Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly newsletter designed to keep you in the loop on recent developments in AI, XR & NFTs ! 

On this edition: 

• AI News: Meta's text-to-music model, McKinsey's predictions on AI's economic impact, and Mercedes-Benz integrating ChatGPT.
• NFT News: Nike (& .SWOOSH) x Fortnite (& Unreal Engine) teaser, Adidas x FEWOCiOUS sneakers NFTs, Sotheby's auction sells Dmitri Cherniak's "Ringers #879" NFT for $6.2 million to Punk6529.
• XR Spotlight: Hexa x Amazon partnership : AR retail
• A curated list of 5 AI tools you won't want to miss!

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AI Trends and News

1. Meta Unleashes MusicGen: An AI-Powered Music Generator for Limitless Creativity

Meta has unveiled MusicGen, an AI-powered music generator that revolutionizes music creation. This innovative tool, now open-source and free, utilizes a vast training dataset of over 20,000 hours of music. With MusicGen, users can transform text descriptions into captivating audio clips and even guide the generation process using reference audio.

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2. McKinsey Report Reveals Generative AI's $4.4 Trillion Economic Value Potential Annually

According to a recent report from McKinsey, the application of generative AI has the potential to contribute up to $4.4 trillion in value to the global economy every year. The report highlights how generative AI technology can automate various tasks and processes, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. Additionally, the report suggests that between 2030 and 2060, approximately 50% of the workforce could be affected by automation, emphasizing the transformative impact of AI on the future of work.

Read the report

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3. Mercedes-Benz Integrates ChatGPT into In-Car Voice Assistant

Mercedes-Benz has announced the integration of ChatGPT into its in-car voice assistant. This integration enables Mercedes-Benz drivers to interact with their vehicles using natural language, enhancing the overall user experience. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz is exploring the potential of ChatGPT plugins for various tasks, such as making restaurant reservations and booking movie tickets, offering added convenience to car owners. The beta program for this integration commenced on June 16th, providing eligible models with early access to these AI-powered features.

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What’s New in NFTs? 

1. Nike Teases Major NFT Integration with Fortnite and .SWOOSH Web3 Platform

Nike has recently provided a glimpse of what might be a highly significant NFT integration in the industry. In a teaser video, Nike showcased the collaboration between Fortnite, using Unreal Engine, and its innovative .SWOOSH Web3 platform. As the teaser concluded on today's date (June 20th), stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated development.

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2. Adidas x FEWOCiOUS custom-designed sneakers NFTs

Adidas has joined forces with renowned digital artist FEWOCiOUS for a groundbreaking collaboration. This unique partnership seamlessly blends the physical and digital worlds by incorporating NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and custom-designed sneakers. 

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3. Ringers #879 NFT known as "The Goose" by Dmitri Cherniak Sells for $6.2 Million at Sotheby's Auction

During a live auction at Sotheby's auction house in New York City, the non-fungible token (NFT) artwork "Ringers #879" by generative artist Dmitri Cherniak exceeded expectations by selling for a hammer price of $5.4 million and a full price of $6.2 million, including Sotheby's buyer's premium. 

The artwork, known as "The Goose" for its resemblance to the animal, was the highlight of Sotheby's recent NFT auction from the "Grails" collection, originally owned by bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC).

Following intense bidding, the NFT was purchased by prominent NFT investor 6529, making it the second-highest sale of all time for a work of generative art.

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XR Spotlight

Hexa and Amazon Partner to Revolutionize Immersive Retail for Merchants

Hexa and Amazon have joined forces to empower merchants in the era of immersive retail. Through this collaboration, selling partners gain access to Hexa's proprietary immersive OS, allowing them to create stunning 3D images, immersive 360-degree views, virtual try-on capabilities, and AR content directly on their Amazon product pages. This partnership aims to unlock the untapped potential of immersive retail experiences in online marketplaces, revolutionizing the way merchants engage with customers and showcase their products.

Watch the full video

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Useful AI Tools 🔨

• CollovGPT: Create captivating product visuals in seconds! Remove backgrounds, choose from templates, or customize with your prompt.
• Framer: Generate and publish your site  in seconds.
• Playbook: Create, store and save your AI artwork, iterations and prompts
• Creasquare: Create and schedule social media content
• Midjourney Stats: Tracks the average waiting times for Midjourney models

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Stay tuned for our next issue, where we'll continue to bring you the latest updates from the worlds of AI, XR & NFTs. 

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