xAI goes head-to-head with OpenAI

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✨ Today in the Metaproof Daily

🧐 Elon Musk goes harder on AI bid: xAI definitely up against OpenAI, Tesla working closely with startup

👩🏻‍💻 It’s the golden age of tech workers in AI as we know it

🏦 Bank of America uses metaverse to simulate bank robberies, train staff

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Elon Musk goes harder on AI bid: xAI definitely up against OpenAI, Tesla working closely with startup

Elon Musk’s new startup xAI is “definitely in competition” with ChatGPT creator OpenAI, the billionaire asserts on a Twitter Spaces discussion Friday. Following the unveiling of xAI last week, Musk unmasks his plan to “build a good AGI with the overarching purpose of just trying to understand the universe.”

Some details that came up during the 90-minute discussion:

• Musk veered into topics like the Earth's evolution and the fragility of civilization and at some point even touched on the outlandish: “Why is there not massive evidence of aliens?”

• He proposed xAI, which would seek to build a "good AGI," as an alternative to Microsoft, Google and OpenAI. According to him, the startup would work closely with his other companies, Twitter (will use public tweets to train its AI) and Tesla (to train AI models and forge a "mutual benefit" through xAI accelerating Tesla's work in self-driving capabilities).

• Interestingly, xAI’s 12 early staffers, including Musk, are all men and all maintain industry backgrounds previously working at Google and DeepMind in varying capacities.

Musk’s seemingly conflicted relationship with AI involves his co-founding of OpenAI in 2015 and him joining a call for a 6-month AI development pause out of safety concerns.

It’s the golden age of tech workers in AI as we know it [Link]

While mass layoffs are ravaging entire industries, there’s one sector where tech talent, topped by developers, remains in demand: AI.

Many tech workers have it bad these days, according to data. Halfway into 2023, 216,910 tech employees have been laid off – more than all of last year, or 164,709, according to Layoffs.fyi data. In June, tech-related jobs dropped by an estimated 171,000 while the unemployment rate for tech jobs climbed to 2.3% compared to the national figure of 3.6%.

It’s a different story for AI engineers and tech roles as fueled by the huge focus on large language models (LLMs), as “everyone’s excited about AI” and “every board is asking their CEO what the ChatGPT moment means for them,” packing excitement around AI initiatives.

As Josh Hendler, VP, Network at Schmidt Futures, puts it: “[B]ased on conversations we’re having with both tech workers and organizations, we’re seeing incredible demand from engineers, product managers, designers, and other tech workers to work in spaces that matter."

Bank of America uses metaverse to simulate bank robberies, train staff [Link]

Bank of America (BoA) is revolutionizing employee training by combining VR and AI.

New hires undergo a week-long program that uses VR headsets to simulate various scenarios, from assisting upset customers to handling bank robberies. AI bots also play a role in the training, acting as customers for employees to practice conversing with.

Over 200,000 BoA staff have already experienced this virtual training, and the bank is exploring the use of its metaverse tech at job fairs to attract younger talent.

Metaverse shopping captivates Australian consumers [Link]

Aussie consumers are keen to explore metaverse shopping, based on a BigCommerce survey of 4K+ respondents, including 527 Australians, to understand interest in virtual experiences.

The survey revealed that over 50% of Australian participants showed interest in metaverse shopping, signaling the country's readiness for this trend.

The online casino industry has already made strides in the metaverse, offering immersive experiences through platforms like Chateau Satoshi and Tominoya Casino and serving as use cases for operating on blockchain networks.

With declining foot traffic and rising costs affecting traditional retail, the metaverse presents an opportunity for struggling brands to thrive digitally.

