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Microsoft lands new partner
ALSO new Android updates and an AI-powered news reader
Jack Shields
February 27, 2024
Welcome back!
As usual, we have some big news from Big Tech and an innovative new AI tool on the menu. Let’s get straight to it.
In today’s Daily Update:
🗞️ Microsoft partners with Mistral AI
🤖 Google announces new Android updates
📸 Former Twitter engineers building an AI-powered news reader
🚨 AI Roundup: Four quick hits
Read time: 2 minutes
TOP STORY
🗞️ Microsoft partners with Mistral AI
Source: Microsoft
The details:
Mistral’s language models will be available on Microsoft’s Azure AI platform.
The partnership is focused on the development and deployment of next-generation large language models.
Mistral just announced a new AI model called Mistral Large that closely competes with OpenAI’s GPT-4.
The 10-month-old AI startup becomes just the second company to offer a commercial language model on Azure after OpenAI.
Why it matters: This deal is similar to Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI. Microsoft will support Mistral with its supercomputing infrastructure, a commercial platform to sell AI models and new research opportunities. The ultimate goal is to create a language model that surpasses GPT-4 as the most advanced AI in the world.
AI TOOL(S) OF THE DAY
🤖 Google announces new Android updates
Source: Google
Google just revealed a series of AI-powered updates for Android.
What’s new:
Gemini will be integrated directly into Messages, and will be able to draft and refine messages or just chat with users.
Android Auto aims to minimize distractions while driving. It will now automatically summarize text messages and suggest replies.
An accessibility feature for users with impaired vision called Lookout will now read AI-generated captions and descriptions for media content.
TalkBack is integrating into Google Lens. Imagine pointing your camera at a restaurant and having your phone automatically read reviews and business hours out loud.
Why it matters: Google is powering ahead despite the Gemini image generation controversy. With Google and Samsung already launching new generative AI integrations for smartphones, 2024 is quickly becoming the year of AI phones. Expect to see Apple join them later this year.
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
📸 Former Twitter engineers building an AI-powered news reader
Source: Particle
A team led by former Twitter engineers is building an AI-powered newsreader called Particle.
What you should know:
Particle aims to help users stay informed without getting overwhelmed. It offers a personalized, “multi-perspective” news reading experience that includes AI summaries.
Readers are presented with a bulleted summary of each news story, with information pulled from a variety of sources. They always have the option to read deeper.
The startup ultimately hopes to offer a mobile app for smartphones.
Particle is currently available in private beta.
Why it matters: Particle could reshape the way we interact with news by saving time and making information more accessible. There are concerns that it could reduce the revenue of news organizations, but Particle says it will fairly compensate authors and publishers. We’ll reassess when the startup shares its business model, but for now this tool looks like a promising way to stay informed.
MORE TRENDING NEWS
🚨 AI Roundup: Four quick hits
DALL-E 3
Tyler Perry halts $800 million studio expansion in Atlanta due to concerns about OpenAI’s Sora.
Chinese researchers publish a review on affective computing, which allows machines to perceive, recognize, understand and respond to human emotions.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says AI is not just hype.
Jeff Bezos and Nvidia join OpenAI in funding humanoid robot startup Figure.
THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY