Hitachi and Microsoft Forge Multibillion-Dollar AI Partnership
Hitachi and Microsoft announce a multibillion-dollar collaboration to advance generative artificial intelligence adoption. The three-year partnership integrates Microsoft Cloud and GitHub Copilot into Hitachi’s Lumada business, targeting $18.9 billion in revenue for the current fiscal year. Microsoft’s investments in Asia, including $2.2 billion in cloud and AI infrastructure in Malaysia, align with the growing demand for data centers and cloud computing in the region. Hitachi plans to train 50,000 generative AI professionals and invest $1.92 billion in AI in fiscal 2024. The partnership focuses on developing digital solutions for manufacturing and logistics sectors, aiming to drive transformative business outcomes across industries.
SAP Expands Joule AI Integration and Collaborates with Microsoft Copilot
SAP is advancing its enterprise cloud solutions by integrating Joule AI copilot into more apps like SAP Ariba and SAP Analytics Cloud. The company plans to train its AI with content from Microsoft 365 through a collaboration with Microsoft Copilot. Joule, launched in September 2023, will support multiple SAP cloud apps, enabling faster processes like proposal creation in SAP Ariba. SAP aims to make Joule multilingual, supporting German, Spanish, French, and Portuguese in addition to English. The integration with Microsoft Copilot will enhance intelligence and provide better recommendations. Employees will have the flexibility to choose between the two AI assistants based on their preferences. SAP also announces partnerships with Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama AI model, and Mistral AI’s large language models to enhance its AI capabilities. Dr. Phillipp Herzig, SAP’s chief AI officer, emphasizes selecting the best technology for customers’ needs, reflecting a vision of openness and flexibility in AI integration.
OpenAI and Google DeepMind Workers Raise Concerns About AI Industry Risks
In a public statement issued on Tuesday, current and former employees of leading AI companies, including OpenAI and Google DeepMind, expressed concerns about the lack of safety oversight in the AI industry. The letter advocates for a “right to warn about artificial intelligence” and highlights the need for increased protections for whistleblowers. It emphasizes the limited obligations of AI companies to share crucial information with governments and civil society, raising alarms about potential risks associated with AI technologies. The letter calls for transparency and accountability, urging companies to refrain from silencing employees who voice safety concerns. The concerns raised by employees come amidst growing fears over the societal impacts of AI advancements and the need for regulatory oversight in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
AI Video Start-ups Rise Amid Big Tech Competition
Pika, an AI video-generation start-up, secures $80 million in funding amidst a $25.9 billion surge in AI investment in Q1 2024. Pika, along with Runway and Synthesia, aims to challenge industry giants like OpenAI and Google in the AI video generation market. Pika’s tool allows users to create videos from text prompts with customization options. Founded by former Stanford AI PhD students, Pika’s team includes researchers from Google, Meta, and Uber. Despite challenges, Pika remains competitive with a lean budget. Concerns about deepfake propaganda persist as AI video tools gain popularity. With a total funding of $135 million, Pika faces increasing competition from Big Tech players like OpenAI venturing into the consumer market.
