AI This Week

AI audio startup ElevenLabs has launched a new marketplace for iconic voices. The platform allows companies to license AI-replicated voices of famous figures, both living and dead, for advertisements and other content. ElevenLabs presents this as a solution to ethical concerns surrounding AI voice cloning, stating it operates on consent, transparency, and fair compensation for performers or their estates. The initial list of 28 voices is striking. It includes living stars like Michael Caine, Matthew McConaughey, and Art Garfunkel alongside historical figures such as Maya Angelou, Alan Turing, and J. Robert Oppenheimer. Some voices are cloned directly, while others are synthetically recreated from archival audio.

OpenAI is releasing GPT-5.1. This upgrade aims to make its flagship model smarter and more enjoyable after the previous version failed to impress. The original GPT-5 launch was so underwhelming that it prompted partner Microsoft to explore models from competitor Anthropic. This new version directly addresses user experience. It introduces two specialized models, Instant and Thinking, designed for different tasks. OpenAI is also expanding its personality presets to include options like Quirky, Nerdy, and Cynical, moving beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach. The move signals a clear response to recent criticism and a renewed focus on what users want from their AI.

Anthropic, a key rival to OpenAI, appears on a faster path to profitability despite generating less than half the revenue. OpenAI recently saw its annualized revenue soar to $3.4 billion. Anthropic’s has also exploded, hitting $1.6 billion. Yet the company’s different business model might give it an edge in reaching profitability first. The situation highlights the industry’s central struggle: balancing staggering growth with the immense costs of computing power and talent needed to build advanced AI. This financial showdown stresses the high-stakes bet on sustainable dominance.

SoftBank has sold its entire stake in Nvidia. The massive sell-off generated $5.83 billion. The Japanese firm is directing that capital toward its “all in” bet on ChatGPT maker OpenAI, planning a $22.5 billion investment that will increase its ownership from 4% to 11%. This is not the first time SoftBank has cashed out of the chipmaker, having sold a $4 billion stake back in 2019. This latest move for “asset monetization” helped its Vision Fund post a blowout $19 billion gain. A source close to the matter stated the decision was not related to concerns over AI valuations but was a strategic play for capital.

Salesforce is acquiring Spindle AI. The deal injects the analytics startup’s forecasting technology directly into Salesforce’s Agentforce platform. Spindle AI specializes in agentic AI, building systems that model complex business scenarios and predict outcomes. This is a major step in Salesforce’s strategy to create an “agentic enterprise.” The company envisions a future where specialized AI agents collaborate to manage autonomous, end-to-end operations for customer experience. Spindle’s team will work on making these agents smarter and more reliable through advanced observability and self-improvement functions. This purchase builds on other recent acquisitions, showing Salesforce’s intense focus on owning every layer of the multi-agent AI stack.