AI funding rounds, acquisitions, partnerships and leadership changes, plus regulation, copyright lawsuits and big compute deals.
Apple reportedly acquired Datakalab, a Paris-based startup specializing in low-power computer vision and on-device AI compression algorithms. Finalized in December, the deal brings Datakalab's patents and engineering talent into Apple's ecosystem. Why it matters: As Apple prepares its AI push for iOS 18 and Vision Pro, running powerful models directly on your hardware without draining battery or risking privacy is the core battleground.
The International Olympic Committee just unveiled its Olympic AI Agenda, laying out plans to use AI across judging, talent scouting, and broadcasting. Demos featured algorithms analyzing diving mechanics in under 0.1 seconds and Intel using phones to scout young athletes in Senegal, with initial rollouts planned for Paris 2024.
DARPA just revealed that an AI-controlled fighter jet successfully went head-to-head against a human pilot in an in-air dogfight. Flying the experimental X-62A against a human-piloted F-16, the two jets reached speeds of 1,200 miles per hour and got within 2,000 feet, with human safety pilots never needing to take back control.
Nothing just refreshed its earbud lineup with the Nothing Ear and Ear (a), adding built-in ChatGPT access triggered by a pinch of the stem. Instead of inventing dedicated AI gadgets from scratch, Nothing skipped a step by baking conversational AI into everyday earbuds—provided you also carry a Nothing phone.
HarperCollins just teamed up with ElevenLabs to turn select non-English backlist series into audiobooks using AI text-to-speech. Traditional studio recording has historically been far too expensive for older, niche titles, but ElevenLabs' Studio tool can produce a full audiobook in as little as an hour. While human narrators will still handle primary releases, AI is quietly stepping in to revive forgotten catalogs abroad.
Intel just unveiled Hala Point, the world’s largest neuromorphic computer packing 1.15 billion artificial neurons across 1,152 Loihi 2 chips into a microwave-sized chassis. By storing and processing data simultaneously like a real brain, it solves optimization problems with 100 times less energy than conventional machines. While not built to train LLMs from scratch, it opens a promising path for ultra-efficient continual learning once software catches up.
Microsoft just rolled out industrial AI solutions designed to bridge factory-floor data with generative tools, including a factory operations Copilot template on Azure AI and data integration in Microsoft Fabric. Front-line workers can use natural language to troubleshoot malfunctioning machinery and query operations in real time. Core features are currently in private preview.
Amazon just detailed the roadmap for its checkout-free tech, planning to more than double third-party Just Walk Out deployments in smaller stores while pushing smart Dash Carts in larger supermarkets. The company also pushed back on reports that Indian reviewers manually watched video feeds to tally bills, clarifying that computer vision models handle checkout automatically while humans only annotate training data. Why it matters: Amazon isn't giving up on cashierless retail—it's tailoring sensor fusion to quick-trip convenience and saving smart carts for big grocery hauls.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis just revealed that Google will eventually invest more than $100 billion into AI over time, topping the rumored cost of Microsoft and OpenAI's Stargate supercomputer. Hassabis insisted Google's processing power already outstrips rivals, with capital expected to flow into Axion chips and massive data center buildouts.
Apple is reportedly planning to run its initial batch of iOS 18 AI features entirely on-device without cloud servers. Basic capabilities like smart text generation in Messages, Safari, and Siri will work offline to ensure privacy, while heavier tools may tap cloud partners. Apple is expected to detail the plans at WWDC on June 10.
Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) just dropped his review of Humane's AI Pin, calling it “the worst product I’ve ever reviewed.” After testing it for a week, Brownlee found the wearable slow to respond, barely visible outdoors, and plagued by poor battery life. Why it matters: It delivers a brutal reality check to first-gen AI hardware, warning buyers never to purchase a device based on future software promises.
OpenAI just launched its first Asian office in Tokyo and rolled out an early-access GPT-4 model specifically optimized for the Japanese language. The custom build runs up to 3x faster with significantly lower token costs for translation and summarization, alongside plans for a wider API rollout in the coming months.
Meta is now testing its Meta AI assistant directly inside Instagram's search bar. Queries can kick off a private DM conversation for questions or surface specific Reels using pre-loaded prompts, mimicking Perplexity's clean interface. It looks like Meta's latest push to fix Instagram's notoriously clunky search and better take on TikTok.
SAG-AFTRA just struck a tentative five-year deal with Warner Music, Sony Music, and other major labels to guard against AI voice cloning. Under the agreement, labels must secure consent and pay compensation before dropping any track that uses a digital replica of an artist's voice—and "singer" is legally reserved for humans.
Dyson just announced CleanTrace, an AR feature that turns vacuuming into a video game by digitally painting over areas you've already cleaned on your phone screen. It relies on the lidar sensor on an iPhone Pro mounted to your vacuum handle. The catch? It only works with the $1,000 Gen5detect and needs a dedicated clamp.
The Verge just dropped its review of the Humane AI Pin, and the verdict is brutal: it's not even close to replacing your phone. Despite costing $699 plus a $24 monthly fee, the screenless wearable constantly overheats, dies in just a few hours, and can’t even set basic alarms or manage calendar events. Why it matters: While the post-smartphone dream is alluring, current hardware and AI models clearly aren't ready to handle ambient computing on their own.
HubSpot just teamed up with AI creators Matt Wolfe and Nathan Lands to launch The Next Wave, a weekly podcast breaking down practical AI strategies in 40 minutes or less. The debut episode features Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas discussing the future of search and open-source models. It is built to serve as an on-demand Chief AI Officer for growing companies.
Intel just unveiled its Gaudi 3 AI accelerator at Vision 2024, claiming it outperforms Nvidia's dominant H100 GPU. Built on TSMC's 5nm process with 128GB of HBM2e memory, Intel says Gaudi 3 runs models like LLaMA up to 1.7x faster and is 2.3x more power-efficient. Air-cooled models roll out in Q3, followed by liquid-cooled units in Q4.
Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun just poured cold water on AGI hype, arguing that large language models will never reach human-level intelligence. He claims LLMs lack fundamental traits like reasoning, planning, and physical world awareness, suggesting the industry must pivot toward sensor- and video-trained "world models" instead.
Meta just unveiled the next generation of its custom AI inference accelerator, MTIA. Built on TSMC's 5nm process, the new silicon more than doubles compute and memory bandwidth, delivering 3x the performance of MTIA v1 across key models. Why it matters: Meta is scaling its in-house chip lineup to slash inference costs and ease reliance on commercial GPUs.
