Uber Eats to launch Google-powered chatbot in late 2023
Uber’s AI chatbot will help users find restaurant deals and reorder favorites on the app. Available in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada.
US AI Safety Institute could face big cuts
The National Institute of Standards and Technology could fire as many as 500 staffers, according to multiple reports — cuts that further threaten a fledgling AI safety organization. Axios reported this week that the US AI Safety Institute (AISI) and Chips for America, both part of NIST, would be “gutted” by layoffs targeting probationary employees […]
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September 2023
Amazon adds a $120 soundbar to its Fire TV lineup
Amazon just added another devices to the growing Fire TV family. Unveiled at its Devices event in Virginia, the Fire TV Soundbar gives you pretty much what you’d expect out of an Amazon-branded soundbar. It’s a 24-inch Bluetooth-enabled system specifically designed to work with the company’s streaming products and dedicated smart TVs. “Fire TV Soundbar […]
Amazon introduces ‘Eye Gaze on Alexa’ so you can use the Fire Max 11 tablet with your eyes
During Amazon’s Devices event, the company introduced a new Alexa feature that aims to support users with mobility or speech disabilities. This marks Alexa’s first time using eye-driven communication technology. Called “Eye Gaze,” the eye-tracking feature detects a user’s presence and follows what they’re looking at in real-time. Users will be able to glance at […]
Amazon introduces new Echo Pop Kids, kids tablets and a family-friendly Alexa experience
Among the new devices introduced at today’s Amazon fall devices event, the company introduced new products for families with kids. The company showcased two new models of Echo Pop Kids, the newer smaller Echoes with a screen, including those with ties to Disney. The new devices come in two designs, Marvel’s Avengers and Disney Princes. […]
Amazon unveils next-gen Echo Frames starting at $269.99
Amazon today unveiled a new generation of Echo Frames, its lineup of Alexa-powered glasses, with enhanced speech processing, better noise isolation and a $269.99 price tag. The new Echo Frames are 15% thinner and last for six hours on a charge (with continuous media playback or talk time) — an improvement over the previous gen. […]
Users can access emergency services with Alexa
At its annual fall event in Virginia today, Amazon announced Alexa Emergency Assist, a new subscription service that lets user contact emergency services through Echo devices. Users prompt the new Urgent Response feature by saying “Alexa, call for help.” Rather than going straight to 911, however, they’ll be connected to a “dedicated, professional-trained agent.” The […]
Amazon’s Alexa is getting a more natural-sounding voice
In addition to getting a generative AI-powered upgrade, and the ability to continue conversations without again using the wakeword “Alexa,” Amazon’s voice assistant is going to gain a more natural-sounding voice. The company introduced today an updated text-to-speech engine that’s now more context-aware of the user’s emotions and the tone of your voice, which then […]
Amazon brings generative AI to Alexa
During a press event this morning at its HQ2 headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, Amazon announced that it’ll soon use a new generative AI model to power new experiences across its Echo family of devices. “Our latest model has been specifically optimized for voice and the things we know our customers love — like having access […]
7 Keys to Achieving a Balanced Recruitment Strategy
Getting the balance between skills and cultural fit right is more art than science.
‘Enough Venom to Fill a Martini Glass and Kill 5 People’: An Amazon Driver Was Bitten By a Rattlesnake on the Job in Florida
The woman is hospitalized in “very serious condition.”