US Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, recently addressed a letter to major technology and generative AI companies, calling for them to label AI-generated content and limit the spread of fake or misleading material. Bennet cited several recent examples of AI-generated content causing alarm and market turbulence. He also underscored the importance of Americans knowing when AI is being used to shape political content.
“Fabricated images can derail stock markets, suppress voter turnout, and shake Americans’ confidence in the authenticity of campaign material,” Bennet said.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, highlighting AI’s impact on the spread of false information. Bennet applauds the steps taken by technology companies to identify and label AI-generated content, but acknowledges that these measures are voluntary and can be easily bypassed.
“Americans should know when images or videos are the product of generative AI models, and platforms and developers have a responsibility to label such content properly,” Bennet said during his letter.
U.S. lawmaker N/A echoed Bennet’s sentiments, arguing that platforms ought to update their policies given the availability of generative AI tools to all.
Related: EU Commissioner Says AI-Generated Content Should Be Labelled
“We cannot expect users to dive into the metadata of every image in their feeds, nor should platforms force them to guess the authenticity of content shared by political candidates, parties, and their supporters,” N/A said.
Meanwhile, other lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have expressed interest in introducing legislation to regulate AI. Bennet has gone on to introduce a bill requiring political ads to disclose whether AI was used in the production process.
“Continued inaction endangers our democracy. Generative AI can support new creative endeavors and produce astonishing content, but these benefits cannot come at the cost of corrupting our shared reality,” Bennet said.
Bennet’s letter asked the executives about the standards and requirements they employ to identify AI content and how those standards were developed and audited. He also inquired about the consequences for users who violate the rules.
Twitter responded to a request for comment with a poop emoji, while Microsoft declined to comment and TikTok, OpenAI, Meta, and Alphabet did not respond immediately.
As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent and nefarious, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet is pressing for major technology and generative AI companies to act responsibly and promptly to protect public discourse and electoral integrity. Bennet’s letter and subsequent bill demonstrate a sense of urgency and awareness into the risks posed by artificial intelligence and the powerful implications it has on our democracy.
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced on Monday its plan to acquire neurological drug maker Intra-Cellular Therapies in a $14.6 billion deal, marking its largest acquisition in over two years. The move is aimed at bolstering J&J’s presence in the lucrative brain disease treatment market, according to Reuters.
The acquisition comes as J&J continues to reshape its business following the spin-off of its consumer health unit in 2023. Over the past few years, the company has made strategic investments to strengthen its pharmaceutical and medical device divisions. Notably, J&J struck a $13.1 billion deal to purchase Shockwave Medical in 2024, demonstrating its commitment to expanding its healthcare portfolio.
Speaking at a prominent industry conference in San Francisco, J&J CEO Joaquin Duato highlighted the significance of this latest move. “These deals do not happen every day, and as a matter of fact, for us, larger deals are more outliers,” he said, per Reuters.
Intra-Cellular Therapies is best known for its oral drug Caplyta, which is approved in the U.S. to treat schizophrenia and bipolar depression. The acquisition will provide J&J with immediate access to the drug, as well as several experimental treatments currently in development. Caplyta generated $481.3 million in sales in the first nine months of 2024, with analysts predicting that annual sales could surpass $1 billion next year. Furthermore, the drug is not expected to face generic competition until 2040, according to data compiled by LSEG.
J&J’s offer to buy Intra-Cellular Therapies includes a payment of $132 per share, representing a 39% premium over the stock’s closing price on Friday. Following the announcement, Intra-Cellular shares jumped 34% to $128 in afternoon trading, while J&J’s stock rose by 1.5%.
The acquisition is part of a broader trend in the pharmaceutical sector, with experts predicting increased dealmaking in 2025. Bankers attending the San Francisco conference believe the industry could see more than $10 billion in transactions this year, driven by expectations of reduced antitrust scrutiny after President-elect Donald Trump assumes office on January 20, according to Reuters.
Source: Reuters
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