FCC moves to criminalize most AI-generated robocalls

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Pivot 5: 5 stories. 5 minutes a day. 5 days a week.

1. FCC moves to criminalize most AI-generated robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission is set to criminalize most AI-generated robocalls, following a fake Biden robocall made to some New Hampshire voters. The move follows a fake message created with AI to mimic the voice of President Joe Biden, which told New Hampshire residents not to vote in the state's primary election.

The proposal would outlaw such robocalls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a 1991 law that regulates automated political and marketing calls made without receivers' consent. The FCC is expected to vote on and pass the change in the coming weeks, with state attorneys general empowered to take legal action against spammers who use AI. The move is expected to be welcomed by Kathy Stokes, the director of fraud prevention programs at the American Association of Retired Persons.

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2. Amazon made an AI bot to talk you through buying more stuff on Amazon

Amazon has launched its shopping assistant, Rufus, which is trained on Amazon's product library, customer reviews, and web information. Rufus is currently in beta and will only appear for select customers before rolling out to more users in the coming weeks. Users can open a chat with Rufus by launching Amazon's mobile app and typing or speaking questions into the search bar.

The chatbot can answer questions about products, make comparisons, and provide suggestions. It can also answer questions about specific products, such as trail and road running shoes or Valentine's Day gifts. The chatbot will use information from product listings, customer reviews, and community Q&As to provide answers.

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3. Tim Cook confirms Apple’s generative AI features are coming ‘later this year’

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the company is working on generative AI software features that will be available to customers later this year. This aligns with Bloomberg's report that iOS 18 could be the biggest update in the operating system's history. Cook's teases of generative AI several times but never got specific seem to confirm a big release this fall.

He said that Apple will continue to invest in technologies that will shape the future, including AI. AI software features, such as advanced photo manipulation and word processing enhancements, have been a major selling point of smartphones from Google and Samsung. Cook believes there is a huge opportunity for Apple with generative AI and AI.

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4. Reken raises $10M from Greycroft to protect against generative AI-enabled fraud

Reken, an AI and cybersecurity company, has raised $10M from Greycroft and FPV Ventures to protect against generative AI-enabled fraud. The funding will be used for core research and development to build new AI technology and products to protect against generative AI threats, such as deepfake social engineering and autonomous fraud.

Reken's co-founder and CEO, Shuman Ghosemajumder, believes that existing cybersecurity doesn't work as well against new attacks based on generative AI

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5. Shopify to Add AI-Powered Media Editor and Commerce Assistant

Shopify is set to expand its range of AI-powered tools for sellers to include a media editor and a commerce assistant. The Media Editor will enable sellers to use generative AI to create original images and edit existing ones for their online store, with only a few clicks or keywords. The tool will be available early this year. The other AI-enabled assistant for commerce, Sidekick, will allow sellers to use AI to increase productivity, improve workflows, make smarter decisions, and spend less time on operational tasks.

Other updates include a streamlined checkout experience, 14 new APIs, over 90 new apps, and a new Subscription app. Shopify has also added two new products to its suite of lending solutions: Shopify Line of Credit and Shopify Term Loans.

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