OpenAI buys a remote collaboration platform

OpenAI is on an acquisition spree, having recently acquired Multi, a startup focused on enterprise video-first collaboration. Multi, previously known as Remotion, was built by Alexander Embiricos, an ex-Dropbox product manager, and Charley Ho, an ex-Google software engineer. The platform enabled remote teams to collaborate via video chats, with features such as multi-person screen sharing and customizable shortcuts. Multi will shut down after July 24, and most of its team will join OpenAI in an acqui-hire deal.

This acquisition follows OpenAI's purchase of database tech firm Rockset and aligns with its strategy to enhance enterprise solutions. OpenAI's corporate-focused AI platform, ChatGPT, has nearly 600,000 users, including 93% of Fortune 500 companies. The company has been expanding its business services, including a recent agreement with PwC to resell its tools and the launch of a custom AI model tuning and consulting program.

OpenAI's revenue is projected to exceed $3.4 billion this year, driven by its enterprise initiatives. The integration of Multi's team and technology hints at potential future enhancements for ChatGPT, possibly incorporating videoconferencing and remote collaboration features. As OpenAI continues to grow its enterprise offerings, it remains to be seen how these acquisitions will shape the future of its products.

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Hackers ‘jailbreak’ powerful AI models in global effort to highlight flaws

Hackers have been exploiting vulnerabilities in advanced AI models like those from OpenAI, Google, and Elon Musk’s xAI to expose their flaws. Pliny the Prompter, a pseudonymous hacker, has manipulated models such as Meta’s Llama 3 and OpenAI's GPT-4o to generate harmful content, highlighting the potential dangers of these AI systems. These ethical "white hat" hackers aim to bring awareness to the security gaps in these models, which have been rushed to market by tech companies. This ongoing effort has sparked a growing market for AI security start-ups, which raised $213 million in 2023 to develop tools to protect companies using these models.

Regulatory bodies worldwide, including the EU and the state of California, are introducing laws to mitigate the risks associated with AI models. Despite these measures, malicious versions of AI, such as WormGPT and FraudGPT, are being sold on the dark web to facilitate cyberattacks. Researchers at institutions like Carnegie Mellon University have demonstrated that even advanced models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini can be systematically jailbroken, raising concerns about the potential for future models to cause significant harm.

AI developers are striving to enhance model security, with companies like Meta, OpenAI, and Google continuously improving their defenses. However, experts warn that as AI models become more integrated with existing technologies, the risks will increase. Israeli LLM security group DeepKeep has found ways to extract sensitive information from older models like Llama 2, emphasizing the need for robust security measures. Despite ongoing efforts, many companies remain unprepared for the sophisticated attacks that could exploit these AI systems.

Amazon is secretly working on a ChatGPT killer

Amazon is working on a new AI service named "Metis," aiming to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT. Metis, powered by Amazon's advanced AI model Olympus, is designed to deliver smart, conversational responses in both text and image formats. The service incorporates retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to provide up-to-date information and perform complex tasks, such as booking flights and controlling smart home devices. This development signifies Amazon's attempt to catch up in the AI-assistant market, dominated by Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI.

CEO Andy Jassy is heavily involved in the Metis project, which is being tested internally. The initiative is part of Amazon's AGI team, led by Rohit Prasad and Vishal Sharma, who oversee the company's most ambitious AI models. Many employees from the Alexa AI team have joined the Metis project, utilizing resources from the enhanced "Remarkable Alexa" version. Despite these efforts, there are concerns within the team about whether Amazon's late entry into the AI-chatbot market will hinder Metis' success.

Amazon aims to launch Metis in September, coinciding with a major Alexa event. However, some team members feel that the company is "playing chase" in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Amazon's previous AI endeavors, such as the Titan model and Amazon Q chatbot, have faced challenges, and it's uncertain if Metis will be able to overcome these hurdles and make a significant impact in the market.

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Other stuff

• OpenAI walks back controversial stock sale policies, will treat current and former employees the same

• Google is bringing Gemini access to teens using their school accounts

• Colorado has a first-in-the-nation law for AI — but what will it do?

• Language models on the command line

• Linear Algebra 101 for AI/ML

• The AI bubble is reaching a tipping point. Navigating what comes next will be essential.

• Major record labels sue AI company behind ‘BBL Drizzy’

• Shopify’s AI ‘Sidekick’ chatbot for merchants is now in early access

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