Latest news with #AGI
Fast Company
2 hours ago
- Science
- Fast Company
These two game-changing breakthroughs advance us toward artificial general intelligence
The biggest technology game changers don't always grab the biggest headlines. Two emerging AI developments may not go viral on TikTok or YouTube, but they represent an inflection point that could radically accelerate the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI). That's AI that can function and learn like us. Coming to our senses: WildFusion As humans, we rely on all sorts of stimuli to navigate in the world, including our senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell. Until now, AI devices have been solely reliant on a single sense—visual impressions. Brand-new research from Duke University goes beyond reliance only on visual perception. It's called WildFusion, combining vision with touch and vibration. The four-legged robot used by the research team includes microphones and tactile sensors in addition to the standard cameras commonly found in state-of-the-art robots. The WildFusion robot can use sound to assess the quality of a surface (dry leaves, wet sand) as well as pressure and resistance to calibrate its balance and stability. All of this data is gathered and combined or fused, into a single data representation that improves over time with experience. The research team plans enhance the robot's capabilities by enabling it to gauge things like heat and humidity. As the types of data used to interact with the environment become richer and more integrated, AI moves inexorably closer to true AGI. Learning to learn The second underreported AI technology game changer comes from researchers at the universities of Surrey and Hamburg. While still in the early stages of development, this breakthrough allows robots that interact socially with humans (social robots) to train themselves with minimal human intervention. It achieves this by replicating what humans would visually focus on in complex social situations. For example, we learn over time as humans to look at a person's face when talking to them or to look at what they are pointing to rather than at their feet or off into space. But robots won't do that without being specifically trained. Until now, the training to refine behavior in robots was primarily reliant on constant human monitoring and supervision. This new innovative approach uses robotic simulations to track, monitor, and importantly, improve the quality of the robot interactions with minimal human involvement. Robots learn social skills without constant human oversight. This marks an important step forward in the overall advancement of social robotics and could prove to be a huge AGI accelerator. Self-teaching AI could lead to advancements at an exponential rate, a prospect some of us view as thrilling, others as chilling. AI signal over noise Amazing as they may be to watch, dancing humanoid robots and mechanical dogs can be characterized as narrow AI—AI designed only for a specific task or purpose. The feats of these purpose-built tools are impressive. But these two new developments advance how AI experiences the world and how it learns from those experiences. They will dramatically change how technology exists (and coexists with us) in the world. Taken together, these breakthroughs and the work of other researchers and entrepreneurs along similar paths are resetting the trajectory and the timetable for achieving AGI. This could mark the tipping point that turns the slow march toward AGI into an all-out run.
Mid East Info
5 hours ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Sam Altman, Brad Smith and 2,400+ Attendees Join G42's ‘Supercharged' AI Summit - Middle East Business News and Information
Celebrated G42's 7th anniversary and its rise as a global AI leader, now 25,000+ employees strong worldwide Top headline sessions featured UAE leaders, including H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori, in health, cybersecurity, space, and youth development Focus was on Responsible AI, and AI for Good, particularly how the 'Intelligence Grid' must include the Global South Abu Dhabi, UAE – June 2025: Earlier this week, G42's flagship event, Supercharged , concluded in Abu Dhabi with record-breaking scale and ambition, bringing together over 2,400+ employees, partners, and global leaders for a day of boundary-pushing dialogue and collaboration. Marking seven years since G42's founding, this year's edition celebrated the group's evolution into a global AI leader, highlighting major milestones such as the launch of Stargate UAE and the 5GW UAE–U.S. AI Campus. Framed around the theme 'Building the Intelligence Grid: The Present and Future of AI-Enabled Civilizations,' the event explored how G42 is turning AI into a real-world super-utility: always on, always learning, and designed to serve. The day featured headline conversations with global tech leaders including Microsoft President Brad Smith and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who both joined virtually, alongside influential voices from across government, industry, and science, such as H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health (DoH) – Abu Dhabi, H.E. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity at the UAE Government, H.E. Eng. Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General, UAE Space Agency, H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, and H.E. Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health, DoH – Abu Dhabi. International Partnerships OpenAI, Microsoft Endorse G42 Partnership Caption: Sam Altman, Chief Executive Officer of OpenAI, speaking live to Peng Xiao at Supercharged Caption: Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, speaking to Peng Xiao as part of a pre-recorded session In addition to speaking about Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, also reflected on the early partnership with G42. He noted that G42 recognized the vast potential of AI to become a platform more transformative than anything before it, and understood that building such a platform would require a fundamentally different approach, one designed to bring intelligence to billions of people around the world. Meanwhile, Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President of Microsoft, and G42 Board Member, emphasized that the $1.5 billion investment in G42 was more than a financial decision, it was a deliberate commitment to a company, its people, and a broader partnership with the UAE. He noted that both he and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella believe in the strength of the relationship with G42 now more than ever, two years into the journey. Business Update Building the 'Intelligence Grid' Caption: Peng Xiao, Group Chief Executive Officer of G42, providing a birds-eye-view of G42's startegic priorites In a sweeping and deeply reflective keynote address, G42 Group CEO Peng Xiao called on global partners and employees to embrace artificial intelligence as humanity's most consequential opportunity, and responsibility. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and scientific possibility, Xiao urged the audience to see AI not merely as a technological tool, but as an alternative form of intelligence capable of elevating civilization itself. 'We are entering the golden age of intelligence,' he said, pointing to the convergence of infrastructure, compute, and talent as key to unlocking AI's full societal impact. He highighted that central to G42's future is the Stargate UAE project, and the recently announced 5GW UAE-U.S. AI campus. As G42 marks its seventh anniversary, Xiao positioned the company not as a technology vendor, but as a system-level architect for an AI-powered future, one that requires global cooperation, relentless innovation, and an unwavering commitment to human meaning, purpose, and progress. During the event, Xiao remarked that he would prefer AI to stand for 'Alternative Intelligence' or 'Accelerated Intelligence', reflecting a more dynamic and human-centric view of the technology's potential, rather than the commonly used term 'Artificial Intelligence.' Catalyst Award Marty Edelman receives first Catalyst Award Caption: Peng Xiao, Group Chief Executive Officer at G42, and Faheem Ahamed, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at G42, are handing the first-ever Catalyst Award to Marty Edelman for his lifetime achivements Marty Edelman, G42's Group General Counsel and a long-time advisor to Abu Dhabi's leadership, was honored with the first-ever G42 Catalyst Award , a lifetime achievement recognition celebrating Edelman's pivotal role in shaping G42's most consequential global partnerships. From forging foundational ties with U.S. technology leaders like Microsoft and OpenAI to co-chairing the newly launched G42 Europe & UK unit, Edelman has helped anchor the company's international credibility and strategic reach. As recently highlighted in Bloomberg , Edelman is recognized as a rare and trusted voice helping bridge U.S. and UAE interests, a 'catalyst' behind G42's most ambitious global moves. In response to receiving the award and highlighting the importance of a human centric approach to the development of AI, Marty Edeman maintained, 'progress without purpose, and purpose without values, is a race with no finish line. As we navigate an era shaped by visionary leaders like Peng and Sam it's vital to remember that without us, there is no them. Leadership matters, but so does followership. I'm proud to be the number one follower of our CEO, and grateful to learn something new every single day.' Healthcare & Longevity 'Healthy living should be a birthright, not a privilege', says H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori Caption: H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of DoH-Abu Dhabi, speaking about how Abu Dhabi is building the most advanced health system Caption: Panel with leading experts from DoH – Abu Dhabi, Singularity University, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and M42 H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of DoH – Abu Dhabi, set the tone for the longevity conversation, declaring that extended, healthy living should be a birthright, not a privilege. He detailed how Abu Dhabi is building one of the world's most intelligent health systems, integrating AI, genomics, and population-wide data to predict, prevent, and personalize care long before symptoms appear. From lowering cancer screening ages to redesigning neighborhoods for better well-being, he emphasized that healthspan is being extended by design, not chance. Joining him, H.E. Ibrahim Al Jallaf spotlighted the Department's real-time, AI-powered approach to health risk management, while Dr. Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, urged a shift from 'caring for the sick to caring for life.' Dimitris Moulavasilis, CEO of M42, showcased how AI, wearables, and genomics are already driving lower mortality and precision care across their global network, proof that intelligent health infrastructure is already saving lives. Meanwhile, Dr. Tiffany Vora, a pioneer in longevity science from Singularity University, challenged the audience to rethink aging and equity in healthcare. She called for global collaboration and inclusive innovation to make longevity a public good. Sector Focus Goverment, Energy, and Space Caption: H.E. