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YouTube has announced new experimental AI services, including a feature called Dream Track in YouTube Shorts. It creates up to 30-second soundtracks using AI-generation versions of artists' voices. Though musicians have mostly pushed back on AI (and their voices being used for training models without permission or compensation), YouTube got nine big names from the music industry to participate, including John Legend, Troye Sivan, CharliXCX and T-Pain. The company hoped to announce the feature at its Made on YouTube event in September but has been in negotiation with recording companies over rights and payments.

Users can access Dream Track by typing an idea into the creation prompt and choosing from one of the participating artists. It uses Google DeepMind's Lyria — a new, powerful music generation model designed specifically for creating high-quality vocals and instrumentals while giving the user more control over the final product. Any content Lyria produces will also have a SynthID watermark, denoting it as such. 

Charlie Puth and T-Pain created sample Dream Tracks, which YouTube has shared as inspiration. However, many of the artists involved expressed their apprehension about AI but hoped that collaborative work could create positive, non-exploitative opportunities. "When I was first approached by YouTube I was cautious and still am, AI is going to transform the world and the music industry in ways we do not yet fully understand," singer CharliXCX said. "This experiment will offer a small insight into the creative opportunities that could be possible and I'm interested to see what comes out of it." 

Music AI Tools are also coming to YouTube, in collaboration with its Music AI Incubator. These tools can create guitar riffs from a hummed melody or turn a pop track into a reggaeton anthem. Producer and songwriter, Louis Bell, created a sample video to showcase it. 

YouTube is walking a tightrope as it navigates the careful balance of introducing AI tools and protecting against misuse. The video platform recently announced new policies for labeling videos made using AI and letting public figures, such as musicians, report deepfakes. 

Dream Track is currently only available to a select group of creators and artists, whereas participants of the Music AI Incubator should be able to test the tools out later this year. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is keeping a close eye on internet providers to make sure they provide Americans with equal access to broadband services regardless of customers' "income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion or national origin." Two years after the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law became official, the FCC has adopted (PDF) a final set of relevant rules to enforce. 

The Commission will have the power to investigate possible instances of "digital discrimination" under the new rules and could penalize providers for violating them. It could, for instance, look into a company's pricing, network upgrades and maintenance procedures to decide whether a provider is keeping an affluent area well-maintained while failing to provide the same level of service to a low-income area. As The Wall Street Journal explains, it could even hold companies like AT&T and Comcast liable even if they weren't intentionally discriminatory, as long as their actions "differentially impact consumers' access to broadband." If the FCC does receive complaints against a particular provider, though, it will take into account any technical and economic challenges it may be facing that prevents it from providing equal access to its services. 

According to The Journal, the FCC approved the new rules in a 3-2 vote. Their critics — mainly internet providers and Republican members of the Congress — argued that the decision could affect investments and that the commission is taking things too far by penalizing unintentional discrimination. But FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel found the rules to be reasonable, especially since the agency will "accept genuine reasons of technical and economic feasibility as valid reasons." 

In addition to adopting a set of rules for digital discrimination, the FCC has also updated its protections against SIM swapping and port-out scams (PDF). It will now require wireless providers to notify customers immediately when a SIM change or a port-out is requested for their account and phone number. Further, providers are required to take additional steps to protect their subscribers from the schemes. Finally, the FCC has voted to begin a formal inquiry (PDF) to look into the impact of artificial intelligence on robocalls. It could, after all, be used to block unwanted voice and text messages, but it could also be used to more easily defraud people through calls and texts. 

November 24 might be a few days away yet, but that hasn’t stopped swathes of the industry from posting their deals early. Engadget’s crack team of coupon-heads has pored over countless listings to find you some absolutely jaw-dropping bargains. That includes hefty bits of cash knocked off the price of a new Mac Mini M2, iPad, Meta Quest and Apple Watch. Even better, you can pick up a pair of Sony XM5s, long regarded as the best in their class, for just $328. Well, you can. Your humble narrator is in the UK, so is ineligible to grab any of these utterly sweet early deals.

— Dan Cooper

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Lawmakers question Apple over cancellation of Jon Stewart’s show

Officials want to know if the rumors are true.

The Problem with Jon Stewart was, in theory, the ideal vehicle for the combative former Daily Show host. A well-heeled venture where Stewart could go deep on tough political topics, backed by a megacorporation too rich to be cowed by advertiser pressure. Except, so the rumors go, Apple pulled the plug on the series to prevent episodes critical of AI and China. Now, a bipartisan group from the House of Representatives is querying what happened and why.

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$1,900 Tesla Cyberquad is on sale again, less likely to maim children

Radio Flyer has updated the model to meet (checks notes) basic safety standards.

Radio Flyer / Tesla

Radio Flyer has announced its kids’ version of the Tesla Cyberquad is back on sale, now with less risk to its rider. It launched back in 2021, only for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall it for not meeting safety standards. Now, it’s back for $1,900, plus the cost of a helmet and some knee and elbow pads (not included).

