Weekly deep tech happenings
Apple's multimodal AI efforts, Cognition Labs demos the first AI software engineer, SpaceX successfully launched its third Starship test flight, and so much more...
Hi! My name is Vin. Each week, I list my favorite AI-curated and summarized stories on all things deep tech from leading outlets. Also, I use an illustration with each story that follows a weekly theme. This week, it’s Anime. These illustrations are generated through zero-shot prompting with no additional context beyond the title of the story. Come for the funky illustrations that often make little sense, but stay for the news. Here we go!
🗞 In the news this week
Figure 01: The creepily intelligent robot that talks like ChatGPT
India drops plan for government approval in AI model launches
Former Blue Origin employees plan to harvest precious Helium-3
How Starship surpasses other Rockets as the most revolutionary ever built
🔥 Vibes this week
Revolutionizing Interaction: Apple's Breakthroughs in Multimodal AI
The rundown
Apple researchers have achieved breakthroughs in multimodal AI, combining text and images for advancements in image captioning, visual question answering, and few-shot learning. Their MM1 models have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance on various AI benchmarks by utilizing a combination of image-caption, interleaved image-text, and text-only data. The MM1 models have shown strong in-context learning abilities, indicating the potential for large multimodal models to tackle complex, open-ended problems. Apple's investment in AI is aimed at enhancing Siri, Messages, and future products.
Why it Matters
The ability to combine text and images effectively allows for improved accuracy in tasks such as image captioning and visual question answering, which can have practical applications in various industries, including healthcare and customer service. Furthermore, the advancements in few-shot learning demonstrate the potential for AI to adapt to new situations and tasks, increasing its versatility and utility.
Databricks' Partners with Mistral
The rundown
Databricks, a leading data infrastructure company, has partnered with Mistral, a well-funded startup known for its high-performance large language models (LLMs). Under the agreement, Databricks has invested an undisclosed amount in Mistral, adding to its Series A round, and will integrate select Mistral LLMs into its data intelligence platform. This collaboration aims to make it easier for enterprise users to utilize the models with their data for generative AI applications without affecting the existing security, privacy, and governance features of the Databricks platform.
Why it Matters
This partnership between Databricks and Mistral is significant because it brings cutting-edge AI models to the fingertips of users on the Databricks platform. By integrating Mistral's 7B and Mixtral 8x7B models, Databricks provides a more comprehensive set of tools for building, testing, and deploying end-to-end generative AI applications. This collaboration allows users to experiment with the models, use them as optimized model endpoints, or customize them with proprietary data hosted on the platform to target specific use cases.
How Burning Satellites Threaten Earth's Magnetic Field
The rundown
A recent study has raised concerns about the potential impact of debris from burning satellites on Earth's magnetic field. The paper published suggests that the growing concentration of conductive dust in Earth's upper atmosphere, generated by satellite re-entries, could create perturbations in the magnetosphere and potentially lead to the formation of holes in Earth's protective shield, allowing more harmful cosmic radiation to reach the planet's surface.
Why it Matters
The study highlights the environmental implications of spaceflight and the need to address the growing presence of space debris in Earth's atmosphere. The increased number of satellites entering Earth's atmosphere due to re-entries and the expansion of megaconstellations, such as SpaceX's Starlink, could significantly increase the amount of conductive material in the atmosphere, posing risks to both the environment and human health. By understanding the potential effects of this conductive dust on Earth's magnetic field, scientists can develop strategies to mitigate these risks and ensure the sustainability of space exploration.
Meet Devin: The Pioneering AI Software Engineer
The rundown
Devin is an AI software engineer developed by Cognition Labs. It is designed to be capable of training other AI systems and can perform tasks such as writing code, running debugging statements, and completing jobs posted on platforms like Upwork. This technology represents a significant advancement in the field of AI development, enabling machines to learn from each other and potentially increasing efficiency and productivity.
Why it Matters
The development of Devin marks a new era in AI engineering, where AI systems can not only execute complex tasks but also teach others how to do so. This breakthrough could lead to a more autonomous and self-learning ecosystem of AI applications, reducing human intervention and enhancing overall system performance.
Figure 01: The Creepily Intelligent Robot That Talks Like ChatGPT
The rundown
An OpenAI-powered humanoid robot named Figure 01 has been showcased, demonstrating advanced AI capabilities that include visual recognition, conversation skills, and task completion. Developed by Figure, a startup involving former employees from companies such as Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Google DeepMind, and Archer Aviation, Figure 01 uses a Visual Language Model (VLM) to interact seamlessly with humans. The robot can recognize objects, understand scenes through onboard cameras, and perform tasks simultaneously while maintaining a conversation. Figure 01 aims to revolutionize various industries by training a highly advanced AI system to control billions of humanoid robots.
