News/New Launches
Businesses can now integrate AI chat-avatars for dynamic virtual assistants
Product Overview: AI Chat-avatar combines conversational AI with visual avatars to create dynamic, multilingual virtual assistants for professional interactions. The platform enables role-specific AI avatars that can both speak and listen in multiple languages Users can personalize conversations and incorporate multimedia elements like slides, images, and videos The tool is designed for goal-oriented business interactions and communications Company Background: Pitch Avatar has developed this technology with a focus on productivity and business applications. The product was created by team members Anna Sannikova, Victoria Abed, Kateryna Kyrychenko and Paul Zhdanovych Since its initial launch in May 2022, the platform has received...
read Jan 30, 2025Google launches Gemini 2.0 Flash with faster performance and enhanced media capabilities
Google's AI model Gemini 2.0 Flash moves out of its experimental phase and becomes fully operational, offering faster performance and enhanced media handling capabilities. Key developments: Gemini 2.0 Flash, first introduced as an experimental version last month, has now graduated to full release status and is available through both the Gemini app and website. The model offers significant improvements over its predecessor, particularly in processing speed and media input handling Users can now leverage the system for enhanced brainstorming, learning, and writing tasks The platform integrates Imagen 3, Google's advanced image synthesis technology Technical capabilities: The latest version represents a...
read Jan 30, 2025Introducing Browser Use: a free, open-source web browsing agent
A new open source AI tool called Browser Use has emerged as a competitor to OpenAI's Operator and Anthropic's Computer Use, offering automated web browsing capabilities at a fraction of the cost. Key product details: Browser Use, developed by a Swiss startup, enables AI models to interact with web browsers for automated tasks like form completion, web searches, and research. The tool comes in two versions: a $30/month cloud option and a free open source version for self-hosting Users can integrate virtually any AI model as the backend engine, including GPT-4 or free local models through Ollama In performance testing,...
read Jan 30, 2025Rakuten unveils GenAI service for Japanese market
Rakuten Mobile introduces a new business-focused generative AI service tailored for Japanese corporate customers, while revealing that only 16% of Japanese SMEs currently utilize AI technology. Key features of the new platform: Rakuten AI for Business delivers document creation, translation, brainstorming, analysis, and research capabilities through a chat interface specifically optimized for Japanese business culture and regulations. The service offers immediate browser-based access on PCs and smartphones without requiring system setup Users can manage confidential information by blocking restricted words from being sent to the AI model The platform includes customizable prompt templates and a Retrieval-Augmented Generation function for accessing...
read Jan 30, 2025DeepSeek launches compact AI models for edge computing
DeepSeek has released new compact language models that can operate directly on edge devices, marking a significant advancement in edge computing and artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps). Key innovation; DeepSeek's R1 model enables large language models (LLMs) to run on local devices like laptops while maintaining high performance and providing transparent explanations for its outputs. The model claims performance comparable to top-tier alternatives while requiring fewer computational resources A key differentiator is the model's ability to explain its decision-making process by default The development leveraged synthetic data for training, helping overcome traditional data limitations Edge computing implications; The ability...
read Jan 30, 2025Postman launches API-first AI agent builder
Postman has launched an AI Agent Builder that enables developers to create, test, and deploy intelligent agents by combining large language models with APIs and workflows. The core innovation: Postman's AI Agent Builder represents a significant advancement in API-first development by providing a unified platform for creating AI agents that can autonomously interact with various applications and services. The platform allows developers to seamlessly integrate large language models with APIs and automated workflows AI agents built using the tool can access real-time data, interact with applications, and execute complex tasks According to Postman CEO Abhinav Asthana, agent adoption could drive...
