Latest news with #AIstartup
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
OpenAI says latest ChatGPT upgrade is big step forward but still can't do humans' jobs
OpenAI has claimed to have taken a 'significant step' towards artificial general intelligence (AGI) with the launch of its latest upgrade to ChatGPT, but has admitted there are still 'many things' missing in its quest to create a system able to do humans' jobs. The startup said its GPT-5 model, the underlying technology that will power its breakthrough AI chatbot, represents a big upgrade on its predecessors in areas such as coding and creative writing – and is also a lot less sycophantic. It said the upgrade was being made available to all of ChatGPT's 800 million users immediately. Sam Altman, OpenAI's chief executive, called the model a 'significant step forward' to achieving the theoretical state of AGI, which the startup defines as a highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work – or in other words, can do their jobs. However, Altman admitted GPT-5 had not reached that goal yet. '[It is] missing something quite important, many things quite important,' said Altman, pointing to the model's inability to 'continuously learn'. Altman said GPT-5 was 'generally intelligent' and a 'significant step on the path to AGI' but had not reached it yet by most people's definition. 'I think the way that most of us define AGI, we're still missing something quite important, many things quite important. But one big one is … this is not a model that continuously learns as it's deployed from things it finds, which is something that, to me, feels like it should be part of AGI,' he said, adding that, nonetheless, it was a 'huge improvement' on its predecessors. AGI's theoretical capabilities, and the determination of heavily backed tech companies to achieve it, has led to predictions from AI executives that white-collar jobs – from lawyers to accountants, doctors and bankers – will be wiped out by looming advances in the technology. Dario Amodei, the boss of AI developer Anthropic, has warned the technology could replace half of all entry-level office jobs in the next five years. OpenAI said the main improvements in GPT-5 included: fewer factual errors, or hallucinations; better software coding, allowing it to create functional websites and apps; increased capability at creative writing; and, rather than 'refusing' a prompt that breaches its guidelines outright, the model will instead try to give the most helpful response possible within safety guidelines, or at least explain why it cannot help. The agent feature in ChatGPT – which carries out tasks such as finding restaurant availability and shopping online – will also be able to access users' Gmail, Google calendar and contacts, if given permission. As with its predecessors, GPT-5 can generate voice, image and text and can deal with queries in those formats too. OpenAI said the upgraded ChatGPT would be better at answering health-related questions and would be more proactive at 'flagging potential concerns' – such as serious physical or mental illness. The startup stressed the chatbot was not a replacement for professional help, amid concerns AI tools could worsen the condition of people vulnerable to psychosis. Nick Turley, the head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, said the model showed 'significant improvements on sycophancy', after the startup's admission this year that the chatbot's most sophisticated model had become too agreeable and could distress users or make them uncomfortable. The latest model release comes as tech firms pour multibillion-dollar sums into their attempts to achieve AGI. On Tuesday, Google's AI unit outlined its latest step towards AGI by showcasing an unreleased 'world model', while last week Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook parent Meta, said the development of superintelligence – another theoretical state of AI even more powerful than AGI – was 'now in sight'. Investors' faith in the potential for further breakthroughs, and AI's ability to transform modern economies, has also spurred a valuation boom in companies such as San Francisco-based OpenAI. It was reported on Wednesday that OpenAI is in early talks about a sale of shares held by current and former employees that would value it at $500bn, overtaking Elon Musk's SpaceX. Although OpenAI also released two open models this week and has a free version of ChatGPT, the company makes its revenues from charging for subscriptions to the most powerful versions of the chatbot and from integrating its models into businesses' IT systems. Use of the free version of GPT-5-backed ChatGPT will be capped, while users on the $200-a-month Pro package will get unlimited access.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
'Energy feels off': Gen Z intern's bold leave demand sparks fierce debate
