NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Apple Intelligence is Here. Should You Be Excited?

Apple Intelligence is live and rolling out now for iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

It summarizes notes, it talks to you, it checks your grammar and corrects it, it creates stories by analyzing your photos and messages. Is that all? 🙄 Wow, what's wrong with me? Have I gotten so spoilt by the insane AI innovations coming out that it's hard to get excited about these cool new features?

The fact is that I'm not the only one. The New York Times called Apple Intelligence “(mostly) unremarkable.” That's because we're all comparing it to OpenAI’s reasoning models, Anthropic’s Computer Use feature, and other AI news that have dominated headlines recently.

But the market absolutely loved Apple Intelligence. The stock price went up by 7%, adding about $200 billion to Apple's market value. Optimism about Apple’s AI strategy has made the stock price rise by nearly 13% in one month and about 24% over three months.

So what do investors know that we don't? Two words: captive audience. Did you know 1.2 billion people have an iPhone and over 2 billion are Apple customers with various gadgets. 🤯

When Apple launches something, many of us end up using it by default. Case in point: I'm typing this newsletter on my MacBook Pro and just called my Dad on my iPhone.

Here’s one thing I personally love: Apple prioritizes privacy, so it keeps all processing on-device or in a secure private cloud, meaning your data stays with you. ♥️

So, while it doesn't seem like a big deal, the truth is when it comes to Apple, every enhancement is almost always a big deal because of the millions of people who are already using Apple gadgets. 😎

Plus, more AI features are coming in December, including ChatGPT integration.

P.S. Apple Intelligence is only compatible with the latest devices, so if you're on an M-series chip or the newest iPhones, give it a try. Or do what Apple wants you to do: buy a new phone for the AI features (just kidding but seriously, that’s what investors are counting on you doing).

Google's Language Revolution in Africa

Google has announced the addition of 15 more African languages to its Voice Search and Google Translate dictation features. I strongly believe voice is the new medium for human-digital interaction and opens up opportunities from education to healthcare to commerce for users.

Bringing the total languages covered to 25, this update included West African languages like Twi and Nigerian Pidgin, East African languages like Kikuyu and Somali, Central African language Rundi, and Southern African languages like Chichewa and Swati.

This expansion is expected to enable approximately 300 million more Africans to interact with the web using their voice, reflecting Google's commitment to inclusivity and its recognition of Africa's rich cultural tapestry. ♥️

Africa is often under-appreciated in the tech world but the continent’s story is worth paying attention to. Some things to note:

• Africa stands at a critical juncture. The sheer scale of Africa's youth demographic is staggering. With a median age of just 19.7 years, Africa is home to the world's youngest population. In 2024, an estimated 60% of the continent's 1.4 billion people are under the age of 25. 🤯

• One of the most transformative forces shaping young African lives is the rapid adoption of mobile technology. As of 2024, mobile penetration in Sub-Saharan Africa has reached an impressive 76%, with smartphone adoption at 61%.

• By 2025, Google estimates that South Africa's internet speeds will triple and internet costs will drop by over 16% thanks to infrastructure investments like the Equiano subsea cable.

Don’t miss out on the amazing transformation that AI will accelerate in Africa. I’m super excited about it! 😎

WOMAN IN TECH

Elizabeth Kelly, Director of the US AI Safety Institute

Celebrating this Week's Woman in AI 🥳: Meet Elizabeth Kelly, Director of the US AI Safety Institute, where she collaborates with the US government to ensure that AI systems remain secure and ethical.

With an MSc in social policy from the University of Oxford and a JD from Yale Law School, Kelly has helped shape President Joe Biden's technology policy and assisted in drafting his executive order last year that focused on issues related to AI safety.

• Prior to her work in public service, she held leadership roles at Capital One and United Income.

• In 2014, she served as Special Assistant to President Obama and managed his regulations on retirement security, financial inclusion, and unemployment insurance.

• In 2022, she was reappointed to this role by President Biden to help shape the US’ stance on AI regulation.

Kelly joined as Director at the US AI Safety Institute in 2024—her team is collaborating with more than 200 companies (including OpenAI and Anthropic, who have agreed to let them test their future models) to develop rigorous testing standards and ensure that AI systems deployed in the US are well-regulated.

Kelly’s work in AI has earned her recognition on:

• TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in AI (2024)

• Business Insider's 2024 AI Power List (2024)

• Forbes’ 30 under 30 in Law & Policy (2017)

She believes that “safety enables trust, which enables innovation.” As AI evolves, kudos to Kelly for leading the critical mission of creating frameworks that balance innovation with the necessary safeguards. I fully support this approach!

Food for Thought

Hollywood, Are you taking notes? 🎬👀

Runway just released Act-One, an AI feature that lets you transfer every grin, eyebrow raise, or side-eye into a digital avatar. Here's how it works: record yourself pulling your most expressive faces, and Act-One does the rest, mirroring your emotions in an animated character.

It’s common for AI-generated videos to feel flat and a little dead-eyed—Runway’s Act-One could improve this by blending the lifelike expressions we know and love with AI's capabilities.

Umm, so is this the end of Hollywood? Can we all just start making movies in our pajamas at home?

I gave a talk about AI at the World Recycling Convention. Let me assure you, no matter what industry you're in, you can become more efficient, competitive, and profitable by integrating AI into every part of your business.

That’s what my firm, Addo AI, does every day for clients from the United States and Australia to Singapore and Saudi Arabia. Contact me if you'd like to discuss how your organization can use AI.

ps. Let's be friends on LinkedIn and Instagram, if you like this newsletter, share it with your friends and family here.

Until next time!

Ayesha ♥️