AI Assistant Wars Heat Up with Rabbit R1 Launch

Plus Humane Pin lays off 4%

Author

Nathaniel Whittemore
January 10, 2024

The AI Breakdown First Five - Wednesday January 10, 2024

Today on the First Five:

  • 5. AI Regulation Gains Momentum As Bipartisan Goal

  • 4. Amazon Going “Super Aggressive” On AI

  • 3. Walmart’s New Shopping AI

  • 2. Humane Lays Off 4%

  • 1. AI Assistant Wars Heat Up with Rabbit

5. AI Regulation Gains Momentum As Bipartisan Goal

New polling from the AI policy institute found that by a margin of 56% to 22%, Americans support comprehensive AI legislation in 2024. Interestingly, the poll finds deep skepticism — with 56% also aggreeing that it would be a good thing if AI progress was stopped or significant slowed (compared to just 27% disagreeing)

4. Amazon Going “Super Aggressive” On AI

According to a new WSJ interview with Amazon’s Chief Security Officer Stephen Schmidt, the company is going “super aggressive” on generative AI. At CES, the company announced three new AI-powered experiences for Amazon Alexa via partnerships with companies including Character.AI.

3. Walmart’s New Shopping AI

Walmart is the poster child for retail technology advances. At a keynote at CES, the company unveiled a set of initiatives including expanded drone delivery, a new generative-AI powered search tool for iOS that suggests relevant products, an AI-powered in-home replenishment service, and photo-based checkout.

2. Humane Lays Off 4%

Just as the AI assistant wars heat up (see our top story), one of the contenders is finding itself slightly overstaffed. Humane - maker of the recently revealed Pin - is laying off 4% of its team as part of a restructuring effort.

1. AI Assistant Wars Heat Up with Rabbit

Meanwhile, another new contender in the AI assistant wars is generating lots of buzz. Rabbit just unveiled its first product (as well as an underlying “large action model” powering it) in a supremely Jobs-ian presentation. People are divided on whether consumers will have interest in another device, but the company has certainly succeeded in dominating the conversation.

Bonus: So THAT’S what they were doing with all that video data

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