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Perplexity Considers Entering the Hardware Market

2024-11-26

Perplexity, the renowned AI-powered search engine, has taken a significant step towards hardware development. Aravind Srinivas, the founder and CEO of Perplexity, recently posted on X about considering creating a "simple, under $50" device that can reliably answer questions through voice. This move has sparked a lot of interest and speculation in the tech industry.

Unlock the Power of AI with Perplexity's Hardware Venture

Perplexity's Hardware Ambitions

Perplexity's foray into hardware is a bold move that holds great potential. With Aravind Srinivas at the helm, the company is aiming to provide a user-friendly device that can seamlessly integrate with the power of AI. The idea of a "simple, under $50" device is particularly appealing as it makes advanced technology accessible to a wider audience. Such a device could revolutionize the way we interact with information and solve problems. 1: The potential of this hardware venture lies in its ability to offer a reliable and efficient way to obtain answers. By leveraging the capabilities of AI, Perplexity can provide accurate and detailed responses to a wide range of questions. Whether it's for personal use or in a professional setting, this device has the potential to become an essential tool. 2: Moreover, the under $50 price tag makes it an attractive option for consumers who may be hesitant to invest in more expensive AI devices. It offers a cost-effective solution without compromising on quality or performance. This could open up new markets and opportunities for Perplexity.

The Landscape of AI Hardware

In recent years, hardware has become a hot topic among high-profile AI startups. The allure of hardware lies not only in its cachet but also in the potential for new forms of interaction. Companies like Midjourney and OpenAI have already made significant strides in this area. Midjourney formed a hardware team in August, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is working with ex-Apple design chief Jony Ive on an AI hardware project. 1: These examples show that there is a growing recognition of the importance of hardware in the AI space. New form factors can enable more intuitive and immersive interactions with AI, leading to a better user experience. Perplexity's entry into this arena adds to the competition and innovation in the field. 2: However, it's important to note that hardware development is not without its challenges. As seen with other AI device ventures, such as Rabbit and Humane, there are risks involved. Rabbit's R1, one of the most successful AI devices in recent years, is now available at steep discounts on eBay, indicating potential issues with market demand and delivery. Humane's Ai Pin, on the other hand, faced severe criticism and had to recall units due to safety issues.

Perplexity's Financial Advantage

Perplexity has a significant financial advantage with a lot of cash in the bank and is close to raising around half a billion dollars. This provides the company with the resources needed to invest in hardware development and bring its product to market. 1: Having sufficient funds allows Perplexity to focus on research and development, ensuring that the hardware meets the highest standards. It also gives the company the flexibility to make necessary adjustments and improvements along the way. 2: Additionally, a large financial cushion can help Perplexity weather any potential setbacks or challenges that may arise during the hardware development process. It provides a safety net and increases the chances of success.In conclusion, Perplexity's foray into hardware is a significant development that has the potential to reshape the AI landscape. With its strong financial position and innovative approach, the company is well-positioned to make a mark in the hardware market. However, it will need to navigate the challenges and risks associated with hardware development to achieve true success.

OpenAI, through its nonprofit org, is making significant strides in academic research. In a filing with the IRS, it was disclosed that a grant was awarded to Duke University researchers for the "Research AI Morality" project. This move aims to train algorithms to predict human moral judgements in various scenarios involving conflicts among morally relevant features in different fields.

Unraveling the Complexity of Predicting Moral Judgements with OpenAI's Funding

OpenAI's Grant to Duke University

In a filing with the IRS, OpenAI Inc., its nonprofit arm, revealed that a grant was given to Duke University researchers for the "Research AI Morality" project. This initiative is part of a larger, three-year, $1 million grant aimed at studying "making moral AI." While little is publicly known about this "morality" research other than its 2025 end date, it holds great potential. The principal investigator, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, a practical ethics professor at Duke, couldn't provide details when contacted. However, he and his co-investigator, Jana Borg, have conducted several studies and even written a book about AI's potential as a "moral GPS" to assist humans in making better judgements. They have created a "morally-aligned" algorithm to help determine kidney donation recipients and studied scenarios where people prefer AI to make moral decisions.

The Goal of the OpenAI-Funded Work

According to the press release, the objective of this OpenAI-funded research is to train algorithms to predict human moral judgements in complex scenarios. These scenarios involve conflicts among morally relevant features in medicine, law, and business. It is a challenging task as morality is a nuanced concept that may not be easily achievable with current technology. In 2021, the nonprofit Allen Institute for AI built a tool called Ask Delphi, which aimed to provide ethically sound recommendations. It performed well in judging basic moral dilemmas, such as knowing that cheating on an exam is wrong. However, slight rephrasing of questions could lead Delphi to approve of almost anything, including the unthinkable act of smothering infants.

