🤖 AI Robot Talks And Works Like Humans
Hi there.
This week, Figure unveils a new AI humanoid, and a new AI wearable 'Friend' is stirring things up. Additionally, OpenAI’s key leaders are leaving for competitors. Also, learn how you can start making online income with six simple ways. Let’s dive in…
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🖥️ Tech Bytes
OpenAI-Backed Humanoid Company Unveils Figure 02
Figure AI has unveiled Figure 02, a humanoid robot capable of fully autonomous work in complex environments like factories. Figure 02 leverages OpenAI’s models for speech-to-speech reasoning, enabling full conversations with humans. Additionally, a Vision Language Model (VLM) allows the robot to make quick, common-sense decisions based on visual input and self-correct errors. Equipped with six RGB cameras for 360-degree vision, the robot can effectively navigate the real world. Standing 5'6" and weighing 132 lbs, Figure 02 boasts a 44 lb lifting capacity and a 20-hour runtime, powered by a custom 2.25 KWh battery pack. The humanoid robot race is heating up, with Figure CEO Brett Adcock claiming that Figure 02 is now the “most advanced humanoid on the planet”. While giving tough competition to Elon Musk’s recent reveal Optimus Gen 2 it’s great to see a lot of healthy competition in this field. Would you consider buying a Humanoid for your day-to-day tasks?
Another OpenAI Co-Founder Leaves to Join Competitor
Three key leaders at OpenAI are departing or taking leave, including co-founder John Schulman, co-founder Greg Brockman, and Peter Deng, marking another major shakeup for the AI powerhouse. Schulman has left to join rival AI startup Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s biggest competitors. Brockman, OpenAI's president and co-founder, is taking an extended leave of absence until the end of the year, while Deng, a product leader who joined last year from Meta, has reportedly also departed. These moves follow other recent high-profile exits, including co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Andrej Karpathy. This series of departures is significant as OpenAI struggles to regain its footing after Sam Altman's departure and eventual return as CEO in November 2023. Brockman, one of Altman's biggest supporters during the ousting, is taking a leave of absence at a crucial time when OpenAI faces increased competition from Anthropic and Meta AI, raising concerns about the company's stability and future direction.
New AI Wearable “Friend” Is Here
Avi Schiffmann, a Harvard dropout, just unveiled Friend, a $99 AI-powered wearable device designed to combat loneliness by providing constant companionship. The pendant-like device hangs around the neck and uses AI to engage in conversations and offer emotional support. Always listening, it can proactively send messages based on the wearer's context. Friend has raised $2.5 million in funding at a $50 million valuation from notable investors. Preorders are now open for the basic white version, with shipping expected in January 2025. This device takes a different approach compared to other AI wearables by focusing on companionship rather than productivity. However, with a market flooded with overpromises, privacy implications, and concerns about real human connection, Friend faces an uphill battle in gaining trust.
Meta New Video AI SAM 2 Is Making Waves
Meta has introduced Segment Anything Model 2 (SAM 2), an advanced AI model that identifies and tracks objects in real time across video frames. This model extends Meta's previous image segmentation to video, handling challenges like fast movement and occlusion. SAM 2 can segment any video object and create cutouts with a few clicks, and a free demo is available. Meta is open-sourcing SAM 2 and releasing a database of 50,000 annotated videos. Potential uses include video editing, mixed reality, and scientific research. SAM 2 simplifies complex video editing tasks and showcases Meta's strategy of making significant AI breakthroughs open and accessible.
🌱 Personal Growth
Six Ways to Earn Online Income
As the creator economy continues to thrive, more people are looking for ways to turn their passion into a way to make money online. In this video, I have given six ways you can monetize your skills or passion quickly. Whether you are a creator, entrepreneur, or a beginner exploring the creator economy, this video will surely help you get started.
🎁 Tools of the Week
Theresanaiforthat: A directory of AI apps for every use case.
jiffyreader: Increase your reading speed with a simple brain-hack Chrome extension.
Creatie: Streamline your visual projects to bring your ideas to life faster.
These were my top insights from this week. Stay tuned for more content on tech, AI, no-code, and entrepreneurship. If you liked this edition, do let me know on X/Twitter. I also share video content on my Instagram page.