StW: Epochal days in AI; can ARN's scale logic win the day in the SCA battle?

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Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. Today: ARN refuses to let its Southern Cross Austereo takeover bid die; and ChatGPT starts talking back - why that matters to the marketing world.

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The all-seeing, all-talking AI

A robotic human called Sam | Image: Midjourney

In the space of two days, the pace of change in AI accelerated again. OpenAI unveiled its upgraded ChatGPT4o - complete with “multi modal” abilities to listen and look. And Google launched a whole series of updates to its Gemini AI system. In today’s edition of Start the Week, Cat McGinn, curator of Unmade’s HumAIn conferece explains what it all means for the marketing world. We then bring ChatGPT in on the conference call.

Also today, ARN Media refuses to give up on its battle to take control of Southern Cross Austereo.

Further reading:

• Unmade: A baller move from OpenAI, but who will end up paying for all this ‘free’ technology?;

• Guardian: CEO of world’s biggest ad firm targeted by deepfake scam

• Bloomberg: Apple Set to Unveil AI Strategy at June 10 Developers Conference

• HumAIn: Full program

• The Australian: ARN Media forges ahead with potential takeover plans of Southern Cross Austereo

• Australian Financial Review: ARN Media’s M&A record holds out for elusive win

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Today’s episode features Tim Burrowes, Abe Udy and Cat McGinn (plus a cameo from ChatGPT-4o).

Time to leave you to start your week.

Editing was courtesy of Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.

Toodlepip…

Tim Burrowes

tim@unmade.media

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