KC DEBRIEF WEEK 05, FRIDAY 2024/01/26
DIGITAL TITANS
_Amazon. MrBeast is reportedly on the verge of closing a $100 million TV show dealwith Amazon Studios. According to Matthew Belloni at Puck, MrBeast’s team began pitching a TV show to various streaming services last week. Amazon must have been eager to snap it up, because the deal is “now closing,” with Head of Amazon & MGM Studios Jennifer Salke spearheading it, Belloni reports. A source familiar with the matter told Belloni the deal is worth “nearly $100 million,” but that information isn’t confirmed, and Amazon declined to comment.
_ In November, Spotify took over social media feeds with its Wrappeddeep dive into users' listening habits. Now, its personalized daylists are gaining viral attention online. Daylists are curated playlists based on users' tastes and the music they listen to. The playlist changes throughout the day for each user. Spotify reported a 20,000% increase in searches for daylists in the past week. Posting the playlists on Instagram Stories became a trend in recent days, and Instagram said the Stories template for the trend had over 600,000 shares as of Jan. 17. Daylists were launched lastSeptember. The playlists are unique to each user, with names such as "romantic c-sharp minor Tuesday morning," "delulu masterpiece Thursday afternoon" and "unique library Friday morning."
_Those waiting for the past six months to get their hands on the @apple Vision Pro will finally be able to submit their orders. Billed as the world’s first “spatial computer,” the Vision Pro made its debut at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2023. Apple described the headset as “the first operating system designed from the ground up for spatial computing.”When placing an order for the Vision Pro, users will have to take their measurements to determine the fit of the headband and the Light Seal that secures the headset around their eyes. Those who wear glasses will have the option to add in “optical inserts” in the form of magnifying readers or a regular prescription, for which Apple has teamed up with optical lens maker @zeissgroup.The base model, priced at $3,499 USD, comes with 256GB of storage. Alternatively, Apple offers a $3,699 USD version with 512GB and a $3,899 USD model with 1TB. Shipping for these options is scheduled to start on February 2nd.
ALSO
_ Apple will allow alternative app stores to be used on its devices purchased in the EU from March. Currently, anyone with an iPhone can only download apps from the firm's own App Store. Apple has always maintained that its rules protect users' security. But it has been accused of creating a monopoly, giving customers and developers no choice but to go through its own channels, and charging developers up to 30% commission. It has meant that developers who either fail to meet Apple's standards for being on the App Store, or do not wish to pay its fees, are excluded from the millions of people who use Apple gadgets. The changes will not apply in the UK at this stage - although the UK's Digital Markets Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, is likely to put Apple's practices under similar regulatory scrutiny.
ALSO
On 24 January 1984, the Apple Macintosh 128K personal computer was unveiled to the world, but 40 years later it still has a loyal following of fans – and users. David Blatner still has practically every Macintosh computer he ever bought. But one in particular stands out – the first. He remembers the neat way the screen was laid out; the glossy manual; the cassette tape tutorials explaining how to use the machine. It was everything he felt a computer should be.
ALSO
Vulfpeck posted a video presentation from its bandleader (of sorts), outlining his proposal for Apple Music to take back a good share of the market by switching to a fan-centric model that also splits revenues 90/10 with creators.
_ Almost 2,000 workers in Microsoft's gaming division are to be laid off after its $69bn (£54.3bn) merger deal. A memo from Xbox boss Phil Spencer to workers says the company plans to shed 1,900 of its 22,000 staff.It was sent three months after the software giant acquired Activision-Blizzard, known for the Call of Duty and Warcraft series. In the letter, verified as genuine by Microsoft, Mr Spencer says losing staff was a "painful decision".
_ Netflix sign-ups boomed at the end of last year as customers prodded by the firm's crackdown on password-sharing created their own accounts. The streaming giant added more than 13.1 million subscriptions in the three months ended in December. That was the most for any quarter since 2020, extending a streak of growth that started last year. Netflix said it was confident in its growth path and was planning to raise prices.
