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OpenAI Introducing Sora
San Francisco-based OpenAI is testing Sora, an AI text-to-video model for users to create “realistic and imaginative” videos up to a minute long. Sora is available for red-team testers to assess risks and “a number” of visual artists, designers and filmmakers to get their feedback on the model as a creative tool. OpenAI says Sora is part of its work to teach AI to “understand and simulate the physical world in motion.”Slack Releases Slack AI
The office productivity platform Slack, part of San Francisco-based Salesforce, is rolling out Slack AI. The set of generative AI features offer answers, channel recaps and thread summaries. The average user can save 97 minutes weekly using the capabilities, Slack says.Alteryx and Databricks Expanding Partnership
The Irvine, California-based AI analytics company Alteryx is extending its partnership with the San Francisco-based AI data company Databricks. The product integrations with Databricks Data Intelligence will allow Alteryx clients to use the Alteryx interface with the Databricks platform for “more intelligent insights.” OpenAI Closes Accounts by ‘State-Affiliated Threat Actors’
OpenAI reports it worked with Microsoft Threat Intelligence to disrupt five state-affiliated actors that were engaged in “malicious cyber activities.” In its security work, OpenAI found that its AI models provide “limited, incremental capabilities for malicious cybersecurity tasks.” OpenAI and Microsoft also outline their approach to disrupt such threats.Former Salesforce Co-CEO Launches Sierra
Bret Taylor, a former CTO at Facebook, built Sierra as its co-founder along with co-founder Clay Bavor, who led Google Labs. Sierra is a conversational AI platform designed for companies to build autonomous agents to interact with customers. Sierra names SiriusXM, Sonos, and WeightWatchers as clients.University of Pennsylvania Offering Degree in AI
Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science is introducing a B.S. in engineering in artificial intelligence. The degree program by the Philadelphia-based Ivy League school includes courses on several topics, such as machine learning, computing algorithms, data analytics and advanced robotics. “We are training students for jobs that don’t yet exist in fields that may be completely new or revolutionized by the time they graduate,” said Robert Ghrist, associate dean of undergraduate education in Penn Engineering and the Andrea Mitchell University Professor. “This is one of the most exciting educational opportunities I’ve ever seen.”Meta AI Scientist Says AGI is ‘Not Just Around the Corner’
Yann LeCun, the chief AI scientist for the Facebook AI Research (FAIR) team, says current large language models (LLMs) are “not a road towards what people call ‘AGI,’” and they’re “not a path towards human-level intelligence,” according to an interview with Time. LeCun says that with changes, the industry must first reach “say, cat-level intelligence,” adding that AGI is “going to require some pretty deep perceptual changes.”
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Fujitsu Planning Generative AI ‘Mixture’
The Tokyo-based digital transformation company Fujitsu is integrating its generative AI models with the models of its partners. Fujitsu reports the accuracy of the combined models is “equal to or higher than” GPT-4V and HuggingGPT. The company will release the AI technologies this April in the Fujitsu Research Portal.Serbia Signs MOU With UAE’s Tech Council
The Ministry of Information and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia and the Institute for Artificial Intelligence Research and Development of Serbia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) of the United Arab Emirates. Serbia will support the adoption of ATRC Falcon LLMs and collaborate with ATRC on Falcon solutions, ATRC says. Serbia will also encourage Serbian organizations to join the Falcon Foundation and support open-source Falcon models.Rasa Closes $30M Round
The San Francisco-based generative conversational AI platform Rasa raised $30 million in Series C financing. The funding will help Rasa, founded in 2016, grow its team, including roles in marketing, sales, engineering and customer success in North America and Europe. The company reports Rasa has been downloaded over 50 million times by developers.Point2 Technology Secures $22M
San Jose, California-based Point2 Technology, a maker of system-on-chip (SOC) interconnect products for hyperscale AI data centers, secured a $22.6 million Series B extension. Point2, founded in 2016, will use the funding to accelerate commercialization of its multi-terabit E-Tube interconnect platform, which is designed to reduce cable power consumption and cost.Clarity Nets $16M
The Tel Aviv, Israel-based AI cybersecurity company Clarity secured $16 million in seed funding. Clarity, founded in 2022, will use the funds to focus on its core research and provide products that protect against deepfakes, social engineering and phishing in a generative AI market.Alembic Raises $14M
San Francisco-based Alembic, a marketing attribution platform with AI, received $14 million in Series A financing. Alembic, founded in 2018, will use the funds to enhance its engineering, product range and client acquisition.Zylon Lands $3.2M
Madrid-based Zylon raised $3.2 million in pre-seed funding for its private AI collaborator, which can “proactively” execute tasks and is built on the open-source PrivateGPT. Zylon, founded in 2023, also opened a beta program for its product.
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