Catch up on select AI news and developments from the past week or so (in no particular order):

Meta's WhatsApp Introduces AI Tools for Businesses. Meta has launched AI-driven ad targeting tools for businesses on WhatsApp, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at a conference in Brazil. These tools use data from Facebook and Instagram to target messages to receptive users. WhatsApp will also feature an AI chatbot for business inquiries and integrate Brazil's PIX payment method. This shift aims to monetize WhatsApp more effectively, leveraging its large user base for increased revenue.

Importance for marketers: This development is important for marketers as it introduces advanced AI tools for targeted advertising and customer engagement on WhatsApp. These tools can significantly enhance marketing strategies by reaching more receptive audiences.

TikTok Feeds Misleading Election Content to Young Voters. A BBC investigation revealed that TikTok's algorithm is promoting misleading AI-generated videos about UK political leaders to young voters. These videos spread false claims about Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, often blurring the lines between satire and misinformation. TikTok has increased efforts to counter misinformation, but the platform remains a battleground for political content, influencing young voters.

Importance for marketers: Understanding the spread of misinformation on social platforms is vital for marketers. This knowledge helps in crafting strategies that maintain brand trust and effectively engage with audiences amidst a landscape of misleading information.

Hitachi and Microsoft Partner to Drive Innovation with AI. Hitachi and Microsoft have announced a three-year, multibillion-dollar partnership to enhance industry solutions using generative AI. Hitachi will integrate Microsoft's cloud and AI services into its Lumada solutions, aiming to boost productivity for its 270,000 employees. The partnership includes training 50,000 AI professionals and developing innovative solutions for various industries.

Importance for marketers: This partnership highlights the increasing role of AI in business innovation. Marketers should consider how AI-driven efficiency and productivity improvements can be integrated into their strategies to stay competitive.

Cisco to Invest $1 Billion in AI Startups. Cisco plans to invest $1 billion in startups focused on secure and reliable AI services. It has already committed $200 million to companies like Mistral AI, Scale AI, and Cohere. This investment aligns with Cisco's strategy to integrate AI into its products and expand its presence in the AI industry.

Importance for marketers: Cisco's significant investment in AI startups signals the growing importance of AI technology. Marketers should stay updated on these advancements to leverage new AI tools and services for more effective marketing strategies.

US Regulators Launch Antitrust Investigations into AI Giants. The US Justice Department and FTC have agreed to investigate Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia for potential antitrust violations. The DOJ will focus on Nvidia, while the FTC examines OpenAI and Microsoft. This increased regulatory scrutiny follows concerns over market concentration in the AI industry.

Importance for marketers: These antitrust investigations highlight the potential impact of regulatory actions on the AI market. Marketers should monitor these developments, as they could affect the availability and regulation of AI tools and services.

SAP to Acquire WalkMe for $1.5 Billion. SAP announced its acquisition of digital adoption platform WalkMe for $1.5 billion. WalkMe provides real-time, on-screen guidance to simplify software navigation and improve user engagement. This acquisition aims to enhance SAP's offerings and support business transformations in the digital era.

Importance for marketers: SAP's acquisition of WalkMe highlights the growing demand for digital adoption solutions. Marketers should consider how these tools can improve user engagement and streamline customer experiences in digital platforms.

Mistral Introduces AI Model Customization Services and SDK. French AI startup Mistral has launched new customization options for its AI models, including a software development kit (SDK) and paid fine-tuning services. The SDK allows developers to fine-tune models on various hardware setups, while the fine-tuning services offer managed solutions through Mistral's API. The company also offers custom training services for specific organizational needs, aiming to enhance AI model performance for specialized applications.

Importance for marketers: Marketers can leverage Mistral's customization options to create highly specialized AI models tailored to their needs, improving the effectiveness of AI-driven marketing campaigns and customer interactions.

Nothing's Next Phone to Feature AI Innovations. Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced that the upcoming Phone 3 will be the company's first true AI phone. The device will include AI-driven features such as a personalized voice assistant and a dynamic homescreen that adapts to user needs. These innovations aim to move smartphones beyond the traditional app-centric model, providing a more integrated and intuitive user experience.

Importance for marketers: This AI-centric approach by Nothing highlights the potential for more personalized and seamless user experiences. Marketers should explore how AI innovations in smartphones can enhance customer engagement and streamline digital interactions.

Stability AI Launches Open Source Sound Generator. Stability AI, known for its AI-powered art generator Stable Diffusion, has released Stable Audio Open, a model for generating sounds and songs. The model, trained on royalty-free recordings, can produce audio clips based on text descriptions. Though it has limitations, such as not producing full songs, it offers potential for creating sound effects and music snippets for various media.

Importance for marketers: Stability AI's sound generator provides a new tool for creating custom audio content, which can be valuable for enhancing marketing materials, advertisements, and multimedia projects with unique and tailored sound effects.

AI Industry Employees Warn of Safety Risks in Open Letter. Current and former employees of AI companies, including OpenAI and Google DeepMind, have issued an open letter warning about the lack of safety oversight in the AI industry. The letter calls for increased protections for whistleblowers and greater transparency from AI companies. It highlights the potential risks associated with AI development and the need for stronger regulatory measures.

