Innovation Profs - 1/14/2025

Your weekly guide to generative AI tools and news

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Innovation Profs
January 16, 2025

New Workshop: ChatGPT Deep Dive

Join the Innovation Profs for a Deep Dive on ChatGPT Workshop Feb. 7 at Drake University (or join us virtually). This workshop will explore all of the features of ChatGPT - from text to images to projects and custom GPTs. Sign up today to get the early bird rate.

Latest Gen AI News

AI researcher François Chollet founds a new AI lab focused on AGI | TechCrunch

François Chollet, an influential AI researcher, is launching a new startup that aims to build frontier AI systems with novel designs.

techcrunch.com/2025/01/15/ai-researcher-francois-chollet-founds-a-new-ai-lab-focused-on-agi

Inside Meta’s race to beat OpenAI: ‘We need to learn how to build frontier and win this race’

A trove of newly released documents reveals Meta’s plans to use book piracy site LibGen to train its AI models.

www.theverge.com/2025/1/14/24343692/meta-lawsuit-copyright-lawsuit-llama-libgen

Working with The Associated Press to provide fresh results for the Gemini app

The AP will now deliver a feed of real-time information to help enhance the accuracy of results displayed in the Gemini app.

blog.google/products/news/associated-press-gemini-app

She Is in Love With ChatGPT

A 28-year-old woman with a busy social life spends hours on end talking to her A.I. boyfriend for advice and consolation. And yes, they do have sex.

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/technology/ai-chatgpt-boyfriend-companion.html?unlocked_article_code=1.pU4.hcBc.U9rFeBkswKnU

OpenAI's AI reasoning model 'thinks' in Chinese sometimes and no one really knows why | TechCrunch

OpenAI's o1 'reasoning' model sometimes switches to Chinese and other languages as it reasons through problems, and AI experts don't know exactly why.

techcrunch.com/2025/01/14/openais-ai-reasoning-model-thinks-in-chinese-sometimes-and-no-one-really-knows-why

ChatGPT can now handle reminders and to-dos

ChatGPT just got a new automation feature for future tasks.

www.theverge.com/2025/1/14/24343528/openai-chatgpt-repeating-tasks-agent-ai

Tool of the week: Grok AI App

Grok launched as a standalone iOS app this week, positioning the xAI chatbot as a formidable competitor to ChatGPT and Gemini.

The new iOS app from xAI offers access to their latest AI model without needing an X account or subscription. Users can log in via Apple, Google, X accounts, or email, choosing between free and premium tiers. Key features include image generation, text summarization, and real-time web and X data access. Notably, Grok's search capabilities have been enhanced to include older posts from any user within the X platform.

AI-generated image of the week

We mentioned that Grok is now available to use for free as an iOS app. Also, it has fewer limitations than most image generation tools. We were able to create an image of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce - something tools like Midjourney, Imagen and DALL-E will not allow (but did allow in the past). 

Prompt: create an image of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce on a date eating Kansas City BBQ

Get starting with Generative AI

New to generative AI? Here are some places to start…

What we found

Perplexity has launched Perplexity Sports, with “real-time updates, game schedules, play-by-play breakdowns, plus the latest hype.” It appears to be limited to NFL playoff games currently.