MAROKO133 Breaking ai: Cocky AI CEO Does Photoshoot in Front of His Subway Ads That Got Re

📌 MAROKO133 Breaking ai: Cocky AI CEO Does Photoshoot in Front of His Subway Ads T

Last month, AI startup Friend launched an eyebrow-raising advertising campaign in the New York City subway, which drew a striking amount of hatred.

The largely white billboards left a convenient amount of room for passersby to air their feelings about the privacy-infringing tech. As such, it didn’t take long for handwritten scribbles to cover the ads.

“Befriend something alive,” one pen-wielding tagger wrote.

“AI wouldn’t care if you lived or died,” another vandal raged.

“AI will promote suicide when prompted, it is NOT YOUR ‘FRIEND,’” reads another graffito.

The company recently launched its controversial AI gadget, which is designed to constantly listen to you via a microphone and send snarky AI texts to your smartphone.

Now, Friend’s 22-year-old CEO Avi Schiffmann isn’t just doing a photoshoot in front of the defaced ads for photos featured in The Atlantic — he’s relishing the attention his company has been getting as of late.

Schiffmann told the magazine that the backlash was part of Friend’s plan. The ads were allegedly meant to provoke a conversation.

“The picture of the billboard is the billboard,” he said.

“Nothing is sacred anymore, and everything is ironic,” he added, a cringeworthy missive he‘s repeated in several other interviews.

The CEO also denied the company was involved in graffitiing the billboards, a theory inspired by mysteriously verbatim phrases found on multiple of the company’s ads.

Last year, Friend sparked a major discussion surrounding the use of generative AI to replace human connection after sharing a “reveal” video, which featured a woman who spoke to a pendant-like device around her neck and asked it for life advice.

“This is officially the most dystopian advertisement I’ve ever seen,” one YouTube commenter wrote. “Congratulations, you absolute sociopaths.”

Since then, tech journalists at a number of publications have given the device a whirl, finding that it not only leaves a lot to be desired from a features standpoint, but willingly antagonizes its wearer as well.

That’s besides the dystopian privacy implications of a device that’s constantly listening to everything you — and everybody around you — happens to say.

Schiffmann told The Atlantic that the pendant wasn’t meant to replace “any relationship in your life.” Instead, it could be a new category — an amalgamation of your therapist, best friend, and journal.

“This is what I said a while ago, and I don’t think a lot of people liked it, but I would say that the closest relationship this is equivalent to is talking to a god,” he boasted to The Atlantic.

Whether the Friend pendant will ever turn into a meaningful business remains to be seen, especially considering the outpouring of hatred the company’s New York City subway campaign has received.

In other words, it tests the adage that any press is good press. Shiffman, for his part, is sticking with a weird explanation: that it’s actually cheaper for Friend if fewer people use it.

“Profitability is ideal,” Schiffmann told Fortune last week, “but right now it costs me an unfathomable amount of money if you actually use the product.”

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old is already preparing for the worst. His company’s offering would certainly not be the first generative AI wearable to crash and burn in spectacular fashion.

“I think one day we’ll probably be sued, and we’ll figure it out,” he told Fortune. “It’ll be really cool to see.”

More on Friend: AI “Friend” Startup Overwhelmed With Hatred

The post Cocky AI CEO Does Photoshoot in Front of His Subway Ads That Got Relentlessly Vandalized appeared first on Futurism.

🔗 Sumber: futurism.com

📌 MAROKO133 Update ai: Chinese humanoid robot Oli performs classical dance with hu

A robotics company in Shenzhen, China’s thriving innovation hub, blurs the boundaries between art and technology. The city, known for its rapid modernization and futuristic skyline, recently became the stage for a performance that merged classical Chinese dance with robotics. LimX Dynamics’ humanoid robot, Oli, took center stage in a short YouTube video that celebrates this union, blending centuries-old culture with the precision of modern engineering.

The one-minute performance opens with panoramic shots of Shenzhen Bay in the Nanshan District, featuring the city’s iconic skyline and the towering China Resources Headquarters. As the camera sweeps across the urban scenery, viewers are introduced to Oli strolling through Shenzhen Talent Park, China’s first urban park dedicated to the theme of “talent.”

Locals and tourists alike can be seen watching in awe, capturing the scene on their phones as two Oli units walk toward each other and pause side by side, setting the stage for what follows.

And the dance begins 

The performance then transitions into a series of fast-paced cuts and sweeping motions, showcasing human dancers and the humanoid robots moving in perfect harmony. Two traditional Chinese dancers enter the frame, gracefully circling the robots as classical music plays. 

Oli’s movements mimic the elegance of the performers, its arms and hips swaying with fluid precision, echoing the rhythms of the wind. The choreography highlights the robot’s fine motor control, balance, and motion fluidity, with scenes alternating between single and dual-robot performances.

Next, the setting shifts to Gankeng Hakka Town, a preserved historic village in Shenzhen’s mountains. Aerial footage reveals its traditional architecture, and amongst the ancient background, tiled roofs, courtyards, and pavilions, Oli’s modern presence stands out as an irrefutable contrast. 

Within these timeless spaces, the robot joins human performers once again, mirroring their steps in hallways and open courtyards. The video concludes with the music, blending heritage and innovation into one visually arresting finale.

Engineering agility and perception

Behind the artistry lies a feat of advanced engineering. Standing 165 cm tall and weighing 55 kg, Oli is designed with 31 degrees of freedom (DoF), granting it a wide range of natural, human-like motion. Each leg incorporates six DoF, complemented by additional arm and waist flexibility, allowing Oli to perform complex, ballet-like gestures with balance and precision.

LimX Dynamics has engineered Oli around the principles of agility, modularity, and perception. The robot’s modular architecture enables quick disassembly and reconfiguration, supporting rapid experimentation for developers and researchers. Its agility is powered by high-fidelity sensors and advanced motion planning algorithms that enable smooth, coordinated movements.

Oli’s perceptual intelligence stems from multi-sensor fusion technology, combining a 6-axis IMU with head- and chest-mounted Intel RealSense D435i depth cameras. This system, enhanced with support for external sensors like LiDAR, allows the robot to map its surroundings in 3D and recognize objects. These capabilities were on full display in a recent demonstration where it autonomously picked up tennis balls in a room.

Connectivity and developer integration are equally central to its design. Oli offers multiple ports, including USB 3.0/3.2 and Ethernet, and supports a range of development platforms such as Python, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, and Gazebo. Its motion libraries receive over-the-air updates, and comprehensive documentation and case studies back the platform to assist developers.

Transitioning from the modern skyline of Shenzhen to the centuries-old charm of Gankeng Hakka Town, the performance captures a moment where tradition and technology move in unison. Through precise engineering and thoughtful choreography, robots like Oli symbolize the evolving relationship between humans and machines.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com