Claude 3.5 Gains Autonomous Computer Use, Google’s Project Jarvis Automates Web Tasks, and OpenAI Prepares Orion’s Powerful AI Release
Claude 3.5 Gains Autonomous Computer Use, Google’s Project Jarvis Automates Web Tasks, and OpenAI Prepares Orion’s Powerful AI Release
Artificial Intelligence news, week 44/2024
Happy Thursday everyone!
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News 🗞️📰
OpenAI Plans Orion AI Model Release by December OpenAI is preparing to launch its latest model, Orion, around December, initially granting access to close business partners, with Microsoft expected to host it on Azure as early as November. Orion, potentially up to 100 times more powerful than GPT-4, could mark a step toward OpenAI's long-term goal of artificial general intelligence
Meta Platforms to Use Reuters News Content in AI Chatbot Meta has partnered with Reuters to provide real-time, news-related responses in its AI chatbot across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. This multi-year agreement marks Meta’s return to news content, allowing the chatbot to answer user questions with Reuters-sourced summaries and links. While financial terms remain undisclosed, Reuters confirmed compensation for licensing its journalism.
Google is Developing ‘Project Jarvis’, AI Agent to Automate Web-Based Tasks Google is reportedly working on an AI tool designed to handle tasks like research, purchasing, and booking services directly through a browser, specifically Chrome. Set to be powered by an upcoming version of Google’s Gemini AI, the agent interprets web page content and performs actions autonomously. Google may preview this tech in December, though the timeline could change as they refine its functionality with select testers.
Generative AI is Coming to Cars. Qualcomm announced its Oryon processor for in-car systems, enabling advanced voice assistance for tasks like finding gas, rerouting, and identifying landmarks, all without taking eyes off the road. Partnerships with Mercedes and Google will integrate Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Android Automotive OS
Claude 3.5 Update Brings New Autonomous Computer Use Features Anthropic’s latest update for Claude 3.5 Sonnet introduces a new “computer use” capability, allowing the AI to autonomously navigate, click, and type on a computer. Now in public beta, this feature lets developers guide Claude to perform tasks directly on a screen. Additionally, the update boosts Claude 3.5’s performance in coding and tool use, making it a more versatile assistant for complex tasks.
22 Top AI Statistics and Trends in 2024. This report by Forbes Advisor dives into key AI statistics shaping industries, the economy, and workforce dynamics. It highlights trends such as AI's projected $1.3 trillion market size by 2030, its 21% boost to U.S. GDP, and widespread adoption across businesses. The findings also address productivity gains, job displacement risks, and popular AI applications, offering a clear view of AI's evolving role and impact on society.
Funding 💼💸
Concentric AI raises $45M to expand AI-driven data security. Concentric AI, led by CEO Karthik Krishnan, secured $45 million in Series B funding, led by Top Tier Capital Partners and HarbourVest Partners. The company’s platform uses AI to automatically classify and secure sensitive data across cloud and on-premises environments, targeting the growing demand for data protection with GenAI tools.
Interface.ai secures $30M to advance AI-driven customer service in banking Interface.ai, a platform for automating customer interactions in financial institutions, has raised $30 million—$20 million in equity led by Avataar Venture Partners and $10 million in debt. Co-founded by CEO Srinivas Njay and Bruce Kim in 2019, Interface.ai provides voice- and text-based AI agents to assist banks with tasks such as mortgage modifications and account management.
Phaseshift Technologies raises $4.1M CAD to revolutionize material discovery with AI. Toronto-based Phaseshift Technologies, an advanced materials startup, secured $4.1 million CAD in seed funding led by Innospark Ventures, with contributions from Draper Associates and First Star Ventures. Founded by CEO Fazal Mahmood, CTO Gurjot Dhaliwal, and CSO Abu Anand, Phaseshift uses its AI-driven platform, Rapid Alloy Design (RAD), to streamline material discovery for industries like aerospace, automotive, and energy
ExoMatter raises €1.7M pre-seed for AI-driven materials research. Munich-based ExoMatter, co-founded by CEO Dr. Josua Vieten and COO Barbara Bachus, secured €1.7 million in pre-seed funding led by Vanagon Ventures, with participation from BayernKapital, 212 NexT, ZAKA VC, and Bloomhaus Ventures. ExoMatter uses AI and quantum chemical modeling to accelerate materials R&D by up to 90%, aiming to create sustainable, high-performance materials for industries like aerospace and electronics.
Outrider secures $62M in Series D to expand autonomous yard operations for supply chains. Outrider, led by CEO Andrew Smith, has raised $62 million in a Series D round to accelerate its AI-driven yard automation services for logistics hubs. This funding, led by Koch Disruptive Technologies and New Enterprise Associates, with participation from investors including NVIDIA’s NVentures, Prologis Ventures, and ARK Invest, will support scaling Outrider’s autonomous systems with Fortune 500 clients in 2025
Genie AI secures $17.8M Series A led by Google Ventures. U.K.-based Genie AI, co-founded by CEO Rafie Faruq, has raised $17.8 million in Series A funding led by Google Ventures, with participation from Khosla Ventures. Founded in 2017, Genie AI provides an AI assistant for automating legal document drafting, contract review, and negotiation.
