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10-11-2023 Snoop Dogg Cashes in on AI Chatbots with Meta, Snagging $5M for the Firm to Use His Likeness

10-11-2023 Snoop Dogg Cashes in on AI Chatbots with Meta, Snagging $5M for the Firm to Use His Likeness

PLUS: Two Black-led startups receive funding to fuel the tech economy, one is funded by Serena Williams' venture capital fund, the other is funded by Riot Games.

Lisa D. Sparks
October 11, 2023

Snoop Dogg is selling not his soul but his image and likeness to Facebook for a reported $5 million, along with several other celebs such as Tom Brady, Naomi Osaka and more. Tom Hanks and MrBeast this week decried the use of their image/likeness in deepfake ads selling dental products (Hanks) and the largest iPHone giveaway (MrBeast). Let’s see how this push-and-pull of this industry goes as stars look to both leverage and discourage the use of AI-powered likeness simulations.

Today’s Top 5 News Stories in Tech, Race, and Gender

1 / Meta Pays Celebs Up to $5M for Their Likeness in AI Chatbots

Meta Is Paying Creators Millions for AI Chatbots

Meta Platforms’ decision to create artificial intelligence characters based on the likeness of some of the most famous people on the planet is paying off handsomely—for the stars themselves.Last week, the parent of Facebook and Instagram said it was paying stars including Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, ...

www.theinformation.com/articles/meta-is-paying-creators-millions-for-ai-chatbots?irclickid=RH1SF90O9xyPRPB3CHVNZzC%3AUkFWNYSFgwHLV00&irgwc=1&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=cpa&utm_campaign=10078-Skimbit+Ltd.&utm_term=businessinsider.com

2/ Serena Ventures Funds $1B-Valuation Tech Startup Esusu

How Wemimo Abbey, Co-Founder Of Fintech Startup Esusu, Snagged An Investment From Serena Ventures - AfroTech

In January 2022, Esusu reached a $1 billion valuation — making the fintech company one of the few Black-owned unicorns in the U.S. and globally —...

afrotech.com/wemimo-abbey-esusu-serena-williams

3/ Facebook Guilty of Sexism and Ageism in Ad Targeting: CA Court

Facebook’s sexist, ageist ad-targeting violates Calif. law, court finds

"Shocking" ruling could have "devastating effects," tech law expert warns.

arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/10/facebook-targeting-ads-by-age-gender-violates-calif-anti-discrimination-law

4/ Vermont to Solve Energy Outages with In-Home Batteries

Vermont Utility Plans to End Outages by Giving Customers Batteries

Green Mountain Power is asking state regulators to let it buy batteries it will install at customers’ homes, saying doing so will be cheaper than putting up more power lines.

www.nytimes.com/2023/10/09/business/energy-environment/green-mountain-home-batteries.html

5/ Gaming Startup Beats the Odds, Snags $3.5M in Funding for Black Woman-led Firm

Black Woman-Led Wicked Saints Raises $3.5M Seed Round Led By Riot Games And Oregon Venture Fund - AfroTech

Wicked Saints — co-founded and led by Jessica Murrey — is on a mission to disrupt the gaming market.

afrotech.com/black-woman-led-wicked-saints-raises-3-5m-seed-round-led-by-riot-games-and-oregon-venture-fund

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