In partnership with

Welcome to the cutting edge ⚔️ 

Read time: 7 min

Today’s Slate

• Google goes from zero to hero - releases AI tools to battle OpenAI

• NVIDIA democratizes AI even further with their new affordable supercomputer

• Meta continues to deliver new features on their smart Ray-Bans

• Social mixed reality is becoming a little more accessible with Party Versus

• Retrofuturism is the new wave - coming to transportation and video games

• The. future. is. here.

Artificial Intelligence

At a glance

• Veo 2 Video Generation: State-of-the-art video generation with improved realism, physics, and cinematic controls, delivering stunning 4K content with fewer errors like extra fingers.

• Imagen 3 Image Generation: Enhanced image quality with richer details, diverse styles (e.g., photorealism to anime), and precise prompt adherence, now available in 100+ countries via ImageFX.

• Whisk Tool: A playful tool that lets users remix images into unique creations, combining Imagen 3’s capabilities with Gemini’s visual understanding.

• Global Rollout: Veo 2 expands to VideoFX, with YouTube Shorts integration planned for 2025, while Whisk launches on Google Labs for public experimentation.

Examples: Skateboarding

Our vision

The advancements in Veo 2 and Imagen 3 mark a pivotal step in AI democratizing creativity. By enabling seamless, high-quality content creation with tools like Whisk, these technologies reduce barriers for storytellers, artists, and everyday users. In the near term, we’ll see creators leverage these tools to push visual narratives in entertainment and business.

Over time, this progress sets the stage for AI to transform design, media, and education, blending human imagination with machine precision to reshape how society visualizes and shares ideas.

At a glance

• Affordable Generative AI Supercomputer: The Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit delivers up to 1.7x GenAI performance gains, priced at $249 (down from $499).

• Enhanced Features: With faster memory and support for multiple cameras, it enables AI to process information more quickly and see in greater detail, allowing robots to perform complex tasks with improved efficiency and precision.

• Comprehensive AI Ecosystem: Integrates NVIDIA tools like Isaac for robotics, Metropolis for vision AI, and Omniverse Replicator for synthetic data, with support from the Jetson AI lab and open-source community.

• Developer Accessibility: Ideal for hobbyists, developers, and students exploring generative AI, robotics, and computer vision with tools for faster prototyping and system design.

Our vision

The Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit democratizes generative AI development by providing powerful tools at an unprecedented price point. Its compact form factor, enhanced performance, and robust software ecosystem empower developers, hobbyists, and students to push the boundaries of AI innovation.

In the short term, this hardware makes generative AI and robotics more accessible, fostering rapid prototyping and experimentation. In the long term, such advancements will enable developers to build increasingly sophisticated AI models and edge applications, accelerating progress in autonomous systems, computer vision, and real-world AI deployment. This milestone is a crucial step toward broader AI adoption and innovation across industries.

At a glance

• Live AI & Live Translation: New features enable hands-free real-time assistance and live translation between English, Spanish, French, and Italian, breaking language barriers and enhancing daily activities.

• Shazam Integration: Identify songs effortlessly with a simple voice command, “Hey Meta, what is this song?” available in the US and Canada.

• Enhanced Personalization: Updates include adaptive volume, celebrity voice options for Meta AI, and new integrations like reminders and voice search for Spotify and Amazon Music.

• Continuous Improvement: Regular software updates ensure Ray-Ban Meta glasses become smarter and more useful over time, with more features and updates expected in 2025.

Our vision

Ray-Ban Meta glasses are redefining wearable tech, enabling a future where AI seamlessly integrates into daily life. The addition of live AI and live translation marks a step toward a more connected, intuitive world, making communication and problem-solving easier in real time.

In the short term, these advancements enhance convenience and accessibility for users, while in the long term, they pave the way for wearable devices to become indispensable tools for communication, travel, and hands-free interaction in a globalized society.

At a glance

• Whisk Overview: A new Google Labs tool allowing users to remix and create images by combining inputs for subjects, scenes, and styles.

