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Meta’s Llama 3 and Boston Dynamics’ New Atlas Cause a Stir

Meta unveils Llama 3, its latest AI breakthrough with unparalleled performance across its platforms. Discover how this cutting-edge technology is transforming user experiences on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Meta unveiled Llama 3, the latest iteration of its open-source LLM, boasting 8 billion and 70 billion parameter versions that outperform rival open-model competitors across various evaluation benchmarks

Meta’s assessments demonstrate that Llama 3’s 8 billion and 70 billion parameter versions surpass similarly-sized models such as Google’s Gemma, Mistral 7 billion, and Anthropic’s Claude 3 Sonnet.

These models underwent training on a dataset seven times larger than that of Llama 2, comprising 15 trillion tokens and four times more code.

The largest version, with over 400 billion parameters, is slated for release in the “coming months” and is anticipated to rival GPT-4 in performance.

Llama 3 is seamlessly integrated across platforms through the Meta AI assistant, accessible on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and a new meta.ai website.

With impressive benchmark results and a massive model on the horizon, Zuckerberg’s strategic vision is materializing. Meta’s widespread integration effectively brings a top-tier AI model to over 3 billion users across its platforms, a move poised to significantly impact the AI landscape amidst limited exposure to AI among the general populace.

Boston Dynamics recently unveiled a sleek, fully electric iteration of its Atlas humanoid robot, engineered for practical use and featuring impressive advancements in agility and dexterity

The unveiling video highlights Atlas’ enhanced flexibility, demonstrating its ability to rise from a prone position and execute a 180-degree rotation of its head and torso.

This release follows closely on the heels of the announcement of the retirement of the original hydraulic Atlas robot.

The new Atlas showcases a more streamlined design compared to its predecessor, sporting a head resembling a ring light and eliminating exposed cables.

Atlas is set to undergo testing in collaboration with Hyundai, a major investor in Boston Dynamics, within the automaker’s manufacturing facilities.

Why it’s significant: Boston Dynamics, renowned for its captivating demonstrations spanning over a decade, continues to push boundaries with the latest iteration of Atlas.

Despite being termed “humanoid,” the new Atlas challenges the notion that the ideal design must precisely mimic human anatomy, instead showcasing extraordinary flexibility that diverges from attempting to replicate our potentially outdated physical structures.

Microsoft has recently announced a $1.5 billion investment in G42, an AI company based in Abu Dhabi. This firm was previously under scrutiny by the U.S. government due to its connections with China

As part of the agreement, Microsoft acquires a minority share in G42 and obtains a seat on its board. In return, G42 will utilize Microsoft’s cloud services for the development and deployment of AI technologies.

Negotiations with the Biden administration were necessary for the deal to proceed, reflecting concerns about G42’s ties to China.

G42 has committed to removing China-based Huawei from its systems and has agreed to a security arrangement aimed at safeguarding shared AI products.

Microsoft’s investment provides access to significant resources in the Gulf region, aligning with the UAE’s ambition to establish itself as a prominent player in the AI sector.

While the Microsoft-G42 partnership may appear to be a routine business arrangement, it carries geopolitical implications. The deal represents a strategic move by the U.S. to restrict China’s involvement and influence in the AI competition, while also forging valuable partnerships in the strategically important Gulf region.

Adobe has recently unveiled a range of new AI capabilities set to enhance Adobe Premiere Pro, aiming to revolutionize video production. Additionally, they have teased upcoming third-party integrations and the development of a Firefly Video model
  • The latest AI-powered tools in Premiere Pro will empower users to elongate video clips, manipulate scenes by adding or removing objects, and generate B-roll footage based on prompts.

  • Adobe is introducing a new proprietary AI model named Firefly Video, expanding its existing suite of Firefly models catering to image, vector, design, and text effects.
  • Plans are underway to integrate third-party AI models from companies such as OpenAI, Runway, and Pika Labs into the Premiere Pro platform.

  • AI-driven audio editing features are scheduled for release in May, featuring intelligent fade handles, categorization tagging, and enhanced waveform visualization.

Adobe’s demonstration video offers a glimpse into the AI-driven future of video production, where complex edits are achieved effortlessly. The inclusion of third-party integrations underscores Adobe’s commitment to providing users with the best possible editing experience, even if it means incorporating models beyond their own.

Elon Musk’s xAI has recently introduced Grok-1.5 Vision, an enhanced version of the open-source model capable of processing visual information
  • Grok 1.5V now possesses the capability to process various forms of visual data, including documents, charts, screenshots, and photographs, with a particular emphasis on real-world comprehension.
  • xAI has developed a new benchmark called ‘RealWorldQA’ to assess spatial understanding, with Grok-1.5V surpassing the performance of GPT-4V and Gemini.
  • xAI has announced that Grok-1.5V will soon be available to testers and existing users, with significant enhancements anticipated in the realms of images, audio, and video in the upcoming months.

Despite Grok’s relatively modest recognition within the broader discourse surrounding Large Language Models (LLMs), its remarkable advancement in vision capabilities demonstrates that the open-source model is a formidable contender. With Elon Musk’s access to extensive data through ventures such as X and Tesla, coupled with a determined attitude, it may be time for the industry to take notice.

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