Photo by Microsoft Edge on Unsplash
Microsoft Launches AI-Powered Designer App for iOS and Android
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
Microsoft announced this Wednesday, that its AI-powered Designer app is now available for all users with a personal Microsoft account. The app, considered Canva’s competitor in the market, was launched in October 2022 as a preview for selected users and opened for web users with Microsoft Edge in 2023.
“Designer now integrates seamlessly with Microsoft products including Word and PowerPoint through Microsoft Copilot1 and Microsoft Photos2 to keep you in your flow when inspiration strikes,” wrote the company in its announcement. “Designer is now supported in more than 80 languages on the web, available as a free mobile app, and as an app in Windows. ”
The company also shared the new app update on its Microsoft 365 account on X: “Let your creativity run wild in Designer. Design and edit anything you can imagine with the power of AI.”
Let your creativity run wild in Designer. 🖌️ Design and edit anything you can imagine with the power of AI. ✨ pic.twitter.com/ge9M5fRtAt — Microsoft 365 (@Microsoft365) July 17, 2024
The new app has been developed to help everyday users create attractive visual images, from photo editing to stickers to greeting cards to AI images. Among its main features, Microsoft has highlighted a new “prompt template” option to help users facing a blank page get ideas and for a better understanding of what they can create with the new tool.
The stickers created within the app can be shared through social media and messages apps, and customers can create emojis, avatars, wallpapers, and more with just a basic text description. The Restyle image feature can transform uploaded photos into works of art in different styles powered by AI. Microsoft also announced an upcoming feature, Replace Background, that will allow users to easily replace backgrounds.
Photo by Agustin Diaz Gargiulo on Unsplash
Meta Withdraws Generative AI Services in Brazil Over Government Objections
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
Meta Platforms decided to suspend its AI services in Brazil after the Brazilian government objected to the tech company’s policies on AI and the use of personal data to train AI models.
According to Reuters , Meta announced its decision this Wednesday, and it will affect its 200 million users. Brazil’s audience represents Meta’s second-largest user base, after India.
Meta is in discussion with Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) and will not provide the AI tools in this country until both parties reach an agreement.
According to the BBC , on July 2nd, the ANPD said they had to intervene over the “imminent risk of serious and irreparable damage, or difficulty repairing fundamental rights of the affected [account] holders”. The government agency gave Meta five days to comply or face daily fines of R$50,000 ($9,000).
Pedro Martins, Academic Coordinator at Data Privacy Brasil, told the BBC that the organization was especially concerned over the use of children’s and teenagers’ content with the BBC.
Meta considered the decision a “step backward for innovation” and said in a recent statement that they would address the authorities’ concerns. However, Brazil is not the first country to block Meta’s new AI policies, the European Union and the United Kingdom have also requested policy changes.
Meta announced in June that it had been working on possible multimodal AI models for Europe but recently confirmed to Axios that it will not proceed with this approach.
Governments aren’t the only organizations against Meta’s AI training policies. Apple also rejected the integration of Meta ’s chatbot with iOS, and hundreds of thousands of artists have also decided to opt out of Meta ’s platforms and join the new social media app for artists Cara.
