Robotics

In a pioneering study, Dr. Patrick Krauss and Dr. Achim Schilling from the Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Group at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) used artificial intelligence to gain major insights into how the brain predicts future events and processes information. By analyzing local field potentials (LFPs), they discovered that the brain remains active in anticipating possible scenarios, even in a resting state. This research may lead to better diagnostic tools and treatments for neurological diseases by improving our understanding of how thoughts and feelings are processed in our minds. The study also reveals the potential for AI to continuously make predictions, even without processing any input, which could have implications for various applications, including vehicle safety. The results show how the fusion of technology and brain research is expanding the boundaries of cognitive processes and brain function, ultimately leading to innovative approaches in medical diagnosis and therapy. The findings were published in NeuroImage and demonstrate the potential of using unsupervised machine learning to extract meaningful information from single-trial electro-physiological recordings, offering new insights into how information is processed in the cerebral cortex. This research opens up new avenues for understanding the complexities of the human brain, with the potential to improve diagnosis and treatment for a range of neurological diseases.

Shanghai has released China's first set of guidelines for governing humanoid robots, emphasizing the need to ensure these machines do not pose a threat to human security and effectively safeguard human dignity. The guidelines, unveiled during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, call for measures such as risk warning procedures, emergency response systems, and ethical and lawful use training for users. The document, developed by a coalition of Shanghai-based industry organizations, also advocates for international cooperation in the humanoid robot sector, recommending the establishment of a global governance framework and an international think tank dedicated to governing these machines. Chinese companies are racing to develop cost-effective humanoid robots, as the country aims for mass production by 2025 and global leadership in the sector by 2027. Tesla's second-generation humanoid robot, Optimus, and other cutting-edge models were showcased at the conference, highlighting China's efforts to catch up with the US in AI and achieve technological self-sufficiency.

Tesla unveiled its humanoid robot, Optimus, at the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, sparking interest as one of the few American AI products at the event. Despite being showcased behind glass and without interactive capabilities, Optimus drew attention with its potential to handle various tasks using Tesla's neural network and computer vision technology. The display also featured 17 other robots from Chinese manufacturers, highlighting the increasing development and potential applications of humanoid robots in sectors such as education, entertainment, healthcare, elder care, and manufacturing. However, high production costs remain a barrier to widespread deployment, with prices ranging from $70,000 to $1 million for existing models, although Tesla's Optimus is anticipated to sell for up to $30,000.

China has emerged as the leader in generative AI patents, surpassing other countries by a significant margin, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization. The U.S. is a distant second in this regard. In the past decade, China has accounted for over 38,200 generative AI inventions, six times more than the nearly 6,300 from the United States. The explosive growth of generative AI is evident as more than a quarter of these inventions emerged in the last year. While this technology has the potential to enhance efficiency and drive scientific discoveries, concerns about its impact on jobs and fair compensation for content creators have been raised. The report also highlights the evolving landscape of AI technologies, and while China leads in generative AI patents, the U.S. is at the forefront in developing cutting-edge AI systems and models.

The dream of having artificial intelligence and robots take care of household chores still seems out of reach, despite the popular sentiment and frustration expressed on social media. While AI and robotics have shown remarkable advancements in language processing and image synthesis, the integration of this technology into household chores remains a formidable challenge due to technical, philosophical, and ethical considerations. The distinction between AI and robotics is crucial, as robotics requires physical hardware to interact with the environment, making it more complex to develop. Although there have been attempts to create household robots capable of chores such as laundry and dishwashing, they have faced significant limitations and have struggled to become practical for everyday use. Despite ongoing research and development efforts by various companies and institutions, the widespread use of robots to perform household chores is still a distant goal.

MIT robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks believes that people are overestimating generative AI capabilities. He warns that the current hype surrounding generative AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is leading to an over-optimistic view of their competence. Rodney Brooks, the Panasonic Professor of Robotics Emeritus at MIT and the co-founder of companies like Rethink Robotics and iRobot, argues that while generative AI technology is impressive, it cannot perform tasks in the same way humans can. He suggests that people tend to assign human-like capabilities to generative AI, leading to unrealistic expectations. Brooks also emphasizes the importance of applying AI technology in environments where robots and humans can work together seamlessly. He highlights the need to integrate robots into practical applications, such as warehouse operations, rather than building human-like robots. Brooks also cautions against assuming exponential growth in AI technology, citing the example of the iPod's storage size growth trajectory. He also mentions the potential role of LLMs in assisting with specific tasks in domestic robotics, especially in eldercare scenarios. Overall, Brooks believes in making AI technology accessible and purpose-built, and he stresses the significance of identifying practical use cases for AI to achieve a tangible return on investment.

