In today’s newsletter:

• News - ⚠️ OpenAI’s AI in Military Hands—Should We Worry? 🤔

• Culture - 🏫 Khan Academy’s Sal Khan Unveils Classroom-Changing AI Tutor! 👩‍🏫

⚠️ OpenAI’s AI in Military Hands—Should We Worry? 🤔

OpenAI is stepping into the defense world, announcing a partnership with Anduril, a rising star in military tech known for its drones, missiles, and cutting-edge software. Together, they’ll use AI to improve air defense systems, helping operators make faster, smarter decisions in high-pressure scenarios. Anduril’s innovative autonomous aircraft, guided by OpenAI’s language models, can interpret natural language commands and translate them into actionable instructions—a leap forward for military tech. This partnership underscores OpenAI’s shift toward military applications, a move some staff reportedly found controversial but reflective of Silicon Valley’s growing openness to defense collaborations.

The partnership comes as tech giants like Meta and Anthropic also embrace national security roles, with Meta’s Llama AI and Anthropic’s models entering partnerships with contractors like Palantir and Lockheed Martin. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasizes the importance of responsible AI use in defense, ensuring technologies protect personnel and align with democratic values. For Anduril, co-founded by Oculus VR creator Palmer Luckey, this marks another milestone in its rapid ascent, leveraging advanced AI to disrupt traditional defense approaches and secure major government contracts.

🗞️ In Other News…

• United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson's murder has sparked speculation linking the act to outrage over the insurer's alleged use of a flawed AI algorithm, nH Predict, to deny medical claims, reflecting growing anger at systemic cruelty in the U.S. healthcare system.

• Meta has unveiled Llama 3.3 70B, a cost-efficient generative AI model outperforming competitors like GPT-4o, while ramping up its AI infrastructure with a $10 billion data center and navigating regulatory and ethical challenges in its bid to dominate the AI landscape.

• UCLA's winter 2025 comparative literature course will feature AI-generated materials, created through the Kudu platform, to streamline professor and TA workload while enhancing student engagement with content drawn exclusively from instructor-provided resources.

• X has launched Aurora, a beta image generator integrated into its Grok assistant, capable of creating photorealistic images with minimal restrictions, while xAI, Musk’s AI startup, advances its AI tools and secures $6 billion in funding.

• Nvidia is advancing AI technology through major partnerships with iGenius in Italy and TSMC in Arizona, while navigating European antitrust scrutiny and U.S. export restrictions, highlighting its adaptability and strong position in the booming AI chip market.

🏫 Khan Academy’s Sal Khan Unveils Classroom-Changing AI Tutor! 👩‍🏫

Khan Academy is shaking up education with Khanmigo, a new AI-powered tutor designed to help teachers save time and students learn more effectively. Piloted in 266 U.S. school districts, Khanmigo uses OpenAI’s cutting-edge tech to create detailed lesson plans in minutes, give real-time feedback on essays, and even detect plagiarism. Students love its supportive vibe and critical-thinking prompts, while teachers like Melissa Higgason at Hobart High appreciate how it streamlines tasks like monitoring student progress. For just $15 per student annually, it’s making personalized education accessible in ways that once seemed impossible.

But it’s not all smooth sailing—students have tried everything from “bullying the bot” for answers to sneaking ChatGPT content into assignments. Still, Khanmigo is evolving fast, and the potential is jaw-dropping. With features like AI vision technology on the horizon, enabling real-time interaction via video, Khanmigo aims to amplify—rather than replace—teachers’ roles in the classroom. Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, sees AI as a tool to make teaching more human, freeing educators to focus on connecting with students. As OpenAI’s Greg Brockman puts it, “It feels like magic,” and it’s just getting started.

VC Fundraising Rounds

• Tractian, an Atlanta-based company modernizing manufacturing maintenance with integrated hardware, software, and AI solutions, has secured $120 million in Series C funding. (12/5/24)

• AMP Robotics, a leader in AI-powered sorting solutions for the waste and recycling industry, has raised $91 million in Series D financing. (12/5/24)

• Lawhive, a platform connecting consumers and SMEs with affordable lawyers through fixed fees, has raised $40 million in Series A funding. (12/5/24)

• Cleerly, specializing in advanced cardiovascular imaging, has raised $106 million through its Series C extension funding round. (12/4/24)

• Yurts, a leader in secure and trusted generative AI integration at scale for defense, government, and enterprise customers, announced a $40 million Series B funding round. (12/3/24)

Meme of the Day