AI News Roundup: AI Girlfriend App Courts Taylor Swift, Bids $2M for Likeness

AI Business brings you the latest news and insights from across the AI world.

This week’s roundup covers an "AI girlfriend" app trying to obtain a license for Taylor Swift's likeness, among other developments.

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AI girlfriend app wants Taylor Swift

An AI app that lets users create and interact with their own AI girlfriend has made a $2 million offer to artist Taylor Swift for her imaging rights on the platform.

In a letter written to the artist’s management team, seen by AI Business, DreamGF.ai wants Swift’s likeness to “not only enhance our user experience but also shed light on the responsible ways AI can be integrated into modern entertainment.”

DreamGF.ai lets users talk to “AI girlfriends,” essentially chatbots - and receive content that “exceeds your wildest desires.”

At the time of writing, Swift is dating Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. Referencing the romance, the Romania-based app said fans would want Swift’s image “more than ever.”

The offer for Swift's likeness only covers the DreamGF.ai app but the platform does have an AI generator allowing users to create adult content. DreamGF offers subscriptions ranging from $11 to $102 per month - with top-tier users able to receive more nudes from their AI "girlfriends" and have more than one.

However, according to the letter, Taylor’s image will only be used “in a manner that is dignified and reverent.”

“Our platform is resolute in prioritizing ethics and safety, going above and beyond to ensure that AI companionship remains respectful and positive. Taylor's association will further amplify our mission of promoting healthy interactions in the digital sphere,” the letter reads.

Intel spins out its programmable chip business

Intel is selling off part of its specialized chip division. Programmable Solutions Group (PSG) will operate as a standalone business with plans to launch an IPO for it in the next three years.

The unit makes chips that can be reprogrammed post-manufacture and often see deployment in the telco and defense industries.

Standalone operations for PSG will begin from January 1, 2024, with Intel’s AI and data center lead, Sandra Rivera to take the reigns as CEO.

Intel said the move will “help accelerate strategic repositioning of the business and drive substantial value creation.”

The move will give PSG “the independence it needs to keep growing share in the field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)market, differentiating itself with capacity and supply resilience from Intel Foundry Services (IFS), and allowing Intel product teams to focus on our core business and long-term strategy,” said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger.

PSG is the second Intel spinoff in a year after the company shifted its self-driving subsidiary, Mobileye, to operate as its own entity.

Apple hiring UK AI staff

Apple is looking to hire more AI staff in the U.K. as the company quietly gears up its AI efforts.

Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said it wants to increase hires despite rivals laying off staff.

The likes of Meta, Google and Microsoft have all cut thousands of jobs this year - but Cook wants to buck the trend and expects investments in AI to increase.

Cook failed to say what roles the company would be looking for or what projects they’d be working on. However, Apple has a series of AI projects in the works including Apple GPT, its own chatbot and its long-rumored autonomous car concept, Project Titan.

Visa launches generative AI fund

Visa has launched a $100 million generative AI venture fund to invest in companies developing solutions covering commerce and payments.

The initiative will be led by the company’s investment arm, Visa Ventures, and will look to invest in companies seeking to reshape commerce.

“With generative AI’s potential to be one of the most transformative technologies of our time, we are excited to expand our focus to invest in some of the most innovative and disruptive venture-backed startups building across generative AI, commerce and payments,” said David Rolf, head of Visa Ventures.