AI News

What is AI: Understanding Artificial Intelligence

Garry Tan, president and CEO of Y Combinator, recently addressed an audience at The Economic Club of Washington, D.C., where he emphasized that “regulation is likely necessary” for the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI). In a one-on-one interview with Teresa Carlson, a board member at General Catalyst, Tan tackled various topics, including the pathways to joining Y Combinator and the current technological landscape. He confidently stated, “There is no better time to be working in technology than right now.”

Google's Gemini: The Future of AI on Android

Revamping the Future of News: How Particle is Innovating with AI

Artificial Intelligence: A New Approach from Apple

Ampere and Qualcomm Announce Strategic Partnership for AI-Focused Server Solutions

GetWhy Secures $34.5 Million Series A Funding to Revolutionize Market Research with AI

At the Google I/O developer conference on Tuesday, Google introduced a significant enhancement to its Firebase platform, designed to simplify the development of AI-powered applications in JavaScript/TypeScript, with Go support expected soon.

Most language-learning apps rely on traditional methods like option selection or swiping away incorrect answers, engaging users primarily through a machine interface. In contrast, Praktika offers a refreshing alternative: it enables users to create personalized, AI-powered avatars that simulate the experience of working with a private tutor. By incorporating nuances such as tone of voice and emotional expression, Praktika makes learning a new language feel more intuitive and engaging.

Mistral AI has successfully concluded its highly anticipated Series B funding round, securing €600 million (approximately $640 million based on current exchange rates) through a combination of equity and debt financing, with General Catalyst leading the investment. Following this round, the company has reached a valuation of $6 billion.

Scale AI Secures $1 Billion in Series F Funding to Advance Data Labeling for AI

Jolla has officially unveiled its much-anticipated personal server-based AI assistant, the Jolla Mind2. This privacy-focused AI device, promises to cater to consumers seeking digital solutions that respect their personal data.

The European Union has issued a warning to Microsoft, stating that the tech giant may face fines of up to 1% of its global annual revenue under the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to its failure to respond to a request for information (RFI) about its generative AI tools.

Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, has successfully secured $6 billion in a recent funding round, aiming to strengthen its position in the competitive landscape dominated by rivals such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Alphabet.

Google I/O 2024 launched today with an engaging keynote at 10 a.m. PT, showcasing the latest updates to Google's software platforms, including Android, Wear OS, and Android TV. Expect an abundance of AI advancements taking center stage.

At its recent I/O conference, Google introduced an innovative feature utilizing generative AI technology to monitor voice calls in real time for patterns associated with financial scams. This development has raised alarms among privacy and security experts, who argue that it marks the beginning of a concerning trend toward centralized censorship. They caution that once client-side scanning becomes integrated into mobile infrastructure, it could lead to significant implications for user privacy.

Voice cloning startup ElevenLabs has launched an innovative tool that allows users to generate sound effects via text prompts. First announced in February, this advanced feature is now accessible to everyone.

Strava unveiled an array of exciting new features and updates during its annual Camp Strava event on Thursday. The San Francisco-based company is intensifying efforts to enhance its social fitness app for both free and premium users, with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI).

Venture capitalists are eager to invest in leading AI companies, often willing to pay high prices for a place on their cap tables. However, many of them find themselves unable to enter these lucrative deals. Meanwhile, smaller, lesser-known investors, including family offices and high-net-worth individuals, have discovered their own path to share allocations in some of the hottest private startups like Anthropic, Groq, OpenAI, Perplexity, and Elon Musk's x.ai (the creator of Grok).

Microsoft is making strides to integrate generative AI into Windows and the PCs that run it. During its annual Build developer conference, the tech giant revealed a new category of devices called Copilot+ PCs, alongside innovative AI features like Recall, designed to help users easily locate previously accessed apps and files. Upcoming Microsoft Surface devices promise enhanced performance and a seamless Windows 11 experience bolstered by deeper AI integration.

