Good morning! This week's focus starts with a fascinating development in social media privacy. Bluesky, the decentralized social platform, has taken a firm stance on AI training data.

"In a world where everything seems to be AI training fodder, sometimes the best innovation is simply saying 'no.'" 

But don't worry—there's plenty more to cover today. In this edition of Unfold Now:

🧠 AI and Ethics: Bluesky's Bold Stand Against AI Training

🌍 Social Impact: The AI Granny Taking On Scammers

🏛️ Tech Innovation: ESPN's AI Avatar Revolution

— Harman, Unfold Now

🧠 AI and Ethics: Bluesky's Bold Stand Against AI Training

Summary: In a significant move for user privacy, Bluesky has announced it won't allow its users' posts to be used for training artificial intelligence models. This decision stands in stark contrast to other social media platforms that have been criticized for using user data to train AI systems. The platform, which originated from Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is positioning itself as a privacy-focused alternative in the social media landscape.

[Bluesky joins Mastodon and other decentralized platforms in prioritizing user data rights]

Why it matters: This decision could set a new standard for how social platforms handle user data in the AI era. It addresses growing concerns about content ownership and data privacy, potentially influencing how other platforms approach AI training data policies.

Learn more at The Verge

🌍 Social Impact: The Rise of AI-Powered Scambaiting

Summary: In an entertaining twist on fighting fraud, an AI-powered 'grandmother' chatbot is being used to waste scammers' time, keeping them engaged in endless, mundane conversations. This innovative approach to scam prevention combines artificial intelligence with social engineering to protect vulnerable individuals. The AI granny employs sophisticated natural language processing to maintain convincing, yet deliberately tedious, conversations with telephone fraudsters.

[The AI system has reportedly wasted hundreds of hours of scammers' time, potentially saving countless potential victims]

Why it matters: This creative application of AI technology demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be used defensively to combat fraud and protect vulnerable populations, turning the tables on those who typically exploit technology for malicious purposes.

Learn more at TechCrunch

🏛️ Tech Innovation: ESPN's FACTS - The Future of Sports Media

Summary: ESPN is breaking new ground with 'FACTS', a generative AI avatar designed to enhance sports content delivery. This experimental technology aims to revolutionize how sports news and statistics are presented to viewers, combining the reliability of ESPN's reporting with cutting-edge AI technology.

[Early testing shows promising results in delivering real-time sports updates and analysis]

Why it matters: This development could transform sports media consumption, offering personalized, round-the-clock sports coverage while maintaining the human touch that sports fans value.

Learn more at The Verge

Who’s getting funded in the AI world?

• AI startup Gendo — the Midjourney for architecture — secures fresh capital (source: The Next Web)

• Chinese autonomous driving startup Pony AI seeks up to $224M in US IPO (source: Techcrunch)

🚀 In Other News:

• OpenAI at one point considered acquiring AI chip startup Cerebras (source: Techcrunch)

• Google will let you make AI clip art for your documents (source: The Verge)

🔍 Spotlight: Bluesky's Privacy Promise

Looking to take control of your social media privacy? Bluesky's recent announcement about protecting user data from AI training sets a new standard in the social media landscape. Their commitment to user privacy might make it worth considering as your next social platform.

Learn more about joining Bluesky's waiting list at Bluesky.social

Thanks for reading today's edition of Unfold Now! Stay curious, stay informed, and we'll see you in the next one.

— Harman