Need to Know News - January 30th, 2025
In this week's Need to Know News edition:
🤖 DeepSeek, DeepSeek, and more DeepSeek...
🤖 Alibaba releases their own AI they say is more powerful than ChatGPT and DeepSeek...
🤖 AI will take center stage for advertisers at this years Super Bowl...
And whole lot more!
DeepSeek’s AI Claims Have Shaken the World — but Not Everyone’s Convinced
Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has stunned the tech world. It claims its new language models match OpenAI's performance at a fraction of the cost. They say their language model uses less computing power but still rival OpenAI on key benchmarks.
Most shockingly, DeepSeek says training their V3 model cost just $5.6M - far less than US tech giants spend. This sent Nvidia shares plunging $600B on disruption fears. But many experts are skeptical.
Questions swirl around the full R&D costs, if banned chips were used, and whether DeepSeek "ripped off" other companies' work.
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OpenAI says DeepSeek May Have "Inappropriately" Used Its models' Output
OpenAI has publicly accused DeepSeek of "distilling" its models' output to inappropriately develop its competing LLM. Distillation trains smaller models on a larger model's outputs.
And while distillation can be legitimate, OpenAI prohibits using its outputs to make rival products. OpenAI says it's reviewing evidence and will take aggressive steps to protect its IP.
Alibaba Claims Its Qwen 2.5 AI Rivals Top Models from DeepSeek, OpenAI, Meta
While all the focus has been on DeepSeek, Chinese tech giant Alibaba just crashed the AI party with their own bold claims about its new Qwen 2.5 model. The company says their latest AI outperforms top players like GPT-4, DeepSeek-V3, and Meta's Llama across key benchmarks.
The timing is telling - Alibaba rushed to announce during Lunar New Year, breaking with tradition, showing how DeepSeek's recent success is pressuring Chinese tech firms. This follows ByteDance's move just days earlier, when they claimed their AI beat OpenAI's latest model.
Meta's AI Bet Pays Off as 4 Million Advertisers Embrace New Tools
Meta's big push into AI is working. Their latest earnings report shows advertisers are rushing to use their AI tools. Over 4 million advertisers now use at least one of Meta's AI features - up from 1 million just six months ago.
The company's new AI video tool, launched in October, has hundreds of thousands of monthly users. Their AI-powered Advantage+ shopping campaigns grew 70% year-over-year- hitting $20 billion in annual revenue. And their AI assistant already reaches 700 million monthly users, with hopes of hitting 1 billion this year.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls 2025 a "defining year" for AI. Meta plans to spend up to $65 billion on AI infrastructure and hiring.
Google Tests AI-Generated Backgrounds for Shopping Ads
Google is testing a clever new AI tool for Shopping Ads. The system makes background scenes for product photos. It does not change the product. Think of it as giving products a digital makeover - but with a safety net.
Here's the smart part: Every AI-generated background must pass human review before going live. This could be a game-changer for small retailers who can't afford fancy photo shoots. But some advertisers worry about AI's ability to match their brand style.
Google's playing it safe by making this optional. Advertisers can opt out if they want full control over their images.
AI Takes Center Stage at This Year's Super Bowl Ad Lineup
AI is advancing so fast that experts can't even measure its progress anymore. The latest AI models are acing tests that even PhD students struggle with, scoring above 70% on advanced physics and chemistry exams. OpenAI's newest model, o3, shocked researchers by scoring 88% on a test designed to be extremely difficult.
Three key forces are reshaping AI's impact: decreasing costs (with some tasks dropping below $1,000), better user interfaces, and rapidly increasing intelligence. The challenge? We've run out of human-based benchmarks to test AI's capabilities. When AI masters one test, researchers must create harder ones. This pattern shows no signs of slowing down, despite predictions of AI hitting a progress wall.
U.S. Copyright Office Opens Door to AI-Created Content - With a Human Touch
The rules for AI content just got clearer. The U.S. Copyright Office says AI-generated work can now get copyright protection - but only if humans help create or edit it. This is big news for companies using AI tools.
Here's what counts: Adding human-made content to AI work, making significant changes to AI output, or using AI as a creative assistant while humans make key decisions. Just typing prompts into AI tools isn't enough to claim copyright.
This update helps businesses protect their brands when using AI in marketing. It's especially important for companies making AI-generated videos, images, or writing.
Oracle Joins AI Agent Race with New Supply Chain Helpers
Oracle just launched smart AI agents to help factory workers. These digital helpers can handle boring tasks like checking products and tracking deliveries. It's part of Oracle's bigger push into artificial intelligence .
The news comes right after Oracle joined forces with OpenAI and SoftBank on the massive Stargate Project. They plan to spend $500 billion on AI data centers across America. The first one is already being built in Texas.
So, What Happens in Marketing if DeepSeek Makes AI 10 Times Cheaper?
When AI gets 90% cheaper, everything changes. Marketing teams could run AI across every customer touchpoint without watching costs.. Small businesses could finally access sophisticated AI tools once reserved for big brands.
Here's what becomes possible: real-time campaign analysis, personalized customer interactions at scale, and constant AI-powered optimization. It's like having unlimited marketing firepower. Companies can now experiment freely when each AI interaction costs pennies instead of pounds.
Wix Launches AI Business Creator That Turns Skills Into Startups
Wix just released an AI tool that helps anyone start a business fast. Their new Business Launcher turns your work experience into personalized business ideas. It works by analyzing your skills and creating a complete startup package.
Here's what it builds: custom business names, websites, logos, and marketing plans. The AI even studies market size and SEO opportunities for each idea. Think of it as a personal business assistant that guides you from idea to launch.
Early tests show it's helpful but not perfect. One user found the AI needed human touch-ups, especially for industry-specific content . While it won't build your business overnight, it gives entrepreneurs a smart starting point for turning skills into profits.
Thanks for reading.
Until next time!
The AI Marketers
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