by Marty Swant * 10 February 2025 *
Ivy Liu.
As we enter the latest earnings season where companies in the tech sector and media sector are announcing their strategic goals, other recent developments show the tensions that have arisen from AI’s encroachment into the space.
Google’s quarterly results call two years ago this month cited “generative AI” as the first time.
Q4 2022 of the company In an earnings call made with investors, Sundar Pichai discussed the ability to “integrate a more direct LLM experience” in search, among other uses. “We’ll continue this work boldly but with a profound sense of responsibility,” he said. “Our AI Principles and our highest standards of information accuracy are at the heart of all our work.” Fast-forward and what was once a preview of future has become embedded into the present, across more products, users, and with more advertisements
Last week, Google reported Search revenues for Q4 2024 were $54.03 billion, an increase of 12.5% over the previous year. In a research note on Alphabet’s earnings, William Blair analysts referred to AI Overviews as having “comparable revenue.”
It is likely that balancing responsible AI development and avoiding risks will remain a delicate balance, especially as companies seek to experiment more with AI without any regulatory safeguards. Google dropped its pledge not to use AI in surveillance weapons that are “likely” to cause harm the same week it announced its earnings.
Google is just one of many companies who have mentioned how AI has helped them achieve their goals. (Others in this month include Meta and Microsoft. AmazonHere are some more examples from the last week:
- Pinterest Noted LLM updates and other AI updates improved guided search, visual search, and also helped drive increased ad spending.
- Snap reported that more than 400 millions users engaged with its services. “Gen AI Lenses ” more than 4 billion in Q4. It also Introduced new developer tools including a new AI API that turns 2D images into 3D.
- Also available is Outbrain In its latest filing, Teads cited plans to benefit from AI by acquiring and generative AI.
- John Wren, CEO of Omnicom, stated that the company’s Omni platform utilizes “high-fidelity datasets” and “custom AI” tools to help plan, create and target campaigns.
- Mondelez’s Report mentions AI, but also the associated brand safety risks. The New York Times has released the latest AI legal updates.
AI is a growing part of our lives.
Speaking about AI and earnings, The New York Times revealed the price of its ongoing copyright suit against OpenAI. The Times reported its quarterly results. The legal battle cost News Corp $3.21 in Q4 and $10.8 million by 2024.
AI innovation and litigation were both mentioned in News Corp’s quarter results. In a release, News Corp said that it has been “providing valuable content for Generative AI”while also “vigilant in its pursuit of degenerative AI”. In a statement by News Corp about its earnings, CEO Robert Thomson said that he was pleased with the partnership with OpenAI. He hoped that other companies would adopt a similar enlightened strategy. “Our legal action is underway against the perplexing Perplexity and we look forward to document discovery.” In one Document – Plaintiff attorneys claim that internal Meta records prove Mark Zuckerberg was aware of employee efforts to train Llama 3, using LibGen. This dataset is controversial and contains pirated content, including IP owned by the writers who filed the lawsuit.
In other documents, employees are shown questioning the legality and whether or not to use pirated content. One internal message The video shows a Meta employee saying “torrenting on a corporate laptop does not feel right”before adding the laughing-crying emoticon. (Meta did NOT immediately respond to Digiday’s request for comment regarding the latest court filings.
DeepSeek is under new scrutiny
Some experts believe that DeepSeek has already gotten into some hot water after initial hype.
Researchers in cyber security The Chinese startup’s chatbot applicationmay pose security threats by sending device data to China. One Report notes that device data can be combined with IP addresses and mobile advertising companies to de-anonymize iOS users.
Meanwhile a bipartisan U.S. legislator Introduced is a bill that would ban U.S. Government workers from using DeepSeek chatbots via official devices. The bill, sponsored by Republican Darin laHood and Democrat Josh Gottheimer cites security experts who found that DeepSeek code was linked to the Chinese Communist Party, and could have been shared with entities already prohibited by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
We must investigate DeepSeek’s malicious activities. Gottheimer stated that we cannot risk the CCP compromising our national security by infiltrating government officials’ devices. “…We have seen China’s playbook with TikTok before, and we can’t allow it to happen again.”
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