Right now Tesla sells the most EVs in the US — and has been making a profit on them alone since 2021. The second largest producer of EVs in the country is Ford, but it has been posting more than a billion dollars in losses for the first two quarters of this year on its Model e electric vehicle division. Other pure EV players like Rivian and Lucid aren’t making money on their vehicles and on are hanging on thanks to outside investors.

EV demand is still on the rise, but its rate of growth is fluctuating in the US, causing manufacturers to modify their EV rollout strategies and incorporate more hybrids into the mix. A big thing holding EVs back are their high costs, but customers can get tax incentives from the federal government up to $7,500 to help with the purchase. However, the credits are only for EVs built domestically with stringent rules on vehicle pricing and battery materials sourcing — rules designed to stay competitive with China, which is building more EVs for cheaper.

Only a handful of GM-made vehicles like the Chevy Equinox and Blazer EV qualify for incentives right now, but it’s making investments to lower battery prices and get those tax incentives for consumers. One of GM’s big new plans is to open a new battery cell development center in 2027 in Warren, Michigan. GM is also building a new $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Indiana with Samsung SDI as well as another in Lansing, Michigan with LG. GM and LG have also increased production at currently operational plants in Spring Hill, Tennessee and Warren, Ohio.

According to The New York Times, GM will collect around $800 million in subsidies from the government for manufacturing EV batteries in the US thanks to the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.

GM also plans to reduce battery costs by incorporating lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in future EVs, like Tesla and Ford already do. The chemistry generally nets a lower overall driving range for EVs after a full charge compared to the more expensive nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries GM installs in most of its current EV models.

However, GM thinks its range won’t suffer by much: all GM EVs today get approximately 300 or more miles of range, comms VP Darryll Harrison tells The Verge, and it expects to pack “over 350 miles” of range into its larger LFP vehicles.

GM has one of the most affordable EVs on the market, the Chevy Equinox, which costs below $30,000 after tax credits. It doesn’t have Apple CarPlay for those who care, but neither does Tesla, which sells the ultra-popular Model 3 sedan for about $35,000 after incentives.

AI conversational search engine Perplexity typically looks for information online or in a provided database and interacts with users one at a time. Now, the company is changing things up with two new major features to augment its answers and improve its collaborative ability. The Internal Knowledge Search and Spaces features, respectively, provide a new way of thinking about AI search not just in the office but in your everyday life as well.

Perplexity was among the first to blend Google-style search engines with ChatGPT-style conversational ability, beating both Google and OpenAI to the idea of real-time web searching coupled with an interface that could mimic how people actually speak. Search has, until now, been limited to either hunting online or using provided databases. The Internal Knowledge Search feature melds them together, allowing simultaneous online and internal searching through one giant informational source.

Since its premiere in 2018, Yellowstone has been a breakout hit for the Paramount Network and one of the most popular shows on TV. Taylor Sheridan’s modern Western also revitalized Kevin Costner’s career by placing him in the lead as John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family, who own the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Montana.

The fifth season of Yellowstone premiered in 2022, but the future of the series and the franchise were called into question when reports emerged that Costner was leaving the show and Paramount Network had already ordered a sequel series that will continue without Costner’s involvement. To bring everyone up to speed, here’s everything you need to know about the future of Yellowstone.

Will there be a sixth season of Yellowstone?

Until August 2024, it had been understood that the remaining episodes of Yellowstone season 5 would wrap up the series. However, it sounds like Paramount Network isn’t willing to let its most popular show go quietly. Deadline is reporting that negotiations are underway with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser to co-headline a sixth season of Yellowstone.

Reilly portrays Beth Dutton and Hauser portrays the Dutton family ranch’s foreman, Rip Wheeler. Both performers have been with the series since the beginning, and a continuation makes sense because neither one has a direct connection to the new characters who will be at the center of the upcoming Yellowstone spinoff, Madison. As of now, there is no definitive timetable for Yellowstone season 6 to begin filming, and contracts haven’t been finalized yet. The one thing we know for certain is that Kevin Costner won’t be back.

