OPEA, AI Jobs, Investments, Parkinson's
April 17, 2024: Linux Foundation's OPEA for enterprise AI, US AI job dispersion, ex-OpenAI member calls for audits, Intel's China-specific chips, Google restructures
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Latest in AI,
1. 1-Minute Roundup
2. Headlines
3. AI Investment Deals
4. Other AI News
1-Minute Roundup
Headlines:
Linux Foundation launches OPEA to foster open, interoperable generative AI for enterprises
AI jobs spread across the US, with MD-DC-VA emerging as a critical hub
AI Investment Deals:
GovDash raises $10M for AI-powered government contract proposals
Crezes secures $750K for AI-driven location data insights
Verify raises €1M for image and video authentication technology
FYLD raises £12M for AI-driven field work platform
Greeneye Technology secures $20M for AI precision spraying systems
AI Squared raises $13.8M for data science platform
Veesual raises $7.5M for virtual try-on platform and U.S. expansion
ClaimScore secures $3.15M for AI-based claim fraud detection
Ramp raises additional $150M, reaching $7.65B valuation
Sapience Automata secures INR 1.75 crore for AI-driven driver assistance
Others:
Ex-OpenAI board member calls for transparency and audits in AI companies
Intel to launch two AI chips with reduced capabilities for the Chinese market
Google CFO announces finance team restructuring due to AI focus
Google AI to aid the National Guard in disaster response efforts
AI boosts Parkinson's drug design, reducing costs and accelerating candidate screening
Headlines
Linux Foundation Launches OPEA to Foster Open Enterprise AI
The Linux Foundation launches OPEA to promote the development of open, interoperable generative AI systems for the enterprise.
Why it Matters: OPEA aims to address enterprises' challenges in deploying retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions that are open, interoperable, and quick to market by collaborating with the industry to standardize components, frameworks, and architecture blueprints.
Zoom In:
OPEA is one of the Linux Foundation's Sandbox Projects, an incubator program for new initiatives.
Members include Cloudera, Intel, Red Hat, Hugging Face, Domino Data Lab, MariaDB, and VMware.
OPEA proposes a rubric for grading generative AI systems based on performance, features, trustworthiness, and enterprise-grade readiness.
Context: RAG models are becoming increasingly popular in enterprise applications of generative AI, as they allow a model's knowledge base to be extended beyond its original training data.
Reality Check: While OPEA's members have invested in building tooling for enterprise generative AI, it remains to be seen whether they will work together to create cross-compatible AI tools under the initiative, as vendor lock-in is a common challenge in the industry.
AI Jobs Spread Across US, with MD-DC-VA Emerging as Key Hub
The UMD-LinkUp AI Maps Project's first white paper highlights the increasing geographic dispersion of AI jobs across the US, with California remaining dominant. Still, the MD-DC-VA region is emerging as a central hub.
Why it Matters: The rapid dispersion of AI job postings is a positive development for the US economy, as adopting AI technologies can boost productivity across various sectors. The study also reveals the growing role of consulting firms in deploying AI technologies in non-tech sectors.
Numbers:
In 2023, AI job postings stabilized and increased, while IT job postings declined.
The Top 10 states accounted for 67% of all AI job postings in 2023, while the Bottom 10 states accounted for only 1.24%.
In 2023, AI job postings were 0.56% of all job postings and 9.91% of all IT job postings in the US.
Backstory: The study is the first attempt to map the creation of AI jobs using a fine-tuned large language model (LLM) to differentiate jobs requiring AI skills from others, with an accuracy above 90%.
AI Investment Deals
GovDash, a generative AI platform for government contractors, closed a $10m Series A funding. GovDash aids small businesses in obtaining U.S. government contracts by automating proposal generation through AI.
Crezes, a Mexican AI startup, secures $750K in pre-seed funding led by Brazilian VC Maya Capital to provide businesses with advanced location data insights for strategic decision-making.
Verify, an AI startup from Amsterdam raises €1M to enhance image and video authentication technology, with investment from Google and plans for European and U.S. expansion.
FYLD, a UK-based AI company, raised £12M to expand its AI-driven field work platform, which enhances decision-making and operational efficiency in critical infrastructure sectors.
Greeneye Technology secures $20M to expand its AI precision spraying systems in the U.S., focusing on innovations like custom booms and new applications for cotton, micronutrients, and fungicides.
AI Squared, a data science platform, raised $13.8M in Series A funding led by Ansa Capital to enhance AI integration in business applications and accelerate AI adoption across various sectors.
Veesual, a French AI startup, raises $7.5M for its virtual try-on platform and announces a U.S. expansion and partnership with Eileen Fisher to enhance online shopping inclusivity.
ClaimScore secured $3.15M in seed funding to enhance its AI-based claim fraud detection software in the legal and insurance sectors.
Ramp, a spend management startup, raised an additional $150M, co-led by Khosla Ventures and Founders Fund, reaching a $7.65B valuation to fuel its AI-driven financial solutions further.
Sapience Automata secures INR 1.75 crore in seed funding from Inflection Point Ventures to enhance road safety in India with AI-driven driver assistance technology.
Others
Ex-OpenAI Board Member Calls for Transparency and Audits in AI
Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner advocates for AI companies to share information about their technology and manage risks. In her recent Ted Talk, she calls for AI auditors to scrutinize their work.
Why it Matters: Toner's call for transparency and audits in the AI industry highlights the growing concern about the need for better governance and oversight of AI companies as the technology becomes more advanced and widespread.
Intel to Launch Two AI Chips with Reduced Capabilities for China
Intel will launch two AI chips with reduced capabilities for the Chinese market to comply with U.S. export regulations.
Why it Matters: The decision to launch China-specific AI chips with reduced performance highlights the impact of U.S. export controls on the semiconductor industry and the efforts of companies like Intel and Nvidia to navigate these restrictions.
Zoom In:
The two chips, HL-328 and HL-388, are scheduled for launch in June and September, respectively.
The chips are based on Intel's latest Gaudi 3 product line but will have significantly reduced performance to comply with export control regulations.
Google CFO Announces Finance Team Restructuring Due to AI
Relocations and layoffs will occur as Google shifts focus to AI investments.
New finance hubs will be established in India, Mexico, and other locations.
Google AI to Aid National Guard in Disaster Response
Google's AI tools will help analyze disaster area images to expedite response efforts.
The National Guard will use this tech during the upcoming wildfire season.
AI Boosts Parkinson's Drug Design
AI speeds up the identification of Parkinson's treatment compounds ten-fold.
Machine learning reduces costs and accelerates promising drug candidate screening.
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