Robots Outshine, AI Chat Risks Unveiled
15 March 2024: OpenAI's Figure 01 surpasses Tesla's Optimus, hackers decrypt AI chats, Apple acquires DarwinAI for AI efficiency, and AI agents replace chatbots.
Good Morning,
Let’s dive into the latest in AI:
1-Minute Roundup
OpenAI's Figure 01 robot raises the bar, outshining Tesla's Optimus with better autonomy and human-like skills.
Security flaws were discovered, and hackers can decrypt AI assistant chats, posing significant privacy risks.
Apple buys DarwinAI, which aims to boost AI in iOS 18 and increase user privacy.
Zscaler acquires Avalor for $310M, strengthening its cybersecurity offerings.
Smartschool raised $1.5M in AI assistant Yoko to improve SAT study tools.
TogetherAI secures $106M in funding, showing a significant interest in AI cloud platforms.
ZephyrAI gets $111M funding to use AI to make medicine more precise.
Autonomo raises £2M to grow its no-checkout store tech for easier shopping.
RapidCanvas starts with $7.5M to make building AI solutions easier for businesses.
ThinkSono gets £2.1M funding to simplify ultrasound use, aiming for better care.
DreamSmart plans a Hong Kong IPO valued at $2.1 billion, showing investor confidence.
CureSkin's $20M funding round to enhance its AI skincare platform.
Move from chatbots to more capable AI agents, marking a shift in AI use.
The viral "Hollywood Mountain" image tricks many, showing how AI can mislead.
Morgan Stanley names Jeff McMillan as AI chief, highlighting AI's finance role.
CBP will use AI in X-ray scanners for better border drug detection.
South Korea will use AI and satellites for smarter forest care.
Big tech companies recalibrate AI hype, pointing to current tech limits.
Verizon's CEO expects massive data growth from AI and the metaverse.
Novel AI and bacteria methods could change how Alzheimer's drugs are made.
A new machine learning system aims to clean urban rivers more effectively.
Headlines
Robo Rivalry Ramps Up: OpenAI's Figure 01 Outshines Tesla's Optimus
Figure 01, the brainchild of a collaboration between Figure and OpenAI, has set new standards for humanoid robots. A recent video release highlights its exceptional ability to interpret and interact with the world, far outperforming Tesla's Optimus in autonomy and dexterity.
Humanoid Interaction: Figure 01 impresses with its human-like conversation skills, quickly identifying objects and responding to complex requests.
Precision and Dexterity: Demonstrating advanced motor skills, Figure 01 adeptly handles tasks from offering food to organising dishes.
Autonomy Over Teleoperation: Unlike Tesla's Optimus, which hinted at teleoperation in a recent video, Figure 01 operates entirely on neural networks, ensuring genuine autonomous capabilities without human intervention.
Expertise and Potential: Backed by Boston Dynamics and DeepMind experts, Figure's advancements hint at a future where robots could seamlessly integrate into daily human tasks.
How do you envision integrating humanoid robots like Figure 01 into your daily life?
Hackers Decrypt AI Assistant Chats Despite Encryption
A recent study has exposed a vulnerability in major AI assistants, excluding Google Gemini, allowing hackers to decipher encrypted AI chat responses. By exploiting a side channel in token transmission, attackers can accurately guess the contents of private conversations, posing significant privacy risks.
Vulnerability Discovery: Researchers found a side channel in the token-length sequence used by AI assistants, enabling accurate inference of encrypted chat responses.
Attack Success Rate: The technique infers specific topics in 55% of cases, with perfect word accuracy in 29% of responses.
Affected Platforms: All major AI assistants except Google Gemini are susceptible, with OpenAI and Microsoft's platforms specifically mentioned.
Proposed Mitigations: Solutions include sending tokens in larger batches or adding padding to packets, though these may impact user experience. OpenAI and Cloudflare have already implemented padding mitigations.
What steps should AI service providers and users take to enhance the security of AI-powered communication tools?
Apple Enhances AI Capabilities with Acquisition of DarwinAI
Apple has acquired DarwinAI, a Canadian startup specialising in creating efficient deep neural networks, to bolster its AI division. DarwinAI's technology is expected to improve manufacturing inspections and contribute to upcoming generative AI features in iOS 18.
Acquisition Details: Apple purchased DarwinAI earlier this year and incorporated many employees into its AI division.
Focus on Efficiency: DarwinAI's technology, known for making AI systems smaller and faster, could enhance Apple's supply chain and device capabilities.
Generative AI Push: The acquisition supports Apple's commitment to "break new ground" in generative AI with upcoming features in iOS 18 and other software.
