Bits and Bytes
Amazon text-to-speech service, Polly releases new Breath feature.
- The new feature more closely mirrors human speech patterns by adding in pauses and breaths. The breaths can be added both manually and via an automated algorithm.
IBM sets 46x faster benchmark record with POWER9 and NVIDIA GPUs.
- The test was done using IBM’s SnapML AI software. They were able to train a logistic regression classifier model in just 1.53 seconds with the fastest previous time for the model and dataset being 70 minutes on Google Cloud with Tensorflow.
Apple partners with IBM to add Watson Visual Recognition to CoreML.
- Apple, which has been weak in its cloud services offerings, is likely trying to keep up with the new AI demands of mobile developers that may be swayed by Google’s robust suite of AI tools for the Android platform. (I’m quoted to this effect in the linked article.)
Paperspace launches Gradient, an AI PaaS.
- The platform offers fully configured ML environments compatible with a large suite of leading AI development tools.
IBM Launches Watson Data Kits to help accelerate enterprise AI adoption.
- The kits will provide companies with pre-enriched industry-specific data that can be used to scale AI across their business. The service will initially only be available for travel and transportation and food industries.
Dollars & Sense
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Mythic, an Austin-based AI hardware startup, raised $40 million.
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Skyline AI, a real-estate investment service powered by AI, raised $3 million.
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Beijing Infervision, a company that develops AI medical imaging tech, raised $47 million.
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Sift Science, a cybersecurity company, has raised $53 million.
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AllyO, a provider of AI recruiting technology, raised $14m.
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Vision Critical, a customer relationship intelligence software company, has bought assets of AI-startup Aida Software.
