News/Video
AI masters audio-visual links without human guidance
MIT researchers have developed a new approach that helps artificial intelligence learn connections between audio and visual data in the same way humans naturally connect sight and sound. This advancement could enhance applications in journalism and film production through automatic video and audio retrieval, while eventually improving robots' ability to understand real-world environments where visual and auditory information are closely linked. The technique builds on previous work but achieves finer-grained alignment between video frames and corresponding audio without requiring human labels. The big picture: MIT's improved AI system learns to match audio and visual elements in videos with greater precision,...
read May 21, 2025Google’s new Veo 3 AI video generation is scary good and shockingly impressive
Google's Veo 3 video generation engine represents a significant leap in AI-generated content, blurring the line between synthetic and authentic media. By adding synchronized audio capabilities and enhanced visual fidelity to AI-generated videos, Google has created a tool that produces content nearly indistinguishable from human-created footage. This technological advancement signals a concerning new phase in the evolution of digital misinformation, as these hyperrealistic AI videos could potentially deceive viewers and further complicate an internet landscape already struggling with truth and authenticity. The big picture: Google's newly announced Veo 3 engine combines synchronized audio with enhanced video generation to create remarkably...
read May 19, 2025Fairground launches AI-generated TV series, starting with Dracula
Xumo founder Colin Petrie-Norris is pioneering a new frontier in entertainment with Fairground Entertainment, a studio and streaming service dedicated exclusively to AI-generated television series. Having raised $4 million in seed funding, the startup plans to release its first wave of programming in Q3 2025, focusing initially on reimagined public domain properties like Dracula and Robin Hood. This venture represents a significant evolution in content creation, as AI technology continues to transform how entertainment is produced and consumed. The big picture: Fairground Entertainment aims to blend original storytelling with generative AI technology, focusing on producing high-quality entertainment that happens to...
read May 19, 2025TikTok introduces AI-powered photo-to-video conversion tool
TikTok's new AI Alive tool transforms static photos into brief videos through AI generation, expanding the platform's creative toolkit while implementing safety measures to prevent misuse. This feature represents the growing trend of AI-powered content creation tools becoming more accessible to everyday users, potentially changing how people create and consume short-form video content. How it works: TikTok's AI Alive tool uses intelligent editing technology to transform static images into short videos based on user-provided text prompts. Users can access the feature through TikTok's Story Camera, where they select a photo and enter a prompt describing their desired video outcome. The...
read May 19, 2025CausVid enables interactive AI video generation on the fly
MIT researchers have developed a new AI video generation approach that combines the quality of full-sequence diffusion models with the speed of frame-by-frame generation. Called "CausVid," this hybrid system creates videos in seconds rather than through the slow, all-at-once processing used by models like OpenAI's SORA and Google's VEO 2. This breakthrough enables interactive, on-the-fly video creation that could transform various applications from video editing to gaming and robotics training. The big picture: MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Adobe Research have created a video generation system that works like a student learning from a teacher, where...
read May 19, 2025This new sci-fi movie shows how AI could change how foreign films are dubbed
Hollywood is about to witness a significant advancement in film localization as "Watch the Skies" debuts in U.S. theaters with AI-driven visual dubbing technology. The sci-fi adventure, originally filmed in Swedish, will appear to American audiences as if actors are speaking English thanks to TrueSync, an AI tool from startup Flawless that synchronizes English dialogue with actors' lip movements. This technology represents a potential transformation in how international films are adapted for English-speaking markets, potentially enhancing audience connection compared to traditional dubbing methods. The big picture: XYZ Films is pioneering AI visual dubbing in theatrical releases, with "Watch the Skies"...
read May 16, 2025Evernote adds AI-powered transcription for audio, video, and images
Evernote's new AI Transcribe feature represents a significant value addition to the note-taking platform following its difficult transition under Bending Spoons ownership. The multimodal transcription tool, which quickly and accurately converts audio, video, and image files to text, marks a notable technological advancement for the service that has recently faced criticism for staff reductions and price increases. The big picture: Evernote has launched a powerful AI-based transcription tool that works across multiple media formats with impressive speed and accuracy. The feature is available both within the main Evernote application and as a standalone web tool for easy access. Users can...
read May 16, 2025YouTube’s Gemini AI targets ads to viewers’ favorite video moments
YouTube is leveraging Gemini AI to strategically place video advertisements by identifying the moments when viewers are most engaged. This new ad insertion strategy, called "Peak Points," aims to maximize advertising effectiveness by targeting emotional high points in videos, such as the moments just after a proposal. By placing ads after—rather than during—these pivotal moments, YouTube seeks to balance advertiser needs with viewer experience while potentially reducing the frustration of ads interrupting critical content. The big picture: YouTube has unveiled "Peak Points," a Gemini-powered advertising system that identifies optimal ad placement based on viewer engagement patterns. The system analyzes videos...
