Odyssey, the cutting-edge AI startup founded by Oliver Cameron and Jeff Hawke, has just secured a $310 million funding round, valuing it at a staggering $1.45 billion. The world model AI creates accurate simulations of our physical environment, much like Google Earth but with a twist.

Their unique approach involves sending people out with cameras on their backs to gather data, a nod to the hands-on methodology that made self-driving pioneers out of Cameron and Hawke. This round was led by Natural Capital, with Amazon, AMD Ventures, GV, and others investing in what could be the future of AI.

With its world models now available for diverse applications from video games to robotics, Odyssey may well revolutionise how we interact with virtual worlds. AWS has joined as a preferred cloud provider, optimising its models on Trainium chips, competing with Nvidia's offerings.

The star-studded list of angel investors includes tech giants like Jeff Dean and Elad Gil, adding credibility to their venture. As the self-driving era meets AI simulation, the future looks brighter than ever for Odyssey’s ambitious plans.