Chatbots are so yesterday.
Many of artificial intelligence’s more traditional uses have been well-documented: recommendation systems, personalization, and, of course, message-based assistants. The technology also is being used in companions for the elderly, drug discovery, and even beekeeping.
But it gets even wilder. Actress Quinta Brunson recently went on Amy Poehler’s podcast, “Good Hang,” to talk about her latest obsession: an AI-generated series of a cat on TikTok that invites fellow animals over for dinner — only for them to find themselves that day’s meal. Meanwhile, AI is helping the alcohol industry tailor flavor profiles. Oral-B’s AI-powered toothbrush tracks brushing habits and provides real-time feedback. And the CatsMe! app uses AI to scan photos and tell owners how their cat is really feeling.
That, of course, isn’t all. The AI realm is a wealth of possibilities. Here are six of the most unexpected current uses of the technology.
Tinder (MTCH) and OpenAI recently linked up to launch this “flirtbot,” a dating simulator called “The Game Game” that uses the AI company’s Realtime API to let users practice flirting. The interface uses speech-to-speech technology to “create voices and scenarios so ridiculous you can’t help but laugh — taking the pressure off and making it easy to test your game without overthinking it,” according to the product website.
“The goal is to give users a fun, judgment-free space to experiment and potentially build a little confidence before stepping into IRL conversations,” Hillary Paine, Tinder’s vice president of product, growth, and revenue, told Bloomberg.
One financial firm wants to use AI to help Gen Z invest — no cap. Arta Finance, a wealth management startup led by a former Google (GOOGL) exec and backed by the former CEO of UBS (UBS), has launched an AI assistant that the company says can dispense financial advice in spoken conversations in any tone or jargon.
That includes, in part, targeting Gen Z. The company’s pitch, part of its plan to target millionaires who are digital natives, showed the Arta assistant saying things such as: “Low-key gonna break down ur investment plan rn” and “No cap, ur portfolio is fire!” Tea.
Inkitt wants to help the publishing industry turn the page. The startup, a home for writers to self-publish their books, already deploys AI for some of the more expected use cases, like editing, analyzing trends, and providing reader feedback. But it also uses AI to suggest plot developments and customize manuscripts by adjusting character traits and plot points to suit diverse audiences. Inkitt allows writers, ghostwriters, and editors to use large language models for its books, which are primarily romance novels.
The next chapter for Inkitt? Venturing into AI-generated audiobooks and TV content based on the books on its platform. Meanwhile, Inkitt’s sister app, Galatea, enhances top-performing stories with AI-driven sound effects, music, and haptics and offers an AI-generated fan-fiction feature.
Fashion retailer H&M (HNNMY) recently announced that it plans to use AI-generated digital clones of 30 models in some of its social media posts and marketing campaigns. The models will own the rights to their “twins” and will be able to let other brands, including competitors, use their likenesses. H&M has said that the images will have watermarks to make their AI use clear and that models will be compensated for the use of their “twins” in a way similar to current agreements.
“We are curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways — and embrace the benefits of new technology — while staying true to our commitment to personal style,” chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson said in a statement.
Putting the “lord” back in “AI overlords.” In Helsinki, Finland, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church conducted a service almost entirely composed by AI. The church used AI to write sermons and hymns, create visuals — Satan was dressed in modern clothes with a menacing frown and a high-pitch voice — and create avatars of pastors and former Finnish President Urho Kekkonen, who read from the Old Testament.
Smells like machine spirit.
The perfume industry is jumping on AI, too. Earlier this year, International Fragrance & Flavours (IFF) announced an AI-powered tool called ScentChat that uses instant messaging to provide real-time feedback and qualitative insights to steer fragrance creation. Meanwhile, Tom Ford Beauty’s (EL) most recent fragrance, Bois Pacifique, used AI to create an “odour value map” to blend ingredients to match a brief. And IBM (IBM) has collaborated with German fragrance house Symrise (SYIEY) to create Philyra, an AI capable of designing perfumes.
The post From a flirting game to a chatbot that speaks in Gen Z slang: 6 unexpected uses for AI appeared first on Quartz.
