5 things about AI you may have missed today: Air India to bring AI features, Tom Cruise deepfake, more

The weekend is just around the corner but before you let loose, you should know about the top developments in the artificial intelligence space. In the first incident, Air India has planned to introduce new features to its generative AI virtual agent that handles more than 6,000 customer queries daily. In other news, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued a statement that multiple AI-generated videos are being circulated targeting the Olympic officials, including one particular video where Hollywood actor Tom Cruise has been seen saying that officials are “slowly and painfully destroying the Olympic sports that have existed for thousands of years”. This and more in today’s AI roundup. Let us take a closer look.

Air India to introduce new AI features

Air India aims to boost its AI virtual agent, ‘Maharaja’, which is using ChatGPT to handle 6,000 daily customer queries, as per a PTI report. Deployed in March 2023 and powered by Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service, Maharaja has successfully managed over half a million queries in four languages. Handling various topics such as flight status, baggage, and lounge access, it has an 80 percent success rate in answering queries instantly. The airline plans to introduce sophisticated features, including graphical interactions, to improve customer interactions. Maharaja also orchestrates seamless handoffs to contact center agents for the 15 percent of queries requiring additional assistance.

Tom Cruise deepfake attacks IOC

The International Olympic Committee is under attack by deepfakes and AI-generated videos, according to a report by Politico. Among them, one particular video features Hollywood actor Tom Cruise who can be seen saying “corrupt officials” are “slowly and painfully destroying the Olympic sports that have existed for thousands of years”.

The IOC termed it an “organized disinformation campaign” and cited fake news posts, including a video suggesting the ban of Israeli and Palestinian athletes from the Paris Olympics in 2024. This comes after the IOC suspended Russia’s National Olympic Committee and the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag in 2024.

Joe Biden, Xi Jinping to meet next week to discuss AI

US President Joe Biden is scheduled to hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 15, marking the first conversation between the two leaders in a year, reports Bloomberg. The meeting aims to stabilize relations between the U.S. and China, providing an opportunity for in-person discussions on bilateral issues and global concerns. U.S. officials have tempered expectations for significant breakthroughs, emphasizing the goal of clarifying misperceptions in the bilateral relationship. One of the topics expected to be discussed is AI.

German startup is building a universal translator

Cologne-based startup DeepL SE, valued at 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), is set to launch its first voice interpreter in December, reports Bloomberg. The feature captures spoken words, translating and transcribing them into text in another language automatically. The company aims to integrate this functionality into its app and extend it to other services like Zoom. DeepL envisions the voice translator becoming omnipresent in business meetings, eliminating language barriers.

SAG-AFTRA deal likely includes AI protection

SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and major Hollywood studios reached a tentative agreement after a 118-day strike, as per a report by NBC News. Notably, the deal includes provisions regarding AI. The agreement mandates biannual meetings between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to ensure compliance with evolving federal AI regulations.