In this episode of AI-Curious, here's your quick, bite-sized weekly roundup of the latest developments in artificial intelligence, starting with OpenAI’s newest model, the bizarrely-named “o1.” Is it a groundbreaking advancement or just another step in AI’s evolution? We explore both sides, offering a balanced look at the bullish and skeptical takes on the model.

Key Topics:

•[00:00] - Introduction to OpenAI’s o1 Model

A quick primer on OpenAI’s “o1” model, highlighting its unique approach to problem-solving and how it compares to previous models like ChatGPT.

•[01:00] - Bullish Take on o1’s Performance

How o1 outperformed ChatGPT-4 in key benchmarks, including PhD-level science questions, coding, and even scoring an IQ of 120. There’s also the example where o1 developed a 200-year plan to Terraform Mars.

•[02:00] - The skeptical take

On the flip side, we explore skepticism from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who admits the model is still flawed. AI expert Gary Marcus also critiques o1’s limitations, noting its failure in tasks like playing chess.

•[03:00] - Ethan Mollick’s Middle Ground

We take a closer look at Ethan Mollick’s perspective, where he acknowledges o1’s strength in handling complex work tasks but notes that most people might not find it useful for everyday applications.

•[04:00] - 3 Quick Things:

•[04:00] - The White House’s new AI infrastructure task force and its role in managing AI’s growing energy consumption, which could account for 17% of U.S. electricity demand by 2030.

•[05:00] - Fei-Fei Li’s $230 million spatial AI startup, World Labs, and how it’s contributing to the future of humanoid robots.

•[06:00] - The legacy of James Earl Jones and how AI voice cloning could preserve iconic voices for the future.

Mars terraform AI prompt:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JTF411tMmicqEe6HJ9OnhRNswTq8qIjcZUzh_GhppPM/edit

Futurism's article on James Earl Jones:
https://futurism.com/the-byte/james-earl-jones-voice-rights-ai

Jeff Wilser on Twitter/X:
https://x.com/jeffwilser

AI-Curious on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT9Zee6EXhjoVyGT7ihvv8EeaN1BQLExN

Two researchers from Virginia Tech recently published a study: “Representations and Consequences of Race in AI Systems.“

I'm thrilled that the co-authors of the study, Dr. Broderick Turner (Assistant Professor of Marketing at Virginia Tech) and Angela Yi (Doctoral Candidate at Virginia Tech) could join AI-Curious to discuss the takeaways from their study, and more broadly, help us unpack the complicated intersection between AI and race. When should AI models include race? When should they *ignore* race?

Or more to the point, how should AI developers be thinking about race?

Dr. Turner and Angela get into all of this, offering concrete advice for those building AI.

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/08/pamplin-race-ai.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X24000447?dgcid=author

https://www.jointhetrap.com/

Welcome to the debut episode of The Weekly AI Edge!

This is part of the AI-Curious podcast. Each week you'll be getting short, punchy roundups of key AI news. We'll get you in and out.

This week:

A company called Weave Robotics announced that it's now taking pre-orders for humanoid robots that can do household chores -- like fold laundry, feed your dog, etc. This is just the latest development in humanoid robots, coming fast on the heels of other updates from companies ranging from OpenAI to Tesla.

And 3 quick things:
1. Apple gets ready to launch Apple Intelligence... and why this is a sneaky-big deal.
2. Trump gets AI-pic treatment with kittens and ducks...in more AI-fueled election misinformation.
3. OpenAI ready to release its biggest update since ChatGPT4?

Enjoy the ep!

https://www.weaverobots.com/

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/new-details-on-openais-strawberry-apples-siri-makeover-larry-ellison-doubles-down-on-data-centers