Anthropic’s latest cutting-edge language model, Claude 3, has surged ahead of competitors like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini to set new industry standards in performance and capability.

According to Anthropic, Claude 3 has not only surpassed its predecessors but has also achieved “near-human” proficiency in various tasks. The company attributes this success to rigorous testing and development, culminating in three distinct chatbot variants: Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus.

Sonnet, the powerhouse behind the Claude.ai chatbot, offers unparalleled performance and is available for free with a simple email sign-up. Opus – the flagship model – boasts multi-modal functionality, seamlessly integrating text and image inputs. With a subscription-based service called “Claude Pro,” Opus promises enhanced efficiency and accuracy to cater to a wide range of customer needs.

Among the notable revelations surrounding the release of Claude 3 is a disclosure by Alex Albert on X (formerly Twitter). Albert detailed an industry-first observation during the testing phase of Claude 3 Opus, Anthropic’s most potent LLM variant, where the model exhibited signs of awareness that it was being evaluated.

During the evaluation process, researchers aimed to gauge Opus’s ability to pinpoint specific information within a vast dataset provided by users and recall it later. In a test scenario known as a “needle-in-a-haystack” evaluation, Opus was tasked with answering a question about pizza toppings based on a single relevant sentence buried among unrelated data. Astonishingly, Opus not only located the correct sentence but also expressed suspicion that it was being subjected to a test.

Opus’s response revealed its comprehension of the incongruity of the inserted information within the dataset, suggesting to the researchers that the scenario might have been devised to assess its attention capabilities:

Fun story from our internal testing on Claude 3 Opus. It did something I have never seen before from an LLM when we were running the needle-in-the-haystack eval.

For background, this tests a model’s recall ability by inserting a target sentence (the "needle") into a corpus of… pic.twitter.com/m7wWhhu6Fg
— Alex (@alexalbert__) March 4, 2024

Anthropic has highlighted the real-time capabilities of Claude 3, emphasising its ability to power live customer interactions and streamline data extraction tasks. These advancements not only ensure near-instantaneous responses but also enable the model to handle complex instructions with precision and speed.

In benchmark tests, Opus emerged as a frontrunner, outperforming GPT-4 in graduate-level reasoning and excelling in tasks involving maths, coding, and knowledge retrieval. Moreover, Sonnet showcased remarkable speed and intelligence, surpassing its predecessors by a considerable margin:

Haiku – the compact iteration of Claude 3 – shines as the fastest and most cost-effective model available, capable of processing dense research papers in mere seconds.

Notably, Claude 3’s enhanced visual processing capabilities mark a significant advancement, enabling the model to interpret a wide array of visual formats, from photos to technical diagrams. This expanded functionality not only enhances productivity but also ensures a nuanced understanding of user requests, minimising the risk of overlooking harmless content while remaining vigilant against potential harm.

Anthropic has also underscored its commitment to fairness, outlining ten foundational pillars that guide the development of Claude AI. Moreover, the company’s strategic partnerships with tech giants like Google signify a significant vote of confidence in Claude’s capabilities.

With Opus and Sonnet already available through Anthropic’s API, and Haiku poised to follow suit, the era of Claude 3 represents a milestone in AI innovation.

(Image Credit: Anthropic)

See also: AIs in India will need government permission before launching

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Tags: ai, anthropic, artificial intelligence, benchmark, claude 3, haiku, large language model, llm, opus, sonnet

See the humanoid work robot OpenAI is bringing to life with artificial intelligence

OpenAI has seen the future, and it involves imbuing a humanoid robot with the silicon spark of artificial intelligence.
The developer of ChatGPT, the generative AI technology that has set the world abuzz, said it's investing in Figure, a California company that makes robots for the workplace. OpenAI and Figure will also join forces to develop AI technology aimed at helping robots "process and reason from language," the companies announced in a news release. 
Launched in 2022, Figure is building what it calls "general purpose humanoids" that can labor alongside people, as well as do dangerous or unpleasant work. "There are over 10 million unsafe or undesirable jobs in the U.S. alone, and an aging population will only make it increasingly difficult for companies to scale their workforces," the company says on its website. 
Other blue-chip players joining OpenAI to invest in Figure include Jeff Bezos (through Bezos Expeditions, his family office), Intel, Microsoft and Nvidia, with the $675 million venture round announced Thursday valuing the robotics company at $2.6 billion.
Figure is one of a growing number of companies developing robots to work in warehouses, factories and other industrial settings. The company announced in January that it had signed a deal with BMW to deploy robots in the German automaker's plants, including the German company's facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
"Our vision at Figure is to bring humanoid robots into commercial operations as soon as possible," said Brett Adcock, the startup's founder and CEO, in a statement on its latest funding round. "This investment, combined with our partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, ensures that we are well-prepared to bring embodied AI into the world to make a transformative impact on humanity."
Here's a look at what Figure's robot can do.

