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Welcome back, Superhuman
Figure AI’s humanoid robots just got a major makeover. The OpenAI-backed startup’s latest creation is ditching the bulky frame for a sleeker, more human-like design. And: Learn how to build your own app with AI.
Today’s Insights
Figure’s next-gen 02 robot
Tutorial: How to build your own AI apps with Llama Coder
Alphabet’s antitrust defeat
Everything else you should know today
5 new AI tools to boost your productivity
AI-Generated Images: Deconstructed industries
NEXT IN AI
Figure unveils a faster, smarter humanoid robot
Here’s a riddle: What has two legs, 10 fingers, a “brain”, and…six cameras? Figure’s new humanoid robot, Figure 02.
The startup wowed the AI industry earlier this year by showing off a prototype that could sort and organize objects on command with the help of OpenAI’s GPT. While impressive, that model’s bulky wires and rigid joints weighed it down. Now, Figure’s back with a new version that’s sleeker, nimbler, and more durable.
Here’s what else is new:
Figure’s fourth generation hands offer 16 degrees of freedom
It’s outfitted with six AI-driven vision cameras
It has three times the compute as its predecessor
Its battery offers 50% more runtime or about five hours
Why build a robot that resembles a human? Figure points out that most of our infrastructure is already built at a human scale. Tools are designed with our hands and feet in mind. Figure’s approach makes it easier for robots to adapt to our world — instead of having to build new factories from the ground up just to accommodate them.
Ok, but what’s it actually being used for? Figure is already testing out its second-generation robot at a BMW production plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The startup claims its robots learned how to move and rearrange different car parts organically — similar to how a human might experiment through trial and error. This kind of “self-correcting, learned behavior” is relatively new in the field of robotics.
Tamping down expectations: Some critics, including prominent NYU cognitive scientist Gary Marcus, said Figure’s tech demo is part of a larger “hype cycle.” They warn that Figure 02’s slickly-edited tech demo might not be representative of its actual capabilities. To alleviate those concerns, the California-based firm could eventually offer more concrete examples of how its robots might one day be used in the real world, including in our homes.
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THE AI ACADEMY
How to instantly build your own AI apps with Llama Coder
Go to Llama Coder’s website.
Enter your prompt in the prompt box.
Explain the format of your app in detail and click on the arrow button next to it.
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You can make changes to your app by re-entering the prompt in the prompt box.
It can generate games, quizzes, charts, and much more.
For this example, I have created a budget calculator and used the following prompt:
“Create an app to help users track their expenses and manage their budgets.“
You can add more details like generating reports for income vs. expenses, spending trends, category breakdowns, etc.
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AI & POLICY
A federal court deals a big blow to Google
Source: AP Photo
A federal court just handed Google a major defeat — potentially throwing a wrench in its AI plans. The US Department of Justice had accused Alphabet of illegally dominating the search and advertising markets — and District Court Judge Amit Mehta ultimately agreed, calling Alphabet a “monopoly.”
Some background: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's testimony during the trial turned out to be especially important. He pointed out that despite investing $100 billion in Bing, Microsoft couldn't break Google's stranglehold. Ironically, it was an antitrust ruling against Microsoft nearly 25 years ago — dealing with its industry-leading Windows operating system — that paved the way for Monday’s decision.
What it means for AI: Most tech companies had given up on the idea that they could ever unseat Alphabet as the world’s go-to search engine. And because LLMs are built on data, Google got a big head start when it came to developing new AI platforms, too. The DOJ thinks its “historic win” will level the playing field so that smaller AI companies can catch back up.
Other AI companies are watching closely: OpenAI just signed a major deal to put ChatGPT on the iPhone. Those kinds of collabs could soon be off the table if the DOJ continues to clamp down on what views as monopolistic behavior in the industry.
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AI & TECH NEWS
Everything else you need to know today
Students learning about AI at Camp Integem. Source: San Francisco Standard
Net’s Closing: Nvidia is reportedly working on a defense strategy against mounting antitrust investigations in the US and abroad. The firm currently dominates about 90% of the AI chip market.
Startup Surge: A corporate database in China reported that 237,000 new AI-related companies were launched inside the country in the first half of 2024 alone.
Nest Gets Intellect: Gemini-powered AI capabilities are headed to Google’s smart home accessories, including Nest security cameras and speakers.
Managing Expectations: OpenAI is trying to reign in hype around its upcoming DevDay, confirming it won’t show off its next-gen GPT-5 model at the Oct 1 press event.
😄 One Fun Thing: A summer camp in Silicon Valley is taking AI literacy to the next level. Instead of focusing on music, science, or sports, Camp Integem teaches kids as young as 5 how to build and use AI models. One instructor told the San Francisco Standard her students are surprisingly good at grasping the field’s theoretical underpinnings. The problem: “A lot of kids this young have a hard time reading, so they have a very hard time typing.”
PRODUCTIVITY
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PROMPT OF THE DAY
SEO Help
Prompt: What are the important SEO keywords that should be included in an article about [insert topic here]. Put them in a chart and list their importance.
You can adapt the prompt to your specific needs.
Source: Adapted from Mike Friedman’s Master ChatGPT List
AI-GENERATED IMAGES
Deconstructed Industries
Source: Inspired by @delikethz2 on Midjourney
Midjourney Prompt: A detailed background with workers assembling and testing [insert industry here, like aerospace or agriculture] equipment, emphasizing skill and quality
--v 6.1 --personalize ksk1xpn
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