AI Inside: Nothing is Forever
For Wednesday, April 2, 2025
I knew when I was putting this week’s show together that it would inspire some great conversation. Before we get to the stories:
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OK on with the news!
Google's AI Leadership Shake-Up
Breaking news right before showtime: Google announced a leadership change in its AI division. Sissie Hsiao is stepping down as head of the Gemini AI chatbot team, with Josh Woodward from Google Labs taking over. Hsiao played a pivotal role in accelerating Google's efforts to compete with OpenAI and was involved in Bard's development before Gemini launched. Woodward brings success from projects like NotebookLM and Project Mariner, which could signal exciting developments ahead.
OpenAI Secures Record $40 Billion Funding
OpenAI has closed a massive $40 billion funding round, marking the largest private tech deal in history. Led by SoftBank’s $30 billion investment, this deal could scale down if OpenAI doesn’t restructure to for-profit status by late 2025. Much of the funding will support Stargate production in the U.S. Meanwhile, ChatGPT continues to dominate with 500 million weekly active users and 700 million monthly users—a testament to its explosive growth since gaining one million users within five days of launch.
ChatGPT-4o's Image Generation Update
OpenAI’s image generation feature in ChatGPT-4o has been making waves, from Studio Ghibli-inspired creations to White House remixes. Free-tier users now have access with daily limits of three images. However, concerns are growing over misuse, such as generating fake receipts—potentially aiding fraud. OpenAI emphasizes creative freedom but notes potential non-fraud uses like financial literacy education.
Open Weights Model Initiative
OpenAI plans to launch an open weights model this summer, inviting community feedback via its website and hosting events globally to showcase prototypes. This move aligns with trends toward openness seen in competitors like Meta and DeepSeek. Open weights models allow customization without sending private data through APIs—ideal for industries like healthcare and banking—but raise concerns about misuse by bad actors.
Amazon's Nova Act and Alexa+
Amazon’s AGI SF Lab unveiled Nova Act, its first general-purpose agentic AI model capable of controlling web browsers for tasks like form filling and calendar navigation. Currently in research preview, Nova Act hints at broader ambitions tied to Alexa+. Developers can explore Nova Act at nova.amazon.com.
Meta's Hypernova Glasses
Meta plans to release Hypernova glasses by year-end, priced between $1,000–$1,400. Featuring a monocular screen in the lower right quadrant of the lens and upgraded cameras from Meta Ray-Bans, these glasses promise AI access via built-in mics and capacitive touch controls on the sides. A second-gen model with binocular lenses is already in development.
Elon Musk's xAI Acquires X
Elon Musk’s xAI acquired X (formerly Twitter) for $45 billion, integrating xAI’s capabilities with X’s user-generated content to deepen platform interaction through Grok AI tools. Musk envisions an “Everything App” combining real-time interaction and AI-driven experiences but faces scrutiny over privacy practices.
Model Context Protocol Collaboration
OpenAI and Anthropic are collaborating on MCP (Model Context Protocol), which connects AI models to external data sources—a “USB-C port for AI applications.” MCP aims to reduce vendor lock-in and foster interoperability across platforms but risks fragmentation if vendors resist adopting a unified model.
Court Rules Against Copyright for AI-Generated Works
The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that work created solely by AI cannot be copyrighted under current law. In *Thaler v. Perlmutter*, Dr. Stephen Thaler sought copyright protection for artwork generated by his AI system but was denied due to lack of human authorship—a requirement under U.S. law. Other jurisdictions like the UK take a broader view of authorship in computer-generated works.
The Voice Behind Bluetooth: Kristen DiMercurio
Wired profiled Kristen DiMercurio—the voice behind countless Bluetooth speakers and call centers—highlighting how synthetic voices are replacing corporate voiceover jobs. She believes human voices will thrive as artisan luxury products in niche markets—a sentiment echoed in music creation as well.
Thank you for checking out this week’s newsletter! Don’t forget to find Jeff Jarvis’ blog at jeffjarvis.com and visit aiinside.show for podcast subscription links, video episodes, and live recording details. See you next Wednesday!