$200 ChatGPT Pro 💰, DeepMind’s Genie 2 🕹️, Perplexity Publisher Program 🌐

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💬 OpenAI Developments

OpenAI is charging $200 a month for an exclusive version of its o1 ‘reasoning’ model

OpenAI has launched a $200/month ChatGPT Pro tier, featuring an exclusive "o1 pro mode" for advanced reasoning, unlimited access to premium models, and improved features like coding, math, and image-based reasoning. The company also introduced grants for medical researchers and unveiled updates during its "12 days of ship-mas," including the full release of its o1 reasoning model.

Future Publishing signs content partnership with OpenAI

OpenAI has entered a strategic partnership with Future Publishing, granting ChatGPT access to content from over 200 media brands, including gaming-focused publications like Edge, GamesRadar, and PC Gamer. This collaboration aims to enhance the ChatGPT experience by providing users with attributed content and direct links to original articles, while Future Publishing plans to utilize OpenAI's tools to boost productivity across its sales, marketing, and editorial divisions.

🌐 AI in Various Sectors

Healthcare: Singapore is hosting IMAGINE AI 2024 from December 5 to 8, bringing together global experts to explore AI's transformative impact on healthcare. The event features conferences, expos, and datathons, highlighting innovations like AI-driven medical diagnostics and robotics, and includes the launch of a new AI center aimed at enhancing public health in Southeast Asia.

Robotics: In 2024, the robotics industry experienced significant advancements, particularly in large models and embodied intelligence, leading to the emergence of new startups. However, a hierarchical divide persists between hardware-focused teams and software-centric groups, with software developers often perceiving themselves as superior. This stratification reflects differing philosophies among China's robotics entrepreneurs. Hardware-first teams concentrate on building physical components like motors and control systems, while software-first startups leverage expertise in areas such as computer vision and reinforcement learning. Notably, some hardware companies in China, like Unitree Robotics, opt to integrate open-source models instead of investing heavily in proprietary AI due to cost constraints, emphasizing their hardware as the core product.

Social Media and Interaction: Weird AI ads often reveal how technology unintentionally replaces human connection instead of enhancing it. For example, a browser AI sent a cold, automated email to a spouse, turning a sweet gesture into a lifeless exchange. Similarly, Apple’s AI dog-breed detector replaced potential human interaction, and Google’s Gemini ad faced backlash for automating a heartfelt fan letter. These ads highlight how AI, while innovative, can diminish the meaningful moments it aims to support.

🚀 Tech Industry Moves

Microsoft has begun limited testing of Copilot Vision, a feature that allows its AI assistant to view and interact with web pages in the Edge browser, providing contextual assistance such as answering questions and offering suggestions based on the content displayed. Currently available to select Copilot Pro subscribers in the U.S. through Copilot Labs, this opt-in feature emphasizes user privacy by requiring explicit activation and ensuring that data from these sessions is not stored or used for AI model training.

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft 365 Copilot now supports Bahasa Indonesia, enabling users to leverage AI capabilities within applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in their native language. Early adopters, such as Telkomsel, have reported significant productivity improvements, including reduced time spent on repetitive tasks and enhanced quality of deliverables.

Vietnam and Nvidia have signed an agreement to establish an AI research and development center and an AI data center in Vietnam, aiming to advance the country's high-tech industry and position Southeast Asia as a hub for innovation. This collaboration includes the expansion of Viettel Group's existing AI data center, which utilizes Nvidia technology, and Nvidia's acquisition of VinBrain, a healthcare startup owned by Vingroup.

Perplexity has expanded its Publishers’ Program, welcoming over a dozen global media partners, including ADWEEK, The Independent, and Los Angeles Times, alongside existing partners like TIME and Der Spiegel. This program aims to enhance its knowledge base with diverse, quality content while sharing ad revenue, providing analytics, and offering access to its search technology and Perplexity Enterprise Pro. Jessica Chan, formerly of LinkedIn, now leads the initiative to foster collaboration between tech and media, ensuring publishers benefit from the growing ecosystem while supporting responsible AI use in journalism.

💡 Emerging AI Technologies and Companies

AWS announces $1 billion cloud credit for AI startups

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a $1 billion commitment in cloud credits for startups developing generative AI solutions in 2025, aiming to support innovation amid tightening financial resources. This initiative, unveiled by AWS CEO Matt Garman at the re:Invent conference, underscores AWS's dedication to fostering startup success in the evolving AI landscape.

AI startups are snatching up San Francisco offices, using Zoom fatigue to recruit talent

Amid San Francisco's high office vacancy rates, AI startups are capitalizing on reduced lease costs to establish in-person work environments, appealing to tech professionals seeking collaborative office cultures. Companies like Tako and Mithrl mandate office attendance four to five days a week, leveraging "Zoom fatigue" to attract talent desiring face-to-face interaction and fostering innovation through direct collaboration.

🎨 AI in Creative Industries

DeepMind’s Genie 2, an advanced AI model, generates interactive, real-time 3D worlds from text and images, simulating detailed environments, animations, and physics akin to AAA video games. Positioned as a research and prototyping tool, it offers unique features like memory of out-of-view elements and generalization from concept art, though its simulations last only 10–20 seconds. Trained on diverse data, possibly including YouTube content, it raises IP concerns and highlights AI’s growing influence in creative industries. Google continues investing heavily in such world models, signaling their potential as transformative tools for creativity and AI agent evaluation.

🌍 Global AI Race

EU scrutinises Nvidia’s $700 million Run:ai acquisition

The European Commission is scrutinizing Nvidia's proposed $700 million acquisition of Israeli AI startup Run:ai due to concerns about potential anti-competitive practices, particularly the bundling of Nvidia's GPU hardware with its software products. This investigation reflects broader regulatory efforts to address market dominance in the AI hardware sector, with a preliminary decision expected by December 20, 2024.

TSMC nears deal to make Nvidia AI chips in US

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is nearing an agreement to produce Nvidia's Blackwell AI chips at its new facility in Arizona, with volume production expected to commence in 2025. Due to the facility's current lack of chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) packaging capabilities, the manufactured silicon will be shipped back to Taiwan for final packaging.

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