Welcome to the "Towards AGI" Newsletter

In our quest to explore the dynamic and rapidly evolving field of Artificial Intelligence, this newsletter is your go-to source for the latest developments, breakthroughs, and discussions. Each edition brings you the most compelling news and insights from the forefront of General AI (GenAI), featuring cutting-edge research, transformative technologies, and the pioneering work of industry leaders.

Highlights from GenAI, OpenAI and ClosedAI: Dive into the latest projects and innovations from OpenAI, the organization behind some of the most advanced AI models like GPT and DALL-E. Equally, we'll give you an inside look at the initiatives and strategies from ClosedAI, a hypothetical entity committed to pushing the boundaries of closed-source AI development.

Stay Informed and Engaged: Whether you're a researcher, developer, entrepreneur, or enthusiast, "Towards AGI" aims to keep you informed and inspired. From technical deep-dives to ethical debates, our newsletter addresses the multifaceted aspects of AI development and its implications on society and industry.

Join us on this exciting journey as we navigate the complex landscape of artificial intelligence, moving steadily towards the realization of AGI. Stay tuned for exclusive interviews, expert opinions, and much more!

Elon Musk Vs Yann LeCun on AGI timeline

Hey everyone!

So, if you’ve been watching the (in)direct conversations between Elon Musk and Yann LeCun about when they think we'll finally crack the AGI code. It's like watching a couple of tech titans engage in a friendly game of "I can predict the future better than you can!"

On one side, we've got Elon, who's an optimist in velocity (but not so optimist in the outcome and trajectory) when it comes to AI. He seems pretty convinced that AGI is just around the corner. Then there's Yann LeCun, the AI mastermind over at Meta. He's taking a more cautious stance on the whole AGI timeline thing. It's almost like he's saying, "Not so fast, Elon! We've still got a ton of work ahead of us before we can even think about AGI." 

This whole debate reminds me of the tortoise and the hare story. The only difference is that in this race, no one has a clue where the finish line even is! It's got people taking sides left and right. Some are all-in on Elon's timeline, while others are nodding along with LeCun's more grounded predictions. But here's the thing about predicting when AGI will arrive: it's about as easy as guessing when your pizza delivery guy will show up at your door on . Sure, you might have a general idea, but there are way too many factors involved to pin down an exact time. Will the delivery dude take a shortcut, or will he get stuck in a traffic jam? What if the pizza place suddenly runs out of pepperoni? These are the kinds of burning questions that creeps up!

So, while Elon and Yann keep up their friendly little debate, I say we just sit back, grab a bucket of popcorn, and enjoy the show. Who knows, by the time AGI actually becomes a reality, we might all be too preoccupied having deep philosophical conversations with our AGI to even realise it's happened.

Kind regards

Shen Pandi

TheGen.AI News

GenAI Smartphone Shipments Expected to Quadruple by 2027

A recent report predicts that by 2024, smartphones equipped with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will make up 11% of shipments, and by 2027, this figure will rise to 43%, surpassing 550 million units—a fourfold increase. Counterpoint Research forecasts that the GenAI smartphone base will exceed 1 billion units by 2027.

Samsung is expected to dominate the GenAI smartphone market in 2024, benefiting from its early adoption strategy, similar to its successful launch of foldable phones, according to Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint. Pathak also highlighted that Apple's expected entry into this market will significantly boost its growth.

He mentioned that once Apple joins, GenAI will become an essential feature in all mid-to-high-end smartphones from 2025 onwards.

The report further notes that GenAI smartphones will feature multimodal capabilities, allowing them to handle various inputs like text, images, and voice to produce diverse outputs, thus offering a smooth and versatile user experience. Mohit Agrawal, Associate Director at Counterpoint, emphasized that future smartphones will be highly personalized to meet individual preferences, with AI playing a key role in these tailored experiences.

Moreover, the analysts predict that 2025 will be a pivotal year for GenAI smartphones as they become more affordable, especially within the $400-$599 price range.