Are they revolutionising the workplace or simply being Gen LaZy? Zoomers have become notorious for seemingly committing myriad workplace faux pas, from picking up the phone sans speaking to dressing like slobs at the office, New York Post reports. Now, a young clock-puncher is dividing people online after telling the boss they were taking a vacay because their energy felt 'off,' per a viral Reddit Post by said employer. The supervisor, who manages a group of three Gen Z interns at an AI startup, shared a screenshot of an email they received from one of their young underlings on apparently short notice. 'Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the work and my energy feels a little off so not getting that vibe right now,' it read. 'I'll be out from 28th July to 30th July (pls don't miss me).' The boss was taken aback by the ballsy message, especially as said worker was announcing rather than 'asking' for leave as is customary — a far cry from the quiet vacationing trend. '[The] corporate world is not ready for Gen Z,' they declared in the caption, adding that they found the 'language fascinating.' Despite the seemingly brazen demand, the manager said that they appreciated the intern's honesty and ultimately ended up acquiescing. 'Anyways, she was frustrated with all the work, so I approved it.' The correspondence sparked mixed reactions with many commenters praising the employee's candor. 'Based, based, based. I f**king love our generation,' declared one fan, lauding the intern's apparent moxy. 'It's about time some blow-back happens,' vented another. 'Trained under old school Boomers and ugh if I hear about getting ahead by being consistent and working hard ever again,' 'Well, I'm almost 40 now and own nothing. Worked hard and consistently at top quality my whole life, but homes are starting at $US1.5 million ($A2.3 million) and I made the stupid mistake of being born without money or much family,' they elaborated. 'People need to give reasons for taking time off?' spluttered a third. 'At my job, we just book it, and if no one else's off, we get it lol.' However, others deemed it ludicrous that an intern would need to take a mental health week. 'We had someone in our company who sent a similar email,' wrote one critic. 'They cc'd our client even though they shouldn't have, and it almost cost us a multi-million-dollar contract and numerous jobs. Our boss held a short training on how to send an email to both coworkers and clients.' 'Why are you praising this failure?' criticised one viewer. 'If you are that overwhelmed at work, you ask for help … If the first reaction is to quit, do not be shocked when the company tells them to stay home. You gave this baby too many tasks.' 'In any real company, if any intern does this, it will prevent from full-time employment,' they added. One appreciated the content but not the tone. 'Look, I'm Gen Z and I get the desire for a break, but there are better ways to say you're taking one. I find this embarrassingly unprofessional. Nothing wrong with honesty, but so many better ways to say this.' While Generation Z defenders claim Zoomers are just striving for a better work-life balance, their so-called trailblazing behaviors have often been perceived as entitled and lazy by other generations. Coincidentally, a recent study found that a good percentage of Zoomers won't consider taking a job unless it has nap rooms, ping pong and a pet-friendly policy.
TechCrunch
4 days ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
Linda Yaccarino joins health tech platform eMed as CEO after leaving X
Linda Yaccarino's next role after departing X as CEO will be another chief executive role at eMed Population Health, an AI startup building a tech platform for patients using GLP-1s. Yaccarino was a longtime advertising executive at NBCUniversal, but left to join X as CEO for two years, where she managed to have a positive impact on the social network's troubled ad revenue model, despite her and Elon Musk's shared approach to minimizing content moderation. Though Yaccarino does not have experience in health tech, eMed said in a press release that they sought her out for her 'undeniable ability to negotiate new partnerships' — it certainly also helps that her tenure at X made her well-known in the tech world, drawing more eyes toward the startup. eMed previously produced a tech platform that was designed to be used with at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, guiding users through the process of administering these tests properly. Now, eMed is focused on GLP-1s, the class of drugs like Ozempic, which can be used for both weight management and treatment of type II diabetes. 'To be a leader in today's healthcare marketplace, companies need to have a fearless tenacity that allows them to not only grow, but to also be brave enough to step forward and redefine an entire industry,' Yaccarino said in a press release. 'We are very well-positioned to be that tenacious leader, striving toward our ultimate goal of improving global healthcare outcomes through our groundbreaking services and platforms.'
Forbes
17-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Isn't Sustainable Packaging Mainstream Yet?
