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Galaxy S25 could be Snapdragon-only due to Exynos yield issues

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June 18, 2024

Galaxy S25 could be Snapdragon-only due to Exynos yield issues

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Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series could be Snapdragon-only, not by choice but forcefully. A reputed industry insider claims the company is struggling with the yield of its next-gen flagship Exynos processor. The situation appears so bad that the Korean firm may have to ship the 2025 Galaxy S models with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 globally.

The Galaxy S25 series could run the latest Snapdragon chip globally

In 2023, Samsung exclusively used a Snapdragon chip for the Galaxy S23 series. It didn’t even make a flagship Exynos chip last year. The company identified problems with its in-house processors and decided to take a break to fix those. It returned with a much-improved Exynos 2400 for the Galaxy S24 series. The chip powers the smaller two models in most parts of the world, excluding Canada, China, Japan, and the US. The Galaxy S24 Ultra runs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 globally.

While Galaxy fans were initially skeptical about Samsung bringing back Exynos to its flagships, the Exynos 2400 turned out to be better than expected. It still lags behind the Snapdragon counterpart in some areas, but there is no longer a massive gap between the two. Early rumors say the Korean firm will further improve its chip game with the Exynos 2500. It could surpass the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in power and performance thanks to Samsung’s second-gen 3nm process.

However, according to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Samsung is struggling with the yield of its first 3nm smartphone chip. The yield rate is lower than expected, so much so that the company may not be able to produce a sufficient amount of Exynos 2500 processors for the Galaxy S25 series. As such, it could exclusively use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for its 2025 flagships. Samsung may even forfeit the development of the Exynos 2500 if it has to go all-in with Snapdragon.

It’s both good and bad news

Galaxy fans may not complain if Samsung doesn’t launch an Exynos version of its Galaxy S25 flagships. Despite the rumored improvements, the Exynos 2500 may not pull a huge lead over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 if at all. After all, Qualcomm is also hard at work improving its chip. The new Snapdragon will be manufactured on TSMC’s second-gen 3nm process. It will feature a more powerful NPU and other upgrades tailored for the next generation of on-device AI applications.

However, Snapdragon exclusivity for the 2025 Samsung flagships may be bad news too. The same source recently claimed that Qualcomm may increase the price of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 by up to 30%. The new chip could cost as much as $260, up from $200. If earlier rumors are accurate, it would be the second consecutive year of a big price hike. Samsung may not be able to absorb the added cost and pass it on to consumers, leading to a global price increase for the Galaxy S25 series.

All this said, the Galaxy S25 lineup is still several months away. Samsung must be working overtime to improve its 3nm yield. If things get better soon enough, it might not exclusively use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for its new flagships. The Exynos 2500 could power the phones, at least the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+, in some markets. The Galaxy S25 Ultra could still be Snapdragon-only. Leaks and rumors about the 2025 Samsung flagships should get more elaborate in the coming months.

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Social media could get warning labels, just like cigarettes

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June 18, 2024

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Social media could get warning labels, just like cigarettes

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Social media apps are growing at a very fast pace, and almost everyone is using them. While it has its own set of benefits, there are potential downsides too. The US Surgeon General therefore wants social media to come with warning labels. He says that warning labels should clearly state social media’s potential health impacts, just like ones on cigarettes.

US Surgeon General claims that social media is harmful to humans

The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has said in the op-ed in The New York Times that “Social media is an important contributor to the teen mental health crisis.” He further says that social media should have a warning label with all the potential health impacts mentioned on it. He gives an indirect reference to cigarettes and other tobacco products that have a warning label with the health impacts written on it.

Vivek Murthy says “It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms. Social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe.”

He not only wants warning labels, but also demands that it be well-researched.

Murthy is very concerned about the impact of social media on teens

Murthy has raised mental health concerns related to social media multiple times in the past. He has even issued an advisory where he claims that social media has “profound risk” to the teens’ mental health. He referred to various studies, one of which claims that higher use of social media increases the risk of anxiety and depression. A survey report also reveals that social media makes teens feel worse about their bodies.

The surgeon is soliciting support from Congress for the implementation of this initiative. He emphasizes that the addition of labels will not inherently render social media a safer environment for adolescents. Nonetheless, he asserts that such an inclusion would benefit parents, educational institutions, medical professionals, and the teenagers themselves.