Why it Matters
Figure 01 represents a significant step forward in artificial intelligence and robotics technology. Its ability to visually recognize objects, understand the environment around it, and complete tasks independently showcases the potential for advanced AI systems to enhance human capabilities and transform industries. This development also raises ethical concerns about the role of such technologies in society and their potential impact on employment and privacy.
India Drops Plan for Government Approval in AI Model Launches
The rundown
In a significant shift in policy, the Indian government has dropped its requirement for companies to seek government approval before launching or deploying AI models to users within the country. This decision was made after facing criticism from local and international entrepreneurs and investors who saw the proposed regulation as a hindrance to innovation and growth in the sector. Under the revised guidelines, firms are now advised to label under-tested and unreliable AI models to inform users of their potential limitations. The change marks a departure from India's previous stance of non-regulation, which identified the AI sector as crucial to the nation's strategic interests.
Why it Matters
This development is important because it reflects the evolving nature of AI regulation globally. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into various aspects of society, governments around the world are grappling with how best to balance the need for oversight with the potential stifling effect of overly restrictive regulations. In this case, India's initial proposal drew strong opposition due to concerns about the potential chilling effect on innovation and entrepreneurship. By dropping the requirement for government approval, the Indian government has taken a step towards fostering a more conducive environment for AI development and deployment.
Former Blue Origin Employees Plan to Harvest Precious Helium-3
The rundown
Interlune, a Seattle-based startup founded by former Blue Origin executives, aims to mine helium-3 from the moon. This noble gas is scarce on Earth but has gained significant interest due to its potential applications in quantum computing, nuclear fusion reactors, medical imaging, and national security industries. The company has secured $15 million in funding to pursue this goal, with plans to initially focus on harvesting helium-3 for sale to various industries. Interlune was founded by former Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson and Chief Architect Gary Lai, along with Harrison Schmitt, the only living member of NASA's last crewed mission to the moon. The company is working on developing a robotic lander mission to verify helium-3 levels at their chosen Moon site, hoping to launch a new era for the lunar economy. The Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015 states that any resource obtained in space belongs to the entity that extracted it, but there are currently no regulations in place regarding resource mining from celestial objects. NASA also has plans to explore harvesting resources from the Moon within the next decade to support its Artemis program.
Why It Matters
The potential extraction of helium-3 from the moon could have significant implications for various industries, including quantum computing and nuclear fusion reactors, where this rare gas is highly coveted. This endeavor represents a step towards establishing a sustainable lunar economy and potentially unlocking technological advancements hindered by limited supplies. However, there are concerns about the environmental impact of such activities and the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible resource management.
Terran Orbital's Small Geostationary Satellite Announcement
The rundown
Terran Orbital, a space technology company, has announced its intention to enter the geostationary orbit market by producing small satellites for this purpose. The company's move comes at a time when the geosynchronous market is reportedly shifting towards smaller satellites. This development could potentially revolutionize the way we use geostationary orbits for various applications such as telecommunications, weather forecasting, and navigation systems.
Why It Matters
This announcement from Terran Orbital highlights the growing trend towards using small satellites in geostationary orbits, which can offer several advantages over traditional large satellites. Smaller satellites are generally cheaper to develop and launch, making them accessible to more organizations and individuals. They also have the potential to be more flexible in their operations due to their smaller size and lower mass. Furthermore, they may contribute to reducing space debris caused by larger satellite failures, as smaller satellites would likely cause less damage upon reentry. Overall, Terran Orbital's plan to produce small satellites for geostationary orbits represents a significant step forward in the evolving landscape of space technology and its applications.
How Starship Surpasses Other Rockets as the Most Revolutionary Ever Built
The rundown
SpaceX successfully launched its third Starship test flight on March 14, 2024. The mission, known as Starship Flight 3, involved the launch of Booster 10 and Ship 28. The flight aimed to demonstrate several key capabilities, including the opening and closing of the payload dispenser door, the relighting of a Raptor engine in space, and the in-space cryogenic propellant transfer. Starship is considered the most revolutionary rocket ever built due to its reusable nature, unmatched payload capacity, and potential for frequent, affordable launches.
Why it Matters
Starship's revolutionary features matter because they have the potential to significantly impact the cost and frequency of space travel. By producing reusable rockets, SpaceX has been able to launch thousands of Starlink satellites, creating a global network that provides high-speed broadband around the world and in space. Additionally, Starship's large payload capacity allows for the transportation of significant amounts of equipment to the Moon and Mars, enabling scientists to conduct extensive research and exploration.
🔥 Most based CEOs
Jensen Huang on people with really high expectations having very low resilience
Alex Karp on short sellers
🔆 Let there be light!
Here’s an awesome demo on X by Reflect Orbital on their way to making a constellation of of revolutionary satellites to sell sunlight to thousands of solar farms after dark.