read Jan 29, 2025Ex-Google, Apple engineers unveil Oumi AI, a truly open-source AI development platform
Oumi, a new AI platform developed by former Google and Apple engineers, has launched with $10 million in seed funding to provide fully open-source access to AI model development tools. The platform's core offering: Oumi provides comprehensive access to AI model code, weights, and training data, backed by a consortium of 13 leading research universities. The platform delivers a complete toolkit for building, evaluating, and deploying foundation models, supporting a wide range of parameters from 10M to 405B Advanced training capabilities include Support Fine-Tuning (SFT), Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), Quantized LoRA (QLoRA), and Direct Preference Optimization (DPO) The system accommodates both...
read Jan 29, 2025Microsoft announces DeepSeek R1 is now available on Azure AI Foundry and GitHub
Microsoft's Azure AI Foundry platform now offers DeepSeek R1, expanding its catalog to over 1,800 AI models while providing enterprise-grade security and scalability. Platform integration and accessibility: Azure AI Foundry's addition of DeepSeek R1 represents a significant expansion of Microsoft's AI model offerings, providing developers with enterprise-ready AI capabilities. The model joins a diverse portfolio that includes frontier, open-source, industry-specific, and task-based AI models DeepSeek R1 offers cost-efficient AI capabilities with minimal infrastructure investment requirements The platform provides built-in model evaluation tools for quick comparison and performance benchmarking Security and compliance features: Microsoft has implemented comprehensive safety measures and evaluation...
read Jan 29, 2025Observo’s new AI-native data pipelines reduce noisy telemetry by 70%
A new AI-powered platform from Observo AI significantly reduces enterprise telemetry data noise while improving security incident response times. The core innovation: Observo AI has developed an AI-native data pipeline platform that automatically filters and routes telemetry data (logs, metrics, and traces) to optimize enterprise security operations. The platform uses machine learning to analyze incoming data streams and identify critical signals for incident detection Early customers report 70% reduction in noisy telemetry data and 40% faster incident response times The solution adapts automatically to new threats without requiring manual rule updates Market context: Enterprise systems are generating unprecedented volumes of...
read Jan 29, 2025DeepSeek’s new image generator is another win for cost-effective AI
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, has released Janus-Pro, a new open-source text-to-image AI model that claims to outperform established competitors like Stable Diffusion and DALL-E. Key Features and Capabilities: The Janus-Pro model family ranges from 1 billion to 7 billion parameters and operates using an autoregressive framework for image generation and analysis. The model is available under an MIT license, making it suitable for commercial use Users can download Janus-Pro through HuggingFace and GitHub platforms Smaller versions of the model are limited to analyzing images at 384 x 384 resolution Performance and Benchmarks: DeepSeek's internal testing shows promising results for...
read Jan 29, 2025Alibaba claims its new AI model Qwen 2.5-Max outperforms DeepSeek-V3
Chinese tech giant Alibaba has released Qwen 2.5-Max, claiming performance superiority over DeepSeek-V3 and other leading AI models on the first day of Lunar New Year. Market dynamics and timing: The unusual holiday release highlights mounting competitive pressure from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's recent advances in the artificial intelligence space. The announcement came via Alibaba's cloud unit's WeChat account, asserting Qwen 2.5-Max outperforms GPT-4, DeepSeek-V3, and Meta's Llama-3.1-405B DeepSeek's January releases of its AI assistant and R1 model have significantly impacted Silicon Valley, causing tech stock volatility The startup's reportedly low development and operating costs have prompted investors to question...
read Jan 29, 2025Pika’s new AI video model 2.1 is impressively good
Pika Labs has launched Pika 2.1, an enhanced AI video generation model that introduces advanced motion control and physics simulation capabilities alongside its existing features. Key Features and Capabilities: Pika 2.1 represents a significant advancement in AI-driven video creation, combining sophisticated technical improvements with user-friendly functionality. Advanced Motion Control enables smoother, more natural animation sequences, addressing previous limitations in fluid movement generation Realistic Physics Simulation allows objects to interact more authentically within generated videos, mimicking real-world physics behaviors Dynamic Lighting Effects provide enhanced control over atmosphere and mood through sophisticated illumination techniques Seamless Style Transfer functionality allows users to transform...
