Meta has postponed the release of its flagship AI model, Behemoth, originally slated for April 2025, now delayed to fall or later. Despite public claims of superiority over rivals, internal assessments reveal performance issues and training challenges. Engineers question whether the model’s enhancements over previous versions justify a public launch. This delay raises concerns about Meta’s substantial AI investments, with up to $72 billion in capital expenditures planned for the year. Internal tensions have surfaced, with executives reportedly blaming the Llama 4 team and considering management changes. The setback reflects broader industry challenges, as competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic also face delays in launching advanced models. Meta’s stock fell 2.4% following the news.

Perplexity has announced a partnership with PayPal to bring conversational commerce to life within its Perplexity Pro platform. Launching this summer in the U.S., this collaboration allows users to shop, book travel, and secure tickets instantly with PayPal or Venmo—all through Perplexity’s chat interface. Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, emphasizes the shared focus on trust, while PayPal CEO Alex Chriss highlights the ease and security of shopping during chats. Key features include seamless payment, shipping coordination, tracking, and passkey-powered checkouts. This innovation also taps into PayPal’s global network of over 430 million accounts across 200 markets, all backed by strong security protocols.

TikTok has released AI Alive, a new tool that animates still photos for TikTok Stories, creating motion-filled video clips. This feature automatically transforms everyday images into dynamic visuals, adding sound and movement for a more engaging user experience. For example, a still photo of a sunset can evolve into a sweeping, cinematic video with atmospheric effects. Beyond its creative potential, the tool emphasizes safety by labeling AI-generated content and embedding metadata for transparency. AI Alive taps into advancing technology to explore new storytelling possibilities while aiming to maintain authenticity.

Philips and Nvidia are working together to develop AI-driven advancements for MRI systems. The partnership focuses on creating a new AI model designed to improve the quality of MR images, reduce scanning times, and support more accurate diagnoses. Radiologists may find tools such as interactive image adjustments and automated scanning processes particularly relevant for enhancing workflow efficiency. This collaboration highlights ongoing efforts to modernize medical imaging and demonstrates how AI continues to play an important role in healthcare technology.

AI search startup Perplexity has skyrocketed to a $1.04 billion valuation after securing $62.7 million in new funding. The latest round, led by Daniel Gross and joined by investors including Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, and IVP, highlights growing interest in Perplexity’s real-time, answer-focused alternative to Google. With just 40 employees, the company is already generating millions in revenue and attracting 10 million monthly users. Perplexity’s AI offers cited answers with source links, distinguishing it from traditional search engines. The funds will be used to expand product development and scale operations. As the AI arms race intensifies, backers are betting on Perplexity to reshape how people find information online.