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Read time: 7 min

Today’s Slate

• OpenAI files a new trademark

• Text to image from SNAP

• AI Agents gain momentum

• Meta gets responsible with AI

• AR in medicine and daily life

• Autonomous vehicles are making huge strides

• The. Future. Is. Here.

Artificial Intelligence

At a glance

• OpenAI's Bold Move: OpenAI filed a new trademark application hinting at AI-powered consumer hardware, including smartwatches, AR/VR headsets, and even humanoid robots.

• Hardware Ambitions: Collaborating with ex-Apple designer Jony Ive, OpenAI aims to develop AI devices, though prototypes may take years to materialize.

• Robotics & Chips: The filing references humanoid robots and custom AI chips, with potential plans to launch chips by 2026 in partnership with Broadcom and TSMC.

• Quantum Leap: OpenAI hints at leveraging quantum computing to enhance AI performance, signaling a push into futuristic tech beyond traditional AI models.

Our vision

OpenAI’s trademark filing reveals ambitions beyond software, positioning the company to disrupt AI hardware, robotics, and quantum computing. While timelines remain uncertain, the move reflects OpenAI’s strategy to lead the next wave of AI-driven innovation.

At a glance

• OpenAI’s Operator Debuts: OpenAI introduced Operator, an AI agent designed to perform online tasks autonomously, powered by a new model combining GPT-4o’s visual capabilities with o1’s reasoning.

• Promising, But Not Perfect: Operator excels at simple tasks like navigating websites and filling forms but often requires user intervention, limiting its true autonomy.

• Mixed Industry Reception: While platforms like Instacart, Uber, and eBay support Operator, others like Expedia and Reddit block it, highlighting challenges in integration.

• Trust Issues: Frequent errors and “hallucinations” during tasks raise concerns about reliability, underscoring the need for more robust AI before achieving true autonomy.

Our vision

Operator showcases OpenAI’s progress toward practical AI agents, hinting at a future where digital assistants handle complex tasks. However, the current need for human oversight reveals the gap between today’s AI capabilities and the fully autonomous agents promised by the industry.

At a glance

• Snap’s AI Breakthrough: Snap unveiled a new in-house AI text-to-image model for mobile devices, capable of generating high-resolution images in just 1.4 seconds on an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

• On-Device Efficiency: The diffusion model runs entirely on-device, cutting computational costs while delivering “stunning” visuals by optimizing large-scale AI models for mobile use.

• Powering Snapchat Features: Snap plans to integrate the technology into AI Snaps, AI Bitmoji Backgrounds, and more in the coming months, enhancing user experiences with faster, cost-effective AI tools.

• Strategic AI Shift: Moving from third-party AI tools to proprietary models reflects Snap’s long-term investment in AI and ML, positioning it to compete with tech giants like Meta in the AI race.

Our vision

Snap’s in-house AI model marks a pivotal step in its evolution, blending cutting-edge efficiency with mobile-first design. By reducing reliance on external AI providers, Snap is set to deliver unique, cost-effective features that redefine creativity within Snapchat.

At a glance

• Qeen.ai’s Big Bet on AI E-commerce: Dubai-based Qeen.ai has raised $10 million in one of MENA’s largest AI seed rounds to scale its autonomous AI agents for e-commerce businesses.

• AI-Driven Growth: Founded by ex-Google and DeepMind alumni, Qeen.ai’s platform automates marketing, content creation, and conversational sales, helping merchants boost efficiency without relying heavily on ads.

• Proprietary Tech Edge: Using its RL-UI technology, Qeen.ai’s AI learns from consumer interactions in real time, driving dynamic content personalization and increasing sales by up to 30% for clients.

• MENA First, Global Next: With a focus on underserved MENA markets, Qeen.ai aims to establish dominance before expanding globally, supported by a strong team of over 25 AI experts across the UAE and Jordan.

Our vision

Qeen.ai is reshaping e-commerce with AI-driven automation tailored for the MENA region. By combining deep tech expertise with market-specific insights, it’s empowering businesses to compete globally, making smart commerce accessible beyond traditional tech hubs.

At a glance

• Meta’s New AI Safety Framework: Meta’s Frontier AI Framework outlines scenarios where it may withhold powerful AI models, despite its open AI ambitions. Systems classified as “high risk” or “critical risk” — capable of aiding cyber, chemical, or biological attacks — could face restricted access or halted development.

• Risk-Based AI Deployment: Meta will rely on expert reviews, not empirical tests, to assess risk. High-risk models may be delayed until mitigations are in place, while critical-risk systems could trigger development freezes.

• Balancing Openness and Security: While Meta champions open AI with models like Llama, its framework responds to concerns over misuse, including reports of adversarial exploitation. This move contrasts Meta’s cautious approach with firms like DeepSeek, whose AI systems face fewer safeguards.

Our vision

Meta aims to lead in responsible AI by balancing transparency with safety. The Frontier AI Framework signals a shift toward greater accountability, ensuring advanced AI technologies benefit society without compromising global security.

At a glance

• Google X’s New Spinout: Heritable Agriculture, the latest graduate from Google’s X moonshot factory, uses AI and machine learning to optimize crop production. The startup aims to tackle agriculture’s environmental impact, which contributes to 25% of human-made greenhouse emissions and strains water resources.

• AI-Driven Crop Innovation: Founded by Brad Zamft, Heritable analyzes plant genomes to identify ideal breeding combinations for higher yields, reduced water usage, and enhanced carbon storage. While CRISPR may play a role in the future, the current focus is on conventional breeding techniques.

• From Lab to Field: Tested in growth chambers and field sites across California, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, Heritable’s models are now heading toward commercialization. Backed by investors like FTW Ventures, Mythos Ventures, SVG Ventures, and Google, the company is poised to bring data-driven agriculture to scale.

