Breazeal, a pioneer in social robotics and the Dean for Digital Learning at MIT, best known as the founder of Jibo.

Jibo is the world's first home “social robot”—it can act as a family member and give reminders, tell stories, and take photos (see image!).

She earned her MS (1993) and Sc.D (2000) in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT.

Career Highlights:

• 2000: During her doctoral work at the MIT AI Lab, she developed Kismet, a social robot that could recognize and express emotions.

• 2002: Co-created Leonardo, a furry robot that recognized faces, changed expressions, and reacted to touch. It was named one of Wired magazine’s "50 Best Robots Ever" in 2006.

• 2012: Co-founded Jibo, whose first social robot was featured on the cover of TIME in 2017 and won TIME’s Best Inventions award. It was shut down in 2018.

• 2024: Awarded the MassRobotics Robotics Medal for her contributions to social robotics.

Currently, she serves as MIT's Dean for Digital Learning and Director of the MIT-wide Initiative on Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE), focusing on AI education for all ages and backgrounds, with an emphasis on K-12 students and workforce development.

Breazeal has been featured on Forbes’ 50 Over 50 (2023) and MIT Technology Review’s Top Innovators Under 35 (2003). She has delivered talks at TED, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations, inspiring future innovators.

One of my fave quote: “Robots are never going to be human; that’s not the point. The magic of this technology is how it complements and empowers us.”

Fun fact: Breazeal's interest in robots was sparked at the age of 10 when she saw the robotic characters (R2D2 and C3PO) in the movie Star Wars. 🤖

Is Botto the Picasso of the Digital Age? 🎨🤖

Botto isn’t your average artist. This AI creator has made over $4 million from its works, displayed at Sotheby’s and other prestigious venues.

Botto doesn’t just generate images—it’s shaped by its community. Followers vote on its creations, refining its “taste model” to align with human preferences.

Now, Botto’s creators are giving it even more autonomy. By integrating a language model and a knowledge base, Botto can discuss its work with followers, developing a unique personality and potentially steering its future art.

The team even envisions letting Botto use unaligned AI models with minimal or no pre-set guardrails, granting greater artistic freedom but it sparks a crucial debate about ethics and the nature of artistic agency. Case in point: without guardrails, the AI can create explicit and insensitive images, like when Gemini showed African-American Nazi soldiers.

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Ayesha and the Addo team ❤️

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