Beginners in AI

Thank you for joining us again!

Welcome to this week's edition of Beginners in AI, where we explore the latest trends, tools, and news in the world of AI and the tech that surrounds it.

This week, we look into OpenAI's newest feature that is a whole lot more than it seems. Then we check out Walmart's AI-driven logistics upgrade, the combining of AI and longevity research, a move that could make Perplexity a household name, what Mark Zuckerberg sees for the future of Meta and tech, and the hard to believe origins of the humble Roomba. Whether you're an AI enthusiast or just starting to explore the field, there's something here for everyone!

AI TOP STORY
OpenAI's New Feature Release Is Much More Than It Appears

What Happened?

OpenAI has launched a new feature for ChatGPT called Tasks, ushering in what it terms the "agentic era." The feature is in early beta, meaning this is the early version of the tool without many of the planned features active yet. It currently allows users to set reminders or to schedule actions to take place at a future time, or on a recurring schedule. Unlike previous iterations, this feature offers some autonomy for the AI to execute instructions over a period of time, reducing the need for constant user input or even for the user to be present. CEO Sam Altman confirmed that they were quickly progressing from Stage 2 as noted in September of 2024 Runway and Lionsgate Signal AI’s Hollywood Takeover and it looks like we have arrived there.

Digging Deeper 

This represents another step forward in the capabilities of generative AI and within OpenAI’s 5 stages to achieve AGI(Artificial General Intelligence). Stage 3 is the start of AI Agents that can act on their own after being given a task and figuring out how best to achieve it. According to Altman, "This is the next step in turning AI into a helpful assistant for everyone, everywhere." OpenAI is also working on their OperatorAI program, of which Tasks will certainly play a role Operator AI: ChatGPT's 2025 Plan To Redefine Work and Life 

What to Take Away From This?

The introduction of tasks expands the practical uses of AI in personal and professional life. It has the potential to level the playing field for non-coders who wish to automate tasks and run sophisticated workflows directly from their own device, all with simple text and voice prompts. For example, being able to act through a user’s own computer with their apps, files, and account logins to research for a trip and then taking the action of booking the flight and hotels by itself. Agentic AI is characterized by autonomous decision-making, with Tasks confirming the move away from the simple chatbots of Stage 1 and into the realm of truly autonomous agents that can be given a task by humans and the expectation that it will simply figure out how best to get it done.

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WEEKLY RECAP AI AND GENERAL TECH

Perplexity AI’s Social Media Bid

Perplexity AI, the AI powered search engine launched in 2022 that delivers conversational search experiences in a minimalist style user interface, has reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok's U.S. operations. This comes as TikTok is suspending all US operations as of this weekend by order of the US government. A successful bid could significantly strengthen Perplexity’s position as a rival to Google’s parent company, Alphabet, by giving them instant access to TikTok’s 1.5 billion active monthly users. Perplexity aims to create a unique ecosystem where AI-driven search and social media converge. Perplexity allow still allows free access to its base tier without needing to log in, for those wanting to try it. Read More

Walmart's AI Upgrade, Robots and Automations

Walmart has partnered with Symbotic, an AI robotics and automation firm focused on warehouse and supply chain, to future-proof its online pickup and delivery systems. The $200 million deal with Walmart's Advanced Systems and Robotics business is set to automate 400 of its Accelerate Pickup and Delivery centers. However, Walmart has said that human labor will continue to play a role. Analysts estimate initiatives like this could add approximately 20 billion to Walmart's profits by 2029. Read More

AI in the Newsroom: Mistral Partners with AFP

French AI startup Mistral has entered a multimillion-euro agreement with Agence France-Presse (AFP) to incorporate over 2,000 AFP news articles daily into its chatbot, Le Chat. This partnership aims to ensure the chatbot can quickly verify stories as having come from the news outlets. CEO Fabrice Fries emphasizes the importance of such alliances to uphold journalism standards in the digital age. Verified sources are an important aspect of guarding against hallucinations, where the AI can makes up stories, quotes, and their own attributions. The question of opinion bias and truth seeking in AI is one which is at the forefront of the conversation when it comes to how AI is increasingly powering our information consumption. Read More

