IBM's AI Push, OpenAI's Acquisition Talks, and Google's AI Teaching Assistant - Daily AI Brief #150
April 09, 2025 -
Daily AI Brief
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Welcome to today's AI Brief.
OpenAI is reportedly in discussions to acquire AI hardware startup io Products. Meanwhile, Shopify's CEO has encouraged the use of AI over hiring new employees. IBM has unveiled its new z17 mainframe, featuring the AI-optimized Telum II processor.
In other developments, Amazon has enhanced its Nova Reel platform to support longer AI-generated videos. Rescale has secured $115 million in Series D funding, and Anthropic is expanding its presence in Europe with new roles and leadership.
Welcome to today's AI Brief.
OpenAI is reportedly in discussions to acquire AI hardware startup io Products. Meanwhile, Shopify's CEO has encouraged the use of AI over hiring new employees. IBM has unveiled its new z17 mainframe, featuring the AI-optimized Telum II processor.
In other developments, Amazon has enhanced its Nova Reel platform to support longer AI-generated videos. Rescale has secured $115 million in Series D funding, and Anthropic is expanding its presence in Europe with new roles and leadership.
Top stories
OpenAI in Talks to Acquire AI Hardware Startup io Products
OpenAI is reportedly in discussions to acquire io Products, an AI hardware startup co-founded by Jony Ive and Sam Altman, with a potential valuation of $500 million. Read more
Shopify CEO Urges AI Use Over Hiring
In a memo, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke emphasized that teams should prioritize AI solutions before considering increasing staff, aiming to leverage AI's potential to maintain a lean workforce. Read more
IBM Unveils z17 Mainframe with AI-Optimized Telum II Processor
On April 7, 2025, IBM announced the z17 mainframe, equipped with the Telum II processor, designed to enhance AI capabilities with support for over 250 AI use cases. Read more
Meta Exec Denies Boosting Llama 4 Scores
Ahmad Al-Dahle, VP of generative AI at Meta, has denied allegations that the company manipulated its Llama 4 models to improve benchmark scores. He clarified that the models were not trained on test sets and addressed mixed performance reports. Read more
Amazon Enhances Nova Reel for Longer AI Videos
Amazon has upgraded its AI video model, Nova Reel, to generate videos up to two minutes long. The update introduces new features for video composition, though ethical concerns about training data persist. Read more
Rescale Secures $115 Million Series D Funding
The AI physics modeling company Rescale has raised $115 million in a Series D funding round, with investments from prominent figures like Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, and Jeff Bezos. This funding aims to enhance Rescale's digital engineering platform for improved modeling and simulation. Read more
Anthropic Expands in Europe with New Roles and Leadership
Anthropic is set to create over 100 jobs in Europe, focusing on Dublin and London, and has appointed Guillaume Princen as the head of its EMEA operations. Read more
Other news
- Brazil Data Center Market Growth Report 2025-2030
- Anytime AI Appoints New VP of Revenue
- Anduril and Ultra Maritime Partner for Autonomous Ocean Sensing
- Shield AI Unveils Upgraded V-BAT Drone
- TwelveLabs Integrates Video AI with Amazon Bedrock
- Krea Secures $83M for Generative AI Platform
- Monks Showcases AI Innovations at NAB 2025
- White House Expands AI Adoption Flexibility for Federal Agencies
- DeepMind Pays Staff to Avoid Joining Rivals
- IBM Acquires Hakkoda to Boost AI Consulting
- Contxtful Technologies Raises $1.9 Million
- SigIQ.ai Secures $9.5M for AI-Powered Education
- Sectra Partners with Paige.AI for Pathology AI Services
- SambaNova and Meta Collaborate on Llama 4 Models
- Google Public Sector Introduces AI Teaching Assistant at University of Michigan
- Moonvalley Secures $43 Million for AI Video Tools
- Google Enhances AI Mode with Image Analysis
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