✨ Issue #32

Clark Valberg
January 16, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Your weekly briefing on all things AI

This week brings us many exciting announcements from Google and from tech leaders at CES 2024. Use cases are being honed in on, and the industry is finding more unique ways to push limits with AI & robotics.

🩺 Google’s AIME beats physicians on diagnostic & bedside manner evals.

🤼‍♂️ LG & Samsung go head to head in the home robotics race.

📱 MMGuardian launches AI smartphones focused on safety for kids.

🚗 Volkswagon’s voice assistant will integrate ChatGPT.

📰 AI in the News

Google's AMIE Matches & Surpasses Primary Care Doctors

Google's Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer (AMIE) is set to revolutionize healthcare with its user-friendly AI system for diagnostic conversations, aiming to enhance patient care and accessibility.

Outperforming Physicians: In a comprehensive study, AMIE matched or surpassed primary care physicians (PCPs) in simulated diagnostic conversations. Ironically, the highest score difference was in the area of patient empathy.

Further rigorous studies are necessary to refine this innovative tool, but Google's AMIE represents a significant leap forward in healthcare. (Full Story)

Samsung vs. LG: The Tech Rivals in Home Robotics

Consumers can look forward to a future filled with accessible, friendly, and exceptionally smart robotic companions. The competition between Samsung & LG was hot at CES 2024 and I’m sure there will be much more to come.

Samsung's Innovations: Samsung's robots embrace approachability and friendliness, offering sleek designs and user-friendly interfaces. The standout product, "Ballie," is a charming, rolling robot that combines a projector with an AI assistant. With its wicked smart capabilities, Ballie understands and responds to everyday language, making it an excellent companion for all ages. (link)

LG's Smart Home Champions: LG's robots focus on making homes smarter and more efficient. The "AI Agent" introduced by LG is a versatile home assistant capable of managing various tasks while maintaining a friendly and approachable demeanor. It excels in understanding user needs, making it an ideal choice for modern households. (link)

This rivalry between Samsung and LG signifies a promising era of home robotics. Both brands prioritize approachability, friendliness, and professionalism in their designs.

📈 Venture Deals

Isomorphic inks up to $3 billion drug discovery deals. (link)
AppDirect secures $100 million for financing program. (link)
1x Technologies As raises $100 million in EQT-led round. (link)
Andreessen Horowitz invests $75 million in Poe AI chat platform. (link)
Photoroom is raising $50-60 million for its AI photo editing app. (link)
Former Twitter CEO secures $30 million in funding for AI startup. (link)
Contents.com raises $18 million for AI-driven multilingual content. (link)
Arenax Labs secures $6 million to fund AI-powered games. (link)

💡 Industry Impacts

⚖️ Legal

AI Meets Gavels: Judges in England and Wales got the green light to use AI for drafting legal opinions, but with a smart catch – it's a no-go for research or deep legal analysis, keeping things accurate and unbiased. It's a fresh twist in the legal field, mixing tradition with cutting-edge tech. (link)

Google’s New $2 Billion Trial: Google's in hot water, facing a multi-billion dollar patent trial over AI tech. They're accused of using Singular Computing's innovations in big products like Google Search and Translate. Singular's asking for $1.67 billion, but Google insists they're innocent. This high-stakes courtroom drama is not just about cash but who really owns AI breakthroughs. (link)

🔐 Cybersecurity

McAfee's Anti-Scam Tech: McAfee unveils Project Mockingbird, a savvy tool to combat AI voice clone scams. This tech is a shield against deepfake audio, helping users differentiate real talks from fakes, which is especially crucial in the upcoming U.S. Presidential election and beyond. (link)

🚘 Auto

VW's AI Chat Upgrade: Volkswagen gears up to bring ChatGPT into its cars, offering drivers a chatty co-pilot for everything from AC control to restaurant recommendations. This tech leap, debuting mid-year, positions VW as a trailblazer in smart, conversational car experiences. (link)

Intel's AI Auto Chips: Intel's shifting gears, challenging Nvidia and Qualcomm with new AI chips for cars. These tech marvels are also set to power up your drive with cool features like AI voice assistance and video conferencing, offering a 'living room' vibe on wheels. It's not just about speed; it's about smart, connected journeys. Get ready for a ride where tech meets the road in style. (link)

🛠️ Tool of the Week

This week we take a look at Piktochart’s AI-powered infographic maker. They have several other products worth exploring, but their latest feature is worth mentioning. You can generate infographic mockups in less than 5 seconds. literally.

Piktochart simplifies creating professional infographics and visual content, offering ease of use without needing advanced skills. Ideal for presentations, videos, and data visualization, it integrates smoothly into various workflows, making it perfect for business and educational use.

Here is a glimpse at one of Piktochart’s very useful templates!

More Tools

GetEmma.ai creates an AI-powered assistant in minutes!
Pictory.ai makes video creation easy for content marketers.
BedRock is a new kind of personal computer that learns with you.
Numerous.ai is a platform to prompt ChatGPT at scale, inside your Excel & Google spreadsheets.
Cline.ai is AI-powered lightweight A/B and split testing software.