Welcome to Daily Zaps, your regularly-scheduled dose of AI news ⚡️ 

Here’s what we got for ya today:

• 🌌 Darth Vader AI voice

• 😢 Apple AI is “mid”

• 🧠 FTC urged to investigate Google’s AI overviews

• 🤖 Sergey Brin is working on AI at Google

Let’s get right into it!

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ENTERTAINMENT

Darth Vader AI voice

James Earl Jones, who passed away at 93, left a remarkable legacy with his iconic voice, showcased in roles like Mufasa in The Lion King and Darth Vader in Star Wars. His voice acting prowess extended to theater, winning two Tony Awards for The Great White Hope and Fences. Recently, Jones consented to the use of artificial intelligence to replicate his Darth Vader voice for the 2022 Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, a decision that has sparked debate about the implications of AI in voice acting.

This move highlights concerns within the industry about AI potentially reducing job opportunities and diminishing the role of human creativity in acting. While some see Jones’ agreement as a model for transparent and fair AI usage, others worry about AI's impact on the future of voice acting and artistic integrity.

BIG TECH

Apple AI is “mid”

Apple AI tools, while offering some local and privacy-focused improvements, do not present any significant advancements beyond what was already available through various services and older technologies. This has led to a mismatch between the hype and the reality, with the features proving to be incremental rather than revolutionary, failing to deliver the transformative impact anticipated.

Apple's foray into AI with its new "Apple Intelligence" seems to have followed its usual pattern: observing, then redefining. Despite grand promises from Tim Cook and Craig Federighi about transformative capabilities, the actual features—such as text rephrasing, email summarizing, and photo search—are largely routine and not particularly groundbreaking.

GOVERNMENT

FTC urged to investigate Google’s AI overviews

Several Democratic senators, led by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, have called for an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department into whether certain artificial intelligence products violate antitrust laws. Their letter highlights concerns that AI features, such as those introduced by search platforms like Google, may misuse content from journalists and content creators, potentially harming their ability to earn revenue.

The senators argue that AI-generated summaries keep users on the search platform, reducing the visibility of original content and limiting the earnings of publishers. They urge the agencies to examine if these AI practices constitute exclusionary conduct or antitrust violations.

BIG TECH

Sergey Brin is working on AI at Google

Google co-founder and former Alphabet president Sergey Brin revealed that he has returned to working at Google nearly every day, driven by the excitement surrounding advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). In an interview at the All-In Summit, Brin shared that while reports last year indicated his involvement in various AI projects, this was his first public acknowledgment of his return.

He emphasized AI's potential to bring significant value to humanity and expressed skepticism that developing more advanced AI will require massive increases in computing power, citing recent algorithmic improvements that may surpass the need for scaled compute.