Adobe Premiere Pro Introduces Generative AI-Powered Video Editing Tools

Adobe announced on Monday that it is introducing new generative AI tools to its Premiere Pro video editing software. Starting in May 2024, users will be able to add or remove objects in videos simply by using text prompts, thanks to the integration of Firefly AI's new video generation model. The company is also collaborating with OpenAI and Runway to incorporate additional AI-powered features into Premiere Pro soon. These upcoming features include generating B-roll footage and a tool called the generative extend, which adds extra seconds to video clips.

The new tool for adding or removing objects enables editors to quickly manipulate scenes by inputting commands like changing an actor’s outfit or adding items like paintings or realistic flowers to a scene. Additionally, Adobe plans to roll out content credentials, a feature that adds watermarks to distinguish between AI-generated and original content.

The generative extend tool will allow for the extension of video frames, aiding in refining edits or improving transitions. This feature utilizes Adobe's Firefly models and third-party models such as OpenAI's Sora and Runway's large language model. Adobe also revealed a text-to-video model that generates new video content from text prompts or reference images.

Moreover, Adobe introduced enhancements to audio editing within Premiere Pro, including interactive fade handles, categorized essential sound badges, effect badges, and an updated waveform display on the timeline.

After Harvey Deal, John Craske Outlines CMS’s Agile GenAI Tactics

Last week, international law firm CMS began utilizing the legal genAI system named Harvey for billable client tasks, priced at approximately £1,000 per user annually. Harvey, a company with investments from OpenAI, emerged prominently in the legal tech scene over the past 18 months and is based on OpenAI's GPT LLM series.

John Craske, CMS's Director of Innovation, discussed the firm's broader AI strategy with Artificial Lawyer. He detailed a comprehensive pilot initiated in November 2023 involving about 100 UK personnel using Harvey for various legal tasks, such as document review, clause drafting, and case report summarization, identifying about 90 potential applications. However, Craske noted that Harvey would not integrate directly with CMS’s Document Management System (DMS), limiting some potential uses.

As CMS integrates Harvey into its service offerings, they are employing the system in its standard, unmodified form. Craske mentioned that the firm has licensed the technology for a low number of users, finding that it saves lawyers over an hour per task. Despite this, CMS plans to continue using other tools, maintaining a diverse set of AI resources rather than relying solely on Harvey.

Craske emphasized the experimental nature of generative AI in the legal field, highlighting the need for flexibility and rapid adaptation due to the fast pace of technological change. He believes that while Harvey fosters market competition, it is too early for firms to commit exclusively to any single AI solution.

Cost-wise, Harvey is reportedly priced at around $1,200 per seat annually. Some law firms, especially larger ones with substantial revenues, find this cost manageable, whereas smaller firms may find it prohibitive. Comparatively, other tools like Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, priced at $360 per lawyer per year, do not offer customizations specific to legal needs and produce shorter outputs than typically required by lawyers.

The article mentions that Harvey's sales team has set a minimum purchase of 100 licenses, indicating a significant initial investment for interested firms. Despite inquiries from Artificial Lawyer, Harvey has not provided an official comment on these pricing details.

TheOpen.AI News

In Response to OpenAI, Elon Musk Hikes Salaries for Tesla Engineers

Elon Musk has suggested that OpenAI, a company he co-founded, is actively trying to recruit engineers from Tesla’s Autopilot team. This accusation came to light after Tesla engineer Ethan Knight left to join Musk's new venture, xAI, with Musk indicating that Knight had been considering a move to OpenAI instead. Musk, who has a history of legal disputes with OpenAI's Sam Altman, claimed that OpenAI has successfully poached several Tesla engineers by offering substantial salaries.

Amidst these claims, concerns about Musk's management style have escalated, especially after revelations of his flexible use of Tesla resources for other business ventures, including his acquisition of Twitter. This practice was highlighted during legal proceedings concerning Musk's compensation at Tesla, where it was noted that Tesla’s board provided minimal oversight over such decisions.

The departure of Tesla engineers to Musk's private ventures, such as xAI, has raised alarms among Tesla’s investors, particularly those concerned about potential conflicts of interest and the implications for shareholder value. Discussions among Tesla shareholders reflect unease about Musk’s influence over Tesla, fearing he might prioritize his private interests over the company’s, especially as he pushes to redefine Tesla as a leader in AI technology rather than just an automotive and energy company. 

