Amazon has developed a new generative artificial intelligence (AI) model capable of processing images and videos alongside text, according to a report by The Information. The model, code-named Olympus, is designed to help the company reduce its reliance on external AI providers such as Anthropic, whose Claude chatbot is a popular offering on Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The report, citing two individuals with knowledge of the development, stated that Olympus can understand scenes in images and videos, enabling customers to search for specific moments — such as a winning basketball shot — using text-based prompts. Amazon is expected to announce Olympus as early as next week during its annual AWS re:Invent customer conference, according to a source cited by The Information.
This development follows Amazon’s recent $4 billion investment in Anthropic, a competitor to OpenAI. This matches a similar $4 billion investment made by Amazon in September 2022 to strengthen its position in the generative AI space.
Amazon’s new AI initiatives reflect its efforts to counter the perception that rivals like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI have taken the lead in generative AI development. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the Olympus project, according to Reuters.
With Olympus, Amazon aims to broaden its AI offerings on AWS, leveraging its capabilities to deliver more advanced and versatile AI tools. By integrating video and image processing, the new model positions Amazon to compete more effectively in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape.
