AI & Robotics

Over the weekend, a bombshell story from The Atlantic found that Stephen King, Zadie Smith and Michael Pollan are among thousands of authors whose copyrighted works were used to train Meta’s generative AI model, LLaMA, as well as other large language models, using a dataset called “Books3.” The future of AI, the report claimed, is “​​written with stolen words.”  The truth is, the…

The excitement around generative AI is a textbook example demonstrating the top of a technology hype cycle. The newest gauge on emerging technologies from Gartner shows gen AI near the “peak of inflated expectations.”  For example, McKinsey has stated that the technology could add up to $4.4 trillion annually in global GDP. Sequoia Capital believes that entire industries will be disrupted.

The landscape of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) is in a rapid state of evolution these days, not only with OpenAI, Meta, and Google competing directly on foundation models, but doing so while some of their biggest in-house talent leaves to launch their own gen AI startups. Last month saw one of the biggest defections: Llion Jones, one of the co-authors on the seminal 2017 research…

As Hollywood strikes by actors and writers continue, with the impact of generative AI on their industry and jobs a central concern, Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela knows his gen AI video startup — most recently valued at $1.5 billion — is under fire from those on the picket line.  But when I visited the company’s surprisingly spartan Manhattan headquarters last week, Valenzuela told me…