Adobe Introduces ‘GenStudio’, AI-Powered Ad Creation Platform

Adobe introduced GenStudio, a new AI-powered ad creation platform that serves as a centralized hub for brands. It provides tools, guidance, and pre-approved assets to quickly generate ads for social media and email using generative AI. GenStudio monitors ad performance and directs AI prompts. Pricing varies by company and it is currently in alpha with general availability later this year.

Adobe is also adding an AI assistant to its Experience Platform to answer customer questions and automate tasks related to using Experience Cloud apps. It can fetch performance data and compile audiences. Additionally, Firefly Services provide over 20 APIs for automating image resizing and background expansion. Firefly is receiving updates like structure reference to influence layout and custom models for external training. Adobe partners with Microsoft to integrate Experience Cloud and Copilot for Microsoft 365, though an availability date was not specified.

Adobe has been aggressively promoting generative AI since introducing Firefly last year. Its focus on the enterprise makes sense given competition from tools like DALL-E. Adobe claims Firefly presents less copyright risk as it was only trained on Adobe Stock, open content and public domain, appealing to organizations exploring viable AI implementation.

To convince investors, Adobe still needs to demonstrate commercial viability against a growing field of generative options. GenStudio, the assistant, Firefly updates and Microsoft partnership aim to strengthen workflows and make Adobe's suite of AI tools practical for automating marketing tasks at scale.

xAI Announces Grok-1.5 Upgrade

Elon Musk's xAI has announced Grok-1.5, an upgraded version of its proprietary LLM set to release next week. It brings enhanced reasoning, problem-solving and closes in on the performance of LLMs like GPT-4 and Claude 3, though remains behind Gemini 1.5 Pro's larger context window. Grok-1.5 will power xAI's ChatGPT challenger on X while Grok-2 is in training to exceed all AI. On benchmarks, Grok-1.5 achieved scores like 50.6% on MATH, 90% on GSM8K, 74.1% on HumanEval and 81.3% on MMLU, significantly beating Grok-1. It also has a 128,000 token context window, 16 times more than Grok-1.

Initial deployment will prioritize early testers and X users, with real-time post access. The rollout will be gradual with improvements and new features like an unhinged mode, eventually expanding availability. When debuted on X, Grok required a $16/month Premium+ subscription but will now also be enabled for $8/month Premium subscribers. Certain verified followers may also get Premium/Premium+ benefits including Grok for free.

By upgrading Grok-1.5 and expanding its use through X, xAI aims to strengthen its position competing against major LLM players. Substantial benchmark gains and a far larger context window bring Grok closer to leading models while broader accessibility should drive more evaluation and use of the system.

Stability AI CEO Resigns to Fix “Concentration of Power in AI”

Stability AI founder Emad Mostaque has stepped down as CEO and from the board, pursuing decentralized AI instead. He believes centralized AI control can't beat centralized AI and wanted more transparent governance as the field grows critical. Interim co-CEOs were appointed as the firm lost over half a dozen talent. Mostaque said on X that decentralized structure is needed and it was his decision due to controlling shares. The departure comes as Stability AI spending $8 million monthly struggled to raise funds at a lower valuation.

While focused on commercialization now, over a year ago Mostaque found revenue prioritization strange in generative AI's infancy, citing companies who spent heavily pre-revenue like Magic Leap. He argued proper R&D will create more value than self-driving cars, where $100B yielded nothing. Mostaque noted they aimed to be cash flow positive in 2023 through custom models, consulting, and capturing regulated enterprise verticals requiring open models as testing finished last year.

The announcement capped a notable week as Inflection AI, raising $1.5B, saw co-founders and staff join Microsoft after its last funding round. Leadership transitions at the highly funded startups point to industry evolutions, from centralized control concerns to commercial strategies aiming to justify massive investments, as generative AI matures towards mainstream application.

• Airtable brings AI summarization to paying users
• Amazon doubles down on Anthropic, completing its planned $4B investment
• Google will let the Pixel 8 run on-device AI after all
• Grok will soon be enabled for all premium subscribers on X

• Instagram co-founders’ AI-powered news app Artifact may not be shutting down as planned
• Meta is adding AI to its Ray-Ban smart glasses next month
• OpenAI shows off first examples of third-party creators using Sora

Marvel’s New Overwatch-like ‘Marvel Rivals’ Unveiled

Marvel Games and NetEase Games revealed Marvel Rivals this week as a free-to-play hero shooter bringing legendary Marvel characters into intense 6v6 combat. Developed in collaboration with Marvel Games, the title will feature iconic superheroes and villains from across the Marvel Universe.

In Marvel Rivals, players will assemble teams of heroes to battle opponents in dynamic arenas pulled from famous Marvel locations. A robust roster is promised at launch, with over a dozen playable characters confirmed for the upcoming closed alpha in May. Fan favorites like Black Panther, Spider-Man, Magneto and more are among the initial lineup.

Unique team-up abilities will offer strategic depth, allowing players to synergize heroes' powers for devastating effects. Destructible environments also provide interactive battlegrounds.

Both solo players and organized teams will face off in competitive matches. A story mode involving a Timestream crisis will provide PvE missions at release. Developers with experience on franchises such as Battlefield and Call of Duty are helming development.

Interested players can sign up now to participate in the upcoming closed alpha test, with the game targeting a PC launch. This new title looks to excite Marvel fans with its multiplayer showcase of the titans of the Marvel universe.

