Daily Digest: AI wearables

PLUS: Jasper cuts internal valuation, $68M AI hacker house

October 02, 2023

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Daily Digest #253

Hello folks, here’s what we have today;

PICKS

  1. Humane reveals its first AI device - the Ai Pin, at Paris Fashion Week with fashion brand Coperni. The Ai Pin is a screenless, standalone AI device that clips to your clothes and doesn’t need a smartphone. 🍿Our Summary (also below)

  2. Inside look into AGI House - Epicenter of SF AI hackathons. (paywalled). A 39-year-old entrepreneur named Rocky Yu founded AGI House, the baller hacker crib for young AI entrepreneurs, in a $68 million mansion in Hillsborough, California. Talking shop and working on their AI startups is the highlight instead of chillin' in the massive mansion. 🍿Our Summary (also below)

  3. Jasper cuts internal valuation as growth slows for the early generative AI winner. The cut takes its valuation to $1.2B, down 20% from June, when Jasper raised at $1.5B valuation. 🍿Our Summary (also below)

TOP TOOLS

  • Lethelink - Helping caregivers of Alzheimer's patients.

  • StableDiffusionXL is now available on Poe.

  • Fill 3D - Render photorealistic staging images.

  • Colors AI - Use customer feedback to prioritize product development.

  • Sycamore - Open source system for building sophisticated search applications.

  • Verble - AI speechwriting assistant.

  • BlueDot - AI-powered Chrome extension for Google Meet.

  • Tab - A personal wearable AI that you can talk to. (demo)

NEWS
QUICK BITES

What is going on here?

Humane gave a sneak peek of its inaugural product, an AI-powered wearable called the Ai Pin, by having it worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell during the Coperni fashion show.

What does this mean?

Ai Pin is Humane's vision for AI-driven consumer tech that integrates seamlessly into daily life. The screenless, standalone wearable has sensors for natural interactions and doesn't need a smartphone. It uses optical recognition, laser projection, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform to enable AI capabilities. The full features will be unveiled on November 9th.

Why should I care?

This provides a first look at a new category of AI wearables for the post-smartphone era. With privacy built-in and a body-centric form, Humane aims to pioneer more personal, trust-based relationships between humans and AI. The preview highlights that the company is moving forward with shipping its first product. We may be entering the post-smartphone era of personal devices.

QUICK BITES

What is going on here?

Charlie McCann gives us the inside scoop on AGI house in Cerebral Valley - the new hotspot for ambitious young AI hustlers trying to make it big.

What does this mean?

AGI House founder Rocky Yu leased a $68M mansion to cultivate that hardcore culture. His residents are savvy founders building AI startups worth millions. With AI blowing up, entrepreneurs are flocking back to get in on the action IRL. The mansion hosts hackathons and networking events to accelerate development.

Even though AGI House has bougie amenities like lemon groves and stuff, the makers are focused on work, not playtime. They put in crazy 16+ hour days and chat AI over meals. Ambition is valued over being well-liked. Yu keeps it professional with rules like no booze allowed. He wants AGI House to be the new hub for Silicon Valley's AI scene.

Why should I care?

This exclusive look inside baller hacker cribs shows how young AI talent is pushing progress. While the excess seems odd with their work routines, the luxury setting attracts top achievers. You can debate about it but understanding this subculture helps us grasp AI's growing influence on the brains that’ll probably be behind major tech shifts.

QUICK BITES

What is going on here?

Jasper has cut its internal share price by 20%, taking its valuation down to $1.2B indicating slowing growth since its last funding round.

What does this mean?

Jasper relies heavily on OpenAI's technology to power its product, competing directly with ChatGPT in providing AI writing assistance to marketers. Jasper has now told equity holders that the new value of their shares is about $3.34, down from more than $4.20 previously. Jasper also laid off staff this summer and has cut 2023 revenue projections substantially (up to 30%).

Some leaders have left Jasper already and founder Dave Rogenmoser is stepping aside, appointing Timothy Young as the new CEO of Jasper.

Why should I care?

Jasper was an early high-flyer in AI marketing tools, but OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT has disrupted its growth. It's a sign that generative AI startups need differentiation beyond relying on basic OpenAI models as ChatGPT drives down customer willingness to pay for yet another chatbot. This shows the power of AI products like ChatGPT or Claude where the companies behind them own the underlying models to fundamentally shift competitive landscapes.

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