Welcome to the new season! We can look forward to great football, a new school-year, new TV shows, and — this year — big AI announcements.
On the calendar, we’ll be paying attention to:
* September 10 – Apple Event with iPhone 16 and Apple Intelligence updates
* September 16 – Microsoft Next Phase of Co-Pilot Event
* TBD – ChatGPT Strawberry (new model) announcement
As we dive into this exciting new season, it’s clear that technology and innovation will continue to shape our industry. Just read below the big steps ESPN is making with AI.
Now is the time to stay tuned and stay ahead. Whether you’re gearing up for the football season, the next TV hit, or the latest tech updates, there’s a lot to be excited about. Here’s to a season full of new possibilities, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way!
AI Models Announce Usage Surges in 2024
The urgency for media to embrace AI or be left behind was demonstrated again. This week the major players have released stats to support our suspicions. OpenAI recently crowed that ChatGPTs usage has doubled to 200 million active monthly users, including 92% of Fortune 500 companies; Meta bragged that its Llama AI has 175 million weekly users, including AT&T, Shopify, and Spotify; and Microsoft gloated that CoPilot has grown 150% this year, with a 60% increase in business clients. Details
Claude AI Will Power ‘Remarkable’ Alexa Upgrade
In an attempt to finally make money on Alexa, Amazon has been working on a premium subscription that runs $5-$10/month. Their recent work with incorporating Amazon’s in-house AI has fallen short — with Alexa taking over seven seconds to reply, a lifetime compared to the ChatGPT chatbot. This week Reuters reported that Amazon is solving this latency implementing Anthropic’s Claude chatbot into the “Remarkable Amazon” premium service. Amazon has previously made a $4 billion investment into Anthropic. Details
ESPN Goes All-In On AI
AI Game Recaps Launch This Weekend
ESPN announced it will use generative AI to write recaps for Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) matches, starting this week. Each AI-generated story will be reviewed by a human editor and will carry the byline “ESPN Generative AI Services.” The decision sparked backlash from fans and media on social media, questioning its impact on coverage quality. ESPN defended the move, stating that it allows staff to focus on feature stories and analysis. The Associated Press has also used AI for sports recaps and other reporting for years. Details
Cusomized AI-Powered SportsCenter Eyes 2025 Kickoff
ESPN is teasing using artificial intelligence to create personalized “SportsCenter” shows for subscribers to its upcoming streaming service, expected to launch in fall 2025, according to the network’s CEO. This idea, along with other initiatives like the “Where to Watch” guide launched on Aug. 28, was discussed by ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. The personalized shows would be similar to a feature NBC Sports offered during the Olympics, using AI to tailor highlight packages to individual interests. Details
Man’s Fake Bands’ AI Songs Snag $10 Million in Music Royalties
A North Carolina man, Michael Smith, 52, has been accused of using artificial intelligence to create hundreds of thousands of fake songs by non-existent bands, then raking in $10 million through fake streams, prosecutors revealed. Smith allegedly generated music, created fake streaming accounts, and used bots to play his tunes on a loop, fooling platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. His creations had bizarre names like “Callous Post” and “Calorie Screams,” and were supposedly loved by an audience that didn’t exist. Prosecutors said Smith’s scam ran for seven years, collecting royalties that should have gone to real musicians.
Smith was arrested and charged with fraud, facing up to 20 years in prison for each count. The federal indictment reveals that Smith teamed up with an AI company to mass-produce fake songs, tricking the music world into paying him millions. Prosecutors say he streamed the music billions of times and bragged in emails about his success. Smith denied any wrongdoing when confronted in 2018 about “streaming abuse.” This case marks the first time federal prosecutors have tackled streaming manipulation, a growing issue in today’s digital music world. Details
Originally published by Jacobs Media
