Sora v2 release is impending

PLUS: OpenAI Employee Claims AGI Is Here

Author

Barsee
09 Dec

Together with

Howdy! It’s Barsee again.

Happy Monday, AI family, and welcome back to AI Valley.

In today’s edition:

  • OpenAI signals release of Sora AI

  • OpenAI employee claims AGI is here

  • Plus trending AI tools, posts, and resources

Ready, set, go…

SORA

OpenAI signals release of Sora AI

OpenAI is on the cusp of unveiling an enhanced version of its Sora video generator, integrating sophisticated capabilities like text-to-video, text-and-image-to-video, and text-and-video-to-video generation, accommodating clips up to one minute in duration.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • OpenAI’s Chad Nelson revealed these details during the C21Media event in London, corroborated by recent API leaks indicating a faster, more efficient design.

  • The new OpenAI page currently lists Sora availability by country. We can assume it's coming to ChatGPT very soon.

  • The rollout, potentially aligned with OpenAI’s winter event, could also introduce GPT-4.5 and advanced image-generation updates for GPT-4o.

  • The API leak suggests that the updated version offers a faster, more efficient design, which could make video creation quicker and more accessible for creators.

Competition is growing in text-to-video AI:

OpenAI is not alone in the text-to-video space. Tencent recently introduced Hunyuan-Video, which outperforms rivals like Gen3 and Luma while being fully open-source. Meanwhile, Google has launched Veo, a tool that generates high-quality, high-definition videos based on text or image prompts in a wide range of cinematic and visual styles, all with exceptional speed.

TOGETHER WITH WEB AI

AI Trends Report from webAI: How Local AI is more effective for key business challenges

Local AI eliminates the need for expensive cloud infrastructure by processing data directly on devices like smartphones, laptops, or servers. This approach allows organizations to maintain total control of their data, enhancing security and boosting performance.

But beyond that, local AI solutions also improve business outcomes. From operational efficiency to cost reduction, from security to support to sales, local AI outperforms cloud AI across the board.

Want to learn more about why 300 industry leaders report smoother adoption and higher satisfaction with local AI than cloud AI?

SIDE UPDATES

Image generated by Grok’s Aurora

X's new Aurora tool for Grok generates photorealistic images of public figures and copyrighted characters, such as Ray Romano and Adam Sandler. Available under the Grok 2 + Aurora beta, it offers a few free queries before hitting the X Premium paywall. While a significant step forward, Aurora still has challenges like anatomical flaws.

According to OpenAI’s Vahid Kazemi, their O1 model might meet the broad definition of AGI: “better than most humans at most tasks.” However, critics argue that AGI requires more than efficiency, it needs true agency and self-modifying capabilities to adapt to diverse environments. Some point to advancements like Boston Dynamic’s Atlas, which demonstrates autonomy in workflows, as evidence we’re nearing AGI.

ElevenLabs has introduced GenFM, a tool designed for creating and editing AI-generated podcasts. It supports high-definition audio exports in 32 languages and provides advanced editing tools. The company plans to integrate sound effects and music, aiming to become a major player in the AI podcasting market. With a valuation of $3 billion, ElevenLabs is positioning itself to compete with other platforms like Google’s NotebookLM.

Silicon Valley has invested over $394 million in the 2024 U.S. elections. Major donations from figures like Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen back key political campaigns, with the AI and crypto industries influencing policy outcomes, including supporting a pro-crypto SEC nominee.

The GPT era is evolving. While GPT models excel at text prediction, newer models like OpenAI's o1 focus on reasoning rather than mere predictions. O1 simulates independent thinking by exploring multiple possibilities before answering. Although promising, O1 still requires significant resources and faces challenges in proving its capabilities. Companies like Google and Anthropic are also advancing in this space, signaling a shift toward AI systems that aim to move beyond simple pattern recognition.

Google’s DeepMind has launched GenCast, an AI weather model outperforming traditional systems. It uses over 50 predictions for more accurate forecasts and will be integrated into Google Search and Maps, providing valuable tools for both research and everyday use.

Meta’s Llama 3.3 is a leaner, meaner version of its predecessor, packing the punch of a 405-billion-parameter model into a far more efficient 70 billion parameters. This upgrade slashes GPU memory needs—up to 24 times less load for the same performance—making it a cost-effective choice for developers.

TRENDING TOOLS

  • Thoughtly > AI-powered human like phone agents. Reduce costs, increase efficiency, and seamlessly integrate into your systems. (link) *

  • Plus AI for PowerPoint > The best AI for PowerPoint. (link)

  • Pine > Lower your bills, cancel subscriptions, and resolve customer support issues with AI. (link)

  • SwiftEdit > Lightning fast text-guided image editing via one-step diffusion. (link)

  • Pearl > An AI journal that reflects with you. (link)

*sponsored

THINK PIECES / RESOURCES

  • 15 times to use AI, and 5 not to. (link)

  • You can now use facecam ai to change your face in discord/zoom. (link)

  • How to read a book using o1. (link)

  • Japanese scientists were pioneers of AI, yet they’re being written out of its history. (link)

  • The 70% problem: Hard truths about AI-assisted coding. (link)

CONTENT CORNER

More footage of Clone, the humanoid robot with a skeleton of all 206 human bones made out of myofiber, complete with minor fusions, artificial ligaments, fully articulated joints, and connective tissues. 

Google CEO Sundar Pichai spoke at the NYT DealBook Summit, saying that 2025 may see a slowdown in AI development because ‘low hanging fruit is gone,’ with additional major breakthroughs needed before the next acceleration step.

Monday motivation.

Some big ideas for 2025.

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

That’s all for today’s issue, folks.

💡 Help me get better and suggest new ideas at [email protected] or @heyBarsee

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