👾Meta Goes All in on AI

Hey TEDchats Fam!

Happy Friday! Imagine a world where your coffee maker chats about the weather, your car debates the fastest route to work, and your phone plans your weekend getaway. Welcome to the dawning age of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), where the line between science fiction and reality blurs. But who's leading this charge? None other than social media giant turned tech visionary, Meta.

👀 SNEAK PEEK

🚨FEATURE STORY

Meta's Bold Leap into the AGI Frontier

Did you know that Meta, the tech giant formerly known as Facebook, is now racing towards creating open-source Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)? This ambitious venture not only reshapes Meta’s focus but also intensifies the global AI talent war.

Zuckerberg's Vision

Under the leadership of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta is bringing two of its Artificial Intelligence Research efforts FAIR and GenAI closer together, accelerating the development of generative AI products. According to Zuckerberg this includes “AI assistants, AIs for creators, AIs for businesses, and more”. This strategic move is driven by Zuckerberg’s vision of integrating AI breakthroughs directly into the lives of billions of users. Fueling this pivot is the broader industry belief in the imminent advent of AGI, an intelligence with advanced cognitive abilities that can perform a wide-range of general tasks (watch Zuckerberg explain it here).

Meta’s Strategic Push

The quest for AGI is fraught with challenges. One of the primary hurdles is the intense competition for a limited pool of AI experts, with companies offering staggering salaries to secure top talent. Additionally, the colossal computational power required for such advanced AI development puts immense pressure on resources. Meta's commitment to this path represents a bold gamble in an already highly competitive field, and they are reinforcing their dedication by investing in approximately 350,000 Nvidia H100s for computing power.

A key shift in this narrative emerged with Meta’s development of Llama 2, a large language model released in July 2023, and its subsequent plans for Llama 3. These developments signify Meta's transition from follower to leader in the AI space. Unlike previous models, Llama 3 focuses on advanced reasoning and planning, indicating a significant leap towards more sophisticated AI capabilities.

Meta's Open Approach

Meta’s journey towards AGI is not just about developing cutting-edge technology; it's also about how this technology is shared. Zuckerberg advocates for an open-source approach, contrasting with other tech giants' more guarded stance. This philosophy could democratize access to advanced AI, potentially reshaping the industry’s power dynamics (read more).

🍕 QUICK BITES

Microsoft Introduces Free AI Reading Tutor

Microsoft's Reading Coach, an AI-powered tool designed to enhance reading skills, is now available for free to all Microsoft account holders. This tool, previously part of Microsoft Teams for Education, allows learners to practice reading with AI assistance, including features like text to speech and syllable breakdown. Microsoft also announced additional features for Teams for Education, including a Classwork feature that enables teachers to leverage AI for making assignments. Additionally, Microsoft Reflect assists students in identifying and expressing emotions, pinpointing specific reasons behind each feeling (read more).

NASA Launches AI for Space

NASA introduces the Automated Reconfigurable Mission Adaptive Digital Assembly Systems (ARMADAS), a groundbreaking approach to space construction. This technology features robotic systems that autonomously assemble structures in space environments, such as the moon and Mars. Developed by NASA Ames Research Center, the self-reprogrammable system combines metamaterial building blocks, known as voxels, with specialized robots to create sturdy, adaptable structures. Ideal for building communication towers and shelters in space, ARMADAS represents a significant advancement in extraterrestrial construction techniques (read more).

Samsung Galaxy S24 Comes with Live Translation!

Samsung's latest Galaxy S24 smartphones feature a new Live Translation tool, capable of translating phone calls and texts in real-time. Supporting up to 13 languages, this function is processed entirely on the device, ensuring user privacy. Designed to simplify international communication, it automatically recognizes and translates languages during calls, making it a practical tool for global users and regular travelers (read more).

🧰 AI TOOLBOX 

🤯 MIND SPARK

Google Unveils “Circle to Search”: On select premium Android smartphones launching on January 31, users will have the ability to select items in a picture or video and inquire about that specific item (see preview).

Can You Outsmart the AI Debater? The AI Debater, brought to you by DeepAI, is ready to engage in an intelligent debate with you on a wide range of topics. Challenge yourself and test your debating skills against the AI! (see more).

MIT Technology Review’s Four Big Bets for 2024: MIT's predictions for 2023 were spot on, and now, for 2024, they anticipate a surge in customized chatbots, the growth of text-to-video technology, the challenge of AI-generated election disinformation, and the rise of multitasking robots (read more).

🎨 AI ART