Figure Status Update - Real World Task by Figure on YouTube

Figure Status Update - AI Trained Coffee Demo by Figure on YouTube

MONEYWATCH 

JetBlue scraps $3.8 billion deal to buy Spirit Airlines

JetBlue Airways is ending its quest to buy Spirit Airlines more than a month after a federal judge blocked the $3.8 billion deal because of antitrust concerns.
The carriers agreed to scrap the merger after determining they were unlikely to secure the mandatory legal and regulatory approvals in time proceed with the deal, JetBlue announced on Monday. It will pay Spirit $69 million to resolve any remaining matters related to their failed merger. 
"Given the hurdles to closing that remain, we decided together that both airlines' interests are better served by moving forward independently," JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said in a statement.
Confirming the development in a separate news release, Spirit CEO Ted Christie said the airline continues to be "confident in our future as a successful independent airline." 
Shares of JetBlue edged higher in early Monday trading while Spirit shares plummeted nearly 14%. 

The deal has been considered dicey after a federal judge in January ruled that JetBlue's purchase of Spirit would weaken competition by eliminating a major discount airline, potentially resulting in higher airfares for travelers. In siding with the Biden administration in opposing the proposed takeover, Judge William Young found the deal would "harm cost-conscious travelers who rely on Spirit's low fares." 
On Monday, the Justice Department declared the decision to abandon the deal a victory for its work on behalf of consumers. 
"The Justice Department proved in court that a merger between JetBlue and Spirit would have caused tens of millions of travelers to face higher fares and fewer choices," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "We will continue to vigorously enforce the nation's antitrust laws."
JetBlue and Spirit had argued their union would let the merger carrier offer low-cost fares in more markets around the country and help it compete with larger airlines. 
The airlines agreed to a deal in July 2022 after JetBlue made an unsolicited offer for Spirit, weeks after it struck a deal with competing budget carrier Frontier. 
More from CBS News

POLITICS 

California votes in its Senate primary race today. Meet the candidates vying for Dianne Feinstein's seat.

Washington — Candidates are set to face off on Tuesday in California's crowded Senate race, where more than two dozen candidates are competing to represent the nation's most populous state.
The top two vote-getters in the Golden State's so-called jungle primary, in which candidates from all parties are competing for a chance at the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein's seat, will advance to the November general election.
The campaign for the seat in deep-blue California has been a long battle. Even before Feinstein said she wouldn't seek reelection, multiple candidates had already announced they would enter the race for a seat that hadn't been open for three decades. And it may be years before another opportunity, with the state's other seat being held by Sen. Alex Padilla, a 50-year-old Democrat who was nominated by Gov. Gavin Newsom to finish Vice President Kamala Harris' term and then elected to his first full term in 2022.
Participating in the crowded primary — which includes a slew of lesser known individuals — are four major candidates. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff has been considered the front-runner throughout the campaign. But a recent poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Los Angeles Times, had former professional baseball star Steve Garvey, a Republican, in a statistical tie for first. Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee and Katie Porter are also making a push to earn enough support to advance to the general election in November. 
The two candidates who finish first and second, regardless of party, will face off against each other in November. The same UC Berkeley poll found that if Schiff and Garvey advance, Schiff would be the overwhelming favorite to beat Garvey. 

Adam Schiff

Rep. Adam Schiff speaks at a town hall hosted by the advocacy group March For Our Lives at East LA College. 
ROBERT GAUTHIER/LOS ANGELES TIMES/GETTY IMAGES
The 63-year-old rose to national prominence during the first impeachment trial against President Donald Trump, when he served as lead prosecutor. First elected to Congress in 2000, he's also worked atop the House Intelligence Committee and on the Jan. 6 select committee, among others. Representing California's 30th district in the Los Angeles area, Schiff has the backing of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a behemoth in California politics. At the time of the endorsement, Pelosi said Schiff "knows well the nexus between a strong democracy and a strong economy."

Steve Garvey

Steve Garvey, Republican candidate for Senate, speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
DAVID CRANE/MEDIANEWS GROUP/LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS VIA GETTY IMAGES

Garvey, 74, is a former infielder for the L.A. Dodgers and San Diego Padres whose entrance into the race in October injected the contest with a late dose of celebrity. More than three decades after he left baseball, the Republican has positioned his bid for the Senate on returning the Golden State to its former glory, saying it's "time to get off the bench."

