The week's developments in AI, quantum, and biotech, explained | 21.02.24

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This week, a breakthrough paper from Daniel Olsher proves development of the first-ever AGI and superintelligence. It outlines key principles for AGI, proposes methods for its development, and introduces the Olsher Test as solid evidence of its reality: could this be the biggest AI development of 2024? 

Meanwhile, Nvidia is entering the $30 billion custom chip industry, in a strategic move against bigtech customers — Google, Microsoft etc. — designing their own AI chips, and a robot guide dog is being developed, proving the AI work takeover isn't just a threat to humans…

Plus just in time for Valentine's Day, a leap in medtech introduces a hydrogel capable of mending human hearts and advancing cancer treatment. 

Keep reading for the latest updates on secret LLM collusion, AI-powered early dementia diagnosis, and pixel inspired power plants — plus the coolest AI tools to learn, build, transform.

— Charlie and the Research & Intelligence Team 

P.S. You can now register your interest for CogX Festival LA 6-9 May, where we’ll be talking all things AI, Impact, and Transformational Tech!

Innovation and Releases

💰 Nvidia is entering the $30 bn custom chip market as a strategic move to counter the potential threat posed by its main customers who are creating their own AI chips. By offering its expertise and IP, Nvidia will support these companies in chip design and manufacturing.

🐕 Meet the robot guide dog proving AI isn’t only threatening human jobs… Using sensors and advanced software, RoboGuide can autonomously learn and adapt optimal routes, avoiding obstacles and responding to human commands and questions verbally. 

🔋 Dutch startup secure €15 million to develop solid-state battery technology. The funding will support the development of LionVolt's unique 3D solid-state batteries, which promise faster charging, higher energy density, and improved safety and sustainability. 

☢️ Thea Energy to build pixel inspired fusion power plants, after securing $20 million in a Series A funding round. This innovative approach aims to enhance plasma stability and reduce manufacturing complexity by treating magnets like screen pixels for precise control. 

AI Tools of the Week

🤖 Build: Lazy AI is a platform to build and customise full-stack applications through single prompts with almost no coding required.

✨ Transform: Flipner AI is an AI-powered writing assistant that can transform your notes — text and audio — into structured drafts. 

⚖️ Learn: AskLegalBot is a free legal advice tool, providing quick confidential and personalised preliminary legal guidance.

Latest Research

🧠 This paper proves achievement of the first-ever AGI and superintelligence, detailing its real-world efficacy and introducing the evaluative Olsher Test. It overturns historical doubts about AGI's feasibility, marking a significant technological breakthrough.

💔 Scientists can now literally mend a broken heart with a novel hydrogel derived from wood pulp. The material mimics human tissue to support tumour organoid growth for personalised therapies, heart tissue regeneration and improve cancer treatment.

🧬 Early dementia diagnosis made possible by AI. A study analysing 1,500 blood proteins has identified biomarkers that predict the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's, up to 15 years before symptoms appear — a huge development in preventative medicine. 

🕵️‍♂️ “Secret Collusion Among Generative AI Agents" delves into the risks and challenges of covert exchanges between AI agents. This study highlights the pressing need for vigilance and innovative strategies to detect and counteract hidden collusion in advanced LLMs.

In case you missed it

Everything is about to change. OpenAI is working on building everyday autonomous agents (sorry, your job is probably at risk). Check out the full story here.

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🚀 Remember to register your interest for CogX Festival LA 6-9 May!