Crypto News Today – $300M Boost for Skild AI: Jeff Bezos and Softbank Invest in ‘Robot Brains’ Technology
Crypto News Today – Artificial intelligence firm Skild AI recently emerged from stealth to announce the successful closing of a $300 million Series A funding round. The round featured participation by high-profile investors including Jeff Bezos and Softbank, among others.
Carnegie Mellon Spinout
Skild AI, a spinout from Carnegie Mellon University, is focused on developing an AI system capable of being retrofitted to various machines and robotic devices. This “general-purpose brain” aims to revolutionize the AI and robotics industries.
Funding and Valuation
According to a company blog post, the $300 million funding was raised at a valuation of $1.5 billion. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coatue, SoftBank Group, and Jeff Bezos through Bezos Expeditions. Additional participation came from Felicis Ventures, Sequoia, Menlo Ventures, General Catalyst, CRV, Amazon, SV Angel, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Skild AI’s Vision
Skild AI represents the latest unicorn to enter the AI space with the ambitious goal of developing an “artificial general intelligence” (AGI). It joins other notable organizations such as OpenAI, Anthropic AI, and xAI in the pursuit of creating human-level AI.
The AGI Debate
It’s important to note that AGI remains a theoretical concept with no scientific consensus. There is no agreed-upon definition distinguishing a powerful AI system from an actual AGI system. As of now, no scientific evidence supports the fundamental possibility of AGI.
Focus on Robot Operating Systems
In addition to its AGI aspirations, Skild AI aims to innovate in the field of robot operating systems. The company’s long-term goal is to develop a modular artificial “brain” that can be retrofitted for use in any housing that meets its power and connectivity requirements. Specific details on product development remain scarce.
The Bezos Connection
While the Series A funding announcement did not provide specifics about the company’s roadmaps or partnerships, it’s possible that Jeff Bezos or Amazon might collaborate with Skild AI. Given Amazon’s extensive resources, including a massive GPU cluster used for its Bedrock AI system and its leading cloud services platform, such a partnership could be highly synergistic.
Potential Collaborations
Other companies specializing in robotics, like Boston Dynamics, could also serve as potential partners for Skild AI. These companies, while not necessarily focused on human-level AI systems, could benefit from integrating Skild AI’s general-purpose brain into their robotic solutions.
Infrastructure and Development
Developing an AI brain will likely require massive infrastructure, similar to that used for OpenAI’s ChatGPT and xAI’s Grok. This places chipmakers such as Nvidia and AMD at the top of Skild AI’s potential supplier list. Amazon’s existing GPU resources could also play a significant role in Skild AI’s development.
By securing $300 million in Series A funding, Skild AI is poised to make significant strides in AI and robotics, potentially reshaping these industries with its innovative general-purpose brain.
FAQ for Skild AI’s $300M Series A Funding
What is Skild AI?
Skild AI is an artificial intelligence firm and a spinout from Carnegie Mellon University. The company focuses on developing a general-purpose AI system capable of being retrofitted to various machines and robotic devices.
How much funding did Skild AI raise in its Series A round?
Skild AI raised $300 million in its Series A funding round.
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