read Jan 29, 2025Danish company Corti announces new AI models for healthcare
Medical AI company Corti has launched three specialized healthcare AI models to address critical issues of accuracy and reliability in medical settings, backed by nine years of peer-reviewed research. Key challenges driving innovation: Healthcare professionals are spending significant time correcting AI errors while expressing low confidence in current AI solutions. One-third of US healthcare professionals report spending up to three extra hours weekly fixing AI-generated mistakes Despite 74% of European healthcare professionals supporting AI use, 52% lack confidence in existing solutions The industry faces "pilot paralysis" where AI trials fail to progress due to accuracy, cost, and integration issues Core...
read Jan 29, 2025SLIMA Kashif is a new open-source AI model designed specifically for Arabic
SILMA Kashif 2B Instruct v1.0 is a new bilingual AI model specifically designed for Arabic and English retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) tasks, with a primary focus on question answering and secondary capabilities in entity extraction. Core capabilities and architecture: The model is built on Google Gemma's foundation and operates within the 3-9 billion parameter range, featuring a 12,000-token context window for processing large amounts of text. The model excels at answering questions in both Arabic and English languages It processes both short snippets and lengthy passages effectively The system can provide both concise and detailed responses based on context Entity extraction...
read Jan 28, 2025Alibaba’s Qwen2.5-Max AI model marks China’s second massive AI release this week
Alibaba Cloud's release of Qwen2.5-Max, a new AI model that outperforms several industry benchmarks, represents China's second major artificial intelligence breakthrough in a week. Key developments: Qwen2.5-Max demonstrates superior performance in multiple benchmarks including Arena-Hard, LiveBench, and LiveCodeBench, while matching capabilities with leading models like GPT-4 and Claude-3.5-Sonnet. The model utilizes a mixture-of-experts (MoE) architecture, trained on over 20 trillion tokens Key performance metrics include an 89.4% score on Arena-Hard and 38.7% on LiveCodeBench The model is immediately available through Alibaba Cloud's API services Technical innovations: Qwen2.5-Max introduces an efficiency-focused approach that challenges traditional assumptions about AI development requirements. The...
read Jan 28, 2025Google’s Deep Research AI agent now available in the Gemini Android App
Google's Deep Research is an agentic feature that conducts comprehensive web research on behalf of users, and now it's available through the Gemini Android app. Key Features and Functionality: Deep Research operates by creating and executing multi-step research plans based on user queries. Users can pose questions about any topic, and the AI develops a research strategy that can be approved or rejected The feature mimics human research behavior by browsing the web, making iterative searches, and compiling findings Results are presented as organized reports with source links for further exploration Users can refine reports through follow-up questions and export...
read Jan 28, 2025NTT DATA unveils AI agent to speed up generative AI adoption
Global digital services provider NTT DATA has launched Smart AI Agent, a new artificial intelligence tool designed to automate tasks and optimize workflows across industries, targeting $2 billion in revenue by 2027. Launch details and market strategy: NTT DATA's Smart AI Agent will initially roll out in the US, China, and select European markets before expanding globally. The tool autonomously handles task extraction, organization, and execution based on user instructions Integration focuses on key sectors including automotive, banking, and manufacturing The company estimates Smart AI Agent-related business will generate $2 billion in revenue by 2027 Core capabilities and features: Smart...
read Jan 28, 2025Block’s new open-source AI agent does everything from writing code to ordering dinner
Block's new open-source AI agent 'codename goose' has debuted with the ability to write code, handle daily tasks, and adapt capabilities mid-session through a flexible connection framework. Key features and capabilities; The new AI agent, released under Apache License 2.0, offers seamless interoperability between user interfaces, language models, and various systems through Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP). Users can specify their preferred large language model (LLM) and add new tools during active sessions The agent can autonomously execute tasks including writing code, running tests, and managing dependencies Goose demonstrates impressive efficiency, with the ability to generate 70% of its own...
