The First Batch of Robots Has Already Started Working at BMW's Factory

🌟 OpenAI rolls out structured outputs

💡 Google launches AI assistant Bluebuddy

🤖 Figure 02 humanoid robot debuts at BMW factory

🔎 Alibaba International launches professional-grade AI Search

🌐 01.AI introduces Function Call capability

🎨 Canva revolutionizes one-stop AI creative experience

💰 01.AI closes multi-hundred-million-dollar funding round

🚀 Optical communications stocks surge on AI demand

🛠️ A Claude engineer's AI-powered coding journey

OpenAI Rolls Out Structured Outputs

OpenAI recently announced that its ChatGPT API now fully supports structured outputs [1], particularly JSON format, with 100% accuracy in matching JSON Schema — and at significantly reduced cost.

The new model API ensures outputs strictly conform to predefined JSON Schema, solving previous inconsistency issues. Compared to earlier models, input costs are down 50% and output costs down 33%. Through dynamic constrained decoding, OpenAI ensures generated tokens comply with the provided schema, improving accuracy. Developers can define a JSON Schema, and the AI will output data accordingly, streamlining development and reducing errors.

Developers can use the OpenAI API to build multi-step agent workflows, generating structured data from unstructured inputs. The structured outputs feature reduces developer effort in producing ideal results, eliminating the need for multiple open-source tools or prompt experimentation. The new capability improves output reliability, reduces malformed responses, and enables developers to build more stable applications.

Google Launches AI Assistant Bluebuddy

Google is developing an AI assistant called "Bluebuddy" designed to help Chromebook users troubleshoot Bluetooth issues. Bluebuddy will be integrated into the ChromeOS operating system, providing customized solutions based on user-inputted problems.

Users describe their issues, and the AI assistant offers solutions that may include adapter, device, and debug log options. Chromebook users have expressed anticipation for Bluebuddy's launch, hoping it will simplify Bluetooth device connection and management. It remains unclear whether Bluebuddy will be available for all Chromebook models or limited to the Chromebook Plus series.

Figure 02 Humanoid Robot Debuts

Figure has unveiled its latest humanoid robot, "Figure 02" — an AI device backed by Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and other tech giants, hailed as "the most powerful humanoid robot on Earth" for its exceptional performance and advanced technology.

Figure 02 features an exoskeleton structure with power and compute wiring integrated internally, improving reliability and packaging density. Equipped with six RGB cameras positioned on the head, chest, and back, combined with an AI-driven vision system, it achieves rapid commonsense visual reasoning. Powered by a custom OpenAI model, it communicates with humans through onboard microphones and speakers, with voice serving as the default user interface. Compared to its predecessor, Figure 02's onboard computing and AI inference capabilities have improved dramatically, enabling autonomous execution of various real-world AI tasks.

Figure 02 has already undergone trial work at BMW's automotive assembly plant, performing vehicle assembly procedures and automatically identifying and correcting behavioral errors. Figure has hinted that Figure 02's applications extend beyond industrial settings, with future potential for performing various tasks in home environments.

Alibaba International Launches Professional-Grade AI Search

Alibaba International recently announced the launch of the world's first AI-powered B2B procurement search engine, leveraging large model technology adept at instruction following, long-context summarization, and content generation. The AI product has been trained on 1 billion product and industry knowledge items, covering the world's largest B2B trade domain.

AI Search proactively understands buyers' natural language and translates it into professional procurement requests, helping SME owners more accurately understand and predict demand while improving procurement efficiency. It forecasts demand based on global market data and provides precise matching and recommendations. By transforming how information is presented, it actively helps users compare options and recommends suitable suppliers, filling a gap in deep information search — particularly regarding specialized industry know-how.

01.AI Introduces Function Call Capability

01.AI's "Yi API" has announced the launch of its groundbreaking Function Call feature. Its latest model, "Yi-Large-FC," demonstrates exceptional performance in deep comprehension and instruction following, accurately determining when to invoke external tools and responding in JSON format with full compatibility with OpenAI's interface design.

"Yi-Large-FC" ranks sixth globally and first in China on the international authoritative benchmark Berkeley Function-Calling Leaderboard. Shiguang Zhang, founding partner of Zhiliao Technology and Vice Dean of Jinan University's AI Research Institute, praised the "Yi" series of large models as the optimal choice across multiple dimensions. "Yi-Large-FC" precisely completes complex calling tasks, with outstanding performance and competitive pricing making it a preferred option for enterprises.

Canva Revolutionizes One-Stop AI Creative Experience

On August 7, 2024, online design platform "Canva" announced at its "Canva Connect: Connecting You, Creating the Future" event that its one-stop AI creative suite "Magic Studio" has officially launched in China. Canva CEO Melanie Perkins noted that the industry needs more alternatives to Adobe, and that Canva is committed to maintaining good relationships with various products in the market.

Magic Studio features include AIGC-powered copy generation, image generation, text effects generation, image editing, and transition animation design. Smart Grab, Magic Effects, and Magic Animate require Canva Pro membership, with free trials also available.

01.AI Closes Multi-Hundred-Million-Dollar Funding Round

01.AI, the AI large model unicorn founded by Kai-Fu Lee, announced the completion of a new funding round raising several hundred million dollars, with investors including a strategic international investor and a Southeast Asian conglomerate, among others.

01.AI was founded by Kai-Fu Lee, former Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, with a core team drawn from top tech companies including Google, Microsoft, IBM, and Baidu. The company pursues a global strategy, validating products in overseas markets before domestic launch — as with its AI productivity tool "PopAi." In 2024, it released the closed-source model "Yi-Large," serving Fortune Global 500 companies. As one of the "Six Little Tigers of Large Models," 01.AI's valuation has grown rapidly.

Optical Communications Stocks Surge on AI Demand

Lumen Technologies' stock soared 93% overnight after securing a $5 billion contract. The news also drove significant gains in A-share optical communications stocks.

The growth of AI and big data applications is fueling demand for high-performance data centers, which require high-speed network connectivity infrastructure. Tongding Interconnection, Huiyuan Communications, and other companies hit their daily upper limits, while US fiber optic stock Lumen surged on AI-driven orders.

The company is actively negotiating for an additional $7 billion in potential orders. Corning, a major player in the global fiber optic cable market, has reached a significant agreement with Lumen to supply next-generation fiber optic cables. Microsoft has established a new partnership with Lumen expected to generate over $20 million in cash flow for the company.

A Claude Engineer's AI-Powered Coding Journey

Claude engineer Erik Schluntz broke his right hand in an accident — and ended up experiencing an AI coding revolution. Over nearly two months, he pair-programmed with AI, even writing 3,000 lines of code in a single week.

Schluntz achieved efficient coding by combining speech-to-text technology with Claude AI. He discovered that given the right foundational building blocks, AI can autonomously complete complex tasks. Schluntz began to understand what AI can and cannot do in coding, enabling more effective use of the technology. AI helped Schluntz rapidly develop custom tools to address specific task requirements. Schluntz predicts that within 1-3 years, AI engineers will become a reality, capable of working both autonomously and collaboratively.

It is August, daylight floating upon the surface of night — if you point at the moon, the Milky Way will surely flow from your ears

—— Listening to Cicadas in the Summer Moon

Editorial Team Editor: Yuki

Design: Ivan

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References [1] "ChatGPT API Now Fully Supports Structured Outputs": https://openai.com/index/introducing-structured-outputs-in-the-api/