• How It Works: Whisk uses Google’s Gemini model to analyze and caption images, feeding them into the Imagen 3 generation model to create visual outputs based on user-selected elements.

• Use Case and Access: Designed for rapid visual exploration rather than detailed editing, it offers artists and creatives a playful way to brainstorm and refine ideas, available now in the US via Google Labs.

Our vision

By integrating cutting-edge models like Gemini and Imagen 3, it empowers developers, designers, and hobbyists to explore creative possibilities at scale. This shift from experimentation to production paves the way for more accessible, versatile AI applications, enabling faster ideation and setting the stage for AI to become a core part of creative workflows across industries.

Spatial Computing

At a glance

• Party Versus Overview: A mixed reality party game from Schell Games, exclusively for Quest 3, offering 16 minigames in shared physical spaces for 2-4 players.

• Gameplay Highlights: Features two modes: Quick Party (individual or team minigames) and Party Playoffs (a crown competition over six games).

• Mixed Reality Integration: Combines real-world space with digital gameplay, integrating scanned furniture and full-body avatars for an immersive social experience.

• Availability: Launches today for $9.99 on Meta Quest 3 and is included in the Meta Quest+ subscription.

Our vision

Party Versus represents a significant step toward realizing the potential of social mixed reality gaming. By combining real-world spaces with digital interactions, it demonstrates how technology can enhance social connectivity in gaming. In the short term, games like this offer a fun, approachable way for newcomers to experience mixed reality.

Longer term, such innovations hint at a future where mixed reality transforms how we interact in shared physical and digital environments, making gaming, work, and social gatherings more immersive and inclusive. Party Versus is a glimpse into the social possibilities of the metaverse.

Gaming

At a glance

• What is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet? Naughty Dog's new sci-fi epic follows a bounty hunter stranded on Sempiria, a retrofuturistic planet inspired by 1980s tech and anime like Akira and Cowboy Bebop.

• Why It Stands Out: Retro-inspired designs, like CRT TVs and CD players, merge with deep gameplay mechanics and rich narrative elements, making it Naughty Dog's most ambitious project yet.

• Aiming Big: Positioned as a new franchise for PlayStation, Intergalactic reflects Naughty Dog's push to become an "IP powerhouse" and signals Sony's ambitions for spin-offs and adaptations.

Our vision

With Intergalactic, Naughty Dog ventures into uncharted territory, blending the nostalgic charm of 80s and 90s retro tech with anime-inspired storytelling to create a fresh take on sci-fi. This isn’t just a game—it’s the foundation of a potential multi-platform franchise.

By productionalizing bold ideas and leveraging cutting-edge game development, Intergalactic shows how gaming can evolve beyond entertainment into rich, cross-media storytelling. In the short term, it will expand the boundaries of cinematic gameplay. Long term, it hints at the convergence of gaming, anime, and retrofuturism in mainstream culture - like the Ichiban Motorcycle.

Transportation

At a glance

• New Electric Bike: Ichiban has released a new electric bike design that looks straight out of a video game.

• Beautiful Website Design: Not only is the bike a work of art, but their website to interact with their new vision is impressive as well.

• Anime Inspiration: This motorcycle is something straight out of a Japanese anime and would fit right into Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

Our vision

We have to admit we aren’t mad seeing 80s/90s aesthetics becoming the rage. This cycle of the old becoming new again will bring a nostalgic feeling to those like myself that grew up during those times. The technology envisioned in the rise of sci-fi and action movies was awe-inspiring and now we are living in a version of the future those directors and artists created.

There’s no doubt we’re going to see more interesting technological designs like this motorcycle, Cybertruck and the spaceship from Intergalactic.

Start learning AI in 2025

Everyone talks about AI, but no one has the time to learn it. So, we found the easiest way to learn AI in as little time as possible: The Rundown AI.

It's a free AI newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest AI news, and teaches you how to apply it in just 5 minutes a day.

Plus, complete the quiz after signing up and they’ll recommend the best AI tools, guides, and courses – tailored to your needs.

Sign up to start learning.