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TikTok silently launches Whee, an Instagram-like mobile app

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June 18, 2024

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TikTok silently launches Whee, an Instagram-like mobile app

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TikTok is determined to cover all aspects of social media with its apps. ByteDance, the company behind TikTok recently launched another social app that looks very much like an Instagram clone, Whee.

Spotted by Artem Russakovskii, Whee is now available for download on Android devices, but only in select countries. For instance, Whee is not available in the United States at the moment, but that’s just one of the many countries where Whee doesn’t seem to be up for grabs yet.

According to developers, Whee “is a new social app created to keep you connected with your close friends through life’s spontaneous moments.” Basically, this is an Instagram-like app that allows users to capture and share real-life photos with their friends.

The move is rather strange considering that ByteDance recently launched TikTok Notes, another app heavily inspired by Instagram. Granted, Whee takes a more personal approach by only allowing friends to see and interact with your pictures, the reason this app exists remains unclear when you already have another app that functions the same.

Since this appears to be a soft-launch of some sort, it remains to be seen if ByteDance will eventually make Whee available worldwide, or this is just a test meant to take the market’s pulse. If you live in one of the countries where Whee is available, you can download it for free on your Android device via the Google Play Store.

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Huawei is having issues with tri-fold smartphone development

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June 18, 2024

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Huawei is having issues with tri-fold smartphone development

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It’s only a matter of time before we see the very first tri-fold smartphone on the market. Several companies are working on it, including Huawei. Huawei seems to be having issues with the development of its tri-fold smartphone, though.

Huawei seems to be having issues with the development of its tri-fold smartphone

Based on a report from X, that is the case. That report claims that Huawei is having thermal issues with its tri-fold smartphone. That’s not the only problem, though, the software also seems to be a stumbling block.

The source says that the software still has to be “perfected”. Considering that Huawei plans to ditch Android altogether, it’s easily possible this device is planned to launch later on, once Huawei’s HarmonyOS NEXT takes over.

He also mentioned that the device, in its current state, is fueled by a Kirin 9000 series SoC. We’re not sure what chip exactly, but it’s likely one of Huawei’s new 7nm processors. Huawei has to figure out an effective way to keep this phone cool.

Cooling seems to be one of the problems

Even when it comes to regular foldable phones, they’re able to cool more effectively when they’re unfolded. So the problems for Huawei probably occur when this tri-fold phone is folded.

It remains to be seen who will be the first to launch a tri-fold smartphone, but it will be exciting either way. New form factors are always fun to see and use, that’s for sure. With the tri-fold smartphones, OEMs have a number of new challenges.

In addition to heating and software, both of which were mentioned already, the thickness becomes a point of discussion too. It was an issue back when foldables first launched, but smartphone manufacturers managed to thin them down.

With tri-fold devices, however, you have yet another layer to think of. They’ll be thicker than regular foldables, that’s for sure. It remains to be seen how companies aim to tackle that issue.

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Instagram and TikTok could soon come with a label: they’re potentially harmful

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June 18, 2024

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Instagram and TikTok could soon come with a label: they’re potentially harmful

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If you think social media like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is bad (like, really bad) because it could be addictive and harmful, so does the US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. He advocates for adding warning labels to social media apps, highlighting their potential harm to young people, especially adolescents. Murthy argues that while a warning label alone won’t make social media safe for the youth, it can raise awareness and influence behavior, drawing parallels to the impact of tobacco warnings. Implementing such a label would require legislation from the US Congress.

Murthy’s call for action aligns with longstanding concerns from youth advocates and lawmakers, who have criticized social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for their detrimental effects on children.

These concerns include shortened attention spans, negative body image issues, and increased vulnerability to online bullying and predators.

It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, June 2024

In January, the CEOs of TikTok, Snap, Meta Platforms (which owns Facebook and Instagram), along with representatives from social media platform X and messaging app Discord, faced intense questioning from US senators during a hearing on online child safety.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham accused them of having “blood on your hands” for failing to protect young users from sexual predators. Senator Graham’s accusations of “blood on your hands” are hilarious in the context of his other stances, but that’s off-topic.

So, what now? Personally, I think things will go on without change, even if there’s a label on the Facebook app.

First, I’ve never ever seen a smoker that goes “Wow, these graphic pictures of smoking-related problems on the pack of my cigarettes really changed my mind, I’m done with smoking!”

