- AI KATANA
- Posts
- Microsoft partners with OpenAI's French rival Mistral
Microsoft partners with OpenAI's French rival Mistral
Also: SK Telecom partners with AI search startup Perplexity in Korea
AI KATANA
February 26, 2024
Welcome!
Microsoft's new alliance with French AI innovator Mistral, valued at $2.1 billion, signifies a strategic move to bolster large language model development, introducing competition against existing AI models with offerings like Mistral Large and a chatbot, Le Chat, on Azure AI. Concurrently, AI's role in promoting a four-day workweek is underscored by its capacity to enhance productivity and modernize work cultures. Nvidia's release of AI-optimized laptop GPUs marks a significant step towards mobile AI applications, potentially transforming enterprise AI integration. In South Korea, SK Telecom's collaboration with Perplexity introduces an innovative AI search engine, challenging conventional platforms and enhancing user experiences. Google's upcoming relaunch of its Gemini AI picture generator reflects efforts to rectify earlier inaccuracies and improve AI ethics. In the telecom sector, Rakuten's partnership with OpenAI aims to revolutionize customer service and network management through advanced AI tools. Meanwhile, the AI industry continues to attract significant venture capital, highlighted by Anthropic's funding success and a sustained investment trend in AI and fintech despite a general funding slowdown, indicating robust growth and interest in AI technologies globally.
Sliced:
🤝 Microsoft partners with OpenAI's French rival Mistral
🤖 AI could make the four-day workweek inevitable
🆕 Nvidia Introduces New Laptop GPUs for AI on the Go
😍 SK Telecom partners with AI search startup Perplexity in Korea
⏸️ Google to relaunch Gemini AI picture generator in a ‘few weeks’ following mounting criticism of inaccurate images
Microsoft has initiated a significant collaboration with Mistral, a French AI startup, marking its second major AI partnership beyond OpenAI. This new multiyear partnership will see Microsoft taking a minor stake in Mistral, valued at approximately $2.1 billion. The collaboration aims to enhance the development and deployment of next-generation large language models, showcasing Mistral's new AI model, Mistral Large, designed to compete with OpenAI's GPT-4. Additionally, Mistral will offer its AI solutions on Microsoft's Azure AI platform, including a new conversational chatbot named Le Chat, and aims to leverage this partnership to explore more commercial opportunities while moving away from its typical open-source model approach.
The transition to a four-day workweek is becoming more feasible for many companies due to advancements in artificial intelligence. AI implementation in workplace operations has shown to significantly boost productivity, allowing employees to achieve more in less time. Companies using AI extensively are more inclined towards adopting a shorter workweek, highlighting the essential role of technology in modernizing work culture and enhancing employee satisfaction and efficiency.
Nvidia has launched two new laptop GPUs, the RTX 500 and 1000 Ada Generation, optimized for running generative AI applications directly on laptops. This move is anticipated to bolster Nvidia's dominance in the AI sector and could significantly speed up the incorporation of AI in enterprise settings. The GPUs are expected to be available this spring in devices from Dell, HP, and Lenovo, potentially leading to an accelerated upgrade cycle within Nvidia's AI ecosystem.
SK Telecom, South Korea's largest telecommunications company, has partnered with the U.S. AI startup Perplexity to offer an AI-based search engine as an alternative to Google and Naver. This partnership will enable SK Telecom's subscribers to use Perplexity's paid version for free and allows SK Telecom to integrate Perplexity's proprietary models for developing personal AI assistant products. The collaboration aims to provide added value to SK Telecom's subscribers and broaden Perplexity's user base through SK Telecom's extensive distribution channels.
Google is planning to relaunch its Gemini AI picture generator in a few weeks following criticism for producing inaccurate images. The tool, part of Google's suite of AI models, was initially introduced to allow users to create images from text prompts but faced backlash for historical inaccuracies and inappropriate responses. Google has paused the feature to address these issues, aiming to enhance its AI ethics and produce a more accurate and responsible AI tool.
🛠️ AI tools updates
Rakuten and OpenAI have partnered to create AI tools tailored for the telecommunications industry. This collaboration will leverage Rakuten's expertise in Open RAN technology and OpenAI's capabilities in AI to develop solutions aimed at enhancing customer service, network optimization, and predictive maintenance. The partnership is expected to revolutionize telecom with AI applications, providing real-time network issue resolution and improved service reliability for customers.
💵 Venture Capital updates
Anthropic, an AI startup, has been receiving considerable attention and funding due to its promise in developing AI technologies. The company is known for its focus on creating safe and reliable AI systems. The funding frenzy reflects the growing interest and investment in the AI sector, particularly in startups that prioritize ethical considerations in AI development.
The global venture capital outlook indicates a decline in overall funding, with a notable exception in the AI sector, particularly in Europe, the US, and China. Despite economic uncertainties, there has been a modest increase in investments in AI and fintech startups, with generative AI startups experiencing an upswing in funding. This trend showcases the growing interest and potential of AI technologies across various industries, despite broader market downturns.
🫡 Meme of the day
⭐️ Generative AI image of the day
Before you go, check out IMF urges G20 cooperation on climate, global AI principles.
