Anthropic Hires OpenAI

Yes. Almost all the co founders have left OpenAI. The company has seen the departure of three key figures: Jan Leike, Ilya Sutskever, and John Schulman. Jan Leike, former safety leader at OpenAI, left before the reported closure of the Superalignment team he co-led, with plans to focus on scalable oversight, weak-to-strong generalization, and automated alignment research. Following Leike's departure, Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and chief scientist of OpenAI, allegedly announced via social media his intention to join Anthropic to work on AI safety and alignment. Most recently, John Schulman, another co-founder of OpenAI, has purportedly announced his departure to also join Anthropic. This isn’t even the insane news this week though, we’ve got a lot more!

On August 6, 2024, Figure launched Figure 02, an advanced humanoid robot that replicates human physical abilities and features enhanced communication through speech-to-speech interactions. The robot successfully tested its capabilities at BMW's Spartanburg plant.In related news, Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman, alleging a betrayal of the company's non-profit roots, sparking debate about AI's future. OpenAI also introduced its "Strawberry" project, aimed at enhancing AI reasoning and enabling autonomous task performance.

Let's delve into these fascinating developments and their potential impact on the future of artificial intelligence and technology as a whole.

Figure 02: The Future of Humanoid Robotics Unveiled!

Figure has recently introduced its latest humanoid robot, the Figure 02, which showcases significant advancements over its predecessor, Figure 01. Launched on August 6, 2024, Figure 02 features a sleeker design and enhanced capabilities, aiming to replicate the physical abilities of a non-expert human. While it incorporates advanced engineering and software, it does not rely on groundbreaking technologies but rather focuses on effective design and solid engineering principles. The company is committed to making these robots commercially viable and affordable through high-rate volume manufacturing, with plans to significantly reduce costs as production scales. Figure has also raised $675 million in a Series B funding round, boosting its valuation to $2.6 billion, which will support AI training, robot manufacturing, and engineering efforts, particularly in collaboration with OpenAI on next-generation AI models. As 2024 marks a crucial year for humanoid robotics, Figure 02 positions itself among competitors like Agility Robotics and Tesla, all striving to deploy practical humanoid robots in various industries, especially logistics.

Co- founder John Schulman Leaves OpenAI for Anthropic

OpenAI co-founder John Schulman has announced his departure from the company to join rival AI startup Anthropic. Schulman, who served as a key figure at OpenAI since 2016, cited his desire to focus on AI alignment and pursue hands-on technical work as the primary reasons for his decision. His move follows that of fellow co-founder Ilya Sutskever, who left OpenAI in May. Despite the high-profile exits, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed gratitude for Schulman's contributions and reaffirmed the company's commitment to safety initiatives. Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees, will now benefit from Schulman's expertise in AI alignment research, highlighting the intense competition for talent in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Elon Musk Once Again Sparks Legal Conflict with OpenAI

Elon Musk has revived his legal battle against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, filing a new lawsuit in federal court. The lawsuit alleges that Musk was manipulated into co-founding OpenAI under the pretense that it would operate as a non-profit, but the company later abandoned its mission and pursued profits. Musk claims he was "betrayed" by Altman and his associates, who created a complex network of for-profit OpenAI affiliates and engaged in self-dealing practices. The lawsuit also implicates Microsoft, OpenAI's largest investor, in the company's shift away from its original goals. This latest filing comes after Musk had previously withdrawn a similar lawsuit against OpenAI in June, shortly after the company published emails suggesting Musk's acknowledgment of the need for the AI startup to generate substantial revenue. The new 83-page complaint seeks to hold OpenAI accountable for its actions and the future of artificial intelligence.

OpenAI's "Strawberry" Project: Advancing AI Reasoning

OpenAI's new project, codenamed "Strawberry," is an ambitious initiative aimed at significantly enhancing the reasoning capabilities of AI models. Building upon the foundations laid by the previous project, Q*, Strawberry seeks to enable AI to perform complex tasks autonomously by improving its ability to reason and understand context. This project is designed to allow AI to navigate the internet and conduct in-depth research independently, potentially leading to major scientific discoveries and advanced problem-solving capabilities. While details about the project remain largely under wraps, it is viewed as a breakthrough within OpenAI, promising to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence and its applications across various fields.

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This week in AI

• ByteDance Launches AI Video App - ByteDance launches AI video app to rival OpenAI's DALL-E, showcasing advancements in AI-generated content creation. The app, powered by ByteDance's AI technology, allows users to create videos from text prompts, challenging OpenAI's dominance in the AI-generated content space.

• OpenAI Introduces Structured Outputs in API - OpenAI enhances API with structured outputs, enabling developers to extract specific data from model responses, streamlining integration of AI into applications and improving user experience.

• Meta Introduces AI Characters on Instagram - Meta is testing user-created AI characters on Instagram through its new AI Studio. Creators can develop AI avatars that interact with followers, enhancing engagement. Initially available in the U.S., these AI chatbots will be clearly labeled as such.

• Google Releases Open-Source AI Models with Safety Focus - Google unveils open-source AI models prioritizing safety, transparency and responsible development to advance AI technology while mitigating potential risks and misuse.