Each week, Quartz rounds up product launches, updates, and funding news from artificial intelligence-focused startups and companies.
Here’s what’s going on this week in the ever-evolving AI industry.
Samsung expanded its AI PC lineup this week, launching the Galaxy Book5 Pro and Galaxy Book5 360. The AI PCs are powered by Intel’s (INTC) Series 2 Core Ultra processors and neural processing units up to 47 TOPs.
Samsung’s AI PCs are integrated with Galaxy AI features, including AI Select, which allows users to “search anything, anytime, with a simple click, just like on their phone except on a much larger, immersive display.” Another feature, Photo Remaster, can retouch images and blurry photos with AI — even old photos.
Google (GOOGL) previewed Gemini-powered AI capabilities for Google TV this week at the Consumer Electronics Show. Powered by the tech giant’s Gemini models, users can interact with their TVs through natural conversation. Users can ask their TVs “questions about travel, health, space, history and more, with videos in the results for added context.”
The Gemini-powered TV also allows users to create customized artwork, control smart home devices while in ambient mode, and give summaries of daily news. The features are expected to come out later this year on select Google TVs, the company said.
LG Electronics announced a partnership with Microsoft (MSFT) this week to combine its products with AI technology to enhance AI agents for homes, vehicles, hotels, and offices. The two companies also plan to develop AI agents that can understand and interact with customers, LG Electronics CEO William Cho announced at the Consumer Electronics Show.
Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft, also announced further collaboration between the companies on AI data centers. LG’s thermal management systems and advanced chiller technologies will be used for enhanced AI data center energy efficiency.
Qualcomm (QCOM) announced new chips this week that are designed to run artificial intelligence on personal computers in the $600 range. The Snapdragon X Platform, which includes the 8-core Qualcomm Orion central processing unit, a power-efficient graphics processing unit, and a 45 TOPS neural processing unit, can run Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs “more efficiently,” the chipmaker said.
Devices fitted with the Snapdragon X platform are expected to be available early this year from manufacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell (DELL), HP (HPQ), and Lenovo.
“Snapdragon X is an ideal solution for students, freelance workers, and budget-conscious consumers who need a reliable and powerful laptop that can keep up with their busy lives,” Qualcomm said.
The chipmaker also announced “the world’s first mini desktop PC” featuring the Snapdragon X Series platform.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) introduced new AI PC and gaming processors this week at the Consumer Electronics Show. The new Ryzen AI Max Series chips will be used for high-performance computing in “thin and light notebooks.” AMD also unveiled new Ryzen AI 300 Series “Zen-5”-based chips and Ryzen 200 Series chips for everyday use in AI PCs.
The chipmaker is also partnering with Dell on Dell Pro PCs powered by Ryzen AI PRO chips.
Lenovo announced its Smarter AI for All vision at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, led by its Lenovo AI Now on-device personalized AI assistant. The AI assistant, built on Meta’s (META) Llama 3 model, can summarize documents and assist in knowledge base retrieval.
The company also announced new lineups of AI-powered devices, including two “business-focused” Microsoft Copilot+ PCs: the ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition laptops and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable laptop.
MeetKai showcased AI-powered wearables and platforms as well as an immersive entertainment world this week at the Consumer Electronics Show. Through a partnership with ThinkAR, the two companies integrated MeetKai’s advanced AI software platform into wearable devices such as smart glasses, smart watches, and headphones.
The AiLens Ultra smart glasses feature Unified Wearables Intelligence (UWI) — an AI operating system embedded in the glasses for features such as AI voice commands, image analysis, and live translations.
“This year at CES, we’re showcasing how AI can be both innovative and inclusive, from transforming education with lifelike training platforms to making augmented reality technology accessible for everyone,” James Kaplan, CEO and co-founder of MeetKai, said in a statement. These advancements aren’t just about futuristic concepts—they’re practical, user-focused tools that redefine how we live, work, and connect.”
The company also displayed its AI-powered virtual training platform with Florida State University and a partnership with Charlamagne tha God on an immersive entertainment world.
Bee unveiled an AI wearable at the Consumer Electronics Show this week that the company says demonstrates how “personal AI transforms daily life by living alongside users.”
The Bee wearable “learns from both digital and physical experiences,” such as emails and conversations, to support wearers. Bee’s battery life lasts seven days, making it available to support users alongside a dual-microphone system that can support 40 languages.
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Britney Nguyen