Introducing AI Against Humanity, a dystopian card game made by robots.Humane launches its $700 wearable AI pin, to mixed reviews.

We’re heading towards the tailend of 2023 — but things aren’t yet slowing down. The AI world is still reeling from the announcements from Open AI Dev Day. Actors reach an agreement with studios on using AI, ending a 118-day strike. Humane finally launches its $700 wearable AI pin, albeit to mixed reviews.  

Inspired by the rollercoaster of a year we’ve had in 2023, we at Strange made a dystopian card game that seems befitting for, well, what feels like the end of the world. 

Introducing… AI Against Humanity.

Available for preorder now for those who think they can handle it. And if a $700 AI Pin feels too rich for your blood in this economy.

Happy holidays. Made with mischief with Strange Design Partner Burton Rast.

Enjoy the update.

🔥 Latest news

• Amazon is building a LLM to rival OpenAI and Google. Amazon is reportedly making substantial investments in the development of a large language model (LLM) named Olympus. According to Reuters, the tech giant is pouring millions into this project to create a model with a staggering two trillion parameters. OpenAI’s GPT-4, for comparison, is estimated to have around one trillion parameters. This move puts Amazon in direct competition with OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, Google, and others. https://tinyurl.com/y5627f69 

• OpenAI launches partner initiative focused on creating AI training datasets. OpenAI LP announced a new initiative, OpenAI Data Partnerships, through which it will collect records from other organizations to create AI training datasets. One goal of the company’s new partner initiative is to assemble private datasets that can be used to train its foundation models. https://tinyurl.com/33wej9md 

• Snapchat to let developers create AR lenses powered by ChatGPT. Based on examples shown by the company, Snap's ChatGPT-powered AR Lenses provide answers to users' questions, and can be embedded with quizzes or randomizers. Snap says that the feature aims to unlock “new types of learning, conversational, and creative experiences for Snapchatters,” which could translate to new ways for brands to reach consumers as well. https://tinyurl.com/yc25ad37 

• Google weighs further investment in Character.AI. Google could reportedly bolster its partnership with Character.AI via a significant investment. The tech giant is in discussions to inject hundreds of millions into the AI startup to fund its mission to train chatbot models, Reuters reported. https://tinyurl.com/2v242dxv 

• Humane opens pre-orders for its wearable AI pin priced at $700. AI startup Humane launched the wearable virtual assistant AI Pin that is embedded with technology from OpenAI and cloud computing services from Microsoft. According to Humane, users can also interact with the pin via an intuitive touchpad, holding up objects, performing gestures and through its laser ink display that is projected onto the palm. https://tinyurl.com/yuwx6p6w 

• Meta taps Hugging Face for Paris-based startup accelerator to spur adoption of open source AI models. Facebook parent Meta is teaming up with Hugging Face and European cloud infrastructure company Scaleway to launch a new AI-focused startup program at the Station F startup megacampus in Paris. The underlying goal of the program is to promote a more “open and collaborative” approach to AI development across the French technology world. https://tcrn.ch/40w0JNt 

• YouTube adapts its policies for the coming surge of AI videos. YouTube announced how it will approach handling AI-created content on its platform with a range of new policies. Now, creators have to disclose when they’ve created altered or synthetic content that appears realistic, including videos made with AI tools. Other changes include the ability for any YouTube user to request the removal of AI-generated or other synthetic or altered content that simulates an identifiable individual — aka a deepfake — including their face or voice. https://tcrn.ch/3QETZYL 

• Adobe researchers create 3D models from 2D images within 5 seconds in a new AI breakthrough. A team of researchers from Adobe Research and Australian National University have developed a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) model that can transform a single 2D image into a high-quality 3D model in just 5 seconds. This breakthrough, detailed in their research paper LRM: Large Reconstruction Model for Single Image to 3D, could revolutionize industries such as gaming, animation, industrial design, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). https://tinyurl.com/428z8ye7 

🔧 Cool Tools and Experiments

• Runway introduces Motion Brush, a new way to add controlled movements to generations https://tinyurl.com/5awywb69 

• Fakespot Chat, Mozilla’s first LLM, lets online shoppers research products via an AI chatbot https://tcrn.ch/4658mvk 

• Typecast introduces Cross-speaker Emotion Transfer, a groundbreaking text-to-speech innovation that allows users to imbue their own voices with emotions drawn from other speakers https://tinyurl.com/5n84nbat 

• Photo-editing startup Picsart introduces Picstart Ignite, a suite of 20 AI-powered tools for businesses and individuals that include video and image generation, GIFs creation, logo design, QR codes, and sticker generation https://tinyurl.com/2w5yby2k 

• Merlyn Mind introduces Merlyn Origin, an AI-powered classroom solution that enables teachers to control learning applications using voice commands https://tinyurl.com/592tv4u5 

• Luminar Neo’s GenSwap tool brings generative AI to the photo editing app that allows users to enhance their images by adding new elements to their images in just a few clicks https://tinyurl.com/4vvs8hdv 

• Iterate introduces AppCoder LLM, allowing enterprises to build AI apps with natural language https://tinyurl.com/323ujxes 

💰 Latest Startup Fundings

• Stability AI secures $50M in financing from Intel through a convertible note https://tinyurl.com/zza6x8up 

• Andreessen Horowitz backs Civitai, a generative AI content marketplace with millions of users. https://tcrn.ch/3ucsf6y 

• 3D generative AI platform Atlas emerges from stealth with $6M to accelerate virtual worldbuilding https://tcrn.ch/46jxuOR 

• AI-driven cloud-based video editor Ozone raises $7.1M in seed funding https://tinyurl.com/4hxtddmd 

• Baton, a music collaboration platform for unreleased material, raises $4.2M https://tcrn.ch/3SG5Kkl 

• Noice raises $21M for multiplayer game and livestreaming platform https://tinyurl.com/2p9jjxf9