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security of the UAE, on stage lauding the UAE's recent successes in the space of cyper security Caption: Magdalena Konig, General Counsel at AIQ, Chris Midgley, SVP External Environment at ADNOC, Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers, and Andy Hock, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Cerebras Systems (virtually) Caption: Talal Al Kaissi, EVP Chief Government Affairs & Partnerships Officer at Core42, H.E. Eng. Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General, UAE Space Agency, Greg Wyler, CEO of E-Space, and Karim Sabbagh, MD of Space42 H.E. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE, highlighted the nation's recent milestones in cybersecurity and its growing global leadership in digital trust and resilience. H.E. Eng. Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, joined the session 'Intelligence From Space: The New Frontiers on Earth' to share how space-based intelligence is driving progress across key sectors. Other key discussions included 'AI-Native Nations: Smarter Lives Unlocked,' which explored how countries are embedding AI into national systems, and 'The AI Energy Nexus: Long Live Electric Dreams,' focusing on how AI is revolutionizing the future of clean energy. Technology We are seeing a shift to 'Tech Made in Abu Dhabi' Caption: Alex Kipman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Analog on stage at Supercharged Caption: Robots dancing in-sync to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' on stage Bridging the physical and digital world, Alex Kipman, the visionary founder of Analog and former Microsoft executive behind HoloLens, declared that 'Abu Dhabi is no longer importing innovation, it's producing it.' Part of the G42 ecosystem, Kipman is leading Analog to develop AI-native, edge-computing technologies that are built in Abu Dhabi and designed for the world. His remarks underscored the UAE's shift from tech consumer to tech creator, with Analog at the forefront of building smart systems across mobility, energy, healthcare, and urban infrastructure. Kipman showcased live demos of Analog's latest AI-native, edge-computing solutions, highlighting how the UAE is building technology for global deployment. In a crowd-pleasing moment, eight robodogs performed a perfectly synchronized dance to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now,' offering a glimpse into the immersive, real-world applications of Analog's tech. Responsible AI Building Responsible AI for an Inclusive Future Caption: Faheem Ahamed, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, Baroness Joanna Shields, CEO of Precognition, Dr. Andrew Jackson, Group Chief Responsible AI Officer at G42, and Natasha Crampton, VP Chief Responsible AI Officer (virtually) A powerhouse panel led by Faheem Ahamed tackled one of the most pressing challenges of our time on how to embed responsibility into AI by design. H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi emphasized the UAE's proactive approach to using AI as a tool for preserving and amplifying culture, while Dr. Andrew Jackson highlighted how G42 is localizing large language models to represent voices from the Global South. Meanwhile, Baroness Joanna Shields called for governance to be hardwired into AI systems from the start, not as an afterthought but as a foundation for inclusive progress. Joining remotely, Microsoft's Chief Responsible AI Officer Natasha Crampton shared how close collaboration with G42 is helping scale responsible AI practices globally. The session also spotlighted the upcoming initiatives by the Responsible AI Future Foundation and the AI for Good Lab, including Bee:Wild and climate-focused AI tools, culminating in a global convening on November 5 in Abu Dhabi. AI for Good G42 airs teaser of Bee:wild documentary supported by Angelina Julie, Ellie Golding, and Leonardo Di Caprio Caption: Faheem Ahamed, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, presenting Bee:Wild's latest documentary on stage. In a powerful session on responsible AI, G42's Faheem Ahamed unveiled the story behind Bee:wild, a unique and first-of-its-kind initiative that applies frontier technologies to an urgent ecological crisis: the collapse of global pollinator populations. From deploying geospatial intelligence via Space42 to decoding pollinator biology through M42's multi-omics platforms, Bee:Wild exemplified how AI can serve both planet and people. Supported by a growing global coalition, including social impact filmmakers and voices like Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio, the initiative aims to make the science accessible, the data actionable, and the story unforgettable. 'Responsible AI means more than smart systems, it means conscious contribution,' said Faheem Ahamed, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at G42. 'Bee:wild is proof that AI can do more than disrupt, it can restore. It's a reminder that intelligence without intent is just code, but intelligence with care can change the world.' Human Capital & Talent AI-Powered Teams, Not Titles, Define Work Caption: Maymee Kurian, Group Chief Human Capital & Culture Officer Caption: Josh Bersin, HR thought leaders joined virtually speaking to Maymee Talking to Maymee Kurian Group Chief Human Capital & Culture Officer at G42 about AI-first organizations, global HR thought leader Josh Bersin joined virtually to explore how AI is transforming the operating system of modern organizations, from rigid hierarchies to dynamic, team-based models. Bersin introduced the concept of the 'super worker', individuals empowered by AI to move fluidly across projects, guided by skills and purpose, not job titles. He emphasized that while AI may automate routine tasks, it amplifies the importance of complex problem-solving, human