_ Streaming site Twitch has announced plans to share more of its revenue with creators as part of a shake-up. Streamers make money through fans subscribing to their channel, which starts at £3.99 per month in the UK. This is then split 50/50 between Twitch and the creator, after fees are paid. Sweetheart deals have previously been given to the most famous streamers, but the new system means anyone with more than 100 paid subscribers will now receive 60% of the money fans pledge. The news come two weeks after parent firm Amazon announced it would axe more than 500 Twitch employees - accounting for a third of the people who work there.
PEOPLE, MEDIA, CULTURE
_ The creator economy has spent the last few years ballooning, vacuuming up more and more ad dollars each year. But the creators, who were once beholden to mysterious social media platform algorithms and anemic creator fund earnings, are increasingly moving to cut out the platforms themselves as middlemen.Because of the platforms’ unpredictable algorithms and mysterious revenue sharing models, social media is becoming more of a marketing vehicle for creators rather than a means to drive revenue itself, creators say. Instead of waiting on the creator fund promised land, creators are rethinking how they view the platforms, with some using social media as a means to get the attention of brands rather than to generate revenue.It’s partly a matter of diversifying revenue streams beyond the platforms themselves to include things like Patreon subscriptions or shoppable content via Like To Know It links in bios. It’s also, per creators, partly out of frustration with low creator fund payouts. (See how much social media behemoths are willing to shell out to creators here.) Increasingly, creators are opting to strike deals with brands and advertisers directly over email or social media direct messages as opposed to relying on social media platforms themselves as revenue generators.
AI AI LA LA LAND
//The use of robots and AI is a "new form of colonialism" that will lead to a resurgence of Arts and Crafts, according to trend forecaster Li Edelkoort. Edelkoort has been a trend forecaster since she was 21 and says the discipline has "informed every single step of my life". During an on-stage interview with Dezeen deputy editor Cajsa Carlson at Downtown Design during Dubai Design Week, Edelkoort explained that she is currently thinking about the return of Arts and Crafts, the 19th-century movement mostly associated with British designer William Morris."I'm craving fantasy – I don't know where it comes from, but it's there," she said. "I'm craving almost childish initiatives and design, I'm craving colour, I'm craving painting, motif and ornamental finishes.""It's been building up for a few years," she added. "I really believe in the return of Arts and Crafts, as it has been described by William Morris. And I think it might also be our future."
//In collaboration with the United Nation’s AI for Good initiative, Shutterstock has launched an exciting artificial intelligence image contest. The competition, called Canvas of the Future, encourages participants to submit AI-generated images that reflect their vision for a sustainable future in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
//Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing businesses in a multitude of ways, and the world of influencer marketing is not immune to its charms. While brands and agencies will tap into AI to help guide their choice of influencers, analyze campaigns and brainstorm on their creative briefs, we will see far less reliance on AI from the influencers themselves.
//A.I. ‘Completes’ Keith Haring’s Intentionally Unfinished Painting. Critics say the image is disrespectful of the original work, which the artist made as a commentary on the AIDS epidemic. The year before he died of AIDS-related complications, the artist Keith Haring created a unique work known only as Unfinished Painting (1989). In its upper-left quadrant, black and white lines form stylized patterns on a purple background. Streaks of purple paint trickle down onto the otherwise empty lower-left quadrant; the right half of the canvas is also blank. Haring intentionally left the work unfinished as a commentary on the AIDS crisis. Now, a newly “completed” version of the work—made with the help of artificial intelligence—is generating controversy: A social media user employed an A.I. image generator to expand Haring’s designs across the blank sections of the canvas, ultimately posting the altered image on X, formerly known as Twitter.
//Walt Disney Imagineering recently revealed the HoloTile Floor, acclaimed as the world's first group-compatible, all-directional treadmill surface. This innovative ground can seamlessly maneuver around any person or object, creating a highly immersive virtual and augmented reality experience. The floor, shaped in hexagons, features tiny surface elements that can change their orientation, functioning similarly to a treadmill. This groundbreaking HoloTile Floor is the brainchild of Lanny Smoot, a renowned Disney Research Fellow and a veteran at Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development. Lanny Smoot is also being honored with an induction into the Walt Disney National Inventors Hall of Fame, recognizing his extensive and impactful contributions over thirty years, including the development of the treadmill floor. experiences.
