Emotionally Intelligent Conversational AI

Have you seen the recent release of remarkable AI-generated videos created with the help of OpenAI’s Sora? While Sora isn’t publicly available yet, it’s currently in the hands of select artists and filmmakers.

We’re completely dazzled by the short film, “Air Heads” by Toronto-based multimedia production company, Shy Kids. It’s a must-watch!

This week, we’re exploring AI's next big step into emotionally intelligent voice chats, an AI-powered calendar, AI-enhanced grocery shopping, and a music generator for the musically challenged.

Let’s dive in!

AI Productivity

Has your calendar turned into a chaotic battlefield of work meetings, home commitments, and that to-do list that never seems to end? If so, it's time to unleash the power of AI for smarter time management.  Our team member Justin dove into the world of AI-powered scheduling with Reclaim AI, an app that promises to transform your time.

Think of Reclaim AI as your virtual scheduling assistant. It syncs with your Google Calendar and then gets to work.  

• The Magic Duo - Tasks and Habits: Got a to-do list? Reclaim calls these "Tasks" and gives each a VIP status based on your choice of priority. For those daily must-dos without a strict time? Those are your "Habits" (think: gym time, email catchup time, etc.)

• The AI Wizardry: Reclaim then expertly weaves these priorities into your schedule. When life inevitably intervenes, you can make changes and the calendar resets appropriately. And if things go haywire, a quick shuffle gets you back on track.

After a two-week trial, Justin's sold. Sure, you'll still need to tweak things daily, but the integrated structure of the calendar, to-do list and habits, and the “nudges” to use time productively kept Justin on track.  

Of course, Reclaim AI isn't the only player out there – tools like Motion (more useful for team calendars) offer similar AI-powered scheduling help. 

The bottom line: Reclaim AI has a generous free plan, and an $8/month upgrade that includes the full set of features.

Mind-blowing AI

Get ready for the next big leap in AI! EVI (empathic voice interface) is a new personalized AI system from NY-based startup Hume AI that mirrors emotions in digital conversations. Imagine chatting with technology that really gets you. EVI speaks in a tone that feels incredibly human, making the interaction feel more genuine.

EVI was trained on millions of human conversations and employs a suite of empathic capabilities that distinguish it from any existing technology. It listens to how you talk and adjusts its language on the fly, ensuring it's always hitting the right note to meet your needs.

You can see how EVI works in this video from Hume AI.

• Smoother Conversation: EVI understands subtle pauses, recognizing when you've finished speaking to ensure seamless chatting.

• Interruption Handling: Effortlessly resumes conversations after interruptions, maintaining the flow without confusion.

• Continuous Learning: EVI becomes smarter with each interaction, enhancing your experience over time for surprisingly comfortable chats with a 'bot.

Are you ready to give it a try? You can start a conversation here. All you need is a device with a working microphone. We think you’ll be amazed!

We recommend you think of a topic that excites you. Then, try a few ways to vary your tone during the conversation (by expressing sadness, frustration, and anger) so you can see for yourself how EVI responds. There are still a few kinks (a slight lag time to answer) but remember, we’re still in the early stages of development.

Starting this month, EVI will be available to developers, marking a significant milestone in making empathetic and intuitive AI solutions available to a wider audience. We’ll be following this technological breakthrough closely so keep watching this space.

ChatGPT Grocery Shopping

Does this happen to you? You’re in a rush at the grocery store and while you have your list in hand, you’re still running up and down aisles trying to find the last few items. Where exactly is the soy sauce? A jar of capers? Well, now you can use ChatGPT for easier, faster grocery shopping!

ChatGPT can help you reorder a grocery list to match the aisles of a particular grocery store. But the chatbot will need some details from you to make it as accurate as possible.

Grocery store layouts can vary by location, and while there's some commonality in how stores are organized (e.g., produce near the entrance, dairy, and meats along the perimeter, and center aisles for pantry goods), the exact arrangement can differ. To do this, ChatGPT needs the following:

• Your grocery list: List out all the items you plan to purchase.

• Any specific grocery store location you have in mind (if any): If you shop at a specific store and location, providing that information will help but you don’t always need the exact location. Kroger stores are a good example. ChatGPT can provide a more general layout based on typical Kroger stores if no specific location is given.

• Recent experience or a store map (if available): If you've shopped at this location recently or have a store map, any details you recall about the aisle layout can assist in organizing your list more accurately. Or the next time you’re at the store, take pics of the signs that display the aisle number and food categories. Then, simply upload the photos to ChatGPT along with your list.

With this information, ChatGPT can save you time by reducing backtracking. If you're looking for an exact match to a specific store's layout, the best approach would be to consult that store directly, as many grocery stores offer store maps on their websites or mobile apps.

BTW, OpenAI, ChatGPT’s parent company announced this week that you no longer need an account to use ChatGPT’s free version. So, what are you waiting for?

AI Music Makers

Ever wondered if you could channel your inner Bob Dylan or Adele and create a song that strikes a chord with listeners everywhere? You might think this dream is out of reach, but now there’s Suno, an AI-powered music app for the musically challenged.

Dubbed "ChatGPT for music" by Rolling Stone, the Cambridge, MA-based Suno AI recently launched Suno v3. Users can now enjoy enhanced audio quality, an expanded library of musical styles, and the ability to generate two-minute-long tracks.

Suno operates on a surprisingly straightforward premise:

• Input: You provide a short prompt describing the vibe, theme, or story you want your song to convey.

• Magic Happens: Within minutes, Suno churns out two versions of a complete song with lyrics, vocals, and instrumentals included.

• Outcome: You get a polished, radio-ready track tailored to your request, spanning across genres from indie pop to epic orchestral scores.

To ensure originality, Suno won’t consider requests to mimic existing artists. Every tune is embedded with an inaudible watermark to identify AI-generated songs.

Suno offers three different subscription tiers including one at no cost. We tried the free plan with two radically different prompt ideas to test Suno’s range of musical styles.

Using the simple prompt “a sea shanty about learning about AI applications through a newsletter called Here Now AI”, we were amused by the result, and amazed by the quality. You can listen here.

And ready for some tasty, bubblegum pop? We generated “Rainbow Dreams” with the prompt: “Make a song with a heavily synthesized teen girl band singing about rainbows and lollipops.”

While there's a legitimate concern that Suno and similar technologies could saturate the market with low-cost, AI-generated content, it's crucial to remember that Suno is not here to replace human creativity. Let's hope for a harmonious blend where technology serves as a bridge, connecting more people to the joy of music creation, without sidelining the artists who make our hearts sing. 

We recommend trying Suno for the fun of it!

AI in the News (in case you missed it)

• US and UK announced partnership on AI safety. Read here.

• NYC to introduce AI gun detection tech to curb subway crime. Read here.

• Billie Eilish, Katy Perry join 200 artists to sign open letter on AI. Read here.

• PBS’ NOVA episode on the promise and perils of AI. Watch here.

• Will Apple’s new AI Siri model outperform ChatGPT-4? Read here

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Here.Now.AI Editorial team: Lori, Justin, and Lisa