AI is Awesome

Helix and AI Scientists

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AI For All
February 21, 2025

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Hello readers,

Welcome to the AI For All newsletter! Figure unveiled Helix, a vision-language-action model for controlling their humanoid robots, Google introduced an AI scientist, and Arc Institute developed the largest AI model for biology. Have I sold out? Let’s find out!

AI is Awesome

Figure introduced Helix, a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model for controlling their robots with natural language. Helix translates semantic knowledge (the kind one would find in a traditional LLM) into robot actions, enabling the robots to obtain new skills just by telling them what to do. How reliable this system is outside the lab remains to be seen. In the demo, a pair of robots work together to stock a fridge. Like the two velociraptors in Jurassic Park, this adorable couple knows their way around the kitchen. Yes, they’re infuriatingly slow, but I’m a sucker for dark, sleek, and minimal design.

Google announced an AI co-scientist designed to generate novel research hypotheses. Built on Gemini 2.0, the model uses a coalition of specialized agents that are inspired by the scientific method. While the system has limitations, when it works, it can speed up scientific discovery. For instance, it independently proposed that cf-PICIs interact with diverse phage tails to expand their host range. What, you didn’t know that cf-PICIs interact with diverse phage tails to expand their host range?

Researchers at Arc Institute developed a machine learning model called Evo 2, trained on the DNA of over 100,000 species. The largest AI model for biology to date, it can accurately identify disease-causing mutations in human genes and design new genomes. It’s also open source! I’m no expert in genetics. All I really care about here is becoming immortal. Can Evo 2 tell us what’s up with the jellyfish? What’s their secret!?

Look, one could lament the following indisputable facts about generative AI: the complete lack of a path to profitability, the unprecedented amount of money being burned, the unprecedented rate at which money is being burned, the general unreliability, and the plateauing of current approaches. One could focus on these things (which Grok 3 doesn’t fix), but look how cool Figure’s robots are! When AI is put to good use, whether it’s for science or giving me a human-sized action figure, then it’s awesome! I’m not being sarcastic. We’re on this Titanic together, let’s enjoy it.

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🔍️ Industry Insights

“As the electric-vehicle war in China calms down, leaving a few established players to dominate the field, Chinese EV giants are expanding into humanoid robotics. The shift is driven by financial necessity, but also by the advantages these companies command in the new sector: strong existing supply chains and years of experience building cutting-edge tech.”

Source: MIT Technology Review

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