#557 AI Longevity Escape Velocity
Midjourney Prompts, Generative AI Art & Animation for creatives.
📣 In this issue:
Morgan Freeman slams AI fakes, Kurzweil predicts singularity again, the tech giant AI backlash, moon In The Man, David vs Goliath, Apple Intelligence in 5. minutes, and a cool pixelated animal prompt.
📰 News-To-Know
1
Morgan Freeman Slams AI Fakes
Morgan Freeman recently voiced his concerns about the misuse of AI in replicating voices, highlighting a significant issue within Hollywood.
He highlighted a personal incident where his voice was convincingly cloned to produce a fake audio message, demonstrating how advanced and accessible such technology has become. Freeman urged the need for regulations and technological safeguards to protect individuals from fraudulent use of AI-generated content, underscoring the importance of authenticity in digital media.
2
Kurzweil Predicts Singularity Again
Ray Kurzweil, Google's resident futurist and tech soothsayer, has whipped out his crystal ball once again in his new book, "The Singularity Is Nearer." According to Kurzweil, the singularity—a.k.a. the point where AI becomes smarter than us mere mortals—is penciled in for 2045. But don’t get too comfy; AI is set to match our smarts by 2029, thanks to the relentless march of Moore's Law and its exponential boost in computing power.
Kurzweil’s optimistic vision of the future paints AI as our savior, promising longer lifespans, the eradication of poverty and disease, and a boost in wealth creation. After we hit the singularity, brace yourself for brain-computer interfaces and nanotechnology to start blending human and machine intelligence into one seamless entity. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows; Kurzweil also flags the potential ethical minefields, like an AI deciding it fancies turning the world into a giant paperclip factory.
Kurzweil's take on consciousness is as mind-bending as you'd expect. He reckons simulating neural connections could be enough to recreate human-level intelligence. And in a twist that would make sci-fi writers proud, he predicts that by 2029, we’ll be hitting "longevity escape velocity," essentially outliving our expiration dates thanks to scientific leaps forward.
If your plan is to live forever, then read: The Secret to Living Past 120 Years Old? Nanobots
3
Tech Giant AI Backlash
Tech giants like Microsoft, Adobe, Meta, and Amazon are facing a fierce backlash from users over controversial AI policy changes. Users are accusing these companies of invading their privacy and using their data without consent.
Microsoft's Recall AI tool, designed to capture screen content every few seconds to create a searchable library, including sensitive information like passwords and private photos, sparked such a wave of privacy concerns that the company indefinitely delayed its release. The backlash was so intense that even the UK’s Information Commissioner's Office got involved, demanding answers about potential security risks.
Adobe, the go-to software company for creatives, found itself in hot water after users discovered ambiguous terms in its service agreement. These terms seemed to give Adobe free rein to use their work for AI training. Artists were furious, suspecting their creations were being fed to Adobe’s Firefly AI without permission. The uproar forced Adobe to clarify its terms, assuring users that their content wouldn’t be used for AI training unless submitted to the Adobe Stock marketplace.
Meta, never one to shy away from controversy, faced accusations of using public data from Facebook and Instagram for AI training. Despite the company’s claims that it only used public data and not private messages or information from users under 18, European users were given an opt-out option, a luxury not extended to U.S. users due to the lack of national privacy laws. This led to legal challenges and further scrutiny from privacy advocates.
Amazon found itself dealing with a literary scandal when AI-generated books, some falsely attributed to real authors, began appearing on its Kindle Direct Publishing platform. The situation escalated when some of these books contained dangerous misinformation. In response, Amazon revised its policies to require disclosure of AI-generated content and removed falsely labeled books. However, the damage was done, with authors like Jane Friedman publicly condemning the company’s oversight.
This collective uproar underscores the growing tension between AI advancements and data privacy, highlighting the urgent need for greater transparency and stronger privacy protections in the digital age.
👀 Watch List
Moon In The Man
AI-animated music video
David Vs Goliath
⏳ ICYMI
Apple Intelligence in 5 Minutes
🎨 Inspiration
Pixelated Animals
Pixelated images transcend the realm of technical glitches and limitations, becoming a powerful tool in the artist's arsenal. Imagine the grain of film photography, but instead of subtle specks, a world built from tiny, vibrant squares. These pixels, the fundamental building blocks of our digital images, are being wielded with intention, creating a distinct aesthetic that pulsates with a unique energy.
This artistic embrace of pixelation unfolds in fascinating ways. Some artists meticulously construct entire worlds from individual pixels, akin to painstakingly assembling a mosaic with a limited color palette. This dedication birthed the renowned "pixel art" style, with roots firmly planted in the golden age of arcade games. Characters like Pac-Man and iconic landscapes became testaments to the expressive potential of these tiny squares, a legacy that continues to inspire artists today, elevating pixel art into a respected digital art form.
Another approach involves taking existing images, photographs perhaps, and applying a pixelation effect. This artistic manipulation can serve as a commentary on our digital world, a stark reminder that everything we see on screens is ultimately just a complex dance of ones and zeros. It can also evoke a sense of nostalgia, a yearning for the simpler days of early computer graphics. But the power of pixelation goes beyond thematic messages. It injects a layer of abstraction, a touch of mystery, transforming a familiar scene into something curiously captivating.
Midjourney Prompt
a pixelated [leaping dog], large [black and white] pixels,
/settings: Version 6 and Stylize Med
What Next?
As always, consider this prompt as your starting point. Make it your own!
Missing out
If you are a free subscriber, then you are missing out. Paid subscribers get two additional newsletters each week. They follow the same format as this issue, but include TWO Midjourney prompts per issue, and generally more detail.
Subscription is pretty reasonable, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Paid subscribers also get their own copy of my Ai Prompt Pod, pre-filled with fantastic text-to-image prompts. So subscribe today and take your Ai Art and Animation to the next level …
Disclaimer and Copyright
Inclusion in this newsletter or on our other channels does not indicate endorsement. Make your own decisions.
The information provided is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information provided.
Furthermore, we do not guarantee or warrant that the information provided is fit for any particular purpose, including but not limited to, any business or commercial purposes. The use of the information provided is at your own risk, and you should always seek professional advice before making any decisions based on the information provided.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of the information provided, including but not limited to, direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.
This site includes affiliate links, through which we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The inclusion of affiliate links does not influence our editorial content, and we only recommend products or services that we believe will add value to our readers. By using the affiliate links, you are supporting our website, and we thank you for your support.
Whilst you are free to use the output from the prompts for anything you wish, the content in this publication may not be distributed, sold, or reproduced without prior written permission.