Lots has happened this past week in the tech world! With chatbots being added to the Amazon website for customer support, SpaceX denying FAA allegations, new AI features being introduced to YouTube users, and more, there’s much to catch up on. So, let’s get started!
Chatbots Added to Amazon Website
Amazon.com announced on Thursday the launch of a new artificial intelligence tool designed to assist independent sellers with various tasks, including sales metrics analysis, inventory management, and product advertising. This initiative is part of a larger trend among Big Tech companies to leverage AI for enhanced automation. The software, called Amelia, is capable of providing real-time answers to broad questions, such as how to prepare for the holiday season or how a seller’s business is performing in terms of units sold and website traffic. In the future, the company says Amelia will also be able to resolve issues like delayed shipments without the need for human intervention.
SpaceX Denies FAA Allegation
SpaceX on Thursday “forcefully rejected” the Federal Aviation Administration’s claim that it failed to comply with license requirements and did not obtain approval for changes before two launches in 2023. Earlier this week, the FAA proposed a $633,000 fine against SpaceX for the alleged violations.
In a letter to Congress released Thursday, SpaceX criticized the FAA for not keeping up with the rapidly advancing commercial spaceflight industry and implied that the fine might be linked to increased Congressional scrutiny of the FAA’s oversight. SpaceX further noted that the FAA’s commercial space office has long been under-resourced, resulting in delays in licensing reviews and a focus on areas unrelated to public safety.
New AI Features for YouTube
On Wednesday, YouTube introduced new artificial intelligence features for creators on its Shorts platform, utilizing Google’s DeepMind video-generation model. The features, called Veo, will allow creators to add AI-generated backgrounds to their videos and use written prompts to create stand-alone, six-second video clips.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan expressed hope that Veo would help creators produce more Shorts content with the assistance of AI tech. “Everything we demonstrated with AI was designed to enhance your work, making it faster and more efficient, and enabling your creative ideas to come to life more quickly,” Mohan said at the Made on YouTube event in New York.
Samsung Electronics Sues Labor Union Members
Samsung Electronics’ Indian division has filed a lawsuit against members of a labor union leading an 11-day strike at its sole home appliances plant in Tamil Nadu, intensifying the conflict with its workers, according to legal documents. The lawsuit, dated September 12 and reported first by Reuters, seeks a temporary injunction from a district court to prevent the union and its members from protesting, making speeches, or organizing demonstrations in and around the factory near Chennai.
Since September 9, hundreds of Samsung workers have disrupted operations and staged protests in a nearby tent, calling for higher wages and official recognition of their union. The plant is responsible for about a third of Samsung’s annual $12 billion revenue in India.
California Restricts AI Deepfakes With New Laws
California now has some of the strictest laws in the U.S. targeting election deepfakes ahead of the 2024 election, following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signing of three landmark bills at an AI conference in San Francisco this week. The legislation prohibits the use of AI-generated fake images and videos in political ads close to Election Day.
However, two of the laws are already facing legal challenges through a lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Sacramento. One law, which took effect immediately, allows individuals to sue for damages over election deepfakes. The second law, set to take effect next year, mandates that large online tech platforms, such as X, must remove deceptive content related to elections.
