Welcome to The Upgrade

Welcome to my weekly newsletter, which focuses on the intersection of AI, media, and storytelling. A special welcome to my new readers from FleishmanHillard, BalanceStaffing, University of California, Riverside, and many other top organizations — you’re in good company!

In today’s issue:

• The Week’s Top AI Stories 📰

• 🎓 30% off until April 25th: AI Upgrade for Creatives⚡️

• 🎧Podcast: Futurist Sylvia Gallusser on AI & media equity

• 🎙️Podcast: Agency founder & entrepreneur Salvador Klein on the risks of generative search

• 💡 The Big Think: 2024 is the Year of Enterprise AI

The Week’s Top AI Stories

Top AI Headlines

• A.I. Has a Measurement Problem — The New York Times

• Meta’s new AI assistant is rolling out across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger — Fast Company

• Meta’s battle with ChatGPT begins now — The Verge

• Microsoft’s Copilot AI can now analyze your personal files — PCWorld

• Inside Morgan Stanley's AI chatbot used by nearly all its advisor teams — Business Insider

• The end-to-end AI chain emerges - it's like talking to your company's top engineer — ZDNET

Ethics & Safety

• Dove Becomes First Beauty Brand To Ban AI-Generated Women In Ads — Forbes

  

  (Image: Marketwatch)

• Representation In AI Development Matters — Follow These 5 Principles to Make AI More Inclusive For All — Entrepreneur

• Is the ‘Dead Internet’ theory suddenly coming true? This could be a sign — Fast Company

Legal & Copyright

• AI-generated child pornography is circulating. This California prosecutor wants to make it illegal. — The LA Times

• Key unknowns about AI — what is the law and who is responsible? — Reuters

• Hollywood’s AI Concerns Present New and Complex Challenges for Legal Eagles to Untangle — Variety

AI in the Workplace

• The Smartest Way to Use AI at Work — The Wall Street Journal

• 85% of people believe lifelong upskilling will be the new norm — Forbes

• A 4-day work week could be coming as AI proliferates. These names may capitalize — CNBC

🎓May AI Course for Creatives! 💻

I’m thrilled to partner with Kris Krüg, founder of Future Proof Creatives, to offer a special 6-week AI course for creatives of all types! Kris and I met through the Google News Initiative’s Pre-Launch Accelerator and have been guest lecturers in each other’s AI courses for months. Kris is a former tech marketing director, a professional photographer, AI consultant and explorer!

The class starts on Wednesday, May 8th, at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT. Learn more here!✨The course fee is $1,499 — discounts are available for freelancers, NGOs, and educators.

⚡️For 30% OFF before April 25th, use code: FUTUREPROOF

💡The Big Think: 2024 is the Year of Enterprise AI

In 2024, artificial intelligence is already redefining enterprise operations worldwide, signifying a pivotal year for business transformation. Last year, large language models entered the public consciousness with the rise of ChatGPT, but now, a wide array of increasingly specialized AI models are being leveraged for organizational transformation. Technological advancements and a strategic alignment of AI applications across industries drive this surge. Here’s why this year is crucial for enterprise AI:

1. Broadening Impact of Generative AI

Generative AI is now synonymous with enterprise innovation, offering unparalleled capabilities in data processing and creative problem-solving. Companies are increasingly deploying these technologies across a spectrum of applications—from customer engagement to complex problem-solving in R&D. IBM and McKinsey underscore the vast potential of generative AI to drive these sectors by enhancing decision-making processes and operational efficiencies. This year, the technology has moved from experimental to essential, as evidenced by companies like Morgan Stanley, and the Financial Times creating internal and customer-facing chatbots.

2. Focusing on Measurable Outcomes and ROI

2024 marks a shift toward ROI-focused AI initiatives. Enterprises are now demanding tangible benefits from their AI investments, prioritizing projects that offer quick returns and measurable improvements in performance. According to Deloitte, businesses are strategically selecting AI projects that align with their immediate operational goals, reflecting a pragmatic approach to AI adoption that favors both short-term gains and long-term sustainability​.

3. Enhancing Customer and Employee Experiences through AI

AI's ability to customize interactions based on individual user data is dramatically enhancing customer service and boosting employee productivity. A standout example is L'Oreal's virtual hairstylist, which uses AI to provide personalized hair care advice based on users' selfies. The application improves customer interaction by offering tailored suggestions and streamlining the consultation process, reducing the time staff need to spend on standard inquiries and allowing them to focus on higher-value activities. This dual benefit of AI showcases its transformative potential in enhancing both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency​.

4. Addressing Integration and Scalability Challenges

As enterprises scale their AI deployments, integration, and talent management emerge as critical hurdles. However, 2024 has seen significant progress in these areas, with companies developing centralized AI hubs to streamline governance and deployment strategies. These hubs help overcome integration challenges and manage the complexity of AI systems, ensuring that AI tools are accessible and effective across different facets of the business​. For example, Microsoft has established a centralized AI hub that facilitates sharing AI tools and best practices across teams. This centralized approach not only streamlines the integration of AI technologies but also addresses the skills gap by consolidating expertise and resources in a single, accessible platform.

Similarly, Amazon has leveraged its centralized AI service, AWS, to provide a comprehensive suite of AI and machine learning services that can be easily integrated across different business units. This not only allows for better governance and risk management but also enhances scalability by offering standardized yet customizable AI functionalities to various parts of the organization.

The Takeaway

This year is proving to be transformative for enterprise AI, moving beyond mere potential to deliver substantial, quantifiable benefits. As AI becomes more embedded in core business processes, it’s paving the way for significant efficiency improvements, fostering innovation, and enhancing competitive dynamics. Organizations of all types that effectively harness the power of AI this year are poised to lead in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

Don’t be shy—hit reply if you have thoughts or feedback. I’d love to connect with you!

Until next week,

Peter

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