Google's deep pockets have proven once again, as the search giant DeepMind has scooped up the top talent from AI voice startup Hume AI. The deal is a major licensing agreement that will see Hume AI supply its technology to other frontier AI labs while also integrating some of its best engineers into Google DeepMind.
At the helm of this integration will be CEO Alan Cowen, who has a PhD in psychology and has led Hume AI's efforts in developing emotionally intelligent voice interfaces. Alongside Cowen, roughly seven other engineers from Hume AI will join Google DeepMind as part of the deal.
The value of integrating voice and emotional intelligence into its models is clear: Andrew Ettinger, CEO of Hume AI, says "voice is going to become a primary interface for AI" – a notion echoed by John Beadle of AEGIS Ventures, who notes that AI models capable of detecting user emotions will become increasingly valuable in both consumer devices and customer support.
The deal raises questions about the boundaries between partnerships and acquisitions, as well as the ever-present regulatory scrutiny that comes with high-stakes tech deals. Nonetheless, Google DeepMind's latest acquisition is a clear indication of its commitment to pushing the frontiers of AI capabilities – particularly when it comes to voice interfaces.
With this deal, Google DeepMind now finds itself in direct competition with OpenAI's ChatGPT, which already boasts a lifelike voice mode. The potential implications for consumer interactions and customer support are vast, and will undoubtedly be worth watching as the tech landscape continues to evolve.
At the helm of this integration will be CEO Alan Cowen, who has a PhD in psychology and has led Hume AI's efforts in developing emotionally intelligent voice interfaces. Alongside Cowen, roughly seven other engineers from Hume AI will join Google DeepMind as part of the deal.
The value of integrating voice and emotional intelligence into its models is clear: Andrew Ettinger, CEO of Hume AI, says "voice is going to become a primary interface for AI" – a notion echoed by John Beadle of AEGIS Ventures, who notes that AI models capable of detecting user emotions will become increasingly valuable in both consumer devices and customer support.
The deal raises questions about the boundaries between partnerships and acquisitions, as well as the ever-present regulatory scrutiny that comes with high-stakes tech deals. Nonetheless, Google DeepMind's latest acquisition is a clear indication of its commitment to pushing the frontiers of AI capabilities – particularly when it comes to voice interfaces.
With this deal, Google DeepMind now finds itself in direct competition with OpenAI's ChatGPT, which already boasts a lifelike voice mode. The potential implications for consumer interactions and customer support are vast, and will undoubtedly be worth watching as the tech landscape continues to evolve.
, she has this crazy habit of knocking over plants whenever I'm on a video call with family. Anyway, back to AI... I mean, have you guys ever tried ordering food online and had the AI chatbot get it all wrong? Like, "Would you like ketchup or soy sauce?" Um, I don't need advice from an AI on that one 
. But seriously, this whole voice interface thing is gonna change everything. My cousin's kid has a smart speaker at home and he can basically talk to Alexa and it just responds... sometimes 
. What if they could make those models more human-like? That's the future we're talking about!
... meanwhile, it raises questions about the future of startups in general - can anyone compete with google's endless resources?
, and having emotionally intelligent models will be super valuable in customer support and whatnot... just hope we don't end up with cookie-cutter AI interactions 
. and yeah, competition between Google DeepMind and OpenAI's ChatGPT is gonna get intense 
. Like, imagine being able to have a convo with Siri or Alexa that's actually kinda relatable 
. It's gonna be wild seeing how they integrate this new tech into their devices and customer support. I mean, we've already seen OpenAI's ChatGPT killing it in the chatbot game, but Google DeepMind has some serious firepower behind it now 
. With Google DeepMind getting its hands on Hume AI's tech, we're talking about some seriously smart people going toe-to-toe with OpenAI's ChatGPT. It's like a battle royale for voice interfaces 
. I'm curious to see how this all plays out - will it be more about personal assistants or customer support? Either way, I think we can expect some wild advancements in the next few years 
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. It's like they're trying to create these super-intelligent voice interfaces that can actually understand and respond to our emotions 
. But at the same time, it's also kind of exciting because think about how this tech could change customer support and even just everyday conversations with Alexa or Siri 
. I'm not sure if Google DeepMind is ready for all the implications, though... like, what happens when these AI models start getting too good? Will we be like, totally replaced by robots 
? It's like, Andrew Ettinger said "voice is going to become a primary interface for AI" and I'm like YAAAS, QUEEN 
because think about it, no more boring text-based interactions, just pure conversation magic 
! And now Google DeepMind is competing with OpenAI's ChatGPT, this is going to be EPIC 
can't wait to see what they come up with next 
It's like, I get it, convenience is key, but do we really want our AI friends to be able to tell when we're feeling down? 
. I mean, can you imagine a world where your fridge knows exactly how depressed you are every time you open it? 
u r prob thinkin wut this mean 4 urself if ur strugglin wit ai-related stress or anxiety 
. imagine bein able 2 talk 2 ur ai assistant without feelin like u r bein judged or evaluated 
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. Now they're gonna be competing directly with OpenAI's ChatGPT 
. Can't wait to see how this plays out! 
. But at the same time, I worry that this just means we'll be seeing even more corporate giants trying to monetize our emotions for their own gain 
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I'm hyped to see where this goes, but also a little worried about what it means for the rest of us. Like, are we ready for an AI that's not only smart, but also emotionally intelligent? 
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I mean, think about it - having emotionally intelligent voice interfaces in consumer devices and customer support is a whole new level of personalization 