Importance for marketers: This open letter underscores the importance of ethical AI practices and transparency. Marketers should advocate for responsible AI use and ensure that their AI-driven strategies prioritize safety and ethical considerations to maintain consumer trust.

Tool Unlocks Windows' AI-Powered Recall Feature for Unsupported PCs. A new tool called Amperage allows users to enable Windows' controversial AI-powered Recall feature even on older, unsupported PCs. Recall, introduced for devices with neural processing units (NPUs), helps users find previously viewed content on their PC using local snapshots and AI recognition. Amperage extends this capability to computers with Arm64-based SoCs running specific Windows versions.

Importance for marketers: Understanding how AI tools can be retrofitted onto older devices provides insights into extending the life and capabilities of existing hardware.

Apple Insider Reveals AI Features for iPhone 16 Pro. Apple is set to introduce several AI-based tools for the iPhone 16 Pro, enhancing capabilities like image processing, Siri responses, and user experience personalization. However, these features will be fully available only on the Pro models because of hardware constraints. The integration of AI tools aims to provide a more sophisticated and efficient user experience.

Importance for marketers: Apple's focus on AI for its latest iPhone models emphasizes the growing importance of advanced technology in enhancing user experiences. Marketers should consider how AI-driven features can be used to create more personalized and engaging customer interactions.

ElevenLabs Launches AI Sound Effects Generator. ElevenLabs has introduced a tool that generates sound effects based on user prompts, complementing its existing AI-generated voices and music services. The tool, developed with Shutterstock's audio clips, offers up to 22 seconds of sound effects for free users and commercial licenses for paid users.

Importance for marketers: This tool provides marketers with a cost-effective way to create custom sound effects for multimedia content, enhancing the auditory experience in advertisements, podcasts, and videos.

Meta's AI Summarizes Facebook Comment Sections. Meta has introduced AI-generated summaries for Facebook comment sections, aiming to provide users with quick overviews of discussions. While these summaries can be helpful, they have raised privacy concerns as they involve processing user comments to generate the summaries.

Importance for marketers: Marketers should consider the privacy implications of using AI tools that process user-generated content. Balancing innovation with privacy concerns is essential for maintaining user trust and compliance with regulations.

OpenAI's Deal with Apple Raises Concerns at Microsoft. Microsoft is reportedly concerned about a potential deal between OpenAI and Apple, which could see OpenAI's services integrated into Apple products. This deal might impact Microsoft's AI ambitions and its strategic partnership with OpenAI.

Importance for marketers: The potential shift in AI alliances and integrations can influence market dynamics and available AI tools. Marketers should stay informed about these developments to adapt their strategies accordingly.

Fable Launches AI-Powered Streaming Service for User-Created Shows. Fable Studio has launched Showrunner, a streaming platform that allows users to create their own shows using AI. The platform can generate and animate episodes based on user prompts, marking a significant step in AI-driven content creation.

Importance for marketers: This platform represents a new frontier in content creation, enabling highly personalized and engaging media. Marketers can explore opportunities in AI-generated content to connect with audiences in innovative ways.

OpenAI Reveals Disinformation Campaigns Using Its Tools. OpenAI has published a report detailing how its tools were used in disinformation campaigns by actors from Russia, China, Israel, and Iran. These campaigns involved creating and spreading propaganda across social media platforms. OpenAI has banned the accounts involved and emphasized the need for better oversight.

Importance for marketers: Understanding the misuse of AI tools for disinformation is crucial for marketers to protect their brands and ensure ethical use of AI in their campaigns. This awareness can help in developing strategies to counteract misinformation.

Chatbots Enter the Stone Age with New Tool Capabilities. Chatbots like Claude from Anthropic are being equipped with new tool use capabilities, allowing them to perform more complex tasks by accessing external services and software. This development aims to make AI more useful in business settings by automating tasks and improving efficiency.

Importance for marketers: The advancement of AI tools in performing complex tasks can significantly enhance productivity and streamline operations. Marketers should explore these capabilities to optimize their workflows and improve service delivery.

Google's Gemini Nano AI Update Rolling Out to Pixel 8. Google is rolling out an Android AICore update for Pixel 8 devices, enabling on-device generative AI features through Gemini Nano. This update allows users to access advanced AI functionalities like summarizing content and smart replies within various apps.

Importance for marketers: The integration of advanced AI features in smartphones presents new opportunities for marketers to leverage mobile technology for personalized and efficient customer engagement. Staying updated on these advancements can inform future marketing strategies.

Apple May 'Sherlock' Arc's AI Summarization Features. Apple is reportedly planning to introduce "smart recaps" in iOS 18, a feature that summarizes content using AI, similar to Arc's "browse for me" and "pinch to summarize" features. This move could diminish demand for alternative browsers offering AI tools.

Importance for marketers: Apple's potential adoption of AI summarization features highlights the competitive nature of AI innovations. Marketers should be prepared to adapt their strategies to leverage new native features in popular platforms, enhancing user experience and engagement.

You can find last week's AI Update here.

Editor's note: GPT-4o was used to help compile this week's AI Update.