Masha Bucher: Pioneering Early-Stage Venture Capital with a Unique Approach

Philipp Heltewig, the former CIO of marketing firm Sitecore prior to its acquisition by EQT in 2016, teamed up with Sascha Poggemann and Benjamin Mayr eight years ago to establish Cognigy, a pioneering startup focused on customer service automation. Heltewig emphasizes that their mission stems from a widespread misunderstanding of AI capabilities among consumers and C-suite executives, especially regarding its limitations.

Could a humanoid robot be the secret to achieving safer autonomous vehicles that avoid pedestrians and steer clear of obstacles like telephone poles? Researchers from the University of Tokyo believe so and present their findings in a newly released technical paper.

AI is already transforming the landscape of voice agent jobs, and companies are actively seeking to replace traditional computer-generated voice models with synthetic human voices. Truecaller, the popular caller ID service, is the latest to embrace this innovation, announcing the launch of its AI-powered Assistant that can respond to phone calls in users' own voices.

At the Google I/O 2024 developer conference on Tuesday, Google unveiled Gemini Nano, its smallest AI model, which will be seamlessly integrated into the Chrome desktop client starting with Chrome 126. This innovative feature allows developers to leverage the on-device model to enhance their own AI functionalities. Google plans to utilize this capability for tools like the existing "help me write" feature in Workspace Lab for Gmail.

Mike Krieger, co-founder of Instagram and co-founder of the personalized news app Artifact, which was recently acquired by Yahoo, is stepping into the role of Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Anthropic. As CPO, Krieger will lead Anthropic's product engineering, management, and design initiatives, focusing on the expansion of the company's AI applications and the growth of Claude, their generative AI technology.

Investment in AI-focused startups is on the rise, with DeepL, a leading provider of automated text translation and writing tools, making headlines this week after securing an additional $300 million in funding. This funding round, spearheaded by Index Ventures, boosts DeepL’s valuation to an impressive $2 billion post-money, reflecting a surge of investor interest in AI innovations.

One of the standout features of Arc Search, the innovative mobile web browser developed by The Browser Company, is its unique capability to search the web and provide concise summaries of the information gathered, rather than presenting a conventional list of search results. This feature, dubbed “Browse for me,” is one of several ways the company is harnessing AI to redefine online search. Another compelling function, “Pinch to summarize,” offers AI-generated summaries for individual web pages. However, these advancement risks falling prey to Apple’s latest “sherlocking” maneuver—a term that describes Apple's practice of adopting ideas from independent developers to enhance its own applications and operating system features.

If you use Slack at work, you’ve likely noticed the overwhelming number of channels you're invited to join.

Another week has brought a flurry of significant funding rounds and eye-popping valuations in the dynamic world of AI.

OpenAI has secured a partnership with Reddit to utilize the social news platform’s extensive data for training its AI models.

Government officials and AI industry leaders convened on Tuesday to discuss essential safety measures in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) and to establish an international safety research network.

Apple is set to enhance Siri and other first-party applications by integrating ChatGPT, OpenAI’s advanced AI chatbot. This exciting announcement was made during the WWDC 2024 keynote event in Cupertino on Monday.

During the keynote presentation at WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled its exciting new feature, Apple Intelligence, and announced a groundbreaking partnership that integrates ChatGPT access into Siri through a collaboration with OpenAI. SVP Craig Federighi shared that Apple plans to expand its partnerships, expressing interest in collaborating with additional third-party models. He mentioned, “We’re eager to explore integrations with other models, including Google Gemini, for instance, in the future,” during a discussion following the keynote. He added, “While we don’t have any specific announcements at this time, that’s the general direction we’re heading.”

Generative AI Investment Surge: Recall.ai Secures $10 Million Series A Funding

Chang She, a former VP of Engineering at Tubi and an accomplished Cloudera alum, brings extensive experience in developing data tools and infrastructure. However, upon transitioning into the AI sector, She encountered significant challenges with traditional data infrastructure that hindered the deployment of AI models.

Google Expands NotebookLM: AI-Powered Note-Taking Now Available Globally

OpenAI has decided to halt the use of the Sky voice from ChatGPT, following concerns from users who noted its resemblance to Scarlett Johansson's voice. Johansson issued a statement on Monday revealing that she has engaged legal counsel to investigate the development of the Sky voice. The decision comes after OpenAI showcased this voice with its new GPT-4o model last week.