The Limitations of Modern AI Systems

Modern AI systems, such as machine learning models, are statistical machines. Trained on a vast amount of data from the web, they learn patterns to make predictions. But they lack an appreciation for ethical concepts and an understanding of the reasoning and emotions involved in moral decision-making. This is why AI often parrots the values of Western, educated, and industrialized nations, as the web and its training data are dominated by articles endorsing these viewpoints. Many people's values are not expressed in AI's answers, especially if they don't contribute to the training sets by posting online. AI also internalizes biases beyond a Western bent, as seen in Delphi's view that being straight is more "morally acceptable" than being gay.

The Challenge of Morality's Subjectivity

The challenge before OpenAI and the researchers it is backing is exacerbated by the inherent subjectivity of morality. Philosophers have been debating ethical theories for thousands of years, and there is no universally applicable framework yet. Claude leans towards Kantianism, focusing on absolute moral rules, while ChatGPT slightly favors utilitarianism, prioritizing the greatest good for the greatest number. Determining which approach is superior depends on individual perspectives. An algorithm to predict human moral judgements must consider all these factors. It is a very high bar to clear, and it remains to be seen if such an algorithm is even possible.TechCrunch has an AI-focused newsletter! Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday.

Softbank-backed Meesho has made a significant move in the e-commerce space by introducing what it claims to be the first GenAI-powered voice bot among Indian e-commerce firms. This innovative solution aims to enhance customer support while also cutting down expenses by a substantial 75%. GenAI, or generative AI, involves training models on extensive data to generate and parse content, specifically in the form of the human voice.

Revolutionize Customer Support with Meesho's GenAI Voice Bot

Customer Support on a New Level

The Bengaluru-based e-commerce startup, Meesho, which has over 160 million customers in India, with 80% in smaller cities and towns, has been focusing heavily on customer support. Currently, its AI bot handles an impressive 60,000 customer calls daily in English and Hindi. With plans to add support for six more Indian languages, Meesho is expanding its reach. Sanjeev Barnwal, co-founder and chief technology officer, emphasizes the importance of getting customer support right to create the best experience for users. 1: Meesho has chosen to combine existing large language models (LLMs) with custom-built components that understand local context and language nuances. This approach allows them to provide efficient customer support without building their own LLM. As Barnwal explains, the off-the-shelf LLMs available are already performing well in Hindi and English. 2: In a demo, it became evident that the system had to overcome several technical hurdles. Voice quality is crucial as many users have low-end smartphones and are in noisy environments like on busy streets. The bot has been engineered to reduce latency and filter out street noise while maintaining natural-sounding conversations.

Cost Savings and Query Resolution

Meesho has achieved significant cost savings through the AI bot. By reducing per-call expenses by 75%, the company is able to allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, the bot has a remarkable 95% query resolution rate, with only 5% of calls requiring human intervention. This not only saves time but also improves customer satisfaction by 10%. 1: The e-commerce firm, which recently generated positive cash flow, is leveraging this technology to offer round-the-clock customer support. This ensures that customers can get assistance at any time, enhancing their overall shopping experience. 2: Meesho also mentioned that the voice bot has reduced the average customer call handling time by half. This allows the company to handle a larger volume of calls and provide faster responses to customers.

Human Agents and Policy Guidelines

While the AI bot is highly efficient, Meesho is clear that it is not meant to replace human agents. Instead, human agents are redirected to handle more complex queries and offer seller support. Another challenge is ensuring that the AI sticks to strict guidelines about policies like returns and refunds. Meesho is working on maintaining the balance between automation and human interaction to provide the best service. 1: This approach recognizes the value of human expertise in handling certain situations and ensures that customers receive personalized assistance when needed. 2: By combining the capabilities of AI and human agents, Meesho is able to offer a comprehensive customer support system that meets the diverse needs of its customers.The rollout of Meesho's GenAI-powered voice bot highlights India's tech companies' race to deploy AI for increased efficiency. As Hemant Mohapatra from Lightspeed mentioned, building foundational models requires significant talent, and companies are focusing on playing the wars they are capable of winning. Meesho's success with this initiative sets an example for others in the industry.