Katie Porter

Rep. Katie Porter speaks at Huntington Landmark Senior Community in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Oct. 17, 2022.
MYUNG J. CHUN / LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES
Porter, 50, represents California's 47th District in the Orange County area. She's been in Congress since 2019, after she flipped a longtime Republican seat in an area that was once home to Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. 
After arriving in Congress, she gained attention on social media for blasting corporate and government officials in congressional hearings with her signature whiteboard. Porter has the endorsement of her former law professor, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who said Porter has a "backbone made out of steel." 

Barbara Lee

Rep. Barbara Lee speaks to supporters during her campaign launch rally at Laney College in Oakland, California on Feb. 25, 2023. 
MELINA MARA/THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES
Lee, 77, has been in Congress since 1998. The progressive icon, who's regularly pushed the envelope on liberal ideals in the state and elsewhere, represents California's 12th District in the Oakland area. In 2001, she was famously the only member of Congress to vote against open-ended authorization for military force following the 9/11 terror attacks. And she previously led the Congressional Black Caucus.

Who do California Senate polls show in the lead?

While Schiff had consistently led in recent polling, Garvey propelled his way to a "statistical tie" with Schiff in the latest poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Garvey had the backing of 27% of likely voters, while Schiff had 25%. Porter trailed with 19%, while Lee had 8%.
Democrats haven't lost an election to the U.S. Senate since 1988. And the seat is ultimately expected to remain in Democratic control come November. But Garvey could shut Porter and Lee, two prominent progressives, out of the race months before then, kneecapping their campaigns before they have a chance to make inroads against Schiff. 
Progressives have warned that Porter and Lee are splitting the vote, drawing from similar bases and propelling Garvey to a second-place finish. Adding to the turbulent outlook for Lee and Porter is anticipated low turnout in the solidly blue where Republicans have made subtle inroads in recent years, flipping a handful of House seats in the midterm elections. Voters have been slow to return their mail-in ballots so far, as the all-but-certain rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump looms in November. 
Should Garvey come in second in Tuesday's primary, the vote would likely tee up a coronation for Schiff, rather than the Democratic brawl that would follow should two members of the party move forward after the primary. In a matchup between Schiff and Garvey, Schiff leads by fifteen points, according to the UC Berkeley polling.
The candidates will have big shoes to fill, after Feinstein's 30-year tenure. She was first elected to the seat in 1992 and remained in office until her death in September 2023.

What time do Super Tuesday polls open and close? Key voting hours for today

Washington — Voters in 15 states are poised to cast their ballots for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on Super Tuesday, March 5, with poll opening and closing times varying by state.
There are 13 primaries and two caucuses set to take place, with 874 delegates at stake for the two GOP candidates still in the race — former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina governor and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. 
Super Tuesday is the biggest voting day of the 2024 presidential election, and Trump comes into it with wins in all but one of the Republican contests held so far — Haley notched a win in the District of Columbia's primary on Sunday— and a commanding lead in the delegate race.
Elections for the Democratic presidential nomination are also taking place in 15 states and one U.S. territory, American Samoa, though President Biden does not have a major challenger.

Alabama voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polling places in Alabama open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET).

Alaska voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polling locations open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET to 12 a.m. ET). 

Arkansas voting hours on Super Tuesday

Voters in Arkansas can cast their ballots from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET to 8:30 p.m. ET).

California voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET).

Colorado voting hours on Super Tuesday

In Colorado, voters can go to the polls to cast their ballots between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET to 9 p.m. ET).

Maine voting hours on Super Tuesday

Depending on the municipality and its population, polling locations in Maine open between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time. All polls in the state close at 8 p.m. ET.

Massachusetts voting hours on Super Tuesday

Voting locations in Massachusetts open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. ET.

Minnesota voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polls open in Minnesota open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET to 9 p.m. ET).

North Carolina voting hours on Super Tuesday

In North Carolina, polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.

Oklahoma voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polls in the state open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET).

Tennessee voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polls in Tennessee open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET).

Texas voting hours on Super Tuesday

All polling locations in the state open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET for most of the state. Three counties in West Texas are in Mountain time, so polls open at 9 a.m. ET and close at 9 p.m. ET).

Utah voting hours on Super Tuesday

Vote centers in Utah are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET to 10 a.m. ET).

Vermont voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

Virginia voting hours on Super Tuesday

Polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

How to watch Super Tuesday election results 

• What: Super Tuesday primary and caucus results
• Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2024
• Time: First polls close at 7 p.m. ET — watch live streaming coverage all evening on the CBS News app, CBSNews.com and Paramount+
• On TV: A CBS News special anchored by Norah O'Donnell airs from 10-11 p.m. ET on CBS television stations (find your local station here)
• Online stream: Live on CBS News in the video player above and on your mobile or streaming device