Gen AI takes robots a step closer to general purpose

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1. Gen AI takes robots a step closer to general purpose

Humanoid robotics focuses on developing robotic intelligence that can fully leverage the wide breadth of movements opened up by bipedal humanoid design. Researchers are exploring the use of generative AI in robotics, which could profoundly affect the former. Training is a major challenge in the development of general-purpose systems. MIT's research suggests policy composition as a prime use case for this.

Researchers train a diffusion model to learn a strategy for completing one task using one specific dataset, then combine the policies learned into a general policy that enables robots to perform multiple tasks in various settings. The incorporation of diffusion models improved task performance by 20%, enabling robots to execute tasks that require multiple tools and learn/adapt to unfamiliar tasks.

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2. Yahoo Mail is adding more AI to simplify desktop email

Yahoo is updating Yahoo Mail on the desktop with new AI capabilities and features to simplify email and task management. The update includes AI-generated summaries of emails, bulleted lists highlighting proposed tasks and actions, and quick action buttons for adding events to calendars, checking in for flights, and tracking packages.

Yahoo also offers quick-tab shortcuts and a persistent "starred view" panel for easy access to important tasks. Users can now link their inbox to other email accounts, including Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and AOL, allowing them to send and receive all their emails from within Yahoo Mail. The features will be available to new users in the US and roll out to existing users on an opt-in basis.

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3. Arm, Qualcomm legal battle seen disrupting AI-powered PC wave

A two-year legal battle between tech giants Arm Holdings and Qualcomm could disrupt the development of new personal computers powered by AI. Microsoft, Asus, Acer, and others are collaborating to create AI-powered laptops. The main discussion at the Computex trade show in Taipei was over a contract dispute between Arm Holdings and Qualcomm, which works together to make the chips powering these new laptops.

Microsoft expects to take roughly 5% of the market with Arm-based laptops by the end of the year, selling about 1 million to 2 million units. Nearly two dozen models from Microsoft, Dell, and Samsung are expected to ship to consumers on June 18. An Arm victory in the litigation could force Qualcomm and its 20 partners, including Microsoft, to halt shipments of the new laptops. The exclusive deal to supply laptop builders with Qualcomm's chips expires this year, opening up the market to Qualcomm's competitors.

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4. Argentina Woos AI Giants as World Steps Up Regulations

Argentina is promoting itself as an AI hub amid increased oversight of the technology. The country's new, libertarian leader, José Milei, has promised a less restrictive approach to AI regulation. An advisor to Milei, Dimitri Reidel, said investing in Argentina would give companies a "hedge" against rising regulation in Europe and the U.S. The country could use a boost as it tries to combat a major economic crisis.

Milei's government hasn't yet passed any laws to attract investment, but he has gotten the notice of tech moguls for his criticism of western leaders. The regulatory climate around AI is growing cooler in the U.S., with the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission investigating the dominant roles of OpenAI, Microsoft, and Nvidia in the AI space.

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5. Databricks expands Mosaic AI to help enterprises build with LLMs

Databricks, a company that acquired MosaicML for $1.3 billion a year ago, is launching five new Mosaic AI tools at its Data + AI Summit. The new tools aim to address concerns about model quality, cost efficiency, and data privacy. Databricks is also launching two services: the Mosaic AI Agent Framework and the Mosaic AI Tools Catalog.

The AI Agent Framework provides developers with tools to build RAG-based applications on the company's serverless vector search functionality. The Unity Catalog allows enterprises to govern which AI tools and functions these LLMs can call upon when generating answers.

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