Meta's Photorealistic Avatar
Meta's codec avatar makes waves, Vegas gets a new sight and ChatGPT's multimodal.
Meta's Digital Renaissance
Meta's latest showcase of their ultra-realistic "codec avatars" seems almost out of science fiction, pushing the boundaries of what virtual reality can achieve. In a podcast recording, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and AI researcher Lex Fridman demonstrated the breathtaking capabilities of these avatars, which not only closely mimic human appearances but also capture minute facial expressions and body language. This new development is a far cry from the initial, less-detailed characters released by Meta, with Zuckerberg noting that they've moved past the eerie "uncanny valley" to create a more organic and immersive user experience.
The podcast further illuminated Meta's broader vision for the metaverse, emphasising how integral artificial intelligence is in this endeavour. Zuckerberg stated the crucial role AI plays in Meta’s extensive product lineup, from Facebook to Oculus. For him, AI not only enriches the metaverse's content but also elevates its performance and quality. In this envisioned future, photorealistic avatars may redefine remote work, gaming, and even our basic social interactions. The tantalising prospect of "teleporting" into virtual spaces and engaging with lifelike avatars of acquaintances could transform the very fabric of human communication. Yet, with such revolutionary prospects come significant challenges, from privacy concerns to technological glitches. Despite these hurdles, Zuckerberg remains optimistic, believing that the authenticity powered by advanced AI will eventually sway even the staunchest sceptics.
It really is mind-boggling how good the graphics are, you can find the full conversation here.
The Sphere
Las Vegas, a city already renowned for its spectacles, has welcomed a new marvel to its skyline – The Sphere. Stemming from a simplistic sketch made by James Dolan, the executive chair of Madison Square Garden, The Sphere has evolved into a $2.3 billion marvel that stands 366 feet high. What started as a mere vision of a futuristic entertainment venue shared between Dolan and David Dibble, CEO of MSG Ventures, has been realised as a game-changer for the entertainment industry in Sin City. The reception to this massive, luminous sphere has been overwhelmingly positive, with many viewing it as a testament to human imagination and technological prowess.
The interior of The Sphere is as awe-inspiring as its exterior. Inside, guests are surrounded by a vast high-resolution LED screen, offering an unrivalled viewing experience. With a seating capacity of 17,600, it is more than just a visual marvel; it's an auditory one as well. With the world's largest concert-grade audio system, audiences can not only hear the performances but "feel" them too, thanks to a unique sound system that allows guests to experience sound vibrations. The venue made a significant debut by hosting the iconic rock band U2, dazzling more than 18,000 attendees with unprecedented visual and sound experiences.
ChatGPT goes Multimodal
OpenAI's ChatGPT has embarked on a groundbreaking update. Now, not only can it engage in in-depth textual conversations, but it has also gained the power to see, hear, and speak. The new features are setting the stage for the dawn of multimodal AI systems - programs that can simultaneously handle texts, images, voice, and potentially even more. By integrating image processing, ChatGPT can provide insights about photos, simplifying tasks like identifying objects or extracting text information from them. Additionally, OpenAI has equipped ChatGPT with a voice feature, reminiscent of Siri and Alexa, but with an astoundingly more fluid conversational ability. While these advancements are currently accessible only to premium subscribers, they signify the boundless possibilities that AI can achieve, not just in the realm of task efficiency, but in fostering deeper, more intuitive human-machine interactions.
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