This Week in AI

Curious about how AI can transform your hospitality business while keeping the human touch?

My AI engineering firm Addo AI has helped many global companies on AI strategy, roadmaps and solutions to get real business results (Yup, that’s my day job!).

We work with companies across industries and next week, we’ll be focusing on hospitality.

Join me and Ali Bokhari, VP of Data Platforms at Addo AI, for a webinar where we’ll explore how AI is reshaping customer service and driving efficiency, with real-world examples from hotels, restaurants, and travel.

Click here to join live on LinkedIn or get a recording of the webinar.

AI Hirer Mercor Raises $100M at $2B Valuation

Mercor, a startup using AI to match people with jobs, has raised $100M, bringing its valuation to $2B. Founded by three 21-year-old Thiel Fellows, the company is backed by investors like Felicis, Benchmark, and General Catalyst.

Mercor’s platform automates hiring by screening resumes, matching candidates to jobs, and even conducting AI-powered interviews. Companies like OpenAI already use it, and the startup has helped 468,000 job seekers connect with employers. With India and the US as its biggest talent sources, demand is growing fast.

The company’s revenue has surged to $75M per year, driven by hiring in tech and AI labs. While some are afraid that AI-driven recruiting could replace human workers, CEO Brendan Foody argues that it helps people find the right jobs in an AI-driven world. He believes it is shifting hiring toward short-term, specialized work rather than just full-time roles.

Sanas Raises $65M to Fix Your Accent in Real-Time

AI startup Sanas has secured $65 million in funding, valuing the company at over $500 million. The company develops AI software that modifies accents in real-time, aiming to reduce bias and improve communication for call center workers.

Founded in 2020, Sanas was inspired by a friend's experience with accent discrimination in a call center job. Instead of traditional "neutralization training," its AI preserves speakers' emotions while adjusting pronunciation. With 50+ customers across industries like healthcare and logistics, Sanas now generates $21 million in annual revenue.

The company has faced criticism for potentially homogenizing speech, but it maintains its mission is to break barriers, not erase identities. With over $100 million raised, Sanas plans to expand globally, develop new speech algorithms, and grow its team, including opening a new office in the Philippines, a major call center hub.

UK Police Using AI To Track Knife Crime

Researchers at the University of Surrey have developed an AI system called Knife Hunter to help police identify and trace knives more effectively. Created in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police, the tool allows officers to quickly record seized weapons and analyze crime patterns to support investigations and policymaking.

Trained on 25,000 images of 550 different knife types, the AI can recognize weapons from various angles and lighting conditions. It has already been trialed in Operation Spectre, a Met initiative to tackle knife crime, and could soon expand to other police forces and local authorities.

With over 50,000 knife crime offences recorded in England and Wales last year, experts see this as a step toward safer communities. The university hopes the system will improve how law enforcement tracks weapons and prevents violent crime.

Karman+ Raises $20M to Build an Asteroid-Mining Spacecraft

Space startup Karman+ has raised $20 million to develop an autonomous spacecraft designed to mine asteroids for water and valuable materials. The company aims to extract water from asteroid rock (regolith) and use it to refuel space tugs and extend the life of satellites in orbit.

Founded by Teun van den Dries and Daynan Crull, Karman+ believes its missions could cost as little as $10 million, a fraction of the $1 billion NASA has spent on asteroid exploration. The startup is backed by investors including Plural, Hummingbird, and HCVC, with plans for its first launch in 2027.

Asteroid mining remains a challenge, from tracking moving targets to refining extraction methods, but Karman+ sees it as a cost-effective alternative to launching materials from Earth. As the industry explores new ways to sustain space operations, investors are betting on mining the final frontier.

Mira Murati’s New AI Startup Hires 20 Former OpenAI Researchers

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has launched a new AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, and she’s bringing a team of heavyweights with her. Two-thirds of her new company—about 20 people—are former OpenAI researchers, along with talent from Meta and Mistral.

The company is focused on building AI that better understands human values and can be used in a wider range of applications. It’s also making AI safety a priority, with OpenAI co-founder John Schulman leading research efforts and Barret Zoph as technology chief.

Thinking Machines Lab is entering a space crowded with OpenAI rivals like Anthropic and Safe Superintelligence, both of which have also attracted former OpenAI employees. To stand out, Murati’s team plans to openly share research, including AI code and datasets, in an effort to make AI more transparent and reliable. The startup is already in talks to raise funding.

Until next time! The future awaits.

Ayesha ??