read May 15, 2025Netflix to introduce AI-generated ads during streams by 2026
Netflix (home of hit, and relevant show, "Black Mirror") is rapidly expanding its advertising strategy with new AI-powered ad formats as streaming companies increasingly rely on ad-supported revenue models. The streaming giant's push into interactive mid-roll and pause advertisements reflects the industry's broader shift toward tiered pricing strategies that balance subscriber affordability with revenue diversification. These developments signal a fundamental transformation in how streaming platforms monetize content beyond traditional subscription fees. The big picture: Netflix announced plans to introduce interactive mid-roll ads and AI-powered pause ads beginning in 2026, following successful tests of pause advertisements that started in July 2024....
read May 14, 2025TikTok’s new AI photo tool turns normie cats into hydra-headed felines
TikTok's new AI Alive feature transforms still photos into animated videos, but the results often veer into unsettling territory rather than enhancing images as intended. The feature, part of the broader integration of AI into everyday apps, produces bizarre distortions that highlight the current limitations of generative AI technology when applied to common personal content like pet photos. The big picture: TikTok has joined the AI race with its new AI Alive feature, which transforms static images into short video clips based on user prompts. The tool represents another step in the widespread integration of AI features across popular social...
read May 13, 2025Netflix leans into AI to help you find what to watch faster
Netflix is revolutionizing its TV app experience with a major redesign focused on improved discovery and personalization. The overhaul represents the streaming giant's most significant interface update in years, addressing navigation challenges while leveraging AI to enhance content discovery. These changes arrive as streaming services increasingly compete on user experience and recommendation quality to retain subscribers in an increasingly crowded market. The big picture: Netflix is launching a completely redesigned TV app experience that puts content front and center with a streamlined, modern interface. The new design features a prominent top navigation bar replacing the current sidebar, with dedicated sections...
read May 12, 2025Amazon bets on AI to improve the relevancy of ads shown when you pause
Amazon's new AI-powered pause ads represent a significant evolution in streaming advertising technology, enabling contextually relevant commercials that respond directly to the content being viewed. This development marks a strategic shift in how streaming platforms monetize content without disrupting the traditional viewing experience, potentially creating more engaging advertising that viewers might perceive as extensions of the entertainment rather than unwanted interruptions. The big picture: Amazon is enhancing pause ads with artificial intelligence that can analyze what viewers are watching and dynamically generate contextually relevant advertisements when users halt their streams. The technology aims to create advertising that naturally aligns with...
read May 12, 2025Google and eToro debut AI-driven advertising partnership
eToro's collaboration with Google marks a significant milestone in AI-powered advertising with one of the first campaigns using Google DeepMind's Veo 2 technology. This partnership demonstrates how generative AI is transforming creative marketing production, enabling brands to create cinematic-quality videos from text prompts with realistic physics and expressions. The campaign represents a convergence of cutting-edge AI technology with traditional marketing strategies, potentially setting new standards for future advertising production. The big picture: eToro partnered with Google to create one of the first advertising campaigns using Veo 2, Google DeepMind's advanced AI video generation technology. The campaign features two 30-second videos...
read May 12, 2025Google AI transforms photos into videos on Honor phones, though amusing errors persist
Honor debuts Google's Veo 2 image-to-video AI on smartphones before the technology reaches Gemini users, offering a glimpse into how AI video generation is becoming more accessible. This notable early implementation showcases both the potential and current limitations of consumer-facing AI video tools, while establishing a precedent for how similar features might be monetized as they become more widely available. The big picture: Chinese phone manufacturer Honor has integrated Google's Veo 2 image-to-video AI generator into its latest smartphones before the technology is widely available to Google's own Gemini users. The feature will debut on Honor 400 and 400 Pro...
read May 9, 2025YouTube users, including Premium subscribers, demand “block channel” feature
YouTube's limited content filtering options leave users exposed to AI-generated content and unwanted channels, highlighting a growing tension between Google's AI ambitions and user experience. The platform's current "Don't recommend channel" feature fails to provide comprehensive blocking capabilities, frustrating even paying Premium subscribers who seek greater control over their viewing environment. The big picture: YouTube's recommendation algorithm effectively suggests new content but offers no true "block channel" option, forcing users to repeatedly encounter unwanted content in search results and other areas of the platform. The current "Don't recommend channel" feature only prevents suggestions on the Home page while allowing the...
read May 8, 2025Netflix redesign sparks user backlash on social media
Netflix is radically transforming its user interface across TV and mobile platforms, shifting toward a more algorithm-driven content discovery system that prioritizes visual impact and personalization. The redesign represents one of the streaming giant's most significant interface overhauls in years, arriving at a time when competition for viewer attention has never been fiercer. Early user reactions suggest Netflix may face resistance to changes that alter familiar navigation patterns, particularly the decision to relocate genre-specific browsing options away from the main screen. The big picture: Netflix has unveiled a major redesign of its TV interface alongside experimental AI-powered features for mobile...