read Jan 28, 2025New film ‘Companion’ explores what it means to be human in the age of AI
"Companion" is a sophisticated horror-thriller that blends artificial intelligence concepts with classic genre elements in a story about an AI companion who discovers her true nature. Core premise and setup; Set in the near future where AI companions are commonplace, the film follows Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid) during what begins as a seemingly routine lake house getaway with friends. The narrative takes a sharp turn when Iris discovers she is actually an AI companion programmed by Josh, a revelation that sets off a chain of violent events The story evolves from a casual gathering into a tense...
read Jan 28, 2025OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Gov for US agencies
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Gov, a specialized version of its AI chatbot designed specifically for U.S. government agencies, marking a significant expansion into the public sector. Key Features: The new government-focused version offers capabilities similar to ChatGPT Enterprise, including custom GPTs, and can be deployed within agencies' Microsoft Azure commercial cloud environments. Government agencies will have access to enterprise-level features customized for public sector needs The platform operates within Microsoft Azure's commercial cloud infrastructure Agencies can develop and deploy custom GPTs tailored to their specific requirements Market Context: The launch comes amid intensifying competition in the AI sector, particularly from...
read Jan 28, 2025OpenAI’s new ‘Operator’ mode gives ChatGPT full autonomy
OpenAI has released a significant upgrade to ChatGPT called Operator, enabling the AI to autonomously complete complex multi-step tasks and interact with web services without constant human guidance. Key innovation revealed: Operator transforms ChatGPT from a reactive chatbot into an autonomous AI agent capable of determining and executing multiple steps to accomplish user-defined goals. The new feature allows ChatGPT to interact with web interfaces, navigate online services, and make decisions independently Operator is built on a new Computer-Using Agent (CUA) model that combines GPT-4's language and vision capabilities The system can perform tasks like online shopping, travel planning, and meal...
read Jan 28, 2025Meta AI wants to be your all-knowing, all-remembering digital companion
Meta AI's conversational capabilities have expanded with new features that let the AI remember personal details shared in chats and integrate user data from across Meta's platforms. Key developments: Meta is updating its AI assistant across Messenger, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram in the U.S. and Canada to provide more personalized interactions. The new Memory Boost feature enables Meta AI to retain and recall information shared during one-on-one conversations Users can delete stored memories at any time The feature does not apply to group chats The system operates across Meta's platforms, including Messenger, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram How it works: Meta...
read Jan 28, 2025DigitalOcean launches platform to make AI agents more affordable for SMBs
DigitalOcean has launched a new Generative AI platform that simplifies AI agent creation for businesses and developers, with a focus on accessibility and ease of use. Platform Overview; The GenAI platform, unveiled at DigitalOcean's Deploy 25 conference, provides tools for creating custom AI agents, integrating knowledge bases, and performing advanced function calls. The platform integrates foundational models from providers including Meta, Mistral AI, and Anthropic Users can create AI-powered chatbots through an intuitive interface with pre-built components The system includes customizable chatbot interfaces that can be embedded into websites or applications Key Features and Capabilities; DigitalOcean's platform emphasizes practical functionality...
read Jan 27, 2025iOS 18.3 update includes much needed improvements to AI summaries
The latest iOS update introduces changes to AI-powered notification handling and makes Apple Intelligence a default feature for newer devices. Key Updates: Apple has released iOS 18.3, which brings significant modifications to how AI handles notification summaries and introduces new artificial intelligence capabilities. Apple has temporarily disabled notification summaries for news and entertainment apps following accuracy concerns raised by the BBC Users who opt into the feature will receive notifications when it becomes available again New visual indicators include italicized text for AI-generated summaries to distinguish them from standard notifications Lock screen management options for notification summaries have been added...
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