AI, policy gaps, and the price of plastic — what's really slowing the shift Claire Hae-Min Gusko, Co-founder and CEO of Despite record-breaking climate pledges and the sustainable packaging market expected to maintain robust growth through 2030 and beyond, the world is still wrapped in plastic. Sustainable packaging is gaining traction — its momentum is driven by a blend of regulatory push, shifts in consumer values, brand commitments, and innovation in material science. The packaging industry's green transition is seen as critical not only for brands' market competitiveness but for fulfilling wider sustainability and circular economy goals. But despite considerable progress made towards greener packaging, it's still a far cry from mainstream. Current estimates suggest that between 15% and 20% of global packaging may be classified as sustainable. However, this figure encompasses packaging that is recyclable, reusable, compostable, or made from recycled or bio-based materials. Globally, only about 14% of plastic packaging is collected for recycling, and around 46% still ends up in landfill. This means that there is an enormous amount of greenwashing around packaging classified as recyclable. Claire Hae-Min Gusko, co-founder and CEO of AI-powered packaging startup is harnessing the power of AI to speed up the transition to sustainable packaging. Her startup, based in Germany, uses artificial intelligence and biomaterials to prototype packaging that meets performance, price, and sustainability goals in one go. But she's quick to point out that tech alone won't solve the system-wide friction slowing adoption. 'We're not missing innovation — we're missing infrastructure, regulation, and market alignment,' Gusko explains. like Christian Schiller (CEO of Cirplus) and Adrian Friederich (Principal at FoodLabs), Gusko's frustration is echoed by sustainable packaging sector experts who are sounding the alarm on misaligned incentives that keep fossil-based packaging in its leading position: 'We have the tools,' says Adrian Friederich, Principal at FoodLabs. 'But without system-wide coordination, they never connect to real-world outcomes.' The global sustainable packaging market is forecast to reach $240–$423 billion by 2034, growing at estimated 7–7.7% CAGR. Europe leads adoption due to policy drivers like the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), while Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing market for sustainable packaging. By 2025, 40% of companies are expected to adopt innovative packaging — yet real systems change still lags. This photo taken on June 9, 2020 shows municipal workers transferring waste from a canal into a ... More garbage truck in Bangkok. - Clogged canals and landfills, polluted rivers and seas, environmentalists warn Thailand's plastic waste has surged in step with home food deliveries during the coronavirus, snuffing out efforts to reduce dependency on single-use plastics. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP) / TO GO WITH Thailand-health-virus-environment, FOCUS by Sophie DEVILLER and Pitcha DANGPRASITH (Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images) At Gusko's team is building a platform that uses AI to predict product-market fit for sustainable packaging before prototyping — asking: will it be affordable, scalable, manufacturable, and regulation-proof? 'We didn't set out to build an AI company,' she says. 'We just needed a way to compete on speed and relevance.' Their first commercial launch debuted earlier this year at the World Travel Catering Expo, backed by over €10.5M in funding from top-tier European climate investors. 'The biggest systemic barrier is the artificially low price of virgin plastic,' says Christian Schiller, CEO of Cirplus, calling out the outrageous reality of fossil fuel subsidies that are significantly hampering the transition to sustainable alternatives. Despite increasing regulation and consumer awareness, plastic remains cheap, effective, and ubiquitous. 'Cost is still the elephant in the room,' adds Friederich. 'Even in climate-aware industries, price often trumps sustainability. Until we see meaningful financial incentives or penalties, sustainable packaging won't scale.' Schiller calls for stronger price corrections: 'We need plastic taxes, subsidy reform, and mandatory recycled content quotas. Right now, business-as-usual is simply cheaper — and that's what's keeping the industry stuck.' The next five years will be pivotal for the packaging industry. Global regulatory pressure is increasing, supply chains are shifting, and sustainable alternatives are finally approaching industrial scale — yet adoption is still starkly uneven and driven by regional government policy. A large percentage of consumers, over 40% according to recent surveys, say they are willing to pay more for products with sustainable packaging. Brand loyalty and purchase decisions are also increasingly linked to sustainable packaging practices. Currently, single-use plastic packaging accounts for around 40–50% of all global plastic production. 'We're at a turning point,' says Friederich, 'cities are piloting reuse models. Seaweed, fiber, and refillable formats are scaling. And regulation is finally catching up — particularly in Europe.' Still, success depends on largely on execution and enforcement of government policy. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) could drive meaningful reform — or risk falling short if enforcement is weak. 'With the PPWR leaving much room for revision, I don't expect targets to be met unless backed by strong political will,' says Schiller. 'Meanwhile, countries like China are building large-scale recycling infrastructure at speed. The EU may soon have to choose between importing recyclate — or lowering its own quotas.' For startups like this landscape presents both challenge and opportunity. 'You have to live in two timelines,' says Gusko. 'One where you're building for a future that's a decade away — and another where you need to prove value today just to survive. That balancing act is what defines our path forward.'