Solos has unveiled the world's first smart glasses equipped with GPT-4o, featuring generative artificial intelligence capable of analyzing visual input. The AirGo Vision smart glasses utilize AI to provide real-time information based on what the wearer sees, offering services such as recognizing people, objects, and landmarks, providing directions, and checking prices. Wearers can also capture hands-free photos to request information. The glasses feature swappable frames, with options for a front camera or no camera, and a built-in LED notification light for discreet alerts. The AirGo Vision will be available later this year, with LED-only frames set for release in July at a price of $249.99.

Amazon has made a significant move in the AI sector by hiring key staff from the AI startup Adept. Adept, known for its AI-powered "agents" designed to carry out various software-based tasks, has entered into a licensing agreement with Amazon, with the startup's co-founders and a portion of its team joining the tech giant. Adept's co-founder and CEO, David Luan, along with other co-founders and employees, will be working with Amazon to bolster its generative AI ambitions. This acquisition provides a new direction for Adept as it hands over its AI technology, including its agentic data and web interaction software, to Amazon, while also appointing a new CEO to refocus efforts on "solutions that enable agentic AI". This move comes at a crucial time for Adept, as the startup has faced challenges in bringing its products to market despite significant funding. The deal not only breathes new life into Adept but also strengthens Amazon's position in the AI market as it seeks to build digital agents that can automate software workflows.

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has articulated an ambitious goal for the company: to advance artificial super intelligence, surpassing human capabilities by a factor of 10,000. Addressing shareholders at the annual general meeting, Son emphasized the group's dedication to pairing robotics with artificial intelligence for various applications, including mass production, logistics, and autonomous driving. However, he acknowledged the necessity of immense capital and partnership to realize his vision. Despite facing setbacks with some tech startups, the success of SoftBank's subsidiary Arm has bolstered Son's reputation, enticing investors in AI-related ventures. Additionally, there have been discussions about the possibility of SoftBank engaging in a significant share buyback or even going private if the share price continues to decline.

OpenAI's latest model, GPT-4o, offers unprecedented levels of intelligence and versatility, but using it through ChatGPT often requires detailed instructions. However, users can bypass this by creating custom AI assistants, which can efficiently execute specific tasks without extensive prompting. Building AI assistants is now accessible through two platforms: ChatGPT and You.com. ChatGPT users can easily customize their chatbots within the platform, albeit with a $20 monthly fee for ChatGPT Plus. On the other hand, You.com allows users to create custom assistants for free, using a variety of advanced AI models. With these customizable AI assistants, users can streamline repetitive tasks and save time, whether for personal or business use.

LinkedIn is unveiling new artificial intelligence-driven features to assist users in job hunting. The company is capitalizing on the current tech trend of AI by launching tools that help with job searches, job applications, and personalized learning material. Users will also benefit from AI-generated cover letters and personalized coaching from industry experts. Another major focus for LinkedIn is AI-driven search, as it plans to revamp its search experience to provide more comprehensive and conversational results. These new features are augmented by the company’s previous AI integrations in its products, and LinkedIn's focus on AI is backed by its connection with Microsoft, which has substantial AI efforts. The company also has plans to expand tools for recruiters and marketers, and introduce enhanced premium company pages for small businesses.

The article titled "Want an AI Job? Check out these new AWS AI certifications" discusses the opportunities for individuals seeking employment in the field of AI. It highlights the new training courses and certifications offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a way for non-technical workers to enter the AI job market. The AWS Certified AI Practitioner certification is designed for professionals in marketing, sales, project and product management, HR, and finance, while the AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate certification targets technical workers. The article explains the training courses and resources available to prepare for these certifications and the financial benefits associated with having AI skills. The piece emphasizes the value of certifications in securing AI jobs and encourages individuals interested in AI work to consider these programs.

In the news story titled "AI vs humans: Why soft skills are your secret weapon," Marina Minnikova highlights the increasing role of AI in our lives, emphasizing that while AI can handle numerous tasks efficiently, there are essential soft skills that remain exclusive to humans. The article underscores that skills like creativity, leadership, interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, and ethical decision-making are crucial strengths. It suggests that developing these skills is imperative for staying ahead in the AI era. Minnikova asserts that instead of competing with AI in tasks it excels at, focusing on nurturing uniquely human traits and soft skills will be the key to success in the rapidly evolving technological landscape.

