###### January 2, 2025

OpenAI failed to deliver on its promise to offer an opt-out option by 2025. The company said [in May](https://openai.com/index/approach-to-data-and-ai/) that it was working on the Media Manager tool, which would give creators the power to decide which of their creations are included in its AI training datasets. Seven months later, the tool supposed to help resolve intellectual property issues and appease critics has not been released.

According to insiders who spoke to [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/01/openai-failed-to-deliver-the-opt-out-tool-it-promised-by-2025/), internal development of the tool was not a top priority. A coordinator who works with OpenAI pointed out the lack of recent updates, and a former employee admitted that he had seen almost no progress. Fred von Lohmann, a member of the tool's legal team, even took up a part-time consulting position.

OpenAI did not provide any updates regarding the development or upcoming release of Media Manager, which was intended to help manage the complex intellectual property environment that AI models must navigate. These models, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Sora, learn from massive data sets and can generate content that closely resembles the original data, potentially leading to lawsuits from the producers.

Ad hoc opt-out techniques are already available through OpenAI, although developers criticize them as insufficient. The goal of the new tool was to expand these choices and offer a more comprehensive solution for opt-out procedures and content ownership.

Experts doubt whether Media Manager could successfully resolve these issues if introduced. They argue that the tool might not significantly reduce legal issues or meet content protection and payment requirements, implying that authors would be unfairly burdened with managing AI training.

The significance of Media Manager in legal circumstances is still unknown as OpenAI is still subject to [lawsuits](https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/27/the-current-legal-cases-against-generative-ai-are-just-the-beginning/) and dependent on fair use defenses. The tool is not intended to provide a complete answer to the intellectual property issues associated with training AI models; rather, it is a public relations attempt to establish OpenAI as a user of ethical content.

_Ignite your passion for AI: Learn how to transform data into powerful, scalable solutions with Code Labs Academy’s online_ [_Data Science & AI Bootcamp_](https://codelabsacademy.com/en/courses/data-science-and-ai)_._


thumbnail_pexels-andrew-15863044 (1) (1).webp

pexels-andrew-15863044 (1) (1).webp

Delays at OpenAI: Media Manager Tool Still Missing as 2025 Deadline Passes


###### December 19, 2024

Although there is disagreement among German companies over whether AI will lead to the creation or replacement of jobs, many expect higher productivity through the integration of AI. It is still unclear what impact artificial intelligence will have on IT sector jobs in the long term. [Research by Bitkom](https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/KI-ersetzt-IT-Jobs), a digital group, shows a complex situation where different companies have different opinions on the ramifications of AI. Depending on the role held, some are seeing job losses, while others are seeing a growing need for IT specialists.

According to the study, 15% of organizations expect to lose IT jobs to artificial intelligence. However, 38% predict that AI-related activities will lead to the creation of new jobs. Companies believe AI will fill vacancies, according to 20% of respondents. Ralf Wintergerst, chairman of Bitkom, sees AI as an opportunity to at least partially close the skills gap rather than as a danger to the labor market.

Everyone agrees that AI will change the nature of IT jobs. A third of companies anticipate the emergence of new professional positions such as those of rapid engineers or AI trainers. Meanwhile, 18% of them envision a future in which there will no longer be a need for IT professionals with AI skills, and 25% of them anticipate a reduction in certain professions. Because AI relieves workers of repetitive tasks, 44% of companies expect increased productivity.

Bitkom's survey, which examined how AI is changing the role of IT professionals, covered 852 German companies with three or more employees. The group defends the political and economic interests of its more than 2,000 members, the majority of whom come from the IT and telecommunications sectors. Additionally, according to a [recent Bitkom study](https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/Haelfte-der-Berufstaetigen-trotz-Urlaub-erreichbar), half of the workforce is still available during the Christmas holidays.

_Build your future in tech with_ [_Code Labs Academy_](https://codelabsacademy.com/en)_’s top-rated bootcamps._


thumbnail_zhenyu-luo-kE0JmtbvXxM-unsplash (1) (1).webp

zhenyu-luo-kE0JmtbvXxM-unsplash (1) (1).webp

Bitkom Study Reveals: The Impact of AI on Job Dynamics within Germany’s Tech Sector

[Waymo](https://waymo.com/), which is owned by Alphabet, will test its self-driving car technology in Tokyo in early 2025. This will be the first time the company has used its robotaxis on public roads outside the United States. Waymo's road trips project, which aims to adapt its technology to different locations around the world, each with distinct problems, includes expanding to Japan. It will be difficult to navigate left-hand traffic and crowded urban environments in Tokyo.

