Elon Musk’s xAI previews Grok-1.5V, its first multimodal model

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1. Elon Musk’s xAI previews Grok-1.5V, its first multimodal model

Elon Musk's xAI has introduced its first multimodal model, Grok-1.5V, which can understand text, documents, diagrams, charts, screenshots, and photographs. The model is competitive with existing frontier multimodal models in various domains, including multi-disciplinary reasoning.

The company showcases seven examples of Grok-1.5V's potential, including transforming flowcharts into Python code, generating bedtime stories, explaining memes, and converting tables into CSV file formats. The company plans to release RealWorldQA to the public under a Creative Commons license.

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2. Microsoft's secret AI showdown

Microsoft is set to hold a special AI event on May 20th, just before Build 2024 starts. CEO Satya Nadella will discuss the company's "AI vision across hardware and software." The event will focus on upcoming Surface hardware and changes to Windows focused on AI. The event will include the consumer versions of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, which will run on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X Elite processors and include dedicated NPU hardware for accelerating AI tasks in Windows 11.

Microsoft is also working on a new AI Explorer feature for Windows 11, cataloging everything users do on their PC. The event will also include other parts of Microsoft's AI initiatives, including Copilot, which allows users to access the latest OpenAI models in Microsoft Office apps.

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3. Vana plans to let users rent out their Reddit data to train AI

Vana, a startup founded by Anna Kazlauskas and Art Abal, aims to let users rent out their Reddit data to train AI. The platform allows users to pool their data into data sets for generative AI model training and create personalized experiences. Vana's infrastructure creates a user-owned data treasury by allowing users to aggregate their personal data in a non-custodial way.

The platform connects a user's cross-platform personal data to personalize applications, simplifying onboarding and eliminating compute cost concerns. The platform offers a range of apps built using Vana's platform and data sets.

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4. WhatsApp testing new generative AI features powered by Meta’s Llama

Meta is testing new generative AI features on WhatsApp, allowing users to ask questions and generate images within the app. These features, powered by Llama, are introducing a Perplexity AI-like UI. The new AI capability is available for select Android and iOS users and can be accessed via the Meta AI chat.

Users can ask questions in a human-style conversation and generate images using text prompts within WhatsApp. The Llama-powered Meta AI's UI on WhatsApp is almost identical to Perplexity AI, and Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas has taken a dig at the similarity. Meta is also testing Llama-powered AI features on Instagram, enabling users to generate captions and hashtags.

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5. The good, the bad, and the Humane Pin

The Vergecast's review of the Humane AI Pin, a $700 wearable AI device, reveals that the device is stacked with new technology, making it difficult to work well. The Vergecast is up for a Webby Award and needs your vote to win. The show also discusses the growing rift between OpenAI and the internet, with reports showing millions of YouTube videos used to train its models.

Taylor Swift's return to TikTok and potential future developments are also discussed. The show also covers news on E-ink screens, content regulation, and photo sharing, and Sony's new party speaker.

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