What have Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser said about the season 6 reports?

Cole Hauser doesn’t seem to be leaving much room for another season during his recent remarks to US Magazine. “It’s been a great ride with everyone involved,” Hauser said. “You’ll have to stay tuned for November for how Taylor [Sheridan] wraps it up!”

Kelly Reilly was more open to the possibility when she spoke with EW.

“Nothing is set in stone,” Reilly said. “But if Taylor wants to write it, I would want to do it. That’s it. Because he’s the one that’s written every single line I’ve ever said. She came from his imagination. But we’re both in agreement that there’s a shift that has to take place. Because you can’t keep telling the same story. This story is ending. Yellowstone as we know it is ending, but if there is more story to tell with some of the characters, it’s going to be a little different.”

Is Matthew McConaughey going to star in the Yellowstone spinoff?

Every report since February 2023 has stated that McConaughey is in negotiations to star in the Yellowstone spinoff series. So far, there has been no confirmation that McConaughey has closed his deal. In February 2024, Puck reported McConaughey would not sign on until he saw a script for the spinoff.

If McConaughey does agree to a contract, it would be his first leading role on TV since HBO’s first season of True Detective in 2014. McConaughey’s star power is also arguably greater than Costner’s at this point in their respective careers.

Does the spinoff series have a title?

Who will Matthew McConaughey play in the Yellowstone spinoff?

Is Michelle Pfeiffer going to star in the Yellowstone spinoff?

Yes. Via Variety, Michelle Pfeiffer will star in The Madison and executive produce the show alongside series creator Taylor Sheridan.

In a statement, Paramount Global co-CEO Chris McCarthy acknowledged the news and said, “Michelle Pfeiffer is a remarkable talent who imbues every role with emotional depth, authenticity and grace. She is the perfect anchor to the newest chapter of the Yellowstone universe, The Madison, from the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan.”

There was no mention of McConaughey’s name, and the last few updates about the series have conspicuously left him out. Pfeiffer’s involvement with the project was first reported in February 2024 by Puck, which noted that the actress was in talks to join the Yellowstone spinoff alongside McConaughey.

Who else is slated to star in The Madison?

After months of apparent inactivity, the cast of the Yellowstone spinoff The Madison is coming together. Via The Hollywood Reporter, Suits star Patrick J. Adams has signed on to a starring role opposite Pfeiffer. Adams will play Russell McIntosh, a man who is described as someone “who has followed the life path set before him from the start.”

Film actress Elle Chapman, whose previous credits include A Man Called Otto and Florida Wild, is making her TV debut in this series as Paige McIntosh, a “somewhat self-centered woman who indulges in a luxurious New York lifestyle provided by her parents and investment banker husband.” She is Russell’s wife and the daughter of Pfeiffer’s character.

Firefly Lane‘s Beau Garrett has also been cast as Abigail Reese. Abigail doesn’t appear to be a member of the McIntosh family, but she is a recently divorced single mother who is described as a “resilient and sardonic New Yorker.” Abigail is Paige’s sister, and the other daughter of Pfeiffer’s character. Amiah Miller will play Abigail’s oldest daughter.

Lost star Matthew Fox has also landed a leading role on the series as Paul, “a self-reliant bachelor who loves the outdoors.” It’s unclear if he has any relationship to the McIntosh family.

A previous report from Deadline noted that veteran actor Kurt Russell is also in talks to join the series. However, McConaughey went unmentioned again, which raises the question of whether he will actually appear in the spinoff at all.

Which Yellowstone cast members will return for the spinoff?

Prior to last year’s actors’ strike, Deadline reported that “it has not been revealed whether the McConaughey-fronted franchise extension will be set on the Dutton ranch in Montana or elsewhere and which of the original stars of Yellowstone will appear in the spinoff series, but we hear a couple of them have received offers. The plan for the returning cast members may not get finalized until Sheridan finishes writing, we hear.”

