Technology
Welcome back to the Weekly Recap. this week, we’re exploring OpenAI’s latest and most extensive model, GPT-4.5, Microsoft discontinuing Skype, how Anthropic has rendered Pokémon Pink obsolete in preparation for its Claude 3.7 sonnet model,the surprising comeback of Fyre Festival,and much more! Let’s delve into it.
OpenAI unveiled the launch of GPT-4.5, the highly awaited AI model codenamed Orion.GPT-4.5 is OpenAI’s largest model thus far, utilizing more computational power and data than any prior releases from the company. CEO Sam Altman even mentioned that OpenAI had to expedite the rollout of this model because the company is “out of GPUs.” Subscribers to the $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan can access GPT-4.5 as part of a testing preview, while ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Team users should expect to gain access next week.
A exhibition from Y Combinator cohort member Optifye.ai ignited significant backlash leading to YC removing it entirely from its social media platforms. according to its YC profile, Optifye claims it’s developing software aimed at helping factory owners identify who is working and who isn’t in “real time” through AI-driven security cameras placed on assembly lines. The video faced heavy criticism on X where user @VCBrags labeled it as “sweatshops-as-a-service” while another called it “computer vision sweatshop software.”
A new enhanced Alexa experiance was introduced by Amazon, known as Alexa+. The new Alexa starts at $19.99 per month which competes well wiht other generative AI chatbots available but will be free for Amazon Prime members.Alexa+ will be launched in early access in the U.S.,starting next month. Additionally, Amazon is rolling out Alexa.com—a new web experience tailored for “remote work”—alongside an updated mobile app featuring a revamped interface and functionalities.
This is TechCrunch’s weekly Recap where we summarize the biggest news stories of the week. Want this delivered as a newsletter straight to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here.
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Image Credits:Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Photos / LightRocket / Getty Photos
Gotta catch ’em all : Anthropic usedthe Game Boy classicPokémon Pinkto benchmarkits latestmodel ,Claude3 .7Sonnet.Themodel successfullybattledthreePokémon gymleadersand earnedtheir badges.Learn more
Perplexity aims torevolutionizebrowsers :The AI-poweredsearch engineis launchingstampsfor Comet , whichis expectedto bean A I web browser.“Just like Perplexity reinventedsearch,we’re also reinventingthe browser,” aspokesperson toldTechCrunch.Lear nmore
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< STRONG ZUCKERBERG FIGHTS THE LEAKS:</ STRONG THE VERGE REPORTS THAT META HAS FIRED ABOUT20 EMPLOYEES FOR LEAKING CONFIDENTIAL DATA.THE ACTION COMES IN RESPONSE TO AN INCREASE OF NEWS STORIES WITH LEAKED VITAL CONTENT ABOUT META'S INTERNAL MEETINGS AND UNDISCLOSED PRODUCT PLANS.<STRONG LEARN MORE
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LUCID MOTORS CEO STEPS DOWN:PETER RAWLINSON IS RESIGNINGFROM HISCEOANDCTO ROLES HE’S HELD SINCE BEFORE LUCIDMOTORS WENT PUBLIC SIX YEARS AGO.ACCORDINGTO REGULATORY FILINGS RAWLINSONHAS ALSO LEFTTHECOMPANY’SBOARD.A<HREF=https:/TECHCRUNCH.COM//252525LUCIDMOTORSCEOPETERRAWLINSON-STEPSDOWN/<STROGLearnMore//A/P
SBF POSTS FROM PRISON:DISGRACEDF TX FOUNDER SAM BANKMAN FRIED MADE HISFIRSTPUBLICPOST ONX IN OVER TWO YEARS AS HE SERVESTHE EARLY DAYS OF HIS25 YEARPRISON SENTENCE.IN THETHREAD HE REFERS TO HIMSELF AS BEING“UNEMPLOYED”.<HREF=https:/TECHCRUNCH.COM///02525SAMBANKMANFRIEDSFIRSTPOSTFROMPRISONISNT EVEN GOOD/A/STROMLEARNMORE/A/
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