Digimasters Shorts - Meta steals Apple’s AI stars, OpenAI’s powerful ChatGPT agent, Magnus Carlsen crushes AI chess, Netflix’s bold AI effects revolution, Google’s AI calls local businesses

Digimasters Shorts delivers the latest buzz from the digital world in quick, insightful episodes. Hosts Adam Nagus and Carly Wilson cover major tech moves like Meta's aggressive AI recruitment from Apple, OpenAI’s new ChatGPT agent with enhanced browsing and research capabilities, and industry shifts in Hollywood using AI for visual effects. Plus, they explore the surprising AI chess match with Magnus Carlsen, Google’s new AI-powered business calls, and Netflix’s innovative use of AI to streamline production. Stay tuned for concise updates that keep you connected to the fast-changing landscape of technology, AI, and digital entertainment—all in under 15 minutes.

Transcript

Adam N2: 0:05

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, we are your hosts Adam Nagus

Carly W: 0:09

and Carly Wilson delivering the latest scoop from the digital realm. Meta is making a significant push in artificial intelligence by recruiting key talent from Apple’s Foundation Models group. After hiring Ruoming Pang, who led Apple's large language model efforts, Meta has now onboarded Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, both former senior members of Apple's AI team. Lee was Pang’s first hire at Apple, while Gunter was a distinguished engineer and among the group’s most senior employees. Lee started at Meta shortly after leaving Apple, and Gunter joined after a brief stint at another AI startup. Pang's move to Meta reportedly came with a compensation package exceeding$200 million over several years. Meta C.E.O Mark Zuckerberg has emphasized AI as the company’s top priority, signaling an aggressive recruitment drive. The company has previously attracted talent from Open A.I and Google but is now capitalizing on internal strife within Apple’s AI division. Reports suggest morale at Apple’s AI teams is low, with engineers feeling unfairly blamed for recent setbacks. Meta is taking advantage of this instability to court disillusioned talent. Brazilian tech journalist Marcus Mendes, who has extensively covered Apple, notes this shift highlights mounting pressures within Apple's AI strategy.

Adam N2: 1:25

Open A.I announced the launch of Chat G.P.T agent, an enhanced version of its previous Operator feature. This new tool combines Operator's browsing capabilities with Deep Research's ability to analyze website content quickly and accurately. When assigned a task, the agent activates on a virtual machine and autonomously completes the work. It can ask follow-up questions to clarify user intent and request logins to complete online transactions. A notable feature is the timeline that displays the agent’s browsing and reasoning process, helping users understand the sources behind its answers. Open A.I has trained the model extensively to detect suspicious websites aiming to deceive users or steal credentials. Despite these efforts, the company advises caution, acknowledging this technology is still evolving. Chat G.P.T agent is available today for Pro users and will soon roll out to Plus and Team subscribers. Enterprise and Education users can expect access by the end of July. Marcus Mendes, a Brazilian tech journalist, has been following these developments closely. Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen recently played an online chess match against Chat G.P.T, winning without losing a single piece while the AI lost all its pawns. Screenshots shared by Carlsen on social media showed Chat G.P.T resigning the match and complimenting his playing style as"methodical, clean, and sharp." Carlsen praised Chat G.P.T for a strong opening but noted it failed to follow up correctly, later asking for feedback on his performance. The AI rated Carlsen’s classical strength at 1800-2000, though Carlsen’s actual FIDE rating is 2839, making him the world’s top-ranked player. Carlsen, widely regarded as the greatest chess player in history, has won the World Chess Championship five times but has not competed since 2021. Shortly after the match with Chat G.P.T, Carlsen lost the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Las Vegas to teenage Indian grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. Carlsen was recently fined$200 for wearing jeans at the World Rapid and World Blitz championships, leading to his withdrawal after FIDE requested a dress code change. He later explained the incident as forgetting to change clothes after a meeting and criticized the disqualification threat as unnecessary. Despite these controversies, Carlsen maintains his reputation as a top figure in the global chess community. His engagement with AI in chess highlights the evolving intersection of technology and classical games.

Carly W: 3:53

Netflix has successfully employed generative AI to reduce costs on a recent production, according to co-C.E.O Ted Sarandos. The technology was used in"The Eternaut," an Argentine sci-fi series, to create fully AI-generated visual effects, including a building collapse in Buenos Aires. Sarandos highlighted that this effect was completed ten times faster than traditional visual effects methods would allow, making it cost-effective for the show's budget. Both creators and audiences responded positively to the AI-enhanced sequences, encouraging Netflix to continue exploring such tools. This marks a significant milestone as"The Eternaut" is the first Netflix title to incorporate fully AI-generated shots in its final footage. Netflix has a history with AI, previously using it in films like"Pedro Paramo" to save money on de-aging effects compared to budgets like those for Scorsese’s"The Irishman." Despite its benefits, AI usage remains controversial in Hollywood, contributing to industry strikes in 2023 over its role in creative work. The debate extends to fan backlash, such as the criticism Disney faced for AI-generated credit art in"Secret Invasion." Industry figures like Tyler Perry have expressed caution, pausing projects due to concerns about A.I's impact. Visual effects are among the most promising areas for AI innovation, as studios strive to meet demand for high-quality, budget-conscious productions. Google is launching an AI-powered business-calling feature available to all users in the United States. This tool uses artificial intelligence to call local businesses on behalf of users to gather information on availability and pricing without the need for direct conversation. The feature was initially tested in January with participants from Google's Search Labs experiments. Users can initiate the process by searching for services like"pet groomers near me" and selecting the option to have AI check pricing. Google ensures transparency by having the AI system identify itself at the start of each call. This move comes after previous criticism when Google's AI simulated human speech without disclosure. Google is also updating Google Search’s AI Mode with the Gemini 2.5 Pro model, enhancing its ability to handle complex reasoning, math, and coding tasks. Alongside this, a new Deep Search function promises comprehensive, multi-source research reports for subscribers within minutes. These advancements aim to improve user convenience in both simple inquiries and in-depth research activities. Google continues to expand its AI capabilities to compete with platforms like Open A.I’s Chat G.P.T Search.

Don: 6:30

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