The Yellowstone spinoff was not originally designed to include characters from the original series. However, a February 2024 report by Puck stated that Yellowstone stars Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, and Luke Grimes as three Yellowstone could join the spinoff. Reilly and Grimes play Beth and Kayce Dutton, while Hauser stars as Beth’s husband, Rip Wheeler. The trio is looking for significant pay increases to return for the spinoff. Reilly and Hauser are asking for a per-episode rate of $1.2 million and 1.25 million, respectively. Grimes’ salary demands were not included. Puck’s follow-up in March 2024 stated negotiations were still ongoing.

Given the way that Yellowstone season 5A ended, it’s hard to picture Reilly and Wes Bentley returning for the spinoff series since their respective characters, Beth and Jamie Dutton, have openly contemplated murdering each other over their ongoing dispute. Beth is John Dutton’s daughter and Jamie is his adopted son, but they have very different endgames in mind. Jamie has already gone against the family by calling for his father to be impeached from his position as the governor of Montana. That alone could get Jamie sent to the “train station,” where the Dutton family tends to dump the bodies of their enemies.

Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are open to joining the Yellowstone spinoff

First and foremost, the Yellowstone cast members must finish the final episodes of season 5 before they can work on the spinoff. However, several of the principal actors in Yellowstone are open to joining the spinoff. Reilly revealed that discussions have occurred about her involvement in the spinoff.

“I just care about finishing [the main show] with as much care, as much passion, and as much love as I can muster to put into it,” Reilly told Collider in March 2024. “That’s what I care about. I’m sort of prepping for that now, [and] that’s my tunnel vision thing that I care about most. And what goes on beyond that? There are discussions, you know. Don’t believe everything you read. It’s just nonsense. But we’re gonna, you know, let’s wait and see. I don’t have an answer right now. But we’ll see.”

Hauser also shared a similar sentiment about the spinoff. His focus is on finishing Yellowstone season 5. However, Hauser mentioned how there are ways Rip, Beth, and other key characters could appear in the spinoff.

“I’m so focused on finishing Yellowstone the way it needs to be finished right now — well, just the show itself,” Hauser told Country Living in April 2024. “We’ll see where that leads, but I know that there’s some stuff on the horizon when it comes to Taylor’s ideas for Kelly Reilly, myself, and some of the other cast. I’m excited to see where he goes creatively with that, but right now it’s just, let’s finish strong; let’s do the best we can.”

When will Yellowstone season 5, part 2 begin production?

Paramount Network has officially announced that Yellowstone season 5, part 2 has begun filming in Montana as of May 20, 2024. That should be more than enough time for the series to film the final six episodes and turn them around for a final run on Paramount Network later this year.

As noted via Deadline, Costner has not returned to the show, and there don’t appear to be any plans for him to do so. Costner is currently promoting Horizon: An American Saga in France at the Cannes Film Festival, and he intends to resume filming the third Horizon movie when he returns to America. It’s not impossible for Costner and Sheridan to make an agreement for him to appear in the final episodes. But with the show back in production, the window for that to happen is rapidly closing.

When will the last episodes of Yellowstone season 5 premiere?

After months of waiting, Yellowstone fans now know when they can finally see new episodes. Yellowstone season 5, part 2 will premiere on Sunday, November 10 on Paramount Network. The new episodes will also be released on Peacock in America, but we don’t know yet if the streaming service will have them the same day as Paramount Network or if fans will have to wait longer before watching the episodes online. Fans in Canada won’t have the same problem, as Paramount+ will premiere the episodes on the same day they are broadcast.

Will Yellowstone season 5, part 2 be on network television?

Can you watch Yellowstone season 5, part 2 any other way?

Sure! You can try live TV streaming options like Sling, Hulu Plus Live, and YouTube TV. The cheapest and best possible, though, is Philo. Philo is a live television streaming service that offers more than 70 top-rated channels and the entire AMC+ library for just $28/month. Some of the channels include A&E, MTV, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, MTV, BET, and the Paramount Network, which is the home of Yellowstone.

