AI This Week

Google DeepMind has unveiled Aeneas, an advanced AI model designed to help historians interpret and preserve ancient texts. Announced in Nature, this innovation examines and restores fragmented Latin inscriptions, offering profound insights into the past. Aeneas can identify textual parallels, process both text and image inputs, and fill gaps in damaged writings, setting a new benchmark in the field. While initially focused on Latin, the model’s capabilities can extend to other ancient languages, scripts, and artifacts, such as papyri and coins. Researchers, students, and educators can access an interactive version of Aeneas at predictingthepast.com, with its code and dataset made open source.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has signed an agreement with the UK government to use artificial intelligence in public services. The aims to boost productivity in areas such as education, defense, security, and the justice system. The deal may give OpenAI access to government data and involve developing safeguards to protect the public. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle emphasized AI's role in driving economic growth. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated the plan would "deliver prosperity for all." The agreement also includes potential investment in AI infrastructure and expansion of OpenAI's London office.

Lovable, a Stockholm-based AI startup, has hit unicorn status just eight months after launching. The company, which simplifies website and app creation through natural language inputs, raised $200 million in a Series A funding round. This latest funding, led by Accel, values Lovable at $1.8 billion. The platform has attracted over 2.3 million active users, with 180,000 paying subscribers and $75 million in annual recurring revenue. Its rapid success comes with a lean team of just 45 employees and backing from notable investors, including the CEOs of Klarna, Remote, and Slack. With enterprise clients like Klarna and HubSpot already aboard, Lovable is expanding its vision to support full-scale business applications.

OpenAI has introduced a powerful new capability for its ChatGPT service—a cutting-edge AI agent designed to tackle complex tasks. This development places OpenAI ahead in the competitive AI landscape, backed by Microsoft's support. These sophisticated agents integrate functionalities like web interaction and advanced multi-step task execution. Users on Pro, Plus, and Team tiers can activate this feature to handle nuanced requests, such as selecting wedding attire by factoring in dress codes and weather. The agent is equipped with a virtual computer and tools to connect with applications like Gmail and GitHub, enabling personalized and efficient task handling. With technology giants like Microsoft, Salesforce, and Oracle heavily investing in AI agents, this innovation underscores their strategic importance.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced plans to construct a data center nearly as large as Manhattan for AI development. The company intends to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in AI products, including a multi-gigawatt facility called Prometheus set to launch in 2026. Zuckerberg emphasized Meta's strong advertising revenue as justification for the substantial expenditure. The tech giant is also actively recruiting top AI talent for its new Superintelligence Labs division. This ambitious project aims to solidify Meta's position against competitors like OpenAI and Google.

Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic, a competitor to OpenAI, is reportedly exploring a new investment round that could raise its valuation beyond an eye-popping $100 billion. While the company is not officially pursuing fundraising, insiders claim that venture capitalists are proactively offering substantial backing, reflecting the growing frenzy surrounding the AI sector. This buzz coincides with a surge in revenue from Anthropic’s chatbot product, Claude, which has captured significant market attention. Preemptive funding in Silicon Valley, especially for leading AI firms, is becoming a common trend, with Anthropic emerging as one of the industry's prime targets for high-stakes investment.

Thinking Machines Lab, a promising artificial intelligence company, has raised $2 billion in seed funding, setting a new record and valuing the firm at $12 billion. Spearheaded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, the company’s leadership includes ex-OpenAI experts who contributed to projects like ChatGPT and AI safety. Backed by major investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia, and AMD, the funding highlights the fierce competition in advancing AI technologies. Thinking Machines plans to develop multimodal AI capable of interacting with humans through conversation and vision, with its first product launch expected in the coming months. With an open-source focus and ambitious research goals, the company aims to impact both developers and the AI community.

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded contracts worth up to $200 million to four leading AI companies — Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and xAI — to enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities. According to the DoD, this investment aims to tackle pressing national security priorities using advanced AI systems. Each company will develop AI agents for particular defense missions.

Elon Musk’s xAI introduced "Grok for Government," granting U.S. agencies access to its AI models. OpenAI, previously awarded a similar contract, continues its role in deploying AI solutions for defense purposes. The initiative reflects the DoD's shift toward adopting cutting-edge AI to strengthen strategic military advantages.

Remark Holdings has partnered with Google Public Sector to deploy advanced computer vision AI across New York State's government agencies. This collaboration, under a two-year Enterprise Cloud Services Agreement with the New York State Office of Information Technology Services, aims to modernize public sector operations. The initiative focuses on enhancing infrastructure monitoring, public safety, and healthcare delivery by improving visual data processing, streamlining workflows, and integrating disparate systems. By leveraging Remark's AI technology, the partnership seeks to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve decision-making processes within state agencies. This move represents a significant step in the digital transformation of New York's public services.

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.