Privacy and On-Device Processing: Apple aims to keep AI processing on-device to uphold its privacy standards, benefiting from DarwinAI's advancements in efficient AI systems.
How will this impact the user experience and privacy of Apple's future AI features?
AI Deals
Zscaler, a cloud security company, has acquired 26-month-old cybersecurity startup Avalor for $310M in cash and equity.
Smartschool raised $1.5M in Pre-Seed funding for its AI assistant Yoko, designed to help US students prepare for the SAT exam.
Together AI backed by Nvidia, secured $106M in funding led by Salesforce Ventures. Coatue Management, Lux Capital, and Emergence Capital's contributions reached a $1.25 billion valuation.
Zephyr AI raised $111M in Series A funding to enhance precision medicine with AI. It is backed by Revolution Growth, Eli Lilly, Jeff Skoll, and EPIQ Capital Group.
Autonomo, a checkout-free software company, secured £2M in Seed funding. Their technology transforms existing stores into cashierless experiences, using computer vision to track and bill shoppers automatically.
RapidCanvas, based in Austin, Texas, has launched with $7.5M in seed funding to enable business users to build custom AI solutions quickly without coding through its AutoAI platform.
ThinkSono raised £2.1M in an oversubscribed funding round. The ThinkSono ultrasound AI Guidance system enables non-expert staff to scan for blood clots, enhancing patient care.
DreamSmart Group, known for the Meizu smartphone brand and backed by Geely, is working with CICC and Huatai Securities for a Hong Kong IPO, aiming for a valuation of over $2.1 billion.
CureSkin, an AI-driven dermatology platform, secured $20M in Series B funding to enhance its AI capabilities and expand its solutions.
Others
Forget Chatbots, AI Agents Are Coming
The AI landscape is shifting from chatbots to versatile AI agents capable of executing tasks. Devin is an AI agent that codes, plans, and tests its work.
As AI agents like Devin demonstrate their potential in specialised fields, tech companies and startups invest in developing advanced systems that perform various actions beyond mere conversation.
"Hollywood Mountain": AI's Imaginary Mislead Global Audience
An AI-generated image of the non-existent "Hollywood Mountain" in California goes viral, misleading those unfamiliar with the US geography into believing in its reality.
This incident raises concerns about disappointment among international visitors by the power of generative AI to shape perceptions and expectations.
Morgan Stanley Appoints First Head of AI to Spearhead Firm-Wide Initiatives
Morgan Stanley advances Jeff McMillan to lead the bank's comprehensive AI strategy, reflecting the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the finance sector.
Following his oversight of a GPT4-based solution for employees, McMillan's promotion underscores Morgan Stanley's commitment to integrating cutting-edge AI technologies.
CBP Integrates AI with X-Ray Scanners to Detect Fentanyl at Border
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aims to enhance drug detection at US borders with advanced X-ray machines powered by AI, focusing on scanning a higher percentage of vehicles for fentanyl and other contraband.
The initiative, supported by AI-driven anomaly detection algorithms, seeks to expedite vehicle processing while maintaining stringent security measures.
South Korea Innovates Forest Management with AI and Satellite Tech
South Korea's Forest Service is set to launch an advanced forest management system using AI and satellite data, aiming for real-time monitoring and enhanced decision-making for the nation's extensive forested areas.
This initiative will include a National Forest Satellite Information Center and an AI-based platform for forest fire monitoring, contributing to sustainable forest conservation and natural disaster mitigation.
Tech Giants’ Caution on AI Capabilities Amid Declining Hype
Amidst the soaring AI excitement, companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have started to realign expectations, hinting that the AI revolution might not be as immediate or seamless as initially portrayed.
The shift comes as industry insiders highlight concerns over AI's limitations, cost implications, and the practical value delivered to customers.
AI and Metaverse Will Spark Data Tsunami
Verizon's CEO, Sowmyanarayan Sampath, forecasts a massive surge in data usage driven by AI and the metaverse.
As digital connectivity deepens and users increasingly engage in online content, the next wave of data evolution may challenge current norms.
AI and Bacteria Team Up to Revolutionize Alzheimer's Drug Production
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have innovated a method to produce Alzheimer's medication using AI-enhanced bacterial fermentation.
The team's use of genetically modified bacteria to synthesise a chemical precursor to galantamine marks a significant advancement in microbial fermentation.
Urban River Cleanup with Advanced Machine Learning System
Researchers have developed a machine learning system that combines Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, integrated into a machine learning parallel system (MLPS) to enhance the precision and efficiency of sewer-river system models.
This is crucial for effective pollution control and sustainable water management in urban environments.
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