Philo also has over 90 free channels available to watch anytime without creating an account. In addition, the service has a library of over 75,000 content titles on-demand and an unlimited DVR that saves recordings for a year. Philo can be used on mobile phones, tablets, TVs, and desktops so you can watch the Dutton clan pretty much anywhere on any device.

Why is Kevin Costner leaving Yellowstone?

In February 2023, Deadline reported that the dispute between Costner and The Paramount Network concerned his participation in season 5’s filming schedule. It noted that Costner’s priority was Horizon, a new multipart Western film that is his current passion project. According to the report, Costner’s commitments to those films led him to shoot only 50 days for the first half of Yellowstone season 5. But Costner “only wanted to spend a week shooting” for the remaining episodes of the season. Subsequently, Paramount Network made plans to end the series and push toward a sequel show.

Sheridan addressed the issue in a June 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where he said: “My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct. He and the network argued about when he could be done with Yellowstone. I said, ‘We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],’ which we did.”

“My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn’t altered,” added Sheridan. “I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. He took a lot of this on the chin, and I don’t know that anyone deserves it … I’m disappointed. It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”

What does Kevin Costner say about his future involvement with Yellowstone?

Costner has not given interviews about the subject until very recently. As reported by Deadline, Costner’s departure from Yellowstone came up during his divorce proceedings in September 2023,

“Somewhere along the line, they wanted to change things,” said Costner during his testimony in court. “They wanted to do 5A and 5B; [it] affected Horizon. I was going to do my movie Horizon and leave that show, do my movie, then do B. A show I was only doing once a year I was now doing twice.”

“We did negotiate,” added Costner. “There were issues about creative … I tried to break the logjam. They walked away.” Costner also noted that he was offered $24 million to shoot Yellowstone seasons 6 and 7. Additionally, Costner said that he will “probably go to court” over his dispute with Paramount Network. But as of January 2024, no court case has been filed by the actor. And it is still unknown if Costner will return for the final episodes of Yellowstone.

However, a March 2024 report from Matthew Belloni of Puck News stated that Costner wants to return for Yellowstone’s final run of episodes.

“Kevin Costner has been telling people he’s planning to return for at least a cameo and possibly more, but there are currently no discussions for him to do that,” Belloni wrote in his newsletter. “Even if Costner significantly lowers his financial and time commitment demands, Sheridan may not want to bother reopening his finished scripts to accommodate a send-off for John Dutton.

Those comments were borne out by Costner himself, who has spent the last three months talking about his desire to return to Yellowstone in some capacity… and on his own terms.

A possible return to Yellowstone

Even in June 2024, with new episodes in production, Costner is still striking a conciliatory tone while praising the series.

“I’ve supported that thing and I’ve loved it,” Costner said during an appearance on NBC’s Today. “It’s been really important to me. I would love to go back under the right circumstances I think that all of us want. For me, it really needs to be the right circumstances.”

Costner added that “there’s always a chance,” he could still return, even now. “I love the thing. You’ve got to be really clear about that.”

Kevin Costner addresses the rumors about his Yellowstone exit

Costner is now promoting his new western, Horizon. And his interview with Deadline on May 13 showed his apparent anger about the situation and the story that has unfolded in the media over the last year.

“I don’t want to get down in the gutter with the Yellowstone thing but what I’m telling you is straight up,” Costner said. “I have taken a beating from those f***ing guys and I know a lot of times where it’s coming from. I just elected not to get into that. But if you know me well enough, I made Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong. I did not initiate any of those things. They did. They were doing a tap dance and this poor guy was also having to write so much. And I don’t know why they didn’t stick up for me.”

Costner’s account from his divorce trial lines up with his latest comments about the issues facing Yellowstone season 5, part 2, particularly the lack of scripts to shoot. He also explained where the rumor came from that he only wanted to work a week on the remaining episodes of the season.

“They didn’t have the scripts for anything else,” Costner said. “So, what you read in the end was that I said, ‘Well, look, I’m doing my movie. If you want me to work a week because you want to kill me or whatever else, I can give you a week.’ I really didn’t have that week to give them, but I said, I’ll do that. And then they [spun that] into, I only wanted to work a week.”