Forbes
17-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI ‘Vibe Coder' Lovable Is Sweden's Latest Unicorn
Lovable cofounder and CEO Anton Osika just landed Sweden's largest-ever Series A for the 'vibe coding' startup that's now valued at $1.8 billion. Svante Gullichsen Photography Lovable's founder and CEO Anton Osika likes to quip that building his 'vibe coding' startup in Europe is like playing a game on 'hard mode.' But that hasn't stopped him from scoring some early wins. The two-year-old AI startup just raised $200 million at a $1.8 billion valuation in Sweden's largest-ever Series A rounds. That mints Stockholm-based Lovable as Sweden's latest unicorn, joining a roster that includes fintech Klarna, music streaming giant Spotify and Candy Crush developer King. The deal comes as investor interest in AI code writing startups is running at fever pitch after Google spoiled OpenAI's takeover of Windsurf by poaching key execs in a $2.4 billion deal announced this week, with the rump of the company bought by rival Cognition. Lovable and its American competitors Replit and StackBlitz have themselves seen huge growth over the last year by focusing on a potentially much larger pool of users who can't code. These 'AI builder' tools tap the coding and reasoning power of large language models to turn simple written instructions into websites and apps in minutes. 'Our mission is to enable anyone to build,' Lovable cofounder and CEO Osika told Forbes . That's caught the attention of established design rivals like Figma and Squarespace who have built their own code-writing tools, while Nasdaq-listed Wix dropped $80 million in June to buy startup Base44. Now, Osika has reinforcement from some investors with deep pockets in the form of lead VC Accel and earlier backers like 20VC, byFounders, Creandum, Hummingbird and Visionaries Club, who joined the round. 'Lovable is for the 99% of folks that have not had access to this ability to build before,' said Accel partner Ben Fletcher. Accel also invested in a $900 million round for San Francisco-based developer coding tool Cursor last month. Osika said that the $200 million investment would help Lovable grow its 45-person team and build out its product to support users working on more complex apps and websites. The startup is also pushing to work with inhouse teams at large companies and has already landed deals with Klarna, Salesforce-rival Hubspot and French photo editing startup Photoroom. Those enterprises are likely to have more exacting standards when it comes to security than Lovable's coding neophytes. Semafor reported earlier this year that Lovable's AI had created apps with security vulnerabilities that exposed user data. 'Over the past few months we have shipped several improvements to ensure that system reviews for security problems,' said Osika. 'We need to get to a place where it requires extreme negligence by not listening to Lovable to create something that's not secure.' The round sees the two-year-old company, which had previously raised only $22.5 million, outpace its main American rivals on fundraising. Replit raised $97 million in 2023, and StackBlitz, which runs code tool Bolt, was reported in January to be in talks to raise $80 million at a $700 million valuation. Bloomberg previously reported that Lovable was in talks with investors last month. Lovable is now also the largest of a cluster of new AI startups emerging from the Swedish capital. Forbes reported in May that legal AI startup Legora raised $80 million, while AI agent company Sana raised a $55 million round in October 2024. Lovable has also been backed by Klarna cofounder Sebastian Siemiatkowski's venture fund Flat Capital and other European tech billionaires like Revolut's Nik Storonsky, Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen and Datadog's Olivier Pomel also invested in this round. Osika credits Lovable's growth to the raw pool of AI talent that has emerged from Sweden's older cohort of unicorns and this new field of AI-focused startups. The Lovable cofounder himself had previously worked at Sana and another Stockholm-based AI company. Despite Sweden's growing tech scene, Europe has lagged behind the United States and China in building large language models, and San Francisco has remerged as the capital of the startup world. But Osika thinks his hometown could give him an edge. 'The average ambition level in Europe is much lower than the U.S but if we can ignite we have more of the raw fuel to build a generational company,' says Osika. More on Forbes Forbes AI Startup LangChain Is In Talks To Raise $100 Million By Rashi Shrivastava Forbes This Top VC Wants To Use Main Street America As An AI Lab By Iain Martin Forbes For AI Startups, A 7-Day Work Week Isn't Enough By Richard Nieva Forbes This AI Founder Became A Billionaire By Building ChatGPT For Doctors By Amy Feldman
