Generalist AI Inc., a startup that develops artificial intelligence software for robots, has reportedly raised $200 million in funding.<\/p>\n
Axios today cited<\/a> a source as saying that 8VC led the investment. It was reportedly joined by a number of unnamed existing investors. Generalist\u2019s previous $400 million round in June included the participation of Nvidia Corp., Bezos Expeditions and more than a half-dozen others.<\/p>\n The company\u2019s latest raise comes about a week after it debuted its newest AI model. Gen-1.5, as the algorithm is called, is designed to power robotic arms. Generalist says it can significantly reduce the amount of time needed to create factory automation workflows.<\/p>\n Historically, developers had to program robotic arms manually for each task they sought to automate. Moreover, robot code had to be updated in response to even minor operational changes. For example, a machine configured to place merchandise into boxes might need an update if its operator switches to larger boxes.<\/p>\n Some robots ship with AI models that reduce the need to write custom code. However, teaching an AI-powered robot a new task often requires developers to fine-tune its neural network, which can be time-consuming. Generalist says Gen-1.5 offers a more convenient alternative.<\/p>\n The model enables users to teach robots a new task by demonstrating how it\u2019s performed with their hands. According to Generalist, Gen-1.5 can record the demonstration with the robots\u2019 built-in cameras or sensors attached to the user\u2019s hands. The model can also learn from clips of simulated robots.<\/p>\n The company tested Gen-1.5\u2019s capabilities across 10 sample tasks, and said it achieved an average task completion rate of 59% when it was given a single example of how to perform them. That percentage rose to 83% when users provided a few additional examples.<\/p>\n Generalist says Gen-1.5 is the first AI model with the ability to learn a wide range of robotics tasks based on a single or a few examples. Furthermore, the model can autonomously refine its workflows. During Generalist\u2019s testing, Gen-1.5 decided to complete some tasks with a different tool than the one it was instructed to use.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s report didn\u2019t specify how the company plans to use its new funding. However, it\u2019s safe to assume that a sizable portion of the capital will go towards AI infrastructure: Generalist says Gen-1.5 took more than eight months to train. <\/p>\n The participation of Nvidia in the company\u2019s June funding round hints that it will use the chipmaker\u2019s graphics cards. Nvidia develops not only data center accelerators but also a line of AI chips called Jetson specifically optimized for robots.<\/p>\n Photo: Generalist<\/p>\n Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. 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