“Amazon.com Inc.’s Audible will begin inviting a select group of US-based audiobook narrators to train artificial intelligence on their voices, the clones of which can then be used to make audiobook recordings. The effort, which kicks off this week, is designed to add more audiobooks to the service, quickly and cheaply — and to welcome traditional narrators into the evolving world of audiobook automation which, to date, many have regarded warily.”

From Bloomberg.

“Roblox plans to roll out a generative AI tool that will let creators make whole 3D scenes just using text prompts, it announced today. 

Once it’s up and running, developers on the hugely popular online game platform will be able to simply write ‘Generate a race track in the desert,’ for example, and the AI will spin one up. Users will also be able to modify scenes or expand their scope—say, to change a daytime scene to night or switch the desert for a forest. 

Although developers can already create similar scenes like this manually in the platform’s creator studio, Roblox claims its new generative AI model will make the changes happen in a fraction of the time. It also claims that it will give developers with minimal 3D art skills the ability to craft more compelling environments.”

From MIT Technology Review.

“The iPhone 16, which was unveiled in a prerecorded video at the company’s futuristic Silicon Valley campus, comes in four different models that are designed to run the company’s generative artificial intelligence system, called Apple Intelligence. The company said that the phones will be able to sort messages, offer writing suggestions and use a more capable Siri virtual assistant.

In addition to announcing those changes to the iPhone, the company unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10, which has rounder corners and a larger, brighter display that is nearly 10 percent thinner. It also introduced a new AirPods Pro, capable of automatically reducing noise at concerts or near construction sites, and acting as professional-grade hearing aids.”

From New York Times.

“Solid-state batteries—which pack more energy into each unit of volume than current batteries and will stretch the range of electric vehicles—have long felt just out of reach. 

But they are getting close, and recent progress helps to clarify when the first models may arrive.

Samsung SDI said in March that it will produce solid-state batteries for use in high-end vehicles by 2027. The vehicles would be able to travel more than 600 miles before needing to be recharged. Samsung, based in South Korea, didn’t say which automakers would use the battery, but the company has relationships with GM, Hyundai and Stellantis.

A range of 600 miles would be roughly double the ranges of today’s most popular models.”

From Inside Climate News.