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December 1, 2023

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In a groundbreaking move, Pika Labs has unveiled its AI video editing app, reshaping the landscape of content creation. Founded by former Stanford computer science Ph.D. students Demi Guo and Chenlin Meng, Pika aims to simplify the intricate process of video production using generative AI. The journey began when Guo’s team faced challenges in a competition hosted by Runway, a leading AI video editor startup. Undeterred by the setback, they left Stanford in April to establish Pika, with a vision to develop a more user-friendly AI video generator.

Image source: Pika Labs

Since its inception, Pika’s software has garnered immense popularity, attracting over 500,000 users on the social messaging app Discord. According to Forbes, the platform enables users to input text requests, such as “a robot walking on the beach at sunset,” and receive AI-generated videos as replies. With the recent launch of a web app, Pika has expanded its reach to a broader audience, introducing features that allow users to edit and customize objects within videos, enhancing the overall user experience.

Pika’s rapid growth has not gone unnoticed in Silicon Valley, resulting in a staggering $55 million in funding across three rounds. The latest Series A funding, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with $35 million, values Pika Labs between $200 million and $300 million. Nat Friedman, former GitHub CEO and a leading investor in the AI space, expressed his initial investment in Pika after being impressed by an early demo. The company’s proprietary AI model for video, developed with the support of Friedman’s GPU cluster, sets Pika apart in the competitive AI landscape.

Despite initial skepticism about the difficulty of generating realistic videos, Pika swiftly expanded its capabilities beyond anime creation. The team’s agility and responsiveness to market demands have positioned Pika as a frontrunner in the industry. As Pika looks to the future, CEO Demi Guo emphasizes the goal of redesigning the video-making interface, making it more accessible to everyday consumers. The company plans to use the new funding to grow its team, focusing on hiring engineers and researchers, while exploring potential monetization strategies, such as a tiered subscription model.

Featured Image Source: Forbes

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Veteran News Correspondent John Yang To Sit As PBS News Weekend’s Newest Anchor

Beginning this December 31st, John Yang will take over as the new host of PBS News Weekend.

The 64-year-old veteran news correspondent and commentator covered politics and international events for most of his career. He had been exposed to these topics since the 1980s, not long after receiving his degree from Wesleyan University.

He worked as a journalist for The Boston Globe, Time, The Washington Post, and NBC News before joining “NewsHour” in early 2016 as a national correspondent covering the election and the first year of the Trump administration.

Since that time, he has concentrated on reporting more about the Supreme Court and intends to continue doing so.

Yang pledges to deliver the same sorts of subjects that are vital to the weekday audience which according to him can only be seen on “NewsHour” with his new position.

“Getting out in the field is really what gives my work energy,” he adds.

Yang will also be allowed to blend in other stories that may surprise viewers, according to Rachel Wellford, executive producer of the half-hour weekend program.

“Viewers may anticipate a combination of the lighter fare that people like to watch on weekends, including interviews with musicians, artists, and athletes. Weekends allow us to cover a wide range of topics that we may not have time to cover during the five-day-per-week “PBS NewsHour” program. On that, we’ll keep expanding,” she said.

Yang will take over for Geoff Bennett, who will join Amna Nawaz on the daily version of PBS NewsHour, following Judy Woodruff.

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50-Year-Old Chinese Flight Attendant Who Lost Job Due To Age Limits Received Got Hired At A Foreign Airline After Learning New Languages

Age sets no limits for a 50-year-old flight attendant from China who lost her job and instead sought to better herself by studying English and Finnish, which caused her to receive numerous offers and land a new job at a foreign airline.

“Use all your strength and courage to deal with life. Live in the moment, and never regret every step you’ve taken,” Ms. Hu says in South China Morning Post.

The Chinese cabin crew is one of the numerous people who are subjected to discriminatory age restrictions in China, as airlines do not hire anyone older than 40.

The Beijing-native woman was dismissed from her six-year employment at Norwegian Air Shuttle during an internal restructuring.

Hu’s video received popularity online and positive comments from internet users who praised her as a shining example for women.

“She is so encouraging. Everybody, let us learn from her to improve ourselves,” an online reader commented.

The lady is now on her 8th month at her new job. Sharing her beauty regimen, she said “I exercise routinely, and I insist on eating a healthy diet. These are major reasons that I am still able to handle this physically demanding job which requires flying for long hours.”

Her life story gained notoriety as an inspiration, which helped raise awareness of age discrimination in the mainland job market.

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Famed Manga Series ‘My Hero Academia’ Adaptation Is Now Available On Netflix

More than a year after its announcement, the eagerly awaited live-action film adaptation of “My Hero Academia,” produced by Mary Parent and Alex Garcia of Legendary Entertainment, has finally disembarked at Netflix.

Shinsuke Sato, who directed Alice in Borderland, is the film’s director and executive producer marking her first-ever English-language feature.

The film was written by veteran Joby Harold who is known for “Obi Wan Kenobi,” “Army of the Dead,” “Edge of Tomorrow,” John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” “The Flash,” “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” “Robin Hood,” the upcoming Netflix film “Atlas”  and 2023’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.”

With over 65 million copies in print worldwide, including digital editions, Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia is one of the most well-known manga series in the world.

The protagonist of the narrative is the superhero enthusiast Izuku Midoriya (also known as Deku), who gave up on his dream of attending the University of Arizona since he was born without a “quirk”, a kind of “special skill” that 80% of people on Earth have developed. 

The unusual power hindered him from going to U. A. High School, the most reputable center for hero training, and becoming the next “All Might,” or the greatest hero the world has ever known.

Midoriya, however, promises to work as hard as he can to become a symbol of peace and a beacon of hope for the world after having a chance encounter with All Might himself.

Both the manga and the ongoing anime series by Bones Inc. & TOHO Animation are regarded as some of the greatest of the 2010s. The award-winning series has been a part of publisher Shueisha’s Weekly Shnen Jump since 2014.

Image Source: Chinese Parade / Mark Andrew Boyer / KQED

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Rich Ting Leads First San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Parade After Pandemic

Chinese American actor Rich Ting will serve as the grand marshal of San Francisco’s Chinese New Year parade in 2023.

The 42-year-old was reared by an athletic family, was born in Torrance, California, and spent time growing up in both Southern and Northern California.

Not only did he focus on being an athlete growing up, but also trained to be a Hollywood actor just what he always dreamed of. He made this goal come true by appearing in several films and TV shows, including Chicago P.D., NCIS: Los Angeles,  and Salt.

Succeeding Daniel Wu in leading the city’s Chinese New Year’s Year of The Rabbit parade, Rich stated “I am beyond words to express my gratitude for including me in such an iconic cultural celebration” in The San Francisco Standard.

The Chinatown exhibition will be celebrated for the first time since the pandemic with Harlan Wong serving as the parade’s director. Harlan Wong revealed that several rabbit sculptures will be placed throughout the city as part of the festivities and then sold at auction to benefit charities.

Michelle Yeoh, Jon Chu, and Mayor London Breed were hailed as grand marshals in prior years.

The Lunar New Year will be celebrated on January 22 at events hosted by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, although festivities will get underway at Chinatown’s Flower Market on January 14.

On February 3, the Miss Chinatown Pageant will take place the day before the parade.