Nimble secures $106M in Series C to scale autonomous fulfillment with FedEx partnership. Nimble, led by CEO Simon Kalouche, raised $106 million in a Series C round led by FedEx and Cedar Pine LLC, bringing its valuation to $1 billion. Nimble’s AI-driven robots create fully autonomous e-commerce fulfillment centers that handle all core tasks, from picking and packing to sorting. This end-to-end solution integrates warehousing and logistics functions through its Cloud Logistics Platform, designed to optimize and simplify supply chain operations.
Tur.ai secures $1.45M seed funding to enhance AI-driven RPA platform Amsterdam-based Tur.ai, founded by Ievgen Miasushkin and Pavlo Kozhokar in 2017, has raised $1.45M in seed funding, with a $1.2M investment from Czech fund Presto Tech Horizons. Tur.ai offers an AI-powered robotic process automation (RPA) platform designed to automate complex workflows without IT support, claiming to save over 700,000 work hours annually
Sensei raises $16M to expand its AI-driven contactless store platform in Europe
Portuguese startup Sensei, led by CEO Vasco Portugal, has secured €15 million in a Series A round led by BlueCrow Capital. Sensei’s platform uses computer vision and AI sensors to automate checkout in retail stores, providing a seamless customer experience by displaying cart contents ready for payment
M&A 💰
Socure Acquires Three-Year-Old Effectiv for $136M to Expand Identity and Fraud Protection Socure, an AI leader in digital identity verification and fraud prevention, has acquired Effectiv, a three-year-old risk decisioning startup that had previously raised just $9 million. The $136 million deal brings Effectiv’s real-time AI platform, capable of handling AML and transaction monitoring, into Socure's portfolio, creating a unified solution for identity, fraud, and risk management. Founded by Ravi Sandepudi, Ritesh Arora, Jonathan Doering, and Anupam Tarsauliya, Effectiv’s technology allows for seamless integration across multiple risk solutions.
Egen Acquires Qarik to Expand Google Cloud and AI Services Egen, a leading technology services provider, has acquired Qarik, a Google Cloud Premier Partner, enhancing its capabilities in cloud infrastructure, data engineering, and AI for the Google Cloud ecosystem. With this acquisition, Egen, led by CEO Saleem Janmohamed, will combine its expertise with Qarik’s team, growing to over 800 skilled engineers. Qarik’s CEO and Founder, Joe Schenk, will now serve as Chief Client Officer.
Gruve Acquires Lumos Cloud to Expand AI-Driven Cloud and Network Automation Capabilities. Gruve has acquired Lumos Cloud, a specialist in software-defined networking and automation, to bolster its AI-driven services in cloud and network management. Gruve CEO Tarun Raisoni stated that integrating Lumos Cloud's expertise will streamline complex processes, driving agility and resilience in digital infrastructure.
Interesting Reads 💡🤔
AI Adoption Report: Generative AI at Wharton Wharton and GBK Collective’s report, Growing Up: Navigating Gen AI’s Early Years, reveals that Generative AI (Gen AI) weekly use has jumped from 37% in 2023 to 73% in 2024. Usage has grown in departments like Marketing and HR, while leaders now focus on ROI and sustainable AI integration. The report highlights Gen AI’s strengths in data analysis and content generation, noting that adoption remains selective as companies refine strategies and evaluate long-term impacts.
Build AI Assistants with No-Code The AI Grid’s no-code platform enables anyone to create AI assistants through an easy drag-and-drop interface, no coding required. These platforms offer fast deployment, customization, and integration with tools like GPT-4. Ideal for tasks like health diagnostics or career upskilling, no-code AI boosts productivity and automates workflows across industries. With templates and community support, no-code AI makes powerful, customized AI tools accessible to everyone.
2024 State of AI Report: Key Insights for AI Success Appen's 2024 State of AI Report, in partnership with The Harris Poll, offers crucial insights into AI's rapid adoption and its impact on business. The report addresses the challenges of deploying AI effectively, achieving ROI, and emphasizes the importance of high-quality data for AI success. It highlights strategies for sourcing, cleaning, and labeling data and explores the benefits of partnering with data experts to optimize AI initiatives.
How to Make a Song on Suno AI: A Step-by-Step Guide This guide explores how to create music with Suno AI, an AI-powered platform that allows users to craft songs by selecting genres, styles, and lyrics. Starting with simple registration, it walks users through creating their first song, choosing themes, adding instruments, and refining tempo and key. The guide also covers advanced features like mixing, mastering, and exporting in multiple formats, making Suno a versatile tool for both novices and experienced musicians seeking innovative, customizable music creation
Enterprise AI: Key Takeaways from Industry Experts At San Francisco Tech Week, AI experts shared insights on practical AI adoption in business. Key strategies included aligning AI projects with clear business goals, starting small for impactful results, and fostering trust through organic adoption. Open-source tools and academic partnerships were also emphasized as essential for innovation and cost-efficiency.
