Welcome to Friday Five, the AI Edition! This week, we’re focusing on AI and how it is reshaping publishing, tech, and business—from digital CEOs delivering earnings calls to Salesforce’s major acquisition aimed at expanding its AI capabilities. Also, Google Search is getting a chattier upgrade, Audible is embracing AI for narration and translation, and academic publishers are turning to algorithms to help safeguard research integrity. Here’s a quick look at the five biggest AI stories we’re following this week.
With AI Mode, Google Search Is About to Get Even Chattier
Google is launching a new “AI Overviews” feature for its search engine, hoping to transform how users interact with results. Instead of static links, AI Mode summarizes complex topics and answers queries in a more “conversational” tone. This marks a shift toward a chatbot-style experience built directly into search. However, some critics worry that users may stop at the AI summary and no longer click through to the original websites. Read more on Wired.
Salesforce to buy Informatica for $8 billion to bolster AI data tools
Salesforce is acquiring Informatica for $8 billion in a move to deepen its data management and AI capabilities. By bringing Informatica’s tools into its ecosystem, Salesforce aims to help enterprises better manage and connect their data. The acquisition highlights Salesforce’s continued investment in AI and its broader strategy to stay competitive in the enterprise software market. Read more on Reuters.
AI Avatars Are Taking Over The Spotlight As Zoom And Klarna CEOs Let Their Digital Doubles Deliver Earnings Reports
In what some may call a “futuristic twist,” the CEOs of Zoom and Klarna recently used AI-generated avatars to deliver their company earnings reports. While the move highlights innovation, others worry it could erode trust if not handled transparently. It’s another sign of how generative AI is blurring the line between real and virtual in corporate life. Read more on Wccftech.
Audible Expands Catalog with AI Narration and Translation Services
Audible has announced plans to use generative AI to expand its audiobook offerings, employing synthetic voices to narrate titles that previously lacked audio versions. It’s also piloting AI-powered translation services to reach a broader global audience while keeping production costs down. Even so, Audible stresses that human narration will remain central for flagship and high-profile releases. Read more on Publishers Weekly.
Publishers Embrace AI as Research Integrity Tool
Academic publishers are increasingly adopting AI tools to safeguard research integrity, using them to detect image manipulation, plagiarism, and papers generated by so-called “paper mills.” The goal is to keep trust and transparency intact while continuing to rely on human judgment. This move comes amid growing concerns over the rise of fraudulent and low-quality submissions in scholarly publishing. Read more on Inside Higher Ed.