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  • 🎬 ChatGPT silences Scarlett Johansson-like AI voice after actress objects, the rapid melting of the Doomsday Glacier, anomaly found under Pyramids of Giza

🎬 ChatGPT silences Scarlett Johansson-like AI voice after actress objects, the rapid melting of the Doomsday Glacier, anomaly found under Pyramids of Giza

Plus: Scientists seek to redefine time on basis of particles that break the light-speed barrier

On Monday, Scarlett Johansson accused OpenAI of creating a voice for its ChatGPT system that sounded “eerily similar” to her own after she declined to participate in voicing the chatbot.

The statement came just hours after the artificial intelligence company announced it was removing the voice ‘Sky’ from its offerings. The voice, described as flirtatious and feminine, quickly compared to Johansson’s performance as an AI assistant in the 2013 film Her.

OpenAI had heavily promoted the Sky voice option in its ChatGPT system, showcasing it during a recent high-profile event to demonstrate the capabilities of the new ChatGPT-4o artificial intelligence model. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on jobs.interestingengineering.com:

> Director, Software Engineering
> Engineering Manager, Incident Response

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MUST READ

🎬 ChatGPT silences Scarlett Johansson-like sexy AI voice after actress objects

In response to the uproar, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman released a statement clarifying that Sky’s voice was not an imitation of Johansson’s.

“Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice,” Altman stated in an email to Reuters. He emphasized that the company values the voice acting industry and respects the contributions of all its voice actors.

Scarlett Johansson confirmed in a statement that Sam Altman approached her in September with an offer to voice a ChatGPT character, which she declined.

🧊 Warm water melts ‘Doomsday Glacier’ half a mile every year, finds study

New data indicates warming and high-pressure seawater beneath the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, called the ‘Doomsday glacier’, which is leading to vigorous melting. If other polar regions imitate the process, it could potentially lead to a reassessment of global sea-level rise projections.

A team of glaciologists led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine employed high-resolution satellite radar data to uncover evidence of the warm, high-pressure seawater intrusion beneath the glacier.

A statement by the scientists noted that the widespread contact between ocean water and the glacier—a process replicated throughout Antarctica and in Greenland—causes “vigorous melting.

🏜️ Egypt: Mysterious ‘anomaly’ found buried deep under Great Pyramids of Giza

Researchers using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), along with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), have found what they describe as an ‘L-shaped anomaly’ in the western cemetery near the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

The international team of researchers led by Tohoku University’s Motoyuki Sato claimed to have found previously undetected structures approximately 6.5 feet from the surface.

The structures were discovered beneath a royal graveyard near the centuries-old Great Pyramid in Egypt. The team of researchers suspects that the structures are man-made and they were backfilled after construction.

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HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> Researchers have proposed a new experimental design to measure time for a quantum tunneling particle—a particle that appears to move faster than the speed of light. (More)

> Researchers have recorded a rare video of Dana squid (Taningia danae) at 1026-meter depths in the South Pacific, where the mollusk can be seen flashing its light-emitting organ. (More)

> An international team of astronomers has observed a high-redshift massive star-forming galaxy known as REBELS-25, a dynamically cold disk galaxy. (More)

ENERGY

> NASA is working on the smallest core ever for a hybrid-electric turbofan jet engine. The reduced size would lead to a fuel burn reduction of 10 percent compared to existing engines. (More)

> A research team has successfully developed dual-site radioactive isotope dye-sensitized betavoltaic cells, a next-generation semi-permanent battery that does not require recharging. (More)

> Researchers have identified the principle of an eco-friendly energy-based soft mechanoluminescent complex that emits light without batteries. (More)

INNOVATION

> Hacksmith Industries has successfully jerry-rigged a working “Stillsuit” inspired by the Dune science fiction universe. Using a combination of computer parts and health and safety PPE, their stillsuit made drinkable water from the wearer’s sweat, breath, and pee. (More)

> Remotely piloted drones have demonstrated their ability to herd cattle for the first time autonomously. SkyKelpie, a company based in Queensland, conducted the world’s first live remote muster. (More)

> An electrochemical process developed at Georgia Tech could offer new protection against bacterial infections without contributing to growing antibiotic resistance. (More)

VIDEO

> NASA has unveiled plans to launch the Nero telescope in 2027, a groundbreaking project aimed at exploring the ancient cosmos. (More)

> Recent research has uncovered a concerning trend in artificial intelligence (AI) systems: the ability to deceive humans. (More)

> The container ship that caused the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge was refloated on Monday and has begun slowly moving back to port. (More)

IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS

In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, What should be the question mark?

The answer is: The pattern here is that (n*2)+5=the next number, so (171×2)+5=374

Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on Instagram and Facebook! 

FROM THE WEB

> Genes provide hope for the survival of Arabia's last big cat

> The Eurodrone program has completed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR) process

> The ‘dead internet theory’ makes eerie claims about an AI-run web. The truth is more sinister

> Researchers are using AI and technological advancements to create companion robots

> The CEO of Snap, developer of Snapchat, says the messaging platform is increasing its spending on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning

> Archaeologists unearth ancient tombs with 'rare' bronze seals

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