Google has unveiled a new series of generative AI models called LearnLM, specifically refined for educational purposes. This initiative is a collaboration between Google’s DeepMind division and Google Research, with LearnLM built on Google's Gemini models. The purpose of these models is to provide “conversational” tutoring across various subjects.

The company has announced that the innovative capabilities of Gemini Nano will soon enhance its accessibility feature, TalkBack. This initiative exemplifies how generative AI is being utilized to make software more inclusive for a broader range of users.

The pioneers of the AI revolution are now supplying the essential tools required to create and implement artificial intelligence. A prime example is Scale AI, a data-labeling startup with a broad and impressive roster of clients and investors.

A few years ago, 'robotic process automation' (RPA) was a buzzworthy topic in enterprise software. Unfortunately, many of these services aimed at automating repetitive business tasks did not fully deliver on their promise. However, the emergence of generative AI may be the missing element needed to enhance these systems.

On Thursday, Paul Graham, co-founder of the startup accelerator Y Combinator, took to X to debunk rumors regarding Sam Altman's resignation as president of Y Combinator in 2019, which some claimed was due to alleged conflicts of interest.

Google recently unveiled a range of innovative Gemini-related products at its Google I/O developer conference, particularly enhancing its Education suite with AI advancements. The centerpiece is the new Gemini add-on for educational institutions, integrated through Google Workspace.

To stay competitive in the travel industry, online travel agency Expedia is set to unveil a new AI assistant designed to enhance key functionalities such as search, itinerary creation, trip planning, and real-time notifications, including flight delays.

As factories and manufacturing facilities evolve with the integration of sensors, robotics, and other connected technologies, they generate a wealth of data that can provide valuable insights into operational bottlenecks and improvement opportunities. This data can also help streamline processes that traditionally require substantial manual effort.

It’s a teacher’s worst nightmare: AI is tackling students’ homework. At the Google I/O 2024 developer conference on Tuesday, Google unveiled its upgraded AI-powered Circle to Search feature for Android users, now equipped to solve more intricate physics and math word problems through simple gestures like circling.

The FCC has proposed a $6 million fine against a scammer who utilized voice-cloning technology to impersonate President Biden in a series of illegal robocalls during the New Hampshire primary election. While this incident highlights the issue of robocalls, it also serves as a powerful warning to other would-be tech-savvy scammers.

Google finds itself in a tough position regarding its AI Overviews. Following a torrent of criticism and memes over the last week, highlighting the poor quality and blatant misinformation stemming from the tech titan’s hastily developed new AI-powered search feature, the company issued a public apology on Thursday. Google, a name synonymous with web searching and dedicated to "organizing the world's information" for user convenience, acknowledged in a blog post that "some odd, inaccurate, or unhelpful AI Overviews certainly did show up."

Google is fully committed to advancing artificial intelligence, making a clear statement during its keynote at the I/O developer conference on Tuesday, where "AI" was mentioned over 120 times. That's a significant emphasis!

The devastating Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shocked businesses reliant on oil and gas, thrusting renewable energy into a vital role for survival. Suddenly, the question arose: how can companies effectively procure renewable energy?

Apple is poised to embrace the exciting realm of generative AI at next week's World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC). Recent reports suggest a promising partnership with OpenAI that aims to enhance Siri’s capabilities significantly.

AI-powered summaries of web pages are becoming a common feature in many modern AI tools. A notable advancement in this realm is the Arc browser's Arc Search app, which is working towards generating detailed and well-formatted web pages based on user queries. Additionally, Apple is rumored to introduce its own smart recap feature for web pages and articles. Joining this innovative trend is Perplexity AI.

OpenAI’s Superalignment team, tasked with developing methods to govern and direct “superintelligent” AI systems, was promised 20% of the company’s computing resources. However, team members reported that requests for even a fraction of this allocation were frequently denied, hindering their important work. This issue, among others, led several team members to resign this week, including co-lead Jan Leike, a former DeepMind researcher who played a significant role in the development of ChatGPT, GPT-4, and its predecessor, InstructGPT.