Our vision

Heritable Agriculture is reimagining farming for a climate-conscious future. By blending advanced AI with traditional breeding, the startup aims to create resilient crops that support sustainable agriculture while reducing the industry’s environmental footprint.

Spatial Computing

At a glance

• Pioneering Summit: Sharp HealthCare launched the Inaugural Spatial Computing Health Care Summit, uniting over 300 global leaders to explore how technologies like Apple Vision Pro are revolutionizing patient care with real-time 3D insights and surgical precision.

  Spatial Computing in Action: Hosted at Sharp’s Prebys Innovation and Education Center, the two-day event highlights how spatial computing is transforming healthcare—from precise, previously unimaginable surgeries to immersive behavioral health therapies and streamlined administrative functions.

  Industry Collaboration: Key players like Epic Systems, Siemens Healthineers, Deloitte, and Stryker showcased innovations, while experts Horace Dediu and Carolina Milanesi provided insights into healthcare and consumer applications of spatial computing.

  Center of Excellence: Sharp unveiled its Spatial Computing Center of Excellence, designed to enhance patient care through collaboration between clinicians and technologists, supported by 30 Apple Vision Pro headsets.

Our vision

Sharp HealthCare’s summit and new Center of Excellence mark a pivotal shift, positioning spatial computing as a transformative force in medicine. By integrating advanced technologies like Apple Vision Pro, Sharp aims to redefine patient care, setting a new standard for digital innovation in healthcare.

At a glance

• Center of Excellence Launch: Sharp HealthCare has established a Spatial Computing Center of Excellence at its Prebys Innovation and Education Center, focusing on leveraging the Apple Vision Pro to enhance patient care.

  Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with Epic and Elsevier, Sharp aims to explore how spatial computing can boost clinical productivity, improve collaboration, and impact education and treatments across healthcare settings.

  Multidisciplinary Research: The center will unite physicians, nurses, software developers, and digital product managers to identify workflows that can be optimized with Vision Pro, from operating rooms to bedside care.

  Expanding Ecosystem: Sharp plans to form additional partnerships to develop spatial computing solutions, positioning Vision Pro as a transformative tool for healthcare delivery.

Our vision

Sharp HealthCare’s investment in spatial computing, supported by key partnerships, signals a bold move to redefine patient care. By integrating Apple Vision Pro into clinical environments, Sharp is paving the way for innovative, tech-driven healthcare experiences that enhance both provider efficiency and patient outcomes.

At a glance

• AugmentOS Launch: Vuzix and Mentra have introduced AugmentOS, a universal operating system for smart glasses, including the Vuzix Z100, blending advanced AI features with a revolutionary development platform.

  AI-Powered Features: AugmentOS 1.0 offers real-time captions, instant translation, proactive AI assistance, smart notifications, AI dashboards, and language learning tools—ready to use right out of the box.

  Developer-Friendly Platform: The OS simplifies smart glasses app development, enabling a single app to run across multiple devices while supporting multiple AI assistants that proactively respond to real-world contexts.

  Driving the AR Revolution: Vuzix and Mentra aim to accelerate AI-enabled wearable technology adoption, positioning AugmentOS as a catalyst for the next generation of augmented reality experiences.

Our vision

With AugmentOS, Vuzix and Mentra are reshaping the future of smart glasses, merging AI with real-world applications. By offering both robust out-of-the-box features and a flexible development environment, AugmentOS paves the way for widespread adoption of AI-driven AR, making smart glasses more accessible, intuitive, and impactful.

Transportation

At a glance

• Strategic Partnership: Waabi is teaming up with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to develop and deploy autonomous trucks, using Volvo’s VNL Autonomous truck integrated with Waabi’s sensor suite, compute, and Waabi Driver software.

  Path to Market: Commercial pilots will launch in Texas in the coming months, with a driverless demonstration on public roads by late 2025, followed by a fully driverless commercial rollout between customer depots.

  AI-First Approach: Waabi’s CEO, Raquel Urtasun, emphasizes the company’s capital-efficient, AI-driven strategy, enabling faster deployment with less data and compute compared to competitors.

  Scaling Ambitions: Backed by Volvo’s investment and manufacturing support, Waabi aims to reach volume scale within 2–3 years while maintaining independence and expanding beyond trucking into robotaxis and warehouse robotics.

Our vision

Waabi’s partnership with Volvo signals a transformative shift in the autonomous trucking industry. By combining AI-first technology with strategic OEM integration, Waabi is positioning itself for rapid growth, with ambitions that extend far beyond trucking—toward a future dominated by intelligent, autonomous systems across multiple sectors.

At a glance

• Testing Decline: Autonomous vehicle testing in California dropped by 50% in 2024, with a dramatic 83% decrease in driverless testing miles, reflecting a more cautious industry.

  Shifting Focus: Companies like Cruise and Waymo have moved away from public road testing, focusing instead on commercial operations—Waymo in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and Cruise halting testing after its permits were suspended.

  Industry Consolidation: The DMV now only grants a few new permits each year, with just 31 companies holding safety driver permits, and only 11 testing in 2024. Only a handful of firms are approved for driverless testing.

  Fewer Competitors: Once a crowded space, the autonomous vehicle industry is now dominated by a few major players, with Waymo leading the pack, and venture funding shifting to fewer, larger investments.

Our vision

The latest DMV data underscores the growing consolidation within the autonomous vehicle sector. As fewer companies engage in testing and the focus shifts to commercial operations, the industry is moving toward a more concentrated landscape, where a select few, like Waymo, drive the future of autonomous mobility.

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