It’s time for Bits & Bytes…
… where we bring you news, innovations, and thought-provoking insights from AI, IT, and beyond. In this week’s newsletter we’re looking at:
- OpenAI’s Bold Hardware Push with Ex-Oculus Chief
- AI Giants Race to Expand: From Search to Military
- Nebius AI’s Cost-Effective Development Platform
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
🥊 OpenAI Aims To Go Physical
OpenAI is making bold moves into the physical world with the appointment of Oculus VR veteran Caitlin Kalinowski to lead its robotics and consumer hardware team. This strategic hire signals a significant pivot beyond ChatGPT and language models, as the company sets its sights on bringing AI into tangible form.
The company’s hardware ambitions extend to collaborating with Apple’s legendary designer Jony Ive on a mysterious AI device project, while developing custom AI chips through partnerships with Broadcom, AMD, and Nvidia.
TL;DR
- Former Oculus VR hardware chief joins OpenAI to lead robotics division.
- Partnership with Apple’s Jony Ive on mysterious AI hardware project.
- Custom chip development underway with Broadcom, AMD, and Nvidia.
TECH HEADLINES FROM ACROSS THE WEB
🔍 ChatGPT Launches Live Search To Challenge Google
OpenAI has transformed ChatGPT into a real-time search powerhouse, integrating instant web access for news, sports, and market updates. Backed by partnerships with AP, Reuters, and other major publishers, the feature launches first for Plus and Team users, offering direct source links and automatic search triggers that position the chatbot as a serious challenger to traditional search engines.
🛡️ Meta Opens Llama AI for US Military Use
Meta has lifted restrictions on its Llama AI model, allowing US government agencies and defense contractors to use it for national security applications. Partnering with tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and defense leader Lockheed Martin, the company aims to help streamline military logistics and enhance cybersecurity.
🚫 Perplexity AI Stumbles Into NYT Labor Fight
Perplexity AI’s CEO Aravind Srinivas faced criticism after offering to help The New York Times during its tech workers’ strike, particularly concerning election coverage. The controversial move came amid ongoing labor negotiations at NYT, where tech workers are demanding fair wage increases and flexible work arrangements, while Perplexity itself faces legal challenges from the Times over AI content scraping.
TECH FOR GOOD
Nebius AI Studio is revolutionizing enterprise AI development by making powerful language and vision models accessible at a fraction of typical costs. The platform offers premium models like Llama 405B and Mixtral through a simple interface, enabling companies to deploy production-ready AI applications with minimal code. With OpenAI-compatible APIs and costs up to 3x lower than competitors, Nebius is democratizing access to advanced AI tools for businesses of all sizes.
