Today in AI is a daily recap of the latest news and developments in the AI industry. See your story and want to be featured in an upcoming episode? Reach out at tonyphoang.com SoftBank is in discussions to potentially invest up to $25 billion in OpenAI, aspiring to become its largest investor. This substantial investment underscores SoftBank's ambition to lead in the AI sector, despite the financial and legal hurdles OpenAI faces. OpenAI is also seeking up to $40 billion in additional funding, which could boost its valuation to $340 billion, decreasing its dependency on Microsoft and providing essential resources for developing superintelligent AI systems. Jared Zhao, co-founder of Polyture, has launched Athenic AI, a company focused on transforming data analytics. Athenic AI aims to deliver comprehensive, user-friendly data insights tailored to specific organizational needs and has raised $4.3 million in seed funding to enhance its capabilities and market reach. This initiative highlights the increasing interest in AI's ability to revolutionize industries through improved data analysis. Elon Musk has acknowledged that Tesla's Hardware 3 will need an upgrade to support unsupervised self-driving, contradicting previous statements and raising concerns about customer trust and regulatory scrutiny. This situation underscores the challenges Tesla faces in achieving full autonomy amid increasing competition and market changes. Meanwhile, Waymo, Alphabet Inc.'s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, has initiated fully driverless robotaxi rides for employees in Atlanta, with plans for public service by 2025. Backed by a $5.6 billion funding round, Waymo's market expansion reflects its dedication to transforming transportation with autonomous technology. Google has rolled out a voluntary exit program for its Platform and Devices team in the US, offering severance packages to streamline operations and integrate AI capabilities across its product lines. This action follows the consolidation of Google's Android, Pixel hardware, and Chrome teams to improve product integration and stay competitive, despite fears of potential talent loss and project disruptions. Furthermore, Google's new AI model, Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental, promises improved performance in coding and mathematics while facing competition from cost-effective AI models by Chinese startup DeepSeek. Microsoft has introduced new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models featuring Copilot+ PC certification, incorporating advanced AI capabilities to boost productivity and efficiency. These devices come with Intel Core Ultra or Snapdragon X processors, with the Surface Laptop expected to add 5G connectivity later this year. Microsoft's shift to Qualcomm's Arm-based processors represents a strategic move to improve battery life and AI performance, highlighting the intensifying competition in the PC processor market.

Join Will Lu, CTO of Orby AI, as he shares insights from his journey from Google Cloud, where he helped develop Vertex AI and Document AI, to founding Orby AI, an enterprise platform focused on building AI agents for complex business processes. Lu discusses the evolution of AI accessibility, from the early days of deep learning to today's foundation models, and explains how Orby's Generative Process Automation (GPA) platform uses an observe-and-learn approach to help enterprises automate repetitive tasks with high accuracy. Lu shares his vision for the future of enterprise AI, including the potential of human-computer interaction data and Orby's open-source release of their ActIO model on HuggingFace.

Today in AI is a daily recap of the latest news and developments in the AI industry. See your story and want to be featured in an upcoming episode? Reach out at tonyphoang.com Planet Labs PBC has secured a $230 million contract to deploy its next-generation Pelican satellites, integrating Nvidia's Jetson AI platform. This significant investment will enhance Planet's satellite services and expand its market presence amidst growing global demand and competitive challenges. The reliance on AI to improve satellite technology and services is becoming more prominent. DeepSeek's R1 model faces scrutiny for potential Chinese government influence on its responses to sensitive topics, with tests revealing significant compliance that can be bypassed. This situation underscores the global debate over AI regulation, balancing innovation with safety and ethical considerations. Additionally, DeepSeek is involved in a trademark dispute with Delson Group Inc., which could impact its operations and brand identity. The rapid advancement of AI technology, as seen with DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model, is affecting global power dynamics, economic competition, and security concerns. Discussions are ongoing about the future of AI dominance, reduced costs for AI development, and strategic responses from major players like the U.S. and China. The debate over U.S. export controls on AI chips highlights the tension between maintaining technological superiority and the economic impact on American companies. Lily Vittayarukskul transitioned from aerospace engineering to genetic science and AI, founding Waterlily, a startup that uses AI to predict long-term care needs. Waterlily's AI integrates various data sources to provide personalized care recommendations, securing $7 million in seed funding. Similarly, Martin Fengler founded Meteomatics, using AI and autonomous weather drones to provide precise weather data, transforming operations in sectors like agriculture, energy, and transportation. The Vatican has released a document outlining ethical guidelines for AI use, emphasizing that AI should complement rather than replace human intelligence. The guidelines address ethical, legal, and humanitarian concerns in AI warfare, the importance of human relationships in healthcare, and the need for balanced education. This initiative contributes to the global conversation on the responsible use of AI technology. Microsoft's integration of DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model into its Azure AI Foundry service aims to enhance AI capabilities for enterprises but raises questions about data security, competitive fairness, and regulatory scrutiny. Meanwhile, Clutch Security, a Tel Aviv-based startup, has secured $20 million in funding to enhance its AI-driven platform for securing machine identities, addressing the growing need for robust cybersecurity measures in the digital landscape.

