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Photo Giant Getty Took A Leading AI Image-Maker To Court. Now It’s Also Embracing The Technology

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Anyone seeking a gorgeous photograph of a desert landscape will find various options in the Getty Images stock photography collection.

But suppose you’re searching for a wide-angle image of a “hot pink plastic saguaro cactus with large, protruding arms, surrounded by sand, in a landscape at dawn.” According to Getty Images, you can now request that its AI-powered image generator create one on the spot.

The Seattle-based company employs a two-pronged strategy to address the threat and opportunity of artificial intelligence to its business. First, it filed a lawsuit against a prominent provider of AI-generated images earlier this year for what it claimed was a “stunning” violation of Getty’s image collection.

But on Monday, it joined the small but expanding market of AI image creators with a new service that enables its customers to create novel images trained on Getty’s vast library of human-made photographs.

According to Getty Images CEO Craig Peters, the distinction is that this new service is “commercially viable” for business clients and “wasn’t trained on the open internet with stolen imagery.”

He compared this to some pioneers in AI-generated imagery, such as OpenAI’s DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stability AI, the creator of Stable Diffusion.

“We have issues with those services, how they were built, what they were built upon, how they respect creator rights or not, and how they actually feed into deepfakes and other things like that,” Peters said in an interview.

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Anyone seeking a gorgeous photograph of a desert landscape will find various options in the Getty Images stock photography collection.

In a lawsuit filed early this year in a Delaware federal court, Getty alleged that London-based Stability AI copied without permission more than 12 million photographs from its collection, along with captions and metadata, “as part of its efforts to build a competing business.”

Getty asserted in its lawsuit that it is entitled to damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, which could reach $1.8 trillion. Stability seeks dismissal or transfer of the case but has not formally responded to the underlying allegations. Similar to the situation in the United Kingdom, a court conflict is still brewing.

Peters stated that the new service, dubbed Generative AI by Getty Images, resulted from a long-standing partnership with California-based tech company and chipmaker Nvidia, which predated the legal challenges against Stability AI. It is based on Edify, an AI model created by Picasso, a division of Nvidia’s generative AI division.

It promises “full indemnification for commercial use” and is intended to eliminate the intellectual property risks that have made businesses hesitant to use generative AI tools.

Getty contributors will also be compensated for having their images included in the training set, which will be incorporated into their royalty obligations so that the company is “actually sharing the revenue with them over time rather than paying a one-time fee or not paying that,” according to Peters.

getty

Anyone seeking a gorgeous photograph of a desert landscape will find various options in the Getty Images stock photography collection.

Getty will compete with rivals such as Shutterstock, which has partnered with OpenAI’s DALL-E, and software company Adobe, which has developed its own AI image-generator Firefly, for brands seeking marketing materials and other creative imagery. It is unlikely to appeal to those seeking photojournalism or editorial content, where Getty competes with news organizations such as The Associated Press.

Peters stated that the new model cannot produce politically damaging “deepfake” images because it automatically blocks requests containing images of recognizable persons and brands. As an illustration, he entered “President Joe Biden on a surfboard” as a demonstration to an AP reporter, but the tool rejected the request.

“The positive news about this generative engine is that it cannot cause the Pentagon to be attacked. “It cannot generate the pope wearing Balenciaga,” he said, referring to a widely shared fake image of Pope Francis wearing a fashionable puffer jacket generated by artificial intelligence.

Peters added that AI-generated content will not be added to Getty Images’ content libraries, reserved for “real people in real places doing real things.”

SOURCE – (AP)

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics, Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.

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Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

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Ian McKellen | AP News Image

LONDON — Actor Ian McKellen is expected to recover fully after falling from a London stage during a fight scene and being hospitalized, according to producers.

According to a representative for the Noel Coward Theatre production, McKellen, 85, was in “good spirits” after medics indicated a scan showed he was likely to recover completely following his fall on Monday night.

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Ian Mckellen | AP news Image

Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

According to producers, McKellen’s Tuesday performance was canceled, but he was anticipated to return to the stage on Wednesday.

The stage and screen veteran, who played Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” movie, yelled out in pain following the fall, according to a BBC correspondent at the theatre.

McKellen was cast as the rogue John Falstaff in “Player Kings,” a Robert Icke-directed dramatization of William Shakespeare’s two “Henry IV” history plays.

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Ian Mckellen | AP news Image

Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

McKellen lost his balance and fell off the stage in a scene with Toheeb Jimoh’s Prince Hal and Samuel Edward-Cook’s Henry Percy, which surprised the audience.

“Sir Ian seemed to trip as he moved downstage to take a more active part in the scene,” audience member Paul Critchley told the PA news agency, describing it as a surprise. “He picked up momentum as he moved downstage which resulted in him falling off the stage directly in front of the audience.”