empathy, and creative thinking. For fast-moving, AI-powered companies like G42, Bersin advised embracing agile talent systems, prioritizing cultural alignment in partnerships, and building a resilient, purpose-driven culture. In a world of intelligent machines, human adaptability, curiosity, and emotional intelligence will remain the strategic edge. Marketing & Branding G42 unveils brand refresh and new Intelligence Grid Immersive Digital Experience G42 unveiled a light brand refresh and introduced its upcoming AI-powered website, designed to deliver fully intuitive, personalized experiences. Launching later this year, the platform will use advanced voice and text prompting to guide users through tailored content, bringing G42's Intelligence Grid 2.0 to life as a truly personal interface for discovery and insight. Event Management G42 brings the largest ever screen and the most advanced sound system to the UAE Caption: A view of the 150m mega LED screen from the back of the event Supercharged 2025 delivered many firsts, but none more striking than the immersive experience created through visuals and sound. The event set a new benchmark in the region for production quality, combining stadium-scale engineering with brand storytelling. At its heart: 150 meters of LED screen across five main displays, with a resolution of 34,800 pixels (the equivalent of ten 4K TVs in a row). Eight custom-built kinetic triangles, representing G42's portfolio companies, were suspended on a concert-grade Kinesis rig, flying and rotating in choreographed formations, an ambitious feat usually reserved for global music acts. On the audio front, Supercharged featured the UAE's largest-ever installation of the d&b Soundscape system, delivering hyper-precise 3D audio far beyond the capabilities of Dolby Atmos. This allowed sound to move fluidly across the venue, syncing perfectly with the visuals for a fully immersive environment. The entire production, executed by a 535-person, setting a new standard for what corporate events can be. Employee Engagement 2,400+ Employees and Partners wanted to hear from Peng Caption: (left) Aerial view of the stage where Peng Xiao held his keynote speech; (right) five lucky UAE university students met G42's Group CEO backstage The event concluded with Peng Xiao taking a selfie with over 2,400 UAE-based employees and global partners, capturing the energy of a crowd three times the size of previous Supercharged events. Until midnight, guests then enjoyed a curated Global Food Grid dinner, followed by live performances from David Chesky, and DJ Raphy J, transforming the venue into G42's biggest celebration yet. In the spirit of fostering local talent and sparking interest in the field of AI, five university students joined the attendees through a competitive application process designed to identify emerging talent from across the UAE. About Supercharged 2025: On June 26, 2025, G42 hosted its latest edition of its AI Summit, Supercharged , at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE. It was a day when intelligence met intent. With over 2,400 participants, it brought together the full spectrum of G42's ecosystem: employees, global partners, public sector leaders, technologists, and the thinkers reshaping what AI means in the real world. This wasn't a typical tech event. It was where conversations went deeper and more personal. Where principles met pressure-testing. And where participants challenged one another to move from potential to practice – safely, responsibly, and in service of the public good. This year's theme, 'Building the Intelligence Grid: The Present and Future of AI-Enabled Civilizations,' reflected a fundamental shift in the role of AI. At the centre of that shift was the Intelligence Grid – a distributed network of data centres, compute capabilities, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity services, and AI models designed to plug into real-world needs across healthcare, energy, mobility, and more. Turning AI into a super-utility: always on and accessible, always learning, and designed to serve and scale. Throughout the day, from keynotes and panels to informal conversations, participants explored how intelligence is becoming the connective tissue of modern life. The program ran from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., followed by dinner and evening entertainment. Because Supercharged wasn't just about what was said on stage, it was about the ideas that emerged offstage. The ones shaping what's next. Curated Highlights: To better support editors and journalists covering distinct news verticals, we've distilled key moments from Supercharged 2025 into three thematic categories: Business & Technology, Lifestyle, and UAE News (more information for each can be found in the corresponding sections above or shared by our agency). Business & Technology Supercharged 2025 spotlighted G42's evolution into a global AI systems architect, with fireside chat appearances by Microsoft's Brad Smith and OpenAI's Sam Altman, reinforcing strategic alignment. Central to the event was G42's vision for the 'Intelligence Grid,' a distributed network of AI models, data centers, and compute infrastructure already taking shape through initiatives like Stargate UAE and the 5GW UAE–U.S. AI Campus. The summit also featured breakthroughs from AI-native firm Analog and G42's new Intelligence Grid interactive and immersive experience. UAE News High-level UAE leadership played a central role at the event, with H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori (DoH), H.E. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti (Cybersecurity Council), and H.E. Eng. Salem Al Qubaisi (UAE Space Agency) all contributing insights. The program demonstrated Abu Dhabi's commitment to global leadership in health, space, cybersecurity, and responsible AI. Additionally, H.E. Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health, DoH – Abu Dhabi and H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, attended dedicated sessions. High-level UAE leadership played a central role at the event, with H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori (DoH), H.E. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti (Cybersecurity Council), and H.E. Eng. Salem Al Qubaisi (UAE Space Agency) all contributing insights. The program demonstrated Abu Dhabi's commitment to global leadership in health, space, cybersecurity, and responsible AI. Additionally, H.E. Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health, DoH – Abu Dhabi and H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, attended dedicated sessions. Lifestyle Beyond AI, Supercharged 2025 offered a fully immersive cultural and sensory experience with a curated 'Global Food Grid' dining journey, live performances by David Chesky, and a trailer for the Bee:wild documentary, which features Angelina Jolie and Ellie Goulding. Now part of Re:wild, Leonardo DiCaprio's conservation NGO, the initiative highlights global efforts to protect pollinators and biodiversity. It was a celebration of creativity, sustainability, and tech-driven storytelling. Full Days Agenda: Time Agenda Item Session Title Speakers 08:00 09:00 ARRIVAL OF GUESTS 09:00 09:10 Intro & Welcome 'Welcome to Supercharged' Faheem Ahamed, Group CMO, G42 09:10 10:00 Keynote 'G42 Journey and Future of Industry' Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42 10:00 10:30 Fireside Chat 'The Intelligence Grid: Lives Lifted Everywhere' Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42, Brad Smith, President and Vice Chairman, Microsoft 10:35 11:30 BREAK 11:30 12:00 Panel 'The AI Energy Nexus: Long Live Electric Dreams' Moderated by Magdalena Konig, General Counsel, AIQ Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO, Khazna Chris Midgley, SVP, Energy Intelligence & Outlooks, ADNOC Andy Hock, Chief Product & Strategy Officer, Cerebras Systems 12:00 12:05 Opening Remarks 'The Intelligence to Live Longer, Better' H.E. Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi 12:05 12:45 Panel 'The Leap to Longevity: Forever Healthy' Moderated by Amandeep Bhangu, Presenter & Moderator Voice Media London H.E. Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Executive Director of Digital Health, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi Dr. Tiffany Vora, Expert & Singularity Fellow in Biotechnology, Singularity University and Non-resident Senior Fellow at the GeoTech Center for the Atlantic Council. PhD. Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Dimitris Moulavasilis, CEO, M42 12:45 13:15 Panel 'Intelligence From Space: The New Frontiers on Earth' Moderated by Talal M. Al Kaissi, EVP, Chief Government Affairs & Partnerships Officer – Core42 & Group Chief Global Affairs Officer, G42 Karim Sabbagh, MD, Space42 H.E. Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General, UAE Space Agency Greg Wyler, Founder, CEO & Chief Architect, E-Space 13:15 15:05 LUNCH BREAK 15:05 15:45 Panel 'AI-Native Nations: Smarter Lives Unlocked' Moderated by Brian Lott, Group Chief Communications Officer, Mubadala Opening Remarks by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council Thomas Pramotedham, CEO, Presight Kiril Evtimov, Group CTO, G42 & CEO, Core 42 Rod Solaimani, Middle East Policy & Partnerships Lead, OpenAI 15:45 16:25 Panel 'Responsible Intelligence: Igniting The Future' Moderated Faheem Ahamed, Group CMO, G42 H.E. Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO, Emirates Foundation Andrew Jackson, Group Chief AI Officer Baroness Joanna Shields, Founder and CEO of Precognition Natasha Crampton, VP, Chief Responsible AI Officer, Microsoft 16:25 16:30 Bee:Wild documentary presentation Faheem Ahamed 16:30 17:30 BREAK 17:30 18:00 Keynote 'The AI-Physical AI Revolution: More Than Humans' Alex Kipman, CEO, Analog 18:00 18:30 Fireside Chat 'AI First Organizations: Augmented Thought Leadership' Maymee Kurian, Group Chief Human Capital & Culture Officer, G42 Josh Bersin, Founder and CEO, The Josh Bersin Company 18:30 19:00 Closing Remarks Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42 Sam Altman, Founder and CEO, OpenAI 19:00 21:00 DINNER Across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between, Supercharged guests will experience the Global Food Grid – a curated culinary journey celebrating the richness of global traditions. Guests can choose between four immersive dining paths, each inspired by a different region of the world: the Middle East and India, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Performance by acclaimed composer David Chesky and his Jazz Trio band 21:00 00:00 EVENING ENTERTAINMENT 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM Raphy J, an Amsterdam-born open format DJ and music producer, will bring his global sound to the stage. With a career spanning London, New York, LA, and now Dubai, Raphy J is known for his genre-spanning performances—seamlessly mixing Pop, R&B, Afrobeats, House, Latin, Arabic, and Hindi music. His sets have lit up stages at venues like Expo 2020, Time Out Market, and the Museum of the Future. ABOUT G42 : G42 is a technology holding group and a global leader in creating visionary artificial intelligence for a better tomorrow. Born in Abu Dhabi and operating worldwide, G42 champions AI as a powerful force for good across industries. From molecular biology to space exploration and everything in between, G42 realizes exponential possibilities today. Media contact: TrailRunner International – G42@ .