OpenAI Ventures into the Science of Longevity

OpenAI has partnered with Retro Biosciences, a startup focused on extending human lifespan. This collaboration aims to harness AI's capabilities to understand aging processes, identify biomarkers, and develop targeted interventions. Retro Biosciences has already raised $180 million to advance its work and sees AI as a necessary next step in finding new breakthroughs. According to the companies, "This collaboration could help unlock treatments that were previously unimaginable, enabling longer and healthier lives for everyone." The medical field has seen hundreds of millions of dollars raised to incorporate AI across broad swaths of the industry and that trend is unlikely to let up. Read More

AI Continues Reshaping the World of Coding

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, predicts that AI will fundamentally transform programming in 2025, making it more accessible to non-coders. He envisions tools where users can describe their needs in plain language, and AI will generate the necessary code. “This will democratize programming and empower those without traditional coding backgrounds,” Zuckerberg said. Meta is already integrating AI into its platforms to streamline development and boost innovation. If realized, this shift could open doors for millions to participate in software creation, though potentially not as a full-time job in a major corporation. In his recent podcast appearance with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg also envisioned a work environment with AI coworkers and human holograms.

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TECH TERMS TO KNOW

AGI stands for Artificial General Intelligence. It is a (hypothetical)form of AI that possesses human-like cognitive abilities across a wide range of tasks, capable of learning, adapting, and solving unfamiliar problems autonomously. A true AI agent, for example, would need to possess AGI to complete its assigned goal without human intervention.

Artificial Superintelligence, also known as ASI, in contrast, would surpasses human intelligence in all aspects, including creativity and problem-solving, and has the potential to self-improve at an exponential rate, going beyond the capabilities of AGI to achieve superhuman performance in every domain. Of all the risks entailed with AI, the possibility of humans no longer being the most intelligent beings on the planet is cited as the greatest cause for great caution.

TOOL SPOTLIGHT (non-sponsored)

Replit is like part of the trend that Mark Zuckerberg was referring to. It is a digital playground for coding where you can write, run, and share computer programs directly in your web browser - no complicated software installation required. What makes it stand out from its competition is that you can build something using plain English for the AI agent and assistant to then turn into functional code.  

Pros:

1. Create web apps using regular English and without specialized knowledge

2. Easy to hire Replit experts to fine-tune or even build your ideas

3. Launch the web app directly from Replit for instant use online

Cons:

1. Can be slow with limited free resources

2. Currently best used on simpler projects for those without coding experience as there can be errors

3. Advanced features need paid subscription and rate limits can be hit quickly

AI COURSE
Join the growing community of AI enthusiasts learning from the ground up through easy to understand lessons right here

ROBOTICS AND AI

Chinese startup Pudu Robotics has introduced its latest humanoid robot, the D9, designed to excel at small, receptive tasks as opposed to moving and lifting heavy objects. Standing at 5.57 feet, the D9 can walk upright, navigate stairs and slopes, and carry up to 44 pounds.

It features advanced mobility with speeds up to 4.5 mph and intelligent navigation using real-time 3D semantic maps. The D9 also supports natural, human-level multimodal interactions(it can understand voice, images, and text) through sophisticated AI frameworks, making it versatile for various settings such as warehouses and stores.

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TRY THIS PROMPT (copy and paste into ChatGPT)

This prompt is geared toward ChatGPT’s Schedule Tasks feature. To access it, go to the model dropdown menu in the upper left of your screen and click on “GPT-4o with scheduled tasks.” Further instructions can be found on OpenAI’s website here

Continuous stock news keyword checks: 
 
Check Google News every hour for [stock ticker symbol] mentions with the word [keyword here]and summarize the article if one comes up along with providing a stock chart. 

Example: Check Google News every hour for [TSLA] mentions with the word "Optimus" mentioned and summarize the article if one comes up along with providing a stock chart. 

DID YOU KNOW?

GPS is not the only military technology that civilians benefit from. The Roomba, iRobot's popular robotic vacuum cleaner, was inspired by the company's work on landmine detection robots for DARPA back in the 90’s. The original Roomba algorithm is the same as the one used in iRobot's anti-landmine robots, but with a built-in vacuum cleaner.

AI-ASSISTED IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Thank you for reading. We’re all beginners in something. With that in mind, your questions and feedback are always welcome and I read every single email!

-James

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