OpenAI and Meta are creating new AI models capable of reasoning

Today’s Highlights:

?? News: All the AI giants pitch lofty ideas and release new products

?? Funding: Billions flow into Japanese and Korean AI?

?? Top News Stories:

• OpenAI and Meta gear up to launch AI models with advanced reasoning, setting a new benchmark in AI development

• Meta's latest MTIA chips redefine AI model training, promising unparalleled efficiency and expanding future AI endeavors

• Meanwhile, Gemini 1.5 Pro Now Available in 180+ Countries; With Native Audio Understanding, System Instructions, JSON Mode and More

• OpenAI's CEO engages global leaders to address AI's growing infrastructure needs, focusing on chips and energy

• Adobe intensifies its AI prowess by acquiring videos to power its text-to-video generator, directly challenging OpenAI, while actively soliciting clips of common actions and expressions, offering $120 for submissions, with the goal of enhancing AI training for generative features within Photoshop and Illustrator.

• 苹果 sets sights on revolutionizing its Mac lineup with M4 processors, geared towards elevating AI capabilities, according to 彭博资讯 , with anticipation building for the launch of M4-powered Macs slated to commence later this year and extend into early 2025, marking a swift progression following the recent M3 chip debut.

• Andrew Ng joins 亚马逊 's Board of Directors, signaling the company's AI focus, leveraging his expertise as Managing General Partner of AI Fund and founder of various AI-focused ventures and educational initiatives, enhancing Amazon's AI strategy.
• In 2024, venture capitalists invested over $2.2 billion in generative AI startups, shifting focus from chatbots to innovative applications such as humanlike robots and voice generators, with Figure leading by raising $675 million from major investors like 微软 and 英伟达 , highlighting a broader industry pivot to more advanced AI solutions.

?? Top Funding News:

• 微软 has committed $2.9 billion to enhance AI and cloud infrastructure in Japan, marking its largest investment there in 46 years, which includes opening a new Microsoft Research Asia lab and expanding digital skills training for 3 million people, aiming to accelerate Japan's economic growth and digital transformation.

• President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration in South Korea has allocated 9.4 trillion won ($6.94 billion) to enhance its leadership in semiconductor technology through artificial intelligence, with investments targeting AI chip R&D and a 1.4 trillion won fund to boost AI semiconductor firms, aiming to secure a top-three global ranking by 2030, while also bolstering the industry's resilience against external disruptions like Taiwan's recent earthquake.

• Cyera has secured $300 million in Series C funding, led by Coatue with participation from Spark Capital , Georgian , and AT&T Ventures, to enhance its AI-driven data classification engine that improves the security and management of data across diverse environments, aiding enterprises in meeting critical security and compliance demands.

• Cobot - Collaborative Robotics, Inc has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round, led by General Catalyst with contributions from Bison Ventures , Lux Capital , and Industry Ventures , to advance its autonomous mobile manipulator designed to operate safely alongside humans in sectors such as manufacturing, supply chain, and healthcare.

• Simbian has launched a Fully Autonomous Security platform using advanced AI, securing over $10 million in an oversubscribed funding round led by Cota Capital , Icon Ventures , Firebolt Ventures , Secure Octane , and Rain Capital , enhancing security processes while integrating TrustedLLM? for safer AI-driven actions.

• Symbolica AI , using a structured AI approach based on category theory to enhance model interpretability and minimize large data dependency, has raised $33 million through Series A and seed funding rounds led by Khosla Ventures , with participation from Day One Ventures , General Catalyst , Abstract , and Buckley Ventures , aiming to develop AI architectures with human-like reasoning and transparency.

• Neysa , an India-based AI startup, has raised $20 million in seed funding led by Z47 , Nexus Venture Partners , and NTTVC , to support its cloud-based platform designed to make AI project management more efficient and secure, enabling businesses to deploy, train, and manage generative AI models.

• Alethea, focusing on disinformation detection and mitigation, has secured $20 million in Series B funding for its multi-channel AI platform, Artemis, which analyzes internet narratives to protect organizations from online threats, with GV (Google Ventures) leading the investment alongside Ballistic Ventures and Hakluyt Capital .