WIRED
17 hours ago
- Business
- WIRED
OpenAI's Unreleased AGI Paper Could Complicate Microsoft Negotiations
Jun 27, 2025 3:35 PM The partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft in many ways hinges on the definition of artificial general intelligence, creating a tension that has spilled over into OpenAI research that has not been made public. Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI Inc., during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Photograph:A small clause inside OpenAI's contract with Microsoft, once considered a distant hypothetical, has now become a flashpoint in one of the biggest partnerships in tech. The clause states that if OpenAI's board ever declares it has developed artificial general intelligence (AGI), it would limit Microsoft's contracted access to the startup's future technologies. Microsoft, which has invested more than $13 billion in OpenAI, is now reportedly pushing for the removal of the clause and is considering walking away from the deal entirely, according to the Financial Times. Late last year, tensions around AGI's suddenly pivotal role in the Microsoft deal spilled into a debate within OpenAI over an internal research paper, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. Titled 'Five Levels of General AI Capabilities,' the paper outlines a framework for classifying progressive stages of AI technology. By making specific assertions about future AI capabilities, sources claim, the paper could have complicated OpenAI's ability to declare that it had achieved AGI, a potential point of leverage in negotiations. 'We're focused on developing empirical methods to evaluate AGI progress—work that is reproducible, measurable, and useful to the broader field,' OpenAI spokesperson Lindsay McCallum said in a written comment to WIRED. 'The 'Five Levels' was an early attempt at classifying stages and terminology to describe general AI capabilities. This was not a scientific research paper.' Microsoft declined to comment. In a blog post describing its corporate structure, OpenAI notes that AGI 'is excluded from IP licenses and other commercial terms with Microsoft.' OpenAI defines AGI as "a highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work.' The two companies have been renegotiating their agreement as OpenAI prepares a corporate restructuring. While Microsoft wants continued access to OpenAI's models even if the startup declares AGI before the partnership ends in 2030, one person familiar with the partnership discussions tells WIRED that Microsoft doesn't believe OpenAI will reach AGI by that deadline. But another source close to the matter describes the clause as OpenAI's ultimate leverage. Both sources have been granted anonymity to speak freely about private discussions. According to the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI has even considered whether to invoke the clause based on an AI coding agent. The talks have grown so fraught that OpenAI has reportedly discussed if it should publicly accuse Microsoft of anticompetitive behavior, per the Journal. A source familiar with the discussions, granted anonymity to speak freely about the negotiations, says OpenAI is fairly close to achieving AGI; Altman has said he expects to see it during Donald Trump's current term. That same source suggests there are two relevant definitions: First, OpenAI's board can unilaterally decide the company has reached AGI as defined in its charter, which would immediately cut Microsoft off from accessing the technology or revenue derived from AGI; Microsoft would still have rights to everything before that milestone. Second, the contract includes a concept of sufficient AGI, added in 2023, which defines AGI as a system capable of generating a certain level of profit. If OpenAI asserts it has reached that benchmark, Microsoft must approve the determination. The contract also bars Microsoft from pursuing AGI on its own or through third parties using OpenAI's IP. Bloomberg previously reported on the existence of the 'Five Levels' paper, and that OpenAI was planning to share the scale with its outside investors, though it was considered at the time as a 'work in progress.' OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and chief research officer Mark Chen have spoken about the five levels of AI capabilities in various interviews since. A version of the paper dated September 2024 viewed by WIRED details a five-step scale for measuring how advanced AI systems are, citing other research that claims many of OpenAI's models at that point were at Level 1, defined as 'An AI that can understand and use language fluently and can do a wide range of tasks for users, at least as well as a beginner could and sometimes better.' It notes that some models at the time were approaching Level 2, which the authors define as 'An AI that can do more advanced tasks at the request of a user, including tasks that might take an hour for a trained expert to do.' The paper deliberately avoids giving a single definition of AGI, arguing the term is too vague and binary, and instead opts for using a spectrum of capabilities to describe increasingly general and capable AI systems. The paper doesn't predict when OpenAI's systems will reach each of the five levels, but it does predict how each step up in capabilities could change different facets of society, including education, jobs, science, and politics, warning about new risks as AI tools become more powerful and independent. In a podcast with YCombinator president and CEO Garry Tan in November, Altman said that the company's o1 model could be defined as Level 2, and he expects they'll reach Level 3 'faster than people expect.' Last July, a coauthor of the paper gave a presentation of the research at an internal event where teams highlighted their most important projects for research-wide awareness, according to multiple sources. The research was well received by other staffers, one source added. Sources also believe that the paper seemed to be in final stages, and the company had hired a copy editor to finalize the work late last year along with generating visuals for a blog announcing the paper. OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft was cited internally as one reason to hold off on publishing the paper, according to multiple sources who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity as they were not permitted to speak to the press. Another source says that discussions with Microsoft were often 'mentioned as a blocker for putting the paper out.' McCallum said in a comment to WIRED that 'it's not accurate to suggest we held off from sharing these ideas to protect the Microsoft partnership.' Another source familiar with the matter said that the paper wasn't released because it didn't meet technical standards. 'I think mostly the question of what AGI is doesn't matter,' Altman said at a conference in early June 'It is a term that people define differently; the same person often will define it differently.'
