Boardroom Tech Talk: The Possibilities Are Endless With AI In The Mix

Amazon Prime Daze — I mean, Prime Day — has come and gone, and I’m still irked the annual two-day event doesn’t have a better name, but I have some ideas.

A peek into today’s edition:

Download on Reuters’ annual AI summit
Threads hits new milestones
TikTok and Redbox ink unlikely deal

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The Possibilities Are Endless With AI in the Mix

This past week at Reuters’ MOMENTUM Summit focused on artificial intelligence, I learned that generative AI technology has existed since sound 2017. OpenAI didn’t invent it with the launch of ChatGPT; the company just figured out how to leverage it best for everyday consumers. That’s one of the biggest key takeaways discussed at the AI summit, which brought together AI leaders and tech executives from top brands, including PepsiCo, Reddit, Amazon, Tinder, eBay, Expedia, and many more.

Here are some more key takeaways and trends discussed at the summit:

AI leaders and litigation experts aren’t talking to each other enough. For real regulations to be set, both parties need to weigh in equally.
AI can be used to break silos instead of replacing human expertise. Generative AI models could be most useful in providing foundational knowledge.
Athina Kanioura, PepsiCo’s chief strategy and transformation officer, thinks AI can be used to conceptualize new products across the food and beverage industry far before the testing stage. Fun fact: The first ideation for Dorritos’ flaming hot flavor came from an AI model mixing ingredients.
The biggest career opportunity in AI is in the cybersecurity field.
Managing AI platforms can be expensive and brands need to start thinking about building for the future. Where will AI be in the next 10 to 15 years? Will consumers still be using platforms like ChatGPT? These are questions that need answers.

This Week in Tech

Threads Hits 100 Million Sign-Ups

Twitter traffic continues to trend down as Instagram’s Threads app surpasses 100 million sign-ups since the platform launched a little over a week ago. The milestone comes ahead of Meta rolling out new features, including branded content tools that offer paid promotion. Analysts also predict that Threads will hit 200 million daily active users, driving $8 billion in annual revenue over the next two years.

I think it’s officially time for Twitter to panic.

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Merger Pushes Forward

Despite more staff cuts in its sales department, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard will move forward after a judge threw out the Federal Trade Commission’s injunction request. If the FTC doesn’t make an attempt to delay the merger further, Microsoft could close the $69 billion deal within the next week. UK regulators could still fight against Microsoft and Activision’s partnership, but it looks like they’ll also consider proposals to see the deal go through soon.