🚨 OpenAI co-founder shakeup continues..

Welcome, AI enthusiasts

John Schulman, one of the co-founders of OpenAI, has left the ChatGPT maker for rival Anthropic as co-founder Greg Brockman takes a sabbatical. Google DeepMind researchers have created a robot capable of playing table tennis at a solid amateur level, and Humane only has roughly 7000 AI Pins in the hands of consumers right now as returns have outpaced sales. Let’s dive in!

In today’s insights:

• OpenAI co-founder leaves for Anthropic as another takes a sabbatical

• Google DeepMind develops a ‘solidly amateur’ table tennis robot

• Humane Struggles with AI Pin as returns are outpacing sales

Read time: 4 minutes

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OPENAI
🚨 OpenAI co-founder leaves for Anthropic as another co-founder takes a sabbatical

Evolving AI: John Schulman, a key figure behind ChatGPT, departs OpenAI to focus on AI safety at competitor Anthropic.

Key Points:

• John Schulman, instrumental in ChatGPT's development, leaves OpenAI after nearly nine years.

• Schulman joins Anthropic, aligning with former OpenAI AI safety lead Jan Leike.

• OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman takes a sabbatical, adding to recent leadership changes.

Details:

John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI and a critical player in the development of ChatGPT, has announced his departure from the company after nearly nine years. Schulman will be joining Anthropic, a competitor focused on AI safety, where he will work alongside Jan Leike, another former OpenAI leader who recently criticized OpenAI's approach to AI safety. Schulman’s move comes as OpenAI faces increasing scrutiny over its safety practices and business model. Meanwhile, OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman has also announced a temporary sabbatical, marking another significant leadership shift within the company.

Why It Matters:

Since Sam Altman’s temporary ousting in November 2023, OpenAI has faced instability in its top leadership positions. Is this simply a case of the growing pains that every startup experiences as they rapidly scale, or are deeper issues at play, such as safety concerns and an overemphasis on shiny products instead of the research-focused lab they once were?

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GOOGLE DEEPMIND
🏓 Google DeepMind develops a ‘solidly amateur’ table tennis robot

Evolving AI: Google DeepMind's robot has achieved amateur-level table tennis skills, competing effectively against human players.

Key Points:

• Google DeepMind developed a ping pong-playing robot using reinforcement learning and a "zero-shot" approach.

  The robot won 45% of matches against human players, beating beginners and many intermediates.

  This work highlights advancements in real-world robotics, requiring both physical skills and strategic planning.

Details:

Google DeepMind has created a robot capable of playing table tennis at an amateur human level. Initially trained on a small dataset of human players, the robot used reinforcement learning in a simulated environment. The team then employed a "zero-shot" approach to transfer these skills to real-world hardware without additional training data. As the robot played against various human opponents, it adapted and improved its gameplay, using a high-level controller to select the best skills in real-time. In tests, it competed in 29 matches, winning 45% of them, excelling against beginners and intermediate players, though it struggled against advanced opponents.

You can read up on the full project here →

Why It Matters:

This development showcases how AI-driven robots can master complex, real-world tasks requiring a blend of physical dexterity, perception, and strategy. It marks a step toward more autonomous robots capable of performing intricate tasks in dynamic environments with the potential to reshape industries like manufacturing and beyond.

HUMANE AI
📉 Humane Struggles with AI Pin as returns are outpacing sales

Evolving AI: Humane faces a growing challenge as returns of its $699 AI Pin surpass sales, with $1 million in returns against $9 million in sales.

Key Points:

• Humane’s AI Pin has seen over $1 million in returns, outpacing new sales.

• Poor reviews and technical issues have driven a high return rate, with only about 7,000 units remaining in customer hands.

• The company is now scrambling to stabilize, with potential acquisition talks and leadership turnover.

Details:

Since its launch, Humane’s $699 AI Pin has struggled with significant customer dissatisfaction. Negative reviews and unresolved technical issues have led to a return rate exceeding new sales. Out of the 10,000 units shipped, only around 7,000 remain with customers, with returns accounting for over $1 million. Despite raising over $200 million in funding, the company has only seen $9 million in sales, prompting talks of potential acquisition by HP and internal efforts to stabilize. Leadership turnover and early warnings from testers further highlight the company’s difficulties.

Why It Matters:

Humane’s struggle with the AI Pin highlights a key challenge for the AI industry: translating powerful technology into products that consumers genuinely want to use. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, the question remains whether new hardware will emerge as the perfect fit for AI, or if our mobile phones will continue to dominate as the primary interface for these advancements.

💡 Tip of the Day

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