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AI Daily: Meta poaches researchers from OpenAI
Catch up on the top artificial intelligence news and commentary by Wall Street analysts on publicly traded companies in the space with this daily recap compiled by The Fly: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter WHATSAPP: Meta's (META) WhatsApp introduced Message Summaries, a new option that uses Meta AI to privately and quickly summarize unread messages in a chat, so users can get an idea of what is happening, before reading the details in their unread messages. 'Message Summaries uses Private Processing technology, which allows Meta AI to generate a response without Meta or WhatsApp ever seeing your messages or the private summaries,' the company said in a blog post. 'No one else in the chat can see that you summarized unread messages either. This means your privacy is protected at all times. For those interested in learning more about the technical details behind Private Processing, we invite you to read our engineering blog and technical whitepaper.' Message Summaries is rolling out in the English language to people in the United States, and Meta said it hopes to bring it to other languages and countries later this year. META POACHES OPENAI RESEARCHERS: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has hired three AI researchers from Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI to help with his superintelligence efforts, the Wall Street Journal's Meghan Bobrowsky reported. The social media giant poached Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov and Xiaohua Zhai from OpenAI's Zurich office, the author says, citing people familiar with the matter. The three staff established the Zurich office late last year, the author noted. UBS RAISES META TARGET: UBS raised the firm's price target on Meta Platforms to $812 from $683 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. Meta is benefiting from consumer and advertiser demand for AI, and there is a longer term opportunity for the company to extract incremental revenue from various AI products, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Meta is also not necessarily exposed to the danger of what may be slower-than-anticipated enterprise AI spend, as it is the primary user of its own technology, UBS says. OPENAI CONTRACT TALKS: OpenAI and Microsoft are in contract negotiations that hinge on when OpenAI's systems will reach artificial general intelligence, The Wall Street Journal's Berber Jin reported. The contract stipulates that OpenAI can limit Microsoft's access to its tech when its systems reach AGI, which Microsoft is fighting. Microsoft hopes to remove the AGI clause or secure exclusive access to OpenAI's IP even after AGI is declared, according to the report. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had a 'super nice' call with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Monday and discussed their future working partnership, Altman said this week in a New York Times podcast. 'Obviously in any deep partnership, there are points of tension and we certainly have those,' Altman said. 'But on the whole, it's been like really wonderfully good for both companies.' AI CO-INNOVATION LAB: Microsoft, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and TitletownTech announced on Wednesday the opening of an AI co-innovation lab on the UWM campus. This marks Microsoft's first AI co-innovation lab with a dedicated focus on manufacturing innovation. The lab's launch comes one year after Microsoft's landmark investment to build AI infrastructure in Wisconsin. Operating out of a temporary home on the UWM campus over the past year, the lab worked with a handful of companies from across Wisconsin to build AI solutions. 'A year ago, alongside our $3.3 billion infrastructure investment, we committed to using the power of AI to help advance the next generation of manufacturing companies, skills and jobs in Wisconsin and across the country,' said Rima Alaily, corporate vice president and general counsel, infrastructure legal affairs at Microsoft. 'Thanks to our partnership with WEDC, TitletownTech and UWM, we're delivering on this commitment. With access to cutting-edge AI technology and technical guidance to bring their ideas to life, we can't wait to see what Wisconsin companies will build.' MORGAN STANLEY RAISES MICROSOFT TARGET: Morgan Stanley raised the firm's price target on Microsoft to $530 from $482 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares after the firm updated its capex-implied AI revenue analysis and its OpenAI model detailing the contribution to Azure. While investors continue to debate the 'Return on Investment' of rising capital expenditures, the firm sees the yields on Microsoft's investments in Generative AI 'becoming increasingly apparent,' says the analyst, who expresses increased confidence in upside to Azure forecasts. Microsoft's 'prime position for the upcoming GenAI innovation cycle matched with solid execution is driving an acceleration in the Azure business,' the analyst argues. GEMINI CLI: Alphabet's (GOOG) Google announced introduced Gemini CLI, or command line interface, an open-source AI agent that brings the power of Gemini directly into a user's terminal. 'It provides lightweight access to Gemini, giving you the most direct path from your prompt to our model,' the company said. 