AT&T’s downtown Dallas headquarters has a new employee of sorts: a robotic AI trash can named Oscar. Developed by Vancouver, Canada-based Intuitive AI, the robot checks out any trash item you hold up to it and tells you whether it goes in its recycling, compost, or landfill bins.
Roman Smith, director of global environmental sustainability & social innovation at AT&T, showed off Oscar for a recent CW33 newscast.
Intuitive’s Oscar Sort is an AI-powered waste sorting system that automatically identifies recyclables providing people with clear recycling instructions. [Image: Intuitive; DI]
“Oscar is the first AI trash can in Texas,” Smith told CW33. “It’s a brain that helps us sort our trash. It’s basically taken the guesswork out of where trash goes.”
Oscar is friendly, too.
“It’s a trash can that actually talks to you,” Smith told CW33, acknowledging one interesting tidbit: When the device says robotically, “Hi there, I’m Oscar,” it’s a woman’s voice you hear.
But no matter what Oscar’s voice sounds like, its results speak for themselves.
“It’s been great,” Smith said. “In fact, we’ve already started seeing data that shows it’s pushing our diversion from landfill to about 40%, which is awesome. As time goes on, that’ll only increase.”
“It’s going to learn over time and get smarter and smarter,” Smith added.
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Innovators across North Texas and entrepreneurs all over the U.S. are racing to launch (and patent) the latest breakthrough AI. That can lead to IP policy issues as emerging tech hits the market. On February 8, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will a public meeting to discuss how to promote innovation in AI and Machine Learning tech, to be held virtually and in person at the Arts District Mansion in Dallas. "The takeaways will shape future work on AI and ET policy," says USPTO Director Kathi Vidal.
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The request was made in an open letter signed by major players including Elon Musk, co-founder of OpenAI, the lab that created ChatGPT and GPT-4; Emad Mostaque, founder of the London-based Stability AI; and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. More than 1,000 artificial intelligence experts, researchers, and backers signed the letter, including academics from UT Dallas.
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North Texas universities are gearing up for the AI revolution, readying students for the jobs of tomorrow. Here's a look at what's happening at SMU, TCU, the University of North Texas, UT Arlington, and UT Dallas, as published in our annual 2023 Dallas Innovates magazine.
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