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OpenAI Stole Three Top Engineers from Google’s DeepMind

The new hires, all experts in computer vision, are the latest AI researchers to jump to a direct competitor in an intensively competitive talent market.

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Unfold by harman
December 04, 2024

Good morning! This week’s focus kicks off with…

Google unveiled its new generative AI video model, Veo, which is set to revolutionize video production for filmmakers and creators.

❝

“AI is not just a tool; it’s a partner in innovation.” — unknown

But don’t worry — there’s plenty more to cover today. In this edition of Unfold Now:

  1. 🧠 Google’s New Generative AI Video Model is Now Available

  2. 🌍 Encore’s AI-Powered Site Helps You Shop for Vintage and Secondhand Items

  3. 🏛️ OpenAI’s 12 Days of ‘Shipmas’ Include Sora and New Reasoning Model

— Harman, Unfold Now

🔍 Spotlight: OpenAI Poaches 3 Top Engineers From DeepMind

Summary: A significant talent acquisition by OpenAI, specifically the hiring of three top computer vision and machine learning engineers from Google DeepMind to bolster their multimodal AI efforts in a new Zurich office. The move highlights the fierce competition among leading AI companies to secure the most skilled researchers, exemplified by a pattern of high-profile employee transfers between OpenAI, DeepMind, and other prominent players like Microsoft and Google. The Zurich location is strategically chosen given its established tech hub status and proximity to top research institutions.

Why it matters: The high salaries and frequent movement of personnel between companies like OpenAI, DeepMind, Microsoft, and Google underscore the significant investment and strategic importance placed on AI development. Furthermore, the establishment of a new OpenAI office in Zurich, a growing tech hub, suggests a global expansion of AI research and development efforts.

Source: WIRED

🧠 Google’s New Generative AI Video Model is Now Available

The dog example in these Veo clips is imposing — note how its fur pattern and collar remain consistent through its movement. Gif: Google

Summary: Google has introduced Veo, its most advanced generative AI video model to date. Veo can produce high-quality, 1080p resolution videos over a minute in length from text, image, or video prompts. It boasts an advanced understanding of natural language and visual semantics, allowing it to generate videos that closely align with the user's creative vision. Veo can handle cinematic terms like “timelapse” or “aerial shots of a landscape” and ensures consistent and coherent movement of people, animals, and objects throughout the video134.

Relevant Statistic: "Veo can generate videos that are more consistent and coherent, with realistic movement for people, animals, and objects."

Why it Matters: The launch of Google's Veo AI video model is significant for several reasons. 

  • First, it signals intensified competition in the generative AI space, particularly with OpenAI's Sora. While in private preview, Veo's availability allows businesses to integrate AI video generation into their workflows, potentially impacting content creation pipelines across industries.

  • Second, the early adoption of these technologies by businesses, as evidenced by Coca-Cola's recent campaign, highlights the growing commercial viability and potential revenue benefits of AI-generated content.

  • Finally, the integration of safeguards like DeepMind's SynthID technology aims to address concerns regarding misinformation and copyright, reflecting the industry's efforts toward responsible AI deployment.

Source: The Verge

🌍 Encore’s AI-Powered Site Helps You Shop for Vintage and Secondhand Items

Summary: Encore has launched an AI-powered platform that helps users shop for vintage and secondhand items. This platform uses AI to categorize and recommend items based on user preferences, making the shopping experience more personalized and efficient. The use of AI in sustainable fashion is a significant step towards reducing waste and promoting eco-friendly consumerism.

Expert Insight: "AI can significantly enhance the shopping experience by providing personalized recommendations and streamlining the search process."

Why it Matters: This innovation supports sustainable fashion by making secondhand shopping more accessible and appealing. It also highlights the broader potential of AI in transforming various industries towards more sustainable practices.

Source: WIRED

🏛️ OpenAI’s 12 Days of ‘Shipmas’ Include Sora and New Reasoning Model

Summary: OpenAI has plans to kick off its ‘shipmas’ event, a 12-day period where the company showcases new and upcoming AI models. This year’s highlights include Sora, a text-to-video AI model, and a new reasoning model. Sora is being pitched to Hollywood and is expected to be released to the public later this year. The new reasoning model aims to enhance AI’s ability to understand and respond to complex queries13.

Why it Matters: OpenAI's "Shipmas" period of daily announcements, including the release of their text-to-video AI tool Sora, is significant for several reasons. 

OpenAI's aggressive push to dominate the generative AI market, especially as it coincides with the launch of Google's competing video model, Veo.

The pre-release hype generated by OpenAI employees on social media suggests a strategic effort to build anticipation and capture public attention. Additionally, the timing of Sora's release, just weeks after artists protested its development, raises questions about the ethical implications of AI-generated content and the ongoing debate surrounding artist compensation and copyright.

Source: The Verge

🚀 In Other News:

  1. HuggingFace CEO has concerns about Chinese open source AI models (Source: TechCrunch)

Tech Memes 😂

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Thanks for reading today’s edition of Unfold Now! Stay curious, stay informed, and we’ll see you in the next one.

— Harman

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