Staff and two medics in the audience assisted the actor, according to a statement from the theatre.

The theatre was evacuated, and the play was canceled.

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Ian McKellen | AP News Image

Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

McKellen, who played Magneto in the “X-Men” films, is a well-known Shakespearean actor in Britain, having performed in Richard III, Macbeth, and King Lear.

He has received a Tony Award (for “Amadeus”), six Olivier Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards, five Emmys, and several BAFTA awards.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Aegis Space Law Helps Startups With Free Online Space Regulatory Calculator

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Free Online Space Regulatory Calculator
Space Regulatory Calculator: Aegis Space Law

Aegis Space Law is providing a free online Space Regulatory Calculator to help US businesses negotiate the complex regulatory landscape.

The Space Regulatory Calculator, which was unveiled on June 4, is intended to assist early-stage space companies in complying with space-related regulations issued by the Commerce Department, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the State Department.

“Aegis works with a lot of space startups,” Bailey Reichelt, Aegis Space Law’s partner and co-founder, told SpaceNews via email. “The common denominator is that they don’t consider regulations as something to plan for until they have the engineering and financing in place. Unfortunately, regulatory timelines can be significantly longer than other timelines.”

Reichelt, who developed the Space Regulatory Calculator with Aegis colleague Will Lewis, advises founders to consider regulatory permission as soon as they start designing space technology and seeking funds “to maximize the chances of that business succeeding.”
Costly mistakes

Failure to address regulations early in the planning process might result in costly and time-consuming mistakes. For example, a satellite company may choose a foreign antenna array based on its cost and ground-station compatibility, unaware that the operating frequency would entail “a lengthy and expensive regulatory burden,” Reichelt said.

Furthermore, federal acquisition regulations governing current contracts may prohibit the use of foreign-sourced components.

“This kind of setback happens all the time when you have no idea what regulations apply to you,” Reichelt stated.
Legal Advice

Traditionally, space corporations used attorneys to identify which restrictions related to their operations. Many new space enterprises cannot afford “the sophisticated legal advice required to navigate this many agencies,” Reichelt stated.

“This leaves companies vulnerable to missteps that can cost time and money.” Mistakes in regulatory compliance can potentially jeopardize the firm’s or mission’s viability, she said.

It is “entirely unreasonable for a company with no cash flow to spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers before they even have paid employees,” Reichelt stated.

“If we want the space industry to prosper, and the United States’ technological sector to continue leading innovation globally, we must lower legal and regulatory hurdles across the board.

The Space Law Calculator is intended to assist entrepreneurs in determining what kind of licenses and permissions they will require, how long the approval process will typically take, and what costs they will incur to assure regulatory compliance.

“A small business looking to launch its first satellite, for example, would see, among other things, that it may need to plan at least two years in advance to ensure required licenses are obtained prior to launch,” according to the announcement.

Aegis attorneys want to update the Space Regulatory Calculator when regulations change.

Attorneys from Aegis Space Law in Washington contributed to the formation of the nonprofit Association of Commercial Space Professionals. Additionally, Aegis attorneys teach at the Association’s Space Regulatory Bootcamp.

By Debra Werner

Debra Werner is a correspondent for SpaceNews based in San Francisco. Debra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. She… More by Debra Werner

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Jennifer Lopez Cancels Summer Tour: ‘I Am Completely Heartsick And Devastated’

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NEW YORK  — The Associated Press was informed by Live Nation executives that Jennifer Lopez has canceled her 2024 North American tour.

They said, “Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family, and close friends.”

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Jennifer Lopez | NBC News Image

Jennifer Lopez Cancels Summer Tour: ‘I Am Completely Heartsick And Devastated’

In support of her first solo album in ten years, “This Is Me… Now,” and its accompanying film, she was scheduled to embark on her first tour in five years.

The tour was supposed to begin in Orlando, Florida on June 26 and end in Houston on August 31.

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Jennifer Lopez | AP News Image

Jennifer Lopez Cancels Summer Tour: ‘I Am Completely Heartsick And Devastated’

Those who bought tickets through Ticketmaster will receive an immediate refund, according to a statement from Live Nation.

On her OntheJLo website and newsletter, Lopez addressed the fans with the following statement: “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down.” Please understand that if I didn’t think this was absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t have done it.

“I swear I’ll make it up to you and we’ll all be together again,” she said. You all have my undying love until the next occasion.

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Jennifer Lopez | Billboard Image

Jennifer Lopez Cancels Summer Tour: ‘I Am Completely Heartsick And Devastated’

Her successful album “This Is Me… Then” was released twenty years ago, and this year, she released “This Is Me… Now.” According to Lopez, the new record is a “miracle” and “a second chance,” as she told the AP. And I wish I could freeze this instant in time the same way that album did.

SOURCE – (AP)

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