{***PKG***} {*** OC: TRT :00***} 88% OF CUSTOMERS HAD AT LEAST ONE CONVERSATION WITH A CHATBOT WITHIN THE PAST YEAR AND AIRLINES ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST USERS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY CAN GET YOU INFORMATION MUCH FASTER THAN IF YOU HAVE TO WAIT ON HOLD. TAKE TRACKED VO/SOT/VO IF YOU HAVE OTHER ISSUES IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET TO A REAL PERSON RIGHT AWAY. ONE AIRLINE CUSTOMER SAYS SHE SPENT A WEEK TALKING TO A CHAT BOT AND WAITING ON HOLD AFTER LOSING HER BAGS. THE PROBLEM SOLVERS ASKED TECH EXPERTS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO GET THROUGH TO A REAL PERSON. THEY SAY IT ALL COMES DOWN TO TIMING. TAKE SOT 00:07:17:27 Brian Cather no cover From nine to five, you ask for a human it gets you to a human it hits 6 olock you might as for it it might now give it to you :48 tannenbaum/ no cover Main objective I think is saving money SOT NO COVER MITCH 02:57 they give you the wrong answer or they say gee could you rephrase that question and all they do is upset the customer SHELLEY 1:29 "aside from what I lost, not being able to talk to anybody has been absolutely miserable" CONTINUE VO (VO SHOWS A GRAPHIC) A TIDIO STUDY SHOWS 90% OF CUSTOMER QUESTIONS ARE RESOLVED IN 10 OR FEWER MESSAGES. 96 PERCENT OF PEOPLE KNOW WHAT A CHAT BOT IS" (END GRAPHIC) (cyber/coding video) ..BUT THE A.I. IS SO DEVELOPED, MANY DON'T EVEN REALIZE THEY AREN'T TALKING TO A REAL PERSON. CHAT BOTS ARE USED BY COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, UTILITY AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES AND MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES. ONE REASON, HIGH TURNOVER IN CALL CENTERS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT RUDE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS. SHAUL LIVE TAG – SPLITSCREEN GRAPHIC SOMETIMES YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO USE A BOT. THE TIDIO STUDY SHOWS 38 PERCENT WOULD RATHER WAIT TO TALK TO A HUMAN, BUT 68 PERCENT WOULD JUST USE A BOT. BUT THAT DEPENDS ON THE KIND OF ISSUE YOU NEED TO DISCUSS. AT DIA SHAUL TURNER FOX 31 ." station="" title="" feed="" no_pr="false" disable_muted_autoplay="false" expect_preroll="true" json_feed="" class="" /]
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States turn to AI for traffic management
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Can artificial intelligence make your commute better? State governments across the nation are aiming to find out as road safety and traffic management become early test drives for the potential life-improving benefits of AI.
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California has signed contracts with three major firms to pilot the use of generative AI technologies to address traffic bottlenecks and improve pedestrian safety. Texas is already using AI technology to detect roadway incidents more quickly based on changes in traffic patterns.
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In Florida, the state transportation department has certified an Israeli company to deploy AI technology to reduce congestion and improve safety. And in Pennsylvania, the state is working with AI researchers to develop lighter concrete blocks and materials for noise-absorbing walls — material that can also trap greenhouse gases.
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Expect more states to get in on the AI game. Your morning drive to work may be all the better for it.
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Welcome to Tech Friday, a joint project of The Hill and Pluribus News covering tech policy across government.
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Sign up to receive The Hill’s newsletters here. Rather not receive this newsletter? Let us know.
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Bipartisan bill gives artists, journalists control over content
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New legislation from Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) would require AI platforms to allow users to attach content provenance information to their work, prrevent AI systems from training or creating synthetic content without a user’s consent and compensation. Read more at The Hill.
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Biden admin meets with crypto firms
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Senior White House adviser Anita Dunn met with dozens of crypto currency leaders at a roundtable organized by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) this week, opening a line of communication as the White House finds itself at odds with the crypto industry. Crypto leaders have been critical of SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who has been hostile to the industry. Read more at The Hill.
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DOJ disrupts Russian bot farm
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Federal law enforcement authorities have shut down a Russian disinformation campaign backed by the Kremlin, the Department of Justice said this week. The bot farm of about 1,000 accounts on the social media platform X had been overseen by a former editor-in-chief of the state media outlet RT. Read more at The Hill.
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Biden admin boosts EV industry
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The Biden administration will grant $1.7 billion in funds to auto manufacturers across the country to help cover the costs of transitioning facilities to electric vehicle operations. The administration prioritized facilities that had temporarily closed or were at risk of closure. Read more at The Hill.
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Microsoft gives up OpenAI board seat
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Microsoft has resigned its observer seat on the board of OpenAI in the midst of scrutiny by U.S. and European antitrust regulators. The Federal Trade Commission had previously opened an investigation into investments Microsoft, Amazon and Google have made in leading AI firms. Read more at The Hill.
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UK Amazon workers voting on union
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Amazon workers at a fulfillment center in Coventry in the United Kingdom are voting on whether to join a trade union, the first such vote in an Amazon facility in Europe. Voting runs through Saturday, with results expected Monday. Read more at The Hill.
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Magnificent Seven performance this week
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AAPL +1.6%, NVDA +1.9%, MSFT -2.7%, GOOG -1.9%, TSLA -0.9%, AMZN -2.5%, META -7.6%. NASDAQ-100 Tech Sector index: -0.03%.
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California AI bill advances
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California’s Assembly Judiciary Committee has advanced major legislation that would regulate AI models that cost more than $100 million to train. The bill aims to future-proof against next-generation systems going rogue and triggering “critical harm” events. Read more at Pluribus News.
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Blue states target gig companies
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Massachusetts is the latest Democratic-controlled state to forge an agreement on worker pay and benefits with Uber and Lyft, the gig economy giants. The deal, which will see drivers earn a minimum of $32.50 an hour, settles a 2020 lawsuit against the companies that sought to guarantee overtime and sick pay. Read more at Pluribus News.
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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) has formed an artificial intelligence task force and is proposing a $100 million research and innovation hub to help local businesses compete in AI development. Healey also announced a partnership with Northeastern University to develop AI tools for state government agencies. Read more from the Boston Globe
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July 17: The WeAreDevelopers World Congress opens in Berlin.
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July 18: Netflix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing report first-quarter earnings.
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A new study from the University of Southern California finds ChatGPT can write some pretty good jokes. Almost 70% of participants in the study rated jokes written by the AI chatbot funnier than jokes written by regular people. Joke headlines written by The Onion were rated about as funny as those written by ChatGPT. Read more at CBS News.
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Amazon’s expensive foray into business robots is coming to an end. The company alerted employees working on and businesses using its Astro for Business robots that the devices would stop working Sept. 25. Amazon said it would shift its robotics program to at-home models. Read more at Wired.
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You’re all caught up! See you next week.
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