NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

Is This the End of Laundry Day? Robot Butlers Say Yes

Robotics startup Physical Intelligence just raised $400m from investors like Jeff Bezos and OpenAI to create an AI “brain” for robots that will allow a robot to do a wide range of tasks: from being a helpful butler in the home to being an assembly line worker in a factory.

Historically, robotics companies have really struggled with versatility. A robot was always trained to do particular movements and tasks in specific ways (like picking up and transporting packages in a warehouse).

But Physical Intelligence is building an AI-powered robot that can do diverse tasks without needing constant retraining.

• The robot’s AI model is trained on an extensive dataset of movements from diverse robots, allowing it to “learn” a wide range of actions and understand complex physical interactions.

• It's similar to how ChatGPT was built: feed it a massive amount of information from the internet, and it learns how to answer questions and generate text.

Case in point: A robot from Physical Intelligence can fold laundry (see picture 👆🏽) after it empties the washing machine and then clears a table by sorting dishes and trash.

ps. I know the robot in the picture doesn't look “cute” but trust me, they’ll make it look adorable if needed. The real win is that it can do the work so you can chill. 😎

Physical Intelligence still has work to do, but the bigger picture is clear: AI will revolutionize robotics and I expect to see such robots in every industry and many homes.

Missed Last Season? Prime Video’s AI Recap Has You Covered

Amazon Prime Video is launching a cool new AI feature called X-Ray recaps.

• X-Ray Recaps uses AI to create quick, personalized summaries of what you've missed.

  • It can recap entire seasons, single episodes, or even specific scenes

• It's tailored to exactly where you left off watching helping viewers recall previous plot points, especially after extended breaks between seasons.

  • I always need this because I binge-watch an entire season like The Diplomat and then wait ages for the next one 😬.

And for sports fans, Prime Video has introduced AI-powered features to its "Thursday Night Football" broadcasts. 

• These features provide real-time insights and predictive analytics, such as analyzing defensive formations.

• For example, the AI predicts the blitz! See which players are going to rush the quarterback before they even move. 🤯

Prime Video is using AI to make watching sports and shows way more personalized and interactive. Every streaming service will copy this AI strategy.

ps. X-Ray Recaps is currently in beta for Fire TV users in the US. You'll find it on Amazon Originals like "Daisy Jones and the Six" and "The Boys".

WOMAN IN TECH

Lila Ibrahim, COO of Google Deepmind

Celebrating this week's Woman in Tech 🥳: Meet Lila Ibrahim, Chief Operating Officer of Google DeepMind, one of the world’s leading AI research companies.

Born to Lebanese parents in the United States, Ibrahim earned her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University in 1993 (she was one of only three women in her class).

Career Highlights:

• Started at Intel in 1993 as a design engineer and spent 18 years in various leadership roles including as Chief of Staff to Intel CEO Craig Barrett.

• Joined VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers as Chief of Staff in 2010.

• Led Coursera as President, Chief Business Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, helping bring education to millions worldwide from 2013 to 2017.

• Joined Google DeepMind as its first Chief Operating Officer in 2018.

At DeepMind, Ibrahim oversees a broad range of functions, including Operations, Governance and Ethics, Policy, Communications, and People & Culture.

She's been recognized as a leader in AI, earning spots on the TIME100 Most Influential People and Business Insider's AI Power List.

Something that really touched me: Ibrahim co-founded the non-profit Team4Tech and set up a computer lab in the Lebanese orphanage that her father grew up in.

“Technology only makes sense if it improves people’s lives,” Ibrahim says. ♥️

DeepMind is one of my fave AI companies, and I love that Ibrahim's journey, which started in design engineering, has now led her to become one of the most influential women in tech. 😊

Would You Use an AI-Powered Toilet Camera? 🚽

Throne’s new “artificial gut intelligence” device analyzes your bathroom habits to give insights into gut health, hydration, and more—all by examining what you leave behind.

With gut health affecting everything from digestion to immunity—70% of your immune system is located in your gut—this could be a game-changer for wellness.

The gut-brain axis also links gut health to mental well-being, with research showing that people with depression and anxiety often have different gut microbiomes.

The company ensures your “data” stays private and secure, but would you give it a try?

I'm delighted to announce my new AI podcast, "Augment," with my brilliant friend Bernard Leong.

Augment is not your typical US-centric AI podcast.

We're chasing AI's story across continents - from Shanghai's tech hubs to Silicon Valley garages to São Paulo's startups. No jargon, no hype - just clarity and insights to help you get ahead.

Tune in for expert interviews with the who's-who globally, in-depth analysis and practical advice.

Coming soon! 😎

Until next time!

Ayesha ♥️