Today in AI

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• News roundup

• Today’s big story

• This week on the podcast

• AI events

News roundup

The top stories in AI today.

NEW LAUNCHES

The latest features, products & partnerships in AI

• Lasso AI finds hidden revenue for businesses

• Final Cut Pro adds AI-powered caption transcription

• OpenAI enhances Realtime API with new voices and lower prices

• Magic Notepad is like Apple Notes with the power of ChatGPT

• Creatio’s latest update makes the case for CRM automation via agentic AI

• ChatGPT introduces search feature for past conversations

• ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 blends innovative design with AI powers

• Microsoft launches suite of AI tools for software development

AI AGENTS

Launches, research & more from the AI Agent Report Newsletter

• Creatio’s latest update makes the case for CRM automation via agentic AI

• Google delays AI agent Project Astra launch to next year

• Thoughts from Ethan Mollick on agentic AI and superintelligence

• Cisco unveils its vision for the future with new AI agent and XR capabilities

AI MODELS

Deployment, research, training & infrastructure

• Recraft unveils new AI image generator to rival Midjourney

• How DeepMind is pushing the frontiers of AI audio generation

• GitHub goes multi-model with new integrations for Claude, Gemini and o-1

• Waymo is using Google’s Gemini to train its robotaxis

• What to know about the upcoming Google Gemini 2 update

• AI models can learn to spot their own errors, study reveals

IMPLEMENTATION

Announcements, strategies, predictions & tools

• How Union Square Ventures uses AI to streamline investment decisions

• Should you deploy a generative AI salesbot?

• AI now generates 25% of Google’s code, CEO reveals

• How the ‘echo prompting’ technique can produce better results with AI chatbots

• New York Times experiment shows how to help journalists with AI without replacing them

• Why CIOs must make ethical AI a priority

MONEY FLOWS

Economics, Wall Street, investing & fundraising

• Google CEO denies plans to split AI from search

• T-Mobile unveils ambitious roadmap with emphasis on AI at investor event

• US launches $100M competition for AI semiconductor innovation

• Meta’s Q3 profit jumps 35% on strong ad sales and AI focus

• Cloud computing and Office software drive big revenue surge for Microsoft

• AI gun scanners attract funding amid school safety concerns

What’s happening in AI right now

AI returns start coming in

Billions in AI investments are finally translating into real revenue, though not always where expected. Microsoft's latest quarterly results reveal that AI services now drive 12 percentage points of Azure's growth, while Meta's Q3 profit jumped 35% powered by AI-enhanced advertising. Even Reddit achieved its first profit in nearly 20 years through AI initiatives and data licensing partnerships.

The economics of AI integration

The financial results paint a complex picture of how different companies are monetizing AI investments. Microsoft's $20 billion investment in AI infrastructure appears to be paying off through cloud services revenue, which grew 22% to $38.9 billion. Meta's success comes from integrating AI into its advertising platform, while Reddit found profits through an unexpected and high margin avenue - licensing its vast data repositories for AI training.

Strategic divergence

Tech leaders are pursuing notably different strategies in AI integration. Google maintains separate AI experiences alongside its traditional search, allowing for experimentation without disrupting its core business. Microsoft aggressively integrates AI across its product suite, betting that unified AI features will create stronger competitive moats. Meta doubles down on AI for advertising while significantly increasing Reality Labs investment, despite mounting losses.

The infrastructure challenge

A less discussed but crucial aspect emerging from these results is the massive infrastructure investment required to support AI initiatives. Meta forecasts "significant acceleration" in infrastructure spending for 2024, while Microsoft has already committed $20 billion. This raises important questions about barriers to entry for smaller companies and the potential for a widening gap between tech giants and the rest of the market.

The infrastructure demands create a fascinating paradox: while AI tools become more accessible through cloud services, the ability to build and run large-scale AI systems becomes increasingly concentrated among a few players with deep pockets.

Looking ahead

The early returns from AI investments look promising but suggest we're still in early innings. The winners will likely be those who can balance immediate implementation with sustainable long-term strategy - and remain adaptable as the technology evolves.

Perhaps most importantly, these quarterly results demonstrate that AI revenue models are more diverse than many anticipated. Success isn't just about building the best AI products - it's about finding unique ways to create and capture value from AI capabilities, whether through enhanced services, data licensing, or improved operational efficiency.

We publish weekly AI agent research, news, and strategies. Learn More Here

This week on the podcast

Can’t get enough of our newsletter? Check out our podcast Future-Proof.

In this episode, the hosts Anthony Batt and Shane Robinson with guest Joe Veroneau from Conveyor discuss outsmarting paperwork. Conveyor is a company that helps automate security reviews and document sharing between companies. They use AI technology, specifically language models, to automate the process of filling out security questionnaires. This saves customers a significant amount of time and improves the quality of their responses.

AI events

Best way to get AI literate? Go to some awesome events.

We’re thrilled to share that COAI is partnering with HumanX 2025—the AI conference that’s set to redefine the future of technology. Taking place on March 10-13, 2025 at The Fontainebleau Las Vegas, this forum is where the brightest minds in AI will gather to shape what’s next. And we want you to join us!

Why attend HumanX?
HumanX isn’t just another tech conference. It’s a unique opportunity to:

• Connect with industry leaders, C-suite executives, policymakers, and innovators from around the globe.

• Learn from top-tier speakers like Kevin Weil, Clara Shih, and Sridhar Ramaswamy about the latest AI trends and how they’re transforming cross-functional industries.

• Explore personalized strategies and solutions to drive your business forward with AI.

Whether you’re a startup, an established business, or an AI pro looking to make meaningful connections, HumanX is the place where AI meets opportunity.

Exclusive offer for our community
As a valued member of our community, we’re excited to extend an exclusive offer to attend HumanX 2025. Register now with our code HX25p_coai and save $250 on general admission!