'While it excels at coding, we built Gemini CLI to do so much more. It's a versatile, local utility you can use for a wide range of tasks, from content generation and problem solving to deep research and task management. We've also integrated Gemini CLI with Google's AI coding assistant, Gemini Code Assist, so that all developers – on free, Standard, and Enterprise Code Assist plans – get prompt-driven, AI-first coding in both VS Code and Gemini CLI.' GOOGLE CLOUD/PEARSON: Google Cloud and Pearson (PSO) announced a multi-year strategic collaboration to accelerate new AI-powered products and services that personalize learning for students, empower educators with insights, and help improve educational outcomes. The partnership will deliver richer content and more engaging learning experiences for students using Pearson AI products and services, especially in the K-12 space. In addition, Google for Education and Pearson will collaborate on go-to-market activities and explore opportunities for integration across their product suites. UBS SEES 'RISK' WITH POSSIBLE APPLE-PERPLEXITY DEAL: UBS reiterated a Neutral rating and $210 price target on Apple (AAPL) after media reported that the company is weighing either acquiring Perplexity AI or partnering with the company and adding it as a search engine option within Safari as well as integrating functionality into Siri. While a partnership or integration of Perplexity with Apple's platform has been discussed for a year, an acquisition would be the largest transaction in Apple's history and comes with some risk, the analyst tells investors in a research note. While paying at least $14B is a 'manageable risk,' Apple's track record in integrating larger acquisitions has been mixed, the analyst says, adding that Perplexity has faced allegations of unauthorized content use and plagiarism. The firm added that, given Apple's AI efforts have been a bit underwhelming, it believes a deal would likely be construed as defensive in nature, not a positive catalyst. Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on META: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Asana (ASAN) Names Dan Rogers Its New CEO Meta hires three OpenAI researchers, WSJ reports Meta Platforms to receive additional 791 MW from Invenergy for data centers Meta introduces AI-powered Message Summaries for WhatsApp Meta Stock in Focus as it Nabs OpenAI Researchers and Wins AI Copyright Lawsuit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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Winnipeg Muslim woman felt 'humiliated' when forced to remove hijab in Toronto airport
A Winnipeg woman is speaking out after she was forced to remove her hijab while trying to board a Flair Airlines flight. Kazi Amin flew to Bangladesh with her husband and children to visit their family. On her return flight, she had to change planes at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Amin cleared customs, but said she was stopped by an employee when she tried to board her plane. The airline employee took my passport, looked at my passport, looked at me, and said that my passport doesn't match my face, so I have to remove my [hijab], said Amin. A hijab is a religious garment worn by some Muslim women. Amin and her husband tried to explain that the hijab can't be taken off for religious reasons, but staff wouldn't listen. Amin said she felt humiliated and helpless. I don't know what else I could do. I removed my hijab in public.… We are not allowed to remove our hijab in public. We can only remove our hijab in front of our family, Amin said. Kazi Amin, right, and her daughter Afsara Raidah are speaking out after an employee forced Amin to remove her hijab before she was allowed to board a Flair Airlines flight. (Tyson Koschik/CBC) Photo: (Tyson Koschik/CBC) Amin's passport photo was taken in 2016 before she wore a hijab. She said Flair Airlines told her to remove it because her hair looked different in the passport photo. Amin's daughter Afsara Raidah said that's not a reasonable excuse. I'm blond right now. I can go back to being dark-haired — so is she going to go and make me bleach my hair right then and there before I board the aircraft? It doesn't make sense, said Raidah. Amin had already cleared customs and security when she was asked to take off the head scarf. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's website says passengers don't have to remove religious head coverings unless it causes an alarm during screening. The guidelines go on to say if a physical search is required, passengers are supposed to be given the option to have that search conducted in a private room. Amin said she wasn't given that option. Flair Airlines says the worker is employed by Flair's ground partner, AGI. (Gary Solilak/CBC) Photo: (Gary Solilak/CBC) Flair said the employee is on leave and there is an investigation underway. It said the worker is employed by Flair's ground partner, AGI. While the individual involved is employed by AGI, our ground handling partner, not Flair Airlines directly, we expect all service partners to uphold the same standards of respect, professionalism and non-discrimination that we require of our own team, Flair Airlines CEO Maciej Wilk said in a statement to CBC News. AGI has issued a formal apology to the passenger. Raidah said the apology is vague. She posted it on social media so people could see it, and said she would have liked to see it address her mother directly. There's a lot of other people that have gone through a similar situation, and it's not just Muslim women, said Raidah. Staff should be trained properly, making sure that they're meeting ethics and following Transport Canada's protocols. Raidah says she's talking with her lawyer about taking legal action against Flair Airlines for the incident. Winnipeg woman forced to remove her hijab in Toronto airport Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? A Winnipeg woman is speaking out after she was told to remove her hijab before she could board a Flair Airlines flight. Mike Arsenault (new window) · CBC News
