💬 Improved ChatGPT on WhatsApp

🗞 News of the day

🚀 AI Self-healing Roads

Have you ever hit a pothole and felt like you've just been through the washing machine spin cycle? You're not alone. The UK spends millions annually just trying to patch up these pesky road craters, and yet they persist like an old Nokia phone that just won't quit. But here's the twist: AI might just be the knight in shining armor for our weary roads.

Imagine roads that can heal themselves. Researchers from King's College London and Swansea University have teamed up with their brilliant counterparts in Chile to develop self-healing asphalt. This cutting-edge material mimics the healing powers of trees and animals, fundamentally giving our roads the regenerative abilities of a lizard's tail.

This isn't just a pipe dream. The new asphalt can mend its own microcracks in under an hour, thanks to some nifty natural spore microcapsules and rejuvenators concocted from waste.

The potential here is enormous. Self-healing roads could slash maintenance costs and align perfectly with the UK government's ambitious net-zero emissions goals. It's a win-win: more durable roads and a smaller carbon footprint.

🔖 Today's Cool Story

🚨 EU Invests $56m to Build Open-source AI Rival

OpenEuroLLM is a groundbreaking project that has been awarded the prestigious STEP Seal for its work on open-source AI models for European languages.

• AI Innovation in Europe: The OpenEuroLLM project aims to create Large Language Models that are open-source and cater to all EU languages. It involves collaboration among European startups, research labs, and supercomputing entities. The models will be trained on European supercomputers, underscoring a commitment to European values such as transparency and accessibility.

• Financial Backing: The project boasts a total budget of €37.4 million, with €20.6 million funded by the Digital Europe Programme. The STEP Seal enhances the project's investment appeal, facilitating access to additional EU funding. This financial backing is essential for driving innovation in AI and technology sectors across Europe.

• Recognition and Standards: The STEP Seal is a mark of excellence, awarded to projects that meet strict quality standards in EU-funded proposals. Projects with the seal are highlighted on the Commission's STEP portal and tagged on the InvestEU Portal for increased visibility. This recognition encourages collaboration and underscores the project's adherence to important regulations like the AI Act.

💡 AI Insight

🎯 Improved ChatGPT on WhatsApp

ChatGPT's integration with WhatsApp is revolutionizing user interaction by expanding beyond text to include voice notes and images.

• Enhanced Features on WhatsApp: ChatGPT, which debuted on WhatsApp in December 2024 with text-only capabilities, now includes voice and image interactions. Users can send audio messages and images for the chatbot to analyze and provide responses, making interactions more versatile and user-friendly.

• Premium Benefits: Subscribers to ChatGPT's Plus and Pro tiers on WhatsApp can access exclusive features. This integration offers paywalled models and allows users to sign into their ChatGPT accounts, enhancing the user experience on this widely-used messaging platform.

• Accessibility and Convenience: The integration is designed for users with limited data or storage, providing a lightweight alternative to a standalone app. Saving ChatGPT as a WhatsApp contact allows for easy communication via text, images, and voice, promoting accessibility to AI tools without requiring additional app installations.

  To start, simply save the number 1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478) as a contact on your smartphone. Then, give WhatsApp a quick relaunch. The chatbot's official account should magically appear in your WhatsApp contact list. From this point forward, you're all set to communicate with it using text, images, and voice messages.

🤖 Today on AI Robotics

🚨 Figure AI Terminates Partnership With OpenAI

Figure AI ends its partnership with OpenAI and moves forward with its own AI technology.

• Partnership Termination: Figure AI has decided to end its collaboration with OpenAI, which was initially aimed at developing AI models for humanoid robots. This decision stems from the advancements Figure AI has made with its own AI models, prompting the company to focus on its proprietary technology. The CEO, Brett Adcock, is set to reveal a unique innovation in the coming month.

• Strategic Shift: Figure AI is now prioritizing in-house development of both hardware and software to guarantee peak performance. This strategic move includes expanding its teams and relocating to larger offices in Silicon Valley to support its growth. Despite the shift, Figure AI continues its collaboration with BMW, concentrating on industrial applications of its technology.

• Industry Implications: The move towards proprietary AI models is becoming more common in the robotics industry, with Figure AI securing $1.5 billion in financing for its development. While companies like Boston Dynamics continue to rely on partnerships, Figure AI's approach aligns with a vertically integrated ecosystem similar to Apple's. The upcoming technology demonstration by Figure AI is highly anticipated and could redefine its position in the market.