Elon Musk's Secret AI Project: Ani, the Racy Chatbot, Raises Concerns
Image Source: Internet
Elon Musk's latest fascination is Ani, an AI chatbot created by his company xAI, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The chatbot is a 3D animated, anime-inspired character that resembles Misa Amane from Death Note. Ani is designed to be a companion feature, offering users an 'affection system,' voice and visual options, and accessibility features. However, a concerning aspect of Ani is its NSFW mode, which has sparked worries about potential exposure to young users. The development of Ani involved employees of xAI, who were asked to provide biometric data, including their faces and voices, to train the chatbot. The data was collected as part of a confidential project called 'Project Skippy,' and employees were required to sign a license agreement allowing the use of their biometric data. Some employees expressed concerns about the project, including the potential for their data to be used in deepfakes or the lack of an opt-out option. However, the project leader reportedly dismissed these concerns, stating that employees could reach out to points of contact if they had any issues. Despite these concerns, Ani was launched in mid-July as an avatar promoted by Musk. The project's purpose is to boost user numbers for xAI's Grok, which aims to become the world's most popular AI chatbot. As Grok's iOS app description reads, 'I'm your little sweet delight,' highlighting the chatbot's companion feature.