read May 7, 2025Afterlife AI? Arizona court presents synthetic video of murder victim forgiving killer
An AI-generated victim impact statement has made judicial history in Arizona, marking a watershed moment for artificial intelligence in the legal system. Using video footage and a script written by his sister, Christopher Pelkey's AI-generated persona addressed and forgave his killer from beyond the grave. This unprecedented use of AI in court proceedings has sparked discussions about the broader implications of synthetic media in the justice system, as courts scramble to establish guidelines for this rapidly evolving technology. The breakthrough case: An Arizona judge heard what officials believe is the nation's first AI-generated victim impact statement in a murder sentencing,...
read May 7, 2025Netflix launches AI search and TikTok-style redesign
Netflix is reinventing its user interface with AI-driven features and a design that better accommodates its expanding content offerings beyond traditional shows and movies. The overhaul, the largest in over a decade, introduces conversational AI search capabilities, vertical video scrolling for mobile users, and improved infrastructure for live events and sports. This redesign positions the streaming giant to compete more effectively against attention-grabbing platforms like TikTok while supporting Netflix's strategic expansion into gaming, live programming, and sports content. The big picture: Netflix's redesign represents its most significant user experience update in more than a decade, fundamentally reimagining how viewers discover...
read May 5, 2025AI video creation in seconds: Here’s what Kling AI offers
Kling AI is emerging as a standout competitor in the video generation space, offering versatile tools for creating and modifying video content through AI. With its latest Kling 2.0 Master model, the platform combines text-to-video generation, image animation capabilities, and advanced editing features that enable users to transform still images into fluid videos. Understanding how to navigate and utilize Kling's various functions can help content creators leverage AI video generation for everything from professional projects to creative meme animations. How to Use Kling AI for Video Creation and Editing 1. Text to Video Generation This entry-level feature allows users to...
read May 2, 2025Viewers Also Watched: AI-powered Kernel simplifies movie discovery and streaming
Kernel AI transforms movie discovery by enabling users to find content through simple descriptions, streamlining the often frustrating process of remembering film titles. This practical application stands out in a landscape where many companies add AI features without clear purpose, as Kernel's implementation serves a specific need for streaming service subscribers who struggle to recall movie names but can describe plots or scenes. The app's direct integration with streaming platforms further simplifies the viewing experience by reducing multiple steps into a single click. The big picture: Kernel's latest update introduces an AI-powered search feature that helps users find movies and...
read May 2, 2025Monster cats? Gnarly Minions? AI-generated cartoon gore floods YouTube
A new wave of disturbing AI-generated cartoons is infiltrating YouTube's children's content ecosystem, echoing the infamous 2017 Elsagate scandal. This investigation reveals dozens of channels using generative AI to create violent, grotesque, and inappropriate animations featuring popular characters like Minions and cartoon cats, raising alarms about content moderation failures and the potential psychological impact on young viewers. The big picture: YouTube is facing a resurgence of inappropriate children's content, this time powered by generative AI tools that make it easier to produce disturbing videos at scale. One channel called "Go Cat" markets itself as "fun and exciting" for kids while...
read May 2, 2025Meta’s SAM 2.1 brings complex video editing to Instagram creators
Meta's Segment Anything Model (SAM) 2.1 has rapidly transitioned from research project to practical application, now powering the innovative Cutouts feature in Instagram's new Edits app. This technology enables creators to perform sophisticated video editing tasks previously reserved for desktop applications, demonstrating how advanced AI research can evolve into consumer-facing features that empower digital creativity. The big picture: Meta has successfully deployed its open-source segmentation model SAM 2.1 into Instagram's Edits app, allowing mobile creators to perform complex video editing through the Cutouts feature. The feature was used hundreds of thousands of times within 24 hours of the app's launch,...
read May 1, 2025HitPaw offers 60% discount in Mother’s Day promotion
HitPaw's Mother's Day sales campaign offers substantial discounts on its AI creative tools, potentially helping users create personalized gifts while saving money. The limited-time promotion combines significant price reductions with a social media giveaway, creating multiple incentives for consumers to engage with the brand during this seasonal shopping period. The big picture: HitPaw is running a Mother's Day promotion from April 29 to May 16, 2025, offering up to 60% discounts on its AI-powered creative software suite and a chance to win prizes through a social media giveaway. Key details: The promotion includes discounts on HitPaw's entire product line, which...
read Apr 30, 2025Samsung’s One UI 8 may introduce AI video summarization
Samsung appears poised to expand its Galaxy AI capabilities with a new video summarization feature in its upcoming One UI 8 software update. This development represents part of a growing trend among tech giants to apply AI tools to multimedia content, potentially transforming how users consume video across their devices. By enabling on-device video summarization for any media, Samsung could differentiate its offering from more limited implementations like YouTube's existing feature. The big picture: One UI 8 may introduce a Galaxy AI tool that can summarize any video played on Samsung devices, not just content from specific platforms. The feature...
read