In today’s newsletter:

• News - 📩 Musk Lawsuit Unveils Leaked Emails and OpenAI Drama

• Chart - 💼 Employees Turning to ChatGPT at Work — Big Shift!

• Culture - 🗣️ David Attenborough Fights Back Against AI Clones

📩 Musk Lawsuit Unveils Leaked Emails and OpenAI Drama

A lawsuit by Elon Musk against OpenAI has unveiled fascinating early email exchanges, shedding light on power struggles and shifting visions. One standout email shows former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever’s concerns over Musk’s desire for absolute control, despite his stated reluctance to be CEO, fearing it could lead to a single person’s dominance over AGI. Musk’s distrust of DeepMind’s AGI ambitions and the shifting goals of Sam Altman, who seemed more business-focused than originally intended, reveal early tensions in OpenAI's leadership.

The emails also hint at big strategic moves, like a potential acquisition of chipmaker Cerebras via Tesla, which ultimately didn’t happen. Microsoft’s early offer of $60 million in Azure compute was rejected by Musk, who recoiled at the idea of being a “marketing bitch” for the tech giant. Another surprising detail: Gabe Newell, the Valve founder, was on OpenAI's informal advisory board, providing early guidance—though his role remains unclear.

🗞️ In Other News…

• Nvidia stock fell 3% following reports of overheating issues with its new Blackwell AI servers, adding to concerns about production delays and a potential drop in AI spending ahead of its upcoming earnings release.

• NIH researchers have developed an AI tool called TrialGPT that matches patients to relevant clinical trials, streamlining the process, saving clinician time, and showing promise in improving clinical trial enrollment accuracy and efficiency.

• Meta AI is now available on Ray-Ban Meta glasses in France, Italy, Ireland, and Spain, offering hands-free voice assistance in multiple languages, while visual recognition features remain limited to the US, Canada, and Australia.

• The EU AI Act introduces a risk-based framework with tiered compliance requirements for AI applications, aiming to balance innovation with safeguards against potential harms, while escalating oversight and penalties up to 7% of global turnover for severe violations.

• Biden and Xi reached a surprise agreement at the APEC summit to prevent AI from controlling nuclear weapons, marking a key step in nuclear safety amid rising U.S.-China tensions and the transition to a Trump-led administration.

💼 Employees Turning to ChatGPT at Work — Big Shift! 

ChatGPT’s popularity is growing fast, with 23% of U.S. adults having used it as of February 2024, up from 18% just last summer, according to Pew Research Center. Younger adults are leading the charge, with 43% of those aged 18-29 saying they’ve used it, and 31% using it at work—more than double the rate of March 2023. Meanwhile, workplace use across all ages has jumped to 20%, as more employees turn to AI for help with their tasks.

Despite the uptick in usage, major productivity gains haven’t materialized yet, as many employees need more training to fully leverage the tools, according to Oliver Wyman Forum. However, HR teams see potential time savings using AI for tasks like writing job descriptions and screening candidates. Barriers remain, such as AI literacy and concerns about bias and privacy, but targeted training programs and hands-on experience could help bridge the gap.

🗣️ David Attenborough Fights Back Against AI Clones

David Attenborough is voicing serious concerns about AI voice cloning after discovering his own iconic narration has been mimicked without permission. In a recent BBC segment, a clip from his latest series Asia was followed by an AI-generated imitation, sparking a debate when listeners struggled to tell the difference. The cloned voice has already appeared in YouTube videos on topics like the Ukraine-Russia conflict, leaving Attenborough “profoundly disturbed” by the misuse of his voice and identity.

AI creators behind the cloned voice claim it’s harmless fun, but many see it as a clear violation of copyright and privacy. The issue has prompted discussions around regulation, with the proposed No Fakes Act in the U.S. aiming to hold creators accountable. The controversy mirrors recent disputes, such as Scarlett Johansson's objection to a cloned voice, highlighting growing tensions as AI tech tests legal and ethical boundaries.

VC Fundraising Rounds

• Tessl, a startup led by an experienced entrepreneur aiming to revolutionize software design, coding, and maintenance with AI, has secured $100 million in funding. (11/14/24)

• Upheal, a Czech-US startup, has introduced the first AI-powered mental health platform for clinicians with automated note-taking, secure video calls, and data analytics, raising approximately $10 million USD (€9.52 million) in Series A funding. (11/14/24)

• Team-GPT, a Bulgarian startup, has attracted over 45,000 users for its AI-driven collaborative workspace for enterprises and recently raised a $4.5 million seed round. (11/14/24)

• Alison.ai, specializing in creative AI for advertising, has raised $13.3 million in Seed funding. (11/13/24)

• Zeplyn, a startup focused on automating operational tasks for financial advisors, has announced a $3 million Seed funding round. (11/13/24)

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