Helen Toner, a former board member of OpenAI and the director of strategy at Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology, expressed concerns about potential "knee-jerk" reactions from Congress regarding AI policymaking if current conditions persist.

Google Photos is set to enhance user experience with an innovative AI feature called Ask Photos, powered by Google’s advanced Gemini AI model. Slated for rollout later this summer, this experimental feature enables users to conduct searches within their Google Photos library using natural language queries, harnessing AI to understand the context and metadata of their images.

After a lengthy outage early this morning, OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot faced another disruption, this time accompanied by two other prominent AI platforms. On Tuesday morning, both Anthropic’s Claude and Perplexity experienced service issues, albeit resolved more swiftly.

The U.K.'s data protection authority has concluded a nearly year-long investigation into Snap's AI chatbot, My AI, declaring that the social media platform has adequately addressed concerns regarding children's privacy. Concurrently, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a caution to the industry, urging businesses to proactively evaluate risks to individual rights before launching generative AI tools.

AI may not yet rival Google Search, but it excels in specific applications, particularly in simplifying everyday tasks like scheduling meetings. This is the vision behind Skej, a startup that integrates an AI assistant into your email to help find optimal meeting times for everyone involved.

Alchemist Accelerator is showcasing a new batch of AI-driven startups today, and the program is expanding internationally with new locations in Tokyo and Doha. Let’s dive into our highlights from this cohort.

Humane, the company behind the highly anticipated Ai Pin, which faced criticism following its launch last month, is reportedly seeking a buyer, according to a Bloomberg report citing anonymous sources.

Imagine you're enjoying a peaceful day at the park, sitting on a bench and scrolling through your phone. Suddenly, someone snatches your device and bolts. While Android and iOS already offer some protective measures, what happens in those critical seconds before your phone locks? Is there a way to remotely wipe it?

China has launched its third state-backed investment fund aimed at strengthening its semiconductor industry and reducing dependency on foreign nations for wafer usage and production—an initiative known as chip sovereignty. The National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, commonly referred to as “the Big Fund,” follows two previous iterations: Big Fund I (2014-2019) and Big Fund II (2019-2024). Notably, Big Fund III has a budget of 344 billion yuan (approximately $47.5 billion), surpassing both earlier funds significantly.

The Evolution of Humanoid Robotics: From Hardware to Intelligence

Google I/O Keynote Day: Key Highlights You Need to Know

During my recent visit to Automate in Chicago, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who expressed their gratitude. It’s always rewarding to receive such positive feedback face-to-face.

Bird Buddy's Latest Innovation Enhances Backyard Birdwatching Experience

Why Non-Vacuum Robots Struggle in Homes—and How MIT Researchers Aim to Change That

Generative AI is making significant strides in the field of robotics, showcasing a variety of applications such as natural language processing, robotic learning, no-code programming, and design innovation. This week, Google's DeepMind Robotics team is highlighting an exciting intersection of these domains: navigation.

MIT research scientist Jerry Pratt is making waves again. After departing from Boardwalk Robotics—a humanoid startup he founded—in 2022, he joined the Bay Area robotics firm Figure as its CTO just months before the company exited stealth mode. However, last month, Pratt and Figure parted ways quietly.

Robotics startup Mytra is reshaping warehouse automation

Samsung surprised everyone at January's Unpacked event with the exciting announcement of the Galaxy Ring. This teaser hinted at significant validation for the emerging wearable technology category. While smart rings aren't a new concept, Oura has been the dominant player so far.

The first self-checkout system made its debut in 1986 at a Kroger grocery store near Atlanta. After decades of gradual evolution, these systems have now become widespread throughout the United States. With grocery stores increasingly automating their operations, it's only a matter of time before robotic bagging follows suit.

Samsung Unpacked 2024: What to Expect at the Paris Showcase

The humanoid robotics industry has largely been defined by promises and pilot projects to date. While these initiatives are crucial for the future implementation of new technologies, they often involve a limited number of robots and rarely evolve into substantial applications. However, on Thursday, Agility Robotics announced a significant step forward by formalizing a partnership with logistics giant GXO after a successful pilot program.

