OpenAI-Backed Figure 02 Challenges Tesla in the Humanoid Race

Author

Damon James
August 08, 2024

August 8th, 2024

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Thanks again for reading - I appreciate all of you. Let’s dive into today’s newsletter:

Read Time: 10 Minutes

Today’s Menu

  • OpenAI-Backed Figure 02 Challenges Tesla in the Humanoid Race

  • RaceCrypto Rebounds but Memecoins Steal the Show

TODAY IN AI

OpenAI-Backed Figure 02 Challenges Tesla in the Humanoid Race

OpenAI-backed startup Figure AI has unveiled Figure 02, a next-gen AI-powered humanoid robot capable of autonomous work in complex environments like a BMW factory.

The robot uses OpenAI’s AI models for speech-to-speech reasoning, allowing it to hold conversations with humans, and features a Vision Language Model (VLM) for quick decision-making based on visual input.

With 360-degree vision, a 5'6" frame, and a 20-hour runtime, Figure 02 is being touted as the “most advanced humanoid on the planet,” directly challenging Elon Musk's Tesla Optimus.

I’ve watched a few videos of this new Figure 02 and it’s honestly WILD. One of the great new updates in the world of robots is that many robots are now being trained by watching humans (rather than through coding). This makes onboarding employee robots very similar to onboarding human employees. There’s a lot of focus on the manufacturing industry right now, especially for repetitive, tedious, and dangerous jobs.

Today In Crypto

Crypto Rebounds but Memecoins Steal the Show

Cryptocurrencies continued to recover from Monday's crash, with Bitcoin trading above $57,000, up over 4% in the last 24 hours. The Bank of Japan's decision to maintain low borrowing costs provided relief for investors, boosting the broader crypto market by over 5%, led by Solana's SOL surging nearly 10%.

Meanwhile, memecoins from the Solana ecosystem, such as popcat (POPCAT) and dogwifhat (WIF), jumped over 30%, outpacing other major memecoins like DOGE and PEPE.

CoinShares also reported significant profits in Q2, despite a substantial loss in asset value due to market pullbacks.

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