“I’m usually working six or seven days per each, whatever they are,” Costner added. “And they took that and a source on their side spun that into, well, he only wants to work a week for a whole season. Do you think that’s who I am? I’ve never missed a day of work. I’ve never left before fulfilling my contractual obligations. A lot of times, I stay as much as I can. In fact, I worked the nine-day stretch just to try to help them in July, when I was starting [Horizon] August 1. I worked a Saturday and Sunday for them, and they still needed four more days. I gave it to them, when I thought we were going to do this so-called B, but there was no B thing. I was just going to give ‘em those extra four days.”

Costner also voiced his frustration that Sheridan and others did not defend him in the press while these stories were circulating.

“They were silent and that bothered me in the world of how you do things,” Costner said. “Why don’t you stick up for me? I went and sold this thing for you. I was going to only do one season. I made it for three. I fulfilled three. So, I went from one to three, then I did a fourth one for them and they wanted to do three more. So, I made the contract to do that. They imploded. I had a contract to do five, six and seven. I was contracted to do that. There’s nothing I could have done to get out of that, nor was I trying to just figure out how, when we started. When we finished, I wanted to do Horizon. It all happened because they shut down one whole season, didn’t tell anybody and I didn’t work for 14 months.”

Despite the apparent hard feelings over the dispute, Costner still says he’s willing to consider coming back for the final episodes.

“I’m very open to coming back,” Costner said. “If they’ve got so many other things going on, maybe this circles back and it’s a really cool two seasons. Or end it, if the writing’s there and I’m happy with it. I’m open to that. But I took a beating over these guys not speaking up for me and allowing crazy stories to come out. I’m not happy about that. But if the writing is there, I will be there too.”

“They had first position,” Costner said. “I didn’t do Horizon because I was tired of doing Yellowstone. That’s a bulls*** story. I didn’t do Horizon to compete with Yellowstone. This is something I’ve had a long time. Taylor read that script three years earlier when he was contemplating other writers [for Yellowstone]. I said, well, you can look at what John [Baird] and I did, not that I think I’m qualified. I think you write Yellowstone beautifully. So, he read that and knew what the thing was about. It’s just that simple: Paramount and 101 Studios mismanaged this. They had me for five, six, and seven. I agreed to do it. And then they steadily began changing their format.”

Does Kevin Costner want a say in the fate of John Dutton?

If Yellowstone fans were hoping for a good sign about Costner’s return to the show, this is it. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Costner expressed his desire to see Dutton as the author of his own fate.

“[Dutton] needs to be proactive in what happens and I’ve kind of had my own fantasy how [the character’s final arc] might be,” noted Costner. “But that’s Taylor’s thing. I said as much to him a while back. I had thoughts how it could happen, but we just have to see.”

Does this mean that Costner is coming back? Not quite. As noted above, the previous report in Puck suggests that Sheridan may be less than accommodating about changing his scripts for the remaining episodes of Yellowstone even if it means giving the show’s star one last sendoff. Regardless, Costner sounds hopeful about the situation.

“I’d like to be able to do it, but we haven’t been able to … I thought I was going to make seven [seasons] but right now we’re at five,” related Costner. “So how it works out — I hope it does — but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], I’d love to do it.”

Kevin Costner says goodbye to Yellowstone

Does Kevin Costner’s new movie, Horizon: An American Saga, have any Yellowstone connections?

Earlier this week, Kevin Costner debuted the trailer for his upcoming movie, Horizon: An American Saga. The movie, a passion project of the actor he personally financed, is set to debut in two parts later this year. Yellowstone fans couldn’t help but notice some similarities between the movie and the show: the Western setting; Costner’s role as a tough patriarch defending his land; and the giant cast of well-known character actors like Will Patton, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Rooker, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Luke Wilson, and many, many more.