The startup, Perplexity, known as an AI-focused Google challenger, has been accused of republishing parts of exclusive stories from various publications, including Forbes and Bloomberg, without adequate attribution. The AI-powered search startup's new feature, Perplexity Pages, allows people to curate content on a particular topic. However, the posts curated by the Perplexity team are remarkably similar to original stories from multiple publications, with small, easy-to-miss attributions that link out to the publications. This includes fragments and illustrations lifted from Forbes' exclusive reporting on Eric Schmidt's stealth drone project and content from CNBC, Bloomberg, and other outlets. Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, responded to the issue, admitting that the feature has "rough edges" and that they will work to improve attribution on Pages. The startup, which has raised over $100 million in venture capital, is now raising $250 million at a $2.5 billion to $3 billion valuation. The search engine's AI acknowledged that Perplexity's approach appears to violate ethical principles by reproducing journalists' reporting without proper attribution. The news outlets involved did not immediately respond to comment requests.

Elon Musk has admitted to diverting Nvidia's latest AI chips originally destined for Tesla to his other companies, such as his xAI startup and social media company, X. This move has stirred ongoing concerns over a conflict of interest, especially given Musk's recent pivot to rebranding Tesla as an AI and robotics company. Musk justified his decision by claiming that Tesla had no immediate use for the chips and that they would have otherwise sat in a warehouse. However, this revelation raises questions about potential breaches of fiduciary responsibility to Tesla shareholders, as well as the competition for resources between Musk's publicly traded and privately owned companies. Moreover, with the looming vote on Musk's record pay package and previous disputes over stock options, shareholders are increasingly wary of potential impacts on Tesla's operations and investments in AI technology.

Nvidia's unveiling of next-generation AI processors is set to widen the technology gap between China and the US, as China faces limitations in GPU options, access to advanced chip manufacturing, and an underdeveloped software ecosystem. Nvidia plans to release its next-generation Blackwell Ultra AI accelerators next year, furthering its lead in the global AI infrastructure market. With US sanctions on advanced semiconductor technology and increased competition from local firms, China's reliance on domestic AI solutions is hindered. Despite significant investments in its semiconductor industry, China struggles to match Nvidia's technological advancements, impacting the development of large AI models in the country.

Perplexity, a popular AI tool, has launched a new feature called Pages, which can generate entire articles and reports from a simple prompt. This new feature utilizes the AI's web-sourcing capabilities to pull the most relevant information in real time and create a first draft. Users can then verify and approve the sources before customizing the formatting, adding images, and publishing the final result. From creating study guides to classroom materials, Pages could be useful for content creators, educators, students, small businesses, hobbyists, and researchers. With the aim of ensuring editorial integrity, the AI tool labels the generated content as "curated by" the user who prompted its creation and includes footnotes with sources in the published version. This new feature is now rolling out to users, providing a convenient and efficient way to create comprehensive reports and articles.

Mistral, the French AI startup, has launched its first generative AI model for coding, Codestral. Trained on over 80 programming languages including Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript, Codestral is designed to help developers write and interact with code, completing coding functions, writing tests, and filling in partial code. However, the model's license prohibits its use for commercial activities due to potential copyrighted content in the training datasets. With 22 billion parameters, the model requires substantial computing power, raising questions about its practicality for most developers. Despite its limitations, Codestral is expected to fuel the ongoing debate around the use of code-generating models as programming assistants. This release comes at a time when generative AI dev tools have shown to result in more mistaken code being pushed to codebases and to amplify existing bugs and security issues in software projects. Mistral has also made Codestral available through its Le Chat conversational AI platform and paid API, and has integrated it into app frameworks and development environments like LlamaIndex, LangChain, Continue.dev, and Tabnine.

In Seongnam, South Korea, at the Naver 1784 Tower, engineers are refining human-machine interactions through the use of approximately 100 service robots named Rookie, which autonomously fulfill orders for customers at the Starbucks and other services in the building. These self-driving, cloud-based robots operate on a platform called AI, Robot, and Cloud (ARC) and are capable of delivering packages, coffee, and lunch boxes throughout the 36-storey tower using advanced robot elevator technology. Naver's dedication to transforming ideas into tangible solutions is showcased through the Naver 1784 Tower, which serves as the company's largest robotics testbed and headquarters, and highlights its advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence, and cloud services. The company emphasizes the redesign of how we live and work, aiming to bring us closer to the future through the integration of advanced technologies into the building, providing a better work environment. Naver's robot research focuses on popularizing service robots, natural human-robot interaction, and artificial intelligence for robots, with the ARC platform enabling precise indoor navigation and real-time management of online and offline robot environments. This breakthrough system is expected to make service robots more mainstream, with the ability to control multiple robots through cloud computing reducing production and maintenance costs while allowing for high-performance and accurate controls.