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Jony Ive Confirms Involvement in AI Hardware Project With OpenAI

Also: MIT Solve Selects Singapore's Equitech for AI Healthcare Innovation with Medibot

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AI KATANA
September 23, 2024

Morning!

In today’s newsletter, we explore exciting developments in the intersection of AI and various industries. Jony Ive, the iconic former Apple Chief Design Officer, has teamed up with OpenAI to create cutting-edge AI hardware, while Singapore’s Equitech is revolutionizing healthcare with its AI-driven Medibot, which aids healthcare providers in underserved regions. Cloudflare unveils new tools to help content creators control and monetize AI scrapers, and the UAE is strengthening its AI ties with the U.S. to further diversify its economy. Plus, Google Photos rolls out new AI-powered video editing tools, and major funding updates highlight the explosive growth of AI startups, including Anthropic’s potential $40B valuation and Scribenote’s success in the veterinary sector.

Sliced just for you:

  • 🤖 Jony Ive Confirms Involvement in AI Hardware Project With OpenAI

  • 🩺 MIT Solve Selects Singapore’s Equitech for AI Healthcare Innovation with Medibot

  • 💼 Singapore’s EnterpriseSG and Google announce AI programme for SMEs

  • 🌐 Cloudflare debuts tools for website owners to charge AI companies that scrape their content

  • 🇦🇪 UAE president to meet Joe Biden in push for more US AI technology

Jony Ive, the renowned former Apple Chief Design Officer, has confirmed his involvement in a new AI hardware project alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The collaboration is backed by significant funding, potentially reaching $1 billion by the end of the year, with additional financial support from the Emerson Collective, founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. This project aims to explore the integration of generative AI into innovative hardware solutions that could redefine user experiences. Although still in its early stages, with a small team of 10 employees, the initiative is gaining momentum, featuring contributions from notable ex-Apple designers. The project, spearheaded by Ive’s design firm LoveFrom, signifies his most significant venture since leaving Apple in 2019 and marks an exciting intersection of design and AI technology.

Singapore’s Equitech Collective has been selected as a 2024 Solver by MIT Solve for its AI-powered healthcare innovation, Medibot. Medibot is a clinical decision support chatbot designed to assist healthcare providers, especially in lower-middle-income countries, by delivering instant, guideline-based medical advice through platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. It addresses critical gaps in clinical competency and decision-making, particularly in regions with scarce resources. Medibot’s goal is to improve patient outcomes by supporting healthcare workers in remote areas, offering evidence-based guidance tailored to local needs. Collaborating with organizations such as Associação Maluk Timor and Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Health, Equitech aims to empower healthcare providers, ultimately enhancing care quality and accessibility. This AI solution underscores the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, especially in improving the efficiency of overburdened systems in underserved regions.

Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and Google Cloud have launched a new AI program aimed at helping Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enhance their AI capabilities through the adoption of Gemini for Google Workspace. This initiative is part of the ongoing collaboration between Singapore and Google to promote AI-driven innovations in the business sector. Participating SMEs will benefit from a 50% subsidy on Gemini licenses for up to 50 licenses per company, along with access to workshops and support to integrate AI solutions into their operations. The announcement coincides with the graduation of 25 startups from Google’s AI Accelerator program, which focuses on addressing business challenges such as fraud detection, food waste reduction, and public safety through AI solutions. This partnership underscores Singapore’s commitment to fostering AI innovation and scaling its adoption across businesses to drive competitiveness and productivity.

Cloudflare has introduced new tools to help website owners control how AI companies use their content, building on earlier features that blocked AI scrapers. The AI Audit product allows site owners to monitor how AI models are interacting with their content and decide whether to grant access or block it. Additionally, it provides a mechanism for owners to charge AI companies for content use, suggesting fair pricing based on industry standards. With the rise in AI scraping, which often happens without compensation, these tools offer content creators more control and transparency, ensuring they are fairly compensated. Cloudflare’s initiative aims to balance innovation in AI while protecting the rights and revenues of content creators, preventing quality content from being locked behind paywalls or becoming inaccessible without proper compensation.

🇦🇪 UAE president to meet Joe Biden in push for more US AI technology

The President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, is set to meet with US President Joe Biden to strengthen AI cooperation between the two nations. This visit, Sheikh Mohamed’s first official trip to the US in seven years, aims to secure easier access to advanced US AI technology, particularly as the UAE seeks to diversify its economy away from oil. AI has become a central focus for the UAE, with efforts to formalize a strategic partnership with the US and improve access to critical AI chips, which are currently restricted due to US export controls. The UAE is working with major US companies, including Microsoft and Nvidia, to drive AI innovation, and recently launched a $30 billion AI investment fund with BlackRock and other partners. This meeting underscores the UAE’s ambition to become a global leader in AI and its commitment to securing American support in these efforts.

🛠️ AI tools updates

Google Photos has introduced a significant update to its video editing capabilities, incorporating AI-powered tools designed to streamline the editing process and deliver professional-looking results. The update includes features such as precise trimming, speed adjustments, and an auto-enhance tool for improving color and stability. Additionally, AI-driven presets can automatically apply effects like dynamic tracking and slow motion. This update enhances Google Photos’ functionality, making it a more comprehensive video editing tool and positioning it as a competitor to popular platforms like TikTok and Instagram for video creation. The rollout has begun and will be available to all users in the coming weeks.

💵 Venture Capital updates

AI startup Anthropic is reportedly in early discussions to raise new funding, with a potential valuation of up to $40 billion. While these talks are still in the preliminary stages, they highlight the company’s ambition to attract significant investment, particularly in light of its ongoing partnerships with major companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI executives, focuses on creating safe and interpretable AI systems, with its flagship model, Claude, emphasizing ethical AI practices. The company has already raised about $7.6 billion, including forward commitments, and Amazon has been one of its largest investors, providing substantial backing to support Anthropic’s AI initiatives. The timing of this potential new round follows recent reports that OpenAI, Anthropic’s main competitor, is also seeking significant investment at a $150 billion valuation.

Scribenote, an AI startup focused on automating medical record generation for veterinarians, has raised $8.2 million in an early-stage funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Inovia Capital and Velocity Fund. Founded in 2019, Scribenote’s platform has already automated over 1.5 million medical records within a year. The new funding will help the company scale its operations as investor interest in AI startups continues to surge, following the trend of substantial investments in AI-driven businesses throughout 2024. This funding highlights the growing focus on using AI to improve efficiency in specialized fields such as veterinary medicine.

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