AI Writing Isn’t Ready Yet. Here’s How You Can Improve It Generative AI tools, though praised as time-savers, often produce wordy, robotic, and poorly structured text. Laura Brown highlights that AI tends to bury key points, lacks a natural tone, and misses strategic context, requiring extensive edits to make the output clear and effective. While helpful for skilled writers, GenAI still needs significant guidance and editing for business communication.
The AI Productivity Paradox: Why Aren’t More Workers Using ChatGPT Despite the hype, many knowledge workers aren’t utilizing ChatGPT beyond basic tasks, with less than 5% opting for advanced features. Julia Winn argues the real obstacle isn’t complexity but time—workers lack the bandwidth for deep, strategic use of AI. AI adoption requires leadership to provide time for exploration and minimal training tailored to specific roles. By empowering internal AI enthusiasts to guide teams and audit workflows, companies can unlock AI’s potential without over-reliance on costly consultants or extensive training.
Why AI is Essential for Democratizing Drug Discovery Andrey Doronichev, CEO of Optic, argues that AI is critical for transforming drug discovery, empowering scientists to accelerate R&D and lower costs. As big players like Google leverage proprietary AI for drug programs, smaller biotech firms need access to robust AI platforms to stay competitive. Doronichev compares AI platforms like Optic’s Bioptic to the “power grid,” enabling biotechs to focus on drug development without building in-house AI infrastructure. In this race, partnering with AI platforms could determine who leads the future of drug discovery.
Startups / Tools 🧰🛠️
Huru: AI-Powered interview prep to land your dream Job. Huru, boosts your chances of getting hired by offering unlimited mock interviews tailored to your job role. With over 20,000 job-specific questions and instant, personalized feedback on answers, body language, and vocal delivery, Huru helps you build confidence and polish your skills
Arcade: AI-powered marketplace allowing users to create custom jewelry by inputting design ideas or uploading images. The platform's generator, which leverages models like Stable Diffusion, creates unique jewelry concepts that artisans turn into physical pieces.
Genei: AI-Powered Summaries for Faster Research. Genei streamlines research with AI-generated summaries, keyword extraction, and quick referencing, helping users produce articles, blogs, and reports faster. Genei also allows document storage, organization, and automatic referencing across projects.
Ideogram Canvas Ideogram Canvas is a new, AI-powered creative tool designed for organizing, generating, and editing images. With features like Magic Fill for inpainting, users can replace objects, add text, or change backgrounds in specific image areas, while the Extend tool allows seamless expansion beyond original borders.
NotebookLlama: Meta introduces NotebookLlama, an "open" podcast generator inspired by Google’s NotebookLM. Using Meta's Llama models, NotebookLlama turns text files, such as PDFs, into conversational, podcast-style audio with added dramatization.
tinyAlbert: AI-powered email marketing solution designed for Shopify users, enabling automated, high-conversion email campaigns in minutes. With features like abandoned cart recovery, personalized win-back flows, and AI-driven segmentation, tinyAlbert ensures that every email resonates with customers, boosting engagement and sales.
AI Jobs 👩💻👨💻
Machine Learning Engineer (Agerpoint) - Full-Time Remote
Manager, AI Products (Johnson & Johnson) - Titusville, NJ, US - The anticipated base pay range for this position is $113,000 to $195,500 USD
Manager, Non-Traditional Creative (Hershey) - Hershey, PA, US
Group Product Manager, Machine Learning (Discord) - San Francisco, CA or Remote (U.S.) - The US base salary range for this full-time position is $263,000 to $289,000 + equity + benefits
Staff ML Engineer (Xero) - Seattle, US / Los Angeles, US - Remote - $150,000 - $195,000 a year
Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Enterprise GTM (Zoom) - Remote, United States - $121,600.00 - $266,000.00 a year
NTV Highlights 🪩🎉
The VDS2024 concluded with over 12,000 attendees last week, where Next Tier Ventures played a key role in organizing, content creation, and bringing speakers, especially in AI and VC. If you’ve been in Valencia visiting us these past days, here’s the link to all the event photos.
On October 28th, 29th, and 30th, we will be in Milan for the 0100 Conference Mediterranean 2024. Zero One Hundred Conferences is organizing the second edition of its event for LPs and GPs from Southern Europe, the 0100 Conference Mediterranean 2024, which will feature the leading firms from the world of venture capital and private equity. The conference will take place on October 28th, 29th, and 30th
On October 29th and 30th, we will also be attending the Waykup Forum in Murcia at the Víctor Villegas Conference Center.
Waykup Forum will hold its next edition on October 29th and 30th at the Víctor Villegas Conference Center. The event aims to be the nerve center connecting the most disruptive startups and emerging companies with private investors who are looking for original and groundbreaking business ideas in the Murcia region.