//OpenAI has removed the account of the developer behind an artificial intelligence-powered bot impersonating the US presidential candidate Dean Phillips, saying it violated company policy. Phillips, who is challenging Joe Biden for the Democratic party candidacy, was impersonated by a ChatGPT-powered bot on the dean.bot site. The bot was backed by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Matt Krisiloff and Jed Somers, who have started a Super Pac – a body that funds and supports political candidates – named We Deserve Better, supporting Phillips.San Francisco-based OpenAI said it had removed a developer account that violated its policies on political campaigning and impersonation.“We recently removed a developer account that was knowingly violating our API usage policies which disallow political campaigning, or impersonating an individual without consent,” said the company.
_ The Great Escapism. Escapism embodies a dual nature, serving as both a flight and a quest. In the realm of cycling, the breakaway signifies audacity, marking the moment when riders break free from the pack in pursuit of victory. In architecture, it assumes the role of a perspective, bridging the enclosed space with the infinite. In literature, it represents a breakthrough through the power of words. Above all, it beckons us on a journey towards the uncharted.In the past, the uncharted was invisible but carried essence. Today, this essence is under scrutiny. Deepfakes plunge us into the depths of the false. Meanwhile, alternative realities become increasingly conceptual, rising above these abysses and unveiling new horizons for exploration.Using a concrete example: "Fake OOH" (Out Of Home) is an advertising technique that leverages CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) to produce exceptionally lifelike videos. These videos, seemingly part of outdoor environments, exist exclusively online, seamlessly blending fiction and reality, thereby redefining the realm of visual storytelling. Ian Padgham, a Californian now based in Bordeaux, has turned it into his creative vineyard. In his world, Big Ben transforms into Big Bend, Inspector Gadget's car comes to life for Hyundai, and the New York subway dons eyelashes for a Maybelline campaign. Padgham describes his creations as poetically surreal videos.
_ Journal app Day One is introducing Shared Journals, a new social feature that lets you share stories and memories with your friends and family. Shared Journals are a private space where you and your friends can share life updates with each other. It’s kind of like a small social network where you can share experiences with up to 30 other people. Members of Shared Journals can leave comments and reactions on entries, bringing a new level of social interaction to the journal app.Day One notes that Shared Journals are separate from your personal journals and that no entry in a private journal will ever be shareable. The company also notes that Shared Journals are end-to-end encrypted. As the creator of a shared journal, you can remove members, and as a member, you have the option to leave Shared Journals.
BRANDS
_BMW is taking a page out of Tesla’s playbook by experimenting with artificially intelligent human-like robots at one of its car plants. Figure, a California startupdeveloping said humanoids, announced a deal with BMW on Thursday to “deploy general purpose robots in automotive manufacturing environments.” Of course, robotics in car manufacturing isn’t anything new. Car companies have steadily automated the way vehicles are built over the years. But the machines currently in operation are programmed to do one thing over and over—like move a door panel from here to there or weld this to that. Figure’s robots, on the other hand, would be able to do a whole bunch of different tasks that are overly tedious or unsafe for human workers, the company says.
MMMM OF THE WEEK
_New York graphic designer @PabloDelcan has created a “non-AI generative art model” where you can submit text prompts and receive an artwork in return. Just like Dall-E, the website will interpret your prompt artistically, the only difference being that Pablo is the one generating each output by hand from his desk in Catskills, New York.So far the artist has produced hundreds of drawings, though the queue of prompts is now closer to 1000. He is currently drawing 50 a day to keep up with demand. Some of the prompts submitted so far include “a grim reaper frustrated with his computer”, “a human being who is not aware of being a human being”, and “forgiveness”.Pablo started Prompt Brush as a joke on social media to “create a human response to the way we’ve been engaging with AI image generators”. It received a feverish response.“I’ve received a lot of messages from people about how much it meant to receive a drawing in their inbox,” says Pablo. “It’s also been a project that feels more universal than most of the other work I do – it’s simple and it can be understood by anyone, especially kids.”
_ Engine is a craft organic gin, produced in small batches with vacuum distillation and using 100% Italian botanicals. The unique motor oil can design is inspired by founder Paolo Dalla Mora and his passion for engines, such as the height of motocross in the 1980's.