Robotics funding has experienced a significant slowdown since its peak in 2021-2022, yet many challenges highlighted by the pandemic continue to persist. One of the primary drivers of venture investment in robotics remains the ongoing labor shortage. Analysts at Gartner predict that by 2028, half of large enterprises will employ robots in their warehouse and manufacturing operations.

Amazon has faced significant financial losses with its Echo smart speakers—a reality that's been apparent since the launch of Alexa. This situation exemplifies a loss leader strategy that only a massive corporation like Amazon can sustain over an extended period.

The Made by Google 2024 event has officially concluded, and after a whirlwind of speculation leading up to it, we now have a complete overview of announcements from Google’s most significant hardware showcase of the year. This year's event precedes Apple’s traditional September iPhone launch and emphasizes AI—an area that has become increasingly familiar to tech enthusiasts over the past few years.

It has been just over two months since we last shared robotics job opportunities, and the field of automation continues to evolve rapidly. The emergence of generative AI is reshaping the landscape, creating exciting possibilities for human-robot collaboration.

After a nine-year wait, Google is refreshing the device that put Nest on the map. On Tuesday, the company introduced the Nest Learning Thermostat 4, marking 13 years since the original model's debut and nearly a decade after the Learning Thermostat 3. This rollout comes just ahead of the Made by Google 2024 event next week and aims to revive interest in the smart home sector.

The age of generative AI gadgets has often left much to be desired. Devices like Humane’s AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 debuted with considerable hype but ultimately fell short of expectations. While generative AI holds promise for consumer hardware, it’s easy to be skeptical. However, the technology is gaining traction in smartphones, and headphones represent a natural evolution of this trend. At the recent Made By Google Event, Google unveiled the Pixel Buds Pro 2, signaling an exciting advancement in this space.

Amazon announced on Friday that it has hired Covariant’s founders—Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan—along with approximately 25% of the startup's workforce. Additionally, Amazon secured a non-exclusive license to utilize Covariant’s advanced robotic foundation models.

Exploring the Future of Wearable Technology: A Look at NotePin by Plaud.AI

This week, German robotics manufacturer Neura unveiled an engaging video featuring its humanoid robot, 4NE-1, demonstrating various tasks such as ironing and box transportation. This promotional release coincides with Nvidia's reveal of innovative humanoid development tools at the Siggraph conference in Colorado.

On Thursday, Apple revealed that its third-quarter financial results exceeded Wall Street’s predictions, with overall revenue rising by 5%. The iPad segment, having struggled in recent years, achieved the most significant growth this quarter, climbing from $5.8 billion to $7.2 billion year-over-year. This surge in tablet sales, driven by the line's most substantial refresh in years, helped offset a slight decline in iPhone revenue, which fell from $39.7 billion to $39.3 billion compared to the previous year.

When Apple announced its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives during WWDC in June, analysts speculated that this development could set the iPhone 16 on a path toward another “supercycle.” Much like the prior introduction of 5G technology, many industry experts believed that the debut of Apple Intelligence might persuade hesitant customers to finally upgrade their devices.

The new Pixel 9 lineup stole the spotlight at Tuesday morning’s Made by Google 2024 event. Alongside the Pixel 9 Fold Pro, the company unveiled an additional size option, introducing three models: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Google's highly anticipated hardware event is scheduled for August 13 at 10 a.m. PT, marking an early showcase for the Made by Google event typically held in mid-fall. This event is particularly significant as it will see the unveiling of the new flagship device, the Pixel 9, ahead of Apple's iPhone 16 announcement, which is anticipated in September.

Figure has introduced its newest humanoid robot, the Figure 02, marking a significant advancement from its predecessor, the Figure 01, unveiled in 2023. The initial teaser video focuses more on a cinematic presentation than a demonstration of the robot’s functionality. Another recent video highlights the robot's slow, bent-leg gait as it moves across a demo area within Figure's office, while additional robots in the background transport totes—one of the most promising applications for humanoid robots.

It can be difficult to know where to direct your attention when speaking with Christoph Kohstall, as his cluttered Palo Alto garage is filled with fascinating projects. To his right is a towering array of electrical components, illuminated by blinking LEDs, and to his left, a workbench strewn with machining tools.