Musk’s allegations against Altman serve not only as a defense for the turnover in his team but also potentially boost his companies' profiles by framing them as desirable workplaces for top-tier AI talent, comparable to leading AI innovators like OpenAI.

Viber Rolls Out OpenAI-Powered Chat Summaries for Group Chats

Viber has launched a new AI-powered chat summarization feature on its messaging platform, initially available in selected regions. This feature, which utilizes OpenAI's GPT models, is designed to help users catch up on unread group chat messages by providing concise summaries in bullet points. Currently, the summarization is limited to group chats and can handle up to 100 unread messages. When a user accesses a group chat with numerous unread messages, they can opt to receive a summary by clicking an icon, which then presents the key points of the missed conversations.

Viber, owned by Rakuten, emphasizes that this tool enhances efficiency by reducing the need to scroll through many messages and ensures that users don't overlook important discussions. To safeguard privacy, the summaries exclude any identifiers beyond usernames, preventing the association of the summarized content with specific group members. Additionally, Viber assures that neither conversations nor summaries are stored on its servers, maintaining user privacy and data security.

This feature, already available in countries like the US, the Philippines, Ukraine, Japan, Bulgaria, and Poland, is set to expand to more regions. It supports over 50 languages and is accessible on both Android and iOS platforms. Viber’s summarization tool mirrors a similar functionality found in Google Chat's Spaces, introduced last year by Google.

TheClosed.AI News

OpenAI Marks Asia Entry with First Office in Japan

OpenAI has established its first office in Asia, located in Tokyo, Japan, marking a significant step in its global expansion efforts. Announced on Sunday by CEO Sam Altman, the new office underscores Japan's blend of technological leadership and innovative culture. Altman highlighted that AI's role in enhancing creativity and productivity would bring considerable value to established and emerging sectors.

To lead its operations in Japan, OpenAI has appointed Tadao Nagasaki as president, focusing on commercial and market engagement strategies. The Tokyo office was selected for its technological prominence and its community's receptiveness to innovation.

In its initial offerings, OpenAI is providing Japanese businesses with early access to a GPT-4 model tailored specifically for Japanese, which promises better translation and summarization capabilities, cost efficiency, and triple the speed of previous versions.

Major Japanese companies like Daikin and Toyota, along with local governments, are already utilizing ChatGPT to boost operational efficiency. Altman's discussions last year with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had hinted at such an expansion.

The move follows OpenAI's rapid rise to prominence since releasing ChatGPT in late 2022, supported by Microsoft, which values OpenAI at nearly $100 billion. Concurrently, Microsoft plans to invest $2.9 billion in the next two years to expand its cloud computing and AI infrastructure in Japan, marking its most significant investment in the country since establishing its first international office there 46 years ago.

Prem Labs Teams Up with Marvel Studios Founder to Innovate Proprietary AI Models

The rapid ascent of generative AI is prompting nations and corporations around the globe to explore its potential. This technology is poised to revolutionize industry landscapes by enhancing product functionalities and optimizing operational efficiencies. According to Bloomberg, the generative AI market, valued at $40 billion in 2022, is expected to explode to approximately $1.3 trillion by 2032, signaling a significant industry transformation. As companies strive to gain a competitive advantage, they face challenges, including the risk of losing intellectual property and know-how to major tech corporations that provide essential AI capabilities.

In this environment, open-source AI offers a viable alternative, though the integration and management of AI models present their own complexities, making it difficult for many firms to advance effectively. Addressing these challenges, Swiss-based startup Prem Labs has emerged from stealth mode, having recently completed a $14 million seed funding round with investments from notable figures like David Maisel of Marvel Studios, Fan Zhang of Sequoia Capital China, and Alan Lipschitz of Incubeta, among others. Maisel's joining of Prem Labs' Advisory Board highlights the startup’s focus on leveraging generative AI to transform the entertainment industry, particularly after the release of the innovative AI model, Sora.

