Bots in the real world: World AI models could deliver the humanoid robots seen in sci-fi movies

Nvidia, Alibaba, and Tencent have each released their own world models, a type of AI that understands 3D space and physics. These models could enable applications such as humanoid robots, smart glasses, and self-driving cars. World models differ from chatbots like ChatGPT, which lack a grasp of the physical world. Companies are collecting real-world data to train these models, including Niantic, which is using data from its Pokémon Go game, and DoorDash, which is filming its gig workers performing tasks. World Labs, a startup founded by Fei-Fei Li, has raised $1 billion in funding to develop its own world model, Marble. The path to profit is unclear, but Li is confident in the technology's potential.