The Download: hyperrealistic deepfakes, and using math to shape wood

June 24, 2024
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Synthesia’s hyperrealistic deepfakes will soon have full bodies Startup Synthesia’s AI-generated avatars are getting an update to make them even more realistic: They will soon have bodies that can move, and hands that…

Yelp updates app with AI-powered alt-text for images and new accessibility identifiers for businesses

June 24, 2024

Yelp is rolling out an app update to include more accessibility identifiers for businesses, improved screen-reader experiences, and AI-powered alt-text for images. The company said that from 2020 to 2023, there has been an average rise of 40% in searches for “wheelchair accessible” places. With the new update, the company is adding eight more attributes […]

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Meet the architect creating wood structures that shape themselves

June 24, 2024
Humanity has long sought to tame wood into something more predictable. Sawmills manufacture lumber from trees selected for consistency. Wood is then sawed into standard sizes and dried in kilns to prevent twisting, cupping, or cracking. Generations of craftsmen have employed sophisticated techniques like dovetail joinery, breadboard ends, and pocket flooring to keep wood from…

Prosus zeroes out 9.6% Byju’s stake

June 24, 2024

Major investor Prosus has written off its 9.6% stake in Indian edtech firm Byju’s to zero, signaling a loss of confidence in the once-promising startup. Prosus, the largest external investor in Byju’s, disclosed the adjustment in its assessment of Byju’s worth on Monday. Prosus wrote off the startup “due to the significant decrease in value […]

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Synthesia’s hyperrealistic deepfakes will soon have full bodies

June 24, 2024
Startup Synthesia’s AI-generated avatars are getting an update to make them even more realistic: They will soon have bodies that can move, and hands that gesticulate. The new full-body avatars will be able to do things like sing and brandish a microphone while dancing, or move from behind a desk and walk across a room.…

​​What Vinod Khosla Says He’s ‘Worried About the Most’

June 24, 2024

Vinod Khosla is more popular than ever right now. The Sun Microsystems co-founder turned prominent investor — first at Kleiner Perkins and, for the last 20 years, at his venture firm Khosla Ventures — has always been sought after by founders thanks to his no-nonsense advice and his firm’s track record, including bets on Stripe, […]

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Meta makes its AI chatbot available to all users in India

June 24, 2024

After a few months of testing during the general elections, Meta is making its Llama-3-powered AI chatbot available to all users in India. However, Meta AI currently only supports English and no other local languages. The company started testing Meta AI in India across WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook in April by rolling it out […]

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Streaming execs think TV’s future looks a lot like its past

June 23, 2024

We’re at a transitional moment in streaming — user growth is slowing and major players are looking to consolidate, but the long-promised dream of profitability finally seems within reach (especially if you’re Netflix). The perfect time, then, for The New York Times to interview many of the industry’s big names — including Netflix co-CEO Ted […]

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