Snap’s new AI feature lets you create Snapchat Lenses by simply describing them

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1. Snap’s new AI feature lets you create Snapchat Lenses by simply describing them

Snapchat is expanding its suite of AI tools for creators. The company announced new features such as Easy Lens, which translates plain-English descriptions into Lenses, its augmented reality objects, 3D effects, characters, and transformations for photos and videos. Lens Studio will also include Body Morph, a generative tool for creating 3D characters, costumes, and outfits from text captions or reference images.

Snap plans to add more generative capabilities to Lens Studio in the future, including a custom animation generator and a tool that allows creators to upload a video of an object to Lens Studio to reconstruct it as a 3D asset. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel believes generative AI is responsible for driving Snapchat's creator growth. The number of creators publishing Lenses grew to 375,000 as of this month.

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2. Most US teens use Gen AI. Most of their parents don’t know.

A survey by Common Sense Media found that parents underestimate their teens' use of generative AI. The survey polled 1,045 US adult parents and their teens, and found that 70% of the teens used generative AI. However, only 37% of parents were aware of their use, and nearly 40% of adult respondents whose teens had experimented with AI were not sure about their experience.

Teens with generative AI experience used platforms for homework help, avoiding boredom, and translating between languages. Some teens also used AI for school assignments without permission. Amanda Lenhart, head of research for Common Sense Media, recommends parents discuss the complexities of AI with their children to prepare them for potential risks.

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3. BlackRock and Microsoft plan $30bn fund to invest in AI infrastructure

BlackRock is set to launch a $30bn AI investment fund with Microsoft to build data centres and energy projects to meet growing demands from AI. The partnership, which will be one of the biggest investment vehicles ever raised on Wall Street, will involve Microsoft and Abu Dhabi-backed investment company MGX. Nvidia will advise on factory design and integration.

The Global AI Investment Partnership aims to address the power and digital infrastructure demands of building AI products, which are expected to face severe capacity bottlenecks in coming years. The fund seeks to raise up to $30bn in equity investments and leverage to support up to an additional $70bn in debt financing. The fund marks GIP's first big fund since the private infrastructure investment group was acquired by BlackRock for $12.5bn earlier this year. The International Energy Agency estimates that global electricity consumption by data centres could surpass 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026.

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4. Salesforce CEO describes new AI product’s real-life use case in healthcare

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff discussed the real-life use cases of Agentforce, a new artificial intelligence product, at the annual Dreamforce conference. Benioff cited Agentforce as a solution to burnout among medical professionals, as it automates tasks like scheduling and patient interaction.

The platform has helped clients like ADP, OpenTable, Wyndham, and Wiley, freeing up doctors' time to focus on less menial tasks. Benioff emphasized Agentforce's advanced capabilities over other automated customer services functions.

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5. California governor signs rules limiting AI actor clones

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two bills, AB 2602 and AB 1836, to protect performers from having their likeness simulated by AI digital replicas. AB 2602 prohibits contract provisions allowing companies to use a digital version of a performer without their consent, and AB 1836 requires permission from a performer's family or estate before producing or distributing a digital replica of them.

The bills may help resolve California's SB 1047, which has drawn opposition from the AI industry.

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