AI Safety and Google’s Disclosures for AI-Generated Political Ads
Emerging Tech Roundup — July 5
The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.
This week in tech: New YouTube policy allows users request the removal of AI-generated content, Anthropic looks to fund more comprehensive generation of AI benchmarks, Meta updates labels for social media posts suspected of using AI, Apple adds support for new languages, clean aviation startup ZeroAvia lands deal with American Airlines, Michigan builds the nation’s first smart highway, and Google will now generate disclosures for political ads that use AI.
New YouTube Policy Lets You Request the Removal of AI-Generated Content That Uses Your Likeness
(Engadget, July 1)
YouTube has introduced a new policy allowing users to request the removal of AI-generated content that resembles them. This policy, aimed at protecting privacy, considers factors like whether the content is synthetic, identifiable, or realistic, and whether it involves sensitive behavior or public figures. The policy requires first-party claims, except in specific cases, and gives the content creator 48 hours to address the complaint before YouTube reviews it.
Anthropic Looks to Fund a New, More Comprehensive Generation of AI Benchmarks
(Tech Crunch, July 1)
Anthropic has launched a program to fund the development of new benchmarks to evaluate AI models, including generative models like its own Claude. The program will provide payments to third-party organizations that can effectively measure advanced AI capabilities, with applications evaluated on a rolling basis. Anthropic aims to improve AI safety by investing in high-quality, safety-relevant evaluations — addressing the gap between current benchmarks and real-world AI usage.
Meta Is Changing Artificial Intelligence Labels After Real Photos Were Marked As AI
(CNET, July 1)
Meta is updating its labels for social media posts suspected of using AI, changing “Made with AI” to “AI Info.” This change comes in response to criticism from artists, as Meta’s detection systems often mislabeled images with minor modifications as AI-generated. The new approach aims to balance rapid technological advancements with the company’s responsibility to help users understand their feeds, highlighting the growing difficulty in distinguishing real content from AI-generated material.
Apple Adds Support for New Languages Across Lock Screen, Keyboard and Search on iOS 18
(Tech Crunch, July 2)
Apple introduced iOS 18 at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) last month, followed by two developer betas featuring extensive new language support. The update allows lock screen customization with time display in 12 different numeral systems and enhances the keyboard with trilingual predictive typing, making language switching seamless. Users can now see additional language scripts in the suggestion field and receive relevant suggestions in all three languages based on their input.
Clean Aviation Startup ZeroAvia Lands Deal with American Airlines to Buy 100 Plane Engines
(GeekWire, July 2)
American Airlines plans to purchase 100 hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia to power its Bombardier CRJ700 jets, which are used for regional flights. The deal includes an undisclosed investment by the airline and follows ZeroAvia’s announcement to sell components of its hydrogen fuel cell-powered engines to other companies. ZeroAvia’s propulsion systems generate electricity from hydrogen fuel cells — producing only water vapor as emissions — and will be developed in their new manufacturing facility in Washington.
Michigan is Building the Nation’s First Smart Highway
(Engadget, July 2)
A three-mile stretch of Interstate 94 in Michigan is being transformed into America’s first smart highway by the Alphabet-backed startup Cavnue. This pilot project aims to inform the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and drivers about potential issues like obstacles, accidents, or traffic jams, with hopes of reducing congestion and improving emergency responses. Additionally, a “Smart Freight Corridor” is being developed on State Highway 130 in Austin, Texas, highlighting a broader trend towards smart infrastructure.
Google Will Now Generate Disclosures for Political Ads That Use AI
(The Verge, July 3)
Google is now making it easier for advertisers to disclose AI-generated content in political ads. The tech giant will be automatically generating disclosures when advertisers label their election ads as containing synthetic or digitally altered content. This update simplifies the previous requirement for political advertisers to include clear disclosures themselves, as Google now automatically includes these disclosures in mobile feeds, YouTube Shorts, and in-stream ads across various devices.
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