Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, is reportedly preparing for a new fundraising round that could value the firm between $170 billion and $200 billion, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is expected to play a significant role in the deal, partly through its indirect stake in xAI. Earlier, xAI secured $5 billion in both debt financing and strategic equity investment to scale its infrastructure, including data centers. Musk launched xAI in July 2023 as a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The startup has ambitious plans, forecasting annual earnings of over $13 billion by 2029.

OpenAI is set to shake up the tech world with its upcoming release of an AI-powered web browser aimed directly at challenging Google Chrome’s dominance. Built on Google’s open-source Chromium code, the browser promises to reimagine how users navigate the web by integrating AI agents capable of performing tasks like making reservations or filling out forms. With its vast ChatGPT user base, OpenAI is positioning the browser to capture critical user data — a foundation of Alphabet’s successful ad ecosystem. This development could intensify the competitive landscape, as rivals like Perplexity and Brave also introduce AI-augmented browsing tools.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that Grok AI will be available in Tesla vehicles “at the latest” next week. This news comes shortly after Musk’s AI startup xAI launched Grok 4, their latest AI model. There’s been recent controversy surrounding Grok’s social media posts, which were removed after complaints about inappropriate content. The integration of Grok AI into Tesla vehicles marks a significant step in combining artificial intelligence with automotive technology.

The state of Pennsylvania is facing an escalating energy crisis driven by artificial intelligence and its growing demands for power. The state’s governor threatens to leave the grid provider PJM Interconnection due to skyrocketing electricity prices. PJM faces challenges meeting demand from data centers and AI operations, with an 800% increase in capacity auction prices last year. The organization is fast-tracking new power projects, but many won’t be operational until the 2030s. Consumer energy costs are projected to rise 20% this summer. PJM estimates needing an additional 32 gigawatts of power capacity by 2030 to meet growing demand.

A new initiative is bringing artificial intelligence into classrooms across the United States. Anthropic, Microsoft, and OpenAI are funding the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million project aimed at training educators on using AI technologies. The American Federation of Teachers is spearheading this effort, which will offer free virtual training to its 1.8 million members. The academy, set to launch this fall in Manhattan, plans to train 400,000 educators over five years.