May 2024

Google’s redesign of search and its 'multimodal' Project Astra are set to reshape the internet, while OpenAI’s shiny new products raise questions about safety priorities. The rise of AI-generated content, from 'zombie internet' spam to 40,000 AI-voiced audiobooks on Audible, is changing how we consume information—sometimes eerily, like Scarlett Johansson’s shock over a ChatGPT voice clone. Meanwhile, the Council of Europe’s first binding AI treaty and debates at AI gatherings in Seoul reflect the struggle to balance progress and safety. From Belgium leading on democratic AI innovation to scientists urging proper guardrails, the focus is shifting to smarter, ethical AI use. Whether it’s Google DeepMind cracking DNA modeling or 'AI Instagram influencers' sparking ethical dilemmas, AI is testing boundaries everywhere—even topping human moral judgment in some cases.