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The Analogue Pocket will soon come in 8 Game Boy Pocket/Advance colors

They look beautiful.

Analogue

The Game Boy-aping Analogue Pocket will soon be available in eight gorgeous new colors to give us all some retro-gaming feels. Given they’re limited editions, and Analogue units sell out pretty quick, you’d better have your fingers ready when pre-orders open on November 17.

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Master & Dynamic MW09 review: Premium materials, impeccable clarity

Gorgeous, expensive and… not as good as its cheaper rivals.

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

Master & Dynamic hasn’t quite become a dominant, class-topping force in the world of true wireless earbuds. Its latest entry, the MW09, has been put through its paces by audio guru Billy Steele. Sadly, while it’s an improvement on previous offerings, it’s still not good enough to whip better, more affordable products into shape.

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Researchers printed a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons for the first time

Yes, it does remind us of Westworld.

ETH Zurich / Thomas Buchner

A significant development in 3D printing technology may have far-reaching implications for the future of medical prostheses and soft robots. Researchers printed a hand with tendons, ligaments and bones, making them simultaneously rather than separately. The technique offers more durability and flexibility, making it the ideal basis for complex prostheses.

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Google is scaling up Search Generative Experience (SGE) for holiday shopping. The company announced Thursday that its AI-powered search bot can now spit out gift ideas, photorealistic images of product types and virtual try-ons of men’s tops.

Google SGE launched in May, offering AI-driven answers and suggestions to complement the search engine’s standard web results. The company has since added follow-up queries, better translations and interactive definitions in more complex subjects. The tool requires Chrome on desktop or the Google mobile app on smartphones.

Google

The search giant says 20 percent of apparel searches are five words or longer, suggesting people often look for something particular when seeking info about fashion products. Now, Google SGE can generate “photorealistic images” of the item you’re picturing. You can then tweak the image with follow-up prompts before SGE uses the generated output as a foundation to search for actual products it thinks come the closest.

“Let’s say you want a new winter coat — a colorful, patterned puffer jacket — and you haven’t found quite what you’re looking for,” wrote Julie Black, Google’s Director of Shopping Product, in an announcement blog post. “With generative AI in Search, just look for that style and tap the ‘Generate images’ button to see photorealistic, generated images that match your vision. From there, you can refine the images in real time — so if you’d prefer a colorful metallic jacket instead of patterned, just enter that refinement in the text box. Then you’ll see a new set of photorealistic images. Once you’ve found one you like, just scroll down to see similar shoppable products.”

Google

Google also wants SGE to help you formulate the perfect gift. If you search for “great gifts for home cooks” on a compatible device / browser combo, it can produce ideas organized into subcategories like specialty tools, artisanal ingredients, culinary subscriptions and cooking classes. Google says you can refine the query to be ultra-specific, using examples like gifts for home cooks who love pasta or gift ideas for a seven-year-old who wants to be an inventor.

Google SGE added virtual clothing try-ons for women’s tops in June, which the company says have led to “significantly more high-quality interactions from shoppers.” Virtual try-ons for men’s tops arrive today. If you search for women’s or men’s tops from a supported brand, you’ll see 40 virtual models representing different shapes, sizes, heights and skin tones. You can choose one that looks the closest to you or the person you’re shopping for to get an AI-powered view of how the product may look on them. Supported labels at launch include Abercrombie & Fitch, Banana Republic, JCrew and Under Armour.

If you haven’t already enrolled, you’ll need to activate SGE for your account before trying it. Visit the Search Labs page or activate SGE in the Google app by tapping the beaker icon on the upper left.

Countless aspects of generative AI have caused rampant debate, including its access to copyrighted material. Now, the vice president of audio at Stability AI, Ed Newton-Rex, has resigned due to his belief that training generative AI models using copyrighted content doesn't qualify as "fair use," he wrote in an op-ed on Music Business Worldwide. He joins the likes of artists such as Bad Bunny, who recently spoke out against a viral TikTok song that used AI to mimic his voice.

Meanwhile, AI companies have steadfastly supported fair use (training models with copyrighted material without asking permission or providing compensation), and Newton-Rex's decision marks a unique change from the norm. In his public resignation letter, Newton-Rex explains that he believes Stability AI has a more "nuanced view" than some of its competitors. However, he had an issue with the company's recent submission to the United States Copyright Office, which argued that AI development should fall under fair use.

"I disagree because one of the factors affecting whether the act of copying is fair use, according to Congress, is 'the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work,'" Newton-Rex stated. "Today's generative AI models can clearly be used to create works that compete with the copyrighted works they are trained on. So I don't see how using copyrighted works to train generative AI models of this nature can be considered fair use."

Newton-Rex is a published classical composer and founded Jukedeck, which created music using AI, in 2012. He became the product director of TikTok's in-house AI lab after the company purchased Jukedeck in 2019 and subsequently worked at Voicey (acquired by Snap) before joining Stability AI in November 2022.

Ironically, there's also been an (as yet unsuccessful) push to protect AI-produced work. In August, a judge upheld the US Copyright Office's decision that AI-generated art can't be copyrighted, stating, "Human authorship is a bedrock requirement of copyright."

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Even though Facebook has been moving away from providing its users with easy access to news over the past year, it apparently still remains a go-to source for current affairs in the US. According to Pew Research, three out of ten adults in the country still regularly get their news from Facebook, which has outpaced all the other social media websites in the center's study. YouTube comes next in the list, with 26 percent of US adults getting news from the video hosting website, while Instagram takes third place with 16 percent. While apparently not as popular as the first three when it comes to news, TikTok (14 percent), X (12 percent) and Reddit (8 percent) also serve as news sources for the US populace. 

When it was reported a year ago that Meta will no longer be paying publishers to run their content on Facebook's News Tab, a spokesperson said "[m]ost people do not come to Facebook for news, and as a business it doesn't make sense to over-invest in areas that don't align with user preferences." But according to the study, 43 percent of users still get their news regularly from the platform. That is, however, admittedly smaller than the 54 percent of users who used to go to the social network to keep themselves updated and read about the latest events back in 2020. Meanwhile, 43 percent of TikTok users say they're getting news from the app now, compared to 22 percent three years ago. Out of all the social networks in the study, though, X (formerly known as Twitter) has the highest percentage of users (53 percent) who go to the website for news. 

Based on the study's responders, men mostly rely on Reddit to keep them abreast of current events, followed by Twitter and YouTube. Meanwhile, women consume news from Nextdoor the most, followed by Facebook and Instagram. In addition, most of the people who get their news from social media are Democrats or lean Democratic, though "there is no significant partisan difference among news consumers on Facebook, X or Nextdoor." Bottom line is, a lot of people still look to social media websites to read about the latest happenings and new information as they come out. These companies will have to continue keeping a close eye on the spread of misinformation on their platforms, even if they do decide not to focus on news anymore. 

Unity just announced that its Muse AI platform is officially available as an early access build for general use. Originally unveiled back in July, Muse is a package of AI-powered tools intended to streamline the game development process, particularly for those who lack the time or patience for intensive coding. It costs $30 per month.

Unity Muse is described as an “ever-expanding suite of AI-powered features” made for developers of all skill levels. The platform lets you source usable code by interacting with a chatbot. This bot will also answer any questions you may have about what to do next, as it has complete access to the platform’s resource library. These types of bots are becoming a key tool in the game designer’s arsenal.

There’s also a tool designed specifically to streamline the creation of 2D sprites, which is perfect for all of you budding Metroidvania designers out there. It’ll automatically generate sprites that match predetermined parameters and will give you several variations, allowing you to pick the best match.

Muse offers a similar process to generate textures appropriate for use in both 2D and 3D projects. The sprite and texture tools have been trained entirely on data and images that Unity owns or has licensed. This ensures the platform won’t accidentally run afoul of any copyright law. Unity says Muse results will never contain any “people, logos or recognizable artistic styles.”

The company says that the sprite and texture tools are just the beginning. In the coming months, Muse will boast AI mechanisms for animating characters and for setting NPC behaviors, among other tasks. You won’t need to code to do any of it, which is becoming something of a trend in the industry. Muse subscribers also get access to a rapid-prototyping and collaboration platform called Sketch.

The availability of Muse wasn’t the only announcement at today’s Unity Unite conference. The company also provided more details on Sentis, a forthcoming AI-powered neural engine that goes well beyond sprites and textures, as it can solve complicated coding problems and even create new in-game features from scratch. Sentis is currently in open beta and will launch to the public sometime next year.

The company also announced a set of cloud-connected tools to further assist with collaborations and it offered up some availability details on the long-awaited Unity 6. It’s coming next year.

Tags are a key way to seek out content on social media, but so far they've been missing on Meta's fledgling Threads platform. That's changing soon, however, as the feature is now in testing on Threads in Australia "with more countries coming soon," Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a new thread.

You create a tag in the usual way by placing a hash before a word, which then displays in blue text without the hash — much as mentions work in Facebook. To seek out topics, type a hash plus a keyword into the search field to see a list of relevant posts, as one does on Instagram. So far, it's limited to a single tag per post, likely to discourage hashtag spamming — though that may change, as Meta said the feature is still a work in progress.

Despite still not being in Europe, Threads has shown consistent growth and now counts nearly 100 million monthly active users, Zuckerberg wrote last month. The app recently gained a few key features like the ability to delete your threads profile without killing your Instagram account and avoid automatically sharing Threads posts with Facebook and Instagram. It also added pinned posts, and Instagram boss Adam Mosseri hinted that DMs may (or may not) be done via Instagram's inbox. 

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