Recently, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed that Apple is actively exploring the development of humanoid and non-humanoid robots, considering them an important part of the future smart home ecosystem. This news closely follows a research paper released by Apple that discusses the interaction between humans and 'non-anthropomorphized' robots, such as Pixar-style lamps. Although Apple's research is still in the early concept validation stage, Kuo noted that this study provides crucial technical references for future consumer robots. He predicts that mass production of Apple robots may occur.

On December 30th, Alipay launched its next-generation AI visual search product 'Explore', based on self-developed multimodal large model technology, enabling users to 'explore everything with the eye of AI' and providing faster, more useful, and fun generative search services. Users can let AI recognize plants, pets, and trendy products through the camera when encountering interesting items, get on-the-go travel explanations, check product and medication details, and even enjoy fun interpretations of pet and baby photos, eliminating worries about captions when sharing pictures. The product is now available on Alipay; simply swipe left after clicking 'Scan' on the homepage to find it.

Recently, scientists at Sakana AI have made groundbreaking advancements in the field of artificial intelligence, successfully utilizing vision-language foundation models (FMs) for the first time to achieve automated searching for simulations of artificial life (ALife). This project is called ASAL (Automated Search for Artificial Life).

Recently, Anthropic hired a researcher specifically focused on 'welfare'—Kyle Fish—a move that has sparked widespread discussion. Fish's goal is to explore how certain technological systems should be accorded respect and to examine whether these systems should have moral consideration and how to protect their 'interests.' This issue has attracted the attention of many experts, involving the definition of consciousness and agency in technological systems, and whether they should possess some form of rights. Image source note: Image generated by AI.

Perplexity AI recently announced that its publisher program has welcomed over a dozen new international media partners, marking a new stage in its integration with the news industry. New partners include ADWEEK, Los Angeles Times, Mexican Daily News, Stern, NTV, and Encyclopedia of World History, while also expanding the existing collaborations with Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, and Der Spiegel. As part of the collaboration, Perplexity will work with publishers to enhance the attractiveness of the partnership.

Recently, Anthropic and Hume AI launched an innovative voice interaction technology aimed at achieving human-computer interaction in a more natural and emotionally intelligent way. This technology combines Claude's natural language processing capabilities with EVI2's emotional recognition functions, providing new ideas for digital assistant interaction models. The core technology, EVI2, can detect subtle emotional cues in user speech and adjust the interaction accordingly. Compared to traditional voice assistants, this system significantly enhances the fluidity and personalization of interactions.

Recently, OpenAI announced that it is recruiting machine learning engineers for its newly established multi-agent research team. The news was shared by OpenAI's research scientist Noam Brown via social media. He stated, 'We believe that multi-agent systems are an important pathway to enhance AI reasoning capabilities, and previous experience in multi-agent systems is not a prerequisite.' Brown also encouraged professionals interested in researching this field to apply and join the team.

Beijing Shengshu Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Qiwii Visual Technology Co., Ltd. recently announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement. The two parties will jointly explore the integration applications of XR (Extended Reality) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, promoting innovation and high-quality development in the cultural technology industry.

On September 2, 2024, Beijing Zhipu Technology Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Honor in Beijing to establish a joint laboratory for large AI model technology, marking a new stage in their collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence. Zhipu is committed to developing a new generation of cognitive intelligent large models, focusing on innovation in general-purpose AI foundation models. Honor is a leader in platform-level AI technology in the consumer electronics sector.

On August 18, Zero-One Everything and SF Technology announced an ecological cooperation, aiming to explore the deep integration of artificial intelligence with supply chain management and jointly promote the intelligent development of supply chain management. This partnership combines Zero-One Everything's deep expertise in large model technology with SF Technology's profound understanding of smart supply chains, intending to help SF Technology achieve new breakthroughs in the supply chain sector while allowing Zero-One Everything's Yi series large models to be applied in a wider range of business scenarios.

According to a report by The Information, leading artificial intelligence company OpenAI is actively exploring the development of its own AI chips. This move not only demonstrates OpenAI's ambition in technological innovation but also reflects the current pressure on chip supply in the AI industry. The report reveals that OpenAI has engaged in talks with chip manufacturing giant Broadcom to discuss plans for developing new AI chips. This development indicates that OpenAI is seriously considering

During the Huawei Developer Conference 2024 (HDC2024), Huawei Music and iFLYTEK Co., Ltd. held a comprehensive deep cooperation signing ceremony in Dongguan. This cooperation marks a joint effort to promote the construction of a new ecosystem geared towards the all-scenario era, based on the development direction of HarmonyOS.

Microsoft will introduce a series of AI features on Windows 11 later this year. AI Explorer is described as an advanced Copilot with a built-in history/timeline feature that can be used across all applications. Users can find previous conversations, documents, web pages, and images through natural language searches. AI Explorer can understand context and provide task suggestions. The new feature is expected to be released in the Windows 11 24H2 update.

Microsoft is set to introduce AI Explorer as PC manufacturers begin launching AI PCs. Microsoft will release a significant Windows 11 update that includes the 'AI Explorer' feature. AI Explorer is the evolved version of Microsoft's AI assistant and will debut in the Windows 11 24H2, scheduled for release this fall.

NetEase CEO Ding Lei emphasizes the importance of AI in various fields, noting that global gaming player demands are similar. NetEase will promote successful experiences in overseas markets. 'Egg Party' has over 26 million creators and is preparing to explore international markets.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with executives from LG and Samsung to discuss enhancing cooperation in AI and XR. LG confirmed it will launch XR headsets developed in collaboration with Meta in 2025. LG Electronics CEO Cho Ju-wan tried on Meta's XR products and expressed strong interest. LG and Meta confirmed their plans to jointly release XR products in 2025. Zuckerberg exchanged views with representatives from Korean companies to explore ways to strengthen AI and XR collaboration.

The Pentagon accelerates the discovery and implementation of the most useful military applications, discussing the role of artificial intelligence in military planning. There are potential uses in areas such as military intelligence analysis, but challenges regarding reliability and security remain. The Pentagon emphasizes the need for industry collaboration to advance AI technology in the military sector. AI technology could have a profound impact on the military field, but thorough testing is necessary to ensure reliability.