As the realm of generative AI expands and access to AI tools becomes more widespread, we can anticipate encountering more instances akin to the recent controversy surrounding “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead.” Initially released on YouTube and subsequently removed, this content purported to feature an hour of new comedic material by the late George Carlin, who passed away in 2008. However, it was soon revealed that the material was not authentic, neither derived from old notes nor lost routines. In response, George Carlin’s estate has taken legal action against the creators of this misleading content.
According to initial reports by NPR, the AI responsible for generating the material was trained on a vast archive of Carlin’s routines. Subsequently, Dudesy, the channel behind the video, was contacted by The New York Times, and their representative claimed that the content was entirely authored by Chad Kultgen, one of the channel’s hosts.
Both hosts, comedian Will Sasso and writer Chad Kultgen, have been implicated in the lawsuit. They have likened the AI-generated Carlin to an impressionist, albeit not a particularly convincing one.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and demands the immediate removal of all copies, whether video or audio, of the deceptive content.
— Mat Smith
In case you missed them, here are some significant stories:
- The discontinuation of Fossil’s smartwatch line
- A documentary titled “Seeking Mavis Beacon” exploring the quest for a lost tech figure
- Sony’s WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones discounted to $328
- X’s plan to recruit 100 content moderators
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Updates will continue to be rolled out over the next few years.
Fossil
Fossil has officially exited the smartwatch market. With no new models released since 2021, the company has confirmed its withdrawal from wearables. Owners of Fossil-branded watches, encompassing various fashion brands like Skagen, Michael Kors, Diesel, and Emporio Armani, can expect updates for the next several years.
However, it’s unlikely that the demise of the Pixel Watch played a significant role in this decision.
A glitch is preventing activation in reverse gear.
Tesla is recalling 200,000 vehicles in the US due to reports of malfunctioning backup cameras that fail to engage when the cars are put into reverse—a critical functionality. Autoblog reports that Tesla has handled 81 warranty claims possibly linked to this issue. The recall affects specific Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles from 2023. Considering Tesla’s delivery of 1.8 million vehicles last year, this recall impacts over 10% of the company’s annual production. Notably, this recall follows a previous one where over two million vehicles were recalled due to severe safety concerns with the Autopilot feature.
Following the circulation of explicit deepfake content featuring the singer.
Reuters / Reuters
In response to the dissemination of pornographic deepfake videos of Taylor Swift, X has taken measures to restrict users from searching for the artist’s name on the platform. Users began noticing limitations in search results containing Swift’s name, leading to error messages being displayed.
The platform’s response to this issue has been sluggish. Following the viral spread of the explicit content last week, Swift’s fans, known as Swifties, took matters into their own hands by collectively reporting accounts sharing the content and inundating singer-related hashtags with positive content. This incident may evoke memories of the past “snake emoji saga.”
Additionally, we delve into the review of the Framework Laptop 16.
This week’s discussions encompass insights on the Mac reaching middle age, a modular laptop with gaming capabilities, and the ongoing dream of an Apple car. News Editor Nathan Ingraham joins Devindra in these reflections and analyses.