Second, sorry to burst your bubble, but the damage has already been done. Instead of putting a red dot (or whatever) on (in) a social media app, the government could seek ways to punish parents who give two-year olds smartphones and tablets to play with all day, every day.

Right now, some US states are taking steps to protect children from the adverse effects of social media. For instance, New York state lawmakers recently passed legislation prohibiting social media platforms from exposing users under 18 to “addictive” algorithmic content without parental consent. Additionally, in March, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill banning children under 14 from using social media platforms and requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds.

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CISA Conducts Tabletop Exercise on AI Cyber Incident Response

Hacking

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June 18, 2024

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CISA Conducts Tabletop Exercise on AI Cyber Incident Response

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On June 13, 2024, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) made history by conducting the federal government’s inaugural tabletop exercise focused on artificial intelligence (AI) security incidents.

This groundbreaking event, led by the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC), brought together key stakeholders from the private sector to address the unique challenges posed by AI in cybersecurity.

The AI Cyber Tabletop Exercise aimed to go beyond conventional cybersecurity incidents, focusing on the complexities introduced by AI-enabled systems.

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The primary objectives were to:

Explore information-sharing opportunities for cyber incidents involving AI.
Examine industry participants’ response procedures and best practices for multistage AI incidents.
Identify areas for improvement in AI incident response plans, information sharing, and organizational resilience.
Assess the capabilities, needs, and priorities for operational collaboration among government, industry, and international partners on AI-related cyber incidents.

Capturing Lessons Learned

CISA plans to incorporate the insights gained from this exercise into an AI Security Incident Collaboration Playbook.

This playbook will serve as a comprehensive guide for operational collaboration across government, industry, and international partners.

The goal is to enhance preparedness and response strategies for AI-related cyber incidents, ensuring a coordinated and practical approach.

A second tabletop exercise is already being worked on to test and validate the playbook.

This follow-up event will involve AI companies and critical infrastructure entities integrating AI into their operational environments.

The iterative process aims to refine and strengthen the playbook, making it a robust tool for managing AI cyber incidents.

Enhancing Public-Private Engagement

One of the key takeaways from the exercise was the importance of public-private engagement in addressing AI security incidents.

By fostering collaboration between government agencies and private sector entities, CISA aims to create a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem capable of responding to AI’s evolving threats.

The exercise highlighted the need for continuous improvement in information sharing, response procedures, and overall organizational resilience.

As AI continues to transform the cybersecurity landscape, initiatives like this tabletop exercise are crucial for preventing potential threats and ensuring critical infrastructure security.

CISA’s first-ever AI Cyber Tabletop Exercise marks a significant step forward in the federal government’s efforts to address AI’s unique challenges in cybersecurity.

CISA is paving the way for a more secure and resilient future by fostering collaboration and capturing valuable lessons.

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The best Android devices for gaming

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June 18, 2024

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The gaming industry has continued to grow exponentially, thanks to technological advancements, especially in mobile gaming. In fact, the mobile gaming industry was approximated to have reached $94.8 billion by 2022 and was projected to hit $139.5 by 2026.

As players continued to prefer gaming on their mobile devices, more phone manufacturers embarked on producing gaming-oriented smartphones. For example, the Nokia N-Gage, which was released in 2003, allowed fans to play up to 56 games on the device.

Sony Xperia Play came years later in 2011 after Sony’s efforts of developing a gaming phone bore results. As years have gone, we’ve witnessed more dedicated gaming phones like Asus ROG Phone 8 coming to the surface.

If you’re looking for the best gaming device, then you have arrived. This article will delve into the depths of the top gaming Android devices, focusing on their features and other crucial details.

Setting Up Your Android Device for Optimal Gaming

As gaming devices advance in technology, so do games. In the casino industry, for example, games like slots with high-tech visuals that need advanced hardware and software to perform well have continued to emerge.

This then implies that for you to have an optimal gaming experience, your Android device has to be more game-friendly. Here are some tips to get you ahead:

– Increase the screen refresh rate to the highest value to improve game visuals.
– Use a fast internet connection.
– Switch off the Force 4X feature, especially if your phone has a less powerful processor.
– Reduce background processes and remove junk from your phone.

ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro

Weighing about 225g, Asus is built on a combination of advanced hardware and software (Android 14) to offer an excellent all-round performance. The device combines a Qualcomm’s top-tier 8 Gen 3 chipset and 24GB of RAM to give you a beyond-gaming experience.

For those who fancy luxurious experiences like wireless charging, Asus has you covered. The system’s lack of an actuated cooling vent allows for IP68-certified dust and water resistance, broadening the ROG phone’s appeal to a wider audience.

Other features that the phone has include:

– A 5,500mAh battery
– 32MP front camera and 50MP + 13MP + 32MP rear camera
– 1080 x 2400 resolution
– Up to 1TB storage

Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro

If you’ve used Nubia gaming phones severally, you might have noticed their emphasis on delivering the latest hardware at impressive market prices. Red Magic 9 Pro, their most recent release, is a clear demonstration – it incorporates Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.

The device’s gaming credentials are further reinforced by it RGB fan for active cooling and 520Hz touch response rate display. Built on Android 14 software, Red Magic boasts capacitive shoulder buttons that truly deliver when paired with top-tier silicon.

Unlike Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro which has a battery life of 5,500mAh, Red Magic goes up to 6,500mAh. This ensures that you can enjoy your favorite titles for extended durations without worrying about power issues.

ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

Released in May 2023, this ROG phone series has up to 6,000mAh battery life to enhance your gameplay. While you might think that it’s been overtaken by its successor, ROG Phone 7 has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that ensures great gameplay.

Also, the device has an AeroActive Portal – a motorized port at the back of the phone – that’s not found on its successor. Combined with the AeroActive Cooler 7, the motorized port allows cool air to get into the phone, mitigating heat build-up.

In addition to these features, the phone also has:

– A screen size of 6.78-inch
– A weight of 239g
– A RAM of 16GB and storage of 512GB
– A 1080 x 2448 resolution

Samsung Galaxy A50

If you’re looking to spend less for a phone that gives you a good experience, then Samsung Galaxy A50 is a good option. It has a slightly lesser weight of about 166g, making it more comfortable to carry around.

While there’s a Galaxy A51, A50 is still preferred because the two phones have similar internal specs and display. So, sticking to A50 ensures you can get similar experiences as you would with A51 at lower costs.

For those who want experiences beyond gaming, A50 has a good camera, only that pictures might lose some details at night if there’re many artificial light sources. Its dual sim slot ensures you have an easy time especially if you have separate work and home SIMs.

OnePlus 12

Featuring a larger display and triple cameras with advanced periscope cameras, the OnePlus 12 has emerged as a serious competitor against Apple and Samsung. It offers luxurious experiences like wireless charging.

Besides wireless charging, you can charge the phone with cables with speeds of up to 80W. Its battery capacity is 5,400mAh, while storage can range from 256GB to 1TB.

Conclusion

With the continuous technological advancements, the gaming industry is improving the experience of its customers. More people are turning to utilize their mobile devices for gaming activities because of the convenience it offers.

Because of that, brands like Samsung, OnePlus and Asus are developing gaming devices that allow players to have a smooth gaming experience even as the gaming graphics improve. In the near future, we expect to see the gaming industry rise to levels that had never been imagined before.

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Google’s Gemini may soon talk your ear off with multiple voice options

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June 18, 2024

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Google’s Gemini may soon talk your ear off with multiple voice options

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The race for the smartest AI assistant is heating up, with ChatGPT and Gemini (and Apple recently joining the party, too) battling it out. Now, it looks like Google is blurring the lines between its brainy Gemini and the reliable Assistant even more.

New voices on the horizon for Gemini

For now, Google’s Gemini does not allow users to choose different voices for its voice responses. However, a recent discovery in the latest beta version of the Google app for Android (version 15.24.28.29.arm64 beta) reveals a new option under Voice settings called Voice selection, suggesting that this functionality may soon be added.

The setting description allows users to “Choose which voice should be preferred for speech responses for Search.” It includes two new voices named Ruby and River. However, when selected, these voices do not produce any sound, leaving uncertainty about whether they are entirely fresh additions or renamed versions of existing Google Assistant voices.

In the Google app, you will find separate settings for its two digital assistants: Google Assistant and Gemini. Currently, Google Assistant’s settings let you choose from 12 different voices, but the Gemini settings don’t provide this option yet.