Quick Hits

🎮 Gaming

• Sony agrees to a 10-year deal for Call of Duty with Microsoft to keep the franchise on PlayStation after the proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. (Link)

• Here’s a wealth of VR headsets to choose from for a phenomenal metaverse experience. (Link)

• The FBI turns to Nintendo and the Switch to locate a missing 15-year-old girl. (Link)

• Even before blockchain, gamers were already engaged with more multiplayer games. Why is gaming so closely entwined with the metaverse? (Link)

• How data science and AI are transforming gaming, with common techniques in racing games like rubber banding. (Link)

🕶 Fashion

• Valentino dresses Meta avatars in the virtual world. (Link)

• LOOK: Ubisoft launches the Assassin's Creed Mirage haptic feedback shirt. (Link)

• Is Louis Vuitton's embrace of "non-traditional" creative director Pharrell and NFTs points the way forward for fashion, despite the naysayers? (Link)

• Puma, web3 firm Legitimate, and entertainment agency Roc Nation team up for an homage to hip-hop via physical trainers, NFTs, and new music. (Link)

• Years ago, “digital fashion artist” was virtually unheard of - until the likes of Australian designer Jackson Cowden stepped into the scene. (Link)

🏀 Sports

• New web3 women’s soccer game Own The Zone: FIFA Women’s World Cup AU NZ 2023 edition allows fans to make predictions on the action in pitch zones. (Link)

• Legends only: Kobe Bryant will be featured as the NBA® 2K24 Kobe Bryant Edition and Black Mamba Edition cover athlete. (Link)

• NBA games could be Apple Vision Pro’s secret weapon, with the NBA chief himself heralding NBA experiences soon. (Link)

• Private equity and hedge fund players buying up stakes in sports teams. (Link)

• VR golf brand Golf5 launches a VR golf academy to disrupt traditional golf education. (Link)

• In Latin America, digital asset firm Bitso offers sports NFTs. (Link)

🎥 Media & Entertainment

• Warner Bros’ The Flash transforms into a blockchain movie with AR collectibles and DC NFT voucher. (Link)

• A rare iconic photo of hip-hop legend Biggie is now available for auction as NFT and physical copy. (Link)

• Creepy parallels? Christopher Nolan wants Oppenheimer to be a cautionary tale for Silicon Valley. (Link)

• The viral clip of Johnny Cash singing Barbie Girl sparks AI obsession and fuels interest in incorporating tech into live performances. (Link)

• BC film unions vote on wage boost as AI threat looms and job security is at stake. (Link)

🖼 Art

• A fan’s exceptional painting of Final Fantasy 16’s Clive Rosfield garners praise on social media. (Link)

• Artist Jackson Pollock expands into NFT territory with the highly anticipated launch of Beyond the Edge on July 20. (Link)

• Renowned British artist Damien Hirst joins forces with Heni to unveil "the beautiful paintings" as groundbreaking NFTs and physical artworks. (Link)

• Thailand Tourism Authority unveils the 3rd season of Amazing Thailand NFTs. (Link)

• French bank Indosuez launches exclusive NFT-based membership club Le Clu3 for its high-end clients. (Link)

🤖 AI

• UN issues warning against unregulated AI brain implants, citing threats to mental privacy. (Link)

• Nutriaide is an AI-powered app that tracks calorie intake and promotes a healthy diet. (Link)

• This AI software engineer predicts most AI startups will die - here’s why. (Link)

• This world-1st mass-produced humanoid robot has a mission to solve China’s aging population problem. (Link)

• The robots are coming for our jobs, but can’t touch this one thing. (Link)

• KPMG and Microsoft enter a landmark agreement to put AI at the forefront of professional services. (Link)

💸 Funding & Partnerships

• Skyplay secures $10M investment to fuel gaming platform expansion and attract new users. (Link)

• AroundDeal secures millions of dollars in pre-A funding to scale its B2B intelligence database and platform. (Link)

• UK-based Outverse raises $6M to bring AI-powered tools to its community platform, enabling better collaboration and UX for product teams. (Link)

• Triumph announces a new collaboration with Steve McQueen and Michael Kalish with a one-off T100 Bonneville and 1,000 NFTs. (Link)

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All content on this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not aim to serve as or replace expert investment advice.

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