Take-Two to Acquire Gearbox from Embracer for $460M

Take-Two will acquire Gearbox Software from Embracer Group for $460 million, which is expected to close in June. As the developer of the Borderlands franchise and games including Homeworld, Risk of Rain, and Brothers in Arms, Gearbox will join Take-Two's 2K label while continuing under founder Randy Pitchford's leadership. Embracer acquired Gearbox in 2021 for up to $1.3 billion, mostly performance-based, as it restructures following a failed $2 billion deal and layoffs. Take-Two gains ownership of six announced Gearbox projects like future Borderlands and Homeworld titles and at least one new IP.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated the acquisition strengthens their creative talent and IP portfolio including the iconic Borderlands series. 2K head David Ismailer highlighted Gearbox's nearly 20-year partnership and ability to craft beloved worlds and storytelling. Pitchford expressed excitement to ascend to the next level under the new partnership. The purchase enhances Take-Two's existing projects financially and allows leveraging resources across Gearbox's initiatives for increased long-term growth.

Embracer's sale of Gearbox follows selling Saber Interactive, and is part of its restructuring in the wake of a large acquisition falling through. For Take-Two, Gearbox adds major franchises and development heft in getting more out of owned properties.

Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile Generates $1.4M in 4 Days

Activision's Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile generated $1.4 million in its first four days after global launch on March 21, 2024, according to estimates. Including some early territories, it earned $1.6 million over five days. Since its December 2022 soft launch, lifetime revenue is $2.2 million. The US accounted for 47% of spending at $1.1 million. Chile was second at 9% while Australia and Germany tied for third with 8% each, or $360,000 combined.

However, this start is slower than Call of Duty: Mobile, which earned $4.2 million in its first four days in collaboration with Tencent. Since October 2019, Activision claims Mobile has generated over $3 billion in revenue with stable bookings and engagement as of summer 2023. Mobile now represents half of all Call of Duty engagement, explaining Warzone Mobile's 50 million pre-registrations.

Warzone Mobile looks to follow in the successful footsteps of CoD Mobile, which has significantly expanded the franchise's mobile audience. While the new title earned over $1 million in its opening days, it lagged the revenue of its precursor, suggesting the mobile battle royale space remains competitive.

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Azuki’s Chiru Labs and the Weeb3 Foundation Unveil AnimeChain on Arbitrum

Azuki and the Weeb3 Foundation have partnered with Arbitrum to launch AnimeChain, a blockchain project dedicated to anime. AnimeChain aims to be an online anime ecosystem with original content, games, merchandise and NFTs governed by the community. Location TBA of Azuki said they evaluated Ethereum scaling solutions and felt Arbitrum was best due to its high performance and low fees from optimistic rollups. Arbitrum can handle over 40,000 transactions per second, allowing smooth onboarding of millions. Location TBA also noted Arbitrum's 250 millisecond block times will improve the anime fan experience.

Arbitrum has recently seen other projects launch on its network like ApeCoin's "ApeChain" and Pirate Nation. The Weeb3 Foundation will maintain AnimeChain. Location TBA wants the platform to offer intuitive interactions without requiring blockchain expertise, similar to Crunchyroll. Arbitrum Head of Ecosystem Development Nina Rong expressed excitement to collaborate and redefine anime experiences globally. Azuki was launched in 2022 by Chiru Labs and its NFT collection currently has a floor of over $17,000.

By partnering with Arbitrum, AnimeChain aims to leverage the scaling solution's high performance and seamless user experience to build an inclusive community platform for anime fans, creators and businesses worldwide.

Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison by Judge Lewis Kaplan for his role in the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange. The judge found SBF committed seven felony charges along with witness tampering and perjury based on his evasive testimony. Judge Kaplan rejected defense arguments that losses were zero, noting customers and creditors lost billions, and added an $11 billion judgment. SBF showed no remorse or acceptance of responsibility. Others in the crowded courtroom included victims like Sunil Kavuri, who testified to suffering for two years.

The 25 year sentence splits the difference between prosecutors' request of 50 years and the defense argument of 6.5 years. Judge Kaplan ruled SBF knew he was at fault but refused to admit it, and that mathematics cannot justify the crimes. Four other individuals associated with FTX and Alameda who pleaded guilty will also be sentenced, including Ryan Salame on May 1. Experts predicted 10-30 years given the facts and massive funds involved totaling billions in losses.

SBF maintains the exchanges would have survived without being shut down, but the judge found the assertion that all would be repaid through bankruptcy is misleading. The sentence underscores the seriousness of SBF's criminal actions and lies that led to devastating financial impacts.

Blast L2 Game ‘Munchables’ $62M Exploit Recovered

The NFT game Munchables, built on the Ethereum Layer 2 network Blast, announced it had lost $62 million in an exploit last night. However, early this morning the team reported all funds were safely recovered after the developer responsible agreed to share private keys without conditions. Screenshots seemed to confirm the insider works on the project. Within an hour, Munchables tweeted the keys holding the $62 million and other funds had been handed over. Shortly after, test transactions showed the money moved from the exploiter's wallet into a multi-sig address. The Blast founder warned Juice Finance, an associated points farming protocol, was also impacted. There are now fake Munchables accounts asking users to check reclaim eligibility by clicking links.

Blast has experienced rapid growth since launching its mainnet in February as the fourth largest L2 with $2.7 billion total value locked, nearly tying with Base. It is gearing up for a $1.3 billion airdrop in May through earned Blast Points for using or building on the network. Earlier guides explain how to maximize yield and eligibility across Blast ecosystems like with Juice Finance.

While the full funds appear recovered, the insider exploit on Munchables brings warnings of potential fake responses and risks associated with projects integrating emerging Layer 2 networks securing large sums.

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