If Gemini is indeed getting voice selection, it probably won’t be limited to just two voices for long. OpenAI has already demonstrated the impressive vocal capabilities of ChatGPT 4o, including a notable incident where one of its voices strongly resembled Scarlett Johansson, sparking some controversy.

For now, Gemini and Google Assistant stand out as unique AI helpers from Google, each shining in their own specialties. If you lean towards natural language understanding and handling complex tasks, giving Gemini a try could be worthwhile despite potential limitations on features and device compatibility.

Conversely, if you need an all-around assistant that excels in managing smart home devices and supports a wide range of gadgets, sticking with Google Assistant is the safer bet for now.

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New ARM ‘TIKTAG’ Attack Impacts Google Chrome, Linux Systems

Hacking

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June 18, 2024

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New ARM ‘TIKTAG’ Attack Impacts Google Chrome, Linux Systems

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Memory corruption lets attackers hijack control flow, execute code, elevate privileges, and leak data.

ARM’s Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) aims to mitigate by tagging memory and checking tags on access.

The following researchers found speculative execution attacks can leak MTE tags via new TIKTAG gadgets exploiting branch prediction, prefetchers, and store-to-load forwarding.

Juhee Kim from Seoul National University
Jinbum Park from Samsung Research
Sihyeon Roh from Seoul National University
Jaeyoung Chung from Seoul National University
Youngjoo Lee from Seoul National University
Taesoo Kim from Samsung Research and Georgia Institute of Technology
Byoungyoung Lee from Seoul National University

Cybersecurity analysts developed real-world attacks against Chrome, and Linux kernel leaking tags over 95% success in less than 4 seconds.

The findings show that designing MTE mitigations requires considering speculative execution vulnerabilities.

However, it’s been reported to ARM, Google, and Android. As MTE adoption grows, understanding these issues is crucial for secure deployment.

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Technical Analysis

Security researchers explore an attacker model targeting systems with Memory Tagging Extension (MTE), which uses random tags for memory allocations and tag checks on every memory access.

The attacker knows memory corruption vulnerabilities and aims to bypass MTE by learning the tag for a memory address, allowing exploitation without crashing the process.

Researchers present two speculative execution gadgets that leak MTE tags by leveraging microarchitectural behaviors affected by tag check results, such as data prefetching, speculative execution, and store-to-load forwarding:-

Mitigations involve hardware changes to separate these behaviors from tag checks or software techniques like speculation barriers.

An MTE tag leakage template (Source – Arxiv)

The researchers present real-world attacks that use the TIKTAG speculative execution gadget to bypass Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) protections in Google Chrome and the Linux kernel.

They created a TIKTAG-v2 gadget in the V8 JavaScript engine for Chrome to enable leaking MTE tags, which leads to over 97% successful linear overflow and use after free vulnerability exploitation.

The Linux kernel’s code includes a TIKTAG-v1 gadget that can leak tags across the user and kernel boundaries.

By doing so, they manage to circumvent kernel MTE protections regarding buffer overflow and use-after-free with 97% effectiveness.

For example, mitigations include strengthening speculative sandboxes, inserting barriers between speculations, and avoiding constructing gadgets using patterns.

These attacks from security experts show that speculative execution must be considered when creating some hardware-enforced security mechanisms.

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TikTok announces AI-made ‘digital avatars’ for creators and businesses

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June 18, 2024

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TikTok announces AI-made ‘digital avatars’ for creators and businesses

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TikTok will be getting a fancy AI-based feature for businesses. The social media platform will soon let AI create a so-called “digital avatar”, which can help you promote branded content more easily. The digital avatar will be based on real people.

AI personas will be intended to help creators and businesses with branded content, and it could generate human-like promotions quickly.

Right now, TikTok has two kinds of avatars: stock avatars and custom ones. The stock avatars are based on real paid influencers, and the custom one is based on creators and brand spokespeople. The avatars can be customized to speak in different languages, and also to create different content for different target audiences.

The new feature will help creators and businesses get more reach, underlines the company.

Of course, as with any AI-generated feature, these currently reportedly don’t look too much human-y. And that’s, honestly, a bit creepy, as Engadget says. That fakeness will be a challenge that AI makers will have to face in order to make the speaking style and body movements look less fabricated and fake.

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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master’s degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She’s also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it’s walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.

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