
Apple has released the iOS 27 public beta, featuring a major update to its Siri AI assistant. This marks the first time the AI-powered Siri is available to the general public beyond developers. The update transforms Siri into a more advanced tool, capable of accessing device information and responding to queries like modern AI chatbots. Integrated across Apple's ecosystem, the new Siri aims to enhance user interaction without needing to open an app. This public beta provides a preview of Apple's AI capabilities, utilizing proprietary models developed with Google but tailored for Apple devices.
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© TechCrunch AIMiles Wang, an OpenAI researcher, is reportedly leaving to start a new AI-driven drug discovery company, potentially valued at $2 billion. This move highlights the growing trend of applying AI to accelerate breakthroughs in life sciences, with Wang's startup aiming to repurpose existing drugs for new uses. While the funding details are still in flux, the interest from investors like Lightspeed shows the potential impact of AI in the pharmaceutical industry. If successful, Wang's venture could significantly reduce the time and cost associated with bringing new treatments to market.
© TechCrunch AIOpenAI is reportedly developing its first hardware device, a screenless smart speaker that integrates with ChatGPT to offer personalized AI services at home. This device is designed to act as a 'humanlike AI companion,' learning from its owner over time to provide tailored interactions. Unlike traditional smart speakers, it features mechanical elements that can move, aiming to create a more engaging user experience. The development involves former Apple engineers, although OpenAI faces legal challenges from Apple over alleged trade secret violations. This move signals OpenAI's entry into the consumer AI hardware market, potentially setting a new standard for AI-driven home devices.
© TechCrunch AIOpenAI has countered Apple's trade secret lawsuit, asserting that the claims are unfounded. The legal action accuses OpenAI of leveraging confidential information from former Apple employees, including Tang Tan, who previously held a senior role at Apple. OpenAI insists its primary focus is on innovation and denies any interest in acquiring other companies' trade secrets. This legal confrontation comes as OpenAI is reportedly working on a new AI-driven device that could challenge Apple's market position. The case could reshape industry norms regarding intellectual property and the movement of talent between tech giants.
The b10002 release of llama.cpp enhances its functionality by adding new functions to check the contiguity of inner tensor dimensions, which is crucial for developers dealing with complex data structures. This update significantly broadens the range of supported platforms, including macOS, Linux, Windows, and openEuler. Noteworthy improvements include the integration of ROCm 7.2 for Ubuntu and CUDA 13 for Windows, which cater to specific hardware needs. Although some configurations like KleidiAI on Apple Silicon remain disabled, the release marks a step forward in creating a more adaptable AI development environment. Developers can now optimize performance across a wider array of hardware setups, making the tool more versatile and efficient.
The b10004 release of llama.cpp significantly upgrades its Vulkan and CPU backends by fully integrating f16 SET_ROWS, bringing it on par with f32 capabilities. This update includes comprehensive backend tests and addresses Intel platform issues by implementing DenormPreserve 16. While no new models are introduced, the release broadens compatibility across platforms like macOS, Linux, Windows, and Android, enhancing its utility for developers. With ROCm 7.2 and CUDA 12 and 13 support, llama.cpp continues to evolve as a versatile inference runtime, accommodating a wide range of hardware configurations.
The latest llama.cpp release, version b10010, enhances server capabilities with new Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) options, allowing developers to fine-tune web application interactions. This update introduces a unique 'localhost' setting and includes rigorous testing to ensure stability. While the release doesn't feature new model architectures, it significantly broadens compatibility across macOS, Linux, Windows, and openEuler platforms. By focusing on server-side improvements, llama.cpp becomes more adaptable for developers integrating AI into web services, offering greater flexibility in deployment environments.