Unitary AI secures $15M for innovative video content moderation

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1. Unitary AI secures $15M for innovative video content moderation

In the ever-evolving landscape of online media, content moderation stands as a paramount concern. Addressing this, Unitary AI, a startup from Cambridge, England, has pioneered a "multimodal" technique to scrutinize video content. This approach delves into multiple data types concurrently, encompassing text, sound, and visuals, offering a more holistic view of the content.

Recently, Unitary AI announced a $15 million Series A funding round, led by European VC Creandum and featuring contributions from Paladin Capital Group and Plural. This financial boost comes as the company witnesses a surge in its video classification rate, now analyzing 6 million videos daily. Sasha Haco, the CEO, emphasized the uniqueness of Unitary's approach, stating, "Rather than analyzing just a series of frames...you need to simulate the way a human moderator watches the video."

The digital realm is awash with video content, making up over 80% of all online traffic. Traditional moderation tools, often focusing on a singular data type, fall short in addressing the multifaceted nature of videos. Unitary AI's innovative method, backed by its recent funding, positions it as a frontrunner in the race to ensure safer online spaces.

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2. AI-Related job postings on LinkedIn surge

The influence of AI on the global job market is becoming increasingly evident. Recent data from LinkedIn reveals that job postings mentioning AI or generative AI have more than doubled worldwide from July 2021 to July 2023. Some nations, including Germany and France, witnessed even steeper growth rates, surpassing the 2.2x global average.

This trend isn't confined to the tech sector. Olivier Sabella, Vice President of LinkedIn Talent Solutions for EMEA and LATAM, shared, "We're seeing demand for AI skills increasingly appear across a wide range of industries and geographies." Roles range from direct AI development, such as AI engineers, to positions where AI proficiency is a prerequisite, like digital product managers.

Professionals are actively responding to this AI-centric shift. Job postings on LinkedIn that reference AI have experienced a 17% uptick in application growth over the past two years compared to those without AI mentions. Moreover, a global survey by LinkedIn found that a whopping 89% of professionals are eager to utilize AI in their roles.

As AI continues to reshape the professional landscape, the emphasis on acquiring and updating AI skills becomes paramount. Sabella emphasized the long-term shift in evolving skill sets, underscoring the importance of staying updated in this AI-driven era.

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3. Asana adds new advanced AI features

Today, Asana, a leading enterprise work management platform, unveiled a series of AI-driven enhancements aimed at optimizing organizational workflows. Central to these advancements is Asana's proprietary Work Graph, a system that intricately maps the connections between tasks, information, and team members. This foundation allows executives to harness AI, streamlining processes and achieving clearer accountability.

Dustin Moskovitz, Asana's CEO, highlighted the fusion of AI and human innovation, stating it offers leaders real-time insights into organizational dynamics, promoting efficiency. Among the newly introduced features are "smart fields" for tailored project categorization, a "smart editor" that crafts draft notes, and "smart summaries" that distill task descriptions and comments into actionable insights.

Looking ahead, Asana's vision encompasses a broader AI toolkit. This includes tools for dynamic goal setting, adaptable scenario planning, and agile team resource management. As the AI wave sweeps across enterprise technologies, Asana's commitment to integrating these advancements underscores its position at the forefront of work management evolution.

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4. AI revolutionizes robot design

In a groundbreaking development, a team from Northwestern University has unveiled an AI system capable of designing robots from scratch. Tasked with creating a robot that could traverse a flat surface, the AI impressively condensed billions of years of natural evolution into mere seconds, crafting a walking robot. This rapid design process starkly contrasts with other AI systems, which often rely on vast datasets and mimic human creativity.

Interestingly, the AI, without any human intervention, recognized the efficiency of legged locomotion. It designed a robot with three legs, fins, and a body riddled with holes. Sam Kriegman, who spearheaded the project, remarked, "It rediscovered that legs are a good way to move around on land." The robot's unfamiliar design, with its seemingly random holes, underscores the AI's ability to think outside the box, diverging from typical human-designed robots resembling familiar forms.

Envisioning the future, Kriegman sees a plethora of applications for AI-designed robots. From navigating collapsed buildings in search of survivors to medical nano-robots diagnosing illnesses within the human body, the possibilities are vast. As Kriegman aptly puts it, "Lucky for us, AI has ideas of its own."

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5. Celebrities raise alarm over AI deepfakes

The digital realm is witnessing a surge in AI deepfakes, with celebrities becoming prime targets. Recently, Tom Hanks took to Instagram to caution his followers about an unauthorized AI rendition of himself endorsing a dental plan. This incident isn't isolated. CBS anchor Gayle King and YouTube celebrity MrBeast have also raised concerns about AI-manipulated videos misrepresenting them.

These deepfakes are sophisticated. Scammers are likely repurposing existing videos of celebrities, altering lip movements to align with AI-generated voice clones. These voice clones are crafted using vocal samples sourced from public works. The result? Convincing videos that can easily deceive the unsuspecting viewer.

The rise of deepfakes has ignited a broader debate on AI's ethical and legal ramifications in the media sector. Organizations like the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA have voiced concerns about AI's potential misuse. The challenge lies in distinguishing genuine content from manipulated ones. While companies like Google and OpenAI are considering watermarking AI-generated content, the effectiveness of such measures remains uncertain.

As deepfake technology advances, the digital landscape grapples with potential chaos. Trust in digital content is at stake, and the onus is on regulatory bodies, tech companies, and social media platforms to devise robust countermeasures.

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