🤖Figure 01 gets talking!

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Today we will discuss-

• 🗣️Figure 01 can now have full conversations with people

• 🎮Google trains AI to be your gaming partner

• 🐂Study finds 95% Indian CIOs bullish on AI

• ⚙️9 amazing AI tools you might not have heard of

All this and more - Let's dive in!

👩‍🍳What’s cooking in the newsroom?

Figure AI's humanoid robot performs tasks, engages in a real-time conversation

🔥News - On Wednesday, Figure AI, a robotics startup, shared a video update featuring its Figure 01 robot engaged in a real-time conversation. The company noted that this was made possible through the use of OpenAI's generative AI technology.

In the video, Figure 01 is seen interacting with Corey Lynch, the company's Senior AI Engineer, as he guides the robot through a series of tasks within a makeshift kitchen.

🤩How did it do that? The company explained that Figure 01 used OpenAI's pre-trained multimodal model, the Visual Language Model (VLM), for "speech-to-speech" reasoning. This allowed the robot to comprehend both images and text, enabling it to craft responses based on the voice conversation. 

The robot also used a technique known as "learned low-level bimanual manipulation." This means it learned to move its arms and hands very precisely by analyzing detailed images, which allow it to respond swiftly and accurately during interactions with humans.

👨‍🏫What's the most important point here? The company claims that the video wasn't sped up, unlike previous demos of humanoid robots often have been, and it said that no human was secretly controlling the robot from behind the scenes either. While that is indeed impressive, it's important to remember that this is still just a demo, of a prototype at that. Getting the robot ready for commercial use and selling it to businesses and individuals will likely require significant additional work. Moreover, there's a chance that Figure 01 had practiced this routine before, or maybe not, either way the video gets a 👍 from us!

Google DeepMind unveils SIMA, an AI agent trained to be your gaming partner

😁News - Google DeepMind has unveiled SIMA, an AI agent being trained to learn gaming skills in a manner that mimics human play, rather than becoming yet another super-competitive specialized AI solely focused on winning.

🎯What exactly are they trying to achieve? SIMA, which stands for Scalable, Instructable, Multiworld Agent, is being trained using vast amounts of video footage depicting human gameplay and players instructing one another, rather than being given access to the game's internal code or rules. The objective is that through this data and annotations provided by data labelers, the model will learn to associate specific visual representations of actions, objects, and interactions with various gaming scenarios.

The training videos span multiple games, ranging from Valheim to Goat Simulator 3, the developers of which were involved with and consenting to this use of their software. During a press call, the researchers highlighted that one of the main aims was to test whether training an AI on a specific set of games makes it capable of playing others it hasn't encountered, a process known as generalization.

🐐Did it? In short, yes. The reason is simple: the team deliberately selected games with a focus on open play rather than narrative, aiming to help SIMA develop general gaming skills. If you've ever played or watched Goat Simulator, you know that its charm lies in its spontaneity. According to Google, it's precisely this spontaneity that's contributing to SIMA's learning process.

Currently, SIMA only has about 600 basic skills, such as turning left, climbing ladders, and using a map from the menu. However, DeepMind researchers believe that eventually SIMA might learn to tackle more complex tasks, becoming the ultimate AI teammate to lead you to victory.

Lenovo report shows 95% of Indian CIOs deem AI essential for business in 2024

📊News - According to a new report by Lenovo, nearly 95% of Indian Chief Information Officers (CIOs) believe that using Artificial Intelligence (AI) is essential for business success in 2024.

The report, which surveyed over 900 CIOs, emphasizes the rising significance of AI in shaping business strategies and improving customer experiences.

🕵️‍♂️What else did the survey find?

• The survey results indicate that Indian CIOs exhibit the highest confidence in AI, with 95% confident in its ability to yield a competitive advantage, and 57% regarding it as a game changer for their organizations.

• The report also revealed that 84% of Indian CIOs are currently utilizing AI to strengthen their security systems. 

• In addition, it identified a key trend—28% of Indian CIOs are prioritizing investments in GenAI for 2024.

• Adoption hurdles such as heavy reliance on third-party support (55%) and security concerns (51%) were highlighted as primary worries for Indian CIOs. 

• Furthermore, concerns regarding job security (62%) and inadequate IT support in automation deployment (64%) were also prevalent.

🙆🏻‍♀️What else is happening?

• UK chips in $44M for a piece of Europe’s $1.4B pot for semiconductors

• South Korea goes out on a limb to manage forests with AI, satellites

• ChatGPT users to get access to news content from Le Monde, Prisa Media

• Amazon launches new generative AI feature for sellers to create product listings through a URL 

• Microsoft expands availability of its AI-powered cybersecurity assistant

📚AI book recommendation

• The Hundred-page Machine Learning Book by Andriy Burkov is a compact yet comprehensive guide to understanding the fundamentals of machine learning. The book provides clear explanations, practical examples, and tips for implementation, making it a popular resource for anyone looking to dive into the field of machine learning.

• Machines of Loving Grace by John Markoff explores the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on society. The book delves into the history, development, and implications of AI and robotics, from their origins to their potential future roles in various aspects of life, including work, healthcare, and warfare. 

• The Robotic Brain by Rodney Brooks discusses how robots may evolve to think, feel, and act more like humans in the future. Brooks offers a thought-provoking perspective on how advancements in robotics and neuroscience could lead to the creation of truly intelligent and empathetic machines.

👩🏼‍🚒Discover mind-blowing AI tools

1. TutorAI - Share a prompt of something that you want to learn and it will generate a course for you (Free)

2. Human or Not? - A social Turing game that allows users to chat with someone for two minutes to figure out if it was a fellow human or an AI (Free)

3. Human or Not? - A social Turing game that allows users to chat with someone for two minutes to figure out if it was a fellow human or an AI (Free)

4. Defog - An AI-powered data analysis tool that allows users to ask questions and receive answers from their own datasets (Free up to 1000 queries/month)

5. PicturePerfectAI - An AI-powered tool that allows users to transform their photos into unique avatars ($11.99 one-time payment)

6. Notably - An AI-powered research platform that helps users analyze and understand research data more efficiently ($25/month)

7. Dewey - An AI accountability buddy that helps users stay organized and productive (Free up to 3 open tasks at a time) 

8. Entry Point - A platform that allows businesses to fine-tune AI models without any coding ($49/month) 

9. YaatriAI - A travel planning platform that provides personalized itineraries based on users' preferences and budgets (Free)

🎶AI-based songs

• Bored With This Desire To Get Ripped by Botnik feat. Morrissey. The track is unique for its blend of Morrissey's lyrics with Amazon reviews of a home workout DVD, which resulted in a mix of melancholic and humorous lines that added a new layer of depth and creativity to the song.

• Deliverance Rides by MetallicAI. This song is popular for its dark and intense AI-generated lyrics that fit the metal musical genre well and sound like they could have been written by a human artist, making it stand out among other songs.

• World is mine by Japanese music group Supercell is a J-pop song that features vocals by Hatsune Miku, a virtual singer created by the company Crypton Future Media. The song's catchy melody and Miku's synthesized vocals contributed to its widespread recognition and popularity within the Vocaloid community.