These experiments, previously targeted on certain weather and environmental conditions – such as the intense heat of Death Valley, California, or torrential rains in Miami – were carried out in a dozen American cities. Buffalo, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Seattle were all used as test cities. In each city, Waymo typically starts with a small fleet and maps the terrain by hand before moving to autonomous testing under human supervision.

Waymo is collaborating with local taxi operator Nihon Kotsu, which will oversee and maintain the Waymo fleet, and with taxi app GO for its trials in Tokyo. In order to map important parts of Tokyo, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa and Kōtō, Nihon Kotsu drivers will first drive the cars by hand. Additionally, Waymo and Nihon Kotsu are working closely to train their employees to drive Jaguar I-Pace self-driving cars.

This news follows [GM's statement](https://news.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/news/us/en/2024/dec/1210-gm.html) that its Cruise robotaxi development was ending, as well as the cancellation of a planned autonomous ride-sharing service in Japan with Honda. The cancellation comes after Honda, Cruise and GM jointly [announced in October 2023](https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/18/gm-cruise-and-honda-to-launch-robotaxi-service-in-japan/) that they would launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo in 2026 with Cruise's specially created robotaxis, The Origin.

_Embrace the future with tech insights from_ [_Code Labs Academy_](https://codelabsacademy.com/en)_._

__


thumbnail_gibblesmash-asdf-Qr67ewAPBvY-unsplash (1) (1).webp

gibblesmash-asdf-Qr67ewAPBvY-unsplash (1) (1).webp

Alphabet's Waymo to Begin Self-Driving Car Tests in Tokyo in 2025


As AI technology advances, misinformation continues to grow and businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable. A London-based startup called Refute is tackling this problem by identifying and thwarting misinformation aimed at businesses. Playfair Capital and Episode 1, two UK-based investors, are leading the company's recent pre-seed investment round, which raised £2.3 million ($2.9 million).

These disinformation efforts are driven by a number of variables, such as geopolitical tensions and the use of generative AI to create fake documents. These sophisticated operations frequently target executives, supply chains and organizations, causing significant financial and reputational damage.

Refute distinguishes itself from its competitors who primarily focus on detection thanks to its comprehensive strategy for identifying and combating disinformation. Finding “threat actors” and their actions is part of the company’s efforts to identify disinformation operations. The limitations of current social media and media monitoring technologies, primarily passive and intended for marketing purposes, explains Tom Garnett, co-founder and CEO of Refute in an [interview with TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/13/as-ai-fueled-disinformation-explodes-here-comes-the-startup-counterattack/). As a result, they are useless for combating the complex and multifaceted nature of disinformation threats.

This strategy draws on Garnett's experience in national security, where he created large data analysis systems at Detica and BAE Systems. It has used comparable technologies to combat financial crime and cyberattacks in the corporate sector.

Vlad Galu, co-founder of Refute, knows the effects of disinformation firsthand because he grew up in Romania in an era of technological advancement and regulatory ambiguity. Initially, he worked to develop core internet infrastructure in Romania and the CEE countries, which required strong defenses against a range of threats.

Other investors in this round included angel investors Charlie Songhurst, Carlos Espinal, James Chappell and Alastair Paterson, in addition to Notion Capital and Amadeus Capital Partners.

According to Andrew Sheffield of Playfair Capital, the information landscape is changing, making it harder to distinguish fact from fiction and making it less costly to spread misinformation. He highlighted Garnett and Galu's expertise in data analysis, cybersecurity and handling difficult security issues.

_Gain in-demand_[ _data science and AI skills_](https://codelabsacademy.com/courses/data-science-and-ai) _or become a certified_ [_cybersecurity expert_](https://codelabsacademy.com/en/courses/cybersecurity)_. Unlock high-paying career opportunities in tech with Code Labs Academy._ 

__

Delays at OpenAI: Media Manager Tool Still Missing as 2025 Deadline Passes

Bitkom Study Reveals: The Impact of AI on Job Dynamics within Germany’s Tech Sector

Alphabet's Waymo to Begin Self-Driving Car Tests in Tokyo in 2025

Combating Misinformation: Refute's Secures £2.3 Million in Pre-Seed Round