Welcome back to Week in Review
This week, we have some exciting updates to share with you. From OpenAI’s latest announcement to Apple’s potential entry into the foldable market and Databricks’ decision to delay its IPO, there’s a lot to cover. Let’s dive in!
Before we begin, we want to let you know that we will be taking a break for the holidays. Week in Review will be back in the new year, so stay tuned!
OpenAI’s Latest Announcement
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently unveiled the successors to the o1 reasoning model family: o3 and o3-mini. Although these models are not widely available yet, safety researchers can sign up for a preview. This announcement marks the conclusion of OpenAI’s “12 Days of OpenAI” event, which included exciting reveals such as real-time vision capabilities, ChatGPT Search, and a Santa voice for ChatGPT. If you missed any of these updates, you can catch up on them here.
Meta’s Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Upgrade
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses received a significant upgrade this week. Members of Meta’s early-access program can now download firmware v11, which introduces “live AI” functionality. This feature allows wearers to engage in continuous conversations with Meta AI, referencing previous topics discussed during the conversation. Additionally, live translation between English and Spanish, French, or Italian, as well as integration with Shazam, are included in the update.
UnitedHealth’s Chatbot Mishap
UnitedHealth’s Optum division accidentally exposed an AI chatbot used by employees to the internet, allowing anyone with a web browser to access it. While the chatbot did not contain sensitive personal or protected health information, this incident comes at a time when the company is under scrutiny for its use of AI tools and algorithms to potentially override doctors’ medical decisions and deny patient claims.
News
Oura Secures $200 Million in Funding: The smart ring maker, Oura, recently closed a $200 million Series D funding round, increasing the company’s valuation to $5.2 billion. This funding will support the expansion of product offerings and further investments in product development, science, AI, and more. Read more
ChatGPT Now Accessible via Landline: OpenAI has introduced a 1-800 number for users to call ChatGPT, making the chatbot accessible even from landlines or flip phones. By dialing 1-800-CHATGPT, users can interact with the AI assistant over the phone. Read more
Tesla’s Incentives for Model S Sales: Tesla has reintroduced its free Supercharging for life offer for select Model S cars, coinciding with a $5,000 price increase for the vehicle. This move aims to boost Model S sales towards the end of the year.
Google’s Veo 2 Takes on Sora: Google DeepMind unveiled Veo 2, a next-generation video-generating AI capable of producing high-resolution clips up to 4k resolution and over 6x the duration of OpenAI’s Sora. Read more
Apple’s Foldable Device Plans
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, Apple is exploring the launch of two foldable devices in the coming years. One report suggests a focus on a giant, foldable iPad, indicating Apple’s interest in entering the foldable market.
Verdict in Bob Lee Case
A San Francisco jury recently found Nima Momeni guilty of second-degree murder in the 2023 stabbing of Bob Lee, the Cash App creator and former CTO of Block. The jury concluded that Lee’s murder was not premeditated, resulting in Momeni being acquitted of first-degree murder charges.
Perplexity Acquires Carbon
Perplexity has acquired Carbon, a startup specializing in connecting AI systems to external data sources. This acquisition will enable Perplexity to enhance its capabilities, allowing users to search through files and work messages in platforms such as Notion, Google Docs, or Slack in early 2025.
Temu Maintains Top Spot
Temu remains the most downloaded free app in the U.S., as per Apple’s list of top apps and games across the App Store. The shopping app has retained its position as the number one downloaded app, surpassing competitors like TikTok.
GitHub’s Free Copilot Version
GitHub has launched a free version of its Copilot code completion and AI pair programming tool. Previously available through a paid subscription, the free version now allows more developers to access this popular tool for code assistance.
Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental Model
Google has introduced Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental, its new “reasoning” AI model currently in the experimental phase. Early testing indicates room for improvement, positioning this model as a potential contender in the AI landscape.
Analysis
Databricks’ IPO Strategy
Databricks recently concluded a monumental funding round, raising $10 billion and sparking speculation about its IPO plans. CEO Ali Ghodsi stated that delaying the IPO until at least 2025 was a strategic move to allow early employees to cash out and facilitate continued growth. While 2024 witnessed successful IPOs for companies like ServiceTitan and Reddit, Databricks opted to secure funding rather than rush into going public. Read more