Prem Labs began its operations last summer with the launch of the Prem App, a free, open-source alternative to ChatGPT. Since then, the company has established strategic partnerships with various sectors including financial compliance, commerce, and gaming. It provides clients with the tools to create bespoke AI models suited to their specific data needs and business goals. With an on-premises deployment option, Prem Labs ensures that clients retain full control over their data and intellectual property, in compliance with GDPR and other strict European data protection standards. This approach positions Prem Labs as a leader in the AI field, ready to expand significantly within Europe and internationally.

meQ Launches Innovative sparQ™ Generative AI for Enhanced Workforce Resilience

meQuilibrium (meQ) announced the introduction of its innovative generative AI technology, "sparQ™." This new tool utilizes meQ's extensive database of human cognitive and behavioral data to help organizations better understand and mitigate workforce risks while providing tailored interventions to enhance employee well-being and performance.

The sparQ technology was created by a multidisciplinary team at meQ, including data scientists, software designers, engineers, and subject matter experts. It integrates generative AI and large language models to boost the platform’s machine learning capabilities, facilitating significant personal and organizational growth. The technology is designed to enhance user engagement and learning through its hyper-personalized, natural language interface.

Jan Bruce, CEO and co-founder of meQ, stated, "sparQ transforms complex psycho-cognitive data into actionable insights for HR leaders, allowing them to address risks that negatively affect company performance and can be costly. Through the innovative use of generative AI, sparQ helps uncover hidden risks such as burnout, disengagement, and anxiety, providing clear directions for corrective measures."

sparQ empowers leading global companies to delve deeper into meQ’s wealth of insights and actionable interventions that are directly relevant to their operational needs. This secure and ethical AI solution leverages meQ’s scientific research and extensive psychometric data to encourage behavior change and provide specific, personalized interventions.

Bruce added, "We are immensely proud of our team's work in harnessing the potential of generative AI to enhance our digital resilience solution, meQ. This development accelerates the use of workforce intelligence, allowing organizations to more effectively leverage their data to benefit both individuals and the enterprise as a whole."

sparQ leverages advanced AI to quickly process critical workforce data, addressing risks and improving business outcomes. By applying large language models and generative AI, it pinpoints psychosocial factors affecting employee well-being and performance. sparQ offers personalized, actionable interventions to users worldwide, helping them understand their individual thinking styles and behaviors. All of this is done while adhering to the highest levels of privacy and security standards set by meQ.

Unlocking the Potential: 2024 Heralded as the Year of Proprietary Data by Gulp Data

Today, Gulp Data announced its perspective on 2024 as a pivotal year for the role of proprietary data in the AI industry, labeling it the "new gold rush" in technology. The company underscores the importance of proprietary data as a key driver of AI innovation, especially at a time when AI technology is advancing rapidly. Gulp Data highlighted a significant deal where Google and Reddit agreed on a $60 million data transaction to train Google's AI, emphasizing the real market value of such data.

Lauren Cascio, CEO of Gulp Data, remarked, "While AI technology captures widespread interest, the essential role of data in AI development is often underestimated. The true progress in AI relies not just on algorithms or computing power but on accessing large volumes of high-quality proprietary data."

Gulp Data addresses the challenges of navigating the complex legal aspects of data ownership and securing exclusive rights to high-value datasets. The company's services include the valuation, monetization, and legal documentation of proprietary data, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations and reducing the risk of unauthorized data use.

By partnering with companies to analyze and value their unique datasets, Gulp Data opens opportunities for revenue generation through data licensing in the AI sector.

Cascio added, "2024 is shaping up to be the year where the focus shifts from AI advancement to the exploitation of proprietary data, offering substantial revenue possibilities through licensing highly sought-after data to the AI industry."

Gulp Data has performed thousands of data valuations and assisted over 500 companies in unlocking potential revenue from their data, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The company has processed over 11 trillion data records, providing companies with strategic guidance on how to value, lend, and monetize their data assets. Gulp Data specializes in treating data as a tangible asset and offers bespoke lending solutions tailored to the needs of today's IP and data-centric businesses.GenAI News

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