Today in AI is a daily recap of the latest news and developments in the AI industry. See your story and want to be featured in an upcoming episode? Reach out at tonyphoang.com Billionaire investor Steve Cohen maintains a positive outlook on the long-term potential of artificial intelligence despite the market disturbance caused by the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. DeepSeek's affordable AI models have shaken investor confidence, particularly affecting companies like Nvidia, and prompted a reassessment of AI investment strategies within the tech industry. This situation highlights China's advancing capabilities in AI, driven by local talent and strategic innovation, while also raising questions about the global implications for AI governance and geopolitical dynamics. Atomicwork, an Indian-founded SaaS startup, has secured $25 million to create an AI-driven platform that automates service workflows, improving communication and service delivery within organizations. By integrating with popular applications and utilizing advanced AI models, Atomicwork aims to provide faster and more efficient service management solutions compared to traditional systems like ServiceNow. This development indicates a move towards more streamlined and efficient service management in the technology sector. The private banking industry is undergoing transformation due to fintech firms like Arta Finance and Moomoo, which use AI and advanced technologies to offer sophisticated wealth management services at lower costs, challenging traditional banks. This change is particularly noticeable in Singapore, where fintech companies are making high-quality financial tools and investment strategies more accessible. Traditional banks are being pushed to incorporate AI and collaborate with fintech to remain competitive in this evolving market. DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, is quickly gaining traction in the U.S. AI ecosystem, raising national security concerns and leading to calls for stricter export controls. Despite existing U.S. restrictions, DeepSeek's cost-effective AI models, created using open-source code and less-advanced Nvidia chips, challenge American tech supremacy and showcase China's growing prowess in AI technology. This has resulted in significant privacy concerns, particularly about data collection and storage, highlighting the necessity for strong regulatory measures. Microsoft has launched a new cybersecurity tool called scareware blocker, which employs machine learning and computer vision to detect and prevent scareware scams. The tool aims to protect users by blocking full-screen scam pages and educating them about cybersecurity threats while ensuring no user data is transmitted to the cloud, addressing privacy concerns. This initiative demonstrates Microsoft's dedication to using AI to improve cybersecurity measures.

Join Kathleen Walch, Global Head and General Manager of Project Management Institute (PMI), as she discusses the evolution of AI project management and PMI's recent acquisition of Cognilytica, her AI research and advisory firm. She shares insights on PMI's CPMAI methodology, which helps organizations manage AI projects through six phases and seven distinct patterns of AI implementation. Looking at AI adoption challenges, particularly with generative AI and chatbots, she emphasizes starting small and iterating often. Walch addresses global AI regulations, emerging trends like agentic AI, and PMI's initiatives including their AI assistant Infinity.

Join Heidi Golledge, CEO of Jobot, as she shares her entrepreneurial journey from founding CyberCoders (which sold for over $100M) to launching Jobot, an AI-powered recruitment platform that serves 10 million users and 15,000 open jobs. She discusses how AI is transforming the recruitment landscape through tools like Jax (Jobot Automated Experience) while emphasizing the continued importance of human elements like attitude and cultural fit in hiring. Golledge provides insights on the future of work, suggesting that AI will become as fundamental as electricity in every industry while advising job seekers to focus on building personal brands, embracing AI tools, and aligning career choices with their desired lifestyle rather than just pursuing high salaries.

Join Will Hu, CTO of Flagler Health, as he discusses the evolution of AI in healthcare to today's advanced AI-powered services that can handle everything from appointment scheduling to clinical diagnostics. Hu emphasizes that while previous decades focused on point solutions, current healthcare AI is shifting toward comprehensive service-oriented approaches that integrate with existing workflows, though he notes that policy changes around payment models and reimbursement are crucial for wider AI adoption. Looking to the future, Hu is excited about the potential of combining ambient clinical data capture with patient interactions outside the clinic to create truly holistic care, while maintaining that AI will augment rather than replace healthcare workers, creating more jobs in the field.

Join Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI at Cognizant, as he discusses Neuro AI, their flagship AI platform that uses multi-agent systems to create decision-making workflows where AI agents can communicate with each other to solve complex business problems. Babak demonstrates how Neuro AI works through various examples, including an intranet search system where agents collaborate to answer queries and a podcast analytics tool that helps optimize listener engagement, feedback quality, and production costs. The platform can be deployed on-premises for companies dealing with sensitive data, and Cognizant is positioning itself as a pioneer in commercial multi-agent systems for business solutions.

Join Vicky Demas, CEO of identifeye HEALTH, as she shares insights into her journey from a chemical engineer to leading a healthcare AI company. She discusses the innovative work her team is doing in retinal imaging and AI to revolutionize diagnostics, starting with diabetic retinopathy. Vicky also explores the future of AI in healthcare, highlighting the potential to democratize access and improve patient outcomes on a global scale.

Join Babak Hodjat, CTO of AI at Cognizant, as he discusses the latest advancements in generative AI, including foundational model improvements and the rise of agent-based systems. Babak shares insights on the challenges of scaling AI POCs and the growing demand for AI-driven workflows with human-in-the-loop systems. He also teases exciting developments at Cognizant, where agent-based architectures are transforming productivity and decision-making.