On Wednesday, Harvard students made headlines by modifying Ray-Ban Meta glasses to include facial recognition technology. This innovative DIY project has reignited privacy concerns surrounding the growing prevalence of surveillance technology in our daily lives. As cameras become more common, discussions about privacy and security have become increasingly urgent.

Raspberry Pi, renowned for its affordable, compact single-board computers, is introducing a groundbreaking add-on that expands its application potential — with a focus on artificial intelligence for 2024. The new Raspberry Pi AI Camera comes equipped with on-board AI processing capabilities and is priced at an accessible $70.

Learning to play an instrument can be a challenging endeavor, especially for those trying to teach themselves. This often results in many abandoned musical instruments—think dusty guitars and keyboards left forgotten in attics alongside old sporting equipment.

Apple has announced that its generative AI service, Apple Intelligence, will support additional languages starting in 2025. The new languages include English (India), English (Singapore), German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and other languages yet to be specified.

Intel has announced a significant customer win and strategic changes to its foundry business as the struggling chipmaker aims for a turnaround. In a blog post, Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger outlined plans to transition the chip foundry division, known as Intel Foundry, into an independent subsidiary. While the leadership of Intel Foundry will remain unchanged and continue to operate under Intel's umbrella, the subsidiary will now establish an operating board that includes independent directors.

For the past several years, Amazon's Delivering the Future event has highlighted the transformative technologies driving its operations. The 2023 event in Seattle spotlighted advancements in the company’s pharmacy services and drone delivery systems. This year’s gathering in Nashville focused on artificial intelligence enhancements to the shopping experience and the application of computer vision to streamline package delivery times. Although the two-day event did not introduce any new robotics systems, it provided valuable insights into how Amazon is enhancing its existing technology.

On Thursday, Oura launched the highly anticipated fourth generation of its acclaimed smart ring, the Oura Ring 4. This latest model comes nearly three years after its predecessor, offering refinements rather than a complete overhaul of the user experience.

The iPhone 16 officially launches this Friday, but for those eager to be among its first users, a significant compromise is part of the package. In short, this is not quite the iPhone 16 that many expected. Apple CEO Tim Cook heralded it as the “first iPhone designed for Apple Intelligence,” but that word "for" is crucial: the device will not debut with its most anticipated AI features.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled exciting updates for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses during Meta Connect 2024 on Wednesday. The company continues to champion the potential of smart glasses as a groundbreaking consumer gadget, introducing innovative AI features alongside familiar smartphone functionalities that will soon be available on Ray-Ban Meta.

Ultrasound technology is widely recognized for its role in non-invasive medical imaging, underwater communication, and even car parking assistance. However, a promising startup from Norway, Sonair, aims to harness this technology for a different purpose: enhancing 3D computer vision for autonomous hardware applications.

The rise of robots, particularly Boston Dynamics' Spot, has highlighted the remarkable capabilities of quadrupedal systems. These advanced robots excel at climbing stairs, navigating small obstacles, and moving across uneven surfaces. However, ladders remain a significant challenge, especially in industrial settings where they are commonly found.

The Impact of Macroeconomic Trends on Robotics in North America

For years, Silicon Valley and Wall Street have scrutinized Mark Zuckerberg’s choice to invest billions into Reality Labs. This week, Meta’s wearables division showcased its Orion smart glasses prototype, a device the company envisions could eventually replace the iPhone. That concept may sound far-fetched, but it appears slightly more plausible than it did just a week ago.

A lot has transpired in the 16 months since my last visit to Figure's Sunnyvale headquarters. First and foremost, visible signage now graces the exterior of what was once a nondescript office building in a similar-looking Silicon Valley office park. Moreover, there is no longer an empty desk in sight.

At its Delivering the Future event on Wednesday, Amazon unveiled plans for advanced robot-powered delivery warehouses, starting with its first “next-generation fulfillment center” in Shreveport, Louisiana. This impressive facility spans 3 million square feet across five floors, equivalent to about 55 football fields, according to the company.