Runway launches photorealistic image generation model + Trump rescinds Bidens AI executive order

Today’s Highlights:

?? News: Runway launches photorealistic image generation model + Trump rescinds Bidens AI executive order??

?? Funding: Perplexity submits merger proposal for TikTok + Instabase raises $100M to process unstructured data w/ AI

?? Top News Stories:

1. Runway has officially launched its Frames AI image generation model, offering high-quality photorealism and enhanced stylistic control through ‘Worlds,’ which enable users to maintain consistent aesthetics across multiple generations.

2. President Donald Trump has rescinded President Biden’s AI executive order, which mandated AI companies to share safety test results and established the US AI Safety Institute, signaling a shift toward a hands-off regulatory approach focused on fostering innovation and reducing compliance burdens.

3. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will present a major AI breakthrough to U.S. government officials on January 30, unveiling "Ph.D.-level" AI agents capable of autonomously handling complex tasks across fields like software engineering, science, and logistics, with potential implications for mid-level job automation.

4. Sam Altman confirmed that OpenAI's o3 mini model will launch in the coming weeks, though he acknowledged it won’t pass the Turing test anytime soon.

5. Chinese AI lab DeepSeek AI has released DeepSeek-R1, an open-source reasoning model that it claims outperforms OpenAI’s o1 on benchmarks that assess areas like math, science, and programming.

6. OpenAI has partnered with longevity startup Retro Biosciences to develop GPT-4b micro, an AI model designed to engineer proteins that could potentially extend human lifespan by 10 years by focusing on cellular reprogramming through Yamanaka factors, which can transform human skin cells into youthful stem cells for organ regeneration and cell replacement therapies.

7. Cognition updates its AI code assistant, Devin, with repository context understanding, an integrated browser for seamless workspace setup, and enables audio interactions via Slack for more flexible communication.

8. Character.AI is expanding its platform by introducing AI-powered games to increase engagement and reinforce its positioning as an AI entertainment company, following leadership changes and evolving user demands.

9. OpenAI 's ChatGPT head of product, will testify in the DOJ's antitrust case against Google, focusing on AI search competition and market barriers, while both companies clash over evidence disclosure.

10. Leaked information suggests OpenAI’s Operator AI agent, capable of autonomously executing tasks on users' computers, may soon launch, despite challenges related to performance reliability and safety concerns.

11. A recent study found that leading AI models, including GPT-4 Turbo, Meta’s Llama, and Google’s Gemini, struggle with complex historical questions, highlighting their reliance on prominent historical data and difficulty with nuanced or underrepresented topics.

?? Top Funding News:

1. Perplexity has submitted a merger proposal to ByteDance, suggesting a combined entity that includes TikTok U.S., Perplexity AI, and new capital partners, allowing existing ByteDance investors to retain their equity stakes while enhancing Perplexity AI’s AI search platform with TikTok’s video content and infrastructure.

2. Instabase , which helps organizations process unstructured data using AI, raised a $100M Series D led by the Qatar Investment Authority , w/ Greylock , New Enterprise Associates (NEA) , Andreessen Horowitz , and Index Ventures .

3. Metropolis Technologies has acquired Oosto for $125M in an all-stock deal, leveraging its AI-driven security technology to enhance automated parking services while absorbing the troubled company's assets and personnel.

4. Perplexity , the AI-powered search engine, has acquired Read.cv , a professional social media platform competing with LinkedIn, with operations winding down by Friday and user data export available until May 16.

5. Coram AI , which uses generative AI to modernize security with features like firearm detection and rapid video searches, raised a $13.8M Series A led by Battery Ventures .

6. nexos.ai , an AI orchestration platform optimizing enterprise LLM deployment and management, raised an $8M seed round led by Index Ventures , w/ Creandum , Dig Ventures , and angel investors.