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AI research lab Flapping Airplanes has secured $180 million in seed funding from investors including Google Ventures, Sequoia, and Index. This substantial backing supports their ambitious goal of developing AI models that learn more like humans, rather than relying on massive internet data collection—an approach many other labs have gradually moved away from.

Founded by brothers Ben and Asher Spector, along with co-founder Aidan Smith, the team believes that achieving far greater data efficiency in training could unlock entirely new possibilities in artificial intelligence.

Tune into the full episode to explore:

Why Flapping Airplanes prioritizes foundational research over immediate commercial applications

What the rise of “neolabs” signifies for the future of AI advancement

Their strategy to improve AI model data efficiency by a factor of 1,000. As a clue, the founders view the human brain as “the floor, not the ceiling” for what AI can ultimately achieve

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