Yet, while the movie shares many of the same themes with Yellowstone, it is not connected in any way with the hit show. The movie is set during the American Civil War, and does not chronicle the early years of Dutton clan like the spinoff shows 1883 and 1923 have recently. That hasn’t stopped fans of Yellowstone from gravitating toward the movie. Good Housekeeping reported that fans of the hit Paramount Network show can’t wait to see the movies, which makes sense given that Costner has long been the figurehead and main attraction of the long-running show.

Android 15 stable is finally available for all eligible Google Pixel phones. Users have been enjoying all the new features of the latest version of the OS for a few days. However, they have also discovered a few issues that require fixing. One of the most annoying bugs in Android 15 is the one that prevents Pixel 8 Pro users from using the swipe-back gesture correctly.

By now, the vast majority of Android users will already be accustomed to the gesture navigation system. While some still prefer the classic bottom navigation bar, using gestures is quite convenient. Additionally, when using gestures, the navigation bar disappears, so you have more usable screen space that was previously unavailable in certain situations.

A bug on Android 15 affects the swipe-back gesture on Pixel 8 Pro units

That said, a bug in Android 15 is impacting how the swipe-back gesture works on Pixel 8 Pro devices. It can be quite frustrating, as it prevents users from going back to sections within an app, returning to a previous screen, or closing certain menus, among other things. According to reports, the issues started right after updating their devices to Android 15. Additionally, the bug primarily affects the right-edge swipe gesture. Swiping in from the left edge still works correctly in most cases.

Interestingly, the issue is not affecting all Pixel 8 Pro units. There are users for whom the gesture navigation system is working flawlessly even on Android 15. However, the number of reports suggests that the percentage of people facing the bug is significant.

Fortunately, there is a workaround that helps solve or mitigate the problem. Apparently, the bug was already present in the Android 15 betas, so it didn’t come as a surprise to many. What is surprising is that it is still present in the stable build.

How to fix the issue

Anyway, to fix the swipe-back gesture bug on your Pixel 8 Pro, you have to go to Settings > System > Navigation mode. Then you just have to set it to 3-button navigation and set it back to gesture navigation. Many people found the problem solved at that point, but if it persists for you, simply restart your phone. It’s noteworthy that the problem may return, but you can just repeat the process.

The workaround has been quite effective while waiting for an official fix from Google. Hopefully, the company won’t take long to send an update where gesture navigation on the Pixel 8 Pro works correctly.

It’s only been three months since the implosion of Redbox, but the company’s familiar red kiosks could become a security nightmare as they’re to the highest bidders.

reports at least one owner of a defunct DVD and Blu-ray dispenser found a way to obtain customers’ private information from an encrypted file on the machine, which contained more than just one person’s penchant for the Trolls franchise. The database also contained sensitive data like personal emails and home addresses.

On Mastodon, programmer Foone Turing, a self-described collector of weird things, said she cracked the encrypted files from a Redbox machine and matched the information she found to a real person.

The file she obtained came from a Redbox machine that had operated in Morganton, North Carolina. The information she pulled from the file showed a customer’s name, ZIP code and usage history. If you’re curious, they rented a copy of The Giver and The Maze Runner. I’ll bet that person is thankful they decided not to take out a copy of Disney’s Lone Ranger reboot.

Turing told Lowpass she was even able to obtain part of some customers’ credit card information. Even though there wasn’t an entire log, she noticed it still had “the first six and the last 4 [digits] of each credit card used, plus some lower-level transaction details.”

It also didn’t take a lot of hacking know-how to crack the machines. The code Redbox used to program the machines is “the kind of code you get when hire 20 new grads who technically know C# but none of them has [sic] written any software before,” Turing wrote on Mastodon.

Now here’s the kicker. It’s clear that Redbox’s parent company, Chicken Soup for the Soul, didn’t do a great job of wiping the machines before selling them off like old shoes at a garage sale. There are over 24,000 kiosks and some people are even buying them from the store and taking the things home. Suddenly, paying a couple of extra bucks for Netflix doesn’t sound as bad right now.

We’ve reached out to Chicken Soup for the Soul for comment.

Just in time for Halloween 2024, Meta has unveiled Meta Spirit LM, the company’s first open-source multimodal language model capable of seamlessly integrating text and speech inputs and outputs.

As such, it competes directly with OpenAI’s GPT-4o (also natively multimodal) and other multimodal models such as Hume’s EVI 2, as well as dedicated text-to-speech and speech-to-text offerings such as ElevenLabs.

Designed by Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team, Spirit LM aims to address the limitations of existing AI voice experiences by offering a more expressive and natural-sounding speech generation, while learning tasks across modalities like automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), and speech classification.

Unfortunately for entrepreneurs and business leaders, the model is only currently available for non-commercial usage under Meta’s FAIR Noncommercial Research License, which e grants users the right to use, reproduce, modify, and create derivative works of the Meta Spirit LM models, but only for noncommercial purposes. Any distribution of these models or derivatives must also comply with the noncommercial restriction.

A new approach to text and speech

Traditional AI models for voice rely on automatic speech recognition to process spoken input before synthesizing it with a language model, which is then converted into speech using text-to-speech techniques.

While effective, this process often sacrifices the expressive qualities inherent to human speech, such as tone and emotion. Meta Spirit LM introduces a more advanced solution by incorporating phonetic, pitch, and tone tokens to overcome these limitations.

Meta has released two versions of Spirit LM:

• Spirit LM Base: Uses phonetic tokens to process and generate speech.

• Spirit LM Expressive: Includes additional tokens for pitch and tone, allowing the model to capture more nuanced emotional states, such as excitement or sadness, and reflect those in the generated speech.

Both models are trained on a combination of text and speech datasets, allowing Spirit LM to perform cross-modal tasks like speech-to-text and text-to-speech, while maintaining the natural expressiveness of speech in its outputs.

Open-source noncommercial — only available for research

In line with Meta’s commitment to open science, the company has made Spirit LM fully open-source, providing researchers and developers with the model weights, code, and supporting documentation to build upon.

Meta hopes that the open nature of Spirit LM will encourage the AI research community to explore new methods for integrating speech and text in AI systems.

The release also includes a research paper detailing the model’s architecture and capabilities.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, has been a strong advocate for open-source AI, stating in a recent open letter that AI has the potential to “increase human productivity, creativity, and quality of life” while accelerating advancements in areas like medical research and scientific discovery.

Applications and future potential

Meta Spirit LM is designed to learn new tasks across various modalities, such as:

• Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR): Converting spoken language into written text.

• Text-to-Speech (TTS): Generating spoken language from written text.

• Speech Classification: Identifying and categorizing speech based on its content or emotional tone.

The Spirit LM Expressive model goes a step further by incorporating emotional cues into its speech generation.

For instance, it can detect and reflect emotional states like anger, surprise, or joy in its output, making the interaction with AI more human-like and engaging.

This has significant implications for applications like virtual assistants, customer service bots, and other interactive AI systems where more nuanced and expressive communication is essential.

A broader effort

Meta Spirit LM is part of a broader set of research tools and models that Meta FAIR is releasing to the public. This includes an update to Meta’s Segment Anything Model 2.1 (SAM 2.1) for image and video segmentation, which has been used across disciplines like medical imaging and meteorology, and research on enhancing the efficiency of large language models.

Meta’s overarching goal is to achieve advanced machine intelligence (AMI), with an emphasis on developing AI systems that are both powerful and accessible.

The FAIR team has been sharing its research for more than a decade, aiming to advance AI in a way that benefits not just the tech community, but society as a whole. Spirit LM is a key component of this effort, supporting open science and reproducibility while pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve in natural language processing.

What’s next for Spirit LM?

With the release of Meta Spirit LM, Meta is taking a significant step forward in the integration of speech and text in AI systems.

By offering a more natural and expressive approach to AI-generated speech, and making the model open-source, Meta is enabling the broader research community to explore new possibilities for multimodal AI applications.

Whether in ASR, TTS, or beyond, Spirit LM represents a promising advance in the field of machine learning, with the potential to power a new generation of more human-like AI interactions.