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from the I'm-sorry-Dave-I'm-afraid-I-can't-do-that dept.
In sci-fi films, the rise of humanlike artificial intelligence often comes hand in hand with a physical platform, such as an android or robot. While the most advanced AI language models so far seem mostly like disembodied voices echoing from an anonymous data center, they might not remain that way for long. Some companies like Google, Figure, Microsoft, Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and others are working toward giving AI models a body. This is called "embodiment," and AI chipmaker Nvidia wants to accelerate the process.
[...] To that end, Nvidia announced Project GR00T, a general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robots. As a type of AI model itself, Nvidia hopes GR00T (which stands for "Generalist Robot 00 Technology" but sounds a lot like a famous Marvel character) will serve as an AI mind for robots, enabling them to learn skills and solve various tasks on the fly. In a tweet, Nvidia researcher Linxi "Jim" Fan called the project "our moonshot to solve embodied AGI in the physical world."
[...] According to Fan, Project GR00T is a cornerstone of his newly founded GEAR Lab (short for "Generalist Embodied Agent Research"). During his time at Nvidia, Fan has specialized in using simulations of physical worlds to train AI models, and now that approach is extending to robotics. "At GEAR, we are building generally capable agents that learn to act skillfully in many worlds, virtual and real," wrote Fan in a tweet. "Join us on the journey to land on the moon."
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(Score: 5, Funny) by Thexalon on Friday March 22 2024, @12:22PM (3 children)
Any androids that will become truly popular will have to be, ahem, "fully functional".
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Friday March 22 2024, @06:12PM
...ahem, "fully functional".
That so, Howard?
I don't think they're going for profitability, either they just wanted to see if they could or there's a sinister reason.
It should actually be pretty easy to do. All AI needs is clever programming and stage magic. The hard part will be fitting it all inside a humanoid form. In my story Sentience [mcgrewbooks.com] the computer is an entire building, controlling the physical robot with radio, similar to Wi-Fi.
It is a disgrace that the richest nation in the world has hunger and homelessness.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by crafoo on Saturday March 23 2024, @07:24AM (1 child)
the funniest thing about AI is how popular synthetic girlfriends are with men. like, they are so popular and pervasive that the hateful, violent porn all over the internet is losing out to them. women flick their beans to "romance novels" for 100 years and all of a sudden AI waifus signal the downfall of humanity. It really makes you pounder. Or maybe it doesn't and you're a Tucker or Shapiro fan.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Saturday March 23 2024, @10:47AM
I'm happily married, for the record. That said, I'm sure there are enough frustrated people out there that a viable sexbot would in fact be a big seller. Given how much effort has gone into, say, RealDolls, it seems like a useful application of the technology.
And for fantasies that are actively harmful to the other people involved in them, I'd much rather they use robots to try to act them out rather than people.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 4, Interesting) by hendrikboom on Friday March 22 2024, @01:13PM
"Groot" happens to be the Dutch word for "big". Coincidence?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by HiThere on Friday March 22 2024, @01:15PM (2 children)
Human-level, though... That's at least a couple of breakthrough beyond embodied.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 2, Funny) by aafcac on Friday March 22 2024, @03:01PM (1 child)
Not necessarily, they might just be targeting something easier, like somebody from the Deep South.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 23 2024, @11:47AM
I see somebody doesn't want to admit that there's a reason why the worst states are in the Deep South.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Username on Friday March 22 2024, @01:42PM (3 children)
Why is a graphics card manufacturer making robots?
What do they want out of this? PR?
(Score: 3, Touché) by crafoo on Friday March 22 2024, @01:50PM
probably investors looking at the stock price and wondering why it is so high, and if the price is actually warranted and a true measure of Nvidia's value. and so Nvidia has to show they are solving world hunger and the price is warranted. or not, and the price comes back down to reality. which investors _really_ hate.
(Score: 3, Informative) by The Vocal Minority on Saturday March 23 2024, @04:56AM
Graphics cards are used extensively in AI, particularly NVidia cards because of their CUDA API.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 25 2024, @02:26PM
Nvidia is an AI company first, graphics card company second or even third. They make a lot more money from AI products.
As long as the bubble doesn't pop, of course.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Snotnose on Friday March 22 2024, @04:19PM (1 child)
Maybe they'll tackle natural stupidity next. As Mr Carlin observed: "You know how stupid the average person is? Half the population is stupider than average."
They can start with the GOP, today's republicans seem to think Stuck on Stupid was a clarion call, not a warning.
Of course I'm against DEI. Donald, Eric, and Ivanka.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 25 2024, @02:26PM
If you think Republicans are stupid, you should see the Dimocrats.
(Score: 3, Funny) by istartedi on Friday March 22 2024, @05:43PM
I can't not read the summary and replies in the voice of C